Nov 19 (DN) Sri Lanka suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat against Thailand in their 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers – 3rd Round match at the Racecourse Grounds in Colombo yesterday, leaving the home side licking their wounds. The game was played on a soggy pitch under wet conditions, and Thailand, ranked 96th in the world, extended their dominance over Sri Lanka with their eighth consecutive victory against the islanders. Thailand drew first blood in the sixth minute. more..

Nov 19 (DN) SLC selectors have included leg-spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth in the National Men’s Squad for the T20I Tri-Series in Pakistan. He will travel to Pakistan directly from Qatar, where he was part of the Sri Lanka ‘A’ Team competing in the Asia Cup Rising Stars Tournament. He was scheduled to leave yesterday night from Qatar to join the National team. Viyaskanth has been drafted into the squad as Wanindu Hasaranga is yet to fully recover from the hamstring tightness more..

Nov 19 (TM) Sri Lanka continues to see a decline in telecommunications development charge (TDC) revenue, which is meant to be allocated towards investments in telecommunications infrastructure in rural unserved and underserved areas, due to a decline in international call charge revenue, TRCSL Director Bandula Herath said, speaking to the CoPF on Monday. “Under the universal service fund, there is something more..

Nov 19 (FT) LK Domain Registry, celebrating 35 years as Sri Lanka’s trusted digital identity custodian, today announced myPage.lk, an innovative platform that enables anyone to establish a professional online presence in minutes without requiring technical expertise. myPage.lk addresses a critical need in Sri Lanka’s rapidly digitalising economy by providing a simple yet powerful solution for individuals and businesses to create personalised digital identity pages. more..

Nov 19 (FT) Govt has taken the next step toward fully operationalising Public Debt Management Act No. 33 of 2024, with Cabinet approving to submit newly issued regulations to Parliament for concurrence. The orders, published as Public Debt Management Orders No. 02 of 2025 in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2459/52 on 24 October 2025, set out the framework under which the Public Debt Management Office (PDMO) will oversee and regulate primary dealers in govt securities. more..

Nov 19 (FT) Auditor General has issued a stinging critique of the Dept of Animal Production & Health (DAPH), flagging over Rs. 200 million in public funds tied up in failed breeding projects and questionable equipment procurement, in a detailed report for the year ended Dec 31, 2024. The audit highlighted a state-funded initiative to import high-quality Boer goats from Australia as a futile expenditure, noting that the project more..

Nov 19 (FT) JAT Holdings, SL’s leader in wood coatings and a diversified conglomerate in the manufacturing sector, continued its strong performance into the second quarter of FY 2025/26, recording a 14% YoY growth in revenue to Rs. 5.15 billion and a 29% increase in gross profit to Rs. 1.8 billion, supported by strategic cost control, product mix optimisation, and efficiencies from its backward vertical integration initiatives. Gross profit margins strengthened from 31% to 35%, more..

Nov 19 (FT) A 30-member delegation of handloom and powerloom craftsmen from SL visited India from 9–15 Nov to participate in a specialised Textile Training & Capacity Building Program. Delegation represented both the handloom and powerloom segments of SL’s textile industry. The program was organised pursuant to the announcement made by PM of India, Narendra Modi during his recent visit to SL in April 2025, offering 700 customised slots annually for SL professionals. more..

Nov 19 (FT) SL Design Festival (SLDF) has launched Palmyra Stories from the North, a special exhibition presented by the Academy of Design (AOD) with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland. The showcase opened on Thursday (13) and is hosted by Urban Island at its flagship store in Dharmapala Mawatha, Col 7, marking the first event leading into SLDF 2025 under the theme What’s Your Colombo? Palmyra Stories from the North celebrates extraordinary craftsmanship more..

Nov 19 (FT) Deputy Finance Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando urged SL corporates to move beyond compliance-driven disclosures and embrace integrated reporting as a tool for ethical decision-making, transparency and societal transformation, warning that information asymmetry remains a persistent barrier to good governance. Addressing the CMA Excellence in Integrated Reporting Excellence Awards on Monday, Dr. Fernando said that despite rapid advancements in more..

