Nov 13 (TM) Deputy Minister T.B. Sarath says that Sri Lanka expects to resolve at least 95% of the country’s remaining sanitation issue by the end of next year, citing a combination of new housing allocations and rural sanitation development programmes under the Clean Sri Lanka project. “Our ministry’s ongoing housing initiative directly targets the most vulnerable households identified in the new census,” he said. more..

Nov 13 (ST) Some said he will. Some said he will not. Still others stood in numbed silence waiting for what they believed would be post-budget shell shock. By the time this column appears, days after Finance Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake, also the president of Sri Lanka among other portfolios, which has now become a habit of incoming heads of state, all his intentions, but not some carefully hidden ones, would have been released to the public and the world. more..

Nov 13 (CT) After economic collapse, political turbulence and social hardship, SL stands at a turning point. The country’s recovery will depend not only on economic reforms or political will, but on the ability of its people and leaders to work together toward a fairer, more resilient future. Unlike past presidents, Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) has drastically reduced state perks, residence costs, security staff, police escorts, and vehicle fleets for politicians—including himself. more..

Nov 13 (SO) “I was told that if I had some contacts within the Police, they can expedite my case,” says Amila Kumara, who was told by an officer at the Cybercrimes Division, after Amila fell victim to an online job scam last June. Amila followed up on a post that he came across offering an attractive remuneration for a remote job in early June this year. He was to access a paid database, through a limited-access private digital portal, where more..

Nov 13 (CT) In a Budget that promised compassion and inclusivity, it is ironic that the very hands that heal the nation have been overlooked. The 2026 Budget, while generous in allocations for animal welfare, including an unprecedented focus on the care of dogs, has failed to extend the same empathy to SL’s doctors and health professionals — the backbone of its public healthcare system. Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) was right to voice its disappointment. more..

Nov 13 (DM) Colombo Mayor Vraie Balthazaar recently attended a walk for visually impaired persons to raise awareness on daily challenges that they encounter when walking about in the city. In order to personally experience their struggles, Mayor Balthazaar walked through parts of Colombo while blindfolded, accompanied by Sugath Wasantha de Silva, Sri Lanka’s first-ever vision-impaired MP. It is a wise move to get into their shoes and experience the challenges that they face. more..

Nov 12 (NF) SL police have uncovered a staggering 345 kg of crystal methamphetamine (Ice) during a pre-dawn raid in Kirinda, marking one of the largest narcotics seizures in recent history. Seven suspects were arrested in connection with the operation, including the alleged mastermind who reportedly orchestrated the smuggling via sea routes. Police sources revealed that the consignment is believed to belong to a notorious drug trafficker known as Ran Malli, currently residing in Dubai. more..

Nov 12 (DM) Agriculture Minister K.D. Lalkantha, commenting on the crisis faced by potato and onion growers, said the government will ensure maximum support prices for them next time, but admitted that such a move would inevitably lead to retail price hikes, leaving consumers in the lurch. Speaking in Parliament, Lalkantha said the govt will offer a support price of Rs.150 per kilo for onions, which would mean consumers have to pay at least Rs. 200 a kilo in the market. more..

Nov 12 (NF) Sri Lanka is preparing for a high-profile diplomatic visit as Thailand’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Suchart Chomklin, arrives in Colombo on November 28. The visit comes amid growing concern in Thailand over the welfare of two elephants—Plai Pratu Pha and Plai Srinarong—gifted to SL years ago and currently housed at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy and Kelaniya more..

Nov 12 (DM) Sri Lanka today launched a pilot project to deliver national birth certificates directly to citizens through the SL Postal Courier Service, Dept of Registrar General announced. The initiative was inaugurated at the Gampaha District Secretariat under the patronage of Minister Chandana Abeyratne. It represents a collaborative effort between the Registrar General’s Dept and the Postal Dept to enhance the secure and efficient delivery of official documents. more..

Nov 12 (EN) Sri Lanka’s first Automobile Industry Awards 2025 will recognize excellence and innovation, Chartered Automobile Engineer Ravith Silva said announcing the event to be held in February, 2026 at Temple Trees. “We often operate in our own silos, manufacturers, service providers, trainers, regulators and countless others, each doing remarkable work,” Silva said, adding that the awards aim to create a culture of recognition, setting both local and global benchmarks. more..

