Jan 17 (FT) Two leading subsidiaries of Guston Ltd Hong Kong, Concord Apparel Ltd and Concord Footwear Ltd, have achieved a significant milestone by securing top honours at the Presidential Export Awards (PEA) 2024/2025. At this year’s awards, Concord Apparel was recognised as the Best Exporter – Apparel Sector (Medium Scale category), while Concord Footwear won the Best Exporter Award – Footwear & Leather Products Sector, highlighting the group’s excellence across two key export industries. more..

Jan 17 (FT) The National Chamber of Commerce of SL announced the official launch of the National Business Excellence Awards (NBEA) 2026 on 14 January, celebrating a landmark 21st year of recognising excellence in Sri Lankan business. Established in 2004, the NBEA has become the country’s premier business awards platform, applauding organisations that demonstrate exemplary business practices, strong governance, and a lasting contribution to national economic progress. more..

Jan 17 (FT) Sri Lanka Tourism has successfully concluded a major tourism promotion initiative in India, its largest source market, covering key cities including Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, as part of efforts to diversify arrivals and attract higher-spending visitors throughout the year. The campaign was carried out in collaboration with SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), SL Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), Tourist Hotels Association of SL (THASL) more..

Jan 17 (Island) On 8 Jan, I delivered a talk at an event at the Uni of Colombo marking the retirement of my longtime friend and former Professor of Sinhala, Ananda Tissa Kumara and his appointment as Emeritus Professor of Sinhala in that university. What I said has much to do with decolonising social sciences and humanities and the contributions countries like ours can make to the global discourses of knowledge in these broad disciplines. I have previously discussed these issues in this column, more..

Jan 17 (Island) Police HQ has released an AI-generated image of a suspect wanted in connection with a fatal shooting incident in Dehiwala on 09 Jan, and sought public assistance to arrest him. AI has made the task of creating facial composites much easier. The public no doubt must cooperate with the police and help combat crime, but much more needs to be done to neutralise the dangerous underworld gangs. Two notorious criminals and a female suspect arrested in Dubai were brought back yesterday. more..

Jan 17 (FT) IT was reported that Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne has rejected a motion submitted to him by 31 Members of Parliament requesting the appointment of a Select Committee of Parliament to examine the exercise by the Judicial Service Commission of its powers relating to “the appointment, promotion, transfer, dismissal, and disciplinary control” of judicial officers. The reason for the rejection of the motion, as stated by him, is that compliance with the motion more..

Jan 17 (GV) The recent visit to Jaffna by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has stirred an unusual political mood in the Northern Province. Unlike the guarded receptions accorded to previous presidents, this visit generated visible public warmth heightened media attention and a notable surge of interest among young people particularly young women. This response raises a compelling question: why is Prez Dissanayake gaining popularity in the North despite limited policy delivery and more..

Jan 17 (CT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s presidency has increasingly been defined by moments that blur the line between symbolism and substance. One such moment surfaced quietly this week in Palali, where bystanders recorded the President during an early morning walk. As people along the road greeted him with a respectful Good morning, sir, he responded in Tamil, Naan poittu waren — loosely translated as, I’m leaving now, but I’ll be back. more..

Jan 17 (CT) SL’s recent education reform debate revealed less about curriculum and more about power. The proposed reforms included basic technology, electronics & financial literacy at Grade 6. These are not radical subjects. They are foundational skills in any modern economy. Yet the public backlash that followed barely engaged with what children would actually learn. Instead, the controversy fixated on surface features. A textbook cover containing a rainbow graphic became the centre of attention. more..

Jan 17 (CT) SL’s debt debate has once again been dragged into the realm of manufactured panic. CB Governor, Dr Nandalal Weerasinghe, has now said it plainly and on the record. There is no looming debt servicing crisis in 2028 if the country stays on its present course. Yet the din of alarmism continues, driven less by economics and more by politics and selective memory. At the Governor’s Forum this week, Dr Weerasinghe laid out figures that deserve far more attention than the scare stories doing the rounds. more..

