Feb 1 (ST) There were some fast-moving developments this week in the case filed against former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe over the alleged misuse of more than Rs. 16.6 million in state funds during what authorities claim was a private visit to the UK in 2023 when he was president. Mr Wickremesinghe is alleged to have undertaken the private visit at state expense to attend the graduation ceremony at U of Wolverhampton more..

Feb 1 (AD) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya says that in order to ensure the economic, social, and cultural security of the country, it is essential to develop quality human resources, and that education plays a vital role in achieving this goal. PM emphasised that the govt is committed to bringing about a transformation in the education sector and that the govt will continue to move forward by overcoming obstacles encountered along the way, guided by a clear vision and purpose. more..

Feb 1 (NW) A SL lawyer has alleged that his vehicle was attacked and damaged by a mob outside the Nugegoda Magistrate’s Court, warning that the incident reflects growing dangers faced by lawyers for carrying out their professional duties. He said the incident occurred on Friday morning as he was leaving the court premises, when a group of around 50 to 75 people surrounded his car at the main gate and smashed it. Jayaratne said the attackers were not personal adversaries but more..

Feb 1 (TM) Cabinet approval has been granted to procure 300,000 MT of coal on an emergency procurement basis to address any shortages that may arise if the current controversial long-term coal tender has to be stopped due to quality failures. Ministry of Energy Secretary Prof. Udayanga Hemapala confirmed that the ministry had received Cabinet approval. However, he stated that the coal would be procured only if necessary. more..

Feb 1 (SO) SL’s Gross Official Reserves have recorded a steady growth from around US$ 3.1 billion in 2021 to over US$ 6 billion last year despite local and global economic challenges. However, foreign reserves recorded last year is yet below the US$ 8 billion reported in 2017 and US$ 7.1 billion in 2018 under similar conditions in the domestic and global economy. CB noted that a notable level of reserves were accumulated in 2025 despite large debt service payments during the year. more..

Feb 1 (ST) A subcommittee set up under the National Coordinating Committee, on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Terrorist Financing (AML/CFT), is preparing a regulatory process to govern Virtual Assets and Service providers (VASP) such as cryptocurrencies. The governing board of the Central Bank (CB) has agreed to set up a regulatory framework for VASPs, Dr. Subhani Keerthiratne, Director-Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the CB, said. more..

Feb 1 (NW) CID has arrested a suspect in connection with an alleged financial fraud involving gemstones valued at Rs. 88.05 million, police said. The suspect is accused of obtaining nine gemstones worth Rs. 88,050,000 and issuing a cheque valued at only Rs. 64.6 million in return, resulting in a significant monetary loss to the complainant. The arrest was made following a complaint received by the CID. Police said the suspect is a 29-year-old resident of the Kollupitiya area. more..

Feb 1 (NW) India has dispatched a consignment of 10 Bailey Bridges to Sri Lanka to support reconstruction efforts following Cyclone Ditwah, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. According to MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, the bridges were sent from Visakhapatnam to Colombo aboard the Indian Navy ship INS Gharial. The deployment is aimed at restoring critical connectivity in cyclone-affected areas, where infrastructure damage has disrupted transport and access. more..

Feb 1 (ST) Four out of five steps needed for the dissolution of the CEB have now been fulfilled, but the last requirement—obtaining Cabinet approval for the national electricity policy and national electricity tariff policy—is yet to be completed. This stipulation is likely to be met in mid-February after the policy drafts go through a public consultation, said Pubudu Niroshan Hedigallage, the head of the CEB Transition Task Force. more..

Feb 1 (SO) The long-vacant post of Auditor General will be filled within the next three days, Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said. He said this in response as to why the appointment of the Auditor General had been in a deadlock for many months despite pressure from the Opposition, public and civil society organisations and religious leaders. He said the newly appointed Constitutional Council will decide on the appointment of the Auditor General at its next sitting – which is their second. more..

Feb 1 (AD) CPC has announced a revision of fuel prices effective from midnight today (31). Accordingly, the price of Auto Diesel has been reduced by Rs. 2 to Rs. 277 per litre, while the price of Petrol 92 Octane has been reduced by Rs. 2 to Rs. 292 per litre. Meanwhile, there will be no change in the price of Petrol 95 Octane, Super Diesel & Kerosene. Revised rates are as follows: Petrol 92 Octane – Rs. 292 (reduced by Rs. 2); Auto Diesel – Rs. 277 (reduced by Rs. 2) more..

Feb 1 (NW) SL is set to call for investment proposals to redevelop the historic Bogambara Prison, with plans to transform the former jail into a commercially viable project while preserving its architectural and historical heritage, officials said. Authorities said investment opportunities will be invited shortly to redevelop the 135-year-old complex, potentially as a hotel or mixed-use development, in a manner that safeguards its original structure & distinctive architectural features. more..

Feb 1 (DM) Eight high-ranking police officers have been transferred with immediate effect, subject to the approval of the National Police Commission (NPC). The transfers involve two DIGs, five SSPs and one SP. Accordingly, DIG E.M.G.J. Seram has been transferred from the Galle Division and appointed as the DIG in charge of the Recruitment and Training Division, while DIG H.C.A. Pushpakumara has been transferred to serve as the DIG in charge of the Galle Division. more..

Feb 1 (TM) The launch of the number portability facility will be delayed by a further three to four months in order to create public awareness and infrastructure readiness. Ministry of Digital Economy Acting Secretary Waruna Sri Dhanapala revealed that following a recent discussion with Prez and subsequent instructions received, the launch of the number portability facility was now expected to be delayed by an additional 3 to 4 months. more..

Feb 1 (TM) Nestomalt Run for Sri Lanka Marathon 2026, organised by Singletree Events, kicks off its first phase in the city of Galle today (1) from 6 a.m. onwards, bringing together runners, families, and communities for a morning fuelled by purpose and energy. Designed to be inclusive and high-spirited, the Nestomalt Run for Sri Lanka Marathon 2026 features four running categories catering to all ages and fitness levels, from seasoned athletes to families running together. more..

Feb 1 (SO) The 98th National Boxing Championships conducted by the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) turned into a complete turmoil following a controversial decision during a key bout held at the Municipal Grounds in Horana. The Boxing Nationals were thrown into complete disarray after Asian bronze medallist and Olympic prospect Umayanga Mihiran from the Police BC was allegedly handed a 1-4 split decision defeat on points by the biased panel of judges. more..

Feb 1 (TM) The election of officebearers to Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA) has been further delayed due to the postponement of the consideration of an appeal lodged with the Appeal Advisory Committee (AAC) affiliated to the Sports Ministry on Thursday (29). An appeal had been submitted to the AAC challenging the voting rights granted to the athletic clubs of the A'pura and Polonnaruwa Districts as well as more..

Feb 1 (CI) If there was one positive from SL's defeat to England in the first T20I, it was how well their bowlers kept England's batters in check on a batter-friendly surface. Particularly Matheesha Pathirana. Pathirana, the 23-year-old slinger, returned figures of 1 for 18 across his four overs - and it might have been two had Pathum Nissanka not grassed a chance in the deep - but his impact was immense, as evident in ESPNcricinfo's MVP index, where he was only behind Adil Rashid, whose 3 for 19 more..

Feb 1 (ST) SL’s T20 World Cup preparations took another late twist on Friday night as selectors made last-minute changes to the squad before the deadline, leaving Dhananjaya de Silva and Pramod Madushan out in two decisions that underlines the uncertainty surrounding the side on the eve of the tournament. Madushan’s omission, while officially confirmed only at the eleventh hour, was largely expected. Right-arm seamer had been included in ongoing England series purely as injury cover more..

Feb 1 (Island) With another home World Cup less than ten days away, the drums are already rolling across the island and the mood is unmistakably festive. Sri Lanka have been down this road before. In 2011 and 2012, the country staged back-to-back global events that were box-office successes, finals appearances for the home side and the unveiling of three new stadiums with capacities north of 30,000, even if Hambantota later came to be labelled, rather unkindly, a white elephant. more..

Feb 1 (ST) Joe Root averages 53.57 in T20s in India. He has never played a T20 in Sri Lanka, yet his record in the country borders on the absurd: an average of 65.5 in Tests and 76 in ODIs. He plays spin late, manipulates the field, absorbs pressure and accelerates when required. These are precisely the skills demanded by slow, abrasive Asian conditions. And still, Root was left out of the World Cup squad. Not because he is finished. Not because he lacks quality. more..

