Nov 18 (NW) Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval to present the Parliamentary Pensions (Repeal) Bill to Parliament for its consent. Policy approval for repealing the Parliamentary Pensions Act No. 1 of 1971, which governs pensions for MPs, was granted at the Cabinet meeting held on 16 June 2025. In line with the govt’s policy vision of A Prosperous Country – A Beautiful Life, and the promise made to all Sri Lankans who supported that vision, a draft bill was prepared by more..

Nov 18 (AD) A writ petition has been filed in the Court of Appeal requesting the issuance of an order to prevent the demolition of a portion of the Trincomalee Sri Sambuddha Jayanthi Bodhiraja Viharaya. The petition has been submitted by the chief incumbent of the temple, Venerable Trincomalee Kalyanawansa Wansa Tissa Thero. Director General of the Department of Coast Conservation, Minister of Environment and the Secretary of the Ministry of Environment more..

Nov 18 (AD) If police committed any wrongdoing while removing a Buddha statue that had been placed at a temple premises in Trincomalee, an investigation will be conducted and necessary action will be taken, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa stated. He noted that there is a possibility of creating a distorted or misleading picture of what actually happened, when individuals starts to questioning separate incidents of the full chain of events. more..

Nov 18 (AD) The NPP today established power in the Seethawaka Pradeshiya Sabha, over six months after the conduct of the Local Govt (LG) election. At the May Local Govt election, no party or independent group was able to secure more than 50% of the total number of seats required to establish control in the Seethawaka PS. At the election, the NPP — which currently holds governing power — won 23 seats, while the remaining 24 seats were divided among all opposition parties. more..

Nov 18 (DM) The Cabinet of Ministers has approved an amendment to the Shop and Office Servants (Regulation of Service and Remuneration) Act, allowing women over 18 years of age working as food and beverage servers in commercial hotels and restaurants to be employed during night hours, after 6 p.m. and before 6 a.m. The decision aims to support the operational needs of the hospitality sector while ensuring formal protections for women working night shifts. more..

Nov 18 (BI) Sri Lankan influencer Geeth Sooriyapura’s Instagram feed shows off his lavish lifestyle. He and his friends flash expensive-looking watches, dine at a five-star seafront hotel, and film videos at a sleek modern apartment with a pool. He claims to have made his money – $300,000 of it – by running Facebook pages, including some which push racist, Islamophobic and anti-migrant posts aimed at British audiences. more..

Nov 18 (DM) Sri Lanka is yet to reach any final agreement to be inked with the US on reciprocal tariffs, and discussions are still underway regarding the matter, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said. He said that SL and the US have had 17 rounds of discussions so far. The Minister said SL was able to get the tariffs reduced from 44% to 20% through discussions and added that the US Prez Donald Trump, in an order issued on Nov 13, brought some food items exported by SL to zero tariff. more..

Nov 18 (DM) Claiming that some 30 to 40 Winter Charter flights have to be cancelled within a week due to the delay in expansion of the passenger terminal at the BIA, Deputy Minister Ruwan Ranasinghe said today if those flights could have been accommodated, SL could have reached the target of 3 million tourist arrivals this year. Minister told Parliament that SL recorded two million tourist arrivals yesterday, whereas two million tourist arrivals were recorded in Dec 26 last year. more..

Nov 18 (FT) In April 2021, we received news that the SL Govt had banned palm oil imports and ordered the uprooting of oil palm trees to be replaced with rubber trees (Gazette No. 2222/13). The main reason given was palm oil’s negative social and environmental impacts, based on a disputed 2018 report. Interestingly, it wasn’t an outright ban on all palm oil. The policy had a critical, and damaging, loophole: it specifically prevented the import of crude palm oil, the raw ingredient used by more..

Nov 18 (FT) And so it begins. Familiar murmurs. Rote grumblings. In 2021, we suffered the Regional Plantation Companies’ (RPC) and Planters’ Association of Ceylon’s (PAC) familiar whining, when workers agitated to increase the minimum daily wage to Rs. 1,000. We listened to their tiresome litany of complaints again in 2024 when attempts were made to increase the minimum wage to Rs. 1,350. On both occasions the RPC and PAC declared that increasing wages would make more..

