Mar 5 (TM) Sri Lanka’s ambitions for stability, economic progress, and its longstanding diplomatic push to see the Indian Ocean Region remain a Zone of Peace faced an unpleasant shock yesterday morning when an Iranian warship sank off the southern coast. International media reports that a US Navy submarine torpedoed the vessel. The incident brings to Sri Lanka’s doorstep the dynamic war which is being waged by Israel, more..

Feb 5 (DM) As the Israel–Iran conflict enters its fifth day, Sri Lanka is managing growing economic, aviation, diplomatic and security repercussions from the crisis. While geographically distant from the war zone, Sri Lanka’s strong labour, tourism, trade and aviation ties with the Middle East mean developments in the region are producing significant ripple effects, from stock market volatility and flight cancellations to maritime rescue operations in Sri Lankan waters. more..

Feb 5 (DM) Israel–Iran war has entered its fifth day with sustained air strikes, expanding missile exchanges and mounting casualties across the Middle East, as the conflict widens into a regional crisis with global economic consequences. The confrontation began with coordinated US–Israeli strikes on Iranian military, nuclear and leadership targets on Saturday. Tehran responded with waves of ballistic missiles and drones targeting Israel and US military facilities across the Gulf, more..

Mar 5 (TM) A report by the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) has revealed that the use of recently imported coal at the Lakvijaya Power Plant in Norochcholai led to reduced electricity generation, increased coal consumption, higher fly ash discharge and elevated noxious gas emissions, while creating operational concerns including potential non-compliance with Environmental Protection Licence (EPL) conditions. more..

Mar 5 (FT) Cabinet Spokesperson and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa yesterday said Sri Lanka must neither serve as an intermediary for hostile interests nor become a victim of the escalating conflict in the Middle East, stressing that the country’s position is firmly anchored in peace and diplomacy. He underscored that Sri Lanka stands ready to support efforts aimed at ending hostilities, whether through formal diplomatic channels or other appropriate interventions. more..

Feb 5 (NW) At least 109 Sri Lankans are stranded at an airport in Saudi Arabia, while another 22 remain stranded at an airport in Oman amid disruptions linked to the conflict in the Middle East, Minister Vijitha Herath said. He said some of those stranded in Oman may have already returned to SL on an Oman Air flight that arrived early Wednesday. Minister said the govt is working in line with security restrictions imposed by the affected countries and safety measures implemented by airlines. more..

Feb 5 (NW) Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa visited the Iranian Embassy in Colombo on Wednesday to express condolences following recent developments linked to the ongoing conflict in the region. Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath met with the Iranian Ambassador and conveyed SL’s sympathy to the Iranian people, following the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The minister extended his deepest condolences more..

Mar 5 (DM) SL’s corporate sector faces a patchwork of opportunities and risks as the March 2026 conflict in Iran sends shockwaves through global energy markets, shipping routes and domestic financial flows, according to First Capital Research. Ripple effects are already reshaping the business dynamics, presenting short-term gains for some while testing resilience across the board. Shipping disruptions are creating immediate winners. The rerouted vessels increase traffic through more..

Feb 5 (Island) Judge of the SC Justice Kumudini Wickramasinghe has recently presented a stark analysis of the legal profession’s gender disparity, noting that in spite of women entering the legal field in substantial numbers, their representation dwindles at senior levels. She has highlighted critical statistics and the fact that only two women currently serve in the SC, none in the Court of Appeal, and that there has never more..

Mar 5 (FT) Norway State Secretary/Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik signalled a push for a modern, forward-looking partnership with Sri Lanka, emphasising stronger trade, maritime cooperation, and green energy collaboration. In an exclusive interview during his two-day official visit, Kravik said the visit was aimed at setting new priorities and revitalising political engagement after several years without a high-level Norwegian delegation. more..

Mar 5 (Island) At its 2026 Social Sustainability Programme Kick-Off, the UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka convened business leaders to advance the translation of global ambition into practical corporate action on inclusion, integrity and human rights. On 24 Feb, the UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka (Network Sri Lanka) convened business leaders at Barefoot Garden Café for its 2026 Social Sustainability Programme Kick-Off, delivered in collaboration with Good Life X. more..