Nov 19 (Island) When SL’s T20 skipper Charith Asalanka was quietly withdrawn from the tri-series in Pakistan, the early whispers blamed a bout of illness. But scratch beneath the surface and a different picture emerges — one where the captain’s defiance during the heated stand-off over continuing the Pakistan tour has come back to hit him like a nasty lifter on a cracked pitch. Fast bowler Asitha Fernando, another key figure who more..

Nov 19 (FT) For decades, SL’s apparel industry has stood as a national success story—one that stitched together foreign investment, ethical manufacturing, and export resilience. But behind the glossy factory floors of major exporters lies another story: that of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) struggling to stay afloat under mounting costs, tightening regulations, and shrinking access to finance. These smaller players form the invisible backbone of the apparel ecosystem—supplying trims, more..

Nov 19 (GV) We often forget something incredibly simple: every adult we know, including the ones we admire, fear, love, avoid or struggle with, was once a child. A small, helpless, curious, emotional child. Some lived in safety. Some lived in chaos. Most grew up somewhere in between with moments of warmth and moments of fear woven tightly together. Childhood doesn’t disappear. It settles into the background of our adult lives like a quiet script running underneath everything shaping more..

Nov 19 (TM) Minister Ananda Wijepala recently announced the Cabinet of Ministers has approved a monthly allowance of Rs. 7,000 for Police officers, which is to be disbursed from next month. This payment is intended to help officers meet the costs of uniforms and shoes, and that Rs. 1,100 million has been allocated this year to facilitate its distribution. While there is nothing problematic about this decision, there is a more pressing question as to how much real change will this allowance more..

Nov 19 (Island) Trincomalee temple issue has been grossly mismanaged. A tense situation arose when the Coast Conservation Department (CCD) objected to the construction of a building near Sri Sambuddha Jayanthi Bodhiraja Viharaya in Trincomalee on Sunday. A protest erupted when the police rushed in and forcibly took away a Buddha statue, which had been placed at the disputed site. Some protesters, including two Buddhist monks, were injured, according to media reports. more..

Nov 19 (CT) CEO of Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd (TPREL), Sanjay Banga, was in Colombo to attend the Partnership and Prosperity for People forum, organised by the High Commission of India in collaboration with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC). The forum, was attended by SL’s Minister of Power and Energy, Kumara Jayakody, Ministry Secretary Udayanga Hemapala, and several senior officials more..

Nov 19 (CT) The recent commotion over the Buddha statue in Trincomalee is yet another illustration of how easily SL can tip into agitation when religion and politics touch the same ground. In fact, the real issue was never the statue alone. It was the confusion, the mixed motives, and the eagerness of everyone involved to frame the incident as something far larger than it actually was. What began as a dispute involving land, regulations, and questionable construction practices quickly became more..

Nov 19 (CT) In the Pāli canon, the Buddha taught: Yo dhamman passathi, so man passathi (He who sees the Dhamma, sees me). This is not merely a metaphysical statement; it is a call to clarity. The recent dispute in Trincomalee — over the removal and rapid reinstatement of a Buddha statue — demands precisely that kind of discernment rather than emotional or ethno-political agitation. On the night of 16 Nov, police removed a Buddha statue from a makeshift shrine on Trincomalee’s more..

Nov 19 (TM) The markets are bustling, vegetables piled high in neat rows, but the farmers behind them are struggling in silence. Across SL, potato and big onion cultivators face a crisis that threatens not only their livelihoods but also the country’s food security. While consumers pick through sacks of produce in Pettah or Dambulla, small-scale farmers are trapped in a system that punishes them for producing locally: more..

Nov 19 (Island) NPP govt’s decision to procure 1,775 brand-new double cab pickup trucks, at a staggering cost exceeding Rs. 12,500 million, represents not merely a questionable procurement decision, but a dangerous convergence of fiscal irresponsibility, procedural irregularities, and a disturbing drift toward authoritarian governance. What the govt presents as a solution to transport inefficiencies is, upon closer examination, a regressive policy that abandons proven more..

