Mar 12 (FT) Suren Chandraratna has been appointed Chairman of the Chamber of Lankan Entrepreneurs (COYLE) at its AGM. The AGM, held on Tuesday, was graced by Prez, MPs, the diplomatic corps, senior Govt officials, and distinguished guests from the private sector. Leading entrepreneurs, industry figures, and members of the Chamber were also present to celebrate the COYLE’s achievements and outline the path forward for the organisation and the wider entrepreneurial community. more..

Mar 12 (FT) All Ceylon Bakery Owners Association (ACBOA) has raised concerns over growing difficulties in obtaining key energy sources including diesel, petrol, kerosene, and gas, warning that the situation is affecting bakery operations across the country. ACBOA Chairman N.K. Jayawardena urged the Govt to introduce a mechanism to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies for the sector. Despite the challenges, Jayawardena said bakery owners do not expect to increase product prices at present. more..

Mar 12 (FT) Economic Monitoring Committee convened on Tuesday to closely monitor the potential economic fallout from the escalating conflict in the Middle East and to assess risks and discuss urgent policy responses. The Committee, established on a Cabinet proposal submitted by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, had reviewed the possible impact of the volatile global environment on the country’s economy and explored measures required to stabilise markets and safeguard the welfare of citizens. more..

Mar 12 (DN) One-time Power & Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka accused the NPP Govt of having dealt a devastating blow to the country’s energy security and the people’s economy. Speaking to the media in Colombo at a briefing organised by the joint Opposition, Ranawaka said the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) has presented a very systematic investigative report on the environmental and financial damage that has occurred in the recent coal procurement. more..

Mar 12 (DN) Royal College, Colombo and S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia renew their historic rivalry in the 147th Battle of the Blues, the annual three-day cricket encounter which begins today at the SSC. The match, played for the D.S. Senanayake Shield, carries a proud tradition, and both teams will be eager to produce competitive cricket and push for a decisive result over the three days. Royal, led by Rehan Peiris, field a well-balanced side and appear to hold a slight advantage with a strong batting lineup. more..

Mar 12 (ST) The day to day lives of those living in Puttalam district are affected as more ash particles have been emitting from the Norochcholai Lakvijaya power plant in the past few days. They complained that the situation has been aggravated with the reported use of sub-slandered coal to generate electricity. They said the ash emitted from the coal power plant is spreading over a six mile radius as black and white smoke. The villages of Daluwa and Setha pola are the most affected with more..

Mar 12 (TM) Claiming that power sector trade unions are demanding a 40% salary increase, National Transmission Network Service Provider (NTNSP) warned that meeting the demand could force electricity tariffs up by nearly 100%. NTNSP Chairperson Nusith Kumaratunga, addressing a joint media briefing of the newly formed CEB successor companies, said the proposed hike would increase salary expenditure by Rs. 1.8 billion per month, amounting to almost Rs. 22 billion annually. more..

Mar 12 (TM) SL cannot rely indefinitely on its traditional revenue streams, particularly when they are exposed to global conflict. The war in the Middle East has once again demonstrated how vulnerable we are to external shocks. Tea exports face uncertainty as shipping routes and energy prices fluctuate. Remittances from migrant workers in the Gulf are exposed to regional instability. Tourism, though recovering, is sensitive to perceptions of insecurity and rising travel costs linked to conflict more..

Mar 12 (FT) The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) has formally notified customers that its Retail Banking operations in Sri Lanka will transfer to Nations Trust Bank (NTB) from 1 May 2026, marking the final phase of the global bank’s exit from the country’s consumer banking segment. HSBC confirmed that accounts, credit cards, and retail loan portfolios will move to NTB following the completion of the sale of its Retail Banking business for Rs. 18 billion in Sept 2025. more..

Mar 12 (FT) Cabinet on Monday approved awarding of a Rs. 2.19 billion contract to Millennium I.T.E.S.P. Ltd, for the supply of an Oracle Exadata XIIM system and related software to SL Customs. The move follows an earlier decision taken at the Cabinet meeting on 21 Aug 2024 to initiate the procurement process to select a suitable agency for the supply of the system to SL Customs. Accordingly, bids were called under the national competitive bidding process, with three proposals received. more..

