Nov 24 (NW) Construction of the first-ever indoor stadium in the Jaffna District commenced today (23) under the patronage of the Minister of Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage, marking a major step in strengthening sports infrastructure in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province. The event was attended by Minister Bimal Rathnayake, MP K. Ilankumaran, Director General of the Dept of Sports Development V. Premachandiran, the District Governor of Jaffna, along with several govt officials more..

Nov 24 (AD) The Executive Board of the IMF is scheduled to meet on December 15, 2025 to discuss and approve the fifth review of Sri Lanka’s EFF programme. In October, the IMF and SL authorities reached a staff-level agreement on economic policies to conclude the fifth review of Sri Lanka’s reform program supported by the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility. Once the review is approved by the IMF Executive Board, Sri Lanka will have access to about US$347 million in financing. more..

Nov 24 (TM) SL’s total number of active credit cards saw a 5.2% increase by the third quarter of the year, from the numbers recorded by the end of 2024, data from the CB shows. The number of active credit cards reached 2,117,378 in Sept this year, from the 2,008,456 active cards recorded in Q4 of 2024. Further, the outstanding balance of credit cards saw a 4.8% increase in Q3, with a recorded increase from Q4 balance more..

Nov 24 (DM) GMOA has warned that it will decide on further action within 48 hours if no specific time frame is announced for addressing the problems of doctors and the health system. An emergency executive council meeting of the GMOA held today stressed the need for a clear schedule for implementing solutions. If the responsible authorities fail to provide a time frame within 48 hours, GMOA Central Committee will discuss more stringent professional actions at its meeting on more..

Nov 24 (DM) A cross talk popped up between opposition MP Chithral Fernando and Minister Bimal Rathnayake in Parliament where the former said there is a conflict of interest on the part of current Chairman of the national carrier, Sarath Ganegoda. MP Fernando said Ganegoda is the chairman of another domestic airline and this situation leads to a conflict of interest. "The govt should look into this matter," MP said. He said the govt should appoint businessesman Dhammika Perera as more..

Nov 24 (EN) SL will begin value added tax refunds for exporters who are considered lower risk within days, with early applications coming in the first week of the month, Director General of Inland Revenue R P H Fernando said. Exporters are expected to make the refund application for input VAT credits by November and the Inland Revenue will keep the cash for a maximum of 45 days before returning them, under the new law. “The first applications came on November 2-3,” Fernando said. more..

Nov 24 (FT) The Halal Assessment Council Ltd., (HAC) has been recognised with a Merit Award at the SL National Quality Awards 2023 (SLNQA) — the country’s most prestigious recognition for organisational excellence, conducted by the SL Standards Institution (SLSI). The awards ceremony, held on 11 Nov, was graced by MinisterChrishantha Abeysena. The event celebrated public- and private-sector organisations that demonstrate outstanding commitment to quality, innovation, and more..

Nov 24 (CT) Data released by CSD last Friday highlight a continued rise in the cost of living for SL families. For the second month in a row, the overall monthly budget for a household has increased by more than Rs 2,000 compared to the same time last year. Specifically, in Oct 2025 alone, total cost of living for a family rose by Rs 2,721.55 compared to Oct 2024. This surge is driven by countrywide inflation, which has accelerated more..

Nov 24 (DM) Sri Lanka Ayurvedic Drugs Corporation (SLADC) has earned Rs. 1,343 million from the sale of Ayurvedic medicines in the first 10 months of this year. SLADC Chairman Geethamani Karunaratne said, last year, the corporation’s total revenue from pharmaceutical products was Rs. 1,350 million, and this year it is expected to surpass Rs. 1,500 million, She highlighted that despite a shortage of imported dry medicines, production levels have remained high compared to last year. more..

Nov 24 (DM) PM of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, hosted SL, Zimbabwe & Pakistan cricket teams for a state luncheon at his house on 19 Nov . The event was attended by the Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control, Mohsin Naqvi, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and Federal Minister for Information, Attaullah Tarar, the Ambassador of Zimbabwe, and High Commissioner of SL. In his remarks, the PM highly commended the SL team’s decision to continue the tour. more..

