Nov 17 (NW) A man sought over an incident involving a foreign tourist in Thirukkovil has been arrested, police said. The suspect, a 23-year-old resident of Kalawanchikudi, was taken into custody over an alleged indecent act reported by a New Zealand national who had arrived in Sri Lanka on a tour. The tourist lodged a complaint with the Tourist Police stating that on Oct 25, while travelling from Arugam Bay towards Passikudah, a young man behaved indecently during her excursion. more..

Nov 17 (FT) Nations Trust Bank has reported strong financial results for the nine months ending 30 Sept 2025, reporting a Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs. 14.9 billion, up 23% year-on-year (YoY). In a statement, NTB said the bank’s performance is underpinned by strong asset growth, steady Net Interest Margins (NIMs), and asset quality, with a net Stage 3 ratio of 1.03%. A strong capital base continued to be the foundation of the bank’s growth story, with a Return on Equity (ROE) of 23.20%, more..

Nov 17 (FT) Earnings from tourism remained well below expectations despite welcoming a record number of visitors in Oct 2025, underscoring the sector’s struggle to convert rising arrivals into meaningful economic gains. Earnings in October inched up by just 0.3% year-on-year (YoY) to $ 186.1 million, revealing a widening disconnect between visitor growth and actual spending. Despite the record surge in arrivals, October’s revenue still trails far behind pre-crisis performance levels. more..

Nov 17 (DN) Defending champions Afghanistan ‘A’ registered a thrilling 3 wicket win with one ball to spare over SL ‘A’ in their T-20 game of the Asia Cup Rising Stars cricket tournament played in Qatar on Saturday. Milan Ratnayake the bowling all rounder hit 19 ball 41 with 4 fours and 3 sixes while leg spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth had superb figures of 3 for 28 but it was in vain as Afghanistan fought back to seal the victory in 19.5 overs. However SL ‘A’ led by Dunith Wellalage put up a good battle until more..

Nov 17 (Island) Off-spinner Nushan Perera created a piece of history for St. Joseph’s and Damesh Mathishan and Reshon Soloman took honours in their respective matches as St. Joseph’s, Darley Road and St. Joseph Vaz’s College Wennappuwa recorded victories in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ and ‘B’ tournament matches played during the weekend. ‎According to St. Joseph’s statisticians Nushan became the first bowler in their more than 100 year old cricket history to take back to back eight wicket hauls more..

Nov 17 (SO) With mounting pressure from across the political spectrum over the prolonged delay in Provincial Council elections, the Government has decided to appoint a special Select Committee to resolve the issue. Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake told Parliament yesterday that the Committee will review the legal framework governing the polls and take steps to ensure that the elections will be held without further delay. more..

Nov 17 (FT) Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) Group said it has reported a robust financial performance for the third quarter and nine months ended 30 Sept 2025, continuing an upward trajectory with substantial improvements in profitability, operational efficiency, and strategic cost management. In a statement, SLT said the Group’s disciplined execution and focus on financial resilience have resulted in a sustained turnaround from the previous year, strengthening its position as a key enabler of SL’s digital economy. more..

Nov 17 (FT) Senior Adviser to the Prez Duminda Hulangamuwa said SL should make a strategic pivot towards high-value service exports, citing deep-rooted structural constraints that limit the country’s ability to scale up manufacturing exports despite decades of incentives and free trade agreements (FTAs). Highlighting the persistent challenges facing SL’s export sector, he said export diversification and growth are not merely Govt issues but broader structural challenges within the economy. more..

Nov 17 (ST) The NMRA has published the maximum retail prices (MRP) of 350 medications, calling on the public to report to the regulator any individual or institution that sells these products at higher prices. The move comes after the Court of Appeal on Wednesday lifted an interim injunction that had prevented the NMRA or its pricing committee from imposing price controls on any medicine in respect of which price control has not already been issued. more..

Nov 17 (FT) Aitken Spence PLC has recorded a revenue of Rs. 40.7 billion for the six months ending 30 September 2025, reflecting operational resilience across its diversified businesses. The Tourism sector accounted for 64.3% of Group revenue, while the Maritime and Freight Logistics sector and Strategic Investments sector contributed 19.4% and 13.9%, respectively. The Group’s Maritime and Freight Logistics sector reported profit from operations of Rs. 2.2 billion, more..

