Jan 13 (NW) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said there will be no Cabinet reshuffle despite protests against the govt’s education reform program. Responding to questions from journalists on the Satyagraha campaign launched by Wimal Weerawansa, Jayatissa said yesterday’s Cabinet’s decision to defer some reforms is unlikely to affect the ongoing protest. “Wimal Weerawansa is free to continue his campaign, as long as it does not obstruct the activities of the Education Ministry, more..

Jan 13 (Island) The NPP govt has issued a new extraordinary gazette renewing and extending SL’s long-standing ban on the LTTE and several Tamil diaspora organisations and individuals, continuing to designate them as terrorists. The gazette, published recently, replaces a previous gazette issued in May 2025 and reaffirmed the proscription of a wide range of Tamil political and advocacy bodies operating around the world, alongside dozens of named individuals. more..

Jan 13 (FT) Housing, Construction and Water Supply Ministry Secretary Kumudu Lal Bogahawatta said the country’s construction industry is grappling with a severe workforce shortage, with around 20,000 vacancies currently available for immediate employment. He revealed that several major construction companies have formally requested the Government many times to permit the recruitment of at least 7,500 foreign workers to bridge the growing labour gap, particularly as more..

Jan 13 (EN) SL is now at a dangerous phase where growth is picking up and the macro-economist are looking to deny monetary stability to the general public and business with high inflation targets and currency depreciation. The fall of the rupee 2025, amid record current account surplus, the holy grail of the Mercantilist macro-economists, has exposed a deep flaw in the operating framework of the central bank, which then leads to high prices, voter unhappiness and political unrest. more..

Jan 13 (CT) The Australian Border Force has provided two advanced high-technology scanners to Sri Lanka Customs. The official handover ceremony took place yesterday at the Kankesanthurai Port. During the event, Australian High Commissioner Matthew Duckworth formally handed over the scanners to SL Customs Director General Seevali Arukgoda. Senior officials, including Customs Director General Paul Edwards and officers from the Australian High Commission, were also present at the ceremony. more..

Jan 13 (DM) A video showing a motorcyclist attacking several moving vehicles using an object along the Kaduwela–Colpetty road was arrested by the Welikada Police. The video is circulating widely on social media. Police said the incident occurred on the evening of Jan 12 and the officers from the Welikada Police Station pursued the suspect and arrested him shortly afterwards. They said at least four vehicles were damaged by the suspect. The 29-year-old suspect, a resident of Ragama, more..

Jan 13 (NW) Cabinet has approved an increase in the minimum purchasing prices for Samba and Keeri Samba paddy, following a recommendation by the Price Committee to encourage cultivation of these varieties in upcoming seasons. During the 2025 Yala season, the Paddy Marketing Board purchased Nadu, Samba and Keeri Samba at Rs. 120, Rs. 125 and Rs. 132 per kilogram, respectively. Price Committee, appointed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, more..

Jan 13 (AD) A meeting between Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, PM Harini Amarasuriya and representatives of teachers’ trade unions was held this afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat. At the meeting, the teachers’ trade union representatives stated that they accept the necessity of the new education reforms being implemented by the Govt and pointed out that the Grade 6 curriculum needs to be revised. They also expressed their readiness to work together more..

Jan 13 (EN) State officials and undergraduates are offered fellowships in Geospatial Artificial Intelligence in a bid to strengthen disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, and emergency preparedness. GeoAI for Disaster Resilience Project is supported by the U.S. Embassy in SL and was conceptualized as a public service initiative by SL U.S. State Dept alumni Novil Wijesekara and Aslam Saja, with funding secured through Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) global grant competition. more..

Jan 13 (NW) Cabinet has approved a proposal to provide underutilized lands and properties to suitable investors for optimal utilization, following the prescribed procurement procedure. This decision follows the approval granted at the cabinet meeting in June 2025, under which action is currently being taken to dispose of underutilized lands and properties identified under stage one of the SL State Plantation Corporation, Janatha State Development Board, and Elkaduwa Plantation Company, more..

Jan 13 (AD) A decision has been taken to defer the implementation of the proposed education reforms related to Grade 6 until 2027, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa has stated. The decision was taken during yesterday’s Cabinet meeting held under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The Minister noted that considering the issues surrounding the Grade 6 English module and several other matters, the government has decided to not to implement the proposed education reforms more..

