Feb 2 (CT) The issue of Indian fishermen repeatedly straying into SL territorial waters has long been a thorn in bilateral relations, but last week’s escalation — where two Indian fishermen were injured during a firearm discharge — has once again put this contentious matter into the spotlight. While Indian fishermen claim these incursions are accidental, citing the absence of physical borders at sea, the reality is far more complex and troubling. This is not a matter of mere miscalculation or ignorance. more..

Feb 2 (ST) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to the North this week turned out to be an exercise in evaluating ongoing govt development programmes and proposals ahead of the budget, which is scheduled to be presented on Feb 17. When the critical issue of the lack of proper roads and infrastructure in urban and rural areas of Jaffna came under discussion at the District Coordination Committee (DCC) meeting on Friday, more..

Feb 2 (ST) Next week, the free citizens of SL mark their 77th year since regaining independence from over 450 years of foreign rule, though tied in knots to external factors that question the very foundation of freedom. From an international lending agency in Washington overseeing the country’s budget to the demands of sovereign creditors at the Paris Club and elsewhere to private bondholders, to its domestic processes on the rule of law, accountability, and human rights needing more..

Feb 2 (ST) My dear Mahinda maama, It has been some time now since I wrote to you last, but you and your family members are back in the limelight, even though it may not be for reasons you would appreciate. Your security is being slashed, you are being threatened with eviction, and your sons have been in and out of remand and the courts. First, you (and all your ex-President colleagues, Satellite, Aiyo Sirisena, Gota maama and Uncle Ranil, gosh, there are so many of you now!), more..

Feb 2 (Island) India’s angry protest last week about an incident in Palk Bay where a confrontation between the SL Navy and an Indian fishing craft resulted in, according to the SLN, of an accidental discharge of a firearm that led to the minor wounding of two Indian fishers, provoked an indignant reader’s letter we run today. Responding to India’s demand that the decades long practice of Tamil Nadu fishermen poaching in SL waters, and worse, using illegal bottom trawling methods destroying more..

Feb 2 (Island) There was always something new on the agenda with India. Although the question of statelessness had been virtually resolved by Mrs Bandaranaike with the Sirima-Shastri Pact of 1964, the issue of the ownership of the tiny island of Kachativu in the Palk Strait between India and Ceylon began to acquire importance. Kachativu is a barren piece of rock about a square mile in extent and would possibly have no strategic value in terms of real estate for SL and certainly not for India more..

Feb 2 (TM) With the vehicle import relaxation underway, concerns remain about managing net asset outflows and foreign reserves amidst the pent-up demand that has accumulated over five years. In order to tackle this, both the Govt and the Central Bank have addressed the need to reintroduce vehicle imports with strict controls in place to prevent a sudden influx. SL’s gross official reserves stood at over $ 6 billion at the end of 2024, more..

Feb 2 (SO) In a thrilling centenary encounter that lived up to the occasion, Ladies’ College ended victorious over their traditional rivals Girls’ High School Kandy with a 32-26 win in their Gwen Opie Memorial Challenge Shield netball match on their home ground at Flower Road in Colombo, yesterday. The match marked a historic milestone as both schools that pioneered netball in the country 100 years ago in 1924, renewed their long-standing rivalry in style honouring the sport’s rich more..

Feb 2 (TM) Ministry of Sports has officially sought a year’s extension of the deadline imposed on Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) by World Rugby (WR), Director General (DG) of Sports Shemal Fernando said. This is following the expiry of WR’s deadline last Friday for SLR to amend its Constitution and press ahead with its election of office bearers. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) which was originally scheduled to be held on 21 Jan has since been postponed indefinitely by the Sports Minister. more..

Feb 2 (CI) Australia's batters were at home on SL tracks in ways SL's batters weren't. This was one of the take-aways from a Test that Australia dominated, according to head coach Sanath Jayasuriya. SL's batters also largely fell playing attacking strokes. "There was a serious problem with shot selections, as well as with handling situations," Jayasuriya said. "I don't think certain players have handled situations well. They're experienced players, and they have to be more mature. more..

Feb 2 (TM) There is currently no immediate end in sight to the legal cases pending linked to the netball, automobile, and cycling federations, according to Director General of Sports Shemal Fernando. Fernando said that Sports Minister Sunil Gamage had already held talks with officials of the three federations and had advised them to expedite the legal proceedings, but noted that no positive response had been forthcoming thus far. He added that this had invariably hindered more..

Feb 2 (CI) Australia brushed aside any concern over Galle's fickle weather by steamrolling through Sri Lanka's listless batting order across two innings on day four to complete a near-flawless performance in the first Test. After two sessions on day three were washed out, Australia's push for a straightforward victory appeared under some threat with wet weather also forecast for later on the fourth day. But the rain held off and more..

