Mar 20 (NW) Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanka Bodaragama today granted permission to the Bribery Commission to record a statement from former MP and former Chairman of the Housing Development Authority, Duminda Silva, on March 23. Silva is suspected of accepting a bribe to grant bail to Dematagoda Ruwan, a large‑scale drug trafficker arrested for earning illicit money. Although Colombo Additional Magistrate Lahiru Silva had earlier, on March 13, allowed the Bribery Commission to more..

Mar 20 (NW) State-owned supermarket chain, Lanka Sathosa, has rolled out a special island‑wide sales promotion from today, aimed at providing consumers with essential food items and goods at reduced prices during the upcoming Sinhala and Hindu New Year festive season. According to the Ministry of Trade, operating under the theme Avurudu Siri from Sathosa, the program offers discounts of up to 40% on 600 categories of essential goods. Customers making purchases above Rs. 2,500 will more..

Mar 20 (AD) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today provided a clarification on domestic fuel prices in light of rising crude oil prices in the global market and subsequent fuel price increases in other countries, triggered by the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. Prez highlighted that Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) currently supplies 57% of the country’s fuel requirements, while the remaining 43% is supplied by private sector. more..

Mar 20 (NW) High Commissioner of India, Santosh Jha, visited the Udappuwa village during his visit to Puttalam District on Tuesday, during which he paid respects at the Udappuwa Sri Parthasarathy Temple and interacted with the people of the village. The residents of this Udappuwa village trace their roots to Akkamadam and Thangachimadam in Rameshwaram in Southern India. During the interaction with the Indian HC, the residents conveyed that their ancestors came to SL more..

Mar 20 (TG) Students at the University of Jaffna staged a protest and boycotted lectures today, as SL police interrogated student leaders over a demonstration held at the campus last month to protest against Sri Lanka’s Independence Day. The demonstration follows a series of escalating actions by the occupying SL police, as they interrogated staff and students over last month’s protest. On February 4th students had replaced the lion flag with a black flag as an act of protest. more..

Mar 20 (AFP) Sri Lanka refused permission to the United States to station two of its warplanes at a civilian airport in the island’s south in early March, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said on Friday. The request was turned down to maintain SL’s neutrality and ensure its territory was not used for any military purpose that could help or hinder either side, he told parliament. Indian Ocean nation was drawn into consequences of the war more..

Mar 20 (TP) SL Ambassador to Qatar Sithra Khan Azard, has expressed deep appreciation to Qatar’s leadership for ensuring the safety and well-being of the SL community in the country during the ongoing tensions in the Gulf region. In a statement yesterday, the ambassador conveyed the gratitude of the Govt of SL to Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Govt of Qatar for the comprehensive measures taken to protect approximately 140,000 SL nationals residing in the country. more..

Mar 20 (DM) UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake raised a series of questions in Parliament seeking clarity on the current state of Sri Lanka’s aviation sector, including airline operations, passenger volumes, airport capacity, and the collection of embarkation taxes. Addressing the Minister of Civil Aviation, the MP highlighted the growing importance of air connectivity amid the country’s increasing reliance on tourism, trade, and international passenger traffic. Karunanayake requested more..

Mar 20 (NW) SLC wishes to announce that players who have requested to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 will be issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) only upon successfully passing SLC’s mandatory Physical Performance Test. At present, SLC is conducting an 8-week specialized physical training program for all nationally contracted players. This initiative aims to enhance players’ physical performance standards in preparation for upcoming int'l assignments. more..

Mar 20 (DM) Cabinet has approved new regulations allowing the allocation of special vehicle registration numbers from 50,000 to 100,000 for all vehicles, excluding motorcycles, motor tricycles, and motor tricycle vans. Decision follows an amendment to earlier rules published in the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2470/14 on Jan 5, 2026, which revised the 5th Oct 2023 Gazette regulations. Under the new provisions, a fee of Rs 1,000,000 will be charged for each special number allocated more..

