Nov 10 (FT) Govt’s Budget recorded a surplus of Rs. 22.3 billion in the first nine months of 2026, reversing a deficit of Rs. 441.4 billion a year earlier, as revenue from motor vehicle imports drove a 20% increase in collections that outran a slower rise in spending. Revenue excluding grants rose to Rs. 4,594.9 billion from Rs. 3,827.0 billion, while total expenditure increased 7.1% to Rs. 4,579.3 billion from Rs. 4,276.3 billion. more..

Nov 10 (FT) National Transmission Network Service Provider (NTNSP) and Shanghai Electric Power Transmission and Distribution Engineering part of China’s Shanghai Electric Group, signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to expand SL’s electricity transmission network. SL engineering firm ComCorp, will serve as the local engineering partner to Shanghai Power Transmission and Distribution (SPTDE), a subsidiary of the Shanghai Electric Group of China, more..

Nov 10 (FT) SL’s tourism arrivals surpassed 1.9 million in 2026, with over 49,900 visitors registered in the first eight days of November, but remained below last year’s pace ahead of the crucial winter season. A total of 49,929 tourists arrived between 1 and 8 Nov, averaging 6.241 visitors a day and taking cumulative arrivals to 1,912,233. However, arrivals during the opening four days of November were down 8.78% year-on-year (YoY), while the cumulative figure remained below 1.7% YoY. more..

Nov 10 (FT) Embassy of SL in Ankara, in collaboration with the Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce, successfully organised the first-ever SL Business Forum in Gaziantep on 3 Nov, bringing together members of the Turkish business community to explore opportunities for closer economic cooperation with SL. Forum aimed at showcasing SL’s trade and investment potential while encouraging the participation of Turkish buyers, investors & business representatives more..

Nov 10 (KT) Afghanistan’s Under-19 cricket team secured a place in the semi-finals of the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2026 after defeating Sri Lanka by 106 runs in their final group-stage match in Oman on Monday. The Afghan youngsters delivered an impressive all-round performance, recording their third consecutive victory in the tournament and finishing the group stage unbeaten. Batting first, Afghanistan scored 275 runs before being bowled out in 49.5 overs. more..

Nov 10 (ST) 90% of the 12,000 young people arrested for drug-related offences last year are between the ages of 18 and 21, with 10% being children under the age of 18, police confirmed. Figures, released under the Govt’s A Nation United drug eradication programme, refer to arrests made between Oct 2025 and Oct 2026. However, Police Narcotics Bureau has since clarified that the majority of those counted were more..

Nov 10 (Island) Govt’s determination to tackle corruption, drug trafficking and organised crime is one of the most important challenges it has taken upon itself. The scale of the problem is evident from recent seizures of drugs at sea and at the airport, which indicate the enormous dimensions of the illicit drug trade. The street value of some consignments has reportedly approached staggering sums, running into hundreds of millions of dollars. The financial resources available to those involved in more..

Nov 10 (Island) Prez has announced that the govt is prepared to make key committee-stage amendments to Prevention of Organised Crime Bill (POCB) following challenges and concerns raised before the Supreme Court, in Parliament and elsewhere. He has agreed to do away with the provisions relating to offences under the Excise Ordinance, amend copyright-related sections under the Intellectual Property Act, and consider further amendments concerning detention orders and the Bail Act. more..

Nov 10 (DN) SL is full of resources. Some resources such as waterfronts, especially the ones that are located in the Western Province have become environmental problems instead of income generating avenues. Those valuable and attractive waterfronts were cleaned by some previous regimes and some politicians were interested in cleaning and developing some of those waterfronts but those steps taken to address the issue were limited to a short time period and those waterfronts more..

Nov 10 (TM) For the first time since 2021, Benjamin Netanyahu is not the man holding the key to power in Israel. On Sunday, Prez Isaac Herzog handed the mandate to form a Govt to Gadi Eisenkot, a former army chief backed by 67 of the Knesset's 120 members, while Netanyahu could muster only 46. The voters' verdict is therefore hard to misread. The parties of Netanyahu's outgoing coalition fell from 68 seats to 53, turnout was the highest in decades, and Arab citizens, voting in record numbers, more..

