Nov 21 (CT) Families of missing persons from across SL — including relatives of those who disappeared during the civil conflict, families of missing migrants, and representatives from associations advocating for the disappeared — participated in the 4th International Conference for Families of Missing Persons, hosted by ICRC delegations and Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies worldwide, from 11–13 Nov. 4th Int'l Conference for Families of Missing Persons more..

Nov 21 (EN) Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Industries is opening 10 industrial parks for entrepreneurs, with land availability being identified as a key barrier, Deputy Minister Chaturanga Abeysinghe said. This year 10 industrial estates are being built under the Industries Ministry. “Three have been completed, and the Sooriyawewa, Raigam, and Alhuthapola ones can start in early 2026,” Abeysinghe told parliament on Friday. He said the government had allocated land to 50 businesses this year. more..

Nov 21 (AD) Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arun Hemachandra, met with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas in Brussels. During the meeting on 20 Nov, EU High Representative Kallas—an accomplished European leader and former PM of Estonia—engaged in productive discussions with Dy Minister more..

Nov 21 (DM) SL’s coconut sector is aiming for a major boost in its annual yield, targeting 4.2 billion high-grade coconuts as part of its production goals. Coconut Cultivation Board Chairman Dr. Sunimal Jayakody said that Treasury funds allocated for coconut plantations in 2026 have increased when compared to previous years. He noted that coconut plantations declined last year due to a shortage of compost, including the unavailability of APH compost, which affected overall cultivation. more..

Nov 21 (AM) A legal controversy has emerged involving Sri Lankan cricketer Chamika Karunaratne following a lawsuit filed by a woman alleging that he is the father of her two-month-old child. The plaintiff has petitioned the court for a DNA test and is seeking maintenance, citing the cricketer’s alleged failure to meet his parental responsibilities. According to the plaintiff, Karunaratne has refused to acknowledge paternity or allow his name to be used for the child. more..

Nov 21 (EN) SL may again see solar power linked grid instability early next year when demand falls, Minister Kumara Jayakody said, outlining the investments being made to counter the problem over time. “We have received warnings of grid instability early next year, just like this year due to the electricity grid due to low demand and high solar power,” Minister said. SL was hit by a so-called Sunny Sunday blackout last year, more..

Nov 21 (AM) Independent MP Ramanathan Archchuna today told Parliament that Puttalam District MP Faizal of the NPP had threatened to kill him. Archchuna said that under Standing Order 27(2), he had raised a question regarding the Puttalam Hospital with Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, when MP Faizal became agitated and directed a death threat at him. Although the Speaker initially ruled that it was not a matter of order, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and more..

Nov 21 (AD) Maha Jana Handa public rally, organized by several opposition parties in protest against the govt, is scheduled to commence today at the Ananda Samarakoon Open Air Theatre in Nugegoda. Opposition political representatives had visited the venue this morning (21) to inspect the preparations for the event, Ada Derana reporter said. However, SJB, SB, and NFF have announced that they will not participate in the rally. Meanwhile, Police Media Division had issued a statement more..

Nov 21 (AD) A large quantity of narcotics has been seized thus far under the Nation United – National Drive campaign, launched on Oct 30, aimed at eradicating the drug menace from the country. 23,550 suspects have been arrested following a total of 23,891 raids conducted across the island as of yesterday under the operation. Authorities have also commenced investigations into illicit assets linked to 26 suspects apprehended during the operations. Meanwhile, during these operations, more..

Nov 21 (FT) Hatton National Bank (HNB) won the coveted Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Award 2025 at the 22nd Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability (BCCS) Awards organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel. Commercial Bank of Ceylon and Hemas Holdings were adjudged the first & second runners-up, respectively. Annual BCCS Awards are the premier corporate citizenship award and highlight sustainability champions more..

Nov 21 (Island) Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) has urged India to use its leverage over Sri Lanka to secure a permanent political solution acceptable to what the party called the Eelam Tamil nation, stressing that the current moment presents an unprecedented opportunity that must not be wasted. The remarks were made during a recent meeting between a TNPF delegation, led by party leader and Jaffna MP Gajendrakumar more..

