Jan 29 (EN) Sri Lanka is looking at listing a state holding company in the stock exchange of commercial enterprises and consolidating or closing other agencies which are a burden on state finances, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said. There were corporations, boards and other agencies which were creating a problem, he said. “We need a new plan for administration,” Prez Dissanayake told an economic forum organized by CCC. more..

Jan 29 (NW) Western Province Governor Haniff Yusuf has denied allegations linking him to the clearance of 330 red flagged containers from the Colombo port. Yusuf said he has no connection to the containers in question and expressed regret over the accusations. He also said he has never been involved in politics and that his focus has always been on serving the public. 323 containers from SL Customs without inspection had raised issues but the Govt defended the was necessitated by more..

Jan 29 (FT) Asiri Academy of Health Sciences (AAHS), a gateway to educational excellence in healthcare and Sunway University, one of Malaysia’s leading universities, have signed a landmark MoU to establish the first articulation pathway for Sunway Uni in SL. Sunway is one of Southeast Asia’s leading conglomerates with extensive interests in real estate, construction, education, healthcare, retail, and hospitality. Poignantly, AAHS is the first healthcare education institute more..

Jan 30 (Island) SL must address the developing issue of Rohingya refugees cautiously. Whatever the domestic politics, or divisions within political parties represented in Parliament, the country shouldn’t, under any circumstances, encourage more Rohingyas to seek refuge here or use northern SL as a transit point. Unless the NPP govt reaches a consensus with the SJB in this regard, swiftly, interested parties here, and in Myanmar, are likely to exploit the situation to their advantage. more..

Jan 30 (CT) When a baby is born to a cow elephant, it is said that every female in the herd begins to lactate so that they can all care for and protect the calf. Their excitement, protective instincts, and collective care of a newborn were once synonymous with the new arrivals in our society too. Unfortunately, things have since changed; to the extent where even a close relative cannot be trusted on the safety and well-being of a child; with many instances of children in all age groups more..

Jan 30 (TM) The issue of illegal ticket sales for the popular Colombo to Ella train route has become one of the most-talked-about topics in the recent past, with accusations of fraud involving ticket resellers. Many passengers, both local and foreign, have found it impossible to secure tickets, either online or at the railway stations, due to the rapid sale of electronic tickets within seconds of their release. Despite multiple efforts to tackle the problem, more..

Jan 30 (TM) Over the last two weeks, multiple gun-related crimes have been reported, with many shootings and the resulting deaths tied to organised crime and related activity. Sri Lanka, just a decade out of an internal conflict, has been awash with illegal small arms, allowing many criminal groups to become pistoleros riding motorbikes and blasting away anyone they have a grudge to settle with or, anyone who has a contracted hit placed on them. However, unlike the United States, more..

Jan 30 (DM) The Independence Day celebrated in SL on Feb 4 must be given new meaning. We are just days away from celebrating the 77th edition of celebrating Independence from the British. But we have over the years given prominence to individuals (State leaders of the past) who were not very true to the nation when ushering in independence. Some of them were instrumental in having deals or understandings with the British as to how Ceylon should be governed in the early years after more..

Jan 30 (CT) SL has firmly stated that it cannot serve as a transit station for Rohingya immigrants who entered the country illegally, crossing the huge sea mass by boat, citing its non-signatory status to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and strict immigration laws prohibiting the settlement of illegal immigrants. This stance comes amidst the ongoing challenges faced by the SL Govt due to the illegal arrival of Rohingya immigrants by boat, more..

Jan 30 (GV) What does a second Donald Trump presidency really mean, especially for women and minority rights not only in the US but also globally? (Un)fortunately, we have a considerable number of precedents to rely on. We still remember Trump’s first administration as US president and his attack on women’s rights including ethnic, religious, gender and sexual minorities across a broad range of issues, including undermining access to birth control, eroding efforts to end the pay gap between more..

Jan 30 (Island) It has almost become a pattern in Sri Lanka that regime changes are followed by scandals, which undermine public trust in the new govts. The UNP-led Yahapalana administration, which came to power in January 2015, promising good governance, facilitated a Treasury bond scam within a few weeks of its formation and benefited therefrom. The UNP, which had been struggling to pay water and electricity bills at its headquarters, Sirikotha, while it was out of power, more..

Jan 30 (DM) Colombo is once again covered in a thick smog and it seems to be a phenomenon that we may have to deal with more often. Commonly known as transboundary air pollution, climate scientists describe it as particulate matter pollution which is observed every time the Bay of Bengal experiences a depression, resulting in cyclonic conditions followed by heavy rainfall. The National Building Research Organisation announced that the air quality in areas such as Kilinochchi, more..

