Nov 28 (FT) SL’s weather emergency continued to worsen yesterday, with the Disaster Management Centre reporting that the death toll has risen to 47 while nearly 6,000 people have been affected across multiple districts over two days. Nearly 21 individuals remain missing as floods, landslides and collapsing structures intensify across the country. Prez yesterday directed the President’s Fund to release Rs 1 million as compensation more..

Nov 28 (AD) At least three flights bound to Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) have been diverted to the prevailing adverse weather conditions. A flight from Kuala Lumpur, one from Abu Dhabi and another from Muscat have been diverted since last evening. Meanwhile, Minister Anura Karunathilake, yesterday announced that all flights arriving in Sri Lanka will be diverted to Trivandrum or Cochin airports in India if they are unable to land at the BIA during a weather emergency. more..

Nov 28 (NW) SL remains safe and fully open for travel and tourism despite seasonal rainfall affecting certain parts of the country, SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) said. SLTDA assured international visitors that major tourist destinations across the island continue to operate as normal, with hotels, transport services and tourist attractions functioning without disruption. Authorities are closely monitoring weather conditions and have implemented comprehensive safety measures more..

Nov 28 (DM) SL remains under severe weather conditions as heavy rainfall, rising floodwaters and continuous landslides disrupt daily life across multiple districts. 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 nearing or more..

Nov 28 (DN) Warnings have been issued for the possibility of a major flood situation in the low-lying areas of the Kelani River Valley. Accordingly, warnings have been issued for the possibility of a major flood situation in the low-lying areas of the Kelani River Valley in the following DS Divisions: Eheliyagoda, Norwood, Yatiyanthota, Galigamuwa, Ruwanwella, Bulathkohupitiya, Dehiowita, Seethawaka, Dompe, Padukka, Homagama, Kaduwela, Biyagama, Kolonnawa, Kelaniya, more..

Nov 28 (Island) The country is grappling with one of its worst weather disasters in recent years. Torrential rains and landslides have so far claimed more than 40 lives, left 14 others missing, and displaced thousands more across 17 districts. The hardest-hit areas include Badulla, Kegalle & Nuwara Eliya Districts, with Badulla alone recording 18 fatalities. According to the latest reports as of last night, over 4,000 individuals from 1,158 families have been affected. more..

Nov 28 (AD) The Cyclonic Storm Ditwah is centered near latitude 8.1°N and longitude 81.2°E, about 50km South of Trincomalee and it is very likely to move north-northwestwards, Dept of Meteorology stated. Due to the influence of this system, prevailing heavy showers and strong winds over the island are expected to continue. Accordingly, cloudy skies can be expected over most parts of the island and intermittent showers and thundershowers will occur over most parts of the island. more..

Nov 28 (FT) Embassy of SL in Bahrain said it has successfully facilitated the first ever introduction of Revello chocolates to the Bahraini market. “This signals a significant step in strengthening commercial ties and paving the way for greater market access for SL products,” it said. Revello is a flagship product of CBL Foods, one of SL’s largest food manufacturing conglomerates with a strong global presence across chocolates, biscuits, confectionery and nutritious food. more..

Nov 28 (CT) SL has been plunged into a state of critical emergency as a rapidly intensifying weather system wreaks havoc across the island, leaving a trail of devastation that has claimed at least 40 lives and left 21 others missing. With torrential rains triggering catastrophic floods and landslides, Met Dept issued a Red Alert yesterday, warning that the low-pressure system southeast of SL has intensified into a deep depression more..

Nov 28 (EN) SL’s Northern and Eastern areas are in the path of Cyclonic Storm Ditwah, as it moves towards India, with winds gusting to 100 kilometers per hours on November 28 and storm surges, the Indian and SL met offices have warned. The Ditwah has so far killed 56 and 21 is missing, a spokesman from the Disaster Management Office said. Sustained winds of 80 km per hour gusting up to 100 km have been warned over the island as the system moves across the island towards India. more..

