Nov 9 (FT) Colombo became a meeting point for international business engagement as the Global Business Forum 2026 – Season 3, SL Chapter, was held on 31 October at Temple Trees, Colombo. The international gathering brought together business leaders, entrepreneurs, distinguished personalities and delegates, creating a platform for professional engagement, international networking and recognition of business achievements. Organised by ANYELP GROUP, founded by Zakir Hussain, more..

Nov 9 (Island) For years, Sri Lanka could at least count on Test cricket to keep them afloat in the relative safety of the middle of the ICC rankings. This year, even that comfort has deserted them. A shock series defeat to West Indies, followed by a home loss to India, has left them seventh, with a bruised reputation to repair. The upcoming series in Pakistan offers a chance to regain some ground. A 2-0 sweep would lift SL one place, providing a welcome boost for a side whose opportunities more..

Nov 9 (FT) Workers’ remittances surged to a record high in October, driving one of the strongest 10-month performances in the SL’s history, despite heightened economic uncertainty from the ongoing Middle East conflict, a region that hosts a large share of SL migrant workers. Latest data showed that inflows rose 3.31% year-on-year (YoY) to $ 735.6 million. October marked the ninth consecutive month of exceptionally strong more..

Nov 9 (FT) Police searched a hotel in the Nalloruwa area of Panadura on 6 and 7 November after information that a group of Chinese nationals staying there was involved in suspected online financial fraud and illegal business activity, and seized 23 computers and accessories. The operation by the Panadura Divisional Crime Investigation Unit followed information received by the Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of the Panadura Division, and was carried out on a warrant more..

Nov 9 (FT) Private sector borrowing from SL’s banking system rebounded in September from August’s four-month low, though annual growth slowed for a third consecutive month. This is according to CB data released last Friday. Net credit expanded Rs. 212.4 billion month-on-month (MoM), CBSL data showed. Outstanding credit to the private sector rose to Rs. 11.77 trillion from Rs. 11.56 trillion in August, while year-on-year (YoY) growth eased to 23.6% from 24.5%. more..

Nov 9 (TM) Prices of some medicines in SL have dropped by as much as 30–40% following the application of a new pricing formula, raising concerns over excessive markups in the pharmaceutical market, according to the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA). NMRA Chairman Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama said that the price reductions had been recorded despite the depreciation of the rupee, suggesting that more..

Nov 9 (FT) The Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) said it appreciates the Govt’s commitment to submitting a fresh application for the EU’s GSP+ scheme under the new 10-year trade framework. “For SL’s apparel industry, GSP+ is more than a tariff concession. It supports the competitiveness of our exporters in our largest market and sustains the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of workers and their families. Continued access is vital to the industry and to the wider economy,” more..

Nov 9 (DM) Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) and Al-Futtaim Logistics have discussed expanding their existing business relationship, as shipping disruptions in the Middle East highlight Hambantota's growing role as an alternative gateway for vehicle shipments to Gulf markets. The discussions took place during a courtesy visit to Hambantota International Port (HIP) by a delegation led by the Vice Chairman of Al-Futtaim Group. Talks focused on strengthening business ties, more..

Nov 9 (ST) Sri Lanka will look to address their persistent batting problems and settle on a winning combination when they begin their two-Test series against Pakistan in Rawalpindi tomorrow, with their World Test Championship campaign entering a crucial phase. The visitors have several issues to resolve, particularly at the top of the batting order, where the failure to build substantial opening partnerships has repeatedly exposed the middle order to early pressure. more..

Nov 9 (DN) Immunization is one of the most effective and cost-efficient public health interventions for preventing infectious diseases and reducing illness, disability and death. It involves administering vaccines to stimulate the body’s immune system to develop protection against specific diseases. Immunization plays an important role in promoting healthy lives, particularly among infants, children, pregnant women and vulnerable populations, Consultant doctors say. more..

Nov 9 (CI) Sri Lanka's newly installed Test captain Kusal Mendis has backed his experienced batting line-up to conquer whatever conditions Pakistan throws at them, declaring his team ready ahead of the first Test in Rawalpindi, starting Monday. Mendis expressed complete confidence in his side's ability to handle a potentially green, pace-friendly pitch - a stark departure from the spin-friendly surfaces that have been rolled out more..

