Jan 18 (ST) A week is a long time in politics is a famous phrase attributed to former UK PM Harold Wilson. This week’s decision by the govt to partially postpone its chaotic and scandal-plagued education reforms showed just how true that statement is. In the face of relentless pressure, an all-powerful govt with an overwhelming two-thirds parliamentary majority and an executive presidency was nevertheless forced to walk back, more..

Jan 18 (AD) The demerit points system for drivers who violate traffic laws is scheduled to be implemented from the end of July, according to DIG of Police in charge of Traffic Control and Road Safety, W.P.J. Senadheera. The DIG made this statement while attending a workshop held in Kegalle with the participation of police officers. He explained that the demerit points system will be introduced alongside the islandwide implementation of GovPay fine payment system. more..

Jan 18 (ST) The probe into allegations that former President Ranil Wickremesinghe misused Rs. 16.6 million in state funds during a visit to the UK to attend his wife’s graduation ceremony at the Uni of Wolverhampton has been placed under the direct supervision of Solicitor General Viraj Dayaratne. To supervise the investigation, Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe has appointed Mr Dayaratne, who is the head of the Criminal Division of the Attorney General’s Department. more..

Jan 18 (ST) Teacher and principal unions, as well as educators, have called on the govt to reconsider whether the Grade 6 modules are to be used or an entirely new module should be introduced. This comes after the unions held a meeting with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Tuesday. Union representatives agreed reforms are imperative, but that what had been introduced is not what they desired. more..

Jan 18 (NW) A massive natural purple star sapphire discovered in SL has been formally introduced into the global scientific and cultural record, with experts describing it as the largest documented gemstone of its kind in the world. Known as the Star of Pure Land, the gemstone weighs 3,536 carats and was presented at a briefing in Colombo on Saturday. It has been certified by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and independently documented by the Lanka Gemological Laboratory, more..

Jan 18 (ST) Sheraton Colombo hotel premises and its properties are to be sold by public auction following a default in making payments on loans obtained from two commercial banks. But the hotel owner states that negotiations are currently underway with the banks. People’s Bank and NDB have announced, in newspaper advertisements, the sale by public auction of the property and premises of the Sheraton Colombo owned by Lanka Hotels and Residencies as a result of the default in more..

Jan 18 (NW) Legal action has been initiated against SL’s newly appointed Hajj Committee, with a statutorily recognised association of tour operators challenging the handling of arrangements for the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage. All Ceylon Hajj Tour Operators Association (ACHTOA) has filed a writ application before the Court of Appeal, alleging that the committee has deviated from Hajj Guidelines approved by the Supreme Court. The petition registered as CA/Writ 007/2026, seeks more..

Jan 18 (AD) PM Harini Amarasuriya has reaffirmed that the ongoing education reform process will proceed without hindrance, emphasizing that the govt has not taken a single step back from implementing transformative changes in the education sector. PM stated that the reform plans already launched will be implemented as intended. She noted that the education reform initiative is designed as a long-term process, with continuous efforts underway to improve infrastructure more..

Jan 18 (TM) Overseas laboratories have responded positively to inquiries made by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) on testing withdrawn batches of the medicinal drug ondansetron, with discussions on moving forward with the testing currently underway. The NMRA suspended four batches of ondansetron on 12 December 2025 due to concerns raised over quality following adverse reactions. more..

Jan 18 (Island) The SL Embassy in Beijing together with Beijing Capital Airlines last week organized a destination promotion event and announced the launch the Capital Airlines direct flights from Beijing to Colombo. While congratulating Beijing Capital Airlines for expanding the connectivity between Beijing and Colombo, SL Ambassador Majintha Jayesinghe highlighted the longstanding bilateral relations between the two countries and the significance of strengthening connectivity more..

Jan 18 (AD) NPP MP Asoka Ranwala’s wife has been hospitalized following a car accident, Biyagama Police said. The accident occurred last night (16) near the MP’s residence along the Kelaniya–Biyagama Road. Police said the incident took place while MP Ranwala’s wife was trying to park her car inside their residence, when another motor vehicle traveling from Kelaniya collided with her car. A police officer on night security duty at the MP’s residence informed the police about more..

