Jan 15 (DM) Govt Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has warned that it will launch continuous island-wide trade union action if the Health Minister fails to implement agreements reached to resolve key issues affecting the free health service and doctors. GMOA said the 2026 Budget presented by the Prez in November did not include short-term or long-term policies needed to address real problems faced by the health sector & medical more..

Jan 15 (CT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is scheduled to visit Jaffna today (15) to mark Thai Pongal, during which he will participate in several religious and official events. According to the programme, the President will attend a Pongal celebration at the premises of the Velanai South Sri Subramaniam Swamy Temple at around 2:00 p.m. He will then proceed to participate in another Pongal celebration at the Manipay Maruthadi Vinayagar Temple premises at around 4:00 p.m. more..

Jan 15 (TM) Women’s Affairs Ministry is considering a proposal to allow female public sector employees to work from home, following a suggestion by an Opposition Parliamentarian. Deputy subject Minister Dr. Namal Sudarshana said the Ministry will take action after discussions, describing the suggestion as "efficient and much needed". He noted that Sri Lanka's female workforce contribution to the economy is relatively low compared to other South Asian countries, such as Pakistan. more..

Jan 15 (FT) Central Bank of SL (CBSL) has said urgent reforms to the CEB and the wider power sector are necessary to safeguard macroeconomic stability, reduce fiscal risks, and ensure long-term energy security, according to its Dec 2025 Annual Economic and Social Infrastructure Digest. CBSL said the continuation of cost-reflective electricity pricing beyond the IMF program is necessary to restore CEB’s financial position and more..

Jan 15 (FT) The Govt will settle outstanding pharmaceutical supplies payment dues worth Rs. 23.87 billion this year. The Cabinet of Ministers on Monday approved the payment related to pharmaceutical supplies for the period from 1 Jan 2018 to 31 Dec 2023, with the amount to be paid on an instalment basis within 2026. The issue relates to payments for pharmaceuticals purchased, stored and distributed by the Medical Supplies Division from the State Pharmaceutical Corp (SPC), more..

Jan 15 (DM) he Opposition secured a majority of members in most standing committees of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) today, including the key Finance Standing Committee, which oversees the council’s financial affairs. Opposition CMC member Roy Bogahawatta said that he, along with Anura Sujeewa, Taranga Athureliya, Dayakantha Perera and Arshad Nizamdeen, had been elected to the Finance Committee. “All of us are from the Opposition,” he said. more..

Jan 15 (AD) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa extended his heartfelt wishes to Tamil communities across SL and worldwide “wishing everyone a meaningful celebration of this cultural festival, with a true understanding of the spirit of Thai Pongal.” “The Thai Pongal festival teaches us gratitude and reminds us that nature, and even livestock, deserves our love, compassion, and respect.” he remarked. Premadasa further noted that many of the natural disasters and conflicts arise more..

Jan 15 (AD) PM Harini Amarasuriya, in her message for Thai Pongal, has extended her heartfelt greetings to the Tamil people in Sri Lanka and abroad who celebrate the Thai Pongal festival, describing it as a proud tradition that expresses gratitude for the dignity of labour and the protection bestowed by nature. In her statement, the Prime Minister said that “the noble festivity manifests to the world the inseparable bond between human life and nature.” “We are all creations of nature. more..

Jan 15 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his Thai Pongal message, highlighted the festival’s profound spiritual, cultural, and environmental significance, describing it as a celebration of gratitude, renewal, and collective hope for the future. The President noted that Thai Pongal, celebrated with deep devotion by Hindu devotees across the world, “is an occasion dedicated to expressing gratitude to the Sun God, to cattle more..

Jan 15 (NW) Sri Lanka has ranked 93rd out of 101 ranking positions in the Henley Passport Index for 2026. Singapore retained the top position for the third consecutive year, with Singaporean passport holders enjoying access to 192 countries without obtaining a prior visa. Japan and South Korea ranked second, while Denmark and Luxembourg shared third place, with access to 188 and 186 countries respectively. Meanwhile, Afghanistan ranked last, at 101st position, more..

Jan 15 (Island) SLT‑MOBITEL Mobile, in collaboration with Fintelex, has launched Yaya Agro, an exclusive all‑in‑one smart agriculture app designed to empower SL farmers with the tools they need to grow smarter, safer, and more sustainably. Yaya Agro represents a new era of digital farming in SL combining technology, expert knowledge, and community empowerment to provide farmers the confidence to make smarter decisions, improve productivity, and build a sustainable future. more..

