Nov 4 (DM) Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena today ordered that the decision on the request to lift the overseas travel ban imposed on former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in connection with the investigations into the Easter Sunday terror attacks be delivered on Nov 25. Making submissions before court, the CID stated that there were concerns as to whether former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa would return to SL after travelling overseas. However, CID informed court that more..

Nov 4 (PMD) A discussion on the progress and future plans of the project to develop the historic Ridi Viharaya in Kurunegala as an international tourist destination was held yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat, under the patronage of Deputy Minister Namal Sudarshana and Secretary to the Prez Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake. The project aims to develop Ridi Viharaya, a popular tourist attraction in the Kurunegala District, into an international Buddhist and spiritual wellness destination more..

Nov 4 (Island) Former Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva warned that the Protection of State from Terrorism Bill (PSTB) could be utilised against those opposed to the govt. They could be branded as terrorists, the ex-CJ said, endorsing former Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris’s declaration that the proposed law would violate both political and civil rights. Addressing the media, they accused the govt of seeking to suppress political dissent. more..

Nov 4 (FT) Following is the speech by TWC Holdings Chairman Thilan Wijesinghe on the subject Tourism Uncensored at the THINC Tourism Conference on 15 Oct, 2026. Drawing on 20 years in small luxury tourism, starting with Ceylon Tea Trails, Wijesinghe, who is also a Director of Ventive Hospitality (India), Resplendent Ceylon and Tea Trails, sets out what Sri Lanka got right and wrong in tourism. He faults successive governments for arrival targets without strategy, more..

Nov 4 (NW) SL batter Pavan Rathnayake has made a significant leap in the latest ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, climbing 20 places to reach 16th position following a series of impressive performances. According to the International Cricket Council (ICC), Rathnayake’s rise follows his knock of 77 against Pakistan in the ODI Tri-Series final in Lahore, after scoring 118 against England in an earlier match. The latest rankings place Rathnayake among the world’s top 20 ODI batters. more..

Nov 4 (NW) Ministry of Finance has clarified that individuals can open new bank accounts and renew motor vehicle revenue licences even without a TIN certificate, under special arrangements introduced to prevent delays in accessing these services. In a public notice issued jointly with the Inland Revenue Dept and Registrar of Motor Vehicles, Ministry said individuals who already have a TIN but do not possess the certificate can more..

Nov 4 (NF) The criminal case filed against former Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka over the controversial 2016 road accident in Rajagiriya and the alleged attempt to conceal evidence related to the incident was taken up before the Colombo High Court today. At the hearing, HC Judge Rashmi Singappuli ordered that pre-trial conferences in the case will be held on Nov 10. The accused, Patali Champika Ranawaka, appeared before court today. President’s Counsel Sarath Jayamanne more..

Nov 4 (NW) Manula Chamal Perera, Director of Administration and Human Resources at the National Youth Services Council (NYSC), has been released on bail following his arrest by the CIABOC. Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama ordered his release on two surety bails of Rs. 1 million each and imposed an overseas travel ban, according to reports. Perera was arrested today over allegations of causing a financial loss of Rs. 5.1 million to the govt through irregularities more..

Nov 4 (FT) Every Sri Lankan knows the feeling. A tax return is due by a fixed date, and a day’s delay brings a penalty. An appeal must be lodged within a set number of days, or the right to it is lost. A licence lapses at midnight; a renewal fee is surcharged the morning after. The citizen and the business live by the calendar, and the law enforces it without sentiment. Now consider the other side of the counter. An application for an approval is submitted, and then nothing. more..

Nov 4 (FT) There is nothing to quarrel about the agonising fact that rising cost of living (C-O-L) is a pandemic that has propelled anti-Govt protests and street riots right across the Americas, Europe and Asia; and it is this issue that is going to decide the outcome of US Midterm elections. Many of the protestors and rioters in the EU for example are adolescents who are increasingly concerned about rising price levels, which make college and higher education unaffordable to them. more..

Nov 4 (TM) A tense situation erupted in Parliament yesterday after the Opposition demanded an immediate opportunity to raise privilege issues over the failure to debate the no-confidence motion (NCM) against Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne, with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and several MPs insisting that their Parliamentary rights had been violated. Premadasa said that he had personally handed over a privilege question more..