Feb 1 (TM) SL’s coal procurement controversy has entered a precarious phase, with CEB still unable to quantify the financial damage from allegedly substandard coal shipments even as approvals have already been secured for emergency power purchases to plug potential electricity shortfalls. With laboratory reports pointing to inconsistent coal quality and reduced generation efficiency at the Lakvijaya Power Plant more..

Feb 1 (Island) The themes of power-sharing, devolution, and federalism, which run through this work, have their origin in issues which are not connected to ethnicity. Indeed, federalism, as a structure of governance suited to SL, was first proposed in an entirely different setting. At its inception, this had to do with the aspirations not of the Tamils, but of the Kandyan Sinhalese. A watershed in the Island’s constitutional development was the Donoughmore Commission which more..

Feb 1 (Island) Past several months have seen some former ministers and ex-state officials being remanded and denied bail ‘to prevent interference with evidence-gathering processes and the intimidation of witnesses. Some of the offences they are charged with were allegedly committed years ago during previous governments. It is while in power that transgressors can cover their tracks by suppressing or eliminating evidence and influencing or intimidating witnesses. more..

Feb 1 (TM) Few political figures in Sri Lanka’s post-independence history have remained as persistently visible or as polarising as Ranil Wickremesinghe. For nearly half a century, he has occupied centre stage – alternately vilified, vindicated, discarded, and recalled. Today, he finds himself once again in the public eye, this time as the subject of criminal proceedings relating to the alleged misuse of State funds during a visit to the UK in 2023, while serving as Executive President. more..

Feb 1 (ST) My dear Uncle Ranil, I am writing to you because you are in the headlines again, appearing in court because of a trip you undertook to England a few years ago. That has resulted in more trips to court now and even a trip to hospital where, at first, we feared the worst after your lawyers told court you were on borrowed time. Nevertheless, even before your most recent court appearance we saw you out and about, visiting the chief priests in Kandy and several other places of worship. more..

Feb 1 (ST) With influential medical unions on trade union action alleging critical shortages of certain drugs, some of them raised concerns as to why the Swastha, an information management system of medicinal drugs, is not available online anymore. Launched in 2023, the comprehensive system was designed to ensure that pharmaceuticals, surgical items, and consumables are readily available to healthcare providers more..

Feb 1 (ST) The coming Wednesday (4) marks the 78th anniversary of SL’s Independence from over 450 years of foreign rule, and yet, the country continues to be confronted with the challenges of modern nation-statehood in all its complexities. While SL regained her Independence, her sovereignty, both internal and external, however, has been compromised in the process of nation-building and aspiring to be a pluralistic, economically and socially advanced democratic state. more..

Feb 1 (SO) The theme of Pope Leo’s message for this year’s World Day of Peace January 1 was Towards an unarmed and disarming peace. The armed conflict ended in 2009, but Sri Lanka is still heavily armed and militarised. The military is running farms, hotels, restaurants, denying ordinary people income generating opportunities. A Defence University, headed by military personnel, runs courses on law, medicine, engineering, management, social sciences and humanity. more..

Feb 1 (TM) That the honeymoon period for President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his JVP-led NPP Govt is now long gone is evident by the continuing crises and controversies faced by them. Criticism towards the President and Govt which was slow last year is seen to be gradually changing with an increase in criticism among the public and a decline in the number of individuals defending them. more..

Feb 1 (CT) Global temperatures in January have been polar opposite – plus 50 Celsius down under in Australia, and minus 45 Celsius up here in North America. Between extremes of many kinds, not just thermal, the world order stands ruptured. That was the succinct message in what was perhaps the most widely circulated and listened to speeches of this century, delivered by Canadian PM Mark Carney at Davos, in January. But all is not lost. Who seems to be getting lost in mayhem of his own making more..

Feb 1 (SO) The world is shifting – not only in terms of plate tectonics but also in terms of geopolitics. The US has explicitly staked a claim to the Western Hemisphere, a geopolitical term that alludes to the Americas and the Caribbean under the newly-defined Donroe Doctrine. US Delta Force incursion into Venezuela and the capture of its former Prez Nicolas Maduro is part of this agenda, apart from diverting proceeds from that country’s oil sales to US offshore accounts. more..