Jan 18 (AD) Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, and Deputy Minister Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni have paid a visit to the Chief Prelates of the Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters and received their blessings. The ministers inquired on the wellbeing of the Mahanayake Theros and held discussions on the activities of the Ministry as well as current issues. During the discussions, Minister briefed the Mahanayake Theros on the islandwide programme to establish Arogya Suwatha Centres (Health & Wellness Centres). more..

Jan 18 (SO) The most critical interim findings of the internal investigation into the controversial Grade Six English language module, which included a disputed domain name, are expected to be submitted to the Education and Higher Education Ministry’s senior leadership within the next three to five days. Deputy Education and Higher Education Minister Madhura Senviratna said that stern disciplinary action will be taken against all those responsible for the drafting, approval, printing and distribution more..

Jan 18 (TM) An internal investigation has been initiated within the CEB to examine the circumstances under which a disputed consignment of coal has been used at the Lakvijaya (Norochcholai) Coal Power Plant, according to Ministry of Energy Secretary Prof. Udayanga Hemapala. He said that the inquiry report was expected within about a week, and that the issue was not linked to fraud. The internal probe was instead focused on more..

Jan 18 (ST) Viran Chamuditha and Dimantha Mahavithana produced a batting master-class for the ages as they rewrote Youth ODI history with a record opening stand of 328 at the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Windhoek, that helped them beat Japan by 203 runs. Japan captain Kazuma Kato-Stafford’s decision to field first quickly unravelled as Sri Lanka’s openers seized complete control from the outset. Chamuditha and Mahavithana combined authority with restraint, power with patience, more..

Jan 18 (Island) Champion leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga is expected to be available for the series against England that gets underway next week despite travelling to Singapore for a medical checkup. Hasaranga, world’s number two ranked bowler in T20Is, starred in Sri Lanka’s recent 14 run win over Pakistan that helped them to square the three match T20I series. The wrist-spinner took four wickets in the game and was named Player of the Match and Player of the Series. more..

Jan 18 (TM) More than 1,500 containers of imported salt remain stuck at SL’s ports after importers violated a gazette-mandated import deadline, with SL Customs and the Ministry of Trade both maintaining that the consignments cannot be released under existing law and must instead be re-exported, unless legally deemed abandoned under port regulations. SL Customs Spokesperson Chandana Punchihewa said that more..

Jan 18 (SO) In a dramatic turn of events, Prabash Silva from the Navy SC stole the limelight as he clinched the second stage of the inaugural Lanka Ride Cycle Race from Gannoruwa to A'pura yesterday. The 29-year-old cyclist from Negombo, who failed to make an impact on the opening day, made amends for that setback as he powered his way to claim top honours ahead of today’s final showdown from A'pura to Colombo. Prabash had a disappointing first stage from Colombo more..

Jan 18 (ST) CB Governor Dr Nandalal Weerasinghe this week allayed fears in SL, which he blamed on the media, about the foreign debt repayment schedule being affected. The schedule for repayments starts from 2028 onwards. “There is no repayment problem as projected in the media. We cannot delay repayment of loans,” he said, adding: “The reason we have financial literacy programmes for journalists is to arm them with technical knowledge to question such pronouncements more..

Jan 18 (ST) Batter Kusal Janith Perera and seamer Nuwan Thushara have been left out of the 16-man squad selected for Sri Lanka’s three-match T20 series against England later this month, virtually ending their hopes of playing the home World Cup next month. For Kusal Janith, the writing had been on the wall for some time. Though he was named in the extended 18-man squad for the recently concluded series against Pakistan, the left-hander never made it into the playing eleven. more..

Jan 18 (Island) We have witnessed many false dawns, with self-proclaimed messiahs winning elections purportedly to put the country right and subsequently reneging on their solemn pledges in keeping with the Machiavellian maxim on promises. One of the key campaign promises of the ruling JVP-led NPP was to restore the rule of law, which had been undermined by successive govts. The public reposed their trust in the NPP, expecting it to honour its promise & straighten up the legal system. more..

