Nov 11 (DM) Nearly 1 in 3 women (29.6%) are overweight, and 1 in 8 (12.6%) aged 18–60 years are obese in Sri Lanka according to the National Nutrition and Micronutrient Survey, with highest overweight and obesity rates being among women aged 50–60 years. According to the National Nutrition and Micronutrient Survey overweight refers to a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². Study which was conducted in 2022 more..

Nov 11 (NW) The Cabinet has approved, in principle, the establishment of a series of multi-modal transport hubs across key cities in SL, as part of a national initiative to improve the efficiency and integration of the public transport system. The proposal, presented by the Acting Minister of Transport and Highways, aims to enhance connectivity between buses, trains, and taxis by developing transport hubs in transit and main cities where passenger volumes are increasing. more..

Nov 11 (EN) SL’s 2026 budget, delivered by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his capacity as the Finance Minister last week marks a critical milestone in the nation’s post-2022 crisis recovery. As the second budget under the NPP govt, it reflects a year of governance focused on further stabilizing a tattered economy marred by decades of monetary, fiscal and governance weaknesses. The budget speech underscores achievements more..

Nov 11 (DM) Airport and Aviation Services (SL) Ltd (AASL) has announced that 14 new check-in counters have been introduced on a trial basis at the newly built marquee at the BIA. The facility, which was completed within just one month, is a result of collaboration between SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) and several key industry stakeholders. The initiative is aimed at ensuring smoother airport operations and providing hassle-free convenience for passengers during more..

Nov 11 (AD) The Colombo High Court has ordered that the further hearing of a case filed by the CIABOC against former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and another defendant on corruption charges to be called on Dec 9. The case was taken up today before Colombo High Court Judge Mohamed Mihal. During the proceedings, evidence was recorded from a former Deputy Finance Manager of the State Printing Corporation, who has been named as a witness in the complaint. more..

Nov 11 (DM) Court of Appeal directed the SL Customs to expeditiously release 625 BYD vehicles detained by the Customs, subject to respective bank guarantees and corporate guarantees, as set out in a motion filed by the SL Customs. The order was made by Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando when several writ petitions filed by John Keells CG Auto (Pvt) Ltd came up for hearing. more..

Nov 11 (NW) Social media has been abuzz with a video showing Ramith Rambukwella, son of MP Keheliya Rambukwella, making an obscene gesture – raising his middle finger, towards reporters outside the Colombo High Court today after being served with indictments. Rambukwella is facing charges of unlawful asset accumulation, with the CIABOC alleging he failed to account for assets exceeding Rs. 296 million. The indictments were filed under Anti-Corruption Act and cover the period more..

Nov 11 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has sent a heartfelt message expressing solidarity with the people of India following the explosion in the Indian capital Delhi that killed at least 12 people and wounded several others yesterday. A powerful explosion ripped through a slow-moving car at a traffic signal near the Red Fort metro station last evening, killing 12 people and injuring 20 others. Prez said in a social media post, “Saddened by news of the explosion in Delhi last evening. more..

Nov 11 (FT) The 2026 Budget was unveiled amid high public expectations, following an election campaign that promised economic recovery, social equity, and institutional reform. Yet beneath the surface of fiscal projections lies a troubling disconnect between political rhetoric and Budgetary reality. This critique examines how the Budget falls short of the promises made to the people of Sri Lanka—on poverty alleviation, public investment, debt reduction, and leadership accountability. more..

Nov 11 (FT) When the SL Govt assumed office in 2024, it inherited a country in deep crisis — a state bureaucracy diminished by corruption, mismanagement, and elite capture. Years of short-termism, politicised policy, and neglect of national production had eroded sovereignty and self-reliant development. Yet, the democratic transition offered a rare opportunity for renewal. For the first time in years, citizens elected a Govt that promised to prioritise people and the environment more..

Nov 11 (TM) Court of Appeal dismissed without hearing a writ petition filed by the Vinivida Foundation, seeking to suspend the ongoing operation by the Wildlife Conservation authorities to drive away wild elephants that have entered villages into forest reserves in Hambanthota. The order was issued by a bench comprising President of the CA, Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando, more..

