Mar 8 (ST) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake had the unenviable task of walking the diplomatic tightrope this week when SL was unexpectedly thrust into the middle of the ongoing conflict engulfing West Asia, commonly referred to even here as the Middle East, and the Gulf States. Initially, it seemed that SL had pulled off a diplomatic coup by playing peacemaker in the middle of warring parties by giving refuge to Iranian sailors more..

Mar 8 (TM) SL has secured fuel stocks until the end of August, ensuring continuity of supply despite growing tensions in the Middle East. According to the CPC, orders have been placed to cover requirements through August, in addition to long-term tenders already arranged by the Govt. CPC Managing Director Dr. Mayura Neththikumarage said that the country currently had sufficient stocks of diesel, petrol, crude oil & naphtha to last until end of April under prevailing consumption patterns. more..

Mar 8 (TM) There are no immediate or direct risks to Sri Lanka’s food security arising from the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, the Ministry of Trade has stated. However, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has called for a comprehensive study to assess the potential impact on the SL economy should the conflict continue for an extended period. Trade Ministry Secretary K.A. Vimalenthirarajah noted that the ongoing conflict did not pose a direct threat to Sri Lanka’s food security. more..

Mar 8 (TM) Ministry of Defence rejected foreign media reports which claimed that the US had pressured Sri Lanka not to return rescued Iranian sailors to Tehran following recent maritime incidents in the Indian Ocean. “There is no truth to the claims that the US Govt or the US Embassy have applied pressure on SL to refrain from returning the sailors to Iran and no such dialogue has taken place,” Dy Minister Aruna Jayasekara said, more..

Mar 8 (EN) SL’s official remittances rose 33% to US$729 million in Feb 2026 with the rising trend continued from 2024. The February inflows from the foreign workers come after the island nation saw a record monthly remittance in December last year, which also witnessed the historical annual high worker remittances of US$ 8,076.2 million. The inflows from SL workers abroad rose 32% to US$1,480.1 million in the first two months of this year compared to the same period last year. more..

Mar 8 (ST) The Treasury has left out a salary increase for the three Commissioners and the Director General of CIABOC, despite the COPF recommending salary hikes for the last two years. With Parliament set to debate a resolution over cadre and salary structures of the Commission on March 17, the recommendations were left out for a third time by the Dept of Management Services under the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning & Development. more..

Mar 8 (EN) SL is moving to consolidate its industrial regulatory framework by merging three key state agencies into a single entity, Minister Sunil Handunnetti said. “We have identified three primary agencies required for industrial activities. We are working to integrate them and streamline operations in order to make work much easier,” he said. “We are also in the process of establishing a new body called the SL Industrial Transformation & Innovation Authority (SITIA) in place of the above,” more..

Mar 8 (AD) Sri Lankan powerlifter Ransilu Jayathilake has made history by winning a gold medal at the Arnold Sports Festival held in the United States, marking a significant milestone for SL in the competition’s 37-year history. Competing in the 120KG Pro category, Jayathilake secured the victory by successfully lifting 320 kg in the deadlift event, delivering a record-setting performance and becoming the first Sri Lankan to win gold at the prestigious int'l strength sports competition. more..

Mar 8 (AD) Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said the govt is handling the recent vessel incident involving Iranian personnel in accordance with international law, and does not intend to support any side in the incident. Responding to questions at the Raisina Dialogue 2026 in New Delhi about a reported U.S. operation against an Iranian vessel near Sri Lankan waters and whether the Iranian personnel would be repatriated to Iran, more..

Mar 8 (ST) With shipping lines halting operations to the Gulf region as the conflict escalates, containers headed for the region continues to be stacked up at the Ports of Colombo and Hambantota. At present the congestion that existed previously at the Colombo port is being cleared with 80% of the yard in use. Vessels continue to off load containers meant for the Gulf region with 2000TEUs recorded by Friday and this is expected to continue to increase as more shipping lines continue to call over more..

Mar 8 (NW) A special meeting of the Food Policy and Security Committee was held at the Parliamentary Complex to discuss the possible impact of the current conflict situation in the Middle East region on SL’s supply of essential goods and food security. The meeting was chaired by Ministes K.D. Lal Kantha and Wasantha Samarasinghe. Attention was focused on maintaining adequate stocks of essential food items for the public, particularly in view of upcoming festive more..

