Nov 15 (ST) In a marathon effort lasting five hours, Prez Dissanayake on Thursday presented Budget 2027 to Parliament. It was the third full budget of his NPP govt (it had also presented a Vote on Account to cover expenses for the first four months of 2025). Thursday’s budget speech was even longer than the one Prez delivered when presenting Budget 2026 last year, where he spoke for four hours and 20 minutes. more..

Nov 15 (Island) Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thera is to undergo a psychiatric evaluation on the orders of the Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate’s Court, which on Friday remanded him and six others until Nov 26 over a confrontation at a protest site near the historic Ruwanwelisaya. The seven suspects, including four Buddhist monks and three civilians, were produced before A'pura Chief Magistrate on charges of assaulting and injuring Rajanganaye Saddharathana Thera and obstructing police duties. more..

Nov 15 (DM) Mihintale Police have confirmed that the driver of the bus involved in the recent accident, which killed four people and injured 76 others, had been under the influence of drugs, according to the post-mortem examination. Police said reckless driving by the driver had caused the accident. The ill-fated bus belonged to the Kebithigollewa depot. The driver has been identified as Lanka Jayanath, a resident of Ataweeragollewa, Hirallugama, Kebithigollewa. more..

Nov 15 (SO) Consumers could benefit from lower prices for a range of goods following the Govt’s decision to reduce CESS rates by 25% on 800 selected import tariff lines, Finance Ministry officials and senior economists said. Presenting the 2027 Budget in Parliament, Prez outlined the tariff changes as part of wider tax reforms aimed at simplifying the import tax structure, reducing trade-related costs and improving more..

Nov 15 (AD) Former MP and Valvetithurai Urban Council chairman M.K. Sivajilingam has passed away at the age of 69. He had reportedly passed away last night following a period of illness. He was elected to the Parliament on two occasions representing the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). Former MP M.K. Sivajilingam contested the parliamentary elections from the Jaffna District under the TNA in 2001 and 2004, and was elected to the Parliament on both occasions. more..

Nov 15 (TM) ITAK and DTNA have agreed to work together on an issue-by-issue basis, particularly on Local Govt matters, while the possibility of developing a common political platform remains open, according to ITAK MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam. MP said that the two sides had held several rounds of discussions following the 2024 Parliamentary Elections, after contesting separately for the first time since their long-standing association within the broader TNA. more..

Nov 15 (NW) A 15-year-old girl who had been missing for nearly five months has been found living with her two-month-old baby inside a remote cave in the Knuckles mountain range, according to reports. The girl was discovered in a forest area near Meemure following an investigation by Ududumbara Police. Her family had reported her disappearance nearly five months ago, prompting police to launch an investigation. During the investigation, officers became suspicious of a young man who more..

Nov 15 (SO) The Lanka Ride Cycling Tour, conducted by the Sports Development Department of the Ministry of Sports is back on track and the 2027 edition will be staged from January 29 to 31 next year. This time the race will be supervised by the newly appointed Sri Lanka Cycling Transformation Committee, which is headed by Chairman Anura Mahaarachchi, a Statistical Investigator (Retired) at the JAYA Container Terminal of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Colombo. more..

Nov 15 (TM) A small, remotely controlled unmanned surface vessel donated by China to collect oceanographic and water-quality data in Sri Lankan waters has remained unused for nearly three years as authorities have yet to grant the necessary operational clearances. It is learnt that the vessel can operate up to 50 km into SL waters and collect data on water quality, ocean currents, turbidity, and temperature. more..

Nov 15 (ST) A dedicated National Agency for Public-Private Partnerships is to be established to promote, facilitate and oversee the development of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), under which the govt can collaborate with private-sector investors to develop public infrastructure and deliver public services. According to the PPP Bill published this week, a contracting authority may initiate a proposed PPP project, after which a feasibility study must be conducted. more..

Nov 15 (NW) SLMC Leader MP Rauff Hakeem has raised serious concerns over the govt’s Rs. 4.26 billion deal to purchase surveillance drones from Israel, questioning the procurement process and alleging that the aircraft could be used to gather intelligence on behalf of the US. Hakeem questioned why the govt was proceeding with the purchase without calling for competitive bids. “A supplementary estimate of over Rs. 4 billion was brought to Parliament recently to purchase more..