Feb 2 (SO) Consistency in policy which is key for any economy to thrive, the capital market, a vital component of an economy too needs consistency in policy. Capital market experts have been harping on the need for policy consistency umpteen times ever since trading in stocks or equity trading commenced at the Colombo Stock Exchange or probably from colonial times when share trading began in the Colombo Share brokers Association in 1896. Chairman CSE Dilshan Wirasekara said more..

Feb 2 (DM) A new Ella Odyssey special train introduced by the Railways Dept for local and foreign tourists on the popular Kandy-to-Ella section of the up-country route commenced its maiden journey from Kandy Railway Station at 9:45 a.m today. The train will operate every Saturday and Sunday. It will depart from the Kandy Railway Station at 09.45 am and arrive at Demodara Railway Station at 5.22 pm. Train will return to Kandy from Demodara Railway Station at 6.00 pm. more..

Feb 2 (CI) Roughly halfway through the morning session on day four in Galle, an offbreak was allowed to pitch on a good length and hit a wicket. There were 13 Test cricketers, two on-field umpires, and thousands more attending at the ground. For those couple of seconds, every single one of them were just watching as a 160-gram ball bounced once and clattered into a 71-centimetre stake. Ordinarily, this should not happen in more..

Feb 2 (EN) Individuals with a Sri Lanka tax payer identification number will be allowed to register a vehicle, the Finance Ministry said after lifting an import ban and hiking taxes. Vehicles cannot be imported through tax free permits already issued for state workers. “The importer or buyer shall submit an Affidavit including the Tax Payer Identification Number issued by the Dept of Inland Revenue for the registration of motor vehicles,” Finance Ministry said. more..

Feb 2 (AD) Chairman of the Vehicle Importers’ Association of SL (VIASL), Indika Sampath Merenchige, has highlighted that the main reason for the rise in the price of Japanese vehicles is the govt’s decision to allow the importation of vehicles that are 2 years old instead of the previous limit of 5 to 7 years from the year of manufacture. Speaking about the govt’s decision to remove import restrictions starting today (1), Merenchige expressed his concerns, stating that this move would more..

Feb 2 (DM) The country loses Rs. 500 billion annually due to the lack of a proper public transport system, and this loss is expected to double once suspensions on vehicle imports are relaxed, Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association (LPBOA) President Gemunu Wijerathne said. He noted that the govt resumed vehicle imports today after several years of restrictions. "The number of road accidents will rise with the influx of new cars, three-wheelers, and motorcycles. Resulting expenses will again more..

Feb 2 (EN) Prez Anura Disanayake, who visited Jaffna this week, has called for Tamil-speaking youth to apply for vacancies in the Police Dept. “Prez announced that Tamil-speaking youth will be given greater opportunities to apply for vacancies in the Police Dept and encouraged them to come forward for recruitment,” the PMD said. Disanayake made these remarks during the Jaffna District Coordination Committee (DCC) Meeting held on Friday at the Jaffna District Secretariat. more..

Feb 2 (EN) SL’s imports surged to US$ 1,924 million in Dec 2024, up from around 1500 to 1,600 million dollars in previous months amid a steep spike in credit and shortly after warnings not to print money through open market operations, a few weeks earlier. December spike came amid port congestion where backlogs are cleared in some weeks. Dec 2024 imports are the highest since the US$ 2,241 mil in Dec 2021 more..

Feb 2 (SO) ADB Country Director to SL, Takafumi Kadono reiterated ADB’s steadfast commitment to support SL to achieve its renewable energy and energy security goals. He was speaking at the ADB’s Serendipity Knowledge Program (SKOP), Driving Power Sector Reforms for Enhanced Renewable Energy Growth and Sector Performance, in Colombo on Jan 30. ADB supports Govt’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which targets 70% renewable energy by 2030, more..

Feb 2 (EN) Capital Alliance, a Colombo-based investment banking group has produced an online tax calculator as a rough guide for their clients to estimate the import cost of a car, based on publicly available tax information. A prospective car buyer looking to import a car has to key in the CIF prices of a car, the exchange rate, engine capacity, luxury tax (if applicable) and similar relevant information in the web-page. When the car is petrol, diesel or electric can also be selected. more..

Feb 2 (ST) The govt is finalising a list of names to be posted as heads of SL’s missions abroad, with ex-Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya assuming duties as SL’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. He replaces Mohan Pieiris, also an ex-chief justice, who was recalled along with other political appointees in November last year. Yasoja Gunasekara, currently the most senior member of the SL Foreign Service, is likely to take over as High Commissioner in Canberra, more..

Feb 2 (TM) SL has proposed an alternative revenue-generating mechanism to the IMF to replace the controversial Imputed Rental Income Tax (IRIT) which the Govt has opposed, Dept of Fiscal Policy reveals. Dept of Fiscal Policy Director General M.K.C. Senanayake shared that they had developed an alternative revenue-generating mechanism to replace the controversial IRIT and that it had been submitted to the IMF for its approval. However, he refused to provide any specific details more..