Mar 20 (DM) In a significant ruling, Supreme Court of SL has held that the recognition of a foreign judgement granting a divorce in SL must strictly comply with domestic statutory provisions, thereby limiting the grounds for divorce to adultery after marriage, malicious desertion, or incurable impotence at the time of marriage. Court further clarified the legal framework governing the recognition of foreign divorce decrees under more..

Mar 20 (DM) World Happiness Report 2026 has flagged serious concerns about how social media is affecting young people’s wellbeing around the world. According to the report, happiness levels among youth in North America and Western Europe have dropped noticeably over the past 15 years, a period that also saw a sharp rise in social media use. While the link isn’t simple, the findings suggest that heavy usage plays a significant role. Data from 47 countries show that teenagers who spend more..

Mar 20 (DM) Information has been received from some districts that consumers have doubled the amount of fuel they usually purchase and some filling stations have doubled the amount they sell daily, Minister Bimal Rathnayake said. He said such a scenario would create issues. He said the QR code was introduced in order to save fuel for an emergency and not because of any shortage of fuel. Minister accepted that those who have obtained new phone numbers have found it difficult to more..

Mar 20 (EN) Most govts have encouraged electric cars by offering generous tax concessions, but President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has highlighted how the supposedly green vehicles are actually powered by highly polluting coal and diesel. In an address to the nation on the impending energy crisis following the Middle East war, Dissanayake spoke about the added strain on the national electricity grid from electric vehicles. more..

Mar 20 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated in Parliament today that immediate licenses have been granted to five private companies to supply fuel specifically for exporters in SL. He noted that these companies had previously informed the Govt of their ability to meet the fuel requirements of exporters in Sri Lanka, following which the licenses were issued promptly. President further clarified that these private companies are not authorized to supply fuel to the general market more..

Mar 20 (IANS) India's High Commissioner to SL, Santosh Jha met Sri Lanka's Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation K D Lal Kantha on Thursday, discussing opportunities for collaboration to increas, especially usage of cost effective technology to boost farmer’s incomes. They also spoke about regional and global developments. In a statement shared on X, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka wrote, "High Commissioner Santosh Jha met Hon K.D. Lal Kantha, more..

Mar 20 (AD) CIABOC informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court today that it has concluded investigations into corruption allegations involving former Minister Manusha Nanayakkara. The commission officials informed this when the case was taken up today before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama. During the proceedings, CIABOC officials stated that the investigative phase of the case has now been completed. They further noted that more..

Mar 20 (NW) The inaugural meeting of the Cabinet Committee appointed to ensure the systematic functioning of the public service has held discussions on maintaining the uninterrupted operation of the public service while effectively managing energy resources, in light of the challenges that have arisen due to the prevailing conflict situation in the Middle East. According to the President’s Office, the first meeting of the Cabinet Committee was held on Thursday more..

Mar 20 (EN) Soon after the US and Israel started bombing Iran on Feb 28, SL’s booming stock market took a hit. The bourse has plunged 12.7% so far through March 20, erasing 1.07 trillion rupee worth capital in just 14 days. It plunged over 5% with a temporary trading halt when it opened for trading for the first time on March 3 after the attack. The market has been waiting for some good news from both local and external fronts. more..

Mar 20 (AD) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa says that the govt’s primary objective is to provide uninterrupted power supply and that all necessary measures for this are being taken by the govt. He noted that prices of all commodities in the world market have increased, including coal. Minister further said: "Our main goal is to provide continuous electricity. We are following all the necessary measures for that. There are variations in electricity consumption from month to month." more..

Mar 20 (DM) Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) siad that fuel distribution to dealers will continue uninterrupted tomorrow and the day after, despite circulating rumors of a potential shutdown. The Managing Director of the CPC, Mayura Neththikumara clarified today that no decision has been made to close filling stations over the weekend. He addressed ongoing speculation regarding a Saturday closure, explaining that such rumors likely stem from the corporation's more..

