Nov 14 (AD) Govt has planned to expand the Suwa Seriya ambulance fleet to 500 vehicles by integrating the service with the latest technologies, according to Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa. He made this statement while addressing a special training program held aimed at enhancing the skills of the Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) at the Suwa Seriya Foundation. Minister stated that the necessary plans and measures are currently underway, with efforts focused on more..

Nov 14 (DM) SL has recorded its first birth of conjoined twin girls in 22 years at the Castle Street Hospital for Women in Colombo earlier this week. Hospital Director Dr. Ajith Danthanarayana said that the twins were delivered via Caesarean section to a 29-year-old mother from Pannala. One baby weighed 2.2 kg, with a combined weight of 4.4 kg. Both infants are reported to be in stable condition. “The twins are joined at the abdomen, and their parents have agreed to a separation surgery,” more..

Nov 14 (EN) Sri Lanka’s planned 75,000 in new recruitments announced in the budget is mostly for skilled grades, and there are plans to rightsize the bloated public sector over time, Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe has said. “I think we first have to admit where we are, because it’s been bloated up, not in the levels of executives and skills grades,” Deputy Minister Abeysinghe told a post-budget seminar organized by Deloitte. more..

Nov 14 (DM) An unfortunate incident occurred at the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital when a 37-year-old nurse Isuru Dissanayake from Kandy National Hospital passed away while giving birth to her third child. Hospital sources confirmed that the newborn is in good health. The nurse had previously served for several years at the A'pura Hospital and had joined the pediatric department at the Kandy National Hospital about three months ago. Doctors identified that she was in a high-risk condition more..

Nov 14 (DM) A scam worth Rs 1.4 billion is involved in awarding the tender to import cabs, SLPP MP D. V. Chanaka told Parliament. “The specification of the tenders have been prepared to ensure that a certain company is awarded the tender to import cabs as per the budget proposal which Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake came out in his budget speech. The commission for one cab is said to be Rs 1 million. Therefore, the full value of the commission comes to Rs 1.4 billion,” the MP said. more..

Nov 14 (Island) National Joint Committee (NJC) has condemned SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa’s recent declaration in New Delhi that he would fully implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Lt Gen Jagath Dias (Retd) and Dr. Anula Wijesundera Co-Presidents of the NJC issued the following statement: The NJC is shocked, dismayed, disappointed and disgusted over the recent statement made by the Hon Leader more..

Nov 14 (AD) More than 16,000 individuals have been arrested thus far under the launch of the nationwide operation to eradicate drugs from the country under the theme Nation United – National Drive, aimed at eradicating narcotics from the country. Accordingly, from Oct 30, up to yesterday, police have conducted 16,915 raids, during which 16,738 individuals have been taken into custody. Investigations have been initiated regarding 20 individuals in connection with illegal assets more..

Nov 14 (NW) British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Andrew Patrick has met with JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva at the JVP headquarters in Pelawatta, Battaramulla. The discussion focused on Sri Lanka’s current political situation and the longstanding bilateral relationship between the UK and SL. During the meeting, the British official reaffirmed its continued support for Sri Lanka. The meeting also addressed Silva’s upcoming official visit to the UK, scheduled for Nov 21. more..

Nov 14 (FT) A GDP growth rate of 7% is an ambitious target. An ambitious target requires ambitious actions, but is Budget 2026, NPP’s first real Budget bold enough to deliver on such an ambitious target? A Budget is more than just the numbers. it is also the Govt’s policy statement. To put SL on a growth trajectory to achieve 7% GDP in the next few years means accelerating many structural economic reforms such as tax admin, trade, investment, public sector more..

Nov 14 (FT) The 2026 Budget, presented by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, comes at a defining moment in the country’s post-crisis transformation. Three years after the economic collapse of 2022, SL’s path has shifted from emergency stabilisation toward cautious reconstruction. Budget 2026 represents both a continuation of structural reform and a recalibration of social priorities — an attempt to balance fiscal responsibility, social protection, and long-term competitiveness. more..

Nov 14 (FT) Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma clarified concerns over small and medium enterprise (SME) sector funding and revenue projections, affirming that the National Credit Guarantee Institution has disbursed over Rs. 4 billion within five months since its establishment. Responding to recent commentary on underutilised SME funds, Dr. Suriyapperuma said the Credit Guarantee Scheme had been more widely more..