Nov 18 (Island) The removal by the police of a Buddha statue from a famous temple plunged Trincomalee into turmoil, on Sunday. Police stepped in amidst tension over an attempt by the Coast Conservation Department to take action against a building near the Sri Sambuddha Jayanthi Bodhiraja Vihara, in Trinco. Monks of the temple and devotees staged a protest, claiming that they were restoring a Dhamma school building. more..

Nov 18 (NW) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake called on the Govt Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) to support the continued maintenance of economic stability, during a meeting held this morning (17) at the Presidential Secretariat. The discussion was convened following a request by the GMOA. During the meeting, Prez asserted that while the economy, which had collapsed in 2022, has now been stabilised, preserving that stability remains a key priority of his govt. more..

Nov 18 (AD) The Chief Prelate of the SL Amarapura Maha Nikaya, Most Venerable Karagoda Uyangoda Maithri Murthy Thero, has sent a letter to the Prez regarding the incident in which police removed a Buddha statue from a temple premises in Trincomalee. The letter states that the Sri Sambuddha Jayanthi Bodhiraja Viharaya in Trincomalee has been in existence since 1951 and is a duly registered temple under the Department of Buddhist Affairs as a temple belonging to more..

Nov 18 (TM) GMOA will continue its trade union action until a concrete plan and a timeframe on implementing the Govt’s response to doctors’ demands are declared. GMOA Media Spokesperson Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said, where he stressed the importance of the Govt’s promises being implemented. GMOA informed that following the discussion held with Prez yesterday, an emergency Executive Committee was convened. more..

Nov 18 (DM) The Govt’s latest decision to raise the plantation workers’ wages has been made without any consultations with industry personnel, senior representative of the plantation sector said while asserting the move could impact the output. He said the proposed wage increase should have been linked to productivity. “Over the course of many years, we have observed that every time a wage increase is given, around 10,000 estate workers stop working regularly,” he asserted. more..

Nov 18 (EN) Sri Lanka’s manufacturing sector expanded in October, registering a value of 61.0 on the Purchasing Managers Index compiled by the central bank, up from 55.4 in September. “This increase was broad-based, with all sub-indices contributing positively to this expansion,” CBSL said. The expansion in the New Orders sub-index was driven by the manufacture of food & beverages sector, with many companies receiving production orders for the upcoming festive season. more..

Nov 18 (Island) Germany reaffirmed its continued commitment to SL’s health security and research collaboration through the renewal of funding under its Global Health Protection Programme (GHPP) — a move seen as strengthening both the country’s disease preparedness and its broader economic resilience. Speaking at the inauguration of the IDEANet One Health Forum 2025 at Colombo University on Monday, German ambassador to SL, Dr. Felix Neumann, highlighted that more..

Nov 18 (NW) Senior Attorney-at-Law Gunaratne Wanninayake has informed court that he cannot enter into mediation over the incident involving a police constable at the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court premises last month. His legal team told court on Monday (17) that a formal investigation must take place instead. Submitting further reports along with six consolidated statements, the Mount Lavinia Police said both parties were summoned before the Mediation Board on Nov 8, but more..

Nov 18 (DM) Sri Lanka Customs (SLC) informed the Court of Appeal that all BYD vehicles previously detained by the Department have now been released, in line with the agreement reached between the parties at the earlier hearing. Deputy Solicitor General Chaya Sri Nammuni, appearing for the SLC, conveyed this position when several writ petitions filed by John Keells CG Auto (Pvt) Ltd were taken up more..

Nov 18 (DN) The promising off spinner Traveen Mathew had a fine figures of 3 for 21 while Nuwanidu Fernando hit unbeaten 47 in 27 balls as SL ‘A’ registered 7 wickets win over Hong Kong in their Asia Cup Rising Stars T-20 fixture played at West End Park Int'l Cricket Stadium Qatar yesterday. SL 'A' chasing a target of 118 reached it comfortably in 13.5 overs with Nuwanidu Fernando leading the way scoring sparkling 47 in 27 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes well supported by opener Nishan more..

Nov 18 (ST) Attorney General has ruled that all state financial transactions must follow the Public Financial Management Act (PFMA). The AG’s opinion has been conveyed to Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne, who sought a clarification from him on whether it is the Anti-Corruption Act (ACA) or the PFMA that prevails when it comes to governing recruitments and funding of the CIABOC. The Speaker sought the clarification from Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe after more..