Nov 10 (TM) Although SL’s free health system is regarded as one of the country’s most important social pillars, the sector has been facing a range of challenges in recent times. SL’s medical service, renowned around the world, has suffered a major setback owing to the current economic crises and a lack of adequate infrastructure. In this context, the forthcoming Budget for next year is seen as a crucial factor in safeguarding the country’s more..

Nov 10 (GV) SL has always known how to live with heat. Long before air conditioning transformed the modern building, the island’s houses were designed around the movement of air, the path of the sun and the rhythms of monsoon rain. Verandahs softened the boundary between inside and outside. Deep roof overhangs kept walls and windows in shade. Courtyards brought daylight and ventilation into the heart of buildings. High ceilings allowed hot air to rise. Trees were not ornamental extras but more..

Nov 10 (ST) America’s Democrats pulled the electoral rug under the ruling Republicans’ feet this week to effectively cut the sod beneath Trump’s presidential seat. In an astounding sweep at the midterm elections, the Democrats bagged not only the House of Representatives but the Senate as well to give them the legislative power to tell President Trump where to get off the bus. Lest jubilant Democrats celebrating the result throughout the states got too carried away, more..

Nov 10 (SO) The death of a 29-year-old father of two while in the custody of Homagama Police has renewed calls for stronger surveillance and recording systems within police stations, with CCTV cameras and body-worn devices emerging as potential tools to establish what happens to suspects during arrest, interrogation and detention. Although CCTV cameras have been installed in nearly half of police stations, coverage remains incomplete. more..

Nov 10 (DM) SL’s wild elephants are carrying large amounts of metal fragments inside their bodies after being shot by poachers, with some suffering from serious injuries even years after being attacked. Environmental activist Nayanaka Ranwella has raised concerns, claiming that elephant Agbo had at least 75 kg of lead from bullets inside its body, while the famous blind Galgamuwa tusker had more than 25 kg following gunshot injuries. He accused successive govts and wildlife authorities of more..

Nov 10 (DM) Sri Lankan organisations still call their communications agencies in the middle of a crisis they could have seen coming. The tools have never been better. The gap is in how the monitoring work is valued, staffed and connected to the decisions it is meant to inform. Trust is thinner, and the information environment more crowded, than most organisations assume. Four recent sources make the case. The Edelman Trust Barometer 2026 Asia Pacific report finds that 67% of respondents more..

Nov 9 (DM) Two cancer radiotherapy machines installed at the Badulla and Hambantota hospitals remain unused despite being ready to commence treatment leaving cancer patients facing further delays. According to Govt Radiographers’ Association, the machines could begin treating patients, but services had been held up over the unavailability of dosimetry equipment. The two machines are among five Linear Accelerator machines procured for govt hospitals more..

Nov 9 (TM) SLPP General Secretary, Sagara Kariyawasam, has written to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa seeking his intervention to secure two urgent debates in Parliament on alleged acts of violence against the Buddhist clergy and the sudden transfers of judicial officers. He said various violent and defamatory acts targeting the Buddhist clergy and the Buddha Sasana had increased in recent times. The SLPP stated the State’s failure to fulfil its constitutional responsibility to protect more..

Nov 9 (DM) National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB), commonly known as the Water Board, failed to generate revenue from nearly one-fourth of the water it supplied during the first half of 2026. The mid-year fiscal report submitted by the Finance Ministry says that water categorised as Non-Revenue Water (NRW) stood at 24.4%. NRW is a result of water leakages, illegal connections, metering inaccuracies and more..

Nov 9 (AD) Attorney General has informed the Supreme Court that provisions relating to tattoos and body marks in the proposed Prevention of Organised Crimes Bill will be removed through amendments to the legislation. The amendments are expected to be presented during the Committee Stage of Parliament and a document outlining the proposed changes has also been submitted to the Supreme Court. The AG further informed the Court that a clause requiring prior court approval to more..

Nov 9 (DM) Patients admitted to the National Hospital of Sri Lanka in Colombo are being forced to wait for two to three days for MRI scans, despite the hospital having several MRI machines worth around Rs. 400 million each, a medical association has alleged. Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeeva said the number of MRI scans carried out daily at certain units of the National Hospitals in Colombo and Karapitiya had been restricted to between 10 and 12, causing severe difficulties for patients. more..