Nov 14 (ANI) After meeting Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, Mahishini Colonne, said that Sri Lanka has looked up to Gujarat's development ever since PM Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister there. Colonne drew similarities between Sri Lanka and Gujarat as maritime states and nations, highlighting areas of cooperation. "I conveyed to the Chief Minister the greetings of the Prez of SL, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who visited India in more..

Nov 14 (AD) The Second Reading vote of the 2026 Budget is scheduled to be held today at 6 p.m. The Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill for the year 2026 (the Budget Speech) was presented to Parliament on November 07, by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his capacity as the Minister of Finance. Accordingly, the entire Budget debate is scheduled to be held until December 5, 2025. The Committee Stage debate will be held for 17 days from Nov 15 to Dec 5. more..

Nov 14 (BU) The govt of Sri Lanka has pledged to invest 35.6 billion SL rupees (approx US$120 million) to advance the digitization of various sectors across the country it its 2026 Budget. The commitment aligns with the island nation’s efforts to stand up a national digital identity system and a data exchange platform, among other milestones on its journey towards developing a robust digital economy. Prez and Finance Minister Anura more..

Nov 14 (DN) A Buyer-Seller Forum organized under the PLASTICS project, with the aim of promoting the reduction and management of plastic use and encouraging entrepreneurs, was held on Tuesday (11) at the Water’s Edge Hotel, Battaramulla under the patronage of the Minister Sunil Handunnetti. The project, organized in collaboration with the Industry Service Bureau, Acted Sri Lanka, Biodiversity Sri Lanka, Stenum Asia and TeRi, is financially supported by the European Union. more..

Nov 14 (FT) IMF said it was reviewing the 2026 Budget unveiled by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake a week ago. IMF Director of Communications Julie Kozack said the Executive Board would review the Budget and consider SL’s Fifth Review under the EFF in the coming weeks, a decision that will release $ 347 million in financing. An IMF staff-level agreement had already been reached with the Govt. Agreement, concluded on 9 Oct, clears the way for Board consideration. more..

Nov 14 (TM) Ceylon Teachers’ Services Union (CTSU), which is affiliated with the JVP – the main constituent Party of the NPP Govt – has stated that it also supports the view that school hours should continue to be from 7.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. CTSU President Dhammika Alahapperuma said that the Union had met with the Education Ministry officials including its Secretary and presented its proposal on the matter. “We are also of the view that the school time should be from 7.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. more..

Nov 14 (EN) Ceylon Tobacco Company said its volumes were down in the Sept 2025 quarter from a year ago, in the wake of higher taxes in 2025 which led to a price increase. Turnover grew to 52.79 bil rupees in the September quarter from 52.152 bil rupees last year, with taxes rising to 36.45 bil rupees from 36.22 bil rupees. Net revenue grew to 16.33 bil rupees from 15.932 bil rupees. CTC said its improved profit before tax to 13.73 bil rupees from 12.88 bil rupees, due to cost controls. more..

Nov 14 (FT) The much-anticipated Budget Seminar 2026, organised by Institute of Chartered Accountants of SL (CA SL), brought together leading voices in finance, policy, and taxation for a comprehensive analysis of the govt’s fiscal plan. The event, held on 8 Nov, at the CA SL Auditorium, highlighted budget’s potential to drive sustainable economic recovery while fostering critical dialogue on key implementation challenges. more..

Nov 14 (FT) Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa presented Sri Lanka as a country ready to claim its place on the global stage in tourism, trade, investment and innovation at the SLIM World Marketing Forum 2025. Delivering an energetic and forward-looking address to international gathering of marketing professionals, he highlighted the country’s rapid economic recovery and its unique strengths as a global brand. Premadasa described Sri Lanka as an island of everlasting wonder where more..

Nov 14 (DN) SL’s opener Pathum Nissanka has reached a career-best No. 3 in the latest ICC Men’s T20I Batting Rankings, earning 779 rating points. Nissanka now trails only India’s Abhishek Sharma, who continues to top the table, and England’s Phil Salt, who holds the second spot. Experienced opener Kusal Janith Perera has also made progress, rising two places to No. 7 in the same rankings. Meanwhile, Wanindu Hasaranga impressed in the first ODI against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, more..