Nov 15 (NF) Sri Lanka is increasingly becoming a destination for international music and entertainment events, attracting world-renowned artists and fans from across the region. From internationally acclaimed DJs to legendary performers, the island has been welcoming major international acts, creating new opportunities for tourism, entertainment and economic growth. Last month, internationally renowned DJ and producer DJ Snake performed in SL at the Senter Music Festival. more..

Nov 15 (NW) Former Minister Harin Fernando has expressed both happiness and sadness over former Minister Kanchana Wijesekera’s decision not to return to politics, praising his contribution during SL’s economic crisis. In a lengthy social media post responding to Wijesekera’s announcement that he had moved permanently into the corporate sector, Fernando recalled how the two had once been political opponents before joining forces under former President Ranil Wickremesinghe. more..

Nov 15 (Island) Sidath Wettimuny knows a thing or two about playing the long innings. But even by the standards of a man whose batting was built on patience, the campaign to reform Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has demanded considerable staying power. After another long innings in pursuit of a new constitution, former SL opener believes the sport has finally been given a chance to put its house in order. more..

Nov 15 (Island) Sri Lanka has proposed more subsidized credit programs for several sectors in the 2027 budget amid a high inflation target which trigger high interest rates and destruction of domestic capital. In 2027, Rs. 67,687 million has been allocated for interest subsidies and refinancing to banks,” Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said. “Through this, it is expected to provide 174 billion rupees as concessionary loans to entrepreneurs through State and private banks.” more..

Nov 15 (NW) Addressing Parliament regarding recent concerns over LP gas prices and market distribution, Minister Sunil Handunnetti explained the structural breakdown of the country’s gas supply and responded to the pricing issues surrounding private sector LAUGFS gas cylinders. He explained, “Right now, 90% of SL’s gas market belongs to Litro Gas, which is the blue gas cylinder. They refill about 2 million cylinders monthly. On the other hand, the yellow gas cylinder (LAUGFS) only fills more..

Nov 15 (NW) LAUGFS Gas CEO Nalinda Kurukulasuriya has apologised to consumers for the recent gas shortage while defending the company’s decision to increase the price of a 12.5 kg cylinder by Rs. 1,775. He said the shortage, which lasted several weeks, was caused by a combination of international supply disruptions and regulatory restrictions affecting the company’s Hambantota LPG terminal. more..

Nov 15 (DM) The Public Health Inspectors' Union of SL has expressed dissatisfaction over the failure to address the long-standing issues faced by around 2,400 Public Health Inspectors in the 2027 Budget proposals. The union said Public Health Inspectors serving under the Department of Health and provincial administrations continued to perform their duties islandwide despite facing several operational difficulties. It pointed out that while office allowances for other field officers covering more..

Nov 15 (NW) SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa has criticised the govt’s economic management and implementation of budget proposals, raising concerns over rising living costs, foreign investment and the underutilisation of allocated funds. Speaking during the parliamentary debate on Budget 2027, Rajapaksa questioned the govt’s economic policies and its ability to deliver promised development programmes. He argued that the govt’s tax policies continued to place a heavy burden on more..

Nov 15 (ST) Awasarai, Mahanayake hamuduruwaney, It was less than a month ago that I wrote to you last. I didn’t think I would have to write to you again so soon but I think I have to. It is under very sad circumstances, too, after seeing the shenanigans of some wearing the saffron robe this week which did nothing to help the image of Buddhism in Paradise. One would have thought that this week was Anura sahodaraya’s week. The poor chap, who also wears Finance Minister’s hat, more..

Nov 15 (ST) President A.K. Dissanayake, in his dual role as Finance Minister, spelt out his midterm govt’s fiscal agenda based on his party’s 2024 manifesto, A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life. His budget speech on Thursday, a five-hour marathon delivered on his feet, doled out the cash his Treasury has proudly accumulated through taxes and other avenues or expects to earn over the coming year, accompanied by a wish list of what his administration hopes to achieve in 2027 and beyond. more..

