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..

Nov 9 (NW) SL Police have sought public assistance to locate and arrest two suspects wanted in connection with the shooting death of three individuals in Baddegama in September. Shooting occurred on Sept 27, when two individuals who arrived in a car opened fire with a T-56 assault rifle at a man and two women travelling in a three-wheeler. Investigations conducted by the Baddegama Police and the Elpitiya Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau have identified more..

Nov 9 (FT) Representatives of the Election Commission of SL (ECSL), the media, and civil society met in Colombo on 30 Oct to discuss how to protect the integrity of election information. Democracy Reporting International (DRI) organised the event, Beyond the Algorithm, under the project Strengthening Resilience Against Disinformation in SL. The European Union co-funds the project. Opening the event, DRI Executive Director Nicola Schmidt said that disinformation is a more..

Nov 9 (NW) Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate’s Court has issued summons to five Buddhist monks, including Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thera, who are engaged in a sit-in protest against the proposed A'pura Sacred City development plan. A'pura Chief Magistrate Siyapath Sasindu Wickramaratne today ordered the five monks to appear before court on Nov 20. Summons were issued to Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thera, more..

Nov 9 (NW) Chief Prelate of Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha of the Siyam Maha Nikaya, Ven. Ittapana Dhammalankara Thera, has requested the Commissioner General of Prisons to facilitate arrangements for imprisoned Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera to wear his monastic robes again. In a letter addressed to the Commissioner General of Prisons, Mahanayake Thera stated that the process must be carried out in accordance with Buddhist doctrine and more..

Nov 9 (DM) The construction of the Rs. 32.5 billion Kandy Multimodal Transport Terminal (KMTT) has reached 55% completion, with the Government expecting to open the facility to the public before the end of July 2027. Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena inspected the project on Nov 7 to review its progress and discuss challenges affecting its implementation. Funded through World Bank assistance and domestic resources, the project is aimed at modernising Kandy's public more..

Nov 9 (NW) Govt has agreed to reduce the detention period for suspects under the proposed Prevention of Organised Crimes Bill from 72 hours to 48 hours, Supreme Court was informed today. Solicitor General President’s Counsel Viraj Dayaratne, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, informed the court of the proposed amendment during the hearing of petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Bill. more..

Nov 9 (NW) Concerns raised over possible flooding at the proposed Mandaitivu Cricket Stadium site in Jaffna have been dismissed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports following an inspection by Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage. Minister visited the site on Sunday to assess its current condition and review the progress of the project, amid concerns raised by several parties over the suitability of the location. The inspection found no evidence to support claims that more..

Nov 9 (DM) Govt has decided to take steps to formalise the ongoing joint operation, Hasthi Sena, aimed at protecting wild elephants and tuskers and reducing human-elephant conflict. A Cabinet memorandum will be submitted to establish a formal policy and legal framework for the operation, following a special discussion held at the Ministry of Environment yesterday. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Environment Minister Anton Jayakody and attended by the Ministry Secretary and more..

Nov 9 (FT) SL must recognise the economic and environmental benefits of solar power while addressing the growing technical and financial challenges faced by electricity utilities. SL's electricity sector is undergoing a significant transformation. What began as a modest rooftop solar programme has developed into one of the country's most important sources of renewable electricity. Thousands of households, commercial establishments and industries have invested more..

Nov 9 (FT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s third Budget is approaching amid growing concern over high taxes and poor public services. The AKD Govt, closely following IMF prescriptions, takes pride in exceeding revenue targets. Yet its satisfaction is not shared by many taxpayers, who question whether they receive value for the money they surrender to the State. Fiscal success means little to citizens unless it translates into better services and improved living conditions. more..

Nov 9 (TM) The Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development is working towards establishing a drainage system capable of withstanding rainfall of up to 120 millimetres (mm), Clean SL Task Force Convenor and Secretary, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Russel Aponsu said. He said flash floods could occur again in Colombo due to weather conditions triggered by El Niño, and more..

