Feb 26 (EN) Lankapay, SL’s payment network operator, said they have signed up around 260 govt institutions for their services, and are planning on doubling the number this year. “We are planning to double the number of departments [joining LankaPay] this year,” Channa de Silva, CEO of Lankapay told reporters at a press conference held to announce the LankaPay Technnovation Awards 2026. Only 8 govt institutions had been fully connected with Lankapay initially more..

Feb 26 (NW) A joint special operation to inspect vehicles unfit for road use was carried out within the Nuwara Eliya Police Division on Wednesday, during which 49 vehicles were found unsuitable for travel. The operation took place along the Nuwara Eliya–Badulla road in the Haggala area and the Nuwara Eliya–Udupussellawa road in the Boralanda area. Inspection was carried out by officers from Nuwara Eliya Police Station, working together with officials from the Dept of Motor Traffic. more..

Feb 26 (DM) A collective representing more than 2,000 employees of the CEB who have opted for the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) has strongly condemned the recent token strike launched by several CEB trade unions, describing the action as illegal and politically motivated. In a letter addressed to the Energy Minister, group said that the trade union action was unsuccessful, claiming that less than 25% of employees more..

Feb 26 (AD) Parliament is scheduled to hold next months’ sittings from March 3. Accordingly, MPs will meet from March 3 to 6, Secretary-General of Parliament, Kushani Rohanadeera stated. The decision regarding parliamentary business was taken at the Committee on Parliamentary Business meeting held under the chairmanship of Speaker of House Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne. Accordingly, on March 3, following the time allocated for Business of Parliament as per Standing Order 22(1) to (6) more..

Feb 26 (DM) In the wake of public anger that boiled over following SL’s humiliating performance on Wednesday night at the R. Premadasa Stadium against New Zealand, captain Dasun Shanaka apologised to SL fans and urged them not to give up on Sri Lanka Cricket or the players. “I share your disappointment with how this World Cup campaign ended for us. As a team, we came into this tournament with immense belief, clear plans, and high hopes despite the challenges we faced more..

Feb 26 (NF) The remarkable story of SL runner J.K. Karunananda, the athlete who finished last but ran with unforgettable determination at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, continues to be taught in Japan, Japanese Ambassador to SL has revealed. Speaking at a recent reception in Colombo, Ambassador highlighted that Karunananda’s courage remains part of Japanese school textbooks even today, inspiring new generations more..

Feb 26 (NW) SL Police Service is currently grappling with a critical shortage of nearly 40,000 personnel, prompting immediate govt intervention to address the deficit through a comprehensive recruitment drive and strategic reforms. Minister Ananda Wijepala stated that recruitment efforts have already been initiated to tackle this challenge. He revealed that steps are being taken to absorb 10,000 personnel from the Civil Security Department into the police service, more..

Feb 26 (EN) Revenue collected by SL Customs in the first 23 days of February has exceeded this month’s target. Custom’s February revenue target has been set 165.9 billion rupees. But the revenue collecting body has already collected 176.9 billion rupees, exceeding the target by 6.6% in the first 23 days of this month. Customs has been accelerating container clearance since last month after Ditwah devastation hit the usual activities for at least four days in Nov amid higher imports in Dec. more..

Feb 26 (FT) The Govt is stepping up its efforts to introduce two major pieces of legislation—the Digital Economy Act and the Cyber Security Act, to establish a comprehensive legal framework for the country’s digital transformation program. Digital Economy Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne said the proposed Digital Economy Act will seek to create a dedicated Digital Economy Authority tasked with integrating all Ministries and State-run institutions into a single digital ecosystem. more..

Feb 26 (DM) Two Fundamental Rights petitions filed challenging Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s decision to impose Emergency Regulations following Cyclone Ditwah were today dismissed by the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. The petitions were taken up before a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe and Justice Arjuna Obeyesekere. After considering the submissions, Supreme Court refused leave more..

Feb 26 (FT) SL plans to issue its first digital national identity card by the third or fourth quarter of 2026, with the procurement process now in its final stages, Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne said. Speaking on the Govt’s digital transformation roadmap yesterday, he said the new digital ID will allow citizens to authenticate themselves securely using biometric data, eliminating the need to physically present more..