Jan 13 (NW) Sri Lanka’s export recovery faces fresh uncertainty following a sweeping trade warning issued by US Prez Donald Trump, which could expose Sri Lankan exports to an additional 25% tariff due to the country’s trade links with Iran. Arutha Research Policy Think Tank said Iran remains one of the top ten buyers of Sri Lankan tea, importing around 9,800 metric tonnes every month, making it a significant market for the island’s key agricultural export. more..

Jan 13 (AD) The Committee on Public Finance has instructed the officials of the Welfare Benefits Board to amend the existing criteria to make the Aswesuma Welfare Benefits Payment Scheme more effective. Since various issues have arisen in relation to the existing 22 criteria used to determine the eligibility of individuals for the current Aswesuma Welfare Benefits Payment Scheme, officials were instructed to take measures to select future Aswesuma beneficiaries under new criteria, more..

Jan 13 (FT) SL, even before recovering from the crippling economic crisis of 2022, was struck by another disaster. Cyclone Ditwah, according to the World Bank, destroyed assets worth $ 4.1 billion damaging homes, farms, energy infrastructure, irrigation systems, and the transport network. Many Sri Lankans already struggling under the harsh austerity measures imposed by the ongoing IMF program will be pushed even further into poverty. Indeed, the cyclone has dealt a heavy blow more..

Jan 13 (FT) The talk is by palanquin, but the journey is by foot is a direct translation of a transliterated Sinhala phrase, Kathawa dolaawen gamana paa-in. Stated bluntly and simply, it means all talk, no action, and that aptly sums up SL’s lackluster performance in the last twenty-five years in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). While the official rhetoric of the rulers has monotonously portrayed SL as a strategic gateway to the Indian Ocean more..

Jan 13 (Island) SL’s power sector reform programme has reached a critical milestone, with the Initial Vesting Plan to restructure the CEB and establish successor companies now completed and ready for Cabinet approval. Director General of the Power Sector Reforms Secretariat, Pubudu Hedigallage, said the programme, launched under the SL Electricity (Amendment) Act No. 36 of 2024, is being implemented in two phases more..

Jan 13 (AD) The inauguration of Rebuilding Sri Lanka national programme will take place in Colombo today. Arrangements have been made to hold the inaugural ceremony of the Rebuilding SL programme, which has been introduced to effectively steer the country’s rebuilding process, at the Lotus Hall of the BMICH, under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Programme is being implemented in response to the urgent need for r a coordinated national recovery mechanism more..

Jan 13 (DM) Two suspects arrested while in possession of a sniper type firearm in front of the CID are officers attached to the SL Army Commando Regiment, counsel appearing on behalf of the SL Army informed the Fort Acting Magistrate Lahiru Silva . CID informed court that the two officers were arrested yesterday while they were walking along the road in front of the former Police Headquarters, dressed in civilian clothing and carrying the sniper firearm concealed in a black cloth. more..

Jan 13 (NF) Citizen Power Organization filed a formal complaint with the CIABOC, alleging serious fraud and corruption linked to the Deyata Kirula exhibitions held in 2012 and 2013. Complaint was filed in connection with Deyata Kirula exhibitions held at Oyamaduwa, Anuradhapura in 2012 and at the Hardy Advanced Technological Institute in Ampara in 2013. Jamuni Kamantha Thushara, Chairman of Citizen's Power more..

Jan 13 (FT) Govt yesterday announced plans to restart long-stalled mega mixed-development projects and abandoned high-rise buildings in Colombo by the end of first quarter. Deputy Minister T.B. Sarath said this renewed push aims to unlock idle assets and revive urban development delayed by irregularities, financial misappropriations, and the economic crisis. “We have already held multiple consultations with contractors and relevant stakeholders, and have appointed more..

Jan 13 (CT) SL must develop a comprehensive and constructive methodology to prevent or minimise large-scale damage from future natural disasters, Minister of Science & Technology Prof. Chrishantha Abeysena said, following severe floods and landslides linked to Cyclone Ditwah that caused billions of rupees in economic losses. He said, Govt has launched a national programme titled Science Against Disaster aimed at reducing the risks posed by unexpected natural disasters. more..

Jan 13 (DM) National Sangha Conference Chairman Venerable Liyanwala Sasanarathana Thera, has warned that the govt will soon face serious consequences if it fails to take appropriate action against Minister K.D. Lal Kantha over alleged derogatory and insulting remarks directed at the Maha Sangha. Thera said that while differences of opinion between politicians and the Maha Sangha have existed from time to time, no political leader in the country’s history has ever insulted the more..

