Nov 13 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday in Parliament presented Budget for 2027, touted by many as a Budget for all, and the best Budget by any recent Govt. While the Budget raises total spending by Rs. 624 billion to Rs. 7.9 trillion, it spreads the increase across investment, manufacturing, agriculture, renewable energy, ports, aviation, railways, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), more..

Nov 13 (TM) Farmers have expressed disappointment with the 2027 Budget, saying it has failed to provide adequate support to improve agricultural infrastructure and strengthen the sector’s contribution to national production, despite this being a requirement identified by the IMF. National Agrarian Unity President Anuradha Tennakoon said that although Rs 2,000 million had been allocated for small irrigation systems and tanks under Agrarian Development Dept and Rs 7,700 million for more..

Nov 13 (DM) Books and several categories of printed material, including exercise books, dictionaries, encyclopedias and children's picture books, will be exempted from Value Added Tax (VAT) under proposed amendments to the VAT Act, President Anura Kumara announced in 2027 Budget. The proposed exemption will apply to both the import and supply of books and printed materials classified under specified Harmonized System (HS) codes used for customs purposes. more..

Nov 13 (TM) President presented a Budget for 2027 that cuts income tax for a second time and raises allowances across the public service. It also commits a record Rs 2,000 billion to capital spending, while allowing the deficit to widen to fund reconstruction after Cyclone Ditwah. Presenting the Govt's third Budget in Parliament, Prez said its main objective was to move from economic stability towards transformation. more..

Nov 13 (TM) Supreme Court (SC) has determined that the Bill for the Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA) can be passed by a simple majority in Parliament, subject to four amendments being incorporated at the Committee Stage. Speaker of Parliament Jagath Wickramaratne informed Parliament that he had received the SC’s Determination on the Bill, which was challenged under Article 121(1) of the Constitution. According to the Determination, four amendments must be more..

Nov 13 (Island) Four Buddhist monks, including Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thera, who were staging a fast-unto-death near the Ruwanweli Maha Seya in A'pura, were taken into police custody following a tense confrontation at the protest site yesterday. Monks had launched the hunger strike in opposition to the proposed A'pura Sacred City Development Plan. Situation escalated when a group of laypersons including a former Buddhist monk who was known as Rajanganaye Saddharathana more..

Nov 13 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has strongly criticised the govt’s 2027 Budget, claiming it fails to address the rising cost of living, poverty and unemployment while offering no meaningful relief to millions of struggling Sri Lankans. Speaking to the media following Prez’s Budget speech in Parliament, Premadasa said the govt had failed to address the most pressing challenge facing the country’s 22 million people — their daily struggle to survive. more..

Nov 13 (NW) UNP Chairman Vajira Abeywardena has criticised the govt’s 2027 Budget, claiming it fails to address the country’s pressing economic challenges or provide meaningful relief to the public. Abeywardena said the Budget lacked proposals to secure the future of young people, particularly Millennials and Generation Z. He claimed that while the world was advancing rapidly through technology, SL continued to lag behind, with no adequate proposals to create technology-driven more..

Nov 13 (Island) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his capacity as Minister of Finance, yesterday presented Budget 2027, setting out an economic programme focused on moving Sri Lanka from stabilisation to transformation while strengthening fiscal discipline, public institutions, energy security and the production economy. Delivering the second reading of the Appropriation Bill for 2027 in Parliament from 1.40 pm, more..

Nov 13 (DM) The 2027 budget sets aside Rs. 2,000 billion for public investment in 2027, or 5.12% of GDP, including Cyclone Ditwah rebuilding. Highways, expressways and railways receive Rs. 251 billion; social protection, including Aswesuma, Rs. 230 billion, and the first phase of suburban rail electrification Rs. 80 billion. The speech also announces 73 new spending proposals worth Rs. 363 billion, with transport taking the largest share. A further Rs. 260 billion is set aside more..

Nov 13 (FT) The pilot project of the simplified and Unified Business Name Registration (BNR) process, introduced with the aim of making business name registration in SL simpler, more efficient and accessible, was officially launched on Tuesday in Anuradhapura by Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe. Implemented through the collaboration of the Ministry, Chrysalis and the Provincial Councils, initiative aims to simplify the registration process for sole proprietorships and partnerships more..