Feb 26 (FT) Northern Province Governor N. Vethanayagan has declared that it is unacceptable for the Dept of Forest Conservation to refuse the release of lands on the basis that residents lack formal documentation for their homes and livelihoods. He stressed that all lands recommended by the District Secretariat for release should be handed over in full by the Forest Department. Governor made these remarks at the first Quarter District Coordinating Committee meeting more..

Feb 26 (CT) The income of liquor shops in Hatton and its surrounding towns increases sharply on the days when the Aswesuma welfare payment is distributed to recipients. Several bar owners in these areas stated that their daily income rises significantly on the days when the Aswesuma payment is made, compared to other days. Some said that this trend is particularly noticeable in plantation areas, where liquor sales at outlets near the estates increase markedly on the days the Aswesuma more..

Feb 26 (DM) A doctors’ trade union has raised serious concerns that the continuous burning of low-grade coal at the Lakvijaya Power Plant in Norochcholai could threaten the health of nearly 200,000 people living in surrounding areas. Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa of the Doctors’ Trade Union Alliance warned that coal being used at the plant may contain ash levels as high as 25% far above the recommended 10% limit. more..

Feb 26 (AD) Former captain Kumar Sangakkara has expressed his anger and disappointment in the way the national cricket team approached the T20 World Cup games as SL crashed out of the tournament following a 61-run defeat to NZ at the R Premadasa Stadium yesterday. Chasing a modest 169-run target, the Dasun Shanaka-led team was bundled out for just 107, suffering their second consecutive Super eight round defeat and becoming the first team eliminated at this stage. more..

Feb 26 (EN) SriLankan Airlines will launch direct flights to Ahmedabad as its tenth destination in the Indian market as the state-owned carrier expects to boost tourists from the neighbout this year, SriLankan said in a statement. SriLankan currently flies to Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Trivandrum, Madurai and Tiruchirappalli. “Soon joining this network as SriLankan’s tenth Indian destination will be Ahmedabad,” the carrier said in a statement. more..

Feb 26 (AD) Three teenage girls have been arrested for allegedly breaking into the canteen of the Vernon U Fernando Stadium in Kalutara and stealing confectioneries and chocolates worth nearly Rs. 40,000, police said. According to the Kalutara South Police, the suspects are aged 13, 14, and 15. Investigations led by the Officer-in-Charge of the Kalutara District Crimes Division, included reviewing CCTV footage in the area helped officers to identify the suspects, police said. more..

Feb 26 (AD) SL’s official poverty line has increased in Jan 2026 in comparison to figures from Dec 2025. Report by Dept of Census & Statistics confirmed that SL’s overall poverty line has risen from Rs. 16,658 in Dec 2025 to Rs. 16,730 in Jan 2026. Colombo reported the highest poverty line, ranking with Rs. 18,044 in January, increasing from Rs. 17,966 in Dec 2025. Gampaha district, neighboring Colombo came in second with a poverty line of Rs. 17,951, followed by Nuwara Eliya with Rs. 17,593. more..

Feb 26 (DM) While public anger boiled over SL’s humiliating performance last night at the R. Premadasa Stadium against New Zealand, where they were officially eliminated from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, calls are now growing for the resignation of Shammi Silva, Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), with some alleging that he is clinging to power despite mounting failures. SL’s aspirations of hosting T20 World Cup trophy more..

Feb 26 (NW) Chairman of the Magen Ratata movement, Sanjaya Mahawatta, has submitted a complaint to the CID requesting an immediate investigation against individuals who presented false information regarding the recent coal incident. He has requested that an immediate investigation be conducted and the law be enforced against the relevant individuals. Complaint was filed yesterday against two opposition MP and a professor. Sanjaya Mahawatta alleged that presenting a report more..

Feb 26 (AD) Two SL passengers have been arrested by a team of SL Customs officials at the airport this morning for allegedly attempting to smuggle a consignment of undeclared goods including electronic items valued at approximately Rs. 2.06 million into the country. The consignment, which included perfumes, mobile phones, laptops and cardamom, had reportedly been carried through the Green Channel, which is designated for passengers with no items to declare at the BIA. more..

