Jan 16 (DM) The CID, which is conducting investigations against the self-proclaimed Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva Mahinda Kodithuwakku for allegedly insulting Buddhism and offending religious feelings, informed court today that they have sought the AG’s advice regarding future legal action against the suspect. The CID told the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court that they have requested the AG’s advice on whether the case against the suspect can be maintained. more..

Jan 16 (DM) SL's Ministry of Energy and Sinopec signed an agreement for $3.7 billion investment to construct an oil refinery with a capacity of 200,000 barrels in the Hambantota region. Under this $3.7 billion investment, a state-of-the-art oil refinery with a capacity of 200,000 barrels will be constructed in the Hambantota region. A substantial portion of the refinery’s output is planned for export, further enhancing foreign exchange earnings. more..

Jan 16 (EN) Prez Anura Disanayake met top Chinese private and state corporations and assured them necessary support and a business friendly environment during a visit to Beijing, govt statement said. “I invited Chinese investors to explore opportunities in SL at the Investment Forum, highlighting our stable governance and transparent economy,” Prez said. “Speaking at the Investment Forum, I had meaningful discussions with leaders from prominent Chinese corporations.” more..

Jan 16 (NW) Opposition Leader MP Sajith Premadasa has called on Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and relevant law enforcement authorities to take prompt measures to curtail incidents of shooting in SL. MP Sajith Premadasa said 05 shooting incidents have been reported in the first 16 days of this year, in which 05 persons were reported dead and 04 were injured. Pointing out that the Police have uncovered that criminal activities are organized by criminals living overseas, more..

Jan 16 (AD) Deputy Minister Dr. Prasanna Gunasena alleges that a major racket involving e-tickets for up-country trains to Ella is presently taking place. According to the Deputy Minister, e-tickets for this popular tourist route are sold out within an astonishing 42 seconds of their release online, raising serious concerns about fraudulent practices. Deputy Minister Gunasena made this accusation while speaking at the Kandy more..

Jan 16 (AD) The Court of Appeal has moved the Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed seeking an order to invalidate the agreement reached by the Govt of SL with India’s Adani Green Energy for a wind power project in Wedithalathivu, Mannar to May 23, 2025. The petition filed by Chairman of the Green Movement of SL (GMSL) Sankha Abhayawardena was taken up before the Appeals Court judge U.M.B. Karaliyadda today. During the trial, State Counsel informed Court of Appeal more..

Jan 16 (AD) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) says that the review of public opinions gathered on the proposed electricity tariff revision will be concluded today. Accordingly, the PUCSL had called for public opinions on the matter starting from Dec 17, while oral sessions were held from Dec 27 to Jan 10, covering all nine provinces. PUCSL stated that around 400 individuals had submitted proposals during those sessions. It has been revealed during the consideration of proposals more..

Jan 16 (DM) SL Police has clarified regulations on high-capacity motorcycles, referencing two key govt gazettes. Under the Motor Traffic Act, motorcycles registered in Sri Lanka are limited to a maximum engine capacity of 450cc. However, an Extraordinary Gazette issued on April 11, 2013, allows motorcycles with engine capacities between 450cc and 1001cc for sports and training purposes only. Special approval from the Ministry of Defence or the Ministry of Urban Development is required, more..

Jan 16 (Island) Dept of Irrigation says 27 of the 73 main reservoirs in the country have currently reached spill level. Director of the Water Management Division, Engineer P. S. D. Herath, said that in the Anuradhapura District, seven of the 10 main reservoirs had reached spill level. In the Ampara District, three main reservoirs have reached spill level, while in the Badulla District, three out of seven reservoirs have also reached this level. Additionally, in the Batticaloa District, more..

Jan 16 (DM) Govt is grappling with a shortage of vehicles for the use of its MPs who don’t hold ministerial responsibilities, and at a loss whether to import double -cabs for them or find them from a different source, a minister said. The govt has taken a policy decision to assign vehicles to MPs instead of granting permits for them to import without duty, as was the case in the past. Also, govt has decided not to assign luxury vehicles to them as more..

Jan 16 (DM) The govt will continue its businesses despite the decision by the SJB to boycott Parliamentary Committee meetings, Minister Lal Kantha said. He told the media that the govt will not delay Parlaimentary business or any other businesses even if the Opposition boycotts Parliamentary Committee meetings. "The Opposition has a right to boycott. However, we will not delay Parlaimentary business or any other businesses. We will continue our work," he said. more..

Jan 16 (Island) A 19-year-old youth and his accomplice have been remanded until 20 January by the Avissawella Magistrate, for allegedly abducting an 18-year-old girl and threatening her mother at gunpoint. Initial police investigations indicate that the youth acted out of anger after the girl’s family opposed their romantic relationship, which had reportedly been ongoing for a year. However, within eight hours of the abduction, team of officers of the Deraniyagala police, led by more..