Jan 30 (ST) It had to happen. It was inevitable. When the neighbourhood becomes more geopolitical and particularly geostrategic, the geographic scenario changes, and sometimes dangerously so. Though we talk of historic times and we have been long-time friends we forget the times when friends have turned enemies or at least not the all-weather friends we now claim to be. If in the years gone by relations have not been as warm and close as they are said to be, at least for the sake of more..

Jan 30 (ST) The reputation of Colombo port as the major shipping hub in Asia as well as the good image is at risk, due to knee-jerk reactions on port congestion in Colombo. Delays are not unusual, but this week, suspicions were raised about hundreds of unchecked containers that were released amid the congestion. Roshan Masakorala, CEO of Shippers’ Academy Colombo, said reacting instead of taking measures to resolve more..

Jan 30 (FT) CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe yesterday sought to dispel misconceptions about the relationship between currency movements and overall economic stability, stressing that the strength or weakness of a currency does not singularly define economic performance. Speaking at the post-monetary policy meeting media briefing, he stated that many tend to equate a stronger currency with a robust economy and a weaker currency with economic distress. more..

Jan 30 (FT) SL Retailers’ Association (SLRA) yesterday applauded the recent announcement by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake approving the VAT refund program for tourism. This significant policy reform is a crucial step towards positioning Sri Lanka as a leading retail tourism hub in the region, enhancing its appeal to high-spending international travellers while boosting economic growth. Retail tourism contributes approximately 6% of the global travel and tourism sector’s direct GDP more..

Jan 30 (FT) The Colombo Tea Auction, which went digital due to the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, returned to the traditional auction rooms at The Chamber of Commerce with an outcry auction yesterday. The Colombo Tea Traders’ Association took a critical decision to keep this traditional auction system alive and is considering holding an outcry sale once a quarter. The Chairman and Committee is keen to keep alive the knowledge and skills of auctioning and bring together brokers, more..

Jan 30 (CT) Health Trade Union Alliance (HTUA) urged the President to hold discussions with all health service trade unions, rather than just those with political affiliations. Convener of the HTUA, Ravi Kumudesh, lamented that only certain health service trade unions had been invited for a discussion with him on 29 January. Kumudesh stated that the Alliance, along with other health sector trade unions, viewed this as a political meeting, rather than one summoned to address the issues more..

Jan 30 (CT) SL brought an end to Australia’s unbeaten streak at the ICC Under-19 Women’s World Cup with a hard-fought 13-run victory in their final Super Six match in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Wednesday. Batting first SL were restricted to a mere 99-8 in their allotted 20 overs, and in reply, the spinners restricted Australia to 87-8. Opting to bat, Sri Lanka got off to a steady start with openers Sanjana Kavindi (19) and more..

Jan 30 (DN) Sri Lanka and Turkey are taking major steps to enhance football development, with a potential partnership that could reshape the future of the sport in Sri Lanka. A key meeting between Turkey’s Ambassador to SK and Maldives, Semih Lütfü Turgut, and SL Football President Jaswar Umar, held at the Football House in Colombo yesterday. The meeting explored avenues for collaboration between Turkish Football Federation (TFF) and Football Federation of SL (FFSL). more..

Jan 30 (CI) For Australia teams of a certain era, tours to South Asia were hardship postings. We've all heard the stories. The facilities were sub-par and the pitches questionable. The sun was hot. The humidity was icky. The butter chicken didn't taste anything like in the local curry house in Sydney. The 1986 Dean Jones 210 story from the tied Test in Chennai, for instance, features dehydration, mid-pitch vomiting, involuntary urination, smells emanating from a canal, and later in that Test, more..

Jan 30 (Island) Sri Lanka Customs had cleared thousands of containers, sans examinations, since early last year, though the issue came to light recently as a result of the continuing campaign by unions against the top management, sources familiar with the issue told The Island. Thee Customs began clearing containers that were marked for examination during President Ranil Wickremesinghe tenure to more..

Jan 30 (FT) Digital Mobility Solutions Lanka, owner of the popular PickMe service, has achieved its highest quarterly Group operating profit during Oct-Dec 2024, boosting its first nine months' figure to over Rs. 1 billion. The company disclosed that third quarter operating profit grew by 45% to Rs. 396 million, whilst for the first nine months, it grew by 76% year-on-year (YoY) to Rs. 1.06 billion. This growth was mainly attributable to volume-driven operating leverage. more..

