Mar 19 (AD) A businessman has been arrested in the Meegaswewa area of Polonnaruwa for illegally hoarding 604 litres of petrol without a valid license. The arrested suspect, a 70-year-old owner of a retail shop, was apprehended yesterday, following information received by Meegaswewa Police. Suspect reportedly had been collecting petrol stocks from fuel stations in the area during the past few days. Police suspect that the fuel was being hoarded to be sold at higher prices during shortages. more..

Mar 19 (FT) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) said a decision on the proposed electricity tariff revision will be announced within the month, following the conclusion of public consultations held across the country, with the final session taking place in the Western Province at the BMICH yesterday. The review relates to a proposal submitted by the CEB to increase tariffs by 13.56% for the April to June 2026 period, citing a projected revenue shortfall of Rs. 15.8 billion. more..

Mar 19 (AD) SL Banks’ Association (SLBA) has assured the public that banks will continue to operate on all five weekdays as an essential service, despite the temporary measures introduced to conserve fuel and energy resources. Accordingly, banks will remain open from Monday to Friday, including Wednesdays, with operