Mar 2 (NW) Sri Lankan govt has launched a series of special measures to ensure the safety and welfare of foreign tourists in the country and SL migrant workers overseas amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and Gulf region. The decisions were taken at a special meeting held Sunday at the President’s Office, chaired by Deputy Minister Ruwan Ranasinghe and Prez’s Secretary Dr. Nandika Kumanayake. more..

Mar 2 (DM) As tensions escalate between Israel and Iran, Sri Lanka has launched a broad set of diplomatic, aviation, economic and welfare measures to manage potential fallout and safeguard both its citizens and visitors. Although the conflict is unfolding far from its shores, Sri Lanka’s strong labour, trade, tourism and aviation links with the Middle East mean developments in the region carry direct implications for the country. Here is how Sri Lanka is responding. more..

Mar 2 (DN) CPC Chairman Janaka Rajakaruna stated that with current reserves and incoming shipments, SL possesses sufficient fuel stocks to meet national demand for over a month. He added that there is no justification for public panic, noting that CPC has completed a comprehensive assessment of available reserves and confirmed adequate stocks of all major fuel categories for the coming weeks. “If we combine the stocks already in SL with shipments now nearing arrival, more..

Mar 2 (ST) Sri Lanka is bracing for impacts on multiple fronts as yesterday’s joint military attacks on Iran by Israel and the United States and Iran’s retaliatory strikes aimed at US bases in West Asia threaten to unleash a wider war across the region. Israel and the US struck cities across Iran, including targets in the country’s capital, Tehran, yesterday. Iran retaliated by launching missiles at Israel & at Arab states that house more..

Mar 2 (CT) Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Israel, Nimal Bandara, has expressed concern over the tense situation in Israel amid the escalating conflict in the region. The Envoy said there are over 29,000 Sri Lankans currently residing in Israel, among a large number of foreign nationals employed there. “It’s not only Sri Lankans who are in Israel; a large workforce from the Asian region is currently residing in Israel. Among them, about 29,000 are Sri Lankans,” he said. more..

Mar 2 (AD) Ministry of Defence of the UAE has confirmed that civilian casualties were reported following recent missile and drone attacks linked to Iran. One or more SL nationals were among those who sustained minor injuries during the incidents. In an official statement, the ministry said three individuals — nationals of Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh — were killed in the incidents. A total of 58 people sustained minor injuries. Those injured include nationals of Pakistan, Nepal & B'desh more..

Mar 2 (DM) Israel-Iran war has entered a historic and volatile new phase after Iranian state TV confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint US and Israeli air strikes. The confirmation followed earlier claims by US Prez Donald Trump that Khamenei had been eliminated during large scale strikes on Tehran. Iran had initially denied those claims before officially announcing his death on Sunday. His killing marks the most significant leadership change in Iran more..

Mar 2 (DN) The 96th Battle of the Maroons three-day big match between Ananda and Nalanda ended in a draw yesterday while batsmen dominated from both schools during the three days at the SSC grounds. Ananadian opener Nethula Edirimanne stroked highest individual total of the series on the first day scoring 165 which guided them to build up 353 for 8 wickets declared in their first innings. Nalandians made a strong reply posting the highest team total of 424 for 8 declared in their first innings. more..

Mar 2 (TM) SL’s air links with the Middle East were thrown into turmoil yesterday as all SriLankan Airlines flights scheduled for 1 March were cancelled amid sweeping airspace closures across the region. Civil Aviation Authority of SL said a special operational plan has been activated under the leadership of CEO Daminda Rambukwella to facilitate passengers and manage aircraft movements in light of the prevailing situation. more..

Mar 2 (ST) Amidst persistent questions regarding the quality of South African coal imported via Trident Chemphar for the Lakvijaya plant, Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd (LCC) has enlisted a second laboratory in South Africa to test the 13th and 14th coal shipments at the load port, Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RCBT). Meanwhile, LCC this week floated an emergency tender to purchase 300,000 MT of coal—that is, five shipments—and invited its 26 registered suppliers to send in bids. more..

Mar 2 (TM) Though confidence in the SL financial system among its market participants remained positive in the short term, between December and January, confidence in the medium term declined in the same time period, likely due to uncertainties related to natural hazards and geopolitical tensions, the Central Bank of SL’s (CBSL) Systemic Risk Survey for H1 2026 has found. “Perceptions of survey respondents indicate that market participants’ confidence in the financial system remained more..

