Nov 27 (AD) The number of deaths reported thus far owing to the prevailing adverse weather conditions across the country over the past couple of days has increased to 47, according to the Disaster Management Center (DMC). DMC further said that 37 of those deaths were reported within the last two days and that another 21 individuals remain missing amid the ongoing disaster situation. A total of 5,893 people from 1,729 families have been affected by the inclement weather conditions. more..

Nov 27 (AD) Dept of Wildlife Conservation has announced that multiple national parks will be temporarily closed due to the prevailing rainy weather conditions across the island. Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the Yala National Park will remain closed to tourists, while only the Kalu Palama access road in Zone 6 will be open for tourist entry. The Department further informed that Horton Plains National Park, Wasgamuwa National Park, Kumana National Park, Wilpattu National Park, more..

Nov 27 (DM) Sri Lanka remains under severe weather conditions as heavy rainfall, rising floodwaters and continuous landslides disrupt daily life across multiple districts. The persistent low-pressure system remains anchored over the island, pulling in moisture-heavy winds and generating repeated waves of intense rainfall. Soil across the highlands is fully saturated, making slopes unstable, while major reservoirs are more..

Nov 27 (NW) The govt has introduced hotlines for reporting emergency disaster situations arising in the Colombo District due to the prevalent adverse weather conditions. The emergency contact numbers were introduced during a meeting of the Colombo District Disaster Management Coordinating Unit today. The meeting was held at the Parliamentary Complex under the patronage of PM Harini Amarasuriya to discuss precautionary measures and necessary actions to be taken more..

Nov 27 (DM) Women and Child Affairs Minister Saroja Savitri Paulraj has revealed that 75% of women using public transport in Sri Lanka have experienced abuse at least once in their lives. She made the statement yesterday at a function held at Sethsiripaya, Battaramulla, marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, observed annually from Nov 25 to Dec 10. “One in every five women in Sri Lanka, or 20%, has faced domestic violence,” Minister Paulraj said. more..

Nov 27 (DM) Supreme Court, in a judgment relating to a Fundamental Rights petition filed by 66 graduates holding bachelor’s degrees from various foreign universities, observed that just as much as those who graduate from State universities, foreign university graduates too are proud citizens of this country. SC declared that the former Secretary to the Ministry of Public Services J.J. Rathnasiri violated fundamental rights of 66 graduates more..

Nov 27 (AD) HIV infections in SL have increased despite a decline in cases globally, according to data by the National STD/AIDS Control Programme. Venereologist Dr. Vino Dharmakulasinghe made this revelation during a media briefing to announce the programmes organized in view of World AIDS Day, which falls on Dec 1. Dr. Dharmakulasinghe further said that the increase in HIV infections is particularly evident among young adults between the ages of 20 and 24 in SL. more..

Nov 27 (AM) A group of Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) officers have been praised for going out of their way to help an A/L candidate reach her examination centre on time, after she mistakenly boarded a long-distance train that did not stop at her station. The incident came to light through a detailed Facebook post by a commuter travelling on the Colombo–Batticaloa train on 22 Nov, who described how a schoolgirl wearing her uniform became distressed upon realising the train had passed both more..

Nov 27 (PMD) Minister K.D. Lalkantha stated that the govt will consider farmers’ proposals on introducing a guaranteed price for maize based on production costs, govt intervention in purchasing harvests and establishing an appropriate mechanism for the process. He made these remarks during a meeting held this morning (26) at the Presidential Secretariat with a group of maize farmers. He further noted that attention is being paid to purchasing maize at a minimum of Rs. 140 per kg more..

Nov 27 (CT) The Govt plans to auction the 5G spectrum by 23 December, aiming to generate over Rs 9 billion in revenue and enable telecom companies to launch 5G services, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne told Parliament yesterday. Highlighting the significance of the move, he noted that this would be the largest spectrum auction in the country’s history. He made these observations while joining the Committee Stage Debate on the 2026 Appropriation Bill, more..

Nov 27 (AD) The number of deaths reported owing to adverse weather conditions across the country in the past few hours has increased to 39, DMC noted. A further 10 persons have sustained injuries while 14 individuals are reported missing, the DMC added. According to latest estimates, over 4,000 persons residing within 79 divisional secretariat areas in 17 districts have been affected owing to heavy rains, flooding & gusty winds more..

Nov 27 (AD) Parliament is scheduled to convene tomorrow morning for a brief session lasting only thirty (30) minutes, while no sitting will be held on Saturday (29). The Department further stated that Parliament will meet on December 1 and 2 to continue the ongoing budget debate, with proceedings running until midnight. It was earlier announced that Parliament sittings scheduled for tomorrow (28) and Saturday have been cancelled due to the adverse weather conditions. more..

Nov 27 (DM) A woman arrested over the death of a street dog allegedly run over intentionally in Pannipitiya has been remanded until Dec 9 by the Homagama Magistrate’s Court. Magistrate issued the order on Tuesday after the suspect, a resident of Delgahawatta, was produced before court. According to police reports submitted to court, the street dog — which lived near Alubogahawatta Road, close to Pannipitiya Vidyalaya junction — died on Nov 14 after being struck by a car more..

Nov 27 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed the President’s Fund to provide Rs. 1 million in compensation for each individual who died as a result of the emergency disaster situation caused by heavy rainfall, including floods and landslides. Accordingly, the President’s Fund has approved Rs. 1 million in compensation for each disaster fatality and has made arrangements to swiftly provide this payment to the relatives more..

Nov 27 (Island) The economic impact of the Treasury Bond scam had not been assessed, PM Harini Amarasuriya told Parliament. The Prime Minister said the Central Bank of SL had filed cases in the Colombo District Court seeking to recover losses from Perpetual Treasuries Ltd. Investigations into profits generated through the scam were being conducted by the CID, under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, with the Supreme Court recently granting permission to proceed, she added. more..

Nov 27 (CT) Fort Magistrate Isuru Neththikumara, yesterday, ordered that two suspects, including the Officer in Charge (OIC) of the Batticaloa Divisional Intelligence Unit, be further remanded until 10 December. The suspects are accused of conspiring to mislead the investigation regarding the killing of two Police officers in Vavunathivu, an incident that occurred prior to the Easter Sunday terror attacks in 2019. CID arrested the individuals under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. more..

Nov 27 (DM) It is assumed that the famous bond scam of 2015 has cost more than 7 billion to the Central Bank (CB) and EPF though the total impact on it to the national economy is yet to be computed, Parliament was informed yesterday. “The impact of the bond scam on the national economy is currently under review. An investigation has not been conducted in this regard although ten years have passed since the scam. Results of a complete assessment of the matter will be conducted more..

Nov 27 (SLN) In a display of naval cooperation, three warships representing Bangladesh and India made port calls in Colombo on 25 and 26 Nov, for the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2025, scheduled to be held on 30 November. The visiting ships were welcomed by the SL Navy in accordance with time-honoured naval traditions. SL Navy is hosting this capstone event in celebration of its proud 75th anniversary. Warships from Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan & Russia are also scheduled to more..

Nov 27 (DM) Serious security lapses have been reported in SL prisons, with 995 prisoners or suspects escaping custody over the past six years, and 554 of them still not rearrested, according to a recent audit. The audit highlights that it is the duty of the Prisons Dept to ensure the security and protection of all prisoners and remand inmates under the jurisdiction of SL courts, while also rehabilitating and socialising them as responsible citizens. more..

Nov 27 (EN) The Japan-Sri Lanka Committee on Business Environment discussed the issues faced by investors when they met this week, the Japanese Embassy in Colombo said. The second Japan-Sri Lanka Committee on Business Environment was convened on Thursday (27) at the Board of Investment (BOI) of SL. Representatives from the Embassy of Japan, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), more..

Nov 27 (DM) Pathum Nissanka has officially climbed to the top of SL’s T20I batting records, becoming the nation’s highest run scorer in the format. His rise from a promising young opener in 2021 to the leading figure of SL’s T20 batting unit in 2025 reflects a steady, disciplined and impactful journey. Across 77 matches and 76 innings, Nissanka has scored 2,326 runs, surpassing every Sri Lankan who has played the format before him. He averages 32.30 with a strike rate of 126.89, more..

Nov 27 (AD) Dept of Meteorology announced that the deep depression which had formed near the SL coast in the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a cyclone a short time ago today. Cyclone has been named Ditwa. The name was suggested by Yemen and refers to the Detwah Lagoon on Socotra Island, known for its distinct coastal ecosystem. World Meteorological Org (WMO) and UN ESCAP Panel on more..