Nov 12 (AD) Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB) has decided to cut down and destroy about 5,000 coconut trees in the Matara District, due to the rapid spread of the coconut root (wilt) disease. The disease known as Weligama Wint has been identified as caused by an invasive insect species locally known as Renda Makuna. Currently, a total of 6,250 coconut trees within the Matara District alone have already been affected by more..

Nov 12 (DM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has emphasized the need to expedite the SL Unique Digital Identity (SLUDI) project and strengthen the nation’s overall digital economy framework to accelerate the country’s transformation into a modern, tech-driven economy. Speaking at the progress review meeting of the Ministry of Digital Economy for the year 2025, held yesterday at the Ministry premises, Prez said, “Building a strong foundation for digital governance and more..

Nov 12 (EN) Sri Lanka's central bank has bought only US$ 45.5 million from forex markets in Oct 2025, as private credit surged, amid excess liquidity and lower interest rates, driving imports. The Central Bank has bought US$ 1,461 million up to Oct 2025, compared to US$ 2,061 million, last year. Analysts had warned that due to insufficient deflationary policy, the central bank will not be able to retain the dollars that it bought, keeping excess liquidity high and driving up private credit. more..

Nov 12 (GT) Qatar Charity (QC) has constructed nearly 418 wells over the past 20 months in Sri Lanka, providing clean and safe drinking water to more than 28,100 people in underserved communities where public water networks are unavailable.The initiative aims to ease the daily struggle of thousands of families who previously had to walk long distances to fetch water - a challenge that posed health risks and physical and financial strain, particularly for children. more..

Nov 12 (AD) Court of Appeal extended until Jan 29 the interim injunction issued preventing the arrest of former SL Army intelligence officer, Colonel K.S. Maddumage, without consulting the Attorney General, in connection with the investigations into the Easter Sunday terror attacks. The Court of Appeal today issued this order after reconsidering the writ petition filed by the former army intelligence officer in question. The petition was taken up before a bench of judges more..

Nov 12 (DM) The govt is heading for trouble over the budget proposal to pay Rs.200 as a daily allowance for estate workers since such state revenue cannot be used to make payments for those employed by the private sector. COPF discussed the legal implications of this budgetary proposal announced by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Prez pledged to increase the daily earnings of estate workers to Rs.1,750. more..

Nov 12 (AD) An insurance scheme has been planned to provide coverage for paddy cultivation in seed paddy production farms, Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board announced. The scheme was formulated in response to requests made by farmers. The insurance covers damages caused by floods, droughts, pest attacks, natural disasters, and wild elephant incursions. By paying a premium amount of Rs. 13,600 per acre per season, farmers will be eligible for compensation of up to more..

Nov 12 (EN) SL Customs has achieved its revenue target for 2025 on Tuesday (11), its spokesman said, helped by boosted vehicle tax after the import restrictions were relaxed early this year. “Sri Lanka Customs is very happy & proud to announce that on 11th Nov, it surpassed the revenue target set for the year 2025,” Customs Spokesman Chandana Punchihewa said. As of end Tuesday, 50 days before the end of 2025, it had collected a revenue of Rs 2117.2 billion (USD 7.06 billion), more..

Nov 12 (NW) A request has been submitted to the Gangodawila Magistrate’s Court seeking the release of Daisy Forrest Wickremesinghe from the ongoing money laundering investigation linked to Yoshitha Rajapaksa, on the basis that she is suffering from dementia. Anil Silva, PC, appearing for Daisy Forrest, informed the court today that the 98-year-old was suffering from memory loss or dementia and is unable to more..

Nov 12 (NW) A three-wheeler driver has been arrested for allegedly overcharging a Nepali woman Rs. 30,000 for a short hired ride during her visit to SL, police said Wednesday. The incident was reported to the Police Tourist Division on Oct 25. Following an investigation based on the suspect’s vehicle and physical description, officers arrested the driver on Nov 11 after identifying him during a motorcycle patrol. He was handed over to the Area Police for further legal action. more..