Jan 18 (TM) SL and England are set to play a full T20I series consisting of three matches for the first time in this country when both teams go head to head from 30 Jan to 3 Feb at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. To date, SL have played five one-off T20Is against England in 2006, 2011, 2014, and 2016, losing the latter three games in England. The only fixture played here in the 2018–’19 season was also won by tourists, more..

Jan 18 (Island) For nearly twenty years I have been writing a column for the Sunday Island. It has been a joyous ride for someone who is not a professional journalist, yet enjoying the thrill and enthusiasm of being a deadline artist, in however small a way. The ride began shortly after the 2005 presidential election when Rohan Edirisinha arranged for Kumar David and me to write for the Sunday Observer where Rajpal Abeynaike had just become the editor. Almost an year later, when Rajpal left more..

Jan 18 (CT) Despite growing frustration over repeated delays in container clearance, Customs House Agents (CHAs) at the Rank Container Terminal (RCT) in Orugodawatta, say they cannot be held responsible for slow release timelines. CHA members state that the terminal continues to operate out of old Food Commissioner warehouses, which were never designed for container operations and have limited infrastructure. It is alleged that RCT charges importers rates above the tariff more..

Jan 18 (TM) There is nothing inherently wrong with optimism. In a country that has endured economic collapse, political upheaval, and repeated shocks to public confidence, the instinct to look for silver linings is understandable. But optimism untethered from reality is more about denial than hope. It is precisely this dangerous conflation of positivity with progress that appears to be shaping the Govt’s response to some of the most consequential economic challenges facing SL today. more..

Jan 18 (ST) My dear Wimal, I began writing to you when I heard you had begun another protest. I was hopeful it would be a fast unto death to prevent the proposed educational reforms. Then, I heard that, firstly, it was not a fast unto death but a satyagraha and then that you had called it off, before one could say Lemon Puff! Whatever your faults, Wimal, we know you are not silly enough to repeat the same mistake twice. That is why your protest this time was not a fast unto death. more..

Jan 18 (ST) In yet another example of just how unpredictable the situation at the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) can be, NPP on Wednesday failed to win control of the all-powerful Finance Committee, with all five positions that are chosen by election being won by the so-called combined opposition. Wednesday saw members being elected to 23 standing committees of the CMC. Their term will run from Jan 14 to Dec 31 this year. more..

Jan 18 (ST) The Govt’s decision to postpone the implementation of its botched education reforms is a belated but welcome move, and even more salutary as it shows the President and his ministers are receptive to genuine public criticism and agitation and (probably) not, as many fear, sliding towards authoritarianism. These reforms got into a tangled web of controversy for multiple reasons, not least due to a contentious reference to an adult website in the textbooks for Grade 6 students. more..

Jan 18 (SO) In the shadowed corridors of global power, where tweets ignite infernos and sanctions strangle economies, Donald Trump’s latest saber-rattling against Iran has thrust the Middle East into a vortex of uncertainty. As Trump warns of military strikes amid escalating protests in Iran, the world watches with bated breath. This isn’t just another chapter in the endless U.S.-Iran saga; it’s a high-stakes gamble that could redraw maps, crash economies, and unleash chaos from more..

Jan 18 (TM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) last week launched one of the country’s large-scale housing projects with the national housing programme for 2026 under the theme A Place to Belong – A Beautiful Life in Chavakachcheri in Meesalai on Friday (16). The programme is aimed at providing housing for 31,218 families nationwide, including 2,500 war-displaced families from the north and east. more..

Jan 18 (CT) Is the Sara Jasmine Narrative a Red Herring? Six years after the devastating Easter Sunday terrorist attacks of 21 April 2019, SL continues to grapple not only with unanswered questions but also with growing public frustration over unfulfilled promises of closure. On that tragic morning, coordinated suicide bombings ripped through three churches—Katuwapitiya, Kochchikade, and Batticaloa—and three leading hotels in Colombo, claiming 267 lives and more..

Jan 18 (SO) In the wake of the devastation left behind by Cyclone Ditwah, debate on environment versus development has come to the fore again. For a country such as SL, protecting the environment and forging ahead with development are equally important. This is a question with no easy answers – whether we prioritise development at all costs including tossing away environmental concerns or whether we protect the environment at all costs regardless of the need for development. more..