Mar 2 (TM) SL’s first-ever Rs. 3 billion blue bond issuance by DFCC Bank has been dually listed on the NSE International Exchange (NSE IX) at GIFT City, marking the first blue bond to be admitted for trading within India’s International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) jurisdiction. The dual listing has been facilitated under a MoU exchanged between NSE IX and the Colombo Stock Exchange at GIFT City on Friday, which is aimed at strengthening cross-border capital market collaboration, enabling dual more..

Mar 2 (CI) SL coach Sanath Jayasuriya has apologised to SL fans for the team's woeful showing in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup. SL were the only team in their group to finish winless, having also lost to Zimbabwe in the group stage. Although Saturday's loss to Pakistan was only by five runs thanks to an explosive 76 not out off 31 balls from captain Dasun Shanaka, the two previous losses - against England and NZ - had been more embarrassing, having come as the result of more..

Mar 2 (EN) As the sun rose over Colombo on Feb 28, 2026, breaking news of a coordinated military strike by the United States and Israel against Iranian strategic assets sent a physical chill through the minds of thousands who are familiar with the economic impacts of such strikes in the past. For a nation just beginning to breathe after the suffocating economic crisis of 2022, the flames in the Middle East are not a distant fire. more..

Mar 2 (DM) Altair’s prominence on Colombo’s skyline is now mirrored at street level. A growing number of global automotive brands have strategically chosen to locate their flagship showrooms at Altair, drawn by its iconic architecture, prime positioning by Beira Lake, and reputation as one of the city’s most prestigious addresses. Leading brands, including BYD, DENZA, TATA, JAECOO, OMODA, and KIA, are establishing a strong presence at Altair. more..

Mar 2 (DM) Former Finance Minister and Member of Parliament Ravi Karunanayake has charged that the govt’s claim that coal was imported through a proper tender procedure for the first time in history is a complete lie, warning that the proposed electricity tariff hike will further burden the public. Speaking at a media briefing held in Colombo, Karunanayake said that the tender procedure for coal imports was introduced during his tenure as Minister of Power and Energy. more..

Mar 2 (TM) In the wake of artificial shortages caused by widespread panic buying across the country, Deputy Minister Akram Ilyas warned that the Govt may be compelled to reintroduce a QR code-based rationing system if panic buying persists. Long queues have been observed at filling stations over the last two days, with motorists predominantly purchasing petrol. This rush continued despite repeated assurances from more..

Mar 2 (Island) If you are late for work and fancy beating every red light on Galle Road to clock in on time, you are chasing a mirage. Try the same stunt on Baseline Road and you will learn soon enough that Colombo traffic plays by its own rules. Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign was much the same. When you are ranked eighth in the world and expect to waltz into the semi-finals, that is wishful thinking. And as the old saying goes, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. more..

Mar 2 (DM) Students Visa (TSV) hosted EduFest 2026, SL’s Premier Study Abroad Expo at the Hilton Colombo recently. EduFest 2026 brought together over 40 international university representatives from leading institutions across the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Finland and Sweden, providing SL students and parents with direct access to global higher education opportunities under one roof. With the participation of over 350 students and parents, the exhibition successfully simplified more..

Mar 2 (DN) Medin Full Moon commemorates one of the most emotionally charged and spiritually significant events in the life of the Buddha, his first return to Kapilavastu after Enlightenment. This homecoming was more than a reunion between a son and his royal family. It became a moment of reconciliation, emotional healing, and psychological transformation. Pride softened, grief found expression, desire was understood, and restless minds were guided toward insight. more..

Mar 2 (DM) Former Sri Lanka fast-bowling legend Lasith Malinga has called on cricket fans to remain patient and continue supporting the national team, insisting that another ICC World Cup triumph is within reach. In a heartfelt Facebook post, Malinga reflected on Sri Lanka’s historic cricket journey since winning their first World Cup in 1996. He said that while the country experienced early exits in some tournaments and suffered heartbreak after losing in four World Cup finals, more..

