Jan 13 (DM) Currency exchange counters have been established within the customs area of the arrivals terminal at the BIA, to facilitate the foreign exchange requirements of arriving passengers. With the redevelopment of the arrivals terminal under the airport’s development programme, a need arose to relocate the existing currency exchange counters. However, as no agreement could be reached on the monthly fees applicable for operating the counters at the newly allocated locations, more..

Jan 13 (NW) A new digital card system will be introduced to supply fuel for vehicles belonging to govt institutions, starting with a pilot project at the Presidential Secretariat. The move aims to enhance transparency, reduce manual intervention, and enable efficient reimbursement through online banking systems. The digital card system, developed by Bank of Ceylon in collaboration with the CPC, is expected to streamline fuel distribution for state-owned vehicles. more..

Jan 13 (CT) COPA has stressed the urgent need for a centralised and continuously updated database containing comprehensive information on antiquities and archaeological excavations across SL. The issue was discussed when COPA met on 6 Jan under the Chairmanship of MP Kabir Hashim to examine the AG’s Reports for 2021, 2022 and 2023 relating to the Dept of Archaeology, along with dept’s current more..

Jan 13 (CT) Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala has warned that tens of thousands of people may have to be deployed to protect human lives if the escalating human-elephant conflict cannot be brought under control. Speaking at the Kurunegala District Coordination Committee meeting on 11 January, the Minister said, the situation is worsening by the day and stressed that it is unacceptable for people’s lives and livelihoods to continue to be destroyed. more..

Jan 13 (TM) Following reports the Director General (DG) of the Power Sector Reforms Secretariat (PSRS), Pubudu Niroshana has resigned, the Electricity Consumers’ Association (ECA) stated the Govt should take immediate steps to ensure the continuity of the reform process. ECA General Secretary, Sanjeewa Dhammika said the Secretariat remains essential to completing the restructuring of the CEB, noting that a significant amount of work is yet to be done. He pointed out that more..

Jan 13 (ANI) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed that there will be no auction for the sixth season of the Lanka Premier League (LPL). The board confirmed that a player draft will take place on March 22. "During the draft, franchises will select both SL and overseas players for the upcoming season of SL's premier domestic T20 tournament," SLC confirmed. The upcoming season of LPL was originally slated to be held from more..

Jan 13 (FT) SL’s tea industry registered only marginal growth in 2025, with production inching up 0.54% year-on-year (YoY) to 264.1 million kilograms (MnKg), underscoring the sector’s continued struggle to regain momentum amid deep-rooted structural pressures. An industry report, citing official data from the Sri Lanka Tea Board noted that while the overall output showed nominal growth, the performance masked sharp structural challenges faced by the sector during the year, more..

Jan 13 (Island) SLFP Chairman Nimal Siripala de Silva announced that 17 out of the 18 court cases filed against the party have now been concluded, with only the case involving Dayasiri Jayasekara remaining. The Chairman made these remarks in Kandy on Friday after paying homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic and calling on the Most Venerable Mahanayake and Anu Nayake Theros of the Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters. “We are currently rebuilding the SLFP. more..

Jan 13 (Island) The NPP govt has issued a new extraordinary gazette renewing and extending Sri Lanka’s long-standing ban on the LTTE and several Tamil diaspora organisations and individuals, continuing to designate them as terrorists. The gazette, published recently, replaces a previous gazette issued in May 2025 and reaffirmed the proscription of a wide range of Tamil political and advocacy bodies operating around the world, alongside dozens of named individuals. more..

Jan 13 (NW) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said there will be no Cabinet reshuffle despite protests against the govt’s education reform program. Responding to questions from journalists on the Satyagraha campaign launched by Wimal Weerawansa, Jayatissa said yesterday’s Cabinet’s decision to defer some reforms is unlikely to affect the ongoing protest. “Wimal Weerawansa is free to continue his campaign, as long as it does not obstruct the activities of the Education Ministry, more..

Jan 13 (SM) A plan by one of Sri Lanka's most revered multi-faith temples to auction off a large portion of its gold reserves has ignited a controversy that reaches far beyond questions of money. The Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Devalaya—sacred to Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, and the island's indigenous Vedda community—has announced it will sell nearly 70 % of its gold holdings to support the govt's Rebuilding SL fund. more..