Nov 9 (DM) National Construction Workers Union (NCWU) has criticised the Govt and construction material manufacturers over rising prices, warning that continued increases could push the construction industry towards collapse. NCWU General Secretary Supun Abeysekara said the price of a bag of cement had increased by nearly Rs. 300 over the past two to three months. He said a bag of cement, which previously sold for around more..

Nov 9 (Island) The leader of the Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students (EROS), Rajanathan Prabhakaran, has called on Batticaloa District MP M.L.A.M. Hizbullah to intervene in a land dispute threatening relations between Tamil and Muslim communities. Prabhakaran has warned that his party will initiate legal action if land allegedly belonging to a Hindu temple at Oddamavadi, Batticaloa, is not returned by Jan 14, 2027, or alternative land provided for Tamil community. more..

Nov 9 (Island) Dr. Najith Indika, MP, Chairman of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection accompanied by several members of his committee recently visited the Colombo Remand Prison, New Magazine Prison, Women’s prison, Welikada Prison and Prison Hospital to inquire about the welfare of the inmates. The committee was exploring ways and means to reduce overcrowding. During the visits, observations were made on prison overcrowding, more..

Nov 9 (Island) President’s Counsel Rienzie Arseculeratne, currently Deputy President of the Bar Association of SL (BASL), has agreed to seek election as its President for 2027/28, following appeals from senior and junior members of the legal profession. The incumbent, Attorney-at-Law Rajeev Amarasuriya, who secured a second term unopposed for 2026/27, is due to step down next year. Arseculeratne brings extensive experience in both public service and private practice. more..

Nov 9 (FT) Asoka Goonetilleke commenced his journalistic career in Lake House in 1976 and after serving on the Central News Desk and in the foreign news desk, he left in 1982. During this period, he also served on the Observer, feature write on the Yovun, Janatha and Editorial news reporter in Janatha newspaper. He joined Upali Newspapers in 1982 as the Sports Editor of the Divaina and rose to the position of Associate Editor when he left in 2013. He has contributed articles to the FIFA and more..

Nov 9 (TM) With the US mid-term elections and Israel's October election compressing risk premiums, SL can expect to see a more favourable macroeconomic environment with the lowering of oil prices, eased pressure on the rupee, and room for a rate cut; conditional upon the sustained progress of restoring access to the Strait of Hormuz, a recently released report by First Capital Research said. more..

Nov 9 (DM) A video showing an Israeli tourist pushing a Sri Lankan tour guide off a boat and into the sea has gone viral on social media. The footage, shared by Russian media outlet RT, shows a group of Israeli tourists travelling on a boat in Sri Lanka when one of them suddenly pushes the male tour guide into the water while he is drinking. The incident has sparked anger online, with many questioning the behaviour of the tourists and their treatment of the local guide. more..

Nov 9 (NW) Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has warned that legal action will be initiated against unauthorised constructions obstructing drainage systems and contributing to flooding in Colombo, even during light rainfall. CMC Water Supply and Drainage Division Director, Manoj Ranasinghe, said steps are being taken to identify and remove such structures to minimise flooding in the city. He revealed that unauthorised constructions identified along Sri Wickrama Road in Mattakkuliya more..

Nov 9 (Island) URF leader Champika Ranawaka said that Friday’s devastating flood in Colombo could have been averted if the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), and other relevant officials, heeded PM Harini Amarasuriya’s directive to clean canals and drainage systems across Colombo. Dr. Amarasuriya issued the directive on Oct 13, 2026, at the Colombo District Coordinating Committee meeting in Narahenpita. more..

Nov 9 (NW) Kaduwela Mayor Ranjan Jayalal’s remarks encouraging private companies to continue sending December gift parcels to municipal council employees and other public-sector workers have raised questions about the appropriateness of accepting gifts from private businesses. Speaking at an event in Arangala, Malabe, on Sunday (8), Jayalal said some private companies had apparently stopped sending their customary year-end gifts following the change in administration. more..

Nov 9 (CI) Pakistan followed a dominant first session in the first Test in Rawalpindi with a gritty couple of passages of play to retain bragging rights on day one. After debutant Tayyab Arif's 51-ball 57 got Pakistan off to a sizzling start alongside Azan Awais, the hosts settled into a more sedate pace through the last two sessions. SL, struck back, refusing to let Pakistan's batters convert starts into big runs, dismissing three batters between 50 and 57. Pakistan, however, strung just enough more..