Feb 23 (Island) A group of Tamil lawmakers and former MP M. A. Sumanthiran, during talks with UK Deputy PM David Lammy, in Colombo, recently, have alleged that the ruling NPP hasn’t fulfilled election pledges. UK Deputy PM met Tamil political leaders who called for renewed international action on accountability, justice and political rights. The meeting brought together Tamil parliamentarians, including Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, S. Shritharan, Selvam Adaikkalanathan, more..

Feb 23 (NW) The deadline for submitting public complaints and information to the Prez Commission of Inquiry investigating alleged corruption and irregularities within the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has been extended until March 16. Commission has been appointed to examine alleged acts of corruption, fraud, criminal breach of trust, misuse or abuse of power, misuse of state resources and privileges, unlawful recruitments & appointments, violations of procurement procedures, more..

Feb 23 (CT) Nearly 900,000 mobile SIM cards currently active in SL lack verified identity details and will be deactivated if the required information is not submitted, Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne informed Parliament. He said that 897,802 SIM cards in the system do not have proper identity verification. He stated that the new regulations were introduced to rectify shortcomings in the 2019 SIM registration framework and to ensure stricter enforcement of registration requirements. more..

Feb 23 (TM) Dept of National Botanic Gardens states that the income generated from the country’s botanical gardens exceeded Rs. 1 billion in 2025. Despite the impact of Cyclone Ditwah in 2025, revenue generated from national gardens still surpassed Rs. 1 billion, specifically recording a total of Rs. 1.394 billion. This represents a 7% increase compared to the year 2024. The gardens effectively demonstrated their contribution to tourism earnings and economic activities throughout 2025. more..

Feb 23 (AD) Supreme Court today directed the Attorney General’s Dept to file a charge sheet for Contempt of Court against I.G.S. Premathilaka, former Director of the National Institute of Education (NIE). The order was issued following his failure to comply with a court directive in connection with Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed over the 2024 Grade 5 Scholarship examination paper leak. SC also ordered that notice be issued on the respondent to appear before it on March 26. more..

Feb 23 (AD) SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa has responded to the cancellation of his planned speaking engagements at the Oxford Union and Cambridge Union, following backlash from Tamil student groups and campaigners in the UK. In a post on X, Rajapaksa said he had looked forward to participating in the debates, highlighting that the Oxford and Cambridge Unions have, for generations, represented the highest ideals of free inquiry, rigorous debate, and intellectual courage. more..

Feb 23 (FT) Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) has accused schools of continuing to collect money from parents despite a recent public statement by the Education Ministry that such collections are not permitted. CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said the ongoing practice is placing a heavy financial burden on families and contradicts the Ministry’s position. According to the Union, schools are enforcing payments under multiple categories, with some institutions adopting more..

Feb 23 (Island) General Secretary of the Communist Party Dr. G. Weerasinghe has said the national economy nosedived in 2022 due to three factors. The depletion of the country’s foreign exchange reserves was the main factor caused by the huge chronic trade deficit blamed on the import/export policy implemented through the free/liberal/open trade policies implemented since 1978. The second factor that led to the economic crisis was the steep decline in state revenue caused by more..

Feb 23 (TM) 75 foreign nationals were arrested and 15 were deported last year for violating immigration and tourism laws by engaging in business activities while in the country on tourist visas, according to the SLTDA. This, amid calls for the Govt to get tough on tourists engaging in unregistered business and services which have mushroomed in SL over the last few years. The joint operations are being carried out by the SLTDA, Dept of Immigration and Emigration & SL Police. more..

Feb 23 (AD) British High Commissioner to SL Andrew Patrick and Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe have visited apparel logistics and quality assurance facilities north of Colombo to observe shipments being prepared for export to the United Kingdom. The visit follows reforms to the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) which came into force on Jan 1, 2026. These changes enable SL manufacturers to source fabrics globally while maintaining duty-free access to the UK market, more..

Feb 23 (Island) Illankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) was not party to a recent move by the Tamil National Council (TNC) to reive the 1985 Thmphu principals in a bid to make a joint proposal to the NPP govt. This has been recently discussed at a recent meeting in Jaffna with the participation of Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam. The TNC is of the view that the proposed new Constitution should take Thimphu principles into consideration to pave the way for a federal structure.= more..