Jan 15 (DN) Two match officials from SL, Graeme Labrooy and Prageeth Rambukwella, will officiate at the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, which begins today in Zimbabwe and Namibia and continues until Feb 6. Prageeth Rambukwella, a member of the ICC International Umpires Panel, is the only SL umpire in the 17-member panel for the U-19 World Cup. He has already officiated in 8 ODIs, 28 T20 Internationals, 1 Test match, 13 Women’s ODIs, and 7 Women’s T20 Internationals. more..

Jan 15 (DN) The ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, featuring 16 teams divided into four groups, will commence today and run until February 6 in Namibia and Zimbabwe. The tournament gets underway today with three matches. India will face the USA in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Hosts Zimbabwe will take on Scotland in Harare, while Tanzania will meet the West Indies in Windhoek, Namibia. SL, led by Vimath Dinsara, are drawn in Group A alongside Ireland, Japan, defending champs Australia. more..

Jan 15 (TM) Board of Investment (BOI) has refuted the claim that Chinese investor Amber Adventures has exited the Rs. 5 billion worth Ambuluwawa cable car project, as both entities are awaiting the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, and the Central Environmental Authority to present substantiated environmental concerns, BOI Media Director Leslie Uduwavidane said. “If they are pulling out, they should officially inform us. more..

Jan 15 (FT) SriLankan Airlines has unveiled a landmark int'l branding initiative to promote the Colombo Nawam Maha Perahera 2026, one of the country’s most iconic religious and cultural festivals. The initiative is showcased on an Airbus A320neo, transforming the aircraft into a flying ambassador of SL’s living heritage. Through a specially designed aircraft livery, SriLankan Airlines now carries the prestige, spirituality, and cultural identity of the Nawam Maha Perahera across more..

Jan 15 (FT) Govt has rolled out a series of policy and financing reforms aimed at easing longstanding credit bottlenecks faced by entrepreneurs, as part of a broader push to strengthen industrial development and shift the country towards a production-based economy. In a statement outlining key policy priorities, Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe announced that limited access to capital, particularly debt financing, has been one of the most critical challenges hindering entrepreneurship. more..

Jan 15 (FT) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa has announced that the Govt has granted approval for the recruitment of over 100,000 individuals into the public service since assuming office. He said all recruitments were carried out under the supervision of a special committee headed by the Secretary to the PM, established to oversee and rationalise public sector hiring. “Unlike in the past, where recruitments were often made more..

Jan 15 (FT) Shaking off two previous muted trading sessions, Colombo stock market yesterday posted a strong recovery, gaining over Rs. 37 billion in value and the ASPI ending on an all-time high. The ASPI closed 0.43% on the up, gaining 100.90 points to close on a new high at 23,708.70, surpassing the previous benchmark set on 12 Nov 2025 of 23,659.70 points. Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) in a statement said the milestone reflects robust investor confidence across the market, more..

Jan 15 (DM) SL’s apparel industry stepped up its push into the UK market this week, leveraging the newly secured duty-free access as the exporters showcased the manufacturing depth and sustainability credentials at Source Fashion London 2026. SL pavilion at the three-day sourcing fair at Olympia London featured 20 exhibitors, including 12 small and medium-sized enterprises, underscoring a broad-based industry effort to win new UK buyers and deepen the relationships with more..

Jan 15 (DM) A leading corporate legal expert has urged the govt to engage in meaningful consultation with the private sector, including the CCC, before proceeding with the proposed conversion of the EPF into a pension scheme. The call for stakeholder engagement follows a recent announcement by Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe, who revealed that the govt is considering formulating a mechanism to pay the EPF benefits as a monthly pension, rather than the traditional lump-sum payment more..

Jan 15 (FT) CHEC Port City Colombo Ltd, the primary developer of Port City Colombo, has pledged approximately $ 300 million in foreign direct investment to advance Phase II of the Port City Colombo project. The investment commitment follows the completion of the relevant regulatory processes and enables the next phase of development of SL’s largest and most significant urban development initiative. “This $ 300 million Phase II investment is a clear and more..