Jan 16 (TM) Sri Lanka’s palm oil industry, if strengthened, can save $ 84 million in foreign exchange, and enable smallholders to enter into international value chains through value added palm oil production, AEN Plantations CEO Ruwan Goonewardena said. “By supplanting our own yearly palm oil requirement for the confectioneries, bakeries, cosmetics, lubricants and pharmaceuticals industries, we can save around $ 84 mil,” more..

Jan 16 (AD) The govt has planned a relief package to provide concessions to small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) facing difficulties in repaying loans. This relief package has been prepared with a long-term vision to provide relief to the businesses of affected SMEs while ensuring the stability of the banking sector, in collaboration with the Central Bank of SL (CBSL), Sri Lanka Banks’ Association, representatives of the SME sector and other relevant govt institutions. more..

Jan 16 (TM) Dr. Manuja Weerasinghe, Chairman of the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC), has lodged a complaint with the CID over false allegations targeting the Ministry of Health and its officials. Accordingly, the allegations, primarily focused on the drug supply network managed by the corporation, have disrupted operations within the healthcare sector. Dr. Weerasinghe expressed concerns that these claims might be part of a broader effort to destabilize public healthcare more..

Jan 16 (Island) The local council (LG) elections will be held before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, says Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Rathnayake. The long overdue provincial council elections, too, would be held after a few months, Rathnayake said. The postponement of the LG polls in 2023 had not only deprived 16 million people of an opportunity to elect their local councillors but also caused a loss of Rs. 700 mn to the state coffers, Rathnayake said, adding that more..

Jan 16 (EN) SL has renewed a $1.4 billion worth Yuan currency swap with China during the official Beijing visit of Prez Anura Kumara Disanayake. 3-year agreement which was signed with People’s Bank of China (China’s CB) in 2022 entitled the Central Bank of SL for a swap facility amounting to 10 billion Chinese Yuan ($ 1.4 billion). “Central Bank of SL and People’s Bank of China have renewed their currency swap agreement and will continue to carry out financial cooperation,” more..

Jan 16 (NW) One World Duty Free (ODF), a leading and omnichannel duty-free global travel retail brand headquartered in Singapore, officially opened its latest duty-free store at the Port City Duty Free Mall in Colombo on 1 Jan. This marks a milestone in ODF’s strategic entry into the South Asian market, which expects to offer its premium shopping experience for international travellers as well as local consumers. more..

Jan 16 (CT) Over 2,300 dengue cases have been recorded by 14 Jan 2025 midnight, NDCU data revealed. 304 cases were from the Colombo District, while 299 of the cases were from Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) area. The Unit’s surveillance system noted that 374 dengue cases had been recorded from the Gampaha District, while Galle (169), Kandy (134), Batticaloa (123), Jaffna (99), Ratnapura (95) and Kegalle (80) had recorded a comparatively high number of cases from 1 Jan to 14 Jan 2025. more..

Jan 16 (Island) ITAK is set to hold its Central Committee meeting on 18 Jan in Trincomalee, focusing on preparations for the upcoming local govt elections and deliberate on several key proposals. According to C.V.K. Sivagnanam, former Chairman of NPC, and a senior member of ITAK, meeting will be held at an auditorium belonging to a local voluntary organisation there. Reports indicate that Kilinochchi District MP S. Sritharan, the party’s leader, will not attend the event. more..

Jan 16 (DM) Colombo High Court yesterday imposed a fine of Rs. 220 million on three accused, including alleged drug dealer Samantha Kumara, alias Wele Suda, and his wife. This is considered one of the largest fines imposed in SL's judicial history for offences under Money Laundering Act. The first accused, Gayani Priyadashani alias Suji, the wife of Wele Suda, was found guilty of 18 charges out of a total of 55 charges. more..

Jan 16 (DM) Dept of Excise being the sole competent authority in issuing and renewing licenses to sell liquor in SL, has decided to go ahead with the renewal of licenses for 2025 sans a tax clearance certificate. The Excise Dept in early December last year made a written request to the Inland Revenue Dept to issue the tax clearance certificates before Dec 31st to continue the smooth operation of renewing the licenses for over 4, 500 liquor selling places before the arrival of 2025. more..

Jan 16 (CT) Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) said they had initiated a programme parallel to the Clean Sri Lanka programme of the Government to ensure food safety and clean environs. President of the Public Health Inspectors’ Union of SL (PHIUSL), Upul Rohana, said that the Union had taken upon itself the task of ensuring the safety of food consumed by the public. It aims to increase the level of food sanitation in establishments. Currently, little attention is given to certain guidelines more..