Nov 14 (ST) The Court of Appeal (CA) has issued a writ preventing Udapalatha Divisional Secretary Athma Dilrukshi Jayaratne from interfering or obstructing the Ambuluwawa cable car project. The CA also ordered the Divisional Secretary to pay Rs 100,000 as legal costs from her personal funds to the petitioner company, Amber Adventure (Pvt) Ltd. It ruled that she had overstepped her authority to maliciously obstruct the project, being constructed with foreign investment, more..

Nov 14 (NW) Authorities have confirmed that 15 out of 82 SL fugitives wanted under INTERPOL Red Notices, including for murder and other serious crimes, are currently residing in the UAE, it was reported. Citing a senior police official, that UAE security agencies have notified INTERPOL of the presence of these individuals and are reportedly monitoring them closely. Among them is Lalith Kannangara, a notorious drug trafficker linked to organized crime, who was arrested by more..

Nov 14 (Island) Dialog Axiata in partnership with the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA), under the Ministry of Environment, has unveiled SL’s first 5G-enabled autonomous water-surface cleaning robot. Designed to collect floating waste and monitor environmental conditions in real time, this pioneering innovation demonstrates the transformative potential of 5G in enabling intelligent, sustainable solutions that more..

Nov 14 (Island) While many nations struggle with high smoking rates, Sweden has carved a unique and successful path, poised to become Europe’s first smoke-free country with just 5.3% of adults smoking. Question at the heart of the recent Quit Like Sweden roundtable in Colombo was not whether this success can be replicated, but how South Asia can adapt this model to avert a looming public health crisis. Swedish achievement is no accident. It is the result of a pragmatic policy more..

Nov 14 (FT) Sampath Bank has produced strong results for the nine months ended 30 Sept, maintaining its growth momentum in 2025. The bank reported a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of Rs. 35.3 billion and a Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs. 21.5 billion for the nine-month period ended 30 Sept 2025, reflecting consistent YoY growth of 18% and 21%, respectively. Furthermore, the Group delivered a strong financial performance, recording a PBT of Rs. 38 billion and a PAT of Rs. 23.1 billion more..

Nov 14 (NW) Colombo Mayor Vraîe Cally Balthazaar on Tuesday joined a group of vision-impaired persons to raise awareness of the difficulties faced by them daily. Mayor Balthazaar took a walk around Colombo while blindfolded to experience the difficulties faced by vision-impaired persons. She was accompanied by Sugath Wasantha de Silva, Sri Lanka’s first-ever vision-impaired MP. “I am being blindfolded, so I understand what it is to be in the city without sight,” Mayor said more..

Nov 14 (NW) Former Sri Lankan cricketer Sidath Wettimuny has praised the national team for taking what he described as the correct decision to remain in Pakistan and continue the tour. Pakistani authorities have assured President-level security to the Sri Lankan team throughout the series. Wettimuny said Sri Lanka should never forget the support Pakistan extended during one of the most challenging moments in the country’s cricket history. “I am glad the SL team is staying back. more..

Nov 14 (ST) Other options will be considered for the national carrier if the strategic plan by the board and its management does not produce a justifiable outcome, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Parliament Friday in his Budget 2026 presentation. “The board has been given a timeline. They have given us a plan. And if, after implementing their plan and there is no justifiable outcome, then the Govt will be open to more..

Nov 14 (TM) A three-cornered tussle has emerged between the mother-daughter duo of Wajira Nettikumara, Ruskshi Nettikumara and Desika Vitharana, for the post of President at the election of office bearers for the Netball Federation of Sri Lanka for the term 2025-27. The Election Committee (EC) headed by ex-Colombo High Court Judge Iranganee Perera and formed to oversee the yet to be finalised election of the sport’s local governing body, released the list of nominations on Monday (10), more..

Nov 14 (Island) At the 60th Session of the UNHRC held in Sept 2025, Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka Vijitha Herath stated: “We sincerely believe that external action will only serve to create divisions, thereby jeopardising the genuine and tangible national processes that have already been set in motion”. In keeping with that concept “The Govt is committed to advance accountability through credible domestic processes by establishing an independent public prosecutor’s office. more..