Nov 17 (FT) Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka (MBFWSL) returns from 19–23 November 2025, hosted at Cinnamon Life, marking the next chapter of a movement that has reshaped how fashion functions in South Asia. What began nearly a decade ago as a collaboration between AOD and DIMO, the only Authorised General Distributor for Mercedes-Benz in Sri Lanka, has grown into an ecosystem: one that connects design, education, industry, mobility, culture, and sustainability. more..

Nov 17 (Island) In the shadowy war against financial crime, SL’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) serves as the nation’s central nervous system, tirelessly tracking the illicit flows of money laundering and terror financing. At a recent event, Dr. Subhani Keerthiratne, Unit’s Director, pulled back the curtain on this critical operation, revealing both hard-won gains and a glaring, multi-million-rupee vulnerability: the unchecked splurge on high-end luxury vehicles. more..

Nov 17 (FT) Lanka Coffee Association (LCA) held its 4th Annual General Meeting yesterday at the Waters’ Edge Hotel, Battaramulla. Established in 2021, the LCA represents the collective interests of all stakeholders working to elevate SL’s coffee industry to new heights. Among its key initiatives is the Sri Lanka Coffee Festival, organised in collaboration with the Department of Export Agriculture and with the continued support and patronage of Australia’s Market Development Facility (MDF) more..

Nov 17 (FT) Midea, the world’s largest producer of consumer appliances and the global leader in air treatment, recognised SL’s Telesonic with the first-ever Sustainability Pioneer Award at its prestigious Global Strategic Partner Summit held in China. The three-day global summit for Midea’s world-leading Residential Air Conditioning directorate brought together over 500 of Midea’s leading partners from around the world, marking a landmark moment as Telesonic stood tall among global industry giants more..

Nov 17 (FT) Ceylon United Business Alliance (CUBA) Industry Sub-Committee Chairman and former KPMG Ford, Rhodes, Thornton & Co, Statutory Auditor M.R. Jeffrey has warned that Sri Lanka should not dismantle tariffs or para-tariffs under the Economic Stabilisation Act, No. 45 of 2024 until the nation’s foreign exchange reserves reach a sustainable and safe threshold. Jeffrey noted that while the Act aims to modernise tariff structures and create a transparent system, it was not binding unless more..

Nov 17 (TM) Sri Lanka’s recent decision to make it mandatory for businesses to charge for single-use polythene bags marks another attempt to steer the country toward a more environmentally responsible future. On paper, the move is sound since it discourages the use and careless disposal of polythene. Many welcomed the Govt’s decision, seeing it as a long-overdue step towards reducing plastic pollution. However, as with many policies, the implementation seems to have gaps. more..

Nov 17 (CI) Pakistan eased to a six-wicket win over Sri Lanka to seal a 3-0 series whitewash. Three wickets from Mohammad Wasim and contributions from others bowled SL out for 211, before a half-century by Fakhar Zaman took much of the jeopardy out of the chase. SL fought hard through the middle, getting rid of Babar Azam and Salman Agha in quick succession, and though it succeeded in slowing Pakistan down, the visitors ultimately had too few runs to play with more..

Nov 17 (Island) The blue economy means sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, while preserving the health of marine ecosystems. It spans fisheries and aquaculture, port-led logistics, marine biotechnology, renewable offshore energy, coastal tourism & marine services, such as ocean observation and mapping. As an example, India is actively preparing to harness its marine assets through place-based policy, infrastructure and science. more..

Nov 17 (Island) Politics and conflicts are as inseparable as conjoined twins. However, conflicts are not inherently negative or harmful. They, if handled properly, promote creativity and innovation, with disagreements driving people to reconsider assumptions and propose fresh ideas and make better decisions collectively, as in advanced democracies. If mismanaged, they could lead to bitter acrimony and clashes, paving the way for binary approaches to contentious issues, thereby more..

Nov 17 (SO) In a chilling sequence of events that has sent shockwaves across South Asia, two devastating explosions struck the capitals of India and Pakistan within 24 hours of each other early this month. On Nov 10, a car bomb detonated near Delhi’s iconic Red Fort, killing at least 13 people and injuring over 30 in the heart of India’s bustling capital. Just a day later, on Nov 11, a suicide bomber targeted Islamabad’s District Judicial Complex, claiming 12 lives and wounding dozens more more..

Nov 17 (ST) We are here because we lost and you won. It is not because you are morally superior’ thunders Reichmarshall Herman Goering to United States Army psychiatrist Douglas Kelley entrusted with the fiendishly difficult task of decoding the DNA of a monster in the run up to the trials of key Nazi leaders for war crimes before the International Military Trial at Nuremberg after the surrender of Germany to the Allied powers in 1945, marking the end of World War II. more..