Nov 18 (Island) For the 18th consecutive year, Ceylon Agro Industries Ltd (Prima Group SL) has partnered with SLC to sponsor the Prima Under-15 SL Youth League (SLYL) 2025. The sponsorship presentation was held at the auditorium of the SSC on Monday evening. SLYL is organized under the National Pathway Program of Sri Lanka Cricket, and the tournament provides players a national-level platform to perform and elevate to the next level in a bid to reach the national stage. more..

Nov 18 (DM) The govt’s recent budget, with its well-intentioned promise to build a more equitable society, has brought a familiar refrain: higher taxes on businesses. The new mandate, which subjects every business with a monthly turnover of 3 million LKR to an 18% VAT, is presented as a progressive tool. The objective is noble to fund social programmes and provide a financial lifeline to our most vulnerable citizens. No one can argue with the goal of lifting people out of poverty. more..

Nov 18 (TM) In the wake of allegations that the Education Ministry did not adequately consult the teachers’ trade unions (TUs) on the upcoming education reforms – particularly the extension of school hours – the Ministry stated that while it had provided multiple opportunities for the unions to present their views, certain unions had however failed to engage meaningfully. Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa said that the Ministry had more..

Nov 18 (DN) SL’s promising batsman Pavan Ratnayake has been added to SL squad for the T20 tri-series in Pakistan which will commence today at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Pakistan will meet Zimbabwe in the opening match today. 23-year-old right handed player Ratnayake who made his debut in ODI on Sunday has been added to the T-20 squad following several members of the team having fallen ill. Skipper Charith Asalanka and Asitha Fernando both having fever while Wanindu Hasaranga more..

Nov 18 (TM) In the wake of reports that the Govt plans to overhaul the Right to Information (RTI) Act, No. 12 of 2016, the RTI Commission states the current plan is to revise the existing fee structure, not amend the Act. RTI Commission's Director General K.D.S. Ruwanchandra clarified that fees for official record requests under the RTI Act are determined through a gazette notification, and therefore, any changes would require amending the relevant gazette rather than altering the Act. more..

Nov 18 (FT) Free Trade Zone Manufacturers' Association (FTZMA) has agreed on a general wage increase of Rs 3,000 for workers in 2026, following a decision reached by a majority of member companies at a Special General Meeting held on 28 Oct. In a notice issued to member firms, Association said the proposed increase reflects the current economic environment and the cost pressures faced by export manufacturers, more..

Nov 18 (FT) Vidullanka PLC said that it has acquired a 30% equity stake in SAFE Power International Ltd, a company which secured the licenses to develop a 10MW wind power plant in Alankuda in Kalpitiya. The transaction concluded on 14 Nov, which saw Vidullanka investing Rs. 225 million to secure the stake from Arinma Power Ltd, the promoters of the proposed Alankuda wind power project. This acquisition marks Vidullanka’s entry into wind power development in addition to more..

Nov 18 (FT) In a groundbreaking moment for Sri Lanka’s creative and event marketing industry, Ride Colombo 2025 has been honoured with the Platinum Award at the prestigious MarCom Awards 2025, under the category of Strategic Communications – Digital Marketing Campaign. This marks the first time in history that a Sri Lankan initiative has won a MarCom Award, setting a new benchmark for excellence in digital communication and creative strategy. more..

Nov 18 (FT) SLT-Mobitel Mobile said yesterday it has set a new benchmark in Sri Lanka’s digital journey achieving the highest-ever 5G speeds in the country, exceeding 10Gbps recently, on its advanced 5G Standalone (SA) ready network, under TRCSL 5G trial approval. The milestone surpasses previous records and demonstrates SLT-Mobitel’s commitment to driving Sri Lanka’s digital evolution with cutting-edge technology and future-ready connectivity. more..

Nov 18 (FT) Green Tape, Sri Lanka’s cutting-edge integrated digital procurement ecosystem, has reached a major milestone with the execution of its 10,000th tender; underscoring the growing shift toward transparent, accountable, and sustainable business practices. The tender, for the supply of electronics and computer hardware, was called by Alliance Finance Company PLC, and the successful bidder was Leosys Corporation, which joined the platform in late 2024. more..