Feb 25 (DM) The Wildlife Conservation Dept has announced that it will conduct a formal investigation following reports that tourist bungalows in some national parks are being booked online and used for purposes other than wildlife viewing. According to Sections 3(b) and 2(c) of the Wildlife and Flora Protection Ordinance, the Director General may issue permits for entry into national parks strictly for the purpose of viewing wildlife and flora. The permit does not grant authority for more..

Feb 25 (NW) Police have sought public assistance to apprehend a suspect wanted in connection with a fatal shooting that took place in the Kalutara North Police Division earlier this month. Investigations are underway into the shooting incident reported on Feb 14 at a shop in the Ladiyamankada Junction area in Kalutara North. Police said two unidentified individuals had arrived on a motorcycle and opened fire using a firearm, resulting in the death of a man inside the premises. more..

Feb 25 (AD) Colombo High Court today ordered the release of Daisy Forrest, grandmother of Yoshitha Rajapaksa and a defendant in a case filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. During the proceedings, Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara submitted a specialized psychiatric report to the court. The report, compiled by the Colombo Judicial Medical Officer, was requested by the court to determine whether more..

Feb 25 (DM) The commemorative celebration marking the 60th anniversary of the World Buddhist Sangha Council (WBSC), together with the 2nd Executive Committee meeting of the 11th General Assembly, is scheduled to be held in SL from 28 Nov to 2 Dec. A special discussion regarding the organisational arrangements was held yesterday afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of Prez Dissanayake. Prez instructed that a joint committee be appointed, more..

Feb 25 (TM) Education, Higher Education & Vocational Education Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa said that a report assessing the impact of cyclone Ditwah on the education sector has now been prepared and will undergo verification before further action is taken. Kaluwewa explained that verification workshops would be conducted in all Provinces in the coming days to review and confirm the data included in the report. “We need to verify the information contained in the report. more..

Feb 25 (AD) CEB trade unions have decided to launch a token strike from 12 noon to 6 pm tomorrow, citing the lack of response to their demands from relevant authorities. The trade unions have conveyed this decision in a letter addressed to Minister of Power and Energy, Kumara Jayakody. According to the letter, no positive response has been received so far regarding the eight demands put forward by the trade unions. more..

Feb 25 (NW) Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra, met with Eui-hae Cecilia Chung, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Korea, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul for substantive bilateral discussions. The talks focused on deepening economic cooperation, expanding foreign employment pathways, enhancing development cooperation, and strengthening defence ties, alongside SL’s ongoing economic recovery efforts, including progress on debt restructuring. more..

Feb 25 (CT) All arrangements have been finalised for the 2026 annual feast of St. Anthony’s Shrine in Katchatheevu, Jaffna District Secretary Maruthalingam Pradeepan announced yesterday (24). The final coordination meeting ahead of the festival was held at 9 a.m. at the Jaffna District Secretariat under his chairmanship. The historic feast at St. Anthony’s Shrine, Katchatheevu, is scheduled to take place on 27 and 28 Feb 2026, drawing devotees from both SL and India. more..

Feb 25 (AD) SDIG in charge of the Western Province, Sajeewa Medawatte, says that several new information have been uncovered in connection with the recent shooting and killing of a lawyer and his wife at a supermarket parking lot in Akuregoda. He said the crime had been carried out in a highly organized manner by a criminal gang. He noted that at the initial stage of the investigation, police only had minimum information, with the criminals involved having used various methods to commit more..

Feb 25 (CT) Senior academic Prof Rohan Samarajiva stated that Victor Ivan was among the foremost intellectuals committed to the public good in SL, and that he deserved greater recognition than anyone else for shaping the ongoing national debate on Constitutional Reform. Delivering the keynote address at the first death anniversary commemoration of Victor Ivan, Samarajiva observed that Ivan had consistently argued over a prolonged period that the Executive Presidential System more..

Feb 25 (AD) Organized criminals and drug traffickers were utilized in the past for certain factions to consolidate their political power, Minister Ananda Wijepala stated. he made these remarks while participating in the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the Mirigama Police Station. Responding to an inquiry, Minister assured that no factions will be allowed to intimidate or threaten individuals providing information regarding organized more..