Nov 21 (Island) The Special Sub-Committee appointed on Western Province Waste Management convened on 19 th of Nov at the Parliament premises with the participation of PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. The discussion was focused on the current status of managing municipal solid waste generated through households, streets, institutions, and businesses , challenges, and way forward in the Western Province. Extended discussions were also held on issues such as lack of designated, more..

Nov 21 (NW) Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe has rejected claims by Opposition MP Chaminda Wijesiri that the newly opened govt sugar outlet selling brown sugar has failed, saying sales have exceeded expectations within days of its launch. Wijesiri, a SJB MP, said the sugar outlet had been unsuccessful, accusing the govt of poor planning and execution. Responding to the criticism, Abeysinghe said the outlet had been in operation for only nine days and had already recorded more..

Nov 21 (CT) World Bank has warned that growing reliance on private transport, inefficiencies in public transport, and limited development of rail and non-motorised travel options are worsening congestion, compromising road safety and increasing emissions in Sri Lanka’s urban areas. Concerns were outlined in its publication, Sri Lanka Country Climate and Development Report, released on Tuesday. more..

Nov 21 (CT) Colombo Additional Magistrate Liyan Warushavithana, yesterday, ordered that a broker accused of defrauding Dr. Shafi Shihabdeen, who works at the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital, of Rs 15 million be remanded until 26 Nov. The suspect, identified as Firdous Musthapa, a resident of Colombo, is accused of promising to import a luxury vehicle valued at over Rs 20 million, allegedly available through a UK embassy auction, in exchange for an advance payment. more..

Nov 21 (DM) Court of Appeal today upheld the death sentences imposed on five individuals convicted of trafficking 151.341 kilograms of heroin in 2019, a consignment that was at the time the largest narcotic stock ever detected by the SL Navy. A two-judge bench comprising Justice Pradeep Hettiaratchchi, with Justice P. Kumararatnam agreeing, affirmed the judgment delivered by Colombo High Court Judge Namal Balalle on Sept 27, 2023. High Court had found all five accused guilty on all 3 counts more..

Nov 21 (TM) A delegation from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Cell of the Dept of Revenue, Govt of India, visited Sri Lanka from 12–14 Nov to conduct the second phase of capacity-building and training programmes for officials of the Central Bank of SL (CBSL) and other relevant regulatory agencies. Indian delegation included experts from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the FATF Cell, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), more..

Nov 21 (Island) CID is investigating whether in 2023 the then Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe received an invitation from Uni of Wolverhampton to attend an event where the former first lady received an honorary professorship in recognition of her extensive research, training and policy work on gender equity and equality. A team of CID officers has recorded statements from three former members of the SL High Commission in London. They are Saroja Sirisena, Aruna Fernando more..

Nov 21 (DM) The number of juvenile (young male elephants) in Sri Lanka has increased over the past three national elephant surveys, contributing to a rise in elephant–elephant conflict, Acting Director General of the DWC Ranjan Marasinghe said yesterday. He said that the male-to-female elephant ratio, which stood at 1:1.8 in the 1993 survey, had narrowed to 1:1.09 in 2011 and further to 1:1.04 in the 2024 survey. more..

Nov 21 (AD) The school cut-off marks for the admission of students to Grade 06 of schools based on the results of the 2025 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination have been released online by the Ministry of Education. According to the ministry, information regarding the cut-off marks for Grade 6 admissions in 2026 is available on the Ministry’s official website: www.moe.gov.lk. Students and parents may also check the schools to which students have been allocated by visiting: more..

Nov 21 (DN) Brandigala Tourist Zone in Matale District was officially opened to local and foreign tourists under the patronage of Central Province Governor Prof S.P.S. Abeykoon. The launch was organized by the Central Province Dept of Tourism, Trade and Commerce, with support from the Matale District Secretariat, the Yatawatta and Ukuwela Divisional Secretariats, and the respective Pradeshiya Sabhas. The inauguration included the unveiling of the tourist destination’s more..

Nov 21 (DN) Govt has allocated a provision of Rs.330 billion for salary increases in the public service, said Minister Prof. Chandana Abeyratne said. “Rs. 330 billion has been allocated for salary increases in the public service, comprising Rs.110 billion for 2025, Rs.110 billion for 2026 and another Rs.110 billion for 2027, Minister said, adding that this salary increase is being made with the aim of maintaining a more efficient and dignified more..