Nov 4 (NW) Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Varuni Bogahawatta has been remanded until Friday over investigations into the source of funds used to purchase a motor vehicle and pay its leasing instalments. Matara Magistrate’s Court issued the order after she was arrested by the CID and produced before the Magistrate on Tuesday. Bogahawatta, who served as the OIC of the Administration Division at Kotawila Police Station, had a luxury vehicle in her possession more..

Nov 4 (ST) The CIABOC will conduct investigations into the assets of Deputy Public Security Minister Sunil Watagala and former Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody. The Commission has decided to carry out a full investigation in view of issues that had risen after they conducted a preliminary inquiry into their assets. The initial inquiry was launched following a complaint from a civil rights activist against five cabinet ministers and a deputy minister. The others were Ministers Bimal Ratnayake, more..

Nov 4 (ST) In June 2024, the CID received a tip: in an unauthorised computer lab at the Lavinia Hotel in Kudapaduwa, Negombo, Chinese nationals were using Telegram, WhatsApp and other internet apps to conduct suspicious money transactions. Chinese occupied all three floors of the property for a monthly rent of around Rs 3 million. They used a large room on the topmost level as their office. They financed a new perimeter fence, more..

Nov 4 (FT) Former CB Deputy Governor Dr. W.A. Wijewardena has called on the Govt to slow its revenue drive in the 2027 Budget, warning that taxpayers are being squeezed by high income taxes, indirect taxes and inflation while receiving deteriorating public services in return. Delivering CA SL’s Annual Tax Oration, he said Govt revenue had risen from 12.3% of GDP in 2021 to the 15% target set under the IMF EFF, which was to be reached by 2024, and had been exceeded in 2025. more..

Nov 4 (DN) The European Union has agreed to provide a €10 million grant to Sri Lanka to strengthen sustainable trade relations and improve the country’s access to the European market. The four-year project aims to enhance institutional capacity in trade-related activities, support Sri Lanka in meeting international standards required by the EU market and promote trade initiatives that encourage a transition towards environmentally sustainable practices. more..

Nov 4 (NW) A special national dengue prevention week has been declared by the Ministry of Health, covering 74 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) divisions from Nov 9 to Nov 14. Announced by Senior Assistant Secretary Lakshmendra Tennakoon, the initiative aims to combat potential epidemic risks indicated by recent patient trends, entomological indices and changing weather patterns. Although initially scheduled for Nov 2 to 7, the programme was rescheduled due to more..

Nov 4 (NW) Current and former employees of Mawbima.lk and Ceylon Today, media outlets owned by former Public Security Minister Tiran Alles, have staged a protest demanding the settlement of unpaid salaries, delayed allowances and outstanding Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF) contributions. The protest highlighted longstanding financial difficulties faced by media workers and concerns over the failure to settle their statutory employment benefits. more..

Nov 4 (TM) A trend of military personnel leaving the service has emerged within the Armed Forces, with excessive workloads, long service hours and better employment opportunities outside the military among the reasons for the departures, Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara said. He was responding to a question raised by PM G D Sooriyabandara. Jayasekara identified several factors contributing to more..

Nov 4 (Island) A couple staying in a rented house in Meepilimana, Nuwara Eliya, were found dead yesterday morning, with police suspecting that they had inhaled toxic fumes from a barbecue stove used inside the room. Couple had been staying in the rented house temporarily while overseeing the construction of a tourist resort in the Mihindupura area. Preliminary investigations indicate that the couple had placed a lit barbecue stove inside their bedroom to keep warm amid the unusually more..

Nov 4 (Island) A strong Sri Lanka’s Under 19 team captained by Viran Chamuditha left for the Asia Cup with a ballanced squad drawn mostly from the country’s top cricket schools. ‎The batting line-up is led by St. Servatius’ bat Chamuditha, who made history at the last ICC Youth World Cup with the highest individual score of 192. His deputy, Senuja Wakunegoda of St. Joseph’s College, Darley Road, has a double century to his name for SL U19, a rare feat at this level. more..

Nov 4 (Island) Colombo became a meeting point for the global management accounting profession as the ICMA (Australia & NZ) Global Graduation Ceremony and Membership Investiture 2026 was held on 28 Oct at the Marino Beach Hotel, demonstrating SL’s growing prominence as a premier destination for professional education. Over 200 graduates from the 2024/25 and 2025/26 batches, including 50 int'l graduates from 17 countries, were admitted to membership by more..