Feb 23 (NW) PM Harini Amarasuriya on Saturday called on Scouts to play a responsible role in safeguarding the country’s future, as she addressed the 169th birth anniversary celebration of Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the World Scouting Movement, and World Scout Thinking Day. The event was held on Feb 22 at the National Scout Headquarters. Addressing the gathering, PM said the Scouting Movement is not about holding positions but about developing discipline, readiness to assist others more..

Feb 23 (FT) Colombo Active Week 2026, a city-wide celebration of sport, wellness and active living, is now on in Colombo, bringing together three flagship experiences, KAYA Wellness and Active Lifestyle Expo, IRONMAN 70.3 Colombo, and IRONKIDS, under one unified platform promoting movement, wellbeing and international engagement. The multi-day initiative was officially opened at Shangri-La Colombo yesterday by Chief Guest MP and Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe during more..

Feb 23 (AD) The relatives of those found guilty in the murder case of late MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala and his security officer have stated that they will file an appeal challenging the recent verdict delivered by the Gampaha High Court trial-at-bar. They made this statement while addressing media after meeting a Director General at the Presidential Secretariat today. The wife of one of the individuals found guilty of the murder said they expect a fair ruling from the Supreme Court. more..

Feb 23 (NW) An 81-year-old candidate for the GCE O/L exam has initiated a public discussion regarding the national education system, questioning the Ministry of Education over the quality of this year’s mathematics evaluation. The individual, who describes the assessment as critically flawed, has raised concerns about the structural integrity of the examination and its impact on student outcomes. Nimal Silva, a resident of Kiriberiya, said Monday that his decision to sit more..

Feb 23 (APP) 25 SL students have arrived in Pakistan to pursue MBBS studies at leading medical universities under the Allama Iqbal Scholarships for Sri Lankan Students. The students were received upon their arrival at Jinnah Int'l Airport, Karachi. These fully funded scholarships form part of the broader Pak–SL Higher Education Cooperation Programme, administered by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan. Under this initiative, students will undertake their more..

Feb 23 (EN) Central Bank will re-visit its inflation target as part of renewing an agreement with the govt, Director of Economic Research S Jegajeevan said amid calls to reduce the high target which gives leeway for the agency inflate prices up to 7% a year. Under the 5% inflation target, SL ran into repeated currency crises after a civil war, as forex shortages emerged from liquidity injections made to target a mid-corridor rate to push up cost of living by 5% year without more..

Feb 23 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa alleged that a ninth coal shipment imported from South Africa for the Norochcholai coal power plant was of substandard quality, citing what he described as real-time operational data from the facility. Premadasa said that eight previous coal shipments brought from South Africa had already been proven to be substandard with evidence, and that data relating to the latest shipment indicated a similar issue. He made the remarks after attending an event more..

Feb 23 (AD) Police have uncovered a series of new details in the high-profile double murder of a lawyer and his wife, who were shot and killed at a supermarket parking lot in Akuregoda on Feb 13. Investigators say a resident of Kottawa has been arrested for allegedly transporting the two gunmen to lodging houses prior to the killings. He was taken into custody by officers of the Western Province South Crime Division. According to police, the individual had acted on the instructions of more..

Feb 23 (FT) At a defining moment in human history, the world gathered at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi. For us in India, it was a moment of immense pride and joy to welcome Heads of State, Heads of Govt, delegates and innovators from across the world. India brings scale and energy to everything it does and this Summit was no exception. Representatives from over 100 nations came together. Innovators showcased cutting-edge AI products and services. more..

Feb 23 (FT) Addressing the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Sri Lanka’s Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, popularly called AKD, drew the attention of world leaders and others who were present to an important, if not alarming, issue emerging from the onset of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) AI revolution today. Calling for urgent global cooperation to ensure that AI moves forward in delivering equity, cultural alignment, and universal accessibility, AKD noted that there is a new digital divide more..