Jan 17 (DM) If not for an exclusive revelation by a journalist in 2003 when the ceasefire agreement between the SL govt and the LTTE was in force, SL’s history between then and now would have been totally different. If he had not got wind of the goings on at the highest-level then, hundreds if not thousands of soldiers, LTTE cadres and civilians might still be dying, especially in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, bombs might still be exploding even in Colombo, more..

Jan 17 (DM) Our country is like no other. A past president once described this land as the Wonder of Asia. How right he was. We as a people were able to successfully end a near three-decade-long insurgency aimed at dividing the country. A few years later, we overthrew -- largely bloodlessly -- an elected president who oversaw the country’s fall into a state of bankruptcy. The economy was balanced via an unelected president who failed to win his seat in parliament. more..

Jan 17 (DM) Within a short time span since the British rulers left Ceylon, the Tamils have been subjected to a quagmire situation wherein there is no dearth of discrimination, racism, religious fanaticism, chauvinism, xenophobia, misanthropy, violence, racial riots, militarisation, state terrorism, and other wrongful acts that were exercised by successive governments in the country against the politically powerless minority Tamil community. more..

Jan 16 (NF) Colombo High Court today fixed February 6 for the continuation of the trial filed by the CIABOC against former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake and Perpetual Treasuries Director Arjun Joseph Aloysius. The case was taken up before HC Judge Mohomed Mihal. During today’s proceedings, evidence for the prosecution was recorded under the supervision of Additional Solicitor General Janaka Bandara. According to the indictment, between Feb 12, 2016 and more..

Jan 16 (DM) Authorities have announced the resumption of construction on a half-built elephant crossing tunnel under the railway track in Kasikote, Galgamuwa on Jan 19, Environment Minister Dhammika Patabendi said. The tunnel, the first of its kind in SL, is part of a national initiative to reduce train-elephant collisions. The wildlife tunnel is being constructed as a component of the Mahawa–Omanthai railway rehabilitation project. A joint inspection report by the Railway Department more..

Jan 16 (DM) Nearly 12 million Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TIN) have been issued since the gazette notification making TIN registration mandatory for all individuals aged 18 and above, Inland Revenue Department (IRD) Commissioner Nandana Kumara said. He said the requirement applies to those who turned 18 by Dec 31, 2023, as well as individuals reaching the age of 18 after Jan 1, 2024. The dept expects around 17 million people more..

Jan 16 (DM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake was seen taking a morning walk in Palali during his visit to Jaffna yesterday. The President is on a two-day visit to the Northern Province on January 15 and 16 as part of several official engagements in the region. During the visit, he is scheduled to preside over the inaugural ceremony of the national housing programme titled “A Place to Belong – A Beautiful Life.” The event will be held today at the Weerasingham Primary School Grounds more..

Jan 16 (CT) A parliamentary delegation led by Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne has departed for India to participate in the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), which is being held in New Delhi from 14 to 18 Jan. The delegation left for India on Tuesday (13), following an invitation extended by the Parliament of India. The conference, chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla, will bring together 61 Speakers and more..

Jan 16 (NF) SL Police outlined the next steps in handling the three suspects flown back from Dubai, following a major international enforcement operation. ASP F.U. Wootler revealed that through extradition cooperation strengthened between 2024 and 2025, SL has successfully brought back 21 fugitives who had fled abroad. He said a significant number of criminals involved in cyber‑enabled organised crime from more..

Jan 16 (DM) Two organised criminals who had been hiding in Dubai, along with a woman wanted in connection with a money laundering investigation, were arrested by a special police team and brought to SL this morning. Suspects arrived at BIA at around 5.20 a.m. from Dubai under tight security. Those arrested include 52-year-old Ravin CWeerasinghe, also known as Puncha, a resident of Elpitiya, Uragaha, and Rasika Sanjeewa Kumara, also known as Chuti Malli, a resident of more..

Jan 16 (DM) National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) has broken its silence over the delay in releasing the laboratory report on the withdrawn Ondansetron injection, saying the testing process is complex and cannot be rushed. NMRA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Kumudu Bandara said the authority was still awaiting final test results. “It takes time to culture and test samples. We leave no room for any hiccups in the testing process. It is not that we are deliberately dragging the release more..