Nov 4 (NW) Thirty-six officers from the Maldives Police Service have begun an intensive eight week Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) training programme in SL, marking the resumption of this specialized initiative after a 13-year hiatus. Conducted by the SL Police Special Task Force (STF) from Nov 2 to Dec 31, the programme is designed to elevate the tactical competencies, operational capabilities and law enforcement expertise of participating Maldivian personnel. more..

Nov 4 (EN) SriLankan Airlines Limited posted a pre-tax loss of Rs. 35.6 billion for the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, hit by soaring jet fuel costs, West Asia flight disruptions, and currency depreciation. Flag carrier’s losses widened from a net loss of Rs. 12 billion in the corresponding period of 2025/26, pushing the airline deeper into negative equity of Rs. 351.5 billion as total liabilities reached Rs. 561.4 billion against assets of more..

Nov 4 (DN) Sri Lanka’s rapidly improving football team left for Dhaka yesterday with hopes of mounting a strong challenge at the SAFF Championship 2026, which will be played from Nov 5 to 17 at the National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh, as the islanders target their first South Asian title in 31 years. Sri Lanka will enter the six-nation tournament with confidence after making major progress in the FIFA world rankings and producing a strong run of int'l results. more..

Nov 4 (DN) SL’s young table tennis prodigy Taavi Samaraweera once again came to the fore when he secured another int'l gold medal, winning the under-11 boys’singles title at the WTT Youth Contender Slovakia 2026 in Senec, Slovakia. Taavi produced a superb display throughout the tournament, defeating Ukraine’s top-ranked player Yadym Lunehov 3–1 in the quarter-finals. He lost the first set 7-11 but fought back strongly making back to back three wins 11-9, 11-4, 11-5 to qualify for the semi final. more..

Nov 4 (FT) SL’s economy is on a strong footing on the back of fiscal discipline and significantly higher Govt revenue, and is well placed to gain as frontier markets enter a new cycle of global investment, executives of Capital Alliance Holdings (CAL) and Asia Frontier Capital Ltd, (AFC) said. Speaking at a media briefing on CAL’s acquisition of a 51% stake in the Hong Kong-based fund manager, Group CEO Kanishke Mannakkara said more..

Nov 4 (FT) John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH) yesterday said profit attributable to equity holders of the parent rose 213% to Rs. 5.17 billion in the second quarter of 2026/27, from Rs. 1.65 billion a year earlier, while Group profit before tax (PBT) increased 2% to Rs. 7.95 billion from Rs. 7.8 billion. Group profit after tax (PAT) of Rs. 5.82 billion was an increase of 39% over the Rs. 4.20 billion recorded in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year. more..

Nov 4 (FT) Bank of Ceylon (BOC) said its debenture issue of up to Rs. 30 billion, the largest in Sri Lanka, had been oversubscribed, with applications exceeding Rs. 30 billion. The State-owned bank initially offered up to 100 million debentures at an issue price of Rs. 100 each to raise up to Rs. 10 billion. It had the option to issue a further 100 million debentures to raise up to another Rs. 10 billion in the event of an oversubscription of the initial issue, and a further 100 million to raise up to more..

Nov 4 (ST) SL’s approach to fiscal stabilisation is shifting from immediate crisis management to structural corporate overhaul. Recent internal assessments of the Treasury show that the NPP govt has successfully shifted its liabilities through the creation of a balance sheet, moving more than Rs. 100 billion in debt from its business enterprises to the state balance sheet. This is not an ideology of state ownership but rather a strategy aimed at making heavily indebted public utilities more..

Nov 4 (Island) A surplus built on unbuilt roads is not a fiscal achievement. It is a postponement. In September, the headlines were cheerful. Sri Lanka’s govt posted an overall Budget surplus of Rs 9.5 billion for the first half of 2026, against a deficit of Rs 405.6 billion a year earlier. For a country that defaulted barely four years ago, the word surplus carries almost magical weight. Magic lasted one month. In July alone the govt ran a deficit of Rs 119 billion, wiping out the half-year gain. more..