Nov 9 (TM) SL stands at a difficult crossroads, waiting for the future proposals revealed by the 12 Nov budget. While the Govt continues to promise minor tax reforms alongside small adjustments, astute observers note the core plan lacks teeth. This is due to a complete absence of an aggressive push to drive the economic engine and provide more bucks to the local markets. The previous budgets followed a similar template because the Anura Kumara Dissanayake administration more..

Nov 9 (FT) Hayleys Retail Holdings Ltd, last week announced that it has selected Blue Yonder to build its grocery retail operations from the ground up with AI and connected supply chain technology. Hayleys Retail plans to open a number of stores in the near future to bring reliable service and greater convenience to consumers across SL. The company is Blue Yonder’s first retail customer in SL. Hayleys is SL’s number one ranked public listed company and a multinational conglomerate, more..

Nov 9 (Island) Friday’s flash floods in Colombo have jolted the govt and the CMC into making a frantic effort to adopt preventive measures. At an emergency meeting chaired by Presidential Secretary Dr. Nandika Kumanayake, on Saturday, it was decided to establish a task force under the CMC to respond swiftly to floods and other emergencies in the city. Colombo Mayor Vraie Cally Balthazaar, senior bureaucrats and security forces officers attended the meeting, more..

Nov 9 (DM) If media reports are to be believed, 43 years after the 1983 govt-sponsored pogrom against the Tamil community in the country, a number of NPP MPs have called for the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the 1983 Black July riots and their impact. Let’s hope the govt MPs who sponsored the motion are not holding their breath until the Tamil community thanks them for the belated inquiry. more..

Nov 9 (TM) SL’s cooking gas supply for the festive season appears secure, even if one of the country’s two suppliers fails to deliver a single tonne. The fuel market has no such cushion. State-owned CPC is now supplying most of the country’s diesel, and the Govt is waiting on three private retailers to keep a promise to restore normal supplies. Litro Gas had ordered about 44,000 MT of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), more..

Nov 9 (ST) A bitter dispute over the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne culminated in proceedings of the House descending into chaos, as opposition MPs protested angrily over the refusal to take the motion up for debate. The dispute had been simmering for several weeks after a group of SJB led opposition MPs handed over their NCM against the Speaker to Secretary General of Parliament on Oct 9. The motion, signed by 44 MPs including more..

Nov 9 (TM) When the skies opened over Colombo on Friday evening, roads turned into rivers, commuters were stranded on Galle Road and in Borella, train services on every line were thrown into disarray, and the ground floor of the National Hospital, of all places, took in water. Within a day, the explanations had arrived. Yet the people deserve something better than a rain gauge reading offered up as an alibi. The Colombo Municipal Council's case is simple enough. more..

Nov 9 (SO) More than four decades after the Anti-Tamil pogrom of July 1983 which is considered as one of the darkest periods in SL’s post-independence history, a proposal to investigate the violence through a Parliamentary Select Committee was presented to the Speaker last week. Signed and moved by 51 MPs representing the NPP Govt, the proposed committee is to examine the events surrounding Black July and its background, more..

Nov 9 (GV) Think of a customer ringing Sri Lanka Telecom with a complaint. Until recently, the person who took that call had to log into one system after another to find the answers. Now AI agents at the back end gather that information in seconds. “The cycle time that we take to resolve an issue for the customer has improved,” Ishari Siriwardane, the company’s deputy chief transformation officer, said. She was also frank about the people. The average employee at 169 yr-old company is over 45. more..

Nov 9 (Island) America’s midterm elections of 3 Nov have delivered a message that SL politicians should neither dismiss nor misunderstand: no election victory gives a leader permanent ownership of public power. Democrats won both houses of Congress, constraining Prez Donald Trump’s legislative agenda. Trump was not on the ballot and remains Prez, but voters used the opportunity to impose an important political restraint. Result is not evidence that American democracy is perfect. more..