Feb 23 (Island) Environmental groups have raised fresh concerns over increasing levels of coal ash generated at the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant, warning of serious environmental and public health risks if proper disposal mechanisms are not urgently implemented. CEJ Chairman Hemantha Withanage, in a strongly-worded comment, said the growing volume of ash was being treated as a blessing by authorities, while, more..

Feb 23 (TM) Although the GMOA was engaged in several trade union actions over the past two months — most recently refraining from submitting essential data to the Ministry — Deputy Minister of Health Dr Hansaka Wijemuni said the broader medical community continues to provide uninterrupted services to patients. Speaking regarding the Ministry’s position on the ongoing trade union measures, he said nearly 90% of the demands put forward by GMOA were financial in nature. more..

Feb 23 (TM) The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) has instructed that all construction activities related to the proposed Jaffna International Cricket Stadium and Sports Complex on Mandaitivu Island be halted until the environmental approval process is completed. CEA Director General Kapila Mahesh Rajapaksha said the Authority had issued a Project Outline Report (POR) to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedure. more..

Feb 23 (Island) Only one MP has chosen not to receive the salaries and allowances entitled to MPs, PM Harini Amarasuriya revealed in Parliament last Thursday, shedding light on the financial perks enjoyed by members of the Tenth Parliament. PM outlined the full range of pay and allowances provided to MPs. According to Dr. Amarasuriya, MPs receive a monthly allowance of Rs. 54,285, an entertainment allowance of Rs. 1,000, more..

Feb 23 (CT) Minister Vijitha Herath, underscored the Govt’s commitment to advancing the national policy framework, A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life, under the leadership of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism on Thursday hosted a Media Networking Reception in Colombo, last Friday bringing together more than 175 journalists and media professionals representing a broad spectrum of local & int'l media institutions. more..

Feb 23 (DM) The debate in Parliament on the alleged purchase of inferior quality coal yesterday led to the disclosure that the deal has cost the govt approximately Rs 7.9 billion. SJB MP S. M. Marikkar, who is also the Chairman of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure Development and who moved the debate, said SL govt has suffered losses amounting to Rs 7.9 billion as a result of purchasing eight shipments of coal. “The losses incurred from the first shipment are Rs 595.1 million, more..

Feb 23 (AD) The govt has announced a comprehensive review of long-standing laws across multiple sectors, with plans to amend outdated statutes and regulations to better align with present-day needs. The Minister Prof. Chandana Abayarathna made the announcement while addressing the inaugural session of a programme introducing legal reforms to public officials. Minister said cabinet approval has already been granted on two occasions, under the leadership of more..

Feb 23 (DN) Former SL Captain Kumar Sangakkara joined with two other former SL cricketers Russell Arnold and Angelo Mathews for the SL – England T-20 cricket super eight game’s int'l cricket commentary yesterday at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium. This is the first time three SL cricketers present at the commentary box. Angelo Mathews who got retired from Test cricket last year still involving domestic cricket and for the first time he joined the international cricket commentary more..

Feb 23 (TM) The container congestion at the Colombo Port is expected to be cleared by today (22) if importers and their agents work cooperatively with SL Customs and show up in order to clear their items. As of 12.30 p.m. yesterday (21), three passes for food containers were pending at the North Container Terminal (NCT) gate. Meanwhile, a total of 258 passes were issued from Wednesday (18) to Saturday (21), with more..

Feb 23 (Island) When Bathiya & Santhush took their seats alongside Rohit Sachdev, CEO and Founder of Soho Hospitality, at a recent press briefing in Colombo, it seemed at first like a courtesy appearance. Moments later, it became the headline: the duo were introduced as co-investors in Charcoal Tandoor Fire Grill’s Colombo debut. That revelation that Bathiya and Santhush are not merely endorsing but co-owning the restaurant venture alongside Sanken Lanka, the company behind the more..

Feb 23 (NW) The Oxford Union has cancelled a planned speaking event featuring SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa, following backlash from Tamil student groups and campaigners. The Cambridge Union had previously cancelled his scheduled appearance, citing security concerns linked to planned protests. According to UK student newspaper Cherwell, Oxford Union President Katherine Yang said the decision was taken after concerns were raised about students’ ability to participate freely. more..