Feb 25 (DN) Court of Appeal today dismissed two writ petitions filed by Avant-Garde Maritime Services and its employees, which sought to overturn an order issued by the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence to remove three of the company’s armouries. The court issued the order following a preliminary consideration of the petitions. By dismissing the cases without a full hearing, the court has effectively declined to interfere with Ministry of Defence’s directive regarding the weapons more..

Feb 25 (DM) A train halted near the Ulapane–Warakapitiya Railway Station has remained stranded for four months after a landslide triggered by heavy rains associated with the Ditwah cyclone caused severe damage to the railway line, railway dept sources said. Train was operating from Colombo to Nanu Oya via Kandy and Nawalapitiya at the time of the incident. It comprises nine compartments, including an air-conditioned coach. The locomotive alone is valued at around Rs. 200 million, more..

Feb 25 (TM) A faction of trade unions attached to the CEB has announced plans to launch strike action from 27 Feb if their eight demands are not met and authorities proceed with a proposal to restructure the utility. The warning comes as the GCE O/L Exam concludes tomorrow (26). Kosala Abeysinghe, President of the CEB Technicians’ Union, said the unions had formally notified Ministry of Energy of their decision. more..

Feb 25 (AD) Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Portugal, Paulo Rangel, has met with the PM Harini Amarasuriya, at the PM’s Office for bilateral discussions. During the discussion, held on Tuesday (24), attention was drawn to exploring potential collaborations across multiple sectors of mutual interest, with a focus on strengthening cooperation in the tourism sector. Climate change and its impacts were also discussed extensively, with emphasis on shared vulnerabilities and more..

Feb 25 (NW) Sail Training Ship INS Tarangini of the Indian Navy will arrive at Trincomalee on Friday (27), beginning a goodwill and training visit that will continue until 02 March. The ship will then call at Colombo from 6–9 March, providing ocean sailing training and experience to SL Navy trainee officers during both harbour and sea phases. The ship commanded by Commander Nitin Gajjar is on return passage from Visakhapatnam after taking part in the International Fleet Review 2026. more..

Feb 25 (AM) Several opposition political groups met former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe this morning with the stated aim of uniting around a common purpose. The discussion took place at the UNP office on Flower Road. Udaya Gammanpila said the initiative was not merely an attempt to form a political alliance, but a collective effort to safeguard the people’s right to live with dignity. He stressed the need for all opposition parties to work together in addressing the common challenges faced more..

Feb 25 (DM) A sex centre operating under the guise of a homeopathic treatment clinic in the Ambatale area of the Mulleriyawa Police Division was raided by officers of the Western Province (South) Crime Division. Police said three suspects and a homeopathic doctor, who is believed to be the owner of the establishment, were arrested during the operation. The suspects are scheduled to be produced before court. Investigations revealed that the premises had allegedly been used to more..

Feb 25 (DM) The govt has not taken any decision to stop the construction of the proposed international cricket stadium in Jaffna, and that construction work will go ahead as planned, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr Nalinda Jayatissa said yesterday. He said that the project will be implemented with the coordination and support of all the ministries. “We will continue the construction work of the Jaffna Int'l Cricket Stadium. more..

Feb 25 (NW) Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath will visit Germany from Feb 26 to 27 to strengthen economic and political ties. Herath is scheduled to take part in a series of meetings focused on trade and foreign employment, following an invitation extended by the German-Asia Pacific Business Association (OAV) Bremen Chapter. During the visit, the minister will attend events marking the 125th anniversary of the Bremen Chapter of the Asia Pacific Business Association as the Guest of Honor and more..

Feb 25 (EN) Sri Lanka plans to issue its first digital national identity card (digital ID) by the third or fourth quarter of 2026, with the government currently finalizing the procurement process, deputy minister Eranga Weeraratne said. “Instead of carrying a physical card to various locations, citizens will be able to verify their identity with 100% certainty using biometric data,” Weeraratne said. The digital ID project is being developed to streamline interactions between citizens and more..