Nov 13 (DN) SL women made an impressive start to the ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy cricket tournament, beating Ireland by ten wickets with seven overs to spare in their opening match played in Ajman, UAE, yesterday. Openers Hasini Perera and Vishmi Gunaratne scored unbeaten half-centuries as SL comfortably chased down a target of 106 in just 13 overs. The pair put on 40 runs during the power play and continued to dominate the Irish bowling attack to complete the victory more..

Nov 13 (DN) Football Federation of SL (FFSL) President Jaswar Umar has apologised to the nation following Sri Lanka’s disappointing SAFF Championship campaign, promising a stronger comeback within eight months while revealing plans to host the next South Asian football tournament in Sri Lanka. In a statement issued yesterday, Umar accepted responsibility for the disappointment of thousands of football fans who had hoped to see Sri Lanka reach the SAFF Championship final. more..

Nov 13 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake presented his govt’s third fiscal blueprint as the island nation’s finance minister, eyeing economic transformation from hard-gained stability under an IMF deal. Budget seeks to capitalize on hard-won macroeconomic stability. Over the past two years, Colombo focused on plugging massive revenue leaks such as overhauling Simplified Value Added Tax (SVAT) system rebuilding more..

Nov 13 (NW) Sri Lanka has officially signed the Hajj agreement with Saudi Arabia for the 2027 pilgrimage, securing a quota of 3,500 pilgrims. The accord was signed on Monday, Nov 9, in Jeddah on the sidelines of the annual Hajj Exhibition and Conference by Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs, Muneer Mulaffar and Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Abdulfattah Bin Sulaiman Mashat. During bilateral talks prior to the signing, more..

Nov 13 (DM) Sri Lanka’s decision on whether to continue with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), after its current programme, would test its ability to navigate competition among major powers, former Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha said. Delivering the Gamani Corea Memorial Lecture in Colombo on November 4, Aryasinha said the IMF programme had brought competing powers together during SL’s economic crisis, temporarily easing pressure on Colombo to choose sides. more..

Nov 13 (NW) The family of SL national Anojan Sivarasa, who was sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia before being cleared of all charges, has expressed gratitude to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake for his intervention in securing Sivarasa’s release. Sivarasa’s family members met the Prez at the Presidential Secretariat today (12) to personally thank him for his efforts. During the meeting, Prez stated that standing up for more..

Nov 13 (NW) Sharjah-based airline Air Arabia is preparing to conduct an invitation-only engineering recruitment event in Colombo between November 17 and 19, creating a potential employment pathway for suitably qualified SL aviation professionals interested in working in the UAE. The recruitment programme is linked to vacancies across several technical and aircraft maintenance divisions, including line maintenance, base maintenance and workshops. Positions advertised through more..

Nov 13 (FT) Assuring the 2027 Budget focusses on prosperity for future generations, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake used sermons from Buddhism in Parliament to drive home the point how the Opposition should conduct itself. In concluding his 2027 Budget presentation, Prez said: “In the modern world, Govts are changed through progressive ideological revolutions, through the intelligent decisions of the people, and through advanced policies and programs suited to the future. more..

Nov 13 (FT) Sri Lanka’s aim to achieve its $ 5 billion ICT/BPM exports in terms of the National Export Development Plan (NEDP) 2026–2030 came under spotlight recently, at a high-level review involving the Export Development Board (EDB) and the Digital Economy Ministry officials. The progress and challenges of Sri Lanka thus far on implementing the NEDP was discussed focusing on strengthening the contribution of the ICT/BPM sector towards achieving country’s export growth ambitions. more..

Nov 13 (FT) Aitken Spence said it recorded a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of Rs. 2.8 billion for the six months ended 30 Sept 2026, an increase of 71.4% over the corresponding period of the previous financial year. Earnings before interest expenses, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 20.6% to Rs. 10.1 billion. Furthermore, the Group’s revenue for the period amounted to Rs. 41.7 billion, while the Profit After Tax (PAT) recorded a 229% increase to Rs. 1.4 billion. more..