Mar 12 (FT) Sri Lanka is further strengthening its global trade partnerships in preparation for Sri Lanka Expo 2026, the country’s flagship international trade exhibition scheduled to be held from 18–21 June 2026 at the BMICH. As part of these effort, a high-level delegation led by Minister Sunil Handunneththi, together with Ministry Secretary Thilaka Jayasundara, EDB Chairman and CEO Mangala Wijesinghe held a series of discussions with foreign diplomatic missions in SL more..

Mar 12 (FT) Sri Lanka’s manufacturing sector suffered an estimated Rs. 33.96 billion in economic losses following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah, which struck the country in late Nov 2025. It was noted that the bulk of the losses stemmed from damage to raw materials and inventory, which alone accounted for around Rs. 10.2 billion, while significant losses were also reported from revenue disruptions and damage to machinery and equipment. more..

Mar 12 (Island) Recent humanly costly torpedoing of an Iranian naval vessel in SL’s Exclusive Economic Zone by a US submarine has raised a number of issues of great importance to int'l political discourse and law that call for elucidation. It is best that enlightened commentary is brought to bear in such discussions because at present misleading and uninformed speculation on questions arising from the incident are being aired by particularly jingoistic politicians of SL’s South which could prove deleterious. more..

Mar 12 (Island) It is not possible to predict who will emerge victorious in the ongoing war in the Middle East or whether the conflict will end without a clear winner though US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would have the world believe that they will surely be the winners. The US-Israel military power is doubtlessly far superior to that of Iran, but in a war of this nature, military might alone does not guarantee a clear victory. more..

Mar 12 (CT) As of March 2026, the global economy is no longer operating on the predictable rhythms of the past decade. The escalation of conflict in the Middle East has sent shockwaves through the “energy arteries” of the planet. For oil-producing nations, the crisis manifests as a revenue decline due to disrupted logistics; for oil-dependent nations like Sri Lanka, it is an existential threat driven by skyrocketing import costs. Oil is not just a commodity; more..

Mar 12 (ST) Shortly after the avaricious and imperious Donald Trump launched his land- and assets-grabbing adventure, he set up a money-sucking organisation called the Board of Peace. He invited political leaders and money trees to contribute the very generous one billion dollars for a seat on the board intended to end the conflict in Gaza, not to mention other good deeds also, knowing what a good humanitarian man he is. If Mark Antony’s words in Julius Caesar come to mind, more..

Mar 12 (TM) In the light of SL’s continuous step forward in digitising the economy, Insurance Regulatory Commission of SL (IRCSL) confirms the ongoing nature of discussions with the Ministry of Health in the IRCSL’s vision to become South Asia’s first country to fully adopt international healthcare standards across the country and implement a unified electronic health record system that integrates both modern medicine and traditional ayurveda by 2030. more..

Mar 12 (GV) By the end of February, the window for public comments on Sri Lanka’s draft Protection of the State from Terrorism Act of 2026 (PSTA) was officially closed. This draft law intends to replace Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act No. 48 of 1979 (PTA), the draconian counter-terrorism law currently in force that received significant criticism over decades for a range of concerns including its role in fuelling a significant number of torture cases. more..

Mar 12 (DM) Sri Lankans are once again facing several crises in the aftermath of the intensified conflict in the Middle East. Fuel and gas price hikes are obvious outcomes of these tensions and it doesn’t only affect Sri Lanka. Global oil prices have surged, with Brent crude briefly exceeding $100-120 a barrel. It is said that the conflict threatens supply chain disruptions. But this is not the first time that SL experienced such shocks. In response, govts are considering measures to mitigate impact, more..

Mar 12 (TM) SL’s indigenous Vedda community, believed to be among the island’s earliest inhabitants, continues to struggle with long-standing challenges linked to land rights, access to forests, cultural preservation, and the absence of representation in national-level decision making bodies. Spread across several Districts including Badulla, Monaragala, Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee & Polonnaruwa, many of their issues have remained unresolved despite more..

