Mar 26 (FT) CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe rejected the need for immediate import controls or capital flow restrictions to contain the economic challenges from the Middle East war. Striking a cautiously optimistic tone, he expressed confidence that SL’s resilience and improved macroeconomic buffers will help the country navigate the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and their spillover effects on more..

Mar 26 (AD) IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya has issued guidelines to be followed when arresting suspects in relation to offences committed under Section 3 of the Int'l Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act. It is reported that the relevant notification has been communicated in writing to all police officers, including all Senior Deputy Inspectors General. According to the provisions of the Act, an individual may only be arrested after examining whether a statement or expression incites war, more..

Mar 26 (DN) A high-level Russian delegation led by Deputy Energy Minister Roman Marshavin will arrive here today to explore a Govt-to-Govt agreement aimed at securing petroleum supplies through a long-term co-operation framework. This marks the first time since 1974 that senior Russian officials have discussed a formal energy co-operation deal with SL. Last week, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath met with Russian envoy in Colombo Levan S Dzhagryan at the Foreign Ministry, more..

Mar 26 (DM) Amidst disruption to global fuel supply, power generation is set to be a challenging task for Sri Lanka unless it rains sufficiently in the areas where the major hydropower reservoirs are located, an official said. Electricity is generated through a mix consisting of hydroelectric power, thermal power (coal and fuel), and non-conventional renewable energy such as wind, solar, biomass and mini-hydro. more..

Mar 26 (DM) SL has been identified as one of the countries to which the UK has transferred foreign national offenders under established Prisoner Transfer Agreements (PTAs), according to official UK Govt policy. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice Jake Richards informed UK Parliament that UK maintains that the removal of foreign offenders with no legal right to remain in the country is a long-standing policy, with such individuals eligible to serve their sentences in their more..

Mar 26 (FT) CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said no official request has been made to grant a financial moratorium or suspend the implementation of the parate law for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), despite concerns raised by some sectors over rising costs. Responding to questions at a media briefing, the Governor said the CBSL does not see justification for such measures at this stage. “No, we don’t see any requests coming in. I think it’s too early to do that. more..

Mar 26 (FT) Stocks extended its strong rebound to a second session yesterday, setting another benchmark single-day points gain as it recoups 48% of the Rs. 1.1 trillion value loss since the Middle East war began. The ASPI ended on the up by 3.79% or 797.62 points at 21,868.85 and the active S&P SL20 was up 3.81% or 225 points at 6,134.23. Market turnover was over Rs. 6.4 billion on nearly 299.5 million shares traded. The market gained Rs. 284.1 billion in value yesterday, more..

Mar 26 (DM) The tea exports declined marginally in Feb 2026, although the stronger rupee-denominated prices helped lift the earnings. Total exports for the month fell to 19.92 million kilogrammes (M/Kgs), down 0.48 M/Kgs, from 20.40 M/Kgs a year earlier. The drop was driven by the weaker shipments of bulk tea, tea bags and green tea, which offset the gains in tea packets and instant tea. Despite the volume dip, the average free-on-board (FOB) value rose to Rs.1,785.76 per kilogramme in Feb, more..

Mar 26 (TM) Govt observed some wholesale distributors have raised prices of selected items citing the Middle East (ME) conflict, despite importers agreeing to release essential goods without price increases for the festive season, Trade Ministry said. Deputy Minister R.M. Jayawardhana said that recent discussions with importers ahead of Sinhala & Tamil New Year confirmed there are no supply shortages or barriers to maintaining current prices. more..

Mar 26 (TM) Civil Collective for Malaiyaha Reconstruction organisation said that the estates are being largely neglected in the post-Ditwah restoration programmes, and that some of the estates are not being restored with basic facilities. Convenor of the Collective, Selvaraja Rajasegar said that even in the camps, the Malaiyaha community is mistreated, and that in some estates in Badulla, camps are also doubling as schools, in turn requiring camp dwellers to move out for the duration more..

Mar 26 (DN) SL suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Nepal in their SAFF Under-20 Championship 2026 match played at the National Football Stadium in Malé, Maldives yesterday, with a first-half goal proving decisive in a tightly contested encounter. Nepal’s Subash Bam scored the only goal of the match during the first half, giving his side an early advantage which they managed to protect until the final whistle. SL, who came into the match with high confidence after ending a 24-year wait more..

