Nov 27 (ST) Speaking at the budget debate the other day, Minister Vijitha Herath announced how within a year in office SL had entered into 70 MoUs with countries across the globe. Though he did not employ the rhetorical skill of one of our distinguished foreign ministers, Lakshman Kadirgamar, perhaps for lack of the skills that the late foreign minister used during his time, including in bilateral negotiations at the highest level, Foreign Minister seemed boastful of the achievement. more..

Nov 27 (CT) SL was under the powerful oligarchy of the Rajapaksa family (RF) and its cohorts. The historic war victory in May 2009 propelled Mahinda Rajapaksa (MR) to glory. ECONOMYNEXT reported that MR successfully engineered his overwhelming popularity to establish the most powerful oligarchy that ruled SL for over a decade. Under MR’s leadership, a family dynasty assumed virtual control of state governance. According to the Sri Lanka Campaign, what unraveled in the aftermath more..

Nov 27 (DM) Sri Lanka’s human-elephant conflict (HEC) has reached a breaking point. In 2023, SL became the deadliest country for Asian elephants, with 488 killed a 115% increase since 2010. HEC-related human deaths also increased by 127% in this period. From January to October this year there were 366 elephant deaths and 131 human fatalities. SL’s HEC policy, largely unchanged for more than 65 years, has exacerbated the issue. The key flaw is the focus on confining elephants to more..

Nov 27 (CT) Recent events in SL’s Parliament have raised a troubling question: is the nation’s supreme legislative body becoming an increasingly hostile place for women? The past week alone delivered a flurry of incidents that, when placed alongside a longer pattern of behaviour, paint a sobering picture of an institution struggling to uphold the dignity it publicly claims to defend. The most forceful warning came from Badulla District MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, who urged President more..

Nov 27 (CT) National Hospital of SL (NHSL) in Colombo and the Teaching Hospital in Ragama remain two critical pillars of public healthcare. With the rising cost of medicines and private treatment, the influx of patients to govt hospitals continues to surge — yet access to quality facilities, especially at these two institutions, remains limited. In this context, the eight-storey Outpatient Dept (OPD) complex at the NHSL — built as more..

Nov 27 (TM) The recent discussion at the Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital on establishing a Higher Education Commission to regulate private universities and degree-awarding institutions is a timely and welcome proposal, especially at a time when education reforms are under serious consideration and private universities including local agents of foreign institutions are rapidly expanding across the country. more..

Nov 27 (DM) SL has experienced the best and the worst when it comes to privatisation attempts. Privatisation affected many industries including the sugar industry which eventually led govts to import sugar, impose taxes and pushed farmers towards a crisis. The privatisation of Hingurana and Kantale sugar factories, which had been state-owned, is seen as a significant turning point. These factories experienced initial disruption under private management, which contributed to more..

Nov 26 (DM) Colombo High Court judge Udesh Ranatunga today directed the Colombo Chief Judicial Medical Officer to obtain a specialist psychiatric report to determine whether Daisy Forrest, the grandmother of Yoshitha Rajapaksa’s and a co-accused in the money laundering case is mentally fit to stand trial. At the previous hearing, President’s Counsel Anil Silva appearing for Forrest submitted an order issued by the Gangodawila Magistrate’s Court on 17 March 2017, more..

Nov 26 (NW) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says the advancement of cinema contributes to the spiritual and cultural development of a country’s citizens and that while safeguarding the domestic film industry, SL audiences must be given the opportunity to watch international film productions. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake made these remarks during a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat today with film distributors and producers. A lengthy discussion took place more..

Nov 26 (NW) Urban Development Authority (UDA) is reported to be preparing to lease the Pettah Floating Market to a Japanese investor for USD 160 million, it is reported. According to reports, the investor plans to renovate the shops and the night market within the complex under the current arrangement. Discussions are still ongoing regarding compensation for the current shop owners. It is also stated that the investor more..

Nov 26 (EN) Sri Lanka expects construction of a new terminal at the BIA funded by Japan t is to begin by June – July 2026, with tenders now being evaluated, Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilaka said. SL’s Katunayake airport is now operating above capacity with the second terminal delayed for multiple reasons including the sovereign default. Technical evaluation of contractor tenders is now wrapped up, he said. “We think we can open the price bids by January,” he said. more..