Jan 13 (EN) Un-bundling of CEB in to multiple companies is expected to cost 10.6 billion rupees in lost economies of scale, the CEB has said in a tariff filing. Under the pre-transition structure, when CEB functioned as a single integrated utility operating under six licenses, electricity consumers benefitted from a voluntary reduction in the legitimate Return on Assets amounting to 10.6 billion rupees within the allowed revenues of distribution licensees, in the July 2024 tariff revision. more..

Jan 13 (NW) U.S. Embassy in SL has announced an additional $2 million in U.S. humanitarian assistance to support communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah, bringing total U.S. assistance for the response to $4 million. According to a US Embassy statement, this new funding builds on $2 million in U.S. assistance announced in Dec 2025 within 72 hours of the cyclone’s landfall, underscoring the US’ commitment to providing timely, effective support to communities impacted by the disaster. more..

Jan 13 (FT) Housing, Construction and Water Supply Ministry Secretary Kumudu Lal Bogahawatta said the country’s construction industry is grappling with a severe workforce shortage, with around 20,000 vacancies currently available for immediate employment. He revealed that several major construction companies have formally requested the Government many times to permit the recruitment of at least 7,500 more..

Jan 13 (EN) SL is now at a dangerous phase where growth is picking up and the macro-economist are looking to deny monetary stability to the general public and business with high inflation targets and currency depreciation. The fall of the rupee 2025, amid record current account surplus, the holy grail of the Mercantilist macro-economists, has exposed a deep flaw in the operating framework of the central bank, which then leads to high prices, voter unhappiness and political unrest. more..

Jan 13 (CT) The Australian Border Force has provided two advanced high-technology scanners to SL Customs. The official handover ceremony took place yesterday at the Kankesanthurai Port. During the event, Australian High Commissioner Matthew Duckworth formally handed over the scanners to SL Customs Director General Seevali Arukgoda. Senior officials, including Customs Director General Paul Edwards and officers from the Australian HC, were also present at the ceremony. more..

Jan 13 (DM) A video showing a motorcyclist attacking several moving vehicles using an object along the Kaduwela–Colpetty road was arrested by the Welikada Police. The video is circulating widely on social media. Police said the incident occurred on the evening of Jan 12 and the officers from the Welikada Police Station pursued the suspect and arrested him shortly afterwards. They said at least four vehicles were damaged by the suspect. The 29-year-old suspect, a resident of Ragama, more..

Jan 13 (NW) Cabinet has approved an increase in the minimum purchasing prices for Samba and Keeri Samba paddy, following a recommendation by the Price Committee to encourage cultivation of these varieties in upcoming seasons. During the 2025 Yala season, the Paddy Marketing Board purchased Nadu, Samba and Keeri Samba at Rs. 120, Rs. 125 and Rs. 132 per kilogram, respectively. Price Committee, appointed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land & more..

Jan 13 (AD) A meeting between Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, PM Harini Amarasuriya and representatives of teachers’ trade unions was held this afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat. At the meeting, the teachers’ trade union representatives stated that they accept the necessity of the new education reforms being implemented by the Govt and pointed out that the Grade 6 curriculum needs to be revised. more..

Jan 13 (EN) State officials and undergraduates are offered fellowships in Geospatial Artificial Intelligence in a bid to strengthen disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, and emergency preparedness. GeoAI for Disaster Resilience Project is supported by the U.S. Embassy in SL and was conceptualized as a public service initiative by SL U.S. State Dept alumni Novil Wijesekara and Aslam Saja, with funding secured through Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) global grant competition. more..

Jan 13 (NW) Cabinet has approved a proposal to provide underutilized lands and properties to suitable investors for optimal utilization, following the prescribed procurement procedure. This decision follows the approval granted at the cabinet meeting in June 2025, under which action is currently being taken to dispose of underutilized lands and properties identified under stage one of the SL State Plantation Corporation, Janatha State Development Board, and Elkaduwa Plantation Company, more..

Jan 13 (AD) A decision has been taken to defer the implementation of the proposed education reforms related to Grade 6 until 2027, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa has stated. The decision was taken during yesterday’s Cabinet meeting held under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The Minister noted that considering the issues surrounding the Grade 6 English module and several other matters, the govt has decided to more..

