Feb 28 (DM) Continuing its journey of doing good for SL, Nestlé Lanka invested in a biomass boiler project at its state-of-the-art factory in Kurunegala. The biomass boiler is a key initiative in the Good Food Good Life company’s journey towards reaching net zero carbon emissions across the value chain by 2050. Nestlé strongly believes in conducting its operations sustainably in a manner which positively impacts not only people but also the planet. This Rs.1.1 billion investment more..

Feb 28 (FT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday met with Japanese Ambassador Akio Isomata and discussed issues of bilateral interest. During the meeting, the Ambassador officially invited Prez Dissanayake to visit Japan and expressed appreciation for the new Govt’s policy framework. The Japanese Ambassador stated that efforts have been made to include Sri Lanka in the recently launched security cooperation assistance program by the Govt of Japan. more..

Feb 28 (DM) In the wake of revenge killings triggered by the murder of notorious underworld criminal Ganemulla Sanjeewa, police have gone on alert and launched special operations across the country to pre-empt such counter criminal attacks involving underworld groups. A senior officer said that Acting IGP had directed all senior police officers and the OIC of all police stations to conduct special operations targeting criminals more..

Feb 28 (FT) A Development Partner Dialogue (Donor Conference) related to the Clean Sri Lanka program, a key govt initiative, was held yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat with the aim of adopting an approach to secure contributions for the said program. The primary objective of the conference was to gather proposals and support from participating representatives for the Clean Sri Lanka program. The Development Partner Dialogue, jointly organised by the UN and more..

Feb 28 (CT) SJB MP Dayasiri Jayasekara told Parliament that more than 2,000 firearms forcibly seized by the JVP during the 1988/1989 insurrection had yet to be returned, questioning why they remained unaccounted for. Citing information from the Ministry of Defence, he noted that 2,136 weapons taken by rebels during the 1980s and 1990s could not be traced, with the majority still unreturned by the JVP. Jayasekara also raised concerns over the number of weapons still more..

Feb 28 (DN) Former Governor of the CB Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy noted that the maiden budget of the new govt is very constructive since it has been very well crafted in every aspect. He made these observations delivering the keynote address under the theme Structural Reforms for Crisis Driven Poverty Reduction at the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) forum on crisis driven poverty, held in Colombo yesterday. It was jointly organized by the CEPA and Asian Development Bank (ADB). more..

Feb 28 (DN) The defence over the case filed against three accused including underworld figure Nadun Chinthaka alias Harak Kata, who is currently incarcerated in the Tangalle Old Prison over the failed escape attempt from the CID, was yesterday ordered to inform their position regarding the request to try the case via Skype. When the case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Sujeewa Nissanka, Harak Kata, who is in prison custody, had not been produced before the Court. more..

Feb 28 (DM) Days after being released from jail, BBS General Secretary Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara set the stage for another controversy when he said that he informed Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith about the Easter Sunday attacks well in advance but it fell on deaf ears. Delivering remarks to the media, Gnanasara said that the govt intelligence services and officials concerned had prior knowledge of the attack. more..

Feb 28 (DM) Police Dept will have a special security mechanism in place for the oncoming schools cricket Big Match season, which will commence from this weekend onwards and close to about 1, 000 police officers will be deployed including for the traffic operations. The special cadre of policemen will be deployed for the security of thousands of spectators that are expected to throng several leading sports complexes and cricket grounds in Colombo, where over 15 big match encounters are to take more..

Feb 28 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Disanayake directed the District Secretaries to allocate Rs. 1,400 billion in recurrent expenditure for the implementation of productive projects at the grassroots level over the next eight months. Prez made these remarks during a discussion held with the District Secretaries, yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat. Prez also emphasized that by developing the rural economy, SL’s economic growth could be elevated by 3% to 4%. more..

Feb 28 (DM) Former Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardhane used fuel worth Rs. 33 million within nine months from Jan 1, 2024 to Sept 24, 2024 which amounts Rs. 4 million per month, minister Bimal Ratnayake said. He said that the current Speaker has only spent Rs. 218,000 for fuel for the month of January. Former Speaker has used nine vehicles and his fuel cost for nine months amounts to Rs. 333 million while more..

Feb 28 (FT) SL’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and public institutions are at a critical crossroads. Despite playing a pivotal role in national development, they continue to grapple with inefficiency, limited public outreach, and financial instability. While private-sector organisations thrive on dynamic, competitive marketing strategies, SOEs often lack a clear, structured approach to marketing—resulting in outdated practices, declining public trust, and missed opportunities for growth. more..