Nov 28 (FT) National Disaster Management Council yesterday met at the Defence Ministry under the leadership of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake to review the nationwide emergency caused by severe weather. Prez instructed security forces and officials to ensure uninterrupted rescue and relief services and to keep the public continuously informed through updated weather and disaster alerts. The meeting examined challenges in implementing earlier decisions taken in Parliament and more..

Nov 28 (FT) SJB MP S.M. Marikkar criticised the Govt’s management of the ongoing disaster situation, claimed that NPP Govt has revealed its inability of handling the disaster situation properly due to slow and uncoordinated decision-making. “The Govt is only boasting without providing proper practical solutions to the existing disaster situation in the country. Govt's team has no knowledge to lead the officials in the face of the disaster situation in the country,” he said. more..

Nov 28 (AD) The right section of the Bentota Old Bridge, which had been closed to the public, reportedly collapsed last night (26) amid prevailing adverse weather conditions. Constructed around 1902, the bridge served as a key point along the Galle Road, connecting the Western and Southern Provinces. It had been closed several years ago after falling into disrepair and the govt at the time initiated work to construct a new bridge. The old bridge had also been a popular spot among more..

Nov 28 (NF) Sri Lanka is facing widespread disruption as relentless heavy rains and strong winds continue to batter the island, triggering floods, landslides, and infrastructure breakdowns. Authorities have announced urgent measures to mitigate the impact, as transportation networks and essential services remain severely affected. The Department of Railways confirmed that train operations have been further restricted more..

Nov 28 (TM) The Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) has temporarily suspended its online driving licence issuance services at its main Werahera office and district offices. The DMT stated that the system is currently unavailable due to prevailing adverse weather conditions. Measures are being taken to restore services as quickly as possible. However, the department confirmed that regular driving licence issuance services will continue uninterrupted at all district offices. more..

Nov 28 (TM) SL’s Ceylon Tea must differentiate itself from its competitor tea export markets by honing in on regenerative agriculture best practices, Hayleys Group Managing Director Roshan Rajadurai said, at the Asian International Tea Summit held in Colombo, yesterday. “In terms of tea industries, our tea industry is over-certified; either consumers demand so many conformances and compliances which are not remunerative. How we can get an advantage of this is differentiation,” he said, more..

Nov 28 (TM) CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe says that a large number of Letters of Credit (LCs) were opened this year due to pent-up demand following the lifting of vehicle import restrictions in February and that the demand for vehicle imports is expected to stabilize in coming months. “Motor vehicle imports are now stabilising. Obviously it is a little higher than we thought at the beginning of the year. Because of pent-up demand there are more..

Nov 28 (Island) SL’s leading exporters are accelerating their climate compliance efforts as global markets tighten environmental regulations, with the SL Climate Fund (SLCF) reporting its strongest surge yet in greenhouse gas verification, carbon credit certification and sustainability advisory services. Official data from the Ministry of Environment shows that SLCF generated Rs. 38.29 million as of October 31, 2025—well on track to achieve its Rs. 51.6 million annual target, more..

Nov 28 (FT) SL Embassy in Belgium inaugurated the BELGOLUX–SL Business Council (BLSBC), a dynamic new platform designed to strengthen trade, investment, and economic cooperation among SL, Belgium, and Luxembourg. This milestone event was held on 21 Nov at the nhow hotel in Brussels with the presence of Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Arun Hemachandra as Chief Guest. The BLSBC aims to play a role in promoting strategic partnerships, trade development, and sustainable investment, more..

Nov 28 (Island) US Ambassador Julie Chung joined Peace Corps Sri Lanka Country Director Jeffrey Goveia in Vavuniya today to administer the Pledge of Service to twenty-three new Peace Corps Volunteers. Nimali Baduraliya, Director of English and Foreign Languages at the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education, also attended the ceremony. The event marked a major milestone for the US Peace Corps as the incoming Volunteers begin their 2-year assignments more..

Nov 28 (FT) Solar Booze Ltd has emerged as one of Sri Lanka’s most recognised renewable energy companies in 2025, celebrating two prestigious awards on both international and national platforms. At the FusionSolar 4th Global Installer Summit 2025, held in Dongguan, China, the company was honored with the Excellent Performance Award, while on home soil it received the Service Excellence Award for Customer-Centric Renewable Solutions at the Clean Energy Awards 2025. more..