Nov 9 (DN) A U.S. Navy Boeing MV-22B Osprey landed at the BIA on Saturday, marking the first time an aircraft of this type has touched down at the facility. The aircraft is renowned for its versatile tiltrotor design, which combines the vertical flight capabilities of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing airplane. By pivoting its engine nacelles and proprotors upward, the Osprey can hover, take off, and land vertically without requiring a conventional runway, more..

Nov 9 (FT) Official reserve assets topped the $ 7 billion mark at end-October, as the monetary authority increased US dollar purchases from the domestic foreign exchange market. Official reserves stood at $ 7.09 billion at end-Oct 2026, up from $ 6.9 billion a month earlier, while foreign currency reserves rose to $ 6.84 billion from $ 6.62 billion. The $ 190 million increase in official reserves almost matches the $ 191.3 million the CBSL bought on a net basis during October, more..

Nov 9 (Island) Minister Anura Karunathilaka stressed the importance of strengthening the national electricity transmission network as construction begins on the Mannar–Mullikulam 220 kV double-circuit wind power transmission line, a key infrastructure project expected to support the expansion of renewable energy generation. Commencement ceremony for transmission line project was held yesterday, more..

Nov 9 (NW) The bodies of all four employees of a private company in Colpetty who drowned while bathing in a stream in Deniyaya on Saturday have been recovered, Police confirmed. The incident occurred at Kale Dola, a natural stream in the Bewaraliya area of Deniyaya, where a group of seven young men employed at a private computer company in Colpetty had travelled for a leisure trip. Six members of the group entered the stream to bathe when four of them were swept away more..

Nov 9 (DM) Customs officials have seized 39 drones and 16 microphones brought into the country by SJB MP Nalin Bandara without the required approvals. The items were seized at the BIA on the morning of Aug 11. The MP arrived from Singapore aboard SriLankan Airlines flight UL 307 at 11.23 a.m. when Customs officers detected the equipment. The drones had been brought into the country without the required import licences, approval from TRCSL or clearance from Ministry of Defence. more..

Nov 9 (NW) Authorities have identified 60 locations across five electoral divisions in Colombo where blocked drains and waterways are obstructing the flow of floodwater. A joint operation to clear the obstructions entered its second day on Sunday, following severe flooding caused by heavy rainfall on Nov 6. The operation covers several areas, including Narahenpita, Bambalapitiya, Wellawatte, Kirulapone, Dematagoda and Central Colombo. Officials said the recent flooding was worsened by more..

Nov 9 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has raised expectations of fresh tax relief in Thursday’s Budget, saying the Govt expects to lift the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax threshold again. PAYE is income tax deducted at source from salaries. Addressing the National Trade Union Convention in Colombo, Prez said the threshold had already been increased from Rs. 100,000 to Rs. 150,000 and that a further adjustment to it was expected in the 2027 Budget, to be presented on Thursday. more..

Nov 9 (FT) Nearly 40%, that is 14 of 36 high-value proposals, in Sri Lanka’s 2025 Budget fell short of substantial implementation, according to the latest Budget Promises assessment by Verité Research. At the same time, the share of fulfilled proposals increased from 17% in 2024 to 33% in 2025, marking the highest rate recorded since Verité Research began tracking Budget implementation in 2017. more..

Nov 9 (SO) Govt is preparing legislation to abolish the manpower employment system, under which workers are recruited through intermediaries that receive payments for labour supplied directly to organisations, Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe said. Addressing the National Trade Union Conference in Colombo, Minister said the proposed legislation would strengthen the long-standing trade union campaign to secure permanent employment and protect the rights of manpower workers. more..

Nov 9 (CI) This Test series may not ultimately end up being relevant to the machinations of the pointy end of the World Test Championship (WTC), but could be an important clue about Pakistan and SL's direction of Test travel. Neither side has, to the extent they have played Test cricket, had much to celebrate of late, but these games promise to be an absorbing strategic battle at the beginning of Pakistan's Test season. For Pakistan, the only way, truly, is up; they just don't know how to get there. more..

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..