Nov 9 (DM) Two cancer radiotherapy machines installed at the Badulla and Hambantota hospitals remain unused despite being ready to commence treatment leaving cancer patients facing further delays. According to Govt Radiographers’ Association, the machines could begin treating patients, but services had been held up over the unavailability of dosimetry equipment. The two machines are among five Linear Accelerator machines procured for govt hospitals more..

Nov 9 (TM) SLPP General Secretary, Sagara Kariyawasam, has written to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa seeking his intervention to secure two urgent debates in Parliament on alleged acts of violence against the Buddhist clergy and the sudden transfers of judicial officers. He said various violent and defamatory acts targeting the Buddhist clergy and the Buddha Sasana had increased in recent times. The SLPP stated the State’s failure to fulfil its constitutional responsibility to protect more..

Nov 9 (DM) National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB), commonly known as the Water Board, failed to generate revenue from nearly one-fourth of the water it supplied during the first half of 2026. The mid-year fiscal report submitted by the Finance Ministry says that water categorised as Non-Revenue Water (NRW) stood at 24.4%. NRW is a result of water leakages, illegal connections, metering inaccuracies and more..

Nov 9 (AD) Attorney General has informed the Supreme Court that provisions relating to tattoos and body marks in the proposed Prevention of Organised Crimes Bill will be removed through amendments to the legislation. The amendments are expected to be presented during the Committee Stage of Parliament and a document outlining the proposed changes has also been submitted to the Supreme Court. The AG further informed the Court that a clause requiring prior court approval to more..

Nov 9 (DM) Patients admitted to the National Hospital of Sri Lanka in Colombo are being forced to wait for two to three days for MRI scans, despite the hospital having several MRI machines worth around Rs. 400 million each, a medical association has alleged. Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeeva said the number of MRI scans carried out daily at certain units of the National Hospitals in Colombo and Karapitiya had been restricted to between 10 and 12, causing severe difficulties for patients. more..

Nov 9 (DM) National Construction Workers Union (NCWU) has criticised the Govt and construction material manufacturers over rising prices, warning that continued increases could push the construction industry towards collapse. NCWU General Secretary Supun Abeysekara said the price of a bag of cement had increased by nearly Rs. 300 over the past two to three months. He said a bag of cement, which previously sold for around more..

Nov 9 (Island) The leader of the Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students (EROS), Rajanathan Prabhakaran, has called on Batticaloa District MP M.L.A.M. Hizbullah to intervene in a land dispute threatening relations between Tamil and Muslim communities. Prabhakaran has warned that his party will initiate legal action if land allegedly belonging to a Hindu temple at Oddamavadi, Batticaloa, is not returned by Jan 14, 2027, or alternative land provided for Tamil community. more..

Nov 9 (Island) Dr. Najith Indika, MP, Chairman of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection accompanied by several members of his committee recently visited the Colombo Remand Prison, New Magazine Prison, Women’s prison, Welikada Prison and Prison Hospital to inquire about the welfare of the inmates. The committee was exploring ways and means to reduce overcrowding. During the visits, observations were made on prison overcrowding, more..

Nov 9 (Island) President’s Counsel Rienzie Arseculeratne, currently Deputy President of the Bar Association of SL (BASL), has agreed to seek election as its President for 2027/28, following appeals from senior and junior members of the legal profession. The incumbent, Attorney-at-Law Rajeev Amarasuriya, who secured a second term unopposed for 2026/27, is due to step down next year. Arseculeratne brings extensive experience in both public service and private practice. more..

Nov 9 (FT) Asoka Goonetilleke commenced his journalistic career in Lake House in 1976 and after serving on the Central News Desk and in the foreign news desk, he left in 1982. During this period, he also served on the Observer, feature write on the Yovun, Janatha and Editorial news reporter in Janatha newspaper. He joined Upali Newspapers in 1982 as the Sports Editor of the Divaina and rose to the position of Associate Editor when he left in 2013. He has contributed articles to the FIFA and more..