Feb 28 (FT) SL’s 2025 national Budget has sparked both hope and concern across the entrepreneurial landscape. With young entrepreneurs and the startup ecosystem emerging as vital contributors to the country’s economic recovery, how the Govt directs its fiscal policies will have a lasting impact. On one hand, the Budget contains measures to foster innovation and alleviate some of the existing challenges that startups face, but on the other, certain policy decisions may still leave more..

Feb 28 (AD) Supreme Court has ordered the CEB to pay annual interests for security deposits collected from all consumers when providing the electricity connections. Supreme Court, which took into consideration a petition filed in this regard, ordered that the state-owned electricity provider must pay the annual interest of 11.67% which they are being paid by the Central Bank for the said deposits, to the electricity consumers of all categories including the domestic consumers. more..

Feb 28 (DM) SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa proposed to remove the privilge of MPs to tell lies in Parliament just like the removal of MPs' permits and insurance. He told parliament that MPs tell various lies referring to people inside and outside Parliament and questioned why MPs tell lies while hiding behind parliamentary privilges and mislead the people. The MP said the Committee on Privileges must be vested with more powers to act upon those who tell lies, hiding behind parliamentary privileges. more..

Feb 28 (DM) Responding to allegations of how Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake managed to visit three countries for just Rs. 1.8 million, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said that only Rs. 1.2 million was spent for the Indian visit, Rs. 386,000 for the China visit and Rs. 279,970 for the Dubai visit. He told Parliament that the Prez had reveived free air tickets for the China and Dubai visits while Rs. 386,000 was spent for air tickets for more..

Feb 28 (DM) Ending the destructive bottom-trawling method of fishing would safeguard the livelihoods of ordinary fishermen in Tamil Nadu and northern Sri Lanka, former Chief Minister of SL’s Northern Provincial Council C.V. Wigneswaran has said, urging Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to act on the long-persisting problem. In a letter to Mr. Stalin, shared by Mr. Wigneswaran’s office with the media on Thursday [February 27, 2025], the former CM, former Jaffna parliamentarian, more..

Feb 28 (FT) The Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL) has reaffirmed its commitment to digital excellence with the unveiling of the prestigious CSSL National CIO List 2024, an initiative recognising the nation’s top Chief Information Officers (CIOs) for their outstanding contributions to the industry. This flagship event brought together industry pioneers, technology leaders, and key stakeholders to recognise and honour the individuals driving digital transformation across SL. more..

Feb 28 (DM) The tax burden on individuals providing services to foreign countries while residing in SL has increased. However, they have the option to keep their income abroad without bringing it into the country. Minister Sunil Handunneththi said that he does not agree with this tax. He made this comment while participating in a television programme last night in response to a journalist's question regarding the 15% tax more..

Feb 28 (NW) A Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) employee has been found running an unauthorized funeral parlour on official municipal property within the Borella Cemetery, as revealed during a recent COPA hearing. The investigation, conducted under the chairmanship of MP Aravinda Senaratne, uncovered that the employee had been operating the business illegally since 1994 using an official residence and land belonging to the CMC. Despite prior orders to reclaim the land, no action more..

Feb 28 (DN) Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala stated in Parliament yesterday that there has been no significant rise in the crime rate in recent months when compared to such incidents reported during the same period during previous years. Responding to a question from Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa under Standing Order 27(2), the Minister said that 14 crimes were reported in the first two months of this year, which is consistent with previous years. more..

Feb 28 (EN) SL’s Parliamentary Committee on High Posts has recommended the appointment of a new ambassador and high commissioner. “The Committee on High Posts has recommended the name of Ms Y K Gunasekara as the High Commissioner of SL to Australia,” a parliament statement read. “Furthermore, the Committee on High Posts has recommended the name of Mrs S S Dissanayake as the Ambassador of SL to Bahrain.” The committee was attended by PM more..

Feb 28 (AD) The Petroleum Dealers’ Association says it will withdraw from all activities related to the ordering of fuel with effect from midnight today. The association said that it would only distribute existing fuel stocks and will not be ordering new stocks. The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has taken steps to abolish the 3% discount currently available to fuel distributors and to make payments according to a new formula, effective from tomorrow (01). This has come into effect according to more..

Feb 28 (AD) Chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), D.J. Rajakaruna, says that the 3% discount currently granted to fuel distributors will be abolished, with a new payment formula set to take effect from tomorrow (1). CPC Chairman claimed that the 3% discount, which has been in place since the circular issued on March 10, 2022, was unlawful. “These people were entitled to a 3% discount. But it is implemented as per more..