Mar 8 (NW) International Women’s Day has been celebrated annually across the world on 8 March for over a century. In SL, the role of women in the economic, political, social and cultural spheres is distinctive and significant. While this day serves to recognise and appreciate the immense responsibilities borne by women across all these sectors, & to reflect in particular on women’s rights, freedom and security, I believe that such recognition cannot be confined to a single day. more..

Mar 8 (SO) Sri Lanka’s recently set up National Credit Guarantee Institution Ltd (NCGIL) has set a clear institutional target of ensuring that no less than 20% of its total guarantee exposure is directed towards women-owned enterprises. NCGIL CEO, Jude Fernando said that this formal allocation benchmark reflects a measurable commitment rather than a symbolic act. “As at the end of Dec 2025, NCGIL has approved guarantees totalling Rs. 939 million to 244 women-led MSMEs, more..

Mar 8 (ST) SL tourism authorities and the industry have made efforts to assist travellers in the country amidst the West Asia crisis as the destination believes going forward there could be an immediate 20% drop in arrivals. War is expected to immediately witness a 20% drop in arrivals as numbers plunged from around 8500 to 6000 per day, SLTDA Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam said. At the time of the war broke out a majority of tourists more..

Mar 8 (ST) Sri Lanka is currently in discussion with its key oil suppliers and govts in a bid to ensure the stability of supplies from April onwards. Sri Lanka currently has sufficient stocks of fuel to last a month with refined oil available upto April and crude oil stored upto June, CPC Chairman D.A. Rajakaruna said. Colombo has the capability of storing fuel adequate for just a month, he said adding that at the moment authorities are in discussion with the 14 oil suppliers to the country. more..

Mar 8 (TM) SL Tea Board (SLTB) has announced that the process of obtaining Geographical Indication (GI) certification for Ceylon Tea is nearing completion. SLTB Chairman Rajpal Obeyesekere stated that the application submitted to secure GI status in the European Union (EU) had made substantial progress. However, the process has experienced slight delays due to the need to address clarifications requested by the relevant authorities. “So far, the process is still ongoing. more..

Mar 8 (ST) SL’s disappointing exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, marked by a string of underwhelming performances, and has laid bare several weaknesses within the national side. While shortcomings in batting, bowling and fielding were evident throughout the campaign, another worrying factor that surfaced was the team’s lack of optimal fitness. The issue became particularly glaring as a number of key players were sidelined due to more..

Mar 8 (ST) S. Thomas’ College will once again take on their arch-rivals Royal College in the 147th Battle of the Blues, scheduled to be held on March 12, 13 and 14 at the SSC, Colombo. Etched with rich traditions, passion and unparalleled history, this legendary encounter stands as the second-longest uninterrupted school cricket series in the world — a testament to the unwavering camaraderie and sporting spirit between two of Sri Lanka’s leading educational institutions. more..

Mar 8 (ST) Following his match-bag of 12 wickets earlier, a spirited and match-winning knock by all-rounder Murali Thison helped Jaffna Central College make a fine comeback to record a 3-wicket win over traditional rivals St. John’s College, Jaffna in the 119th Battle of North big match concluded at the Jaffna Central ground yesterday. Murali, who claimed 5 for 39 in St. John’s first innings of 119 with his left-arm fast bowling, continued the perfect form to snatch 7 for 78 when more..

Mar 8 (ST) India face New Zealand on Sunday in Ahmedabad looking to become the first side to lift the T20 World Cup for a third time but under huge pressure with the weight of a nation on their shoulders. Standing in the way of Suryakumar Yadav’s side are a team who have already upset the odds with a thumping nine-wicket win over the previously unbeaten South Africa to reach the final. NZ believe, after Finn Allen’s record 33-ball century in the semi-final in Kolkata, more..

Mar 8 (TM) Colombo District Court Judge G.L. Kannangara on 18 Feb declined to impose an interim injunction on the SL Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (SLBFF) as sought by its now-suspended former National Consultant and one-time medal-winning bodybuilder Niranjan Kumara. The athlete was imposed a 10-year ban by the sport’s domestic governing body last June after finding him guilty of seven charges out of eight while violating provisions of the SLBFF Constitution and more..