Mar 12 (DM) SL’s prudent handling of the two Iranian warships – IRIS Dena, which sank off SL waters, and IRIS Bushehr, which was granted sanctuary – was a rare example of a small nation, not just, navigating a looming geopolitical conundrum, but also making political capital out of it, by playing safe and playing right in accordance with Int'l Law. At 5.08 in the morning of March 4, the SL Coast received a distress call from IRIS Dena, a Moudge-class guided missile frigate of the Iranian Navy, more..

Mar 12 (DM) Sri Lankans are once again facing several crises in the aftermath of the intensified conflict in the Middle East. Fuel and gas price hikes are obvious outcomes of these tensions and it doesn’t only affect SL. Global oil prices have surged, with Brent crude briefly exceeding $100-120 a barrel. It is said that the conflict threatens supply chain disruptions. But this is not the first time that SL experienced such shocks. In response, govts are considering measures to mitigate impact, more..

Mar 11 (AD) An 18-month-old toddler has died after reportedly falling into a pond located near the daycare centre where he had been under care. The deceased has been identified as a resident of the Kadamadiththa area in Medamulana. The child’s mother had handed him over to the daycare centre before leaving for her place of employment. It is stated that the manager of the daycare centre had later contacted and informed the mother to come to the Middeniya Kariyamadiththa Hospital. more..

Mar 11 (NW) Lanka eNews editor Sandaruwan Senadheera was arrested at the BIA upon his arrival in SL after 16 years abroad, according to reports. The arrest was carried out based on a warrant issued by the Gampaha Chief Magistrate’s Court in 2016 over allegations related to contempt of court. However, the exact case under which he was arrested has not been officially confirmed. Senadheera had left SL in 2010 following the arson attack on the Lanka eNews office more..

Mar 11 (NW) On the invitation of the Govt of SL, UN-flagged vessel R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen under the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka today to conduct a marine scientific survey. The survey will be conducted in SL's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in collaboration with Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources and NARA. R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen supports countries more..

Mar 11 (NW) The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has launched a five-year Sow and Grow project, supported by USD 10 million from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), in partnership with the government of Sri Lanka. The project aims to strengthen Sri Lanka’s Thriposha programme by boosting the production of high-quality local maize and ensuring a reliable supply of Thriposha for children under five, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women. more..

Mar 11 (AD) President of the Bar Association of SL (BASL), Attorney-at-Law Rajeev Amarasuriya, delivered a historic address at the Supreme Court of India in connection with a delegation of SL lawyers visiting India at the invitation of the Bar Association of India. The Indian Supreme Court No. 1 was presided by the Chief Justice of India, Honourable Surya Kant with Honourable Justices R. Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi. Chief Justice of India warmly welcomed the SL Delegation and more..

Mar 11 (AD) The bodies of 84 Iranian sailors, currently placed in two mobile cold storage units at the Galle National Hospital, have been ordered to be handed over to officials of the Embassy of Iran in Sri Lanka. The order was issued this morning by the Galle Chief Magistrate, Sameera Dodangoda. Accordingly, the Magistrate ordered the hospital’s director to release the remains to the Iranian embassy representatives. more..

Mar 11 (AD) The Officials’ Committee, appointed under the chairmanship of the Secretary to the PM to supervise the implementation of the decision taken by the Cabinet of Ministers on Mar 17, 2025 concerning non-commercial state institutions, has convened under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat. Taking into consideration factors such as the failure of non-commercial state institutions to be updated in line with contemporary requirements, more..

Mar 11 (NW) PM Harini Amarasuriya met senior officials of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) at its headquarters in Manila, Philippines, yesterday, during which discussions were focused on strengthening development cooperation, reviewing ongoing projects, and exploring new opportunities for collaboration between SL and ADB. PM Amarasuriya first met with ADB President Masato Kanda. During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed the strong partnership between SL & ADB. more..

Mar 11 (TM) Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) purchased $ 461 million from the domestic foreign exchange market in February, according to the latest CB data. The report further noted that the Central Bank did not sell any US Dollars during the month, indicating continued efforts to accumulate foreign reserves. In January, the CBSL purchased $ 209.8 million from the domestic forex market while selling $ 9.5 million, resulting in a net purchase of $ 200.3 million for the month. more..