Mar 5 (ST) Attorney General has directed the CID to open investigations against persons held responsible by the Presidential Commission for the Easter Sunday attacks. Accordingly, CID has been directed to study the commission’s recommendations and take action. Among those named by the commission are then-Prez Maithripala Sirisena, then-PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, then-defence secretary Hemasiri Fernando, then-IGP Pujith Jayasundara, and then-senior police more..

Mar 5 (TM) SriLankan Airlines informed passengers they are resuming limited operations to the Middle East. Accordingly, flights UL231 (Colombo–Dubai) and UL232 (Dubai–Colombo) operated yesterday, with all necessary safety measures in place, it said. The first flight to resume operations following the suspension caused by the ME conflict departed from BIA on Tuesday afternoon (3), bound for Dubai. Airport officials confirmed that the FitsAir flight 8D 821 took off at 1.20 p.m. for Dubai. more..

Feb 5 (TM) A special discussion was held yesterday at the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure to assess the impact of the ongoing war situation in the Middle East on SL’s tea industry and to explore measures to safeguard the sector. The meeting, chaired by Minister Samantha Vidyarathna, brought together officials from key institutions and representatives of the tea industry to examine the challenges already emerging more..

Mar 5 (NW) Renovation work at the Pettah Central Bus Stand is progressing rapidly and is expected to be completed within the first two weeks of April, Ministry Of Transport, Highways & Urban Development reports. The project is being carried out under the supervision of the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development as a key initiative under the national Clean Sri Lanka program. Labour support for the renovation is being provided by the SL Air Force. more..

Mar 5 (CI) Opener Hasini Perera's second T20I fifty, on the back of two wickets apiece by left-arm spinners Sugandika Kumari and Inoka Ranaweera, capped off another strong effort by SL as they beat West Indies by nine wickets to seal the three-match T20I series 2-0. Captain Chamari Athapaththu won the toss and elected to field in Grenada, and much like in the second T20I, the spinners strangled the West Indies batters. Sugandika was introduced into the attack in the third over more..

Mar 5 (ST) Litro Gas Terminal Lanka has moved to stabilise cooking gas supplies amid panic stemming from a shortage of gas from privately held Laugfs Gas. State-owned Litro confirmed that 38,000 metric tonnes of LP gas have been secured to ensure supply throughout March. Chairman of Litro Gas Lanka Channa Gunawardana, said that “28,000 metric tonnes of gas were ordered for February. Continuous supply of new cylinders more..

Mar 5 (FT) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya last week emphasised that enhancing energy efficiency is an essential factor in strengthening the country’s economy, and that it is not merely about limiting consumption but about making a distinctive contribution to the national development process. PM made these remarks while addressing the SL National Energy Efficiency Awards Ceremony, organised jointly by the SL Sustainable Energy Authority and the Ministry of Power & Energy, more..

Mar 5 (FT) The Regional Exporters Networking Forum for the Southern Province, organised by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), was successfully held in Matara recently. The primary objectives of the forum were to identify challenges faced by regional exporters and to explore new export opportunities. Minister Sunil Handunneththi, participated as the Chief Guest, providing exporters with a special opportunity to directly present their issues to the Minister. more..

Mar 5 (NW) President’s Counsel Saliya Pieris has warned that Sri Lanka cannot be under any illusion that it is immune from the ongoing war in the Middle East, stressing that the country’s economy faces both short‑term and long‑term risks from the crisis. He noted that global oil prices have already risen steeply and natural gas production has been restricted, developments that will inevitably affect Sri Lanka in the coming months. Pieris highlighted possible consequences, including more..

Mar 5 (FT) A Bill to amend the Social Security Contribution Levy (SSCL) Act No. 25 of 2022 has been gazetted following the Budget 2026 proposals, introducing several changes including a lower registration threshold and revisions to the levy treatment on motor vehicles, according to a briefing by KPMG Sri Lanka. The Bill was published in the Gazette Extraordinary dated 27 February 2026 and issued on 3 March 2026 by the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. more..