Nov 15 (ST) Chinese Ambassador Wei Huaxiang who was on a visit to Galgamuwa earlier this week took time off for a chat with a local grandmother—whose grandchildren have all received China-aided school uniform fabric. Sharing stories about China, the Ambassador also taught her to say Ni Hao (Hello) in Chinese which brought a lot of smiles and heart warming scenes in a modest SL village home. more..

Nov 15 (ST) SL’s Under-20 Men’s and Women’s rugby teams made a strong start to the Asia Rugby Emirates U20 7s Championship 2026 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, India, yesterday. The men won their opening match against Singapore 34-7 before drawing 12-12 with Thailand, while the women crushed Singapore 26-0 and Nepal 41-0 but suffered a heavy 34-0 defeat against hosts India. The young SL players showed plenty of attacking power in the 2-day championship although more..

Nov 15 (Island) 2027 Budget has been presented with ambitious promises, large financial allocations and renewed assurances of economic transformation. Govt speaks confidently about recovery, stability and a better future. But one important question remains. Is this a budget designed to transform SL’s economy, or another exercise in presenting attractive numbers and political promises? A national budget should be more than a statement of govt income, more..

Nov 15 (TM) Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA), headed by Bimal Wijayasinghe, has been dealt another crippling blow with the resignation of one of the controlling body’s Vice Presidents (VPs) recently, as sports analysts claim the sport heads to an uncertain future. Jagath Silva has become the latest official to step down from SLA, citing differences of opinion with its incumbent head. This has resulted in the governing body, elected in the first quarter of this year, stumbling from one administrative crisis more..

Nov 15 (TM) Sri Lanka has now been to the IMF 17 times. The question now before the NPP Govnt is whether to make it 18. The current Extended Fund Facility is due to end in March 2027, and the Cabinet has appointed a committee headed by the Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning to examine whether the country should enter another programme after that, and if so, what kind. On the face of it, this is sensible housekeeping, and the President was candid about his reasons. more..

Nov 15 (TM) Every year in Colombo, the presentation of the National Budget in Parliament arrives with all the pomp and pageantry of a coronation. The budget proposals are shrouded in secrecy as ministers file into the Chamber clutching tightly bound folders, television commentators dissect tax brackets as if they were constitutional amendments, & the public, still bruised from economic collapse of 2022, leans forward in anticipation. more..

Nov 15 (Island) Prez says Budget 2027 seeks to move SL from economic stabilisation to transformation, building on improvements in growth, revenue collection, fiscal balances and debt indicators to promote investment, productive employment, social justice and better living standards. Question however is whether economic stability has been attained fully and the govt’s achievements and budget proposals will translate into meaningful relief for households facing more..

Nov 15 (SO) Prez presented the 2027 Budget to Parliament on Thursday. It is the third Budget of the NPP Govt, and the last one before Sri Lanka’s EFF with the IMF ends in March 2027. Govt had spent weeks calling it transformative, and on paper, it is the most ambitious of the three. Total expenditure is set at Rs. 7.19 trillion against projected revenue of Rs. 4.99 trillion, which leaves a deficit of about Rs. 2.2 trillion. A record Rs. 2,000 billion has been set aside for capital investment. more..

Nov 15 (SO) The Govt first proposed a comprehensive overhaul of the education system last year. However, its formal implementation was deferred to 2027 for various reasons. The new reforms are now scheduled to come into effect from January next year. In an interview, Senior Prof. Director General of the National Institute of Education, O.G. Dayaratne Banda spoke on the proposed transformation of country’s education system more..

Nov 15 (TM) Long before the world began building warehouses full of servers for supporting Artificial Intelligence (AI), it was harvesting minds, and Sri Lanka has been one of its most diligent farms. The harvest has been impressive. In 2003, Malik Peiris, who trained in medicine in SL, led the Hong Kong team that identified the coronavirus behind SARS. Cyril Ponnamperuma led the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) work on the chemical origins of life. more..

Nov 15 (SO) Budget 2027, presented in Parliament by Prez contains a number of provisions and allocations for transport, a subject that is usually ignored in national budgets. Public transport is key to reducing our fossil fuel import bill – if more people decide to ditch their cars and travel by rail or (Metro) bus, the fuel saving will be enormous in the long run. And if private cars, trains and buses can be run using renewable energy sources, savings will be even more significant. more..