Mar 10 (TM) SL has enough essential food stocks to last at least one and a half months despite mounting concerns over the escalating Middle East conflict, Deputy Minister R.M. Jayawardhana said. Rice, wheat flour, sugar and dhal are currently available in imported stocks already in the country, while onions, lentils, canned fish and spices sourced largely from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Canada & Australia continue to more..

Mar 10 (NW) Electricity Distribution Lanka (Pvt) Ltd (EDL) has assumed responsibility for electricity distribution functions previously carried out by the CEB, under the power sector reforms introduced through the Electricity Act No. 36 of 2024. In a public notice issued to customers and stakeholders, EDL said the transition forms part of broader reforms aimed at restructuring the country’s electricity sector. According to the notice, EDL has been empowered to implement operational reforms and more..

Mar 10 (EN) As of March 9, 2026, the global energy landscape has been jolted by a sudden and sharp spike in oil prices. With Brent crude surging past $110 a barrel following intensified geopolitical friction in West Asia and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, ripples are being felt across the Indian Ocean. For SL, a nation that has spent the last four years painstakingly climbing out of its worst economic collapse, this external shock is a critical test of its newfound, yet fragile, stability. more..

Mar 10 (FT) Transparency International SL (TISL) yesterday said it has sought information from several public authorities regarding the procurement of coal for the Norochcholai Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant. The requests were submitted to key institutions involved in the procurement, oversight, and handling of coal shipments, including Lanka Coal Company (LCC), Energy Ministry, more..

Mar 10 (DM) Following the closure of Middle Eastern airspace, SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier, has adopted an alternative route through Afghanistan and Azerbaijan for its European destinations, an official said. The airspace in the Middle East mostly remain closed due to the widening conflict that started with the US-Israeli attack on Iran. Iran has fired at US bases in the region, leading to the disruption of flight operations to and through the region. more..

Mar 10 (AD) Civil Aviation Authority of SL (CAASL) has rejected claims circulating on social media regarding the SriLankan Airlines flight UL 1213 that departed from Colombo to Rome. The authority said that the information being shared online is false and without factual basis. According to the statement, flight UL 1213 departed for Rome today with the objective of enabling passengers who had planned and booked travel to Europe and beyond via the Middle East to travel directly to Rome. more..

Mar 10 (DM) Ceylon Planters’ Provident Society (CPPS), one of the first private provident funds established in Sri Lanka, marks its centenary on 10 March 2026 – a hundred years since the Society was officially inaugurated in Kandy to provide members of the planting profession with a secure retirement. What began as a voluntary retirement savings scheme with 331 members in its first year has grown into a robust, legally mandated provident fund serving over 1,700 members today. more..

Mar 10 (DN) Head of the CEB Transformation Task Force, Pubudu Niroshan Hedigalla said today that a total of 2,153 employees of the CEB have applied for the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS). He told reporters that no employees will lose their jobs after the dissolution of the CEB and that all the employees will be entitled to the facilities and perks enjoyed by them under the CEB. "Only the name of the institution they used to work at will be changed," he said. more..

Mar 10 (AD) The Ceypetco has announced a significant revision of fuel prices effective from midnight today (9) in the wake of rising global fuel prices owing to the Middle East conflict. Accordingly, the price of Auto Diesel has been increased by Rs. 22 to Rs. 303 per litre while Super Diesel has been hiked by Rs. 24 to Rs. 353 per litre. Petrol 92 Octane has been increased by Rs. 24 and Petrol 95 Octane by Rs. 25 more..

Mar 10 (ST) Today will be the final day to witness the special air show and exhibition at the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Base Ratmalana held in celebration of its 75th anniversary. Offering the public a rare opportunity to witness aerial displays and learn about the country’s aviation capabilities, the programme includes a special aerial display by SLAF aircraft, an exhibition area featuring a series of educational and technological display booths and more. On Friday Prez Anura Kumara more..

Mar 10 (ST) Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation General Ltd (SLICGL) has launched Adventure Plus, the first‑of‑its‑kind personal accident cover designed exclusively for tourists visiting Sri Lanka. Adventure Plus provides medical coverage, accident protection, and emergency evacuation for higher-risk pursuits such as hiking, cycling, water sports, and jungle activities, protection that tourists cannot access through their existing insurance, regardless of provider. more..