Jan 17 (DM) China’s President Xi Jinping might not be captured smiling on camera, but Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) has been grinning quite often during the latter’s ongoing official visit to China. AKD is on a four-day visit to China (the visit ends on January 17) and the two heads of state have discussed on bilateral issues with Chinese President Xi Jinping giving assurances that the island nation will have China’s support to usher in a new era of development. more..

Jan 17 (DM) Dr. Neranjan Dissanayake, President of the SL College of Pulmonologists said that Sri Lanka, despite being a unique country with good health indices, faces concerning issues regarding the respiratory health of the individuals suffering from Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Tuberculosis (TB) and Viral infections such as influenza and added that the consequential results could be disability and death, mainly among the elderly & pregnant women. more..

Jan 17 (DM) Aneka Borham had dreams of building her own house and to live a better life. But the salary she earned as a company secretary wasn’t sufficient to fulfill her dreams. While hunting for jobs she had come across a social media post calling for data entry operators in Thailand. Post was shared by her best friend’s husband and Aneka hadn’t had second thoughts on inquiring more about this opportunity. During the initial inquiry more..

Jan 17 (CT) In the annals of transformative leadership, few stories resonate as deeply as that of Singapore’s journey from a struggling city-state to a global benchmark of efficiency and innovation. On October 1, 1968, PM Lee Kuan Yew launched the Keep Singapore Clean campaign. This initiative transcended mere environmental cleanliness; it represented a broader vision of civic responsibility and unity. Over decades, Singapore transformed into the Garden City, more..

Jan 17 (CT) At a media briefing which included Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne, govt has announced that the digital identification card system is set to be rolled out this month. The new system, which was long overdue, is expected to streamline many of the govt’s functions, allowing for greater efficiency and information sharing between govt bodies and agencies, minimising delays and creating a more effective State operation. System comes at a considerable cost; is being assisted by India more..

Jan 17 (FT) Driven by the passion for research and the thirst for innovation, a SL rice scientist through a blend of curiosity, dedication and unwavering commitment spent hours in the humid and scorching rice fields in Dambulla and the laboratories to finally come up with what most of us relish today as tasty, slender and healthy Red Basmathi Rice. The unique innovation carried out after three years of meticulous research more..

Jan 17 (Island) The Opposition has been able to put the government on the defensive on the propaganda front. The JVP/NPP carried out a propaganda onslaught against its political rivals, and rallied enough popular support to win last year’s elections. The boot is now on the other foot. On Wednesday, claiming that despite last year’s regime change, some big companies continued to import coconut oil fraudulently, causing huge losses to the state coffers, SJB MP S. M. Marikkar, said more..

Jan 17 (TM) Sri Lanka has long dealt with violent crimes using ad-hoc measures instead of long-term, well-established policies. Once again gun violence seems to be on the rise instilling fear in ordinary citizens and posing a threat to the rule of law. Over the last decade, the country has been grappling with sporadic surges of gun violence, often linked to organised crimes. Repeated resurgence of gun violence and the impunity with which some criminals act is indicative of the deep cracks within more..

Jan 17 (GV) In her latest work Darshi Thoradeniya, a senior lecturer at the University of Colombo, gives an insightful exploration of the history of women’s health in Sri Lanka, shedding light on lesser known facts and pivotal moments in healthcare policy evolution. At the launch of A Critical History of Women’s Health in Modern Sri Lanka, a panel moderated by Dr Asha Abeyasekera a senior lecturer in Gender and Women’s Studies at the Uni of Colombo, with Prof Nira Wickramasinghe more..

Jan 17 (Island) The mission of the Clean Sri Lanka project is to reposition the nationwide efforts of environmental, social, and governance initiatives through introducing change, integration, and collaboration. As stated on its official website, “Clean Sri Lanka project aims to address a cleaner physical environment and a nationwide moral commitment to enhance ethical principles. Enhancement of the three pillars of sustainability; Economic, Social and Governance (EESG), have been identified as more..

Jan 17 (ST) As the subject minister holding the portfolio of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Ananda Wijepala plays a key role in the implementation of the NPP govt’s ambitious agenda for the country. A close confidant of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Mr. Wijepala has served previously as his private secretary. Today, he holds the position of Chief of Staff to the President in addition to his ministerial portfolio. more..

Jan 17 (FT) A new mechanism will be implemented following instructions of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake to refund Withholding Tax (WHT) for pensioners, who do not fall within the income tax range. At a discussion held recently with Finance Ministry officials, Prez directed the officials to come up with an efficient mechanism to refund WHT, soon. Prez was of the view that the pensioners were facing several difficulties and the Govt should introduce this mechanism to give them relief. more..

Jan 17 (FT) In recent times, the country’s healthcare system has been burdened by a shortage of essential medicines. Among various contributing factors, the current procurement processes have played a significant role in delaying the arrival of consignments. While medicine shortages have been an ongoing issue since the economic crisis, the delays in approval timelines and coordination problems within the healthcare system are unacceptable. more..