Nov 21 (EN) Softlogic Holdings said trading of its shares will continue uninterrupted until Dec 31, following a deferment of the suspension granted by Securities & Exchange Commission of SL. SEC has granted a deferment for the suspension of trading of shares that was due to take place on Dec 1. The securities were transferred to the watch list in Nov 2023 and April 2024, due to the emphasis of matter on going concern contained in the Independent Auditor’s Reports for the financial years more..

Nov 21 (EN) SL is planning to invite bids from investors to build 434 MegaWatts of wind power plants in the North of SL, Minister Kumara Jayakody said with bids for two 50 MW plants already opened. “We have already got approval for a 234 MW wind project in Pooneryn,” he said. “There is also 204 MegaWatts in Veravil (Kilonochchi). We will call tenders and proceed with the projects next year.” Evaluations are underway of two 50MW wind plants in Mannar where the lowest bidder was more..

Nov 21 (FT) Last week we took a long walk down memory lane. It was to a time when Sri Lanka then used to be a nation of diplomatists (a few of note of global calibre), demagogues able to move a nation’s mighty spirit and break a people’s backbone in the same breath, and avid pioneers in the spheres of civics and governance. And oh, e pluribus unum... if not quite yet one people, one nation. A handful of readers were probably prone to think of Ceylonese heads of UN agencies and more..

Nov 21 (FT) 99th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Sathya Sai Baba will be observed on Sunday (23). The day will be of great significance to millions of Baba devotees throughout the world. It will however be a red letter day for Ceylon Workers Congress General-secretary and Nuwara Eliya district MP Jeevan Thondaman who bids farewell to bachelorhood on that day. Jeevan Kumaravel Thondaman known as Jeevan Thondaman and Jeevan will tie traditional wedding necklace more..

Nov 21 (AD) Authorities have revealed details and exact weights of the narcotic substances discovered on the multi-day fishing vessel seized by the SL Navy off the southern coast and brought ashore last evening . The vessel, suspected of transporting narcotics, was intercepted yesterday (20) during a joint operation conducted by SL Navy & Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB), based on intelligence received by the security forces. more..

Nov 21 (TM) Survey Dept informed that, per estimates, Sri Lanka has approximately 16.5 million land parcels, of which, only about 2.5 million have been surveyed and mapped. Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Resource Sustainability has drawn attention to the importance of accurately surveying and swiftly completing the mapping of all land in Sri Lanka. This matter was discussed when the Committee met on Monday (17) in Parliament, more..

Nov 21 (NW) A Sinhala and Tamil language training program for MPs officially commenced on Nov. 18 at the Parliament premises, under the patronage of Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne. Organized by the Members’ Service Office of Parliament with support from the Department of Official Languages, the initiative aims to strengthen communication skills among lawmakers and promote greater understanding between communities. UNP member Ashu Marasinghe said he would not take part, more..

Nov 21 (DM) A series of recent budget defeats across several Pradeshiya Sabhas—many controlled by the governing NPP, has raised concerns about the stability and functioning of local govt bodies. Budgets of the Yatiyanthota, Badulla, Naula and Kalutara Pradeshiya Sabhas were among those defeated in recent days. Amidst concerns, when inquired, a senior official at the Ministry of Public Administration said that more..

Nov 21 (CT) Mixed signals emerged yesterday (20) from several senior Opposition politicians over whether they would participate in the Mahajana Handa (People’s Voice) joint protest rally scheduled for today (21). The event, organised by a coalition of several political parties led by SLPP and independent politicians, is widely seen as a test of public support for Namal Rajapaksa’s possible presidential bid — a suggestion many Opposition groups have downplayed. more..

Nov 21 (DN) The presentation of the Productivity Master Plan and Accreditation Certificate for SL, hosted by the Asian Productivity Organization, was held in Colombo yesterday. The official presentation of the Certificate of Excellence for Productivity Specialists to SL and the signing of the Strategic Partnership Program by SL and the Asian Productivity Organization were also held at this event. Minister Sunil Handunnetti addressing the event said SL has come out of an era when more..