Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), stated that Muslim women should be allowed to access health services while wearing the hijab, but opposed the wearing of the niqab and burqa.
The Sri Lankan Report
The Department of Examinations announced that all tuition classes, seminars, and workshops related to the 2025 G.C.E. Advanced Level examination will be prohibited from midnight on November 4 until the end of the examination period. The department stated that conducting special lectures, seminars, or workshops for A/L candidates, printing or distributing model papers, and publishing any promotional materials — including posters, banners, leaflets, or content via electronic or print media — claiming to provide questions similar to those in the examination papers will be strictly banned during this period. It further warned that individuals or institutions violating this directive would…
Only 38. 7 per cent of Sri Lankan people believe that the current government will be effective in addressing corruption, a report of a survey has revealed.
As November rolls in, Sri Lankans brace for the season of flashing banners, urgent emails, and “up to 70% off.” But behind the checkout frenzy lies something far more human — the search for joy, optimism, and a good deal.
Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga is in the process of moving her belongings out of her official residence on Independence Avenue, Colombo. Following the recent parliamentary approval of the bill to revoke privileges granted to former presidents, they are now required to vacate their state-provided official residences. Kumaratunga, who had earlier been granted an extension until November 30 due to ill health, has now begun the process of vacating the premises. According to her media office, she is expected to completely move out of the residence within the next few days. The post CBK begins vacating Colombo residence, expected to…
A woman who falsely claimed to be the sister of a Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) and obstructed the duties of traffic police officers in Gampaha has been remanded until November 3 by the Gampaha Magistrate’s Court. The woman was arrested after a video circulated on social media showing her engaging in a heated argument with two traffic police officers in the Kotugoda–Udugampola area of the Gampaha Police Division. Police said the woman, who was driving a car, initially ignored orders from traffic officers to stop and instead drove away. She was later stopped at the Udugampola Junction,…
A cross-party delegation comprising Members of Parliament and political representatives commenced a two-day study visit to Jaffna, receiving a warm welcome at the Jaffna Cultural Centre on Friday evening. The visit, facilitated by the Coalition for Inclusive Impact (CII) at the request of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), seeks to foster cross-party dialogue and cooperation on reconciliation, land rights, accountability, and economic inclusion in Sri Lanka’s Northern region. Over the course of the visit, the delegation is engaging in political discussions, stakeholder dialogues, and site visits focused on inclusive governance and regional partnership. On Saturday, the delegation held formal…
A woman has been arrested in Gampaha on charges of failing to heed the orders of traffic Police, obstructing the duties of officers, and falsely claiming she was the sister of a Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG). According to the Police, video footage of the woman engaging in a verbal argument with two traffic Police officers is currently being circulated on social media. The video portrays the woman, claiming to be the sister of a high-ranking police officer of the Sri Lanka Police, obstructing Police duties by refusing to comply with a request from traffic police officers who…
ECONOMYNEXT – Revenue collected by Sri Lanka Customs jumped around 30 percent in October compared to the monthly target, while the total revenue has reached around 95 percent of the full year target, the government data showed. Sri Lanka Customs has set a revenue target of 2,115 billion rupees for this year, 36.2 percent higher than last year’s 1,553 million rupees. The monthly target for October this year was 205 billion rupees, but the government has achieved 266 billion rupees in the month through October 30, the official Customs data showed, The Customs has achieved 2,004 billion in revenue during…
Vatican Foreign Minister Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher is set to visit Sri Lanka from November 3 to 8, 2025, highlighting the Holy See’s continued commitment to strengthening relations and supporting post-conflict reconciliation.
Deputy Minister of Education Madura Seneviratne says the extension of the school time by 30 minutes will only reduce the after-school hours workload of teachers. He said that under the new education reforms, the module system will be introduced, where the workload of teachers will be restricted to school hours. “Previously, teachers faced a workload which was taken home after school hours. But under the module system, a majority of the work will be conducted during school hours. As such, the workload of teachers after school hours will reduce,” he said. Deputy Minister Madura Seneviratne further pointed out that after…
Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara said the President or the government cannot take political decisions on opposition MPS’ security.
In the wake of controversy surrounding the security of opposition MPS in Parliament, Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya has informed the Opposition MPS that the matter involving their security will be referred to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Public Security Minister for further action.
Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala has said that the current security situation is not serious enough to warrant routine protection for ministers, parliamentarians, or Pradeshiya Sabha chairpersons.
About 700 people have been killed during three days of election protests in Tanzania, the main opposition party has said. Protests erupted on election day on Wednesday over what demonstrators said was the stifling of the opposition after the exclusion of key candidates from the presidential ballot. John Kitoka, a spokesperson for the Chadema opposition party, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that hundreds of people had been killedsince then. “As we speak, the figure for deaths in Dar [es Salaam] is around 350 and for Mwanza it is 200-plus. Added to figures from other places around the country, the overall figure…
Six individuals have been taken into custody by the Sri Lanka Navy along with a multi-day fishing vessel suspected of transporting a stock of narcotics. The vessel was intercepted during a special naval operation conducted in the deep seas west of Sri Lanka. Reports state that the vessel is currently being brought ashore for further investigation. (Newswire) The post Navy nabs 06 individuals on vessel suspected of transporting narcotics appeared first on Newswire.
The Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI) headline inflation (year-on-year) accelerated further in October 2025, indicating continued convergence towards the inflation target. According to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, headline inflation (Y-o-Y) increased to 2.1% in October 2025 from 1.5% in September 2025, in line with the Central Bank’s near-term projections. Food inflation (Y-o-Y) accelerated further to 3.5% in October 2025 from 2.9% recorded in September 2025, while Non-Food inflation (Y-o-Y) rose to 1.4% in October 2025 from 0.7% recorded in September 2025. On a month-on-month basis, the CCPI increased marginally by 0.07% in October 2025, with the Food category…
A firearm and ammunition were recovered during maintenance work carried out on the roof of the library building at the University of Jaffna, located within the Kopay Police Division, on Friday (31). According to the Police, based on a complaint lodged with the Kopay Police Station, an investigation was initiated into a firearm and related equipment that were discovered. Upon inspection, authorities recovered one T56 assault rifle, two magazines, 175 rounds of T56 ammunition, three locally manufactured grenades, five expired saline bottles, and first aid equipment. These items were taken into police custody. The Kopay Police Station is conducting further…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s construction sector expanded in September, registering a value of 67.6 on a Purchasing Managers Index compiled by the central bank. This was “the strongest increase in activity observed since late 2021,” the central bank said. “Survey respondents reported that nearly all types of construction projects are now becoming available, with road rehabilitation projects in particular, driving a further increase in the New Orders index in September.” New Orders rose from 59.7 in August to 68.9 in September. The Employment sub index rose from 52.8 in August to 55.4 in September. The Quantity of Purchases sub index…
The Galle Literary Festival (GLF) will return from 22–25 January 2026, featuring an expanded programme of literature, performance, and cultural experiences, complemented by Gourmet Galle (26 Jan–1 Feb) and the Art Trail & Children’s Festival. Together, these events create a 10-day cultural platform unmatched in Sri Lanka, attracting high-value visitors, generating millions in impact, and shaping the country’s image globally. “By connecting culture with commerce, Galle Literary Festival proves that the arts can drive serious business outcomes. As Sri Lanka works to strengthen its positioning in global tourism, GLF stands as one of the country’s most effective examples of how…