Mar 8 (CT) Sri Lankan Govt took control of the Iranian naval auxiliary vessel IRIS Bushehr on Thursday, preventing it from potentially suffering the same fate as IRIS Dena, another Iranian warship carrying about 180 sailors that was sunk by a US submarine in the Indian Ocean off Sri Lanka’s Southern coast on 4 March, an incident that took both Sri Lanka and the wider Indian Ocean region by surprise. more..

Mar 8 (TM) The torpedoing of an Iranian naval vessel in the waters off Sri Lanka has thrust the island into a geopolitical storm not of its own making. What began as a distant conflict in the Middle East has now rippled across the Indian Ocean, placing Sri Lanka in the uncomfortable position of being both witness and reluctant participant in a widening confrontation. The sinking of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena has not only triggered serious questions about international law and military conduct, more..

Mar 8 (Island) The SL Navy, on Thursday night, brought ashore 204 crew members of the IRIS Bushehr, another Iranian naval vessel facing the danger of a possible US torpedo attack. They were rushed to the Navy’s Welisara camp, and the ship was taken to the Trincomalee Harbour. The crew of the ship consists of 53 officers, 54 cadet officers, 48 senior ratings, and 23 junior sailors. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake hurriedly summoned a media briefing, on Thursday night itself, more..

Mar 8 (ST) My dear Anura sahodaraya, You must be very busy these days after suddenly becoming a leader on the world stage overnight and rather unexpectedly, but I thought I must still write to you. You ought to thank Donald for that, if not publicly at least privately. He is the reason why many are asking Anura who? and Sri where? This is because Donald decided to attack an Iranian ship off our coast and destroy it. You decided to help the survivors. more..

Mar 8 (ST) It was somebody else’s war. The 3-cornered fighting between USA-Israel and Iran that broke out last week began expanding to the rest of the West Asian region dragging not only Iran’s immediate pro-US neighbours, but also European nations – UK, France, Greece and Cyprus — and Azerbaijan – into a second war not of their choosing. And then, on Wednesday (4), SL also got sucked in when a torpedo fired from a US submarine sank an Iranian naval frigate off southern seas of SL. more..

Mar 8 (ST) Taranjit Singh Sandhu, who served as India’s High Commissioner to SL (2017-2020), was appointed as the Lieutenant Governor for New Delhi this week. The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi makes him the constitutional head of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. Mr Sandhu called on Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake last month when the Lankan leader was in India attending the AI Impact Summit. more..

Mar 8 (CT) As the world prepares to mark Int'l Women’s Day today, celebrations of progress and empowerment are once again set to dominate public discourse. Yet, beyond the ceremonial tributes and symbolic gestures lies a more sobering reality: across the world, women continue to bear the heaviest burdens when conflict and disasters strike. From war-torn regions to climate-ravaged communities, social, economic and psychological toll on women remains profound. more..

Mar 8 (Island) It is fruitless analyzing US President Trump’s reasons for going to war with Iran or the conflicting outcomes he says he is looking to have in the end. It is quite possible that he may have made the decision to attack Iran after being cajoled by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. It is a good time to attack because Iran is at its weakest moment yet posing an imminent threat warranting a pre-emptive attack. Strange and circular reasoning is needed to justify unnecessary wars. more..

Mar 8 (TM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and his Govt have faced several large-scale hurdles since assuming office in 2024, but the events that unfolded last week undoubtedly posed one of the biggest challenges faced thus far. The extension of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East (ME) into the Indian Ocean and almost to SL’s doorstep was quite a test for AKD as well as his Govt. Until the US attacked and sank more..

Mar 8 (CT) Across many political systems, conspiracy theories have become a recurring feature of political competition, elite strategy, and public discourse. Scholars increasingly argue that conspiracy theories should not be understood solely as psychological phenomena or irrational beliefs. Instead, they can function as strategic political tools, deployed by ambitious actors seeking to reshape political environments, mobilize supporters, or destabilize opponents. In this context, more..

Mar 8 (SO) Under the concepts of law and justice that we understand, everyone is equal under the law. But that is not often the case when it comes to women. Justice systems meant to uphold rights and the rule of law are failing women and girls everywhere. Women globally hold just 64% of the legal rights of men, exposing them to discrimination, violence, and exclusion at every stage of their lives. This is one of the findings of the new UN Secretary-General’s report, more..