Nov 4 (ST) Opposition parties rallied together on Monday to announce the launch of Maha Jana Handha at a rally to be held at Nugegoda on the 21st of this month against the common foe: the JVP Govt which has now descended to the level of farce. All the big shots in the opposition fold had agreed to keep aside their political differences and unite to meet the common threat inside the gates, inside the citadel of the SL state. Surprisingly, main opposition party, the SJB, though invited to more..

Nov 4 (DM) The process of releasing military-held land in the Northern Province of SL back to its legitimate civilian owners is a necessary and significant step towards post-conflict reconciliation and normalisation. It is an acknowledgement of the fundamental right to property and a move toward restoring the lives of those displaced by a brutal, three-decade-long war. However, this critical process cannot, and must not, be pursued in isolation. It must be meticulously balanced against more..

Nov 4 (TM) Despite questions about the effectiveness of such bans, SL has become one more nation to join the conversation on prohibiting smartphones by schoolchildren amid concerns over their impact on learning and well-being. Minister Saroja Paulraj recently announced that SL was planning to introduce a ban on the use of smartphones by schoolchildren under the age of 12. She noted that Govt would take a decision more..

Nov 4 (DM) Prez Dissanayake issued an ultimatum to police and military personnel involved in narcotics trafficking: resign immediately or face decisive action without protection. However, these treacherous officers are unlikely to voluntarily come forward. Prez must exercise his executive powers to investigate and remove them from service. Speaking at the Sugathadasa indoor Stadium during the launch of the Nation United – National Drive anti-drug campaign, Prez warned that more..

Nov 4 (Island) The police are always in the news for the wrong reasons. This time around, they have made headlines over a corrupt deal and a hostile campaign against an intrepid whistleblower in uniform who exposed it. A senior police officer is reported to have incurred the wrath of his superiors for having blown the lid off a procurement racket in the Police Dept. Opposition says the officer sought to have someone make a complaint to the CIABOC about the corrupt deal, as he had no other more..

Nov 4 (CT) The highlight of the month of October is PM Harini Amarasuriya’s official visit to India from Oct 16 to 18. This was 55 year-old former academic’s first visit to India after she became PM. She is no stranger to India, particularly New Delhi, having studied and graduated from the Hindu College with B.A. degree in Sociology. Mrs Amarasuriya went on to acquire a Master’s degree in Applied Anthropology from Australia and a doctorate in Anthropology from Uni of Edinburgh. more..

Nov 4 (Island) As of 1st Nov, the free distribution of Sili Sili (shopping) bags has officially come to an end. Acting under a directive issued by the CAA, supermarkets and other retail outlets across SL have begun charging customers for the thin, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bags handed over at cashier counters. The move — part of a long-delayed effort to curb plastic pollution — has already shown encouraging signs. Within just two days of implementation, the daily circulation of more..

Nov 4 (EN) State-run SriLankan Airlines group has lost 10.7 billion rupees in the three months to June 2025, down from 12.9 billion rupees last year but operating losses had widened, despite improvement in traffic. SriLankan had posted revenues of 51.7 billion rupees, up 1.5 billion rupees in the June quarter, helped by high higher traffic volumes and a big improvement in load factor to 82.3% a from 74.8 last year. more..

Nov 4 (FT) As SL prepares for the Northern Investment Summit 2026 (NIS26), questions have emerged over whether this initiative will finally break the cycle of underdevelopment that has long shadowed the Northern Province a region endowed with natural wealth yet lagging behind in national GDP contribution. Organised by Management Club (TMC), summit aims to catalyse growth through investment, innovation and collaboration. Scheduled for 21–22 Jan 2026 at the Thiruvalluvar more..

Nov 4 (FT) The Sri Lanka–Thailand Business Council held its 24th AGM recently with the presence of key stakeholders and members present. The Council continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening trade, investment, and tourism ties between the two friendly nations. Rooted in centuries of shared cultural and religious heritage, the bond between Sri Lanka and Thailand has evolved into a partnership that blends tradition with modern economic collaboration. more..

Nov 4 (DM) Dear Minister Vijitha Herath, Let me tell you a tale. It is an ancient belief that Adam was the first human on Earth, and he was sent down by God because he disobeyed His command. While Adam asked for forgiveness, some believe that God also wanted him to begin humanity on Earth. Although Adam was shocked, God decided to send him to a place that had the closest resemblance to Heaven. He informed Adam that while His decision to remove him from Paradise would not change, more..