Mar 2 (TM) SLC is currently monitoring the evolving situation in the Middle East ahead of SL’s white-ball series against Afghanistan in the UAE, its CEO Ashley de Silva said. SL’s ODI and T20 squads are scheduled to leave Colombo on 10 March, to feature in a 3-match T20I series from 13 to 17 March in Sharjah, after which they are to contest a three-match ODI series from 20 to 25 March in Dubai, as per ICC future tours programme. more..

Mar 2 (Island) Sri Lanka wakes each morning to wings. From the liquid whistle of a magpie robin in a garden hedge to the distant circling silhouette of an eagle above a forest canopy, birds define the rhythm of the island’s days. Their colours ignite the imagination; their calls stir memory; their presence offers reassurance that nature still breathes alongside humanity. For conservation biologist Rajika Gamage, these winged lives are more than fleeting beauty—they are a lifelong calling. more..

Mar 2 (ST) A ten-point joint declaration made at a Maha Sangha Convention in Colombo at the All-Ceylon Buddhist Congress earlier this month at which the NPP Govt was called upon to take measures to protect Buddhism in Sri Lanka has raised more questions than answers. Govt called upon to prevent hostility against monks. Particularly, the tenth point in this declaration by an assembly of Buddhist monks, (first touted to be massive in numbers but which claim more..

Mar 2 (Island) We are witnessing a new world order that is anything but rules-based. US has once again demonstrated that might is right. Big powers have placed themselves above international law and reduced the UN to a mere spectator. US Prez Donald Trump has graduated from abductions to assassinations in dealing for foreign leaders he considers hostile. The US and Israel seem to think they have succeeded in engineering a regime collapse in Iran by assassinating Supreme more..

Mar 2 (CT) Forty years ago, when I asked for my right to study, my family did not beat or kill me. Instead, they married me to the Quran — a symbolic punishment meant to end education without bloodshed. I was just 16 and continued to resist. My parents disowned me and sent me to live with my elder sister, who already had two young daughters and more responsibility than she could afford. They did not kill me. But they tried to kill my passion for education. That, too, is how honour works. more..

Mar 2 (CT) Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd (LCC), on behalf of the Standing High Level Procurement Committee (SHLPC) of the Ministry of Energy, has invited registered coal suppliers to submit bids for the emergency supply of 300,000 MT (±10%) of coal for the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant or the Norachcholai coal plant for the 2025–2026 period. The procurement, listed under EP No. LCC/25-26/EP/1, has been initiated as more..

Mar 2 (CT) Darius III was the last emperor of the Achaemenid dynasty, dethroned by Alexander the Great. With his fall, the Great Persian Empire—the heart of the Aryan world—ceased to be the dominant global power for centuries to come. Alexander the Great was no modern man; he was a titan of the ancient world, representing the very womb from which Western civilization eventually emerged. While Persia/Iran no longer seeks the role of a sole military conqueror, it maintains world-power more..

Mar 2 (DM) Coal is a curious thing, a dull black lump of carbon pulled from the earth. It is dirty, so dirty that even the cleanest hands turn black at a touch. Yet coal has a stubborn nature. It is inefficient. Rs. 7.67 billion Lost on Substandard Fuel: Opposition demands minister’s removal as quality failures expose systematic procurement manipulation. JVP-NPP govt faces mounting pressure over a massive coal procurement scandal that has cost the state Rs. 7.67 b, with all 8 shipments of imported coal more..

Mar 2 (TM) Govt Analyst’s Department has been grappling with a severe staff shortage, resulting in significant delays and practical difficulties in improving the dept’s performance. According to the AG’s report for the 2024 financial year, the Auditor General was informed that nearly 64% of the total number of case materials submitted had been analysed during the year. However, almost one-third of the approved staff positions in more..

Mar 2 (DM) Discrimination is treating one person or a group worse than others. One should realise and accept the fact that it is not justifiable to treat one person or a group of persons as worse or inferior than another, as everyone has equal rights for liberty, equality and fraternity in the face of law. Hence, no one or any group should be discriminated against on any grounds. The United Nations first celebrated the Zero Discrimination Day on March 1, 2014. more..

Mar 2 (TM) Rising tensions in the Middle East are not a distant geopolitical drama for SL. They have direct consequences for our people and for our economy. At a time when the country is still recovering from the worst economic crisis in its history, even external tremors can have serious implications. The need of the hour is not panic, but preparedness and realism. More than 1 million Sri Lankans live and work across the Middle East, particularly in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar more..