Jan 13 (NW) Sri Lanka’s export recovery faces fresh uncertainty following a sweeping trade warning issued by US Prez Donald Trump, which could expose Sri Lankan exports to an additional 25% tariff due to the country’s trade links with Iran. Arutha Research Policy Think Tank said Iran remains one of the top ten buyers of Sri Lankan tea, importing around 9,800 metric tonnes every month, making it a significant market for the island’s key agricultural export. more..

Jan 13 (AD) The Committee on Public Finance has instructed the officials of the Welfare Benefits Board to amend the existing criteria to make the Aswesuma Welfare Benefits Payment Scheme more effective. Since various issues have arisen in relation to the existing 22 criteria used to determine the eligibility of individuals for the current Aswesuma Welfare Benefits Payment Scheme, officials were instructed to take measures to select future Aswesuma beneficiaries under new criteria, more..

Jan 13 (FT) SL, even before recovering from the crippling economic crisis of 2022, was struck by another disaster. Cyclone Ditwah, according to the World Bank, destroyed assets worth $ 4.1 billion damaging homes, farms, energy infrastructure, irrigation systems, and the transport network. Many Sri Lankans already struggling under the harsh austerity measures imposed by the ongoing IMF program will be pushed even further into poverty. Indeed, the cyclone has dealt a heavy blow more..

Jan 13 (FT) The talk is by palanquin, but the journey is by foot is a direct translation of a transliterated Sinhala phrase, Kathawa dolaawen gamana paa-in. Stated bluntly and simply, it means all talk, no action, and that aptly sums up SL’s lackluster performance in the last twenty-five years in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). While the official rhetoric of the rulers has monotonously portrayed SL as a strategic gateway to the Indian Ocean and therefore an ideal investment destination, more..

Jan 13 (Island) SL’s power sector reform programme has reached a critical milestone, with the Initial Vesting Plan to restructure the CEB and establish successor companies now completed and ready for Cabinet approval. Director General of the Power Sector Reforms Secretariat, Pubudu Hedigallage, said the programme, launched under the SL Electricity (Amendment) Act No. 36 of 2024, is being implemented in two phases more..

Jan 13 (AD) The inauguration of Rebuilding Sri Lanka national programme will take place in Colombo today. Arrangements have been made to hold the inaugural ceremony of the Rebuilding SL programme, which has been introduced to effectively steer the country’s rebuilding process, at the Lotus Hall of the BMICH, under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Programme is being implemented in response to the urgent need for r a coordinated national recovery mechanism more..

Jan 13 (DM) Two suspects arrested while in possession of a sniper type firearm in front of the CID are officers attached to the SL Army Commando Regiment, counsel appearing on behalf of the SL Army informed the Fort Acting Magistrate Lahiru Silva . CID informed court that the two officers were arrested yesterday while they were walking along the road in front of the former Police Headquarters, dressed in civilian clothing and carrying the sniper firearm concealed in a black cloth. more..

Jan 13 (NF) Citizen Power Organization filed a formal complaint with the CIABOC, alleging serious fraud and corruption linked to the Deyata Kirula exhibitions held in 2012 and 2013. Complaint was filed in connection with Deyata Kirula exhibitions held at Oyamaduwa, Anuradhapura in 2012 and at the Hardy Advanced Technological Institute in Ampara in 2013. Jamuni Kamantha Thushara, Chairman of Citizen's Power more..

Jan 13 (FT) Govt yesterday announced plans to restart long-stalled mega mixed-development projects and abandoned high-rise buildings in Colombo by the end of first quarter. Deputy Minister T.B. Sarath said this renewed push aims to unlock idle assets and revive urban development delayed by irregularities, financial misappropriations, and the economic crisis. “We have already held multiple consultations with contractors and relevant stakeholders, and have appointed more..

Jan 13 (CT) SL must develop a comprehensive and constructive methodology to prevent or minimise large-scale damage from future natural disasters, Minister of Science & Technology Prof. Chrishantha Abeysena said, following severe floods and landslides linked to Cyclone Ditwah that caused billions of rupees in economic losses. He said, Govt has launched a national programme titled Science Against Disaster aimed at reducing the risks posed by unexpected natural disasters. more..