Nov 27 (TM) Vice Chairperson of University Grants Commission (UGC), Senior Professor K.L. Wasantha Kumara underscored the need to establish a Higher Education Commission to regulate and monitor private universities and other degree-awarding institutions. He explained that such a body would enable the creation of comprehensive data systems and facilitate links with universities worldwide, allowing access to essential info on institutional standards & programme quality. more..

Nov 27 (Island) Sri Lanka have thrown their weight behind under-fire skipper Charith Asalanka, trusting him to steady the ship and take the side through to the T20 World Cup that the island will co-host with India. Asalanka had been entrusted with the captaincy for the ongoing white-ball series in Pakistan but was withdrawn on the eve of the T20Is after Sri Lanka copped a 3-0 thumping in the ODIs. The official line was that the captain more..

Nov 27 (DN) “We have groomed Charith Asalanka for captaincy, and ahead of the T20 World Cup, we cannot make too many changes,” said Chairman of the Selection Committee, Upul Tharanga. “One concern is that Charith hasn’t scored much in T20s recently, but his experience makes him a vital member of the team,” he added. Skipper Charith Asalanka had returned home due to illness, which temporarily placed Dasun Shanaka in charge. “Asalanka remains in our plans. more..

Nov 27 (FT) Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) said apparel and made-up articles exports for January to Oct 2025 increased by 6.12% year-on-year (YoY), maintaining steady momentum despite weaker monthly results in October. JAAF said Oct 2025 recorded a marginal 0.05% decline compared with Oct 2024, reflecting uneven demand across key markets. Exports to the EU grew by 12.53% during the month, while shipments to the US fell by 1.92%, UK by 11.99% and other markets by 9.84%. more..

Nov 27 (FT) Nawaloka Hospitals has been honoured with the prestigious title of Leading Hospital in AI and Innovation of the Year in Asia Pacific at the GlobalHealth Asia Pacific Awards 2025, held in Athenee Hotel, Bangkok recently. This landmark recognition places SL firmly on the global healthcare innovation map and reinforces Nawaloka’s leadership in adopting cutting-edge technologies to serve the nation. This is the first time a SL hospital has secured this coveted international title, more..

Nov 27 (FT) Kerner Haus Global Solutions has begun executing its asset-light growth strategy with the signing of a Property Management Agreement with VKM Services Ltd, for a prime commercial property at No. 46/10, Nawam Mawatha, Colombo 2. Company said the deal is expected to generate Rs. 12.6 million in annual management fees from existing leases. Kerner Haus said the agreement marks the first phase of its plan to build a property management platform before moving into more..

Nov 27 (ST) Thousands of Sri Lankans aspiring to higher education in the UK will likely face increased tuition costs from a 6% levy the Labour Govt has proposed on fees paid by int'l students, as part of a broader policy to cut down the number of immigrants. Living costs applicable for London and elsewhere have already been increased. For graduates, permission to stay will be reduced. The graduate visa allows more..

Nov 27 (Island) Sri Lanka already has the building blocks for a competitive pharmaceutical sector: a functioning regulator (NMRA), an existing state manufacturer (SPMC), targeted investment incentives and growing political support for export-led growth. But the country imports the vast majority of medicines and exports only a tiny fraction. If the government pursues a focused, realistic strategy — regulatory strengthening, targeted incentives, infrastructure and skills investments, more..

Nov 27 (Island) The progress of the ongoing anti-narcotics drive was reviewed at the second meeting of the steering council of the Nation United campaign, at the Presidential Secretariat, on Tuesday, with Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake presiding. The discussion was dominated by some council members’ concerns about an allegation that a part of the narcotics taken into custody ended up in the hands of drug dealers. The issue was raised by a former PNB officer-turned-musician, more..

Nov 27 (ST) Speaking at the budget debate the other day, Minister Vijitha Herath announced how within a year in office SL had entered into 70 MoUs with countries across the globe. Though he did not employ the rhetorical skill of one of our distinguished foreign ministers, Lakshman Kadirgamar, perhaps for lack of the skills that the late foreign minister used during his time, including in bilateral negotiations at the highest level, Foreign Minister seemed boastful of the achievement. more..