Nov 19 (ST) The passage of the Second Reading of Budget 2026 on Friday was notable for several opposition MPs breaking ranks to vote with the NPP govt in support of the budget. The Second Reading was passed with a crushing margin of 118 votes, with 160 votes in favour and just 42 against. While the passage of the Second Reading was always going to be a formality for a govt that held a two-thirds parliamentary majority, the final vote was noteworthy for the decision by several MPs more..

Nov 18 (TM) The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal to hold the Aqua Planet - Sri Lanka, International Expo - 2025 exhibition. The international event, which aims to bring together global fisheries professionals and enthusiasts, is scheduled to take place at the Lotus Tower in Colombo from 21 to 23 November 2025. The expo will highlight Sri Lanka's aquatic resources, focusing on sustainability, innovation, trade, and blue economy principles. more..

Nov 18 (NW) A discussion with Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) took place today at the Parliament, presided over by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. During the meeting, Prez stressed the importance of protecting the economic stability we have achieved and highlighted that rebuilding the country requires cooperation from all sides. He also noted that strengthening the health service remains a key priority of the govt and assured that the concerns raised will be addressed in a more..

Nov 18 (Island) Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne and Deputy Chairperson of Committees Hemali Weerasekara have asked the Office of Secretary General, Parliament, to discontinue fuel allowance they received as members of Parliament, in addition to the fuel allowance granted to members of the Cabinet and Deputy Ministers, respectively. The allowance paid from Parliament would be stopped from this month. more..

Nov 18 (TM) The Electricity Consumers Association (ECA) has raised concerns over a letter issued by the CEB that restricts solar power generation in several regions, questioning whether the move is aimed at draining reservoirs to justify emergency power purchases. A letter dated 17 September, sent in relation to renewable energy projects intended to be connected to the Ampara, Monaragala, Mahiyanganaya, and Vavunathivu grid substations, and which was seen by The Daily Morning, more..

Nov 18 (NW) The President said the govt’s policy is to build a defence force capable of responding to emerging technical threats, particularly in cyberspace, while also strengthening the country’s maritime and airspace security capabilities. He made these remarks while dismissing concerns that communal tensions or racist conflicts could escalate into armed conflict. He also outlined the support being extended to Sri Lanka’s security forces by India and the United States. more..

Nov 18 (ST) John Keells Holdings’ vehicle trading business has reported an after-tax profit of Rs 2.415 billion in the second quarter of the financial year 2025-2026 and sold more than 6,000 vehicles over two quarters. This is its share of the profit from the 50% owned subsidiary, JKCG Auto (Pvt) Ltd, which has a further 3,800 orders in hand. The business booked a Rs 33 million loss in the year before quarter. In the second quarter, more..

Nov 18 (AD) Veteran radio presenter and journalist Chithra Kumari Kalubowila has passed away at the age of 68, family sources confirmed. It is reported that she passed away while receiving treatment in hospital for an illness. Kalubowila, a distinguished figure in Sri Lanka’s radio industry, made an enduring contribution to the field over several decades. Details regarding funeral arrangements are to be announced in due course. more..

Nov 18 (AD) High Commissioner of India, Santosh Jha, has extended his best wishes to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the occasion of his 80th birthday which falls today (18). The greetings were conveyed by the Consul General of India, Mr. Harvinder Singh, who visited Rajapaksa’s residence, Carlton House in Tangalle this morning (18), on behalf of the Indian High Commissioner. In a Facebook post published afterward, former Prez Rajapaksa expressed his appreciation, more..

Nov 18 (Island) Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa accused the police of overstepping their authority during Sunday’s tense standoff at the Sri Sambuddha Jayanthi Bodhiraja Vihara, in Trincomalee, warning that such conduct risked inflaming communal sensitivities. Raising the issue in Parliament, Premadasa cited Chapter Two of the Constitution, noting that while Buddhism is afforded the foremost place, the provision also safeguards the rights of all other faiths. more..

Nov 18 (AD) SL has signed a bilateral agreement with the Govt of Denmark to restructure USD 39 million of outstanding debt, marking a key milestone in the country’s External Debt Restructuring Process. SL’s entry into a bilateral agreement with the Govt of Denmark as part of the External Debt Restructuring Process marks a significant milestone, demonstrating the Govt’s continued commitment to successfully concluding the restructuring effort, restoring debt sustainability, and more..