Nov 28 (CI) Dushmantha Chameera held his nerve in a clutch final over to ensure SL did not throw away a win they had spent the rest of the evening working for. He conceded three runs in the final over, building on a magnificent opening spell to deny Pakistan victory by six runs in a 184-run chase. The stakes were higher for Sri Lanka than they were for Pakistan, with a victory required for a place in the final, or it would be Zimbabwe playing that more..

Nov 28 (GV) One year after its meteoric rise to power, the NPP risks losing critical momentum and squandering an unparalleled opportunity of using its political capital to build a just peace in the war torn country. Their historic victory on November 15, 2024 when they dissipated the old guard of parties that had monopolised politics since independence reflected the public’s demand for systemic change following the 2022 economic collapse and the aragalaya. more..

Nov 28 (CT) This article seeks to identify a solution and present it to Sri Lankan society as a pathway to meaningful change—both internally and externally. Sri Lanka has two major issues: one is an ecological crisis, while the other is a political issue. Sri Lanka faces unnecessary flooding and landslides stemming from a severe ecological crisis, much of which can be traced to political decisions and harmful practices. That’s an external problem. There also remains another internal issue. more..

Nov 28 (Island) Committees and commissions come in handy for a govt embroiled in scandals and desperate to play for time. They also help obfuscate issues under public scrutiny and open escape routes for the culprits with direct links to the ruling party. A Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) is the optimal choice for a govt struggling to stave off the adverse political impact of a scandal. Successive governments have misused the PSC process to further their interests. more..

Nov 28 (TM) Jaffna University’s Medical Faculty stands today as one of SL’s most resilient and rapidly evolving academic institutions. Its growth has taken place against a backdrop of regional challenges, limited resources, and national financial instability; yet, it has continued to progress through carefully planned initiatives, sound governance, and a firm commitment to education, research, and service. In recent years, this growth has become more coordinated and visible, more..

Nov 28 (SO) SL’s election administration is often praised for its professionalism, despite the many political and institutional pressures surrounding it. Few people understand the inner workings of this system better than Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Rathnayake who recently retired after decades of election duty. He reflected on how he entered election management by chance, how the institution evolved from more..

Nov 28 (ST) More than two thousand years ago, the Buddha was asked by his chief disciple whether he could erect a statue of the Buddha for the benefit of those who came to worship him in his absence from the grove where he usually dwelled. The Buddha’s response to Ananda was a firm ‘no’. He said to Ananda, ‘Do not erect statues of me, Ananda, for statues will only divert them from following the Dhamma. I’m only the Tathagata, the teacher of the Dhamma.’ more..

Nov 28 (CT) Recently, NMRA announced maximum retail prices (MRP) for 350 drugs, including common medications for blood pressure and some cancer medications. On the face of it, this looks like a commendable initiative, but there are concerns raised by the industry itself. Understandably, the pharmaceutical industry is not particularly pleased with the decision and with how the NMRA now holds the legal authority to impose controlled prices for all medicines sold in Sri Lanka. more..

Nov 28 (TM) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has strengthened his public stance against drug trafficking, money laundering, and high-value contraband smuggling, particularly gold, which law enforcement agencies have increasingly identified as a preferred financial instrument for criminal networks. On 30 Oct, Prez launched a national counter-narcotics initiative, warning that the drug trade must be stopped. more..

Nov 28 (Island) The unique strength of Sri Lanka’s public education system is that it has been free up to university level. When we look at the massive level of student debt in other countries, including in the West, we realise what a great boon free university education has been for our youth. With the current worrying trajectory, once the floodgates of privatisation are opened with formal recognition of private universities, higher education will become unaffordable for many more..

Nov 28 (DM) The Supreme Court, in a judgment delivered on a Fundamental Rights petition filed by 66 graduates from foreign universities, observed that they too, are proud citizens of this country, just like those graduating from state universities. It is a landmark observation by the highest court of Sri Lanka. Education is a fundamental right of individuals. It is a universally acknowledged right. Whatever the background, anyone is entitled to pursue education. more..