Feb 2 (TM) Govt has introduced new luxury tax guidelines for motor vehicles, which will be applied based on factors such as engine type, passenger capacity, age, and modifications. On Friday the Fiscal Policy Dept published several gazette notices in this regard, including a regulation under Section 51 of the Finance Act No.35 of 2018 and an order under Section 3 of the Excise Act No.13 of 1989. Additionally, Dept of Trade and more..

Feb 2 (ST) The 77th Independence Day celebrations at Independence Square in Colombo on Tuesday will be a scaled-down affair with a 40% reduction in troop participation, fewer military wares on display, greater public participation, and an overall shorter programme compared with previous years. NPP-led govt’s first Independence Day will be celebrated under the theme Towards a National Renaissance, with the cost being reduced this year to Rs. 80 mil—Rs. 27m less than the Rs. 107m spent last yr more..

Feb 2 (ST) The govt is to set up a state holding company to manage its state-owned commercial enterprises (SOEs) and list it on the Colombo Stock Exchange. This strategy aims to consolidate and streamline SOEs, reducing the financial burden on the state Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake revealed this at an economic forum organised by the CCC, indicating that a fair number of those corporates and agencies are problematic in terms of finance and in need of new management. more..

Feb 2 (ST) Years ago, top military officials were handed an unusual task. One of their superiors wanted them to handle a sorcerer from a Muslim country, especially flown to Sri Lanka, to locate the elusive Tiger guerrilla leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran. This towering six-footer with broad shoulders, clad in a kurta-shalwar kameez, had already startled his own countrymen with forecasts that proved to be remarkably accurate. more..

Feb 3 (DM) Bob Dylan, the famous US anti-war activist, wrote the song Blowing in the wind protesting the US-war in Vietnam. It called for an end to the war and raises questions regarding war, peace and freedom. We ourselves have lived through a near three-decade long ethnic war which was brought to an end on the banks of the Nanthikadal. The actual numbers of civilian lives lost during that period are still not known. UN agencies put the numbers of Tamil civilians killed more..

Feb 3 (CT) SL, a nation with a rich and diverse cultural heritage, has long been a land where multiple ethnicities, religions, and traditions have coexisted. For centuries, Buddhism has played a pivotal role in shaping the country’s values, fostering peace, and guiding the people towards compassion and inclusivity. However, as history has shown, external influences, political agendas, and societal divisions have at times challenged this harmony, creating rifts that threaten the very fabric of more..

Feb 3 (TM) Investors are eagerly awaiting the findings of the expert committee appointed to review Renewable Energy (RE) projects submitted through the Expression of Interest (EOI) process initiated in 2021. With the committee set to meet next week, stakeholders are hoping for a swift resolution. CEB Chairman Dr. Tilak Siyambalapitiya said that they were expecting a quick response from the committee. more..

Feb 3 (DM) In approaching another Independence Day on Feb 4, we must reflect on the tragic history of our country. The original sin of our independent nation – despite our visionaries who had struggled against colonialism in the name of equality – was the disenfranchisement of the Hill-Country Tamils. How are we as a country and a people addressing the dark history of exploitation and social exclusion of the Hill-Country Tamils who beyond all other communities have been the backbone of more..

Feb 3 (TM) SL will celebrate 77 years of our nation’s Independence from British Colonial masters tomorrow, in a modest celebration, which the Govt has planned to carry out with less pomp and pageantry. All that is well and good, and while cost-cutting measures such as less extravagant parades and fly passes by our small and declining airpower will be in-line with the current Govt’s stated policies, we the citizens should take a long hard look at ourselves in the mirror tomorrow more..

Feb 3 (TM) Despite being an island surrounded by seawater, SL has been forced to import salt from India for the first time in over a decade, exposing yet another crisis in the country’s fragile supply chain. The severe shortage, which has left supermarket shelves empty for weeks, has pushed the Govt to import 30,000 MT of salt in a desperate attempt to stabilise the market. But the real question remains: was this crisis truly unavoidable or more..

Feb 3 (CT) Independence has been a long mirage in geostrategic Ceylon/ SL where history seems to repeat itself as tragedy and farce in equal measure. This week, the geostrategic Indian Ocean island is set to mark 77 years of faux Independence from the British Raj. There will be much pomp and pageantry to mask the fact that the country is caught in a neocolonial Eurobond US dollar debt trap and the IMF, bailout business at this time. The island effectively lost Economic Sovereignty to more..

Feb 3 (ST) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s warning that he intends to order the SL Army to transport rice from the mill to the stores if the owners of rice mills do not act according to Govt directives, is less than reassuring. This awakens uncanny if not unsettling echoes of former Prez Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s vain thundering in 2022 that the military will be deployed for organic farming after farmers and agriculture officials resisted his suicidal overnight ban on chemical fertiliser. more..