Mar 10 (AM) Venerable Battaramulle Seelarathana Thera, leader of the Janasetha Peramuna, staged a demonstration in Colombo yesterday with a small group of supporters expressing solidarity with the United States and Israel. The protest, attended by around six people, was held to convey what the Thera described as SL’s gratitude for the assistance provided by the two countries during the country’s conflict with terrorism. During the demonstration, Seelarathana Thera and his supporters more..

Mar 10 (AD) An 82-year-old British tourist has died after being struck by a train this evening (09) while standing on a railway bridge between the Wadduwa and Pinwatta railway stations. According to Pinwatta Police, the deceased was part of a group that included two foreign tourists and three SL nationals, among them a small child. The group had reportedly gone to the nearby beach and later climbed onto the railway bridge to sightsee, believing that the bridge was no longer in use. more..

Mar 10 (TM) Following the filing of indictments by the CIABOC against Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody, ruling NPP said it would wait for the conclusion of the legal process before deciding on any political action. NPP General Secretary Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe said the Party would not interfere with the ongoing investigation and would decide on its course of action only after the legal process has run its course. more..

Mar 10 (DM) Sri Lanka’s financial landscape is facing new challenges, as an unregulated virtual asset market opens potential avenues for financial crimes. According to the recently published National Risk Assessment on Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Proliferation Financing 2024/25, the country’s virtual asset ecosystem remains at an early stage, marked by increasing public interest and the use of digital assets, largely for speculative investment. more..

Mar 10 (DM) Asia Plantation & Export (Pvt) Ltd formally signed a MoU with the SL Sharia Council, a move that will become a turning point in the island’s export sector. As a company that always breaks new ground in the business world, it has made history as the first plantation company in SL to sign a MoU with the Sharia Council on Islamic Finance. The company, which sits under the broader Asia International Consolidated (Pvt) Ltd umbrella, has spent years building a reputation as a more..

Mar 10 (ST) Association of Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies (ALFEA) firmly believes that instability in West Asia will cause job losses, but the SL Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) is optimistic and says there will be no loss of jobs although departures of workers are being delayed. ALFEA Secretary M F M Arshad said that “roughly 80% to 90% of Sri Lanka's annual foreign recruitment is focused on West Asia. more..

Mar 10 (Island) There has been a rare consensus of opinion in the country that the govt’s humanitarian response to the sinking of Iran’s naval ship IRIS Dena was the correct one. The support has spanned the party political spectrum and different sections of society. Social media commentary, statements by political parties and discussion in mainstream media have all largely taken the position that Sri Lanka acted in accordance with humanitarian principles and international law. more..

Mar 10 (DM) Sri Lanka will host Invest in Sri Lanka Investment Forum 2026 on March 30, as the country seeks to convert its improving macroeconomic stability into fresh foreign investment and long-term growth opportunities. Organised by the Board of Investment of SL (BOI), in partnership with the European Union, Asian Development Bank and UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the event will be held at Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams Sri Lanka. more..

Mar 10 (DN) SL’s top-ranked junior golfer Reshan Algama produced a clinical performance to win the Gold and Silver Combined Division at the SL Junior Open Golf Championship, organised by SL Golf and sponsored by PRIMA, which concluded at the picturesque Nuwara Eliya Golf Club. Algama displayed class and consistency throughout the three-day tournament, carding rounds of 69, 78 and 70 to finish with an impressive total gross of 217. His steady play kept him firmly in control of more..

Mar 10 (FT) Nestlé Lanka Chairman Bernie Stefan was recognised at the CEO of the Year Awards 2025 organised by the Global CEO Forum. The recognition reflects Bernie’s outstanding leadership, long-term strategic focus, and commitment to building a resilient team, while staying true to Nestlé’s purpose of unlocking the power of food and beverages to enhance quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come. Bernie Stefan possesses over 24 years of global experience more..