Mar 20 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has strongly criticized Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent statements in Parliament, accusing him of failing to condemn violations of international law during wartime. Addressing Parliament, Premadasa said that while the Prez claimed to have acted neutrally, he ignored breaches of the UN Charter, specifically Articles 2.4 and 2.7, and other int'l conventions. more..

Mar 20 (AD) PM Harini Amarasuriya, stated in Parliament that the govt aims to ensure the uninterrupted continuation of essential services, public services, and industries even during the current crisis. She also called on the opposition to support the fulfillment of promises made for public welfare. Responding to a question raised by MP V. Radhakrishnan, PM pointed out that there are numerous issues within the education sector of the estate community, with teacher shortages more..

Mar 20 (AD) Supreme Court, which concluded the hearing of a petition filed by MP Sujeewa Senasinghe seeking a ruling that his fundamental rights were violated through a CID probe over an allegedly illegally assembled vehicle, has reserved its judgment indefinitely. The petition was heard today by a 3-member Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Janak de Silva, Arjuna Obeyesekere, and Menaka Wijesundara. President’s Counsel Ali Sabry, representing the petitioner more..

Mar 20 (FT) SL’s drive for energy security is not happening in a vacuum; it is propelled by seismic shifts in the international arena. The stakes have been raised by immediate geopolitical crises that threaten the very arteries of global trade. The Straits of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for a significant portion of the world’s oil supply, is currently engulfed in tension. Attacks on shipping vessels and energy terminals in oil-producing nations have introduced severe uncertainty, more..

Mar 20 (FT) Amid global disruption, Sri Lanka’s tourism recovery will depend less on demand generation and more on how effectively the country secures and manages its air connectivity and operational stability. Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, which entered 2026 with strong momentum and renewed confidence, is once again facing an external shock—this time driven not by domestic instability, but by global geopolitical disruption. The ongoing Middle East conflict, combined with more..

Mar 20 (TM) In a bid to quell mounting public concern over fuel supplies, the CPC yesterday assured that shipments have now been secured to meet demand through April, while firmly denying that recent price hikes are linked to any outstanding debt. CPC Managing Director Dr. Mayura Neththikumara said that five fuel shipments for next month were confirmed on Wednesday (18), ensuring uninterrupted availability. more..

Mar 20 (Island) Peradeniya uni administration has advised the university community to remain vigilant after several cattle reared at the livestock farm of its Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, were killed and eaten by leopards. When inquired about the matter, Vice Chancellor of the Uni, Prof. Terrence Madhujith, said advisory notices have been issued to the university community following several incidents where leopards from the Hanthana area entered the cattle sheds at night and more..

Mar 20 (FT) A high-level discussion on the economic fallout from the escalating conflict in the Middle East was held yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, with a focus on safeguarding energy supplies and protecting the country’s export sector. Officials examined the widening global energy crisis triggered by disruptions to international supply networks and assessed possible fuel market trends in the months ahead. more..

Mar 20 (AD) An IMF team is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka from March 26 to April 9 to hold policy discussions and aims to complete the combined Fifth and Sixth reviews under SL’s EFF Arrangement. This was announced by the Director of the Communications Dept of the IMF, Julie Kozack. “The debt restructuring is nearly complete, and gross international reserves have been increasing significantly. more..

Mar 20 (NW) An anti-war exhibition and conference highlighting the humanitarian, political, and economic impacts of the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran was held in Colombo today. The event, titled The Story Within Blood and Tears, was organised by the National Freedom Front at the SL Foundation Institute. Organisers said the exhibition aimed to present an analytical perspective on the crises triggered by the war, with a focus on its human cost. more..

Mar 20 (FT) SL Shippers’ Council yesterday urged the Govt to look into the increasingly deteriorating conditions for both exports and importers from the impacts of the Middle East war. Issuing a statement, the Council said it wished to draw the Govt’s urgent attention to the growing challenges faced by exporters and importers due to the ongoing fuel shortage in the country. The current situation is beginning to significantly disrupt manufacturing operations, logistics movements, more..