The former Chairman of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), Mohamed Hilmy, who was arrested by the Bribery Commission on charges of financial misappropriation, has been remanded. The former SLBFE Chairman was remanded until December 09 after being produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court today. According to the Bribery Commission, he is accused of having unfairly presented a bid to an institution named JSF Holding in the process of selecting an institution to provide training for officers of the SLBFE, during his tenure as Chairman in 2024. This facilitated the improper payment of Government funds amounting to over…
The Sri Lankan Report
The Flight Attendants’ Union of Sri Lanka has refuted media reports claiming that a woman involved in a child custody case with a prominent Sri Lankan cricketer was an air hostess. Issuing a statement, the Union said the woman in question was not an air hostess employed by any airline. The Union further called the wrongful identification misleading and baseless, pointing out that it unfairly discredits its members and tarnishes the reputation of the profession. (Newswire) The post Cricketer child custody case : Statement from SL Flight Attendants’ Union appeared first on Newswire.
Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Sunil Kumara Gamage, engaged in an inspection of a swimming pool being constructed, replacing the diving pool at the Jaffna Central College. According to the Sports Ministry, the new swimming pool replaces the diving pool, which was built in 2012 and has been closed for nearly 12 years. Member of Parliament K. Ilankumaran and the Director General of the Department of Sports Development V. Premachandiran participated in the inspection tour. (Newswire) The post Sports Ministry to replace old diving pool at Jaffna Central College appeared first on Newswire.
All four suspects in the case concerning the removal of the Archaeological Department signboards in Valachchenai have been granted bail by the Valachchenai Magistrate’s Court today. Three suspects, including the Chairman of the Valchchenai Pradeshiya Sabha, surrendered to the court today over the incident. The court ordered the suspects to reinstall the signboards with the approval of the Valachchenai Pradeshiya Sabha. The Valachchenai Pradeshiya Sabha had removed the boards, claiming that they had been installed without the council’s approval. (Newswire) The post Valachchenai signboard row : Suspects granted bail appeared first on Newswire.
ECONOMYNEXT – After two days of profit taking, Sri Lanka’s Colombo Stock Exchange rebounded 0.77 percent on Tuesday, data on its site showed. The broader All Share Price Index (ASPI) rose 175.03 points to close at 22,819.91. The index gradually rose since the opening bell despite some volatility in the market. Meanwhile, the more liquid S&P SL20 index closed 0.30 percent, or 19.04 points higher, at 6,298.75. Investor interest was seen in the food, beverage and tobacco sector and other selected shares in the market. Top contributors to the ASPI were Ceylinco Holdings (up 119.00 rupees at 3,150.25), NDB (up…
A productive meeting has been held on the preparations for the Sri Lanka Expo 2026, which returns after 13 years. The meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, co-chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister Arun Hemachandra, together with Deputy Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship, Chathuranga Abeysinghe. The meeting brought together the Secretary to the Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneurship, Thilaka Jayasundara, EDB Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe, Senior Director General (Economic Affairs) Dharshana, Directors and Assistant Directors of both Ministries. Heads of Mission and Commercial Diplomats participated virtually, reflecting strong cross-government engagement. Sri Lanka Expo 2026 aims to support the country’s…
The Sri Lanka–United States Defence Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which had earlier drawn criticism for not being made public, has now been officially released, detailing the scope and objectives of the agreement signed between the two countries. The landmark MOU, signed on November 14, strengthens defence cooperation under the State Partnership Program (SPP) between Sri Lanka’s Armed Forces and the Montana National Guard, along with the U.S. Coast Guard District 13. The agreement was signed at the Ministry of Defence by US Ambassador Julie Chung and Brigadier General Trenton Gibson on behalf of the United States, while Sri Lanka was…
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 26 NOVEMBER 2025 Issued at 2.00 p.m. on 25 NOVEMBER 2025 The low-level atmospheric disturbance over the southwest Bay of Bengal and Sri Lanka has intensified into a low-pressure area by today morning (November 25). It is likely to intensify further during the next 24 hours. Due to the influence of this system, the rainy and windy conditions in the island are expected to enhance for the next few days. The general public is kindly requested to be attentive about future advisories issued by the Department of Meteorology in this regard. Cloudy skies can be expected over…
ECONOMYNEXT – The Cabinet has approved a proposal for Sri Lanka to sign an agreement with Italy to mutually recognize driving licenses, minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. “Sri Lankans who have lived in Italy for less than 6 years and who held a valid Sri Lankan driving license before getting Italian citizenship can get an Italian driving license by converting their driving licenses,” Jayatissa told reporters. “Italian nationals residing in Sri Lanka will be able to have their Italian driving licenses enforced as Sri Lankan driving licenses.” A previous such agreement expired in 2021, he said. The two countries approved to…
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the award of a contract to widen and improve a key section of William Gopallawa Mawatha in Kandy, which falls under the purview of the Road Development Authority. The section from kilometre 2+900 to kilometre 3+736 has been identified as a vital road corridor that facilitates daily commuter movement and plays a significant role in urban mobility. Authorities say the upgrade is essential to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion and meet the growing transport demands of the area. Tenders were called under the national competitive procurement procedure to expand and upgrade the road to…