Nov 24 (Island) MEPA Chairman Samantha Gunasekara says the SL govt has not spent any public funds on the extensive beach clean-up operations, following the X-Press Pearl disaster or the more recent Elsa 3 nurdle spill. “Not a single cent from the SL govt,” Gunasekara said, explaining that all costs have been borne by the vessels’ owners and their insurers. He said MEPA teams conducted clean-up work from Colombo to more..

Nov 24 (EN) Sri Lanka’s move to set price controls on 350 medicines is intended to favour Indian medicines in the local market, and pushes out British, US medicines, former minister Wimal Weerawansa has alleged at a pocket gathering. The present NPP govt signed 7 agreements with India, he said, of which one saw SL for the first time approving Indian standard medicines. “They are setting price controls so that Indian manufactured medicines can capture the local market. more..

Nov 24 (NW) The pilot project allowing passengers to pay bus fares using bank cards has been launched on several inter-provincial and provincial routes, as part of efforts to modernise Sri Lanka’s public transport system. The new payment method was inaugurated at the Makumbura Multimodal Transport Centre today and is being jointly implemented by the Ministry of Transport and Highways and the Ministry of Digital Technology, with support from selected state & pvt banks. more..

Nov 24 (CT) Ministry of Health has come under scrutiny for failing to utilise over 80% of the funds allocated to the health sector in the 2025 Budget. According to Ministry’s CFO, G.S. Karunaratne, the entire allocation of Rs 12 billion designated specifically for primary healthcare remains completely untouched. Details, revealed in a report dated 5 July, under the RTI, indicate that out of the total Budget allocation of approximately Rs 48 billion intended for the system’s development, more..

Nov 24 (DM) The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) is in assessment of the current hike of global fuel prices, triggered by multiple factors including sanctions on Russia, an official said. The CPC, in its regular review of prices of refined petroleum products, has taken note of the spike in the world market. The price curve shows an increasing trend during the first three weeks of November, as assessed by the top regulator of petroleum trade in Sri Lanka. more..

Nov 24 (Island) The education sector is bracing for major disruption as teachers and principals have decided to launch a countrywide strike on 12 Dec in protest against the govt’s educational reforms, scheduled to take effect in Jan 2026. The agitation has brought together nearly all education sector trade unions, including the Ceylon Teachers Service Union (CTSU), affiliated to NPP govt, in a rare show of unified resistance. more..

Nov 24 (DM) Despite wildlife officials expressing confidence on the ongoing efforts to drive wild elephants out of Hambantota villages, Environmental law expert Dr. Jagath Gunawardana said it’s only worsening the human–elephant conflict rather than resolving it. He said the practice of chasing elephants from one area to another only aggravates the problem, as displaced herds move into new villages, triggering fresh confrontations. “These drives don’t solve anything — they only more..

Nov 24 (DM) Nearly 5,000 patients are currently on the waiting list for heart surgery at the Colombo National Hospital, and some may have to wait up to four years for their operation, Chairman of the Doctors’ Trade Union Alliance for Medical and Civil Rights Chairman Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa said. Five of the heart surgery wards at the hospital have 600, 756, 2,400, 400, and 761 patients on their waiting lists, with surgery dates expected to take up to four years. more..

Nov 24 (FT) SL’s current approach to Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and trade liberalisation may reinforce inequality rather than reduce it unless access, mobility, and capability gaps are addressed upfront, UNDP Country Economist Dr. Vagisha Gunasekara has warned. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Labour Markets in South Asia, she said: “AI and trade can be very powerful tools for transformation in SL, but only if we change more..

Nov 24 (FT) South Asia’s strong growth outlook masks a deep labour-market imbalance that is now intersecting with rapid technological change, creating new vulnerabilities for SL, World Bank Economist Dr. Jonah Rexer said delivering the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) guest lecture. He said the region remains the fastest-growing emerging market bloc, with growth projected at around 6% in 2026. But the underlying jobs problem – a working age population expanding more..

Nov 24 (AD) The Colombo High Court has acquitted and released a former Sri Lanka Army Captain and his personal driver, who were accused of robbing a mobile phone worth Rs. 20,000 from a jewelry store in Wellawatta in 2001. During the incident, the suspects allegedly threatened the store staff with a knife and a firearm. However, after a lengthy trial, Colombo High Court Judge Lanka Jayaratne ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt, more..