Mar 5 (FT) SL’s weak foreign direct investment (FDI) performance reflects not only policy shortcomings but also the failure of parts of the private sector to generate competitive returns, according to Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Ltd, Chief Investment Officer – Int'l Sarath Sathkumara, who oversees a $ 50 billion investment portfolio. Speaking at a symposium titled Trade in turbulent times: Geopolitical challenges and more..

Mar 5 (CT) The Rubber-Rice Pact, officially known as the Ceylon–China Trade Agreement of 1952, was signed on Dec 18, 1952, in Beijing. Our first PM DS Senanayake had already passed away. His son, Dudley had to deal with the oncoming crisis; and he apparently was not ready for the national turmoil that was to follow. Dudley may have been a dignified gentleman; he may have accumulated some rare qualities that characterize men of honor and poise, and the very image he depicted to more..

Mar 5 (ST) O Tempora, O Mores! These words of the illustrious Roman senator Cicero might be rather wasted on the Oxbridge student unions that found hosting two speeches by a foreign politician they had invited too hot to handle. So they probably thought it more convenient to call it a day and never mind any missing Oxford comma, if you know what that means. Having heard of some ho ha (sorry, not Oxford English, but then what the hell), I scanned the British media. more..

Mar 5 (Island) It was Iran’s first spiritual head of state, the late Ayatollah Khomeini, who singled out and castigated the US as the ‘Great Satan’ in the revolutionary turmoil of the late seventies of the last century that ushered in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The core issue driving the long-running confrontation between Islamic Iran and the West has been religious identity and the seasoned observer cannot be faulted for seeing the explosive emergence of the current war in the Middle East as more..

Mar 5 (DM) Joint US-Israeli air attack on Iran was a bid to bring about a regime change and establish total US-Israeli dominance in the West Asian region. The nuclear enrichment issue, which the duo had touted as the reason for the deadly strikes, was only a pretext to forcibly overthrow the radical Islamic regime and install a puppet. Yes, decapitation has taken place. Ayatollah Khamenei along with other key leaders were killed. But the next critical step, setting up an alternative puppet regime more..

Mar 5 (TM) Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the fastest-growing technologies today. It refers to machines and computer systems that can-do tasks typically requiring human intelligence, like learning, reasoning, decision-making, understanding language, and solving problems. In the last 10 years, AI has shifted from a futuristic idea to a real part of daily life. Countries are using AI in business, healthcare, edu, transportation more..

Mar 5 (DM) Poverty alleviation, especially at the rural level had been a central objective of various governments that were in power. But whether successive governments succeeded in alleviating poverty remains unclear. This is because a myriad of issues that have not only pushed people towards abject poverty but have also disrupted social relationships. Predatory microfinance practices has been one such approach that pushed rural communities towards a vicious cycle of debt. more..

Mar 5 (Island) There was a time when Sri Lanka was known the world over as the Granary of the East. Ancient rulers made selfless sacrifices to enable it to achieve and sustain self-sufficiency in food, especially rice. Alas, it has today become a hunduwa (a small traditional rice-measuring cup), according to its current Head of State himself. On Tuesday, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) caused quite a stir by referring to SL as a hunduwa in a bid to drive a point home in Parliament. more..

Mar 5 (TM) After a lapse of a few months, we re-connected with Tharushi Karunarathna, the young woman who brought immense honour to Sri Lanka by dominating the Asian track and field arena. Currently residing and studying in the faraway US, Tharushi has been focused on a gruelling transition period. While she may not have been in the headlines daily, her silence was merely the preamble to a new surge of success. more..

Mar 5 (TM) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s admission in Parliament on Tuesday (3) that Sri Lanka does not have sufficient long-term fuel storage facilities should not pass as just another statement in Hansard. It is a warning. Fuel is still the most sensitive issue in this country. The economic crisis is not a distant memory. People remember the queues. They remember the anger, the uncertainty and the daily humiliation of not knowing whether they could get petrol or diesel. more..

Mar 5 (TM) Rising tensions in the Middle East are being watched closely in Sri Lanka, and for good reason. For a country still recovering from its worst economic crisis in decades, developments in that region are not distant geopolitical events. They have direct consequences for our economy and thousands of Sri Lankan families. Sri Lanka’s links with the Middle East are both financial and human. A significant share of our migrant workforce is employed in Gulf countries. more..