Fort Police have recovered a T-56 rifle, two magazines and eight foreign passports from a house in the Maradamunai 03, Mawlana area of the Kalmunai Divisional Secretariat, following a tip-off received on November 22, 2025. Police said the discovery was made after information regarding the firearm was revealed through a written complaint addressed to the Director General of Presidential Public Relations. Acting on this intelligence, the Officer-in-Charge of the Fort Police Station, along with a team of officers, visited the location and recovered the weapon and related items. The eight passports are reported to belong to five individuals. Fort Police…
In a dynamic show of partnership between sport and style, Vantage, the flagship brand of Ebony Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, has joined hands with Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club (CR & FC) as the Main Sponsor for the 2025/26 rugby season. The official jersey launch, held at the CR & FC Grounds in Colombo 07, celebrated a renewed commitment to strengthening Sri Lanka’s rugby culture through the enduring values of courage, unity, and teamwork. Furthermore, Vantage unveiled 250 limited-edition premium shirts exclusively for CR & FC members, showcasing the brand’s craftsmanship and the club’s prestige. Proceeds from the initiative support CR…
The Sri Lankan Rupee has appreciated further against the US Dollar today (25), compared to Monday. According to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the buying rate of the US Dollar has reduced from Rs. 304.10 to Rs. 304.06. Meanwhile, the selling rate of the Sri Lankan Rupee has also reduced from Rs. 311.64 to Rs. 311.58. However, the Sri Lankan Rupee has depreciated against a basket of foreign currencies, while it has appreciated against the Gulf currencies. (Newswire) The post Today’s CBSL official exchange rates appeared first on Newswire.
ECONOMYNEXT – A contract worth 696.75 million rupees (without VAT), to widen and upgrade a section of the William Gopallawa Mawatha in Kandy, Sri Lanka, to a 4-lane standard road has been awarded to Maga Engineering (Pvt) Ltd, minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. “The section of William Gopallawa Mawatha in Kandy, which falls under the purview of the Road Development Authority, from km 2+900 to km 3+736, is a vital road corridor that facilitates daily access for commuters,” Jayatissa told reporters. “Its improvement is essential to enhance urban traffic, reduce traffic congestion, and help meet the growing transport needs of the…
A range of essential services of the Registrar General’s Department were provided to the public under the “Happy Nation – Clean Sri Lanka” special village-to-village community service programme, currently being implemented across district secretariat divisions. The special mobile service initiative, carried out under the guidance of Registrar General S. Jaladeepan, is being coordinated through district secretariats as part of the government’s Clean Sri Lanka programme to improve public access to civil registration services. As part of the programme, a special mobile service was held at the Ottusudan Divisional Secretariat in the Jaffna District, where 73 birth and death certificates were…
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved proposed amendments to the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act No. 11 of 2021, aimed at enhancing tax incentives, strengthening regulatory supervision and restructuring institutional mechanisms. The decision follows Cabinet approval granted at meetings held on 7 July 2025 and 13 October 2025 to proceed with changes designed to further encourage investment while improving oversight and governance within the Colombo Port City framework. Accordingly, the draft Bill prepared by the Legal Draftsman has received clearance from the Attorney General. The Cabinet has now approved a resolution submitted by the President, in his capacity as…
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya today refuted allegations that the government had claimed it would provide 06% to the Education Sector in its first year. Addressing the Parliament, PM Amarasuriya said that no such promise was made, as it was evident that new policies needed to be implemented to strengthen education institutions. “We never said we would give 06% in the first year. There are some fellow members here who have been with us since 2012, calling for education changes; Even then, we never said that 6% should be given at once,” she said. Prime Minister Amarasuriya pointed out that providing…
Former World Cup-winning Sri Lankan Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga says players need brains to play the sport of cricket. Speaking during an event, Ranatunga also stated that players must feel ashamed when they lose matches. “Discipline and commitment are essential to play cricket. Do your best to learn the techniques of cricket. A player with good technique can play T20, ODI, and Test cricket. Focus on building your technique,” he said. Commenting on the current state of cricket, Ranatunga said the current cricketers are talented, but fail in discipline and commitment. “They do not have commitment or discipline. They also need…
Opposition MP Chamara Sampath has made a serious allegation regarding this year’s G.C.E. Advanced Level Economics examination, claiming that the question papers had been leaked through a well-known tuition class in Nugegoda. Speaking in Parliament, the MP alleged that the examination paper had originated from the well-known tuition class, stating that a significant number of questions in the actual A/L Economics paper matched questions from mock papers previously distributed by the institute. According to his claim, 27 out of 50 questions in Paper I had similarities to the first model paper issued by the tuition class, while 5 out of…
Sri Lanka has officially suspended the issuance of new licences for the operation of terrestrial analogue television channels, following Cabinet approval of a joint proposal presented by the Minister of Mass Media and the President, in his capacity as Minister of Digital Economy. At present, 24 television channels, including five state-owned broadcasters, are operating under licences issued to 16 institutions using the existing analogue terrestrial system. Authorities note that the frequency spectrum has already reached its maximum capacity, making further licensing impractical. In response, the Ministry of Mass Media has launched the Digital Non-Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Project, aimed at introducing…