Nov 26 (NW) All-China Women’s Federation (ACWF) has donated a consignment of materials valued at approximately Rs. 43 million to support the well-being and development of women and children in SL. According to a Parliament statement, the donation comprises equipment for establishing a mother-and-baby room and a childcare centre for the children of staff members of ‍ Parliament of SL, along with women’s hygiene products to be distributed through Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus. more..

Nov 26 (TM) Health Ministry Deputy Director General of Laboratory Services, Dr. Priyantha Atapattu said that 26 hospitals were identified to monitor antibiotic consumption as part of efforts to strengthen the national surveillance of antimicrobial use. Dr. Atapattu said that the facilities include 24 State hospitals and two private hospitals, where antibiotic consumption patterns will be observed. He said that the ministry, together with more..

Nov 26 (NW) A national programme was launched yesterday to protect the ecosystem of the Sri Pada (Adam’s Peak) sacred site and enhance facilities for pilgrims during the Sri Pada pilgrimage season. According to the President’s Office, the initiative was launched jointly by Clean Sri Lanka and Ministry of Environment. In line with this initiative, a comprehensive clean-up operation has been launched to eliminate accumulated waste, especially in hard-to-reach areas and more..

Nov 26 (DM) SL Police from 2021 to 2024, according to its latest audit report. The audit for the year ended Dec 31, 2024, revealed that complaints against police officers rose from 1,893 in 2021 to 2,863 in 2024. A total of 1,676 complaints were received in 2022, while 2,448 complaints were recorded in 2023. Of the complaints received in 2024, 29% were related to police inaction, while 23% involved the misuse of power. The audit noted that adequate measures had not been taken to improve more..

Nov 26 (CT) The CID was assigned to investigate allegations that the Economics question paper of the ongoing GCE A/L Exam was leaked, Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said. He said the decision to hand over the inquiry to the CID was made after education authorities received information suggesting that the paper may have been compromised. According to the Minister, the probe was launched following reports that a set of predicted or guesswork questions circulating on social media more..

Nov 26 (AD) Galle Crime Investigation Division has arrested the main suspect in the murder of the brother-in-law of the criminal Karandeniya Sudda, who served as the Chairman of the Modara Devalaya Committee in Ambalangoda. The suspect has been identified as Mahadura Isuru, and during police interrogations, he admitted that he carried out the murder as an act of revenge for the murder of his father, Mahadura Nalin, allegedly committed by Karandeniya Sudda, Police said. more..

Nov 26 (TM) SL Export Development Board (EDB) sees that it is necessary to resolve the decline in rubber export earnings, as earnings have declined to levels below $ 950 million this year, EDB Chairperson Mangala Wijesinghe said. “We see that the rubber (export) sector in the past, had export earnings that ranged between $ 1,300 million and $ 1,400 million on a yearly basis, which had declined to $ 950 million in the last few years. more..

Nov 26 (NW) The arrival of India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, in Colombo for the International Fleet Review 2025 reflects both strategic intent and symbolic importance, SL’s Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said. Speaking at a reception onboard the vessel, where he attended as Chief Guest, Jayatissa said the visit demonstrates India’s growing technological capabilities and its commitment to regional maritime security. more..

Nov 26 (DM) Depression in Sri Lanka is alarmingly high, with nearly one-fifth or 19.4% of the total SL population suffering from it. In a comparison with other Asian countries, the prevalence of depression in SL is notably higher, with only 16.1% of Asians experiencing this mental health condition, according to a joint study by the University of Peradeniya and the Uni of Kelaniya. The study conducted by a team of researchers in 2023 has shown that an astonishing 39% of young Sri Lankans more..

Nov 26 (CT) In a bid to circumvent legal restrictions abroad, pro- LTTE Tamil diaspora activists have reportedly been using versions of the organisation’s insignia that are only slightly altered, making them appear similar to the original while attempting to avoid scrutiny from foreign authorities, an informed source said. It came out in the wake of recent developments in Canada and the UK, where pro-LTTE diaspora members more..