Feb 26 (AD) Director of Communications for the Archdiocese of Colombo, Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando has urged all parties not to interfere with ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando stressed that any attempt to obstruct the investigations would amount to a grave injustice to the victims. Referring to the coordinated bombings that struck churches and hotels more..

Feb 26 (DM) The inaugural ceremony of the national programme for the presentation of Himikama freehold title deeds will take place tomorrow in Anuradhapura under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The deeds will grant absolute ownership of land to the public, particularly farming communities, who have been developing and utilising land allocated under permits. Event will take place tomorrow at 2 pm at the North Central PC Auditorium in Korakahawewa, A'pura. more..

Feb 26 (AD) Lanka IOC PLC has announced revised dealer commission for fuel, effective March 1. Issuing a statement, Lanka IOC said the revised rates for company-owned filling stations and franchisee-owned filling stations have been approved by the competent authority. Accordingly, company-owned filling stations will receive a commission of 2.75% of the retail selling price while the franchisee-owned filling stations will be given 3.00% commission of the retail selling price, Lanka IOC PLC stated. more..

Feb 26 (FT) We are standing in the debris of yet another new era that promised to save us. If you are feeling a sense of déjà vu, you are not alone. In fact, you should be feeling it. We are living through a rerun of a bad movie we watched just six years ago, only this time the actors have changed costumes. Looking back at the chaotic trajectory of the last decade, from the technocratic dreams promised by Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2019 to the radical System Change heralded by Anura Kumara more..

Feb 26 (FT) From 1 Jan 2026, UK implemented reforms to its trade preference scheme, Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS). SL’s garment sector is the most significant beneficiary of these reforms. Recently, with Deputy Minister Chaturanga Abeysinghe, I went to see some of the first garments leaving for the UK, tariff free, from the warehousing facility of local logistic partners at Maersk and Speedmark. Garments are SL’s largest export to the UK, and I hope volumes will grow. more..

Feb 26 (DM) The long-running LP gas shortage in Sri Lanka is expected to last for a few more days till the arrival of fresh shipments by the end of this week, an official said. Households, hotels, and industries are struggling amid dwindling supplies. Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. Chairman Channa Gunawardena said that the country had been facing an ongoing shortage affecting both Litro Gas and Laugfs Gas consumers. more..

Feb 26 (AD) Residential land prices in the Colombo District have risen by 12.4% in the second half of 2025, from a year ago, followed by commercial land prices by 11.3%. Continuing the upward trend, the Land Valuation Indicator (LVI) compiled for the Colombo District increased by 10.6% during the second half of 2025, compared to the same period of 2024. The increase was visible across all sub indicators of LVI, namely, Residential, Commercial and Industrial LVIs, which recorded more..

Feb 26 (DM) Former Minister Champika Ranawaka has questioned why, in the backdrop of former Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando being sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment on charges of causing a loss to the Govt in an import transaction, law is not similarly enforced in the case of the alleged fraud that has caused billions of rupees in losses to the State through the importation of substandard coal under the present Govt, and why it is being more..

Feb 26 (FT) Fresh changes to the tax code will see higher tax rates on capital gains, a significant expansion of the Withholding Tax (WHT) base, tighter compliance, and more. A Bill to amend the Inland Revenue Act, No. 24 of 2017 has been published in the Gazette Extraordinary dated 20 Feb and issued on 24 Feb by Finance, Planning and Economic Development Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake. According to a Tax Flash issued by KPMG more..

Feb 26 (AD) SL and India abstained in the UN General Assembly on a draft resolution that called for an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. The draft resolution, Support for lasting peace in Ukraine, coming on the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion of its neighbour, was adopted by the 193-member UN General Assembly, with 107 nations voting in favour, 12 against and 51 abstentions. SL was among the 51 member states abstaining from resolution, more..

Feb 26 (AD) Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Portugal Paulo Rangel, on a working visit to Sri Lanka met the Minister Vijitha Herath on 24 February at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo. Welcoming his Portuguese counterpart, Foreign Minister Herath said that the visit is timely and significant. Foreign Minister of Portugal also noted that it is time for the two countries to explore further avenues for cooperation based on the platform of rich cultural heritage. more..