Newspaper
The Island
Dialog and MEPA Unveil Sri Lanka’s First 5G-Enabled Autonomous Water-Surface Cleaning Robot
Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s #1 connectivity provider, in partnership with the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA), under the Ministry of Environment, has unveiled Sri Lanka’s first 5G-enabled autonomous water-surface cleaning robot.
2 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
The ‘Art’ of Diplomacy
On 8th November 2025, I visited the residence of the Swiss ambassador for the opening of the ‘Art Collection of the Swiss Residence in Colombo’ featuring the works of eleven contemporary Sri Lankan artists and an elegant reproduction of the well-known 1951 Goerge Keyt painting, ‘Kangodi Ragini’.
4 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
DFCC Bank to acquire Standard Chartered Bank’s Wealth and Retail Banking Business in Sri Lanka
DFCC Bank PLC (“DFCC Bank”) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding Business Sale Agreement with Standard Chartered Bank, United Kingdom, acting through its branch in Sri Lanka (“SCB Sri Lanka”), to acquire the wealth and retail banking business of SCB Sri Lanka.
1 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
Abbott ruled out of Ashes opener, Hazlewood cleared
Australia were dealt fresh injury concerns in the lead-up to the Ashes, with fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott failing to take the field after Lunch on Day 3 of the Sheffield Shield clash between New South Wales and Victoria at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
1 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
Navy thwarts smuggling bids
During two separate operations in the Negombo Lagoon and the Karukapane Lagoon, in Chilaw, on 09 and 10 November, the Navy seized about 742 kg of Kendu leaves, along with three dinghies.
1 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
US infant formula recall expanded amid widening infant botulism outbreak
The recall of By-Heart Whole Nutrition infant formula in the United States has been expanded to include all products, as infant botulism cases continued to rise across multiple states, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
1 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
Sandaruwan, Menula shine for Isipatana
Under 19 Cricket
1 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
Reversing pre-diabetes with lifestyle changes
Diabetes has become a familiar word in nearly every household. With changing diets, sedentary lifestyles, and rising stress levels, more people are being diagnosed every year; many others find themselves teetering on the edge of it. Being pre-diabetic means your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
3 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
JF Packaging IPO oversubscribed six times
Generating active and broad-based interest from investors, the Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Ordinary Voting Shares of JF Packaging Limited was heavily oversubscribed within hours of its opening at 9.30am on 30th October 2025. Accordingly, the offer was closed at 4.30 PM on the same day.
1 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
Welcome bid to revive interest in Southern development issues
From the global South's viewpoint the time could not be more appropriate to re-explore the possibility of forging ahead with realizing its long neglected collective development aims. It would seem that over the past three decades or more the developing world itself has allowed its outstanding issues to be thrust onto the backburner, so to speak, of the global development agenda.
4 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
Cowardly attacks will not weaken resolve to deal with menace of terrorism, says Dar
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ishag Dar on Wednesday said that cowardly acts of terrorism would never weaken Pakistan’s resolve to deal with this menace.
1 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
Losing Oxygen
Loss of free atmospheric Oxygen: We are taking out more than ecosystem can put back
5 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
Dutch Trails Honored at Presidential Environment Awards 2025 for exceptional commitment to sustainability
Dutch Trails, a homegrown travel company redefining eco-conscious tourism in Sri Lanka, has been recognized at the Presidential Environment Awards 2025, presented by the Ministry of Environment and the Central Environmental Authority (CEA).
1 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
An opportunity missed for Sri Lanka
Chasing down 300 these days is no longer rocket science.
2 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
Bus veers off road, killing A/L student in Thalawa
The driver of the speeding private bus that ran off the road at Thalawa Jayagaha on Monday (10) killing a GCE A/L student has been remanded until 18 November.
1 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
Archaic rules affecting bank customers
At present, there is a rule in state-owned commercial banks that prevents individuals from opening accounts if they reside in an area different from the address stated on their National Identity Card (NIC).