Jan 30 (TM) Amidst the announcement of plans to abandon the privatisation of several loss-making state-owned enterprises (SOEs), including SriLankan Airlines, while still dealing with a massive annual expenditure and a comparatively lower revenue collection, Deputy Minister Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma stated that the govt does not view SOEs as a burden to the country. “Our strategy is a balanced one. We do not view SOEs as a burden but rather as potential value creators. more..

Jan 30 (DN) SL’s rubber sector achieved USD 1 billion in revenue in 2024 and the industry is planning to increase exports to USD 2 billion by 2030 said newly elected Chairman of SL Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Rubber Products (SLAMERP), Managing Director of Dipped Products, Pushpika Janadheera at their 14th AGM. “To achieve this we need to focus on innovation, sustainability and strategic partnerships that ensure SL’s rubber industry is well-poised for sustained growth.” more..

Jan 30 (AD) Jaffna District Independent MP Ramanathan Archchuna who was arrested by police in Jaffna for allegedly obstructing the duties of police personnel in Anuradhapura has been granted bail by the Anuradhapura Magistrate’s Court. MP Ramanathan Archchuna was arrested this afternoon (29) by a special team of police officers in Jaffna, over allegedly obstructing the duties of police personnel in A'pura. The MP would be produced before the A'pura Magistrate’s Court. more..

Jan 30 (Island) Prasad Manage, President of the Vehicle Importers’ Association of SL (VIASL), yesterday said that the registered vehicle importers are eagerly waiting for the govt to issue the four-duty structures applicable to vehicle imports as well as the circular to the banks from the Import Controller, following the extraordinary gazette notification regarding the import of vehicles on Jan. 27, by Prez Dissanayake as the Minister of Finance. more..

Jan 30 (TM) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya highlighted that while the number of women in some workplaces has significantly increased, the institutional-level facilities for women remain insufficient to achieve optimal quality and productivity of the female workforce. She also emphasised the need to create an environment where women have proper representation in the workplace. She stated this at a meeting to discuss the future activities of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus held recently. more..

Jan 30 (TM) A number of private Member motions have been presented to the Parliament on a range of matters including the acquisition of estate roads to the Govt, the preparation of a proper procurement programme for the process of purchasing goods for cooperatives, making arrangements for maintaining a rice reserve with the Govt, the abolition of the pension scheme of Parliamentarians, and probing the cremation of the bodies of the Covid-19 pandemic victims. more..

Jan 30 (Island) Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal (Retired) Sampath Thuyacontha yesterday said the govt wouldn’t retain the Office of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). The Defence Secretary said so responding to a media query at a hastily arranged press conference, at the Defence Ministry, called to explain the circumstances that led to two Indian fishers receiving gunshot injuries during an accidental firing of a weapon on Monday night (27) in the Kankesanthurai seas. more..

Jan 30 (AD) Former Parliamentarian and senior leader of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) Mavai Senathirajah has passes away at the age of 82. He had reportedly passed away today (29) at the Jaffna Hospital where he had been admitted over the past couple of days. It had been reported yesterday that the veteran Tamil politician was admitted to the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital due to an accident that occurred at his home. more..

Jan 30 (FT) Monetary Board of the Central Bank of SL (CBSL) has decided to maintain the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) at 8% in its first Monetary Policy Review for 2025 held on Tuesday (28), aiming to support economic recovery whilst keeping inflation in check. “The Board arrived at this decision following a careful analysis of the current and expected macroeconomic developments on the domestic and global fronts. more..

Jan 30 (AD) A police officer has been arrested for causing an accident while driving under the influence of alcohol near the Belek Kade Junction in Ratmalana. The accident had occurred last morning (28), near the Belek Kade Junction in Ratmalana in the Mount Lavinia police division when a police jeep traveling from Maliban Junction in Ratmalana towards Moratuwa had collided with a three-wheeler traveling from the Ratmalana Railway Station Road towards the Belek Kade Junction. more..

Jan 30 (AD) Issuing a clarification regarding the controversy over containers released recently, Sri Lanka Customs says that there were no cargo designated to Expolanka Holdings among the 323 containers released without inspections. Furthermore, the department stated that there were no chances of weapons, gold, narcotics etc. entering the country and no revenue losses to the state through the release of these containers. Accordingly, the issued statement includes eight points, more..

Jan 30 (DM) While defending the legality of the SL Navy's conduct amid strong protests with Sri Lanka over an incident of firing by the SL Navy, Defence Secretary Sampath Thuyacontha said that Sri Lanka will continue to search vessels entering its waters, regardless of their country of origin, in accordance with legal protocols to prevent illegal activities. He made these remarks after India lodged a strong protest on Tuesday more..