Feb 25 (AD) Former Head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) Major General (Retired) Suresh Sallay was arrested this morning under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (PTA), police have confirmed. DIG in charge of the Legal Division Jaliya Senaratne said since former SIS head Suresh Sallay has been arrested under the provisions of the PTA, he can be held for 72 hours for questioning. more..

Feb 25 (DM) Former Minister Ali Sabry has expressed concern over the arrest of former State Intelligence Chief Suresh Sallay, describing it as a troubling development for the SL Army and its Intelligence Corps. Sabry said the arrest of Major General Sallay—an officer he noted was associated with operations that dismantled the LTTE’s intelligence network and targeted senior leadership figures including Tamilchelvan, as well as efforts linked to the apprehension of more..

Feb 25 (AD) Professor Susiripala Manawadu officially assumed duties as the Governor of the Southern Province this morning at the Southern Province Governor’s Secretariat in Galle. The occasion was attended by a large gathering, including political representatives, govt officials, and high-ranking security officials of the Southern Province. Prof. Manawadu was appointed as the Southern Province Governor by the President in accordance with Article 154B of Constitution, more..

Feb 25 (FT) SL has long recognised the need to modernise its insolvency framework, yet meaningful reform has remained in the pipeline for years. The proposed Rescue, Rehabilitation & Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Law now represents a significant step forward. It is not merely another statute, but a structural recalibration of how the country approaches financial distress. At a time when businesses, financial institutions and individuals continue to navigate aftereffects more..

Feb 25 (FT) The NPP Govt, in keeping with its electoral promise as pledged in its Manifesto has repealed the Pension rights afforded to past MPs. It is an undeniable fact, this proposal received the overwhelming positive response from the general public who have been consistent in expressing their opposition to the perks and privileges enjoyed by the members of Parliament. A few leading personalities, voiced their objections to the removal of these facilities which they contend more..

Feb 25 (TM) Amid ongoing allegations over coal imports, the Energy Ministry yesterday appointed a seven-member expert committee to evaluate the current methodology for supplying coal to the Lakvijaya Power Plant in Norochcholai. The committee includes, Prof. W.D.A.S. Rodrigo (Chairman) – Department of Electrical Engineering, Uni of Moratuwa; Dr. N.A.I.D. Nissanka (Member) – Senior Lecturer, Dept of Mechanical Eng, more..

Feb 25 (CT) The Customs Trade Union Alliance launched trade union action from yesterday (24), citing several unresolved demands, including promotions that have reportedly been delayed for the past six years. In a statement, the union said that despite repeatedly raising the matter with the relevant authorities, no concrete solutions have been provided. The prolonged delay, it noted, has caused frustration among officers and disrupted career progression within the department. more..

Feb 25 (DM) While apologising to SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa for not being able to proceed with his address to the Union, Oxford Union has informed Namal that it had been rescheduled for a future date so that the lecture could be delivered without compromising the safety of the attendees. Union has informed Namal that it was determined that the proceedings with the event would pose significant safety and operational risks and that it had received credible indications of a large scale protest more..

Feb 25 (TM) A coalition of academics, journalists, feminist activists, and lawyers issued a statement yesterday expressing concern over reports the former first lady, Professor Maithree Wickramasinghe has been summoned by the FCID. The summons is reportedly linked to an ongoing investigation involving her husband, former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, over the alleged misuse of public funds to attend a ceremony more..

Feb 25 (AD) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) will hold public consultation sessions from today to March 18 on the proposal submitted by the CEB to revise electricity tariffs for the second quarter of 2026. The public can submit comments and suggestions verbally and in writing from today to March 18. The sessions are expected to cover all nine provinces, and following the conclusion of the consultations, the PUCSL will decide on the proposed tariff revision after more..

Feb 25 (EN) Sri Lanka has recorded a foreign direct investment (FDI) of 1,062.8 million dollars in 2025 with Singapore and India leading as the top investors. The manufacturing sector emerged as the primary driver of the foreign investment inflows last year, contributing US$486 million led by rubber products, the BOI data showed. Infrastructure was the second biggest sector which saw an FDI of US$404.6 million with port container terminals bringing in US$275.3 million dollars. more..