Nov 9 (TM) With the US mid-term elections and Israel's October election compressing risk premiums, SL can expect to see a more favourable macroeconomic environment with the lowering of oil prices, eased pressure on the rupee, and room for a rate cut; conditional upon the sustained progress of restoring access to the Strait of Hormuz, a recently released report by First Capital Research said. more..

Nov 9 (DM) A video showing an Israeli tourist pushing a Sri Lankan tour guide off a boat and into the sea has gone viral on social media. The footage, shared by Russian media outlet RT, shows a group of Israeli tourists travelling on a boat in Sri Lanka when one of them suddenly pushes the male tour guide into the water while he is drinking. The incident has sparked anger online, with many questioning the behaviour of the tourists and their treatment of the local guide. more..

Nov 9 (NW) Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has warned that legal action will be initiated against unauthorised constructions obstructing drainage systems and contributing to flooding in Colombo, even during light rainfall. CMC Water Supply and Drainage Division Director, Manoj Ranasinghe, said steps are being taken to identify and remove such structures to minimise flooding in the city. He revealed that unauthorised constructions identified along Sri Wickrama Road in Mattakkuliya more..

Nov 9 (Island) URF leader Champika Ranawaka said that Friday’s devastating flood in Colombo could have been averted if the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), and other relevant officials, heeded PM Harini Amarasuriya’s directive to clean canals and drainage systems across Colombo. Dr. Amarasuriya issued the directive on Oct 13, 2026, at the Colombo District Coordinating Committee meeting in Narahenpita. more..

Nov 9 (NW) Kaduwela Mayor Ranjan Jayalal’s remarks encouraging private companies to continue sending December gift parcels to municipal council employees and other public-sector workers have raised questions about the appropriateness of accepting gifts from private businesses. Speaking at an event in Arangala, Malabe, on Sunday (8), Jayalal said some private companies had apparently stopped sending their customary year-end gifts following the change in administration. more..

Nov 9 (CI) Pakistan followed a dominant first session in the first Test in Rawalpindi with a gritty couple of passages of play to retain bragging rights on day one. After debutant Tayyab Arif's 51-ball 57 got Pakistan off to a sizzling start alongside Azan Awais, the hosts settled into a more sedate pace through the last two sessions. SL, struck back, refusing to let Pakistan's batters convert starts into big runs, dismissing three batters between 50 and 57. Pakistan, however, strung just enough more..

Nov 9 (NW) SL Police have sought public assistance to locate and arrest two suspects wanted in connection with the shooting death of three individuals in Baddegama in September. Shooting occurred on Sept 27, when two individuals who arrived in a car opened fire with a T-56 assault rifle at a man and two women travelling in a three-wheeler. Investigations conducted by the Baddegama Police and the Elpitiya Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau have identified more..

Nov 9 (FT) Representatives of the Election Commission of SL (ECSL), the media, and civil society met in Colombo on 30 Oct to discuss how to protect the integrity of election information. Democracy Reporting International (DRI) organised the event, Beyond the Algorithm, under the project Strengthening Resilience Against Disinformation in SL. The European Union co-funds the project. Opening the event, DRI Executive Director Nicola Schmidt said that disinformation is a more..

Nov 9 (NW) Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate’s Court has issued summons to five Buddhist monks, including Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thera, who are engaged in a sit-in protest against the proposed A'pura Sacred City development plan. A'pura Chief Magistrate Siyapath Sasindu Wickramaratne today ordered the five monks to appear before court on Nov 20. Summons were issued to Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thera, more..

Nov 9 (NW) Chief Prelate of Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha of the Siyam Maha Nikaya, Ven. Ittapana Dhammalankara Thera, has requested the Commissioner General of Prisons to facilitate arrangements for imprisoned Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera to wear his monastic robes again. In a letter addressed to the Commissioner General of Prisons, Mahanayake Thera stated that the process must be carried out in accordance with Buddhist doctrine and more..

Nov 9 (DM) The construction of the Rs. 32.5 billion Kandy Multimodal Transport Terminal (KMTT) has reached 55% completion, with the Government expecting to open the facility to the public before the end of July 2027. Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena inspected the project on Nov 7 to review its progress and discuss challenges affecting its implementation. Funded through World Bank assistance and domestic resources, the project is aimed at modernising Kandy's public more..