Nov 11 (DN) The Govt has taken steps to provide permanent appointments to around 10,000 non-permanent employees in Govt departments and corporations, Minister Bimal Ratnayake informed Parliament. He said this while responding to a question raised by ITAK MP Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam in Parliament. Commenting further the Minister said, “The Budget provides for an increase in the allowance of railway crossing guards from Rs. 7,500 to Rs. 15,000. more..

Nov 11 (TM) SL has foregone over Rs. 240 billion in tax revenue for the exemption of VAT and Social Security Contribution Levy (SSCL) in the first half of this year for Non-Board of Investments (BOI), Port City, and Strategic Development Projects, Ministry of Finance said. In its tax expenditure statement for 2024/2025, the Finance Ministry said that VAT and SSCL Expenditure for Non-BOI Companies, excluding SDP and Port City Projects, amounted to Rs. 243.8 billion between January and June. more..

Nov 11 (TM) While welcoming the Govt’s decision to increase the daily wage of plantation sector workers, sector’s trade unions (TUs) noted the manner in which it was implemented does not set a good example regarding labour wages. In this regard, Voice of Plantation People organisation’s Executive Director Anthony Jesudasan explained that the burden of increasing the sector’s workers should be borne by employers, or plantation more..

Nov 11 (NW) Three workers, including two Sri Lankans, have been found dead at a land-based fish farm in Goseong, South Gyeongsang Province, in South Korea, prompting a police investigation, The Chosun Daily reported. According to the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, the three workers, a Korean man in his 50s, the site manager, and two SL employees in their 20s and 30s, were discovered deceased inside a large reservoir at the Goseong farm around 8:30 pm on Nov 9. more..

Nov 11 (FT) The 2026 National Budget signals a cautious revival of SL’s construction and infrastructure sector, but industry leadership warns that contractors must adapt to a rapidly changing economic environment. In a statement issued yesterday, President of the Ceylon Institute of Builders (CIOB) welcomed the Govt’s renewed commitment to expressway development, irrigation rehabilitation and housing programs. However, he emphasised that private sector construction more..

Nov 11 (FT) Sri Lanka is set to celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2025 from 17 to 23 Nov, continuing to lead the region in entrepreneurial ecosystem development. Building on three consecutive years of impactful programing and the foundation laid during GEW 2024, the ICTA has once again been appointed by Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) as the national host. ICTA, operating under the Digital Economy Ministry, will lead this year’s initiative with a renewed commitment more..

Nov 11 (CT) NPP Govt’s Appropriation Bill for 2026 lacks proposals to strengthen the four key pillars required for national development, alleged SJB MP Sujeewa Senasinghe in Parliament. He said, the Budget contained no credible measures to increase inland revenue, attract foreign direct investment, create employment, or introduce new technology — factors he described as essential for sustainable economic growth. Citing World Bank assessments, Senasinghe warned that even a minor more..

Nov 11 (ST) Tests carried out by Govt Analyst’s Department (GA) and National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) on samples taken from two sites in Kandana and Middeniya suspected to contain chemicals used for the production of methamphetamine (Ice) have found little or no trace of illicit substances. While the samples taken from Kandana did not contain any precursor chemicals used in the production more..

Nov 11 (Island) The Socialist Alliance (SA) has slammed the NPP over further delaying the Provincial Council polls. The following is the text of the statement issued by Communist Party General Secretary, Dr. G.Weerasinghe, on behalf of the SA: “Provincial Council elections have been overdue since 2018, so that government-appointed officials run all nine provincial councils which means the absence of the public accountability, ensured through elected administrations. more..

Nov 11 (DN) SL Under 19 women’s team led by Manudi Nanayakkara recorded an eight wicket win over Malaysia in their fifth and final T-20 game played at Colts grounds yesterday. This victory paved the way host team to make a clean sweep over Malaysia women’s team (5-0). SL U-19 women’s team chasing a target of 83 reached 86 for 2 wickets in 13.5 overs to seal their back to back fifth victoryin great style. The opener Sanjana Kavindi was leading the way making 51 ball 45 more..

