Nov 13 (ST) One of the suspects accused in the rape and murder case of Sivaloganathan Vidya in Punuguduthivu, Jaffna in 2015, had plans to sell the video of the incident to a foreign underworld gang, the Supreme court was told this week. Additional Solicitor General Azad Nawawi told the 5-judge Supreme Court bench that the suspect, ninth in the case and known as Swiss Kumara, had plans to sell the video with images to the gang. ASG Nawawi, was responding to a statement made by more..

Nov 13 (FT) Key leaders ofSLPP and UNP met yesterday to discuss coordination and participation for the Opposition-led protest rally scheduled for 21 Nov in Nugegoda. The rally is aimed at holding the NPP-led Govt accountable and urging it to fulfill its election promises. The meeting, held at former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe’s party office in Flower Road, focused on the objectives of the rally, expected public participation, and the coordination among opposition parties. more..

Nov 13 (ST) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayaka has made a clear indication time and again that the govt needs to move out of the plantations due to the heavy losses incurred in running these and as a result authorities will be leasing out the properties of the state run plantations. An advertisement published by the Plantation Ministry dated Sept 7 has called for Expressions of Interest (EOI) from eligible more..

Nov 13 (CI) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has threatened players of the men's national team and support staff with a formal review if they leave the ongoing Pakistan tour over security concerns. Several Sri Lankan players and support staff had asked to return to Sri Lanka, following the suicide bombing in Islamabad - the city they are staying in - on Tuesday. Deliberations went late into the night on Wednesday regarding the future of the tour, with players, team management, SLC officials, and more..

Nov 13 (FT) The Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association (SLGJA) recently held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Amari Hotel Colombo, bringing together a full house of members representing every segment of the gem and jewellery industry. The Association’s membership reflects the wide diversity of Sri Lanka’s gem and jewellery value chain, from miners and lapidarists to cutters, exporters, designers, retailers, and global traders, united under one national platform. more..

Nov 13 (TM) A RTI response has revealed a significant shortage of medical specialists in Sri Lanka, with only 2,042 specialists serving in the country by May of this year, far below the approved cadre of 3,181. According to figures provided by the Tertiary Care Services Director at the Health Ministry, Dr. Priyantha Atapattu, 24 medical specialists had migrated between April of last year (2024) and April 2025. more..

Nov 13 (FT) Cabinet of Ministers has approved the implementation of four pilot pipeline irrigation projects across the North Western and Uva provinces, aiming to reduce water wastage, support small-scale farmers, and improve crop yields in Sri Lanka’s drought-prone dry zones. Sri Lanka’s small-scale cultivators in the dry zone have faced declining crop harvests due to prolonged droughts and the destruction of soil-based irrigation channels caused by increasingly intense rains. more..

Nov 13 (Island) Chasing down 300 these days is no longer rocket science. On the belters of the subcontinent, sides regularly mow down such totals with the ease of a Sunday stroll. SL looked well on track to do just that in Rawalpindi on Tuesday when the openers set the tone with a brisk 85-run stand. Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara were striking it sweetly, while Pakistan’s quicks lost their radar, spraying wides like confetti. Then came fatal rush of blood — Mishara went for one shot too many more..

Nov 13 (FT) Sustaining its upward momentum, Hatton National Bank PLC (HNB) said it has posted robust results in the first nine months of 2025, demonstrating marked improvement on all fronts. Group Profit After Tax (PAT) reached Rs. 34.7 billion, reflecting a 47% year-on-year (YoY) increase, while the bank’s PAT grew by 42% YoY to Rs. 31.5 billion. HNB Chairman Nihal Jayawardena said: “The period under review has been one of steady progress for both HNB and the broader SL economy. more..

Nov 13 (FT) Commercial Bank of Ceylon group has reported a net profit of Rs. 16.86 billion in the third quarter of 2025, up 33.4% from a year ago. The group reported a gross income of Rs. 268.49 billion and net interest income of Rs. 103.48 billion at the end of 3Q 2025, with strong year-on-year (YoY) growth of 34.60% in the loan book and curtailed interest expenses, contributing to an impressive nine-month performance. Comprising of SL’s largest private sector bank, its subsidiaries, and more..