Nov 4 (FT) Browns Plantations is significantly expanding its orthodox tea production capacity across East Africa. This strategic move aligns with the company’s vision to deliver premium, sustainable, and technologically advanced agricultural products while supporting local communities and optimising operational efficiency. Earlier this month, Browns Plantations Kenya commissioned an improved and expanded orthodox tea production setup at its Kitumbe Factory. more..

Nov 4 (ST) A high volume of work arising from continuous policy changes within instructing agencies presents a significant challenge to the Legal Draftsman’s (LD) Dept, with one-third of its approved cadre also going unfilled by the end of last year, Dept’s 2024 annual report states. Office has difficulty retaining staff due to low remuneration and struggles with a lack of clear priority setting for legislation from the Cabinet. more..

Nov 4 (FT) JAT Holdings announced the acquisition of Mirotone (NZ) Ltd, the market leader in industrial wood coatings across New Zealand and a globally respected coatings brand established in 1935. The total transaction, comprising the purchase consideration and committed reinvestment for growth, represents a strategic investment exceeding A$ 4 million (about Rs. 800.7 million). This includes an acquisition value of A$ 2.5 million for 100% ownership of Mirotone (NZ) Ltd. more..

Nov 4 (DM) The Galaha police have initiated a formal investigation of the death of a female student of Bellwood Aesthetic Studies Institute in Gampola whose body was found hanging from roof of a hostel on Saturday evening. The deceased Vidushan Neethi was from Krishanpuram in Kilinochchi. Police had rushed to the scene on information from a fellow student and recovered the body hanging from a ceiling fan. Investigations revealed that after appearing for an exam held in Colombo more..

Nov 4 (DM) Despite SL’s impressive progress in hygiene and sanitation, more than 13,000 families still defecate in open areas such as forests and beaches. The latest Basic Information Report on Housing by District and DS Divisions from the 2024 Population and Housing Census reveals that 0.2 percent of the country’s 6,111,315 family units a total of 13,326 households continue to live without access to toilet facilities. more..

Nov 4 (AD) Saudi Arabia has expressed willingness to enhance relations with SL through technical collaboration, investment expansion, and knowledge exchange to modernize the fisheries and marine sectors. This was conveyed by the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to SL, Khalid bin Hamoud Al-Kahtani, during a discussion aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation between SL and Saudi Arabia held at the Ministry of Fisheries. The meeting took place between Minister Ramalingam more..

Nov 4 (Island) Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo, Commander of the Army, commended Sri Lanka Army athletes for their exceptional performances at the 4th South Asian Athletics Championship 2025, held in Ranchi, India, during a ceremony held last week at the Army Headquarters. ‎A total of 59 Sri Lankan athletes represented the nation at the championship, of whom 30 were from the SL Army. Their remarkable efforts enabled Sri Lanka secure a big haul of medals. more..

Nov 4 (DN) Maris Stella College, Negombo and Lyceum Int'l School, Wattala emerged overall champions in the Boys’ and Girls’ categories respectively at the 54th Sir John Tarbat Junior Athletics Championship 2025, sponsored by Ritzbury, which concluded at the Mahaweli Ground in Embilipitiya yesterday. The event produced some outstanding young talents, highlighted by W. Gamage of Mahasen National School, Bakamuna, who was named Boys’ Best Athlete for more..

Nov 4 (AD) Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Holy See has called on PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. The meeting has taken place at Temple Trees, the Office of the PM said. Rev. Monsignor Roberto Lucchini, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Holy See in Colombo and Rev. Monsignor Tomislav Zubac, the Second Secretary of the Secretariat of State of the Holy See also attended the meeting. more..

Nov 4 (FT) Sri Lanka’s foreign loan disbursements during the first half of 2025 amounted to $ 547.5 million, according to the latest Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report 2025 released by the Ministry of Finance on 31 Oct. The report stated, “The largest share of disbursements was recorded under the IMF EFF, accounting for 61% of the total. This was followed by disbursements under loan agreements with World Bank (16%) and ADB (11%).” more..

Nov 4 (DM) There is a proposal to extend school hours until 4.30 pm, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya revealed over the week end. PM Amarasuriya came out with this disclosure during a meeting she had with school principals, teachers and other education authorities in the Batticaloa district over the weekend. However she did not mention about any concrete plans to extend school hours further. The premier discussed the proposed education reforms during the meeting. more..

Nov 4 (AD) GovPay, a secure and user-friendly online platform designed to facilitate digital payments for SL’s govt services, has successfully processed over Rs. 1 billion in transactions, the Ministry of Digital Economy stated. The platform allows citizens and businesses to safely and conveniently make payments for various govt-related transactions, including taxes, fines, utility bills, education fees & other service charges via banks and digital financial channels. more..