Nov 27 (CT) SL was under the powerful oligarchy of the Rajapaksa family (RF) and its cohorts. The historic war victory in May 2009 propelled Mahinda Rajapaksa (MR) to glory. ECONOMYNEXT reported that MR successfully engineered his overwhelming popularity to establish the most powerful oligarchy that ruled SL for over a decade. Under MR’s leadership, a family dynasty assumed virtual control of state governance. According to the Sri Lanka Campaign, what unraveled in the aftermath more..

Nov 27 (DM) Sri Lanka’s human-elephant conflict (HEC) has reached a breaking point. In 2023, SL became the deadliest country for Asian elephants, with 488 killed a 115% increase since 2010. HEC-related human deaths also increased by 127% in this period. From January to October this year there were 366 elephant deaths and 131 human fatalities. SL’s HEC policy, largely unchanged for more than 65 years, has exacerbated the issue. The key flaw is the focus on confining elephants to more..

Nov 27 (CT) Recent events in SL’s Parliament have raised a troubling question: is the nation’s supreme legislative body becoming an increasingly hostile place for women? The past week alone delivered a flurry of incidents that, when placed alongside a longer pattern of behaviour, paint a sobering picture of an institution struggling to uphold the dignity it publicly claims to defend. The most forceful warning came from Badulla District MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, who urged President more..

Nov 27 (CT) National Hospital of SL (NHSL) in Colombo and the Teaching Hospital in Ragama remain two critical pillars of public healthcare. With the rising cost of medicines and private treatment, the influx of patients to govt hospitals continues to surge — yet access to quality facilities, especially at these two institutions, remains limited. In this context, the eight-storey Outpatient Dept (OPD) complex at the NHSL — built as more..

Nov 27 (TM) The recent discussion at the Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital on establishing a Higher Education Commission to regulate private universities and degree-awarding institutions is a timely and welcome proposal, especially at a time when education reforms are under serious consideration and private universities including local agents of foreign institutions are rapidly expanding across the country. more..

Nov 27 (DM) SL has experienced the best and the worst when it comes to privatisation attempts. Privatisation affected many industries including the sugar industry which eventually led govts to import sugar, impose taxes and pushed farmers towards a crisis. The privatisation of Hingurana and Kantale sugar factories, which had been state-owned, is seen as a significant turning point. These factories experienced initial disruption under private management, which contributed to more..

Nov 26 (DM) Colombo High Court judge Udesh Ranatunga today directed the Colombo Chief Judicial Medical Officer to obtain a specialist psychiatric report to determine whether Daisy Forrest, the grandmother of Yoshitha Rajapaksa’s and a co-accused in the money laundering case is mentally fit to stand trial. At the previous hearing, President’s Counsel Anil Silva appearing for Forrest submitted an order issued by the Gangodawila Magistrate’s Court on 17 March 2017, more..

Nov 26 (NW) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says the advancement of cinema contributes to the spiritual and cultural development of a country’s citizens and that while safeguarding the domestic film industry, SL audiences must be given the opportunity to watch international film productions. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake made these remarks during a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat today with film distributors and producers. A lengthy discussion took place more..

Nov 26 (NW) Urban Development Authority (UDA) is reported to be preparing to lease the Pettah Floating Market to a Japanese investor for USD 160 million, it is reported. According to reports, the investor plans to renovate the shops and the night market within the complex under the current arrangement. Discussions are still ongoing regarding compensation for the current shop owners. It is also stated that the investor more..

Nov 26 (EN) Sri Lanka expects construction of a new terminal at the BIA funded by Japan t is to begin by June – July 2026, with tenders now being evaluated, Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilaka said. SL’s Katunayake airport is now operating above capacity with the second terminal delayed for multiple reasons including the sovereign default. Technical evaluation of contractor tenders is now wrapped up, he said. “We think we can open the price bids by January,” he said. more..

Nov 26 (NW) All-China Women’s Federation (ACWF) has donated a consignment of materials valued at approximately Rs. 43 million to support the well-being and development of women and children in SL. According to a Parliament statement, the donation comprises equipment for establishing a mother-and-baby room and a childcare centre for the children of staff members of ‍ Parliament of SL, along with women’s hygiene products to be distributed through Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus. more..