Nov 13 (FT) Sri Lanka risks missing a historic opportunity to lead in sustainable tourism due to fragmented leadership, weak governance, and a lack of coherent national strategy, experts warned at the 39th Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce & Industry (CACCI) Annual Conference in Colombo. The plenary session, Tourism as a Catalyst for Economic Growth in the Asia-Pacific Region, brought together more..

Nov 13 (Island) Tea Research Institute (TRI) of SL is celebrating its centenary this year. Hence, this is an appropriate time to review the contribution that the TRI has made to the sustenance of the SL tea industry and assess its current and future challenges. The tea industry of SL started in 1867 with the first commercial tea plantation by James Taylor at Loolecondera Estate. The TRI was started in 1925 as a result of the vision and the initiative of Robert Gordon Coombe, more..

Nov 13 (DM) For five decades, apparel has been the backbone of Sri Lanka’s export story. It built factories, created jobs, and brought in precious foreign exchange. Yet the same sector that once powered SL’s rise now limits its future. In the 1980s and 1990s, apparel was SL’s miracle sector, driving double-digit export growth. Apparel exports rose from around USD 600 million in 1990 to USD 3 billion by 2000, making up 52% of the country’s total exports at the time. more..

Nov 13 (Island) Former Minister Prasanna Ranatunga was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, yesterday, for having caused a loss of Rs. 4.7 million to the state-owned SL Insurance Corporation, while he was serving as the Minister of Tourism and Aviation. He was granted bail. All those who have abused power, helped themselves to state funds and cut corrupt deals at the expense of the public must be made to face the full force of the law. more..

Nov 13 (TM) Highlighting yet another example of the darker side of the digital era, it was recently reported that a man faced legal action for earning money through the unethical use of Facebook pages. These pages had been created and promoted using unauthorised photographs of women and then sold for profit. This incident is just one symptom of a broader and growing problem in Sri Lanka’s digital landscape, where there is an urgent need for strong awareness campaigns and more..

Nov 13 (TM) Deputy Minister T.B. Sarath says that Sri Lanka expects to resolve at least 95% of the country’s remaining sanitation issue by the end of next year, citing a combination of new housing allocations and rural sanitation development programmes under the Clean Sri Lanka project. “Our ministry’s ongoing housing initiative directly targets the most vulnerable households identified in the new census,” he said. more..

Nov 13 (ST) Some said he will. Some said he will not. Still others stood in numbed silence waiting for what they believed would be post-budget shell shock. By the time this column appears, days after Finance Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake, also the president of Sri Lanka among other portfolios, which has now become a habit of incoming heads of state, all his intentions, but not some carefully hidden ones, would have been released to the public and the world. more..

Nov 13 (CT) After economic collapse, political turbulence and social hardship, SL stands at a turning point. The country’s recovery will depend not only on economic reforms or political will, but on the ability of its people and leaders to work together toward a fairer, more resilient future. Unlike past presidents, Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) has drastically reduced state perks, residence costs, security staff, police escorts, and vehicle fleets for politicians—including himself. more..

Nov 13 (SO) “I was told that if I had some contacts within the Police, they can expedite my case,” says Amila Kumara, who was told by an officer at the Cybercrimes Division, after Amila fell victim to an online job scam last June. Amila followed up on a post that he came across offering an attractive remuneration for a remote job in early June this year. He was to access a paid database, through a limited-access private digital portal, where more..

Nov 13 (CT) In a Budget that promised compassion and inclusivity, it is ironic that the very hands that heal the nation have been overlooked. The 2026 Budget, while generous in allocations for animal welfare, including an unprecedented focus on the care of dogs, has failed to extend the same empathy to SL’s doctors and health professionals — the backbone of its public healthcare system. Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) was right to voice its disappointment. more..

Nov 13 (DM) Colombo Mayor Vraie Balthazaar recently attended a walk for visually impaired persons to raise awareness on daily challenges that they encounter when walking about in the city. In order to personally experience their struggles, Mayor Balthazaar walked through parts of Colombo while blindfolded, accompanied by Sugath Wasantha de Silva, Sri Lanka’s first-ever vision-impaired MP. It is a wise move to get into their shoes and experience the challenges that they face. more..