Nov 8 (ST) In 2009, soon after the defeat of the LTTE, then Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa used a phrase that became a hallmark of his administration thereafter. Hereafter, he said, "the country will only be divided into two groups, one consisting of those who love the country (the patriotic) and the other of those who do not do so (the unpatriotic)". Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake this week set out a new political narrative more..

Nov 8 (ST) National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) has temporarily withheld the use of 37 tonnes of a water purification chemical called hydrated lime after an internal laboratory test showed that its chromium content was 58% over the recommended level. The chemical is for water provided to the public. The lime (also called calcium hydroxide) consignment was tested by the NWSDB’s central laboratory, which found its chromium content to be 19 mg/kg when more..

Nov 8 (SO) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday assured that the proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA) and Prevention of Organised Crimes Act (POCA) would not be passed by Parliament without broad consultation and consensus among relevant stakeholders, including civil society groups. Addressing the NPP Trade Union National Convention at the P.D. Sirisena Grounds in Maligawatte, Colombo, Prez said Govt was in no hurry to more..

Nov 8 (TM) A dispute has emerged between the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) and the National System Operator (NSO) over a proposed electricity tariff increase for the final quarter of 2026, with the regulator’s financial assessment projecting a Rs. 4.4 billion revenue shortfall while the NSO maintains that no tariff revision is necessary and that the electricity sector will break even. The disagreement has raised questions over more..

Nov 8 (NW) Met Dept has attributed the sudden flooding experienced in Colombo to exceptionally intense rainfall within a short period, combined with blocked drainage systems that prevented rainwater from flowing away quickly. Director General of Meteorology Ajith Wijemanna said several atmospheric conditions contributed to the heavy rainfall, including the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), where winds from the Northern and Southern Hemispheres meet, and the prevailing more..

Nov 8 (NW) Presidential Secretary Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake has instructed authorities to establish a special operations task force under the CMC to respond swiftly to flooding and other emergencies in the city. Task force will bring together the Tri-Forces, Police and relevant govt institutions to strengthen coordination during emergency situations. The decision was taken during a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat to discuss the causes of flash flooding in Colombo and more..

Nov 8 (NW) Large numbers of yellow and white butterflies have been spotted flying across several parts of SL in recent days, attracting public attention and prompting questions about the unusual sight. Videos and photographs circulating on social media show thousands of butterflies moving in groups, often in the same direction, in areas including Colombo, Galle & Ratnapura. The phenomenon is a natural seasonal butterfly migration associated with monsoon rainfall, changes in vegetation more..

Nov 8 (TM) SL Police has seized narcotics worth an estimated Rs. 224 billion and 4,056 firearms and other weapons over the past two years, conducting nearly 600,000 drug-related operations involving more than 596,000 suspects, while intensifying efforts to bring back over 100 wanted criminals who have fled overseas. 597,964 drug-related operations had been conducted during the period, involving 596,591 suspects, as authorities stepped up efforts to combat narcotics trafficking & organised more..

Nov 8 (TM) Port City Colombo is broadening its int'l business footprint, attracting a diverse mix of companies incorporated in offshore financial centres, including the British Virgin Islands (BVI), as well as businesses from the US, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, UK & UAE. Latest group of 68 companies gazetted as secondary Businesses of Strategic Importance (BSIs) has disclosed 5-year investment more..

Nov 8 (Island) SL can expect a little extra spice in the pitches when their two match Test series against Pakistan gets underway next week, with pace and carry likely to be on the menu at both venues. Rawalpindi hosts the opening Test from Monday before the teams head to Lahore, where the Gaddafi Stadium, scene of SL’s 1996 World Cup triumph, stages the second. The tourists have already had a taste of what awaits them. There was plenty of life in the surface during the warm up game more..

Nov 8 (PMD) It is with great pleasure that I extend my warm greetings on the occasion of Deepavali, one of the most sacred religious festivals of the Hindu community, which symbolises the triumph of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. Commemorating the victory of Lord Krishna, over the demon Narakasura, Hindus engage in religious observances with the hope that, just as righteousness triumphed over unrighteousness, darkness will be dispelled from every heart more..