Jan 13 (AD) Approximately 4,800 landslides have been identified through satellite-based assessments conducted following Cyclone Ditwah, the Director General of the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies, Kumari Meegahakotuwa stated. She made these remarks while attending a media briefing held today (12). Director General Meegahakotuwa noted that satellite imagery and data obtained after Cyclone Ditwah were used to carry out comprehensive landslide mapping. more..

Jan 13 (DM) SL’s oldest automotive industry body has stepped up pressure on the govt to dismantle what it calls a deeply flawed tax concession on used vehicle imports, warning that the policy is eroding state revenue, distorting competition and undermining foreign exchange discipline. Ceylon Motor Traders’ Association (CMTA), affiliated to the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, urged the authorities to abolish more..

Jan 13 (Island) It will be a four-way battle for the top post of Sri Lanka Athletics as fresh nominations for the election of office bearers closed at the Sports Ministry on Monday. Former president Sunil Gunawardana, Bimal Wijesinhge, Sugath Kumara and Prasanna Indika are the nominees for the post of president and they are subjected to objections. ‎This is the second time the Ministry of Sports called for nominations after different stakeholders successfully challanged earlier niminations more..

Jan 13 (AD) A 28-year-old individual who allegedly attempted to attack police officers with a sharp weapon in Welikanda, Polonnaruwa has been shot dead by police. Police noted officers on traffic duty ordered three persons traveling on a motorcycle to stop in Welikanda this afternoon. However, the motorcyclist failed to comply with the order and fled. When police officers pursued the suspect to his residence, he allegedly attempted to attack them with a machete, prompting police to open fire. more..

Jan 13 (FT) Synogen, a clean energy engineering and technology company, has successfully commissioned one of SL’s largest rooftop solar photovoltaic projects - a 6.4 MWp installation for Best Pacific Textiles Lanka (BPTL). Now fully operational at BPTL’s manufacturing facility in Pannala, the rooftop solar system supplies a substantial portion of the plant’s daytime electricity requirements through clean, renewable energy. This reduces reliance on the national grid more..

Jan 13 (Island) SL’s leg-spin spearhead Wanindu Hasaranga has warned rivals not to write off the hosts ahead of the World Cup, after his four-wicket burst in the final T20I against Pakistan helped SL square the 3-match series on Sunday. Hasaranga’s spell turned the game on its head and restored belief in a side that has blown hot and cold. Speaking after being named Player of the Match and Player of the Series, leg-spinner said SL, buoyed by home conditions, remain very much in the hunt for more..

Jan 13 (FT) Hayleys Executive Director Sarath Ganegoda yesterday said tighter lending limits and Sri Lanka’s sovereign constraints are making it increasingly difficult for large companies to sustain growth, expand exports, and invest overseas, even as macroeconomic conditions stabilise. Speaking at the HNB Investment Bank Investor Forum, Ganegoda said access to funding has become the most pressing challenge for more..

Jan 13 (DM) Mattala Rajapaksa Int'l Airport (MRIA) has accumulated a staggering Rs.39.3 billion in net losses over the past six years, a recent audit revealed, as the govt moves to scrap a previously arranged management handover to an India-Russia joint venture, in favour of a new public-private partnership (PPP) model. The state-run airport, often criticised for its severe underutilisation, recorded an operating loss of Rs.3.36 billion for the financial year 2024 alone, more..

Jan 13 (FT) High Commissioner of India Santosh Jha, and Minister Bimal Rathnayake, jointly launched the restoration works of SL’s Northern Railway Line under an Indian grant of $ 5 million. The event was also attended by Deputy Minister Namal Karunaratne, NWP Governor Tissa Warnasuriya, and MP Geetha Herath. The project forms part of the Indian reconstruction and rehabilitation package of $ 450 million announced during the visit of External Affairs more..

Jan 13 (TM) Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are to be allocated Rs. 95 billion in 2026 for subsidised loans by the govt, in order to incentivize more businesses, aid expansion, and support technology investments, Ministry of Finance, Planning & Economic Dev. Dept of Development Finance Dir. Gen. Manjula Hettiarachchi said. “This year we expect to provide a loan facility package with subsidised interest rates to SMEs. more..