Nov 12 (DM) A suspect who had created Facebook pages using women’s photos and earned money through social media was produced before court yesterday after being arrested by the Computer Crimes Division (CCD) of the CID. Presenting the suspect before court, officer from the CCD informed that the arrest was made following a complaint lodged by a married woman. According to the complaint, the complainant alleged that a Facebook page had been created using her photos more..

Nov 12 (AD) An Extraordinary Gazette notification has been issued announcing the appointment of Sameera Dhanushka De Silva of the SJB as a member of the Weligama PS, representing Ward No. 7, Midigama West. The vacancy occurred following the death of Lasantha Wickramasekara, who was a member representing the SJB. In accordance with Section 66A(1)(a) of the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance (Chapter 262), the Returning Officer of the Weligama PS, Pulasthi Pathirana, more..

Nov 12 (AD) Minister Vijitha Herath announced the establishment of the historic SL–Saudi Arabia Joint Business Council, marking a significant milestone in strengthening economic relations between the two nations. Minister stated: “I witnessed the launch of the historic SL–Saudi Arabia Joint Business Council by an MoU between the Federation of Saudi Chambers (FSC) and the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of SL (FCCISL) at the headquarters of the FSC in Riyadh.” more..

Nov 12 (TM) The Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) alleged that it is suspicious if investigations into corruption and fraud in the health sector are being continuously delayed due to the Govt’s fear of backlash from senior officials within the Ministry of Health. MCPA President, Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa said that despite multiple complaints and audit findings exposing large-scale corruption, fraud, and more..

Nov 12 (AD) The owner of the Dambulla Thunders franchise, Tamim Rahman was served indictment today (12) before the Colombo High Court for allegedly influencing a cricketer who participated in last year’s Lanka Premier League (LPL) cricket tournament to engage in match-fixing. The case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga today, when the indictment, filed by the Attorney General, was formally served to the defendant during the proceedings. more..

Nov 12 (NW) DFCC Bank has informed the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the wealth and retail banking business of Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) in SL for a consideration of Rs. 3.7 billion, subject to regulatory approval. The agreement was signed today, between DFCC Bank and Standard Chartered Bank, England, acting through its SL branch. The deal covers SCB’s Priority Banking, credit card, retail lending, deposit, and SME portfolios, more..

Nov 12 (AD) Former Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, who was arrested by the CIABOC, earlier today on allegations of misappropriating public funds, has been granted bail. The order was issued by Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama after considering the submissions made by officials of the Bribery Commission and the suspect’s attorneys. Accordingly, the Magistrate ordered that the suspect be released on more..

Nov 12 (FT) LOLC Finance said it has delivered a strong performance for the six months ended 30 Sept 2025, reflecting steady growth across key business lines and improved profitability amid a competitive operating environment. LOLC Finance ended the period under review with a strong Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs.14 billion, marking a 72% year-on-year growth from Rs. 8.1 billion in the corresponding period of the previous year. Strong earnings performance was underpinned by more..

Nov 12 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s Budget 2026, presented on 7 Nov, signals a clear shift from crisis management to strategic economic transformation. The main message is that fiscal consolidation and inclusive development are not opposing priorities but essential, interconnected elements for long-term national resilience. The Budget successfully navigates the challenging dual mandate of meeting international fiscal requirements (IMF targets) while urgently addressing more..

Nov 12 (FT) DFCC Bank said it has maintained robust performance for the first nine months of FY25 underscoring its financial resilience and the success of its strategic initiatives. In a statement DFCC said the Bank delivered solid results with consistent growth across key performance indicators. Loan and deposit volumes expanded meaningfully, while Net Interest Income rose by 11%, reflecting disciplined asset-liability management and robust strategic initiatives. more..

Nov 12 (FT) After a remarkable recovery from a very deep crisis in 2022, Sri Lanka’s recent Budget consolidates economic stablisation and introduces a few markers for further growth (e.g. on trade, digitalisation and the Port City), but more needs to be done to embed a growth strategy and transform its economy to avoid further IMF austerity programs. It is fair to say that Sri Lanka has defied economic expectations in the 2020s. Following its historic pre-emptive sovereign default in April 2022, more..