Mar 26 (AD) The CID has arrested a suspect in Nittambuwa for allegedly obtaining fuel by overriding a QR code linked to a vehicle belonging to another person. According to investigations, the suspect had overridden the QR code of a car belonging to a woman and generated a new QR code using the vehicle’s data to fraudulently obtain fuel. The investigation was initiated following a complaint lodged by the Ministry of Digital Economy based on information received via the 1919 hotline. more..

Mar 26 (FT) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for the immediate suspension of the parate law and a comprehensive relief package for micro, small and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs), warning that rising fuel prices and high borrowing costs are pushing the sector towards collapse. Speaking at a meeting with small- and medium-scale businessmen and entrepreneurs at the Opposition Leader’s Office, Premadasa said MSMEs, which contribute around 52% to more..

Mar 26 (DM) SL is banking heavily on the Asian region, particularly China, to buffer a massive hit to the European tourist arrivals stemming from the ongoing geopolitical crisis in the Middle East. SLTDA Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam expects the shifting dynamics to trigger a 30 to 40 percent drop in European travellers. However, a targeted strategy to attract 300,000 Chinese visitors this year is expected to help the island nation more..

Mar 26 (DM) Central Bank left its key policy rate, the Overnight Policy Rate, unchanged at 7.75% yesterday, at its second policy meeting for the year. The stance was delivered although there were some expectations for the Monetary Policy Board to deliver an increase in the interest rates to lean against the rising prices, which are now set to reach its desired level much faster than before the war in Iran. The Central Bank, the primary mandate of which is to ensure price stability, more..

Mar 26 (Island) Last week, the scorebooks of school cricket needed a fresh rewrite as Kingswood College, Kandy broke a 68-year hoodoo to clinch their Big Match against Dharmaraja College in the hill capital. Almost in tandem, down south, another long wait ended when St. Servatius’ College, Matara turned the tables on arch-rivals St. Thomas’ College, Matara, sealing a famous win after 55 years. St. Servatius’ rise has not been a flash in the pan. For the better part of 15 years, more..

Mar 26 (Island) Cargills Food and Beverage Ltd. through its brands KIST and Knuckles, has signed a MoU with Clean Ocean Force Lanka (COF) to adopt Crow Island Beach for one year, reinforcing its commitment to long-term coastal conservation in Sri Lanka. This pioneering initiative is designed to protect and preserve the coastal environment through several key measures, including the removal of plastic and other pollutants from the beach and surrounding coastal area. more..

Mar 26 (FT) Ceylon Chamber of Commerce proudly marks its 187th anniversary today (25) reflecting a long-standing commitment to supporting SL’s businesses and contributing to the country’s progress. Commenting on this milestone, Chairman Krishan Balendra said: “For 187 years, the Chamber has been guided by a simple principle, putting SL first. In today’s evolving global landscape, shaped by shifting geopolitical dynamics and economic uncertainty, this means supporting more..

Mar 26 (ST) The tourism sector’s fuel QR system introduced by the SLTDA was not fully functional, and tour operators alleged they were in a quandary. Some operators said the QR codes were not functional as of Friday evening. The matter had been reported to the SLTDA. The QR code was issued to SLTDA-licensed tourist providers such as tour operators, hotels and guides from March 17 to get fuel without lining up. more..

Mar 26 (FT) Dialog Television has announced the latest upgrade to its smart entertainment lineup with the Dialog Play Mini, featuring seamless access to global streaming platforms including Netflix, Apple TV and YouTube, alongside the Dialog Play entertainment ecosystem for a unified viewing experience. Previously known as the ViU Mini, the device has now been reintroduced as the Dialog Play Mini, reflecting the evolution of Dialog’s digital entertainment platform under Dialog Play more..

Mar 26 (FT) SL Export Development Board (EDB), through the SheTrades SL Hub, successfully conducted a Training Program on branding and digital marketing for women entrepreneurs in Anuradhapura, with the participation of over 50 women led businesses. The program was organised under EDB’s Export-oriented Women Entrepreneurship Development in Regions initiative, aiming to strengthen the capacities of women entrepreneurs, enhance their competitiveness, and encourage them to explore more..