Jan 15 (TM) The SJB is discussing lodging a complaint with the CIABOC over the Grade Six education reforms, citing financial losses linked to the preparation and printing of new school modules that are now due to be reviewed, with their implementation already deferred. SJB MP Rohini Kumari Kavirathna claimed that public funds were wasted through a reform process that was carried out behind closed doors, more..

Jan 15 (Island) The world is having the evidence of its eyes all over again that economics drives politics and this time around the proof is coming from theocratic Iran. Iranians in their tens of thousands are on the country’s streets calling for a regime change right now but it is all too plain that the wellsprings of the unprecedented revolt against the state are economic in nature. It is widespread financial hardship and currency depreciation, for example, that triggered uprising in the more..

Jan 15 (Island) The govt finally swallowed its pride and postponed the implementation of education reforms meant for Grade 06. It has said its reform initiative is on track, but it is very likely to avoid a headlong rush. It may not concede defeat, but it is obviously wary of performing another high-wire act without a safety net amidst protests. The govt has done itself a favour by shelving the education reforms for Grade 06. Protests tend to snowball, and the Satyagraha campaigns, rallies and more..

Jan 15 (ST) When the coconut was king many decades ago, it was so ubiquitous that a night club at a well-known hotel in Colombo was named The Coconut Grove. The late baila maestro M.S. Fernando regaled his fans with the popular song Pol-pol-popol-pol-pol-pol – Lankawe wathuwala wawena pol (Coconuts grown in the gardens of SL), with many homes having one or two coconut trees. The coconut for cooking needs and that delicious pol sambol came from the home garden and more..

Jan 15 (CT) Someone asked me a question; Dilith Jayaweera M.P. has said Provincial Councils are not suitable to SL. What is your observation in this regard? I said; I have great respect for Dilith Jayaweera, an Attorney at Law, and who has been one of our foremost businessmen. He entered politics very recently. He is no doubt a Nationalist. He feels for his Nation just as much as we feel for ours. What he has failed to appreciate is that his is Sinhala Nationalism just as ours is more..

Jan 15 (CT) The year 2025 marked an indelible chapter in SL’s political and legal history. Under the vision of a Clean Sri Lanka, the bold measures undertaken by the new administration against the deeply -entrenched culture of corruption and impunity that had dominated the country’s governance for decades reached their peak during this year. The arrest of powerful political figures, including a former Prez once more..

Jan 15 (TM) NPP Govt’s proposed electricity policy has raised serious concerns, not just among opposition politicians but among ordinary citizens and those invested in the country’s renewable energy future. The policy appears to shift financial burdens onto consumers, penalise low-income households and weaken confidence in renewable energy at a time when diversification and resilience should be national priorities. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has articulated what more..

Jan 15 (DM) Even though rice is the staple diet for most Sri Lankans, purchasing a few measures of rice has become a luxury today. Enjoying a meal of premium rice varieties such as keeri samba or basmati has now become next to impossible. With rice becoming the staple food of the country, the paddy business became politicised over the years. Today, it is a known fact that several large scale rice mill owners are directly or indirectly involved in manipulating the wholesale price of several more..

Jan 15 (DN) As the celestial chariot of the Sun begins its northward journey, marking the end of the winter solstice, the Tamil month of Thai (January) is born. For millions, Thai Pongal is more than a mere harvest festival; it is a profound symphony of gratitude—a ritualistic thank you to the cosmos that sustains us. It is the dawn of new beginnings, encapsulated in the timeless Tamil proverb that with the birth of month of Thai, more..

Jan 15 (DM) The NPP govt’s decision to shelve education reforms for one year highlights the limits of political power. Despite holding 159 seats, the administration was forced to backtrack after an inappropriate web link in a Grade VI English module sparked a national outcry, uniting religious leaders and opposition parties against the project. In the face of mounting pressure, the govt took a step back and shelved the implementation of education reforms for one year. more..

Jan 15 (CT) Sri Lanka stood at a crossroads when it courted investors during the depths of the 2022 economic collapse. Confidence was scarce, risk was high, and the country had little leverage beyond assurances of stability, legality and good faith. It was within that fragile context that the Ambuluwawa cable car project was conceived. An ambitious, first-of-its-kind venture, privately financed, technically complex and promised as a future public asset. What has since unfolded around it more..