Mar 10 (FT) SL’s hard-won fiscal stability could face its toughest test yet as the ongoing Middle East conflict pushed global oil prices above $ 100 per barrel, with economists warning that maintaining fiscal discipline will depend on preserving cost-reflective energy pricing and carefully managing price shocks. CEYPETCO and LIOC announced price revisions yesterday, but uncertainty remains as to the duration of more..

Mar 10 (DM) The luxury cruise liner Viking Sky called at the Port of Colombo yesterday, bringing around 700 int'l travellers to SL, as part of its voyage from Thailand to the Maldives, adding fresh momentum to the island’s cruise tourism segment. Handling the shore-side experience was Aitken Spence Travels, which curated a series of excursions designed to introduce the visitors to SL’s culture, city life and scenic attractions. The passengers are offered a range of more..

Mar 10 (DM) Although nuclear weapons are extremely destructive, as was proven when the US bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Aug 6 and 9, 1945, all rising powers want to have atomic and hydrogen bombs in their arsenal. Zhuldyz Kanapiyanova, of the Eurasian Research Institute, Kazakhstan, goes into the security, geopolitical, technological, prestige and domestic reasons for States wanting to have the deadly weapon and that in large quantities. more..

Mar 10 (TM) SL’s response to the sinking of an Iranian warship within our Exclusive Economic Zone met with a lot of criticism from local opposition parties. However, once we take out the politically-tinted glasses, what is noteworthy is that at a time of intense international tension, the Govt did not overreact. We acted in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). We fulfilled humanitarian obligations. We avoided emotional rhetoric. That was the right course. more..

Mar 10 (CT) Donald Trumps Epic Fury has unleashed some Epic Pussyfooting by Foreign Policy Brahmins in South Asia. In an international forum what matters is not superlative oratory. What matters is effective communication and not linguistic gymnastics. At the Raisina Dialog Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath did not take cover under Strategic Ambiguity. Pukka Sahibs are furious that our Minister responded with careful phrases though somewhat haltingly. more..

Mar 10 (CT) Domestic violence remains one of the most persistent yet often hidden forms of violence within societies across the world. In SL, the issue is particularly complex, it is intertwined with cultural norms, family expectations, and long-standing gender roles. While the home is traditionally perceived as a place of safety and protection, for many women, it can also become a space where abuse occurs in silence. more..

Mar 10 (CT) A political party is, as George Orwell famously said, the chief instrument for turning democracy into a farce. Orwell was a powerful observer of politics in his time. If he were alive today, he might even smile at how relevant that sentence still sounds. Ask ordinary people on the street, and many will quickly agree with him. They will nod. Some will laugh. Some may even add their own stories. But, I prefer to take a slightly different view. To me, a successful democracy more..

Mar 10 (DM) The war in West Asia between the US, Israel and Iran has practically dwarfed everything locally. International and local mainstream media as well as all social media platforms are obsessed with real, fake and AI-generated information on this war in a manner one can hardly understand what is really going on in the region. We are not going to argue that the obsession is unjustifiable. In the light of the possible repercussions of the war in every country and thereby in lives of more..

Mar 10 (TM) In a majority of Sri Lankan households, especially urban, the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinder is the primary and only energy source for cooking. SL is fully dependent on gas cylinders, which are imported and stored in limited quantities unlike pipe-borne LPG, the safest and most modern option worldwide. With increasing supply chain disruptions, energy market fluctuations, and current geopolitical conflicts, more..

Mar 10 (Island) US Prez Donald Trump’s Epic Fury has left the world gnashing, with a global fuel shortage looming large. Oil prices have already surged past USD 100 a barrel amidst rising tensions in the Middle East. They are set to climb higher. US-Israeli air strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks are not likely to end any time soon. Both sides are targeting oil fields and storage facilities, sending shockwaves across the world. Trump’s re-election led to euphoria in business circles, more..

Mar 10 (ST) How many days does it take for a visiting Iranian frigate to steam into the port of the hosting Government of India as an invited guest for an international naval gathering, to be welcomed with honour and glory by its host and then be torpedoed by the US sending human beings serving on that vessel screaming to the bottom of the sea? To answer that question, fourteen days, that is. In fact, many aspects of the current conflagration in the Middle East are callous at several levels. more..