Nov 26 (TM) Health Ministry Deputy Director General of Laboratory Services, Dr. Priyantha Atapattu said that 26 hospitals were identified to monitor antibiotic consumption as part of efforts to strengthen the national surveillance of antimicrobial use. Dr. Atapattu said that the facilities include 24 State hospitals and two private hospitals, where antibiotic consumption patterns will be observed. He said that the ministry, together with more..

Nov 26 (NW) A national programme was launched yesterday to protect the ecosystem of the Sri Pada (Adam’s Peak) sacred site and enhance facilities for pilgrims during the Sri Pada pilgrimage season. According to the President’s Office, the initiative was launched jointly by Clean Sri Lanka and Ministry of Environment. In line with this initiative, a comprehensive clean-up operation has been launched to eliminate accumulated waste, especially in hard-to-reach areas and more..

Nov 26 (DM) SL Police from 2021 to 2024, according to its latest audit report. The audit for the year ended Dec 31, 2024, revealed that complaints against police officers rose from 1,893 in 2021 to 2,863 in 2024. A total of 1,676 complaints were received in 2022, while 2,448 complaints were recorded in 2023. Of the complaints received in 2024, 29% were related to police inaction, while 23% involved the misuse of power. The audit noted that adequate measures had not been taken to improve more..

Nov 26 (CT) The CID was assigned to investigate allegations that the Economics question paper of the ongoing GCE A/L Exam was leaked, Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said. He said the decision to hand over the inquiry to the CID was made after education authorities received information suggesting that the paper may have been compromised. According to the Minister, the probe was launched following reports that a set of predicted or guesswork questions circulating on social media more..

Nov 26 (AD) Galle Crime Investigation Division has arrested the main suspect in the murder of the brother-in-law of the criminal Karandeniya Sudda, who served as the Chairman of the Modara Devalaya Committee in Ambalangoda. The suspect has been identified as Mahadura Isuru, and during police interrogations, he admitted that he carried out the murder as an act of revenge for the murder of his father, Mahadura Nalin, allegedly committed by Karandeniya Sudda, Police said. more..

Nov 26 (TM) SL Export Development Board (EDB) sees that it is necessary to resolve the decline in rubber export earnings, as earnings have declined to levels below $ 950 million this year, EDB Chairperson Mangala Wijesinghe said. “We see that the rubber (export) sector in the past, had export earnings that ranged between $ 1,300 million and $ 1,400 million on a yearly basis, which had declined to $ 950 million in the last few years. more..

Nov 26 (NW) The arrival of India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, in Colombo for the International Fleet Review 2025 reflects both strategic intent and symbolic importance, SL’s Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said. Speaking at a reception onboard the vessel, where he attended as Chief Guest, Jayatissa said the visit demonstrates India’s growing technological capabilities and its commitment to regional maritime security. more..

Nov 26 (DM) Depression in Sri Lanka is alarmingly high, with nearly one-fifth or 19.4% of the total SL population suffering from it. In a comparison with other Asian countries, the prevalence of depression in SL is notably higher, with only 16.1% of Asians experiencing this mental health condition, according to a joint study by the University of Peradeniya and the Uni of Kelaniya. The study conducted by a team of researchers in 2023 has shown that an astonishing 39% of young Sri Lankans more..

Nov 26 (CT) In a bid to circumvent legal restrictions abroad, pro- LTTE Tamil diaspora activists have reportedly been using versions of the organisation’s insignia that are only slightly altered, making them appear similar to the original while attempting to avoid scrutiny from foreign authorities, an informed source said. It came out in the wake of recent developments in Canada and the UK, where pro-LTTE diaspora members more..

Nov 26 (CT) The Cabinet of Ministers has approved compensation for 184 workers affected by the closure of textile operations in Thulhiriya and Pugoda, Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced yesterday (25). He said the decision includes 15 former employees of Kabul Lanka (Pvt) Ltd., Thulhiriya, who had not previously received compensation after the company shut down. These workers had submitted appeals requesting the same relief granted to their former colleagues. more..