Nov 11 (FT) SL Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) President Nalin Jayasundera welcomed the Budget 2026 proposals to upgrade domestic and international airport infrastructure and improve road connectivity, but cautioned that without a robust, consistent marketing strategy, the country will struggle to attract year-round visitors. “Overall, the Budget 2026 is good,” he said. Jayasundera said the tourism industry more..

Nov 11 (Island) Time was when a tour of Pakistan was something cricketers eagerly looked forward to — a chance to criss cross a country where the warmth of its people matched the spice of its biryani and masala chai. Those were days when cities like Multan, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Karachi rolled out the red carpet for visiting sides. Not this time. For the 3-week assignment, SL will shuttle only between Lahore and Rawalpindi, missing out on the rest of that cricket-mad nation. more..

Nov 11 (ST) On Nov 3, Sri Lanka saw the coming together of two generations of martial artists who will congregate to honour the man who took them in, and assumed the role of their guide and mentor and shaped their lives under the umbrella of the Chinese martial arts – wushu. This visionary who introduced wushu to Sri Lanka in 1975 is none other than Prasanna Jayaweera, who built this family of SL martial artists with his devotion, passion and true love towards the youth of our country. more..

Nov 11 (ST) A chilling new wave of cybercrime is sweeping across Sri Lanka, as scammers use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create convincing deep fake videos featuring well-known business leaders, govt officials, and celebrities — all promoting fake investment schemes that promise extraordinary returns. At first glance, these slick videos look genuine. Shot as professional interviews in Sinhala and seamlessly dubbed into fluent English, they feature familiar faces appearing to endorse more..

Nov 11 (FT) National Chamber of Commerce of SL (NCCSL) said the 2026 Budget represents a key step towards restoring investor confidence, ensuring macroeconomic stability, and re-entering international financial markets by 2028. Chamber commended the Govt’s continued focus on building a resilient, transparent, and inclusive economy, reaffirming its commitment to supporting policies and initiatives that drive sustainable growth and strengthen the overall business environment. more..

Nov 11 (FT) PM Harini Amarasuriya yesterday reaffirmed the Govt’s commitment to ensuring fair compensation, social equity, and sustainability in the tea industry, whilst aiming to increase made tea production to 400 million kilograms (mnkg) and boost export earnings to $ 2.5 billion by 2030. Addressing the inauguration of the Int'l Tea Symposium (InTSym100), marking the centenary of Tea Research Institute of SL, more..

Nov 11 (FT) Colombo stock market began the week with strong upward momentum yesterday with the benchmark index crossing 23,500 points for the very first time driven by positive sentiments after Friday’s 2026 Budget speech delivered by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. First Capital Research said investor sentiment remained buoyant, particularly towards counters that received favourable outcomes from the National Budget reading. ASPI closed 0.70% higher gaining 164.34 points more..

Nov 11 (FT) South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT) CEO Romesh David said for SL to attract credible investors into public-private partnerships (PPPs), Govt must ensure clarity of purpose, alignment among agencies, and speed in decision-making and fairness in execution. Speaking at a recent forum, he outlined key ingredients for successful PPPs, stressing that investor confidence depends primarily on a Govt’s ability to demonstrate clear purpose, policy alignment, and credible commitment. more..

Nov 11 (FT) 39th Annual Conference and Expo of the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) opened in Colombo yesterday, bringing together business leaders, policymakers, and entrepreneurs from 28 member nations under the theme Entrepreneurship in the Asian Century. Hosted by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of SL (FCCISL), the two-day event at Cinnamon Life City of Dreams marked the first time SL has more..

Nov 11 (FT) Women Mean Business (WmB) Coalition, supported by the Co-Impact Gender Fund and convened by Chrysalis, held its fifth Coalition Meeting on 29 Oct, bringing together over 80 representatives from women-led business consortia across multiple districts, Govt institutions, financial organisations, UN and bilateral agencies, academia and civil society. The gathering aimed to accelerate gender-transformative reforms within SL’s Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector. more..