Mar 26 (AD) Chairman of National Water Supply & Drainage Board (NWSDB), Chandana Bandara, states that water consumption has increased significantly due to the prevailing dry weather. He urged the public to use water sparingly whenever possible and warned that if the current dry weather conditions persists, water distribution may have to be limited. “With the dry weather, consumer water usage has increased. more..

Mar 26 (Island) A fresh wave of concern has gripped conservationists following the reported deaths of migratory flamingos within the Vankalai Sanctuary—a globally recognised bird habitat—raising urgent questions about the ecological cost of large-scale renewable energy projects in the region. The incident comes at a time when a fundamental rights petition, challenging the proposed wind power project, linked to India’s Adani Group, remains under examination before the Supreme Court, more..

Mar 26 (DM) World is facing multiple crises due to the Middle East conflict; one in terms of fuel price hikes and other essential items. Another unseen crisis that the conflict is contributing to is global warming. Statistics indicate that the US has launched more than 8,000 combat flights since Operation Epic Fury – the coordinated US-Israeli attack on Iran from late February. It has been estimated that the war has generated more than half a million tonnes of carbon dioxide during the first 120 days. more..

Mar 26 (Island) Coal is not an agricultural output, as is public knowledge, and therefore how on earth it can bring tears to farmers’ eyes, one may ask. But in SL dirty coal has not only worsened air pollution in areas surrounding the Norochcholai power plant but also caused untold hardships to farmers across the country, especially in rice-growing areas, besides causing huge losses to the state coffers. The govt has managed to break the back of the fuel-queue problem for all intents and purposes, more..

Mar 26 (CT) Recent unrest in the Middle East has raised concerns that SL may face a shortage of oil supply. Because oil plays such a central role in the economy—powering transportation, construction, electricity generation, and many other activities—many observers expect that such a shortage will inevitably lead to inflation. This expectation is commonly explained through the idea of cost-push inflation, where rising production costs—such as higher oil prices—are believed to push up more..

Mar 26 (CT) For decades, labour migration has been a lifeline for many SL families. Thousands of women, particularly from rural areas, travel to Middle East every year to work as domestic workers, hoping to secure a stable income for their households. Yet, the promise of financial security is often shadowed by uncertainty, particularly during periods of political tension and conflict in the region. Today, as geopolitical tensions continue to more..

Mar 26 (DN) The world is shape-shifting. Creating a digital economy, AI readiness, and shaping a globally competitive SL takes place at a pivotal moment, where global supply chains are being rewired, traditional work methods are being contested, global political turmoil is taking place, and the race for AI adoption is faster than ever. In such a backdrop, being digitally exposed matters in creating jobs for the digital age. As outlined in last week’s article, the more digitally exposed a country is, more..

Mar 26 (DN) Unlike in earlier times, undergraduates in state universities across various disciplines are now required to complete internships in private companies. A decade or two ago, students would generally take up part-time work mainly to earn some extra pocket money. This happens without the knowledge of university authorities. In some cases, they were even employed in the public sector unofficially. Today, however, internships have become the part and parcel of many more..

Mar 26 (SO) When the crescent moon of Shawwal appears in the skies above, it marks the end of Ramadan and the arrival of Eid ul-Fitr. For many, Eid may bring to mind plates of biryani or the rich sweetness of Watalappam, but the meaning of this day runs far deeper. For Muslims, Eid is a reflection of faith, gratitude, compassion and a renewed connection with others. Known locally as Nombu Perunal, Eid comes after more..

Mar 26 (ST) Uncertainty! That is the frightening scenario SL and many countries are facing, this time unlike SL’s 2022 economic meltdown, as no one can predict – apart from US Prez Donald Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu – when the war in West Asia will end. In 2022, SL’s economy was shattered by mismanagement and delayed decisions which resulted in a shortage of dollars. There was enough fuel in the world but fuel ships were stationed outside the Colombo Port as more..

Mar 26 (TM) A Govt’s manifesto is not a campaign pamphlet to be discarded after victory. It is a public contract. In Sri Lanka today, that contract has, for the first time, been formally elevated into the national development framework. That is a significant shift. It moves politics from rhetoric to policy. But that shift will mean little if the monitoring of that manifesto is not continuous, transparent, and credible. This process, in fact, is the backbone of democratic accountability. more..