Nov 17 (SO) Police and Central Bank officials said that these platforms, many of which advertise heavily on social media, are exploiting financially vulnerable people by offering small, quick loans at crippling interest rates. Once borrowers agree to the terms — often through a mobile app — they unwittingly expose a wealth of personal data, including identity card numbers, addresses, bank account details, emails and phone numbers. more..

Nov 17 (CT) The above is not a joyful song of Lanka but a sad and desperate cry of our dear Mother Lanka. Who listens to her? Only sincere patriots, the legitimate children of Mother Lanka; Workers, domestic and otherwise in the Middle East, South Korea, Japan, Israel, Italy and other EU countries, mercenaries in Russia and so on. Who are the deaf who do not hear her? They are the betraying bastards of Mother Lanka. Some of them are foreigners. Some have not done anything illegal but more..

Nov 17 (CT) SL’s public health system was once a source of national pride — a promise that every citizen, regardless of wealth, would receive the care they needed. Today, that promise is slipping away. A recent Ceylon Today investigation revealed that the Health Ministry has failed to meet 26 of its Service Delivery Indicator targets, exposing deep dysfunction and long-standing weaknesses within State-run hospitals. At the same time, the cost of private healthcare has risen sharply more..

Nov 17 (TM) While the Govt’s plan to increase the daily wage of plantation workers has received commendation for its social welfare aspect, it leaves much to be desired in terms of enforcing national fiscal discipline. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his Budget 2026 speech outlined the Govt’s plans for uplifting the living standards of plantation workers, noting: “It is our position that estate workers should be paid a fair daily wage commensurate with their service.” more..

Nov 17 (DM) This analysis is inspired by a recent article published in the Colombo Gazette, which reported that Indian intelligence agencies have issued warnings about a possible alliance between the Dawood Ibrahim (D-Company) criminal syndicate and remnants of the LTTE. According to the report, the D-Syndicate, under financial strain following crackdowns in western and northern India, is attempting to exploit South Indian and SL maritime routes to expand its narcotics trade. more..

Nov 17 (DM) Finland has consistently been ranked the world’s happiest nation, a title it has held for several years running in the UN’s World Happiness Report. This remarkable achievement isn’t attributed to a single factor but is a deeply rooted societal construct built upon strong pillars of trust, security, nature, excellent education, discipline, respect for the law, mutual respect, and a profound sense of meaning in life. Understanding this “Finnish Recipe” offers profound insights into more..

Nov 16 (ST) As the govt grapples with the challenges that beset the ruling party, several opposition parties are readying for a showdown with a planned public rally at Nugegoda on Friday. While the SJB, has decided, amidst severe internal discussions, to opt out of the joint rally, anti-govt effort has brought together an interesting mix of political forces, giving credence to the saying There are no permanent enemies; no permanent more..

Nov 16 (AD) Several transfers and appointments involving high-ranking police officers have been made as per a decision of the National Police Commission (NPC). Accordingly, Senior Deputy Inspectors General of Police (SDIG) Sanjeewa Dharmaratne has been transferred from the post of Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province to the post of Senior DIG in charge of Police Administration. Senior DIG S.C. Medawatte has been transferred from post of Senior DIG more..

Nov 16 (ST) A five-member CID team has left for the UK to probe the authenticity of the invitation letter allegedly sent by the University of Wolverhampton to former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, but the visit has gone ahead without informing or the instructions of the Attorney General. AG’s Dept had been kept in the dark regarding the CID team’s UK visit, and no instructions from the Attorney General had been sought by senior CID officers in charge of the probe prior to the team’s departure. more..

Nov 16 (TM) Govt is yet to decide whether it will proceed with the previous administration’s Expression of Interest (EOI) or call for new EOIs internationally from strategic investors for the joint development of the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm in partnership with Trinco Petroleum Terminal Ltd (TPTL). It has been over a year since TPTL invited EOIs. In July last year, TPTL, a Joint Venture (JV) between CPC) and LIOC under more..

Nov 16 (AD) A Gazette notification has been issued amending the maximum retail prices (MRPs) imposed for canned fish, effective from today (15). CAA, through this Extraordinary Gazette, has updated the MRPs for various types of canned fish. The order, issued under Section 20(5) of the Consumer Affairs Authority Act, No. 9 of 2003, prohibits any local manufacturer, packer, distributor, or trader from selling, displaying, or offering for sale canned fish above the specified MRPs. more..