1 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
Alcaraz battles back to beat Fritz in thriller
Carlos Alcaraz came through a thriller against Taylor Fritz to move within one win of the year-end world number one ranking and Lorenzo Musetti captivated the crowd at the ATP Finals in Turin.
1 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
Many promises made in previous budget remain unfulfilled, says SJB
Heated exchanges erupted in Parliament yesterday as Kalutara District SJB MP Ajith P. Perera accused the government of having failed fulfil its promises made in the previous Budget.
1 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
Two-tier WTC model scuppered; ODI Super League revival on the cards
The next World Test Championship (WTC) cycle is likely to feature all 12 Full Members in one division after plans to split nations into two tiers failed to gain widespread support, while a resurrection for the short-lived ODI Super League is also on the cards.
3 min |
November 13, 2025
The Island
Poland, SL hold preparatory talks on transfer of sentenced persons
A Polish delegation recently discussed logistical matters related to the forthcoming bilateral negotiations on the Agreement on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons between Sri Lanka and Poland, scheduled to take place in Colombo next month, Foreign Ministry sources said.
1 min |
November 12, 2025
The Island
Doval's questionable regional stock taking
Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit [ont recently declared ‘poor governance’ led to uprisings that resulted in change of governments in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka over the past three-and-a-half years.
10+ min |
November 12, 2025
The Island
Wednesday 12th November, 2025 Lies and hypocrisy
The budget season is now on. But during the socalled annual budget debates, the budget members of both sides of the Houses devoting most of their time to raising unrelated issues and trading barbs. This shows that partisan politics, which takes precedence over economics, is the bane of this country.
2 min |
November 12, 2025
The Island
SLABA welcomes 2026 budget
The Sri Lanka Apparel Brands Association (SLABA), representing all leading Sri Lankan apparel and fashion brands, has enthusiastically welcomed the Budget, which addressed the majority of the industry’s key requests to strengthen the domestic apparel ecosystem.
1 min |
November 12, 2025
The Island
Opposition complains of govt. inaction over controversial release of 323 containers
Chief Opposition Whip and Galle District SJB MP Gayantha Karunathilaka yesterday (11) accused the government of inaction over the Opposition’s demand for the appointment of a special parliamentary committee to probe the questionable release of 323 containers from the Colombo Port without Customs inspection.
1 min |
November 12, 2025
The Island
David Szalay wins 2025 Booker Prize for Flesh
Hungarian-British author David Szalay has been announced as the winner of the 2025 Booker Prize for his novel Flesh.
1 min |
November 12, 2025
The Island
UNP votes with NPP at Arachchikattuwa PS
Amidst ongoing talks between the SJB and the UNP to reach consensus on a common strategy, the latter yesterday (11) voted with the ruling NPP in the Arachchikattuwa Pradeshiya Sabha, in Puttalam, to help the ruling party secure that local body.
1 min |
November 12, 2025
The Island
Opposition Leader condemns govt. move to procure 1,775 double cabs as a shady deal
...demands that benefits be directed to halt brain drain
2 min |
November 12, 2025
The Island
Revenue Mirage: Why Budget 2026 celebrates wrong numbers
There's a fundamental challenge in democratic governance: opposition parties can critique freely, but governing requires navigating complex trade-offs. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's 2026 budget offers a compelling case study in this transition, revealing significant gaps between campaign rhetoric and the constraints of fiscal management.
6 min |
November 12, 2025
The Island
Modi vows all those responsible will be brought to justice; death toll climbs to 13
The occupant of the car in which an explosion was reported on the evening of 10 November, 2025, was likely Dr. Umar, a resident of Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, Government sources told The Hindu.
1 min |
November 12, 2025
The Island
38th anniversary issue of Vidusara out today
The special anniversary issue of the Vidusara Science magazine, published by Upali Newspapers Ltd., which was first launched in 1987, will be available from today (12 November).
1 min |