Indonesia has named former president Suharto a national hero, even as his controversial legacy as a dictator has sparked heated protests against the move.
The Sri Lankan Report
The Sri Lanka Navy and Coast Guard seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended 14 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters off the Analativu Island, Jaffna, last night. The Northern Naval Command spotted a group of Indian fishing boats engaging in illegal fishing, trespassing into Sri Lankan waters. In response, the Northern Naval Command and Sri Lanka Coast Guard deployed their craft to drive away those Indian fishing boats from island waters. However, a compliant boarding made by naval personnel resulted in the seizure of the Indian fishing boat and apprehension of 14 Indian fishermen who…
Air quality in several areas across Sri Lanka has deteriorated to unhealthy levels, according to real-time data from the Air Quality Index (AQI).
A 19-year-old student who was sitting for the Advanced Level examination in Biology this year died suddenly at her home in Dambulla.
A 16-year-old child has been reported dead in a bus accident near the Jaya Ganga area in Thalawa, Thambuththegama, early this morning. According to the Police, 39 others were injured after the passenger bus had toppled. The injured persons are receiving treatment at the Thalawa and Anuradhapura Hospitals. Earlier, media reports claimed that five people had died following the accident, but the Police have clarified that only one person was killed in the incident. (Newswire) The post One person killed & 39 others injured in Thalawa bus accident appeared first on Newswire.
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s rupee closed stronger at 304.15/20 to the US dollar in the spot market Monday from 304.80/90 the previous day, dealers said, while bond yields closed down. A bond maturing on 15.12.2026 closed flat at 8.05/10 percent. A bond maturing on 15.06.2029 closed at 9.30/35 percent. A bond maturing on 15.09.2029 closed at 9.35/40 percent, down from 9.40/45 percent. A bond maturing on 15.12.2032 closed at 10.25/32 percent, down from 10.35/40 percent. A bond maturing on 15.03.2031 closed at 10.75/85 percent. A bond maturing on 01.11.2033 closed at 10.42/48 percent, down from 10.50/55 percent. (Colombo/Nov10/2025)
The Ampara High Court today (10) sentenced six individuals to death in connection with a double homicide that occurred on April 14, 2015. According to court proceedings, the accused had been consuming alcohol inside a lorry in the Kadupahara village of Kehelulla when two local residents objected to their behaviour. In response, the group assaulted the villagers and ran them over with the vehicle, killing them. Following a lengthy trial, the court found all six accused guilty and imposed the death penalty for their role in the killings. (Newswire) The post 06 individuals sentenced to death over 2015 double murder…
The Parliament will meet for 17 days for the committee stage debate on the government’s budget for the year 2026. According to a Parliament statement, the Parliament will convene in November and December. The schedule is as follows; The post Budget 2026 : Committee Stage schedule announced appeared first on Newswire.
Seen here Industries and Entrepreneurship Development Minister Sunil Handunneththi (centre) along with Macktiles Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. Managing Director Mizver Makeen (right) and Macksons Holdings Chairman Milfer Makeen (extreme left) at the unveiling ceremony. In a landmark move for Sri Lanka’s renewable energy sector, Macksons Solar, in collaboration with Macktiles, unveiled the country’s largest rooftop solar project at the Macktiles Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. factory complex in Bandaragama. This 10 megawatt (MW) installation comprises over 18,000 high efficiency solar panels, advanced inverter systems and state-of-the-art monitoring technology. Together, they are expected to generate approximately 12 GWh of clean energy annually, while reducing…
Prime Minister and Minister of Education Harini Amarasuriya says discussions are underway to introduce an age-appropriate sex education programme in schools with the aim of protecting children from sexual abuse.
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka stocks closed up 0.7 percent on Monday, led by investor interest in financial and related shares, brokers said. “Banks had a sizeable run which contributed to the index,” Dimantha Mathew, Chief Research and Strategy Officer at First Capital Holdings PLC, said. The broader ASPI rose 164.34 points to end at 23,502.59; while the more liquid S&P SL20 moved 1.86 percent, or 118.57 points to close up at 6,500.04. Top contributors to the ASPI were HNB (up 18.25rupees at 423.00), Sampath Bank (up 5.75 rupees at 156.00), Commercial Bank (up 3.50 rupees at 215.75), NDB (up 4.75…
Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne in Parliament today warned Opposition MP Sujeewa Senasinghe that he will be compelled to remove him from the chambers.
Sri Lanka’s enduring commitment to safeguarding the rights and well-being of its migrant workforce is underscored by a comprehensive system of protections, including mandatory insurance, contributory pensions, grievance redress mechanisms, and reintegration support, according to Deputy Labour Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe. Addressing the Second World Summit for Social Development held in Doha, Qatar, last week, Deputy Minister Jayasinghe outlined some of the policy and institutional initiatives taken by Sri Lanka to strengthen the governance of migration and enhance protection for workers abroad. Referring to the National Policy on Migration for Employment and its Action Plan (2023–2027), Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of…
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya has emphasized that the government remains committed to improving the quality of life for the plantation community, stating that in the 2026 Sri Lankan budget, a proposal was made to increase the daily wage for plantation workers from Rs. 1,350 to Rs. 1,750. PM Amarasuriya said that this includes an increase in the base daily wage to Rs. 1,550, along with a government-proposed daily attendance incentive of Rs. 200, scheduled to take effect from January 2026. “This marks the beginning of our efforts to ensure fair compensation and improved living standards for those who sustain the…
New appointments to the management board of the National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses were made today, under the patronage of Minister of Justice and National Integration Harsha Nanayakkara at the parliamentary premises. Retired Court of Appeal Judge W.A. Kaluarachchi was appointed as the new chairman of the board. Other members appointed include J.K. Mahalpath, Dr. U.A.K. Tennakoon, S. Sellathamby, and Dr. N. Fernando. The appointments aim to strengthen the authority’s efforts in ensuring justice and protection for victims and witnesses involved in criminal proceedings. (Newswire) The post Victim and Witness Protection Authority appoints new…
The Welfare Benefits Board has called on current beneficiaries and applicants of the first phase of the Aswesuma welfare programme from the 2022–2023 period to verify or update their personal information before Dec. 10, 2025. This requirement applies to both individuals currently receiving benefits and those awaiting review. However, those who submitted applications in 2024 are not required to complete this verification process. According to the board, there are three ways to complete the update: Online via eservices.wbb.gov.lk In-person at the nearest Divisional Secretariat, where assistance will be provided upon submission of a National Identity Card number and household (HH)…
Around 30 000 trade outlets such as grocery stores, textile shops and wayside hotels will be liable for VAT payments, and it will result in the rise cost of living as the burden will be transferred to consumers at the end, former Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said .
After 40 days, a group of Democrats decided to buck their party’s wishes on Sunday and vote in line with Republicans to move toward ending the government shutdown. The development came after Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., convened a rare weekend meeting to break what days ago became the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
The government is to convene a meeting of all political parties and relevant civil society organizations to find ways and means to hold provincial elections which are locked in an impasse due to a legal snag since 2017.
The United Nations Refugee Agency is working closely with the Colombo Mission to resume the voluntary repatriation of Sri Lankan refugees, Areti Sienni, UNHCR Chief of Mission in India, said in an exclusive interview with NDTV today after the arrest of four returnees on arrival in Sri Lanka. The repatriation process had earliert been suspended.