Nov 27 (NW) A Bell 212 helicopter of the SL Air Force (SLAF) has rescued three persons who were trapped on the rooftop of a two-storey building in Mahawa due to floods caused by prevailing inclement weather. It is reported that the three persons were trapped on the building’s roof in Ella, Mahawa due to the flood situation owing to the overflowing Deduru Oya. The rescue was carried out by a team attached to the SLAF Ratmalana camp while flood victims have been safely rescued more..

Nov 27 (AD) Dept of Irrigation has issued a warning of a potential flood situation within the next 48 hours in low-lying areas along the Mahaweli River Basin. According to the Dept, heavy rainfall received since last night (26) across several upstream catchment areas has resulted in the release of water from most of the major reservoirs in the Mahaweli River Basin. Therefore, the Irrigation Dept cautions that significant flooding may occur in low-lying areas along the Mahaweli River within more..

Nov 27 (FT) Whilst the dust settles down on the Budget 2026 with many points of view expressed, the key point missed out was how Sri Lanka can become a 6% plus economy in the next three years or have a forex earning of $50 billion annually. Let me explain. I remember one of my bosses in the UN once stating that strong annual plans tend to have a few strategic initiatives to make a significant impact to the top line. What he meant was that, if the objectives to be met are clear, more..

Nov 27 (FT) As someone who was on the Nugegoda stage with his wife ten years ago on 18 February 2015, and as the guy who read out Mahinda Rajapaksa’s message to the nation from the Nugegoda platform, and indeed as the person who initiated and convened the process of Opposition political discussion after Mahinda’s 2015 defeat that resulted in the decision to hold the Nugegoda rally (a decision taken, as chronicled by Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, over a working dinner at more..

Nov 27 (FT) CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said SL’s gross official reserves are expected to climb to the highest level recorded since the height of the economic crisis by the end of December, whilst expressing confidence that the country will comfortably meet its reserves target under the IMF program. He said the final month of the year traditionally brings stronger foreign exchange inflows through export conversions, more..

Nov 27 (NW) GCE A/L 2025 exam scheduled for today and tomorrow has been postponed due to the prevailing adverse weather conditions and the resulting disaster situation across the island. The announcement was issued by the Commissioner General of Examinations, Indika Liyanage, requesting all media institutions to inform candidates accordingly. The Dept of Examinations said the decision was taken in the interest of student safety, as heavy rainfall, strong winds and flooding more..

Nov 27 (NW) The low-pressure area southeast of SL has intensified into a depression and is centered near latitude 5.9°N and longitude 82.6°E, about 210km southeast of Batticaloa. It is very likely to move nearly north-northwestwards and intensify further into a Deep Depression during the next 12 hours. Due to the influence of this system, prevailing heavy showers and strong winds over the island are expected to continue further. General public is kindly requested to be attentive about future more..

Nov 27 (CT) In a significant move to expedite the delivery of justice for the Easter Sunday terror attacks in 2019, the long-running trial has shifted into an accelerated phase, with proceedings now scheduled to be heard daily at a newly-designated Court Complex in Colombo 7. The inaugural sitting at the new premises commenced yesterday at 1:45 p.m. before a Trial-at-Bar Bench chaired by HC Judge Navaratne Marasinghe. more..

Nov 27 (CT) Illegal Assets Investigation Division has seized property and assets valued at over Rs 250 million belonging to the notorious organised criminal Shehan Sathsara, alias Dehi Bale Malli. The suspect, who is currently in hiding abroad, is alleged to be heavily involved in serious crimes within the Southern Province, including homicides, drug trafficking, and arms smuggling. The seizure includes a luxury house and land situated near Dikwella Divisional Secretariat, more..

Nov 27 (FT) Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) is set to remit Rs. 5 billion to the Consolidated Fund this year, marking a significant increase in its contribution following a sharp rise in profitability under the new administration. According to a statement issued by the Ports and Civil Aviation Ministry, State-owned entity has generated a net profit after tax of Rs. 39 billion as of 31 Oct 2025, reflecting an improvement of nearly Rs. 12 billion compared to the previous year. more..