Nov 13 (DM) SL’s vehicle registrations fell 12.1% in October from a month earlier, with the two-wheelers accounting for more than three-quarters of the decline as fewer cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles were also registered, the data compiled by JB Securities showed Total registrations dropped to 47,628, from 54,214 in September. The two-wheeler registrations fell 13% to 33,722, with the scooter registrations down to 19,405, from 22,799 more..

Nov 13 (CT) The socio-political history of Sri Lanka in the early twenty-first century cannot be evaluated without examining the rise of activist Buddhist monasticism, a phenomenon that dramatically reshaped the nation’s governance, civil relations, and collective identity following the end of the civil war. At the absolute centre of this ideological and political storm stands Ven. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thero, co-founder and General Secretary of BBS, or Buddhist Power Force. more..

Nov 13 (DM) The role of the Bhikkhu in contemporary SL society has increasingly become a subject of public discussion and debate. Questions are frequently raised about the responsibilities of the Sangha, the extent of its involvement in national affairs and, perhaps most importantly, the boundaries that should govern a monk’s conduct. At the same time, there is a growing need to reflect on the significance of the saffron robe, the moral authority it represents and the responsibilities more..

Nov 13 (Island) Supreme Court (SC) has determined that the Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill (PSTB) can be passed by a simple parliamentary majority subject to four amendments at the Committee Stage. The amendments include requiring police applications for extended custody, replacing the Court of Appeal with the Supreme Court for judicial oversight, deleting a redundant provision and clarifying the scope of executive orders subject to judicial review. more..

Nov 13 (Island) According to the History of the National Physical Planning Department, the Anuradhapura Conservation Ordinance, established in 1942, can be considered as the first legal cover presented for the preparation and implementation of plans for any identified area within SL; it is probably the first legislation to protect a historic site in the world. Architect/Planner Oliver Weerasinghe who was entrusted with the preparation of the Preservation Plan was appointed as more..

Nov 13 (SO) Former Jaffna District MP and DTNA Co-Leader Suresh Premachandran has been in the spotlight amid renewed efforts by Tamil political parties to coordinate their positions on issues affecting the Tamil community. He has been involved in discussions between the DTNA and ITAK, including talks on organising a joint public protest against the Govt’s proposed anti-terrorism legislation. He has also called for more..

Nov 13 (SO) At this political moment, from a Right-Wing perspective, SL carries a mass of vicious minds. Many appear barren of conscience, and their Right-Wing political sentiment seems hollow. Most have become Judas-like local hypocrites, presenting themselves as the great redeemers of the Right-Wing. Yet behind that image lies a different reality. Accordingly, this is not a discussion of a formal SL Right-Wing that exists now or once existed, nor merely of a defeated Right-Wing structure more..

Nov 13 (DM) Elections Commission has informed the factions fighting for the leadership of the SLFP that the SLFP will no longer be considered a recognised political party, due to ongoing leadership disputes. The Commission stated last Friday that the core reason for this decision is the failure of the party’s leaders to resolve their internal conflicts for a long time. Once a dominant political force that played an important role as both the ruling party and the main opposition since 1951, more..

Nov 13 (TM) Sri Lanka may have achieved a degree of macroeconomic stability following its unprecedented economic crisis, but the recovery has yet to translate into meaningful improvements in the lives of ordinary people, according to SJB MP Harsha de Silva. In an interview ahead of the 2027 Budget, the economist warned that the Govt’s emphasis on improving economic indicators risked overshadowing persistent poverty, more..

Nov 13 (TM) On Wednesday, Sri Lanka’s first passenger drone taxi lifted off at the Colombo Port City carrying two Ministers, and for three minutes the country seemed to be keeping pace with the future. Yet by the time the aircraft settled back on the ground, the story had changed entirely. Instead of a milestone in aviation, the public was handed a different spectacle: two arms of the State arguing in front of a foreign investor over who had the right to say yes. more..

Nov 13 (DM) Despite repeated awareness programmes and setting up of committees, road accidents continue to claim the lives of Sri Lankans. According to Sri Lanka Police, over 2000 road a cidents have been recorded for 2026 alone, claiming the lives of over 2300 people. On Tuesday, a fatal bus crash in Rambewa, Anuradhapura claimed the lives of five individuals while over 50 people were injured. Eye witness accounts reveal that two buses had collided head-on when a third bus had more..