Jan 28 (DM) The Govt of Japan has agreed to provide a grant of 300 million Yen to Sri Lanka at the request of the SL govt, for the procurement of 28 garbage compactors to enhance waste management efforts under the Clean Sri Lanka programme. The Clean Sri Lanka programme aims to transform the country into a clean, sustainable and environmentally responsible model. A key challenge to achieving this vision has been the lack of advanced waste management infrastructure. more..

Jan 28 (CI) Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva has described his team's Test schedule this year as really disappoining. He believes it is a big disadvantage for a team such as Sri Lanka to play as few Tests as they have scheduled this year. Beyond this two-match Australia series, Sri Lanka only have two home Tests against Bangladesh to come in 2025. Their next World Test Championship cycle has only 12 Tests scheduled for now - an average of six Tests a year. more..

Jan 28 (EN) Central Bank came in for high praise from opposition legislator Kabir Hashim, for the recent deflation it has achieved, after the agency missed its inflation target of 5% plus or minus 2% erring on the side of the poor and stability. “What the Governor and the team have done in the past two years is exceptionally great,” Kabir Hashim said amid questions from some MPs on COPF on how quickly inflation will go up to 5%. more..

Jan 28 (AD) Johann Peries has reached the summit of Mount Vinson, the highest mountain in Antarctica at 4,892 metres, to become the first Sri Lankan and one of the few islanders in the world to achieve this incredible feat. In 2018, Johann Peries made history as the second Sri Lankan to summit Mount Everest, a monumental achievement that solidified his place in the country’s mountaineering legacy. His extraordinary journey continued as he completed the summits of Mount Elbrus in Europe, more..

Jan 28 (AD) Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa emphasized that the killing of individuals in government custody is completely unacceptable. During the Cabinet press briefing today, a question was raised about the presenting of an award to the former Prisons Commissioner Emil Ranjan Lamahewa for his involvement in the killing of prisoners during the 2012 Welikada Prison riot. In response, the Minister clarified, “This was not an attempt to award Emil Ranjan. more..

Jan 28 (Island) Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) leader MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam said yesterday that his party would wait until 08 February for the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) to finalise its decision on participating in tripartite discussions regarding a political solution for the Northern people. Ponnambalam said that the discussions aimed to unite Tamil political parties in proposing a common solution during drafting more..

Jan 28 (DM) The academic staff of the Jaffna University has resorted to a trade union action on five demands, including stern disciplinary action against the misdemeasnour of the students. The lecturers of all faculties have joined the strike led by the University Teachers’ Association. They pointed out that the university administration has failed to take disciplinary action against the unruly activities of the students. Recently nine students of the Jaffna Uni had been suspended for more..

Jan 28 (WCC) Warwickshire have signed SL Test bowler Vishwa Fernando to bolster their attack for the start of the Rothesay County Championship. Left-arm quick Fernando – who has 79 Test wickets, including four in his last outing in South Africa in December – will be available for Warwickshire’s Division One games in April. It means he could make his Bears debut in the season opener against Sussex starting on 4 April, followed by the trip to his former club Durham, and the home game more..

Jan 28 (DM) In the wake of debate on the proposed curtailment of perks and privileges of former Heads of State, PHU leader Udaya Gammanpila added to further controversy in this regard when he said their pensions could not be reduced or scrapped according to the Constitution and universal legal principles. He said Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake would find it impossible to scrap or prune pension benefits, despite it being mentioned in the manifesto of the NPP. more..

Jan 28 (EN) A recent govt decision to allow import of 30,000 metric ton salt is due to repeated requests from SL’s industries, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. Govt is under criticism over permitting salt imports given the availability of salt water around the island nation. Minister said SL has been facing a shortage of 60,000 metric tons of salt annually. “More than the domestic requirement, the priority was for the industrial sector and the imports are mainly because of the industries,” Jayatissa said. more..

Jan 28 (EN) An immediate aid freeze of US funding on many programmes aiming for diversity and inclusiveness is likely to hit funding for many local NGOs in SL, sources who are aware of the impacts of the new US President Donald Trump’s decision have said. US State Dept has issued a halt to nearly all existing foreign assistance and paused new aid, the BBC has reported, citing an internal memo sent to officials and US embassies abroad. more..

Jan 28 (AD) SL Police have announced that rehearsals for the 77th Independence Day celebrations will commence from tomorrow. The rehearsals, which will continue until Feb 2, are set to start at 8 am daily. This year’s Independence Day celebrations will take place at Independence Square in Colombo, with the theme Let’s Rally for National Renaissance (Jathika Punarudhayata Pelagasemu). Parades will be organized by the Army, Air Force, Navy, Police, STF and Civil Defense Force. more..