Nov 9 (NW) Govt has agreed to reduce the detention period for suspects under the proposed Prevention of Organised Crimes Bill from 72 hours to 48 hours, Supreme Court was informed today. Solicitor General President’s Counsel Viraj Dayaratne, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, informed the court of the proposed amendment during the hearing of petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Bill. more..

Nov 9 (NW) Concerns raised over possible flooding at the proposed Mandaitivu Cricket Stadium site in Jaffna have been dismissed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports following an inspection by Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage. Minister visited the site on Sunday to assess its current condition and review the progress of the project, amid concerns raised by several parties over the suitability of the location. The inspection found no evidence to support claims that more..

Nov 9 (DM) Govt has decided to take steps to formalise the ongoing joint operation, Hasthi Sena, aimed at protecting wild elephants and tuskers and reducing human-elephant conflict. A Cabinet memorandum will be submitted to establish a formal policy and legal framework for the operation, following a special discussion held at the Ministry of Environment yesterday. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Environment Minister Anton Jayakody and attended by the Ministry Secretary and more..

Nov 9 (FT) SL must recognise the economic and environmental benefits of solar power while addressing the growing technical and financial challenges faced by electricity utilities. SL's electricity sector is undergoing a significant transformation. What began as a modest rooftop solar programme has developed into one of the country's most important sources of renewable electricity. Thousands of households, commercial establishments and industries have invested more..

Nov 9 (FT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s third Budget is approaching amid growing concern over high taxes and poor public services. The AKD Govt, closely following IMF prescriptions, takes pride in exceeding revenue targets. Yet its satisfaction is not shared by many taxpayers, who question whether they receive value for the money they surrender to the State. Fiscal success means little to citizens unless it translates into better services and improved living conditions. more..

Nov 9 (TM) The Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development is working towards establishing a drainage system capable of withstanding rainfall of up to 120 millimetres (mm), Clean SL Task Force Convenor and Secretary, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Russel Aponsu said. He said flash floods could occur again in Colombo due to weather conditions triggered by El Niño, and more..

Nov 9 (DN) A U.S. Navy Boeing MV-22B Osprey landed at the BIA on Saturday, marking the first time an aircraft of this type has touched down at the facility. The aircraft is renowned for its versatile tiltrotor design, which combines the vertical flight capabilities of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing airplane. By pivoting its engine nacelles and proprotors upward, the Osprey can hover, take off, and land vertically without requiring a conventional runway, more..

Nov 9 (FT) Official reserve assets topped the $ 7 billion mark at end-October, as the monetary authority increased US dollar purchases from the domestic foreign exchange market. Official reserves stood at $ 7.09 billion at end-Oct 2026, up from $ 6.9 billion a month earlier, while foreign currency reserves rose to $ 6.84 billion from $ 6.62 billion. The $ 190 million increase in official reserves almost matches the $ 191.3 million the CBSL bought on a net basis during October, more..

Nov 9 (Island) Minister Anura Karunathilaka stressed the importance of strengthening the national electricity transmission network as construction begins on the Mannar–Mullikulam 220 kV double-circuit wind power transmission line, a key infrastructure project expected to support the expansion of renewable energy generation. Commencement ceremony for transmission line project was held yesterday, more..

Nov 9 (NW) The bodies of all four employees of a private company in Colpetty who drowned while bathing in a stream in Deniyaya on Saturday have been recovered, Police confirmed. The incident occurred at Kale Dola, a natural stream in the Bewaraliya area of Deniyaya, where a group of seven young men employed at a private computer company in Colpetty had travelled for a leisure trip. Six members of the group entered the stream to bathe when four of them were swept away more..

Nov 9 (DM) Customs officials have seized 39 drones and 16 microphones brought into the country by SJB MP Nalin Bandara without the required approvals. The items were seized at the BIA on the morning of Aug 11. The MP arrived from Singapore aboard SriLankan Airlines flight UL 307 at 11.23 a.m. when Customs officers detected the equipment. The drones had been brought into the country without the required import licences, approval from TRCSL or clearance from Ministry of Defence. more..