Nov 26 (CT) The Cabinet of Ministers has approved compensation for 184 workers affected by the closure of textile operations in Thulhiriya and Pugoda, Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced yesterday (25). He said the decision includes 15 former employees of Kabul Lanka (Pvt) Ltd., Thulhiriya, who had not previously received compensation after the company shut down. These workers had submitted appeals requesting the same relief granted to their former colleagues. more..

Nov 26 (Island) The SL Press Association (SLPA), the country’s oldest organisation of journalists, will mark its 70th anniversary today (26) with a commemorative convention and the D. F. Kariyakarawana Memorial Journalism Awards at the Hilton Colombo. Established on 9 October 1955, the Association will celebrate the milestone by felicitating ten distinguished veterans of the print and electronic media in recognition of their longstanding service to the profession. more..

Nov 26 (AD) Colombo Magistrate’s Court today ordered that seven suspects arrested in connection with the smuggling of nearly 376 kilograms of heroin and crystal methamphetamine (Ice) into SL off the coast of Tangalle, be remanded until Dec 9. The order was issued against seven defendents, including a former Pradeshiya Sabha member who contested the local govt elections under the SJB party. The suspects were produced before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga Bodaragama by more..

Nov 26 (DM) Health authorities say that about 10 places in the country are making Madana Modaka illegally. These factories use too much hemp, more than what is allowed by law. Officials say these places misuse the annual registration certificate they get from the Ayurvedic Department. They pretend to follow the correct rules but secretly make the medicine in the wrong way. Health authorities say that real Madana Modaka must be made exactly according to the approved recipe, more..

Nov 26 (NW) Dept of Irrigation has issued flood warnings for areas in the vicinity of the Heda Oya Basin, Kumbukkan Oya Basin and Mahaweli Basin. The flood warning for the Heda Oya Basin, valid until 3.30 pm on Nov 28, is as follows; Due to heavy rainfall received last night in parts of Ampara and Monaragala districts, there is a possibility of flooding in low‑lying areas around Heda Oya, particularly in Siyambalanduwa and more..

Nov 26 (EN) A team of Sri Lankan healthcare businesses, organized by AHK Sri Lanka, has visited MEDICA 2025, an international trade fair for the global medical industry, in Düsseldorf, Germany. The delegation included representatives from Dimo Lifelines, Hayleys Lifesciences, Technomedics, AJ Medichem International, and Hemas Hospitals. They met Messe Düsseldorf to explore global trade fair trends and business opportunities, AHK Sri Lanka said in a statement. more..

Nov 26 (DM) A 24-year-old SL national in Bengaluru has fallen victim to an online sextortion racket involving an unidentified individual who first contacted him through Instagram. According to a case filed by the police, the unknown person met the victim, a student, on Instagram and gradually developed an online friendship. The individual later contacted the victim on WhatsApp. The victim alleged that during the video calls, the accused secretly took his personal photos and private more..

Nov 26 (EN) Sri Lanka’s tourism revenue has been lower since August this year compared to arrival after the relevant authority revising down per day tourism spending, top Central Bank officials said. The SLTDA estimates that per day revenue based on a survey. The revenue from tourism, which accounts for nearly 3 % of the island nation’s economy, edged up 0.3% in October despite a 21.5% jump in arrivals, official data showed. more..

Nov 26 (AD) SL’s rupee can move both ways, CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said, as concerns rose over the depreciation of the rupee in 2025 amid record external current account surpluses and falling budget deficit. “I want to emphasize that under the current exchange rate regime, the exchange rate can move both ways,” Governor said after the November monetary policy decision. “It is not a one way movement. We have seen even in the last couple of weeks, some depreciation. more..

Nov 26 (AD) Dept of Irrigation has issued a Red flood warning for the downstream areas of the Gal Oya. As per the warning, the capacity of the Senanayake Samudraya in Inginiyagala, Ampara has reached its peak due to heavy rainfall received in the upper and middle catchment areas of the Gal Oya Basin. Furthermore, owing to the intense rainfall recorded over the past 24 hours in the area, Gal Oya river downstream of the Senanayake Samudraya will be under the risk of major flooding more..