Jan 28 (DM) Board of Governors of the President's Fund convened today at the Presidential Secretariat, where one of the key topics discussed was expanding educational support for students, particularly those preparing for the GCE O/L and A/L examinations. The council emphasized the need to launch new programs while continuing and expanding existing initiatives, aiming to ensure that a larger number of students benefit from these programs funded through President’s Fund. more..

Jan 28 (DM) The queues at the Immigration and Emigration Dept still appear endless, with people waiting to obtain their passports. However, it has been reported that the ongoing passport issues have not yet been resolved. An official from the dept said that people who require their passports under the one-day service for immediate departures are seen waiting at the department to obtain them. He mentioned that those who need immediate more..

Jan 28 (DM) Law enforcement authorities are yet to complete any law suit with regard to some 20 illegal pyramid schemes which were determined by the Central Bank to have been engaged in illegal activities under the Banking Act, Central Bank governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said. Governor said the oldest pyramid schemes were determined by the CB in 2011, but the legal process is still ongoing. He revealed this responding to a question raised by Deputy Minister Chaturanga more..

Jan 28 (AD) SL Ambassador to the US Mahinda Samarasinghe has visited the US Department of State and handed over the congratulatory message of Prez Anura Kumara Disanayaka addressed to Prez Donald Trump on his assumption of office as the 47th President of the US. Ambassador Samarasinghe also handed over congratulatory messages of PM Harini Amarasuriya and Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath addressed to the Vice Prez of the US J.D. Vance and Secretary of State, more..

Jan 29 (DM) US Prez Donald Trump is back in the White House and is creating a monstrous cacophony of noise. He is so-to-say, upsetting the ‘apple cart of the ordinary man and woman on the street in lands as far away from the US as in little Sri Lanka. In addition to the noise the present US Prez is threatening all nations, small and large to fall in line with US diktat or else…? One of the first acts in his second term as president, was to call a temporary halt to all US aid programmes worldwide. more..

Jan 29 (ST) Clean Sri Lanka, the much discussed flagship project of the NPP govt was the subject of an intense two-day Parliamentary debate over the nature, scope and objectives of the programme. The ambitious project aims to fully transform the country based on three key pillars – social, environmental and ethical. Opposition MPs however, claimed during the debate that even elements of the govt and public officials tasked with implementing the Clean Sri Lanka programme more..

Jan 29 (TM) In SL, families of missing persons face a frustrating challenge: despite having the Certificate of Absence (COA) issued by Office on Missing Persons (OMP), many banks have repeatedly refused to recognise it. This legal document was meant to help families manage their loved one’s assets without declaring them dead, but the lack of acceptance by financial institutions has left many in a difficult situation. more..

Jan 29 (DM) At long last, the political opposition has come together to achieve a lofty national goal! That is to make sure former president Mahinda Rajapaksa continues to reside in his palatial 30,500 square feet mansion in Wijerama Mawatha, paid by public money. The residence, located in a sprawling one-acre plot and valued at Rs. 3 billion has an estimated monthly rental value of Rs. 4.6 million, according to the govt’s assessors. Rajapaksa lives free of rent, a perk accorded by more..

Jan 29 (TM) Gaps in SL law enforcement are often well known amongst the public, and the Police Depat itself has built a notoriety over the years for corruption and malpractice. However, there are some crimes, especially modern ones which the local law enforcement agencies have not built capacity nor competencies to combat. Two such areas where there is an urgent need for modernisation, capacity building, upskilling and synergy are in dealing with financial crimes more..

Jan 29 (CT) A group of Adivasi (indigenous) community leaders led by Dambana Vedda Chief Uruwarige Wannila Athho came to Parliament last week to present a set of grievances to the newly elected NPP govt. They explained that the Adivasi population across the island currently face various systemic challenges. Adivasi communities find themselves in undeserved situations due to the prolonged failure of successive govts to more..

Jan 29 (CT) The recent warnings from small and medium-scale rice mill owners about the potential rise in rice prices—possibly exceeding Rs 300 per kg – highlight the deepening agricultural crisis in SL. The price of paddy has recently surged to between Rs 140 and Rs 170 per kg, pushing up production costs for mill owners and farmers alike. The Govt has offered Odapana loans to small and medium-scale paddy mill owners to purchase wet paddy at Rs 95 per kg and dry paddy at Rs 115. more..

Jan 29 (Island) SLPP is girding up its loins for the upcoming LG polls. Its National Organiser Namal Rajapaksa yesterday launched the SLPP LG Councillors’ Forum, in Colombo, and among those present on the occasion were those who made an immense contribution to the SLPP’s downfall. The fact that the Opposition has prevailed over the ruling NPP in cooperative society elections during the past several weeks, signalling a shift in public sentiments, seems to have boosted the morale of SLPP. more..