Jan 16 (NW) PM and Education Minister Harini Amarasuriya says opposition members who collude with certain groups to attack the Govt over education reforms really need to think carefully. PM Harini Amarasuriya responded to criticism on the govt’s proposed education reforms, especially recent criticism on the rainbow colours on the covers of modules. “Saw something about the fact that a rainbow was depicted on the cover of a module. The outer colours are the colours of a rainbow. more..

Jan 16 (AD) SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has launched a special program aimed at achieving the national tourism targets set for this year. Chairman of the SLTDA, Buddhika Hewawasam, stated that promotional campaigns targeting European countries will be carried out to attract tourists during the traditionally considered off-peak seasons. He noted that travelers from Spain and neighboring regions frequently travel during the summer months, and accordingly, more..

Jan 16 (DM) A high-level delegation from Sinopec is expected to arrive in SL early next month to work on the finalization of agreement for the oil refinery project in Hambantota. MoU for the proposed US $ 3.7 billion investment was signed in January, last year when Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited China as his second official visit upon election to office. Sinopec, China’s state-owned energy giant, is planning to develop more..

Jan 16 (NW) Marking the auspicious Thai Pongal festival, members of SL’s Malaiyaha (Hill Country Tamil) community gathered at Liberty Roundabout in Colombo last afternoon to demand land rights, individual housing, and justice for a community that has endured generations of structural marginalisation. Organised by the Civil Society Alliance for Reforms for the Malaiyaha Community, the event, titled Pongal for Rights, brought together plantation workers, activists, and more..

Jan 16 (CT) A person launched a protest yesterday (15) by climbing an electric pole along Galle Face Centre Road, claiming that he had been treated unfairly by the Kelaniya Police. An earlier attempt by Fire Brigade officials to convince him to end his protest proved futile, as the individual refused to climb down. Crew from the 1990 Emergency Ambulance Service also arrived at the location to ensure the protester’s safety and provide necessary medical assistance. more..

Jan 16 (FT) Food & Agriculture Organisation of UN (FAO) Headquarters in Rome has issued an appeal calling for int'l assistance of $ 16.5 million to support the early recovery of livelihoods and food security for farming, livestock-keeping, and fishing communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah in SL. To date, $ 400 000 has been received, leaving a 97.6% funding gap. Without urgent donor support, hundreds of thousands more..

Jan 16 (TM) Wanindu Hasaranga’s rise was one of the standout stories in the latest ICC Men’s Rankings update, with the SL leg-spinner closing in on the top after a decisive impact in the T20I series against Pakistan. His consistent wicket-taking performances helped him climb three places to second in the T20I bowlers’ rankings, underlining his status as one of the most influential white-ball spinners in world cricket. While Hasaranga’s leap caught the eye in the shortest format, more..

Jan 16 (TM) According to Alcohol & Drug Information Center (ADIC), approximately 50 people die each day in Sri Lanka due to alcohol-related causes, encompassing both legal and illegal alcohol consumption. ADIC Executive Director Sampath de Seram highlighted that less than 20% of the country's population consumes alcohol. Among those, 34.8% are men over 15 years old, while the percentage of women using alcohol remains extremely low at 0.5%. more..

Jan 16 (FT) Nations Trust Bank (NTB), issuer and sole acquirer of American Express Cards in SL, has announced a new partnership with KOKO, one of the country’s leading Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solution providers. Through this collaboration, American Express Cardmembers of Nations Trust Bank can utilize their cards as a payment method on the KOKO app, increasing their convenience and flexibility while shopping across a wider network. Cardmembers can now make purchases at more..

Jan 16 (CT) The Trump administration has indefinitely suspended the processing of immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries, marking one of its most far-reaching moves to restrict legal migration to the United States. The suspension, due to take effect from 21 January, applies to individuals deemed by US authorities to be at risk of becoming a public charge — a term used to describe those believed likely to depend on government assistance to meet basic needs. more..