Feb 28 (DM) Former Presidents Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe stopped investigations into hundreds of frauds and corruption cases during the Yahapalana govt, Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala told Parliament today. "I was the Director of the Anti Corruption Unit during the Yahapalana govt. We received 1,200 complaints and 500 of them were refered to various institutions such as the Bribery Commission, FCID and CID for investigations. more..

Feb 28 (Island) Prevailing high dust levels had led to a noticeable increase in children suffering from asthma, with a considerable number of them being admitted to hospitals, Paediatric Pulmonologist Dr Deepal Perera of the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children in Borella said. He said that the hospital had seen a significant rise in asthma cases and advised parents to seek medical attention if their child experiences persistent coughing or difficulty breathing, particularly at night. more..

Feb 28 (DN) The launch of the five-year renewable energy development plan, Green Energy Acceleration Plan 2025-2030, presented by the Ministry of Energy, was held on February 27 at the Cinnamon Life Hotel in Colombo under the patronage of PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. The plan outlines key strategies for identifying and implementing renewable energy methods and digital innovations, ensuring their efficient more..

Feb 28 (Island) Batticaloa District has emerged as the second-highest leprosy-affected district in Sri Lanka, with 140 new cases recorded last month. About 700 patients attend clinics a month, according to Regional Director of Health Services Dr. S. Muralitharan. To address the rising number of cases, the Batticaloa District Regional Health Services Office, under the guidance of the Ministry of Health and the Department of Health, organised an awareness walk near Kallady Bridge. more..

Feb 28 (DM) Sri Lanka must wait for a sovereign credit upgrade to B-minus level to access global financial markets, where the country could also start to experience significant foreign investment flows, a senior global banker said. Although many global players are making inquiries, Citibank Head of Treasury Sanath Gamage noted that Sri Lanka needs to demonstrate policy consistency to the world. He shared these remarks while joining a panel discussion at Softlogic Investor Forum more..

Feb 28 (AD) Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Ananda Wijepala, states that steps will be taken to establish a separate salary structure for the Police Department in the next year’s budget. Minister confirmed that plans have been made for this initiative. He also emphasized that no salary reductions have been imposed on police officers or public servants and that, after several years, measures have been taken to increase their basic salaries. more..

Feb 28 (DM) A suspect has been arrested over a shooting incident in Hettipola last night, in which a 9-year-old girl was killed. According to police, the girl and her grandmother were injured when an individual opened fire while hunting wild bores in the Magulagama area. The girl succumbed to her injuries after being admitted to the hospital, while her grandmother is receiving treatment. Investigations revealed that the victims were accidentally shot at after stepping outside their house more..

Feb 28 (EN) Sri Lanka is confident of passing an IMF Mission Executive Board review and the next mission is expect in April for the fourth review. SL has met the required indicators to pass the third review due on Feb 28, Deputy Minister of Economic Development Anil Jayantha was quoted as saying by Bloomberg. IMF’s executive board is to take up SL’s review later on Feb 28. SL is expecting the next review mission under its EFF in April, he said. more..

Feb 28 (NW) Land Valuation Indicator (LVI) for Colombo District recorded 236.8 during the second half of 2024, with a year-on-year increase of 7.7%. All sub-indicators of LVI, namely, Residential, Commercial & Industrial LVIs contributed to this increase, recording annual increases of 9.9%, 9.4%, and 3.9%, respectively. On a semi-annual basis, LVI and its sub-indicators increased at a slower pace during the second half of 2024 compared to the values recorded in the first half of 2024. more..

Feb 28 (AD) The overall rate of inflation, as measured by the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI) on Year-on-Year basis, has decreased to -4.2% in February 2025, compared to -4% in Jan 2025, according to the latest data. Year-on-Year food inflation has increased to -0.2% in February 2025, compared to -2.6% in January 2025, while Year-on-Year non-food inflation is -6.1%. The CCPI for all items for the month of February 2025 has decreased to 192.2 from 192.6 in Jan 2025. more..

Feb 28 (AD) Delivering a special statement in parliament today, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the incumbent govt will not allow terrorism and racism to raise their heads once again in the country. He also issued a warning to politicians emphasizing that the era of overthrowing govts through conspiracies and racism is now over. Prez, who arrived at the Parliament chamber this evening for the debate on more..

Feb 28 (NF) Matara Magistrate's Court has issued an order for the arrest of former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon. This order is in connection with the investigation into a shooting incident that occurred on Dec 31, 2023, in front of a hotel in the Palana area of Matara. The court has also ordered the arrest of five other suspects, including Anselm de Silva, the Officer-in-Charge of the Colombo Crimes Division. The suspects are being charged with conspiracy to commit murder. more..