Nov 12 (NF) SL police have uncovered a staggering 345 kg of crystal methamphetamine (Ice) during a pre-dawn raid in Kirinda, marking one of the largest narcotics seizures in recent history. Seven suspects were arrested in connection with the operation, including the alleged mastermind who reportedly orchestrated the smuggling via sea routes. Police sources revealed that the consignment is believed to belong to a notorious drug trafficker known as Ran Malli, currently residing in Dubai. more..

Nov 12 (DM) Agriculture Minister K.D. Lalkantha, commenting on the crisis faced by potato and onion growers, said the government will ensure maximum support prices for them next time, but admitted that such a move would inevitably lead to retail price hikes, leaving consumers in the lurch. Speaking in Parliament, Lalkantha said the govt will offer a support price of Rs.150 per kilo for onions, which would mean consumers have to pay at least Rs. 200 a kilo in the market. more..

Nov 12 (NF) Sri Lanka is preparing for a high-profile diplomatic visit as Thailand’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Suchart Chomklin, arrives in Colombo on November 28. The visit comes amid growing concern in Thailand over the welfare of two elephants—Plai Pratu Pha and Plai Srinarong—gifted to SL years ago and currently housed at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy and Kelaniya more..

Nov 12 (DM) Sri Lanka today launched a pilot project to deliver national birth certificates directly to citizens through the SL Postal Courier Service, Dept of Registrar General announced. The initiative was inaugurated at the Gampaha District Secretariat under the patronage of Minister Chandana Abeyratne. It represents a collaborative effort between the Registrar General’s Dept and the Postal Dept to enhance the secure and efficient delivery of official documents. more..

Nov 12 (EN) Sri Lanka’s first Automobile Industry Awards 2025 will recognize excellence and innovation, Chartered Automobile Engineer Ravith Silva said announcing the event to be held in February, 2026 at Temple Trees. “We often operate in our own silos, manufacturers, service providers, trainers, regulators and countless others, each doing remarkable work,” Silva said, adding that the awards aim to create a culture of recognition, setting both local and global benchmarks. more..

Nov 12 (AD) Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB) has decided to cut down and destroy about 5,000 coconut trees in the Matara District, due to the rapid spread of the coconut root (wilt) disease. The disease known as Weligama Wint has been identified as caused by an invasive insect species locally known as Renda Makuna. Currently, a total of 6,250 coconut trees within the Matara District alone have already been affected by more..

Nov 12 (DM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has emphasized the need to expedite the SL Unique Digital Identity (SLUDI) project and strengthen the nation’s overall digital economy framework to accelerate the country’s transformation into a modern, tech-driven economy. Speaking at the progress review meeting of the Ministry of Digital Economy for the year 2025, held yesterday at the Ministry premises, Prez said, “Building a strong foundation for digital governance and more..

Nov 12 (EN) Sri Lanka's central bank has bought only US$ 45.5 million from forex markets in Oct 2025, as private credit surged, amid excess liquidity and lower interest rates, driving imports. The Central Bank has bought US$ 1,461 million up to Oct 2025, compared to US$ 2,061 million, last year. Analysts had warned that due to insufficient deflationary policy, the central bank will not be able to retain the dollars that it bought, keeping excess liquidity high and driving up private credit. more..

Nov 12 (GT) Qatar Charity (QC) has constructed nearly 418 wells over the past 20 months in Sri Lanka, providing clean and safe drinking water to more than 28,100 people in underserved communities where public water networks are unavailable.The initiative aims to ease the daily struggle of thousands of families who previously had to walk long distances to fetch water - a challenge that posed health risks and physical and financial strain, particularly for children. more..

Nov 12 (AD) Court of Appeal extended until Jan 29 the interim injunction issued preventing the arrest of former SL Army intelligence officer, Colonel K.S. Maddumage, without consulting the Attorney General, in connection with the investigations into the Easter Sunday terror attacks. The Court of Appeal today issued this order after reconsidering the writ petition filed by the former army intelligence officer in question. The petition was taken up before a bench of judges more..