Nov 24 (FT) Rupees 704 billion is allocated for education in the 2026 Budget for SL. This amount is the second highest allocation in the Budget and 2% of the projected GDP. This allocation is obviously nowhere near the much-cited goal of 6% GDP for education. What we have is an allocation which, like other allocations for education before, merely bolsters an education system that has been steadily losing its lead in access and quality decades ago. This Budget does not provide money to more..

Nov 24 (FT) The harvesting of cyberspace is necessary and useful for development, but it is also a fertile ground for those who are intent on robbing the gullible people of their wealth and money. Since money is exchanged through financial institutions, the proliferation of these criminal activities poses challenges for their risk management practices and, if not properly handled, causes an erosion in public trust in them. It leads to panic which is the worst enemy of both financial institutions & more..

Nov 24 (TM) Govt doctors have intensified their trade union action, citing concerns over the retainability of doctors in the State health service, outstanding allowances and other perks that have either been reduced or not fully paid as promised. GMOA Association Assistant Secretary, Dr. Hansamal Weerasuriya, said that medical professionals had consistently gone beyond their call of duty to ensure patient care and more..

Nov 24 (AFP) On a lush cricket ground outside Colombo the sharp jingling of a ball cuts through the afternoon air. Every rattle is a pushback against the stigma of disability. Sri Lanka and India are co-hosting the first T20 World Cup for visually impaired women. The semi-finals are on Saturday between India and Australia and Pakistan and Nepal, followed by the final on Sunday. India manager Shika Shetty told AFP that the sport has transformed lives and helped change attitudes. more..

Nov 24 (AD) Department of Examinations has lodged a complaint with the CID requesting an investigation into reports claiming that the Economics question paper of this year’s GCE A/L exam had been leaked prior to the exam. According to the Dept of Examinations, the complaint was submitted last week by the Deputy Commissioner of Examinations. In recent days, various reports circulated on social media alleging that the A/L Economics question paper had been leaked. more..

Nov 24 (FT) Sri Lanka will issue a $ 50 million Domestic Dollar Bond (DDB) next week, the country’s first foreign-currency borrowing instrument since the 2022 default and the first Bond issued under the newly operational Public Debt Management Office (PDMO). The move also comes against the backdrop of an earlier Cabinet proposal in October to raise up to $ 100 million through the DDB window, with the authorities opting to more..

Nov 24 (TG) British Tamils gathered in London this afternoon to protest JVP's General Secretary Tilvin Silva's visit to the city. Outraged by his visit, Tamil protesters tried to push back Silva's car as it entered the car park of Alperton High School in Wembley, where he was attending an event to commemorate those who died during the JVP insurrection in 1987-1989. Protesters chanted Sri Lankan govt, terrorist govt! and Stop, stop genocide! as they gathered ahead of his arrival. more..

Nov 24 (CT) The Railway Locomotive Operating Engineers’ Union says that goods and fuel transport trains operating from Maho to Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Kankesanthurai will be withdrawn from service. Union Secretary Chandana Viyanduwa said that, starting midnight yesterday (23), all fuel and goods transport trains on these routes will be suspended. In addition, the Union noted that the night mail train operating tomorrow is also expected to be withdrawn from service. more..

Nov 24 (Island) SL’s headline inflation accelerated in Oct 2025, according to the latest Weekly Economic Indicators, driven by a sharp increase in food prices. National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) based headline inflation, measured year-on-year, rose to 2.7% in Oct, up from 2.1% in Sept. A breakdown of the figure reveals that Food inflation surged to 4.1%, while Non-Food inflation was a more modest 1.5%. Meanwhile, core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy items, also saw an increase. more..

Nov 24 (AD) Disaster Management Centre (DMC), in coordination with the SLTB, has arranged a special transportation plan to assist A/L exam candidates who are facing travel difficulties, following yesterday’s landslide in Pahala Kadugannawa. The arrangement will enable students to reach their designated examination centres via the specified alternative routes. During emergency situations such as flash floods, DMC has taken steps to provide the necessary transport assistance for more..