Nov 4 (AD) The UGC will conduct a formal investigation into an incident where a lecturer at the Wayamba University allegedly detained a female student in his residence and sexually assaulted her, PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated. PM made this statement while responding to a question, after participating in the ceremony held to officially hand over the National Institute of Technology, constructed under the assistance of the Government of Korea at the Wayamba University. more..

Nov 4 (Island) Wildlife authorities with the help of members of the civil defence force, cultivation committees, SL Airforce and the public conducted a successful elephant drive in the Hambantota District from Sunday (02) evening to the early hours on Monday (03). The aim was to guide the wild elephants roaming in the areas coming under the purview of Divisional Secretariats of Hambantota, Ambalanthota and Sooriyawewa into the Managed Elephant Reserve in Hambantota. more..

Nov 4 (TM) Electricity Consumers’ Association (ECA) questioned how the CEB's 70% shareholding in Lanka Transformers Ltd (LTL) was reduced over the years, and called for immediate investigations into the matter. ECA General Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika said that the issue has recently drawn the attention of both the Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) on Infrastructure & Strategic Development more..

Nov 4 (FT) Court of Appeal has fixed the case challenging VAT collection without refund system and abolition of SVAT for support on 6 Nov. When the case was taken up on 24 Oct the petitioners representing multiple chambers, informed Court that the Inland Revenue Dept (IRD) has issued a Gazette which has an impact on the relief sought in the Petition. The petitioners, however, do not concede that this Gazette satisfies the mandatory requirement of publication of conditions more..

Nov 4 (FT) SL recorded its highest-ever tourist arrivals for the month of October this year, welcoming 165,193 visitors, a 22% YoY increase, largely fuelled by strong inflows from India, signalling robust momentum for the winter season and renewed hopes of closing 2025 with record-breaking numbers. October’s arrivals surpassed the previous record of 153,123 in 2018. On average, the country attracted 5,329 tourists daily during the month, reflecting a 0.5% month-on-month increase. more..

Nov 4 (DM) Billions of rupees of taxpayers’ money have gone down the drain as hundreds of govt doctors have deserted their posts and forfeited their foreign training opportunities. This was disclosed in a special audit report. The report observed a significant surge in doctors quitting govt service, many heading abroad or pursuing postgraduate studies, without settling their financial obligations. This was much prevalent during more..

Nov 4 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Disanayake or AKD Govt has virtually stabilised the nominal or money side of the economy, thanks to his pursuance of the IMF prescribed policy package under its Extended Fund Facility or EFF implemented by SL’s Govt since March 2023. I say virtually because there are still risks of the nominal parameters in the economy – inflation rate, exchange rate, budget numbers, balance of payments, and external debt repayment capabilities – getting reversed if more..

Nov 4 (FT) Does Sri Lanka need a mega refinery in Hambantota? The Govt says yes, and there are no known dissenting voices, even from those speaking for the environment and for the birds. I, for one, made the case for a refinery adjacent to the port in Hambantota 15 years ago. The port and the refinery have synergy. Cheap bunkering will make the port attractive. Transport of the refinery’s inputs and outputs will improve the refinery’s business case. So, no dissent on the big question. more..

Nov 4 (DM) The Clinical Research Unit of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, has developed a breakthrough drug that can significantly reduce high blood pressure. Director of the Clinical Research Unit, Professor Asitha de Silva, said at a media briefing that the research began nearly ten years ago and focused on combining three commonly used drugs into a single tablet for more effective treatment and patient convenience. “Although there is no medicine that can more..

Nov 4 (CT) The third phase of excavations at the Chemmani mass grave site has been postponed to next year following the accumulation of rainwater within the burial area, which has made further excavation work temporarily impossible. During a recent inspection, officials observed that heavy rains had caused significant flooding inside the grave site. Consequently, it was decided that the investigation team would revisit the site on 19 January next year to reassess the conditions and more..

Nov 4 (EN) Cabinet has decided not to implement any wind power projects in the country’s northwestern coastal island of Mannar except three private sector projects amid continuous public protests. The move comes after a series of public protests against wind power projects in Mannar, an area which has been identified as high wind power potential. “Three wind power projects have been planned on Mannar Island more..

Nov 4 (AD) A protest was held in Colombo today demanding a resolution to the delay in releasing BYD vehicles currently held by SL Customs. The protest took place in front of the BYD vehicle showroom in Colombo, where protesters expressed concern that the decision by Customs to detain the vehicles had created significant obstacles for customers seeking to purchase them. Protesters called on the relevant authorities, including SL Customs, to take immediate action and more..