Jan 29 (CT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has brought attention to the importance of strengthening SL’s public service and addressing the long-standing public dissatisfaction with public service. He said this while revealing that the Govt is planning to fill approximately 30,000 existing vacancies within the public service and allocate the necessary funds for this purpose in the upcoming budget. In addition, he noted that plans for providing a fair basic salary increase to public officials more..

Jan 29 (CT) Clean Nation Movement, a political initiative birthed in 2018 following the public uproar against the Clean Puttalam protest, continues to champion the fight against the controversial Aruwakkalu sanitary landfill project. This so-called solution to waste management is neither sustainable nor constitutionally sound, raising serious questions about governance, accountability, and the future of our environment. The project proposes to transport garbage from across SL to Puttalam, more..

Jan 29 (EN) Central Bank said it was keeping its policy rate through which it controls interest rates at 8%, with prices deflating for the moment. “Latest projections indicate deeper deflation than previously projected, mainly due to the more than anticipated downward adjustment in the electricity tariff announced in Jan 2025,” central bank said in its January policy statement, though the inflation index also did not grow after more..

Jan 29 (FT) Colombo West Intern-ational Terminal (CWIT) has reached a major milestone in its development journey, with the successful delivery of all equipment required to complete Phase 1. With the latest arrival of 2 automated RMQCs and 3 automated CRMGs, CWIT is in the final stages of Phase 1 completion. The terminal is now equipped with 18 fully automated Cantilever Rail Mounted Gantry Cranes (CRMGs) and 8 automated Rail Mounted Quay Cranes (RMQCs), more..

Jan 29 (FT) Cabinet of Ministers at their meeting on Monday approved implementing the Sarusara Sapiri rural credit scheme as an annual program starting this year. This initiative, previously overseen by the Dept of Rural Development under Central Bank of SL (CBSL) since 2020, is designed to provide much-needed working capital for small-scale and minor farmers cultivating short-term crops and engaging in gardening. The decision to transition the program to the Dept of Development Finance more..

Jan 29 (CI) Sometimes it spins. At other times it goes straight. Be ready for both. This is stand-in captain Steven Smith's advice to Australia's less-experienced batters, as he prepares to lead them in a two-Test series against Sri Lanka in Galle. Of Australia's batters on tour, Smith understands the challenge ahead more than most - he has two hundreds in SL, and averages 49.75 on the island. "We have spoken about the differences in the surfaces," Smith said on Tuesday, more..

Jan 29 (FT) The Govt yesterday hinted at a potential rise in vehicle prices as it moves gradually to ease the import restrictions that have been in place since March 2020. Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced that the Govt is carefully managing the reopening of vehicle imports to protect the country’s fragile fiscal stability. “The Govt is closely monitoring the foreign exchange outflows and State revenue inflows as we implement the policy to ease vehicle imports. more..

Jan 29 (TM) Police Dept acknowledged several shortcomings when it comes to investigating pyramid schemes including those pertaining to technological infrastructure-related lacuna and technical challenges which in turn play a role in the delay in investigating such cases. This admission follows after The Daily Morning queried SSP Buddhika Manathunga on the CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe recently highlighting more..

Jan 29 (ST) On their most recent Test outing at the Galle International Stadium, Australia was forced to deploy seven bowlers as their hosts kept them in the field for 181 overs in piling on an insurmountable score of 554. It was the longest an Australia men’s outfit had been forced to toil in an away Test since India batted 210 overs on the infamous Ranchi road of 2017, and doubtless helped inform the wealth of bowlers now available on their return visit to Galle. While regular pacemen Pat Cummins, more..

Jan 29 (FT) SLT-Mobitel, announced yesterday it has trialled 5G-Advanced (5G-A) for the first time in Sri Lanka, marking a historic moment by showcasing the next generation technology in the country. The demonstration held on 12 January, showcased SLT-Mobitel’s leadership in telecom innovation, successfully conducting Sri Lanka’s first 5G-A trial and achieving blazing speeds of over 5 Gbps. The milestone trial, held at the SLT-Mobitel headquarters in Colombo 8, more..

Jan 29 (TM) Even though the Govt has issued an extraordinary gazette notification regarding vehicle imports, no decision has yet been made on lifting the import bans on certain other personal vehicles, such as motorcycles, Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said yesterday (28). The extraordinary gazette was issued by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, under the powers vested in him as the Minister of Finance, Planning, and more..

Jan 29 (ST) Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has brought to the attention of judges and judicial officers the contents of an anonymous petition that alleges the misuse and harassment of police personnel assigned for judicial officers’ security. Having considered the anonymous petition,the JSC shared with judges a letter titled Judges’ security. The petition had been sent to Prez Secretariat and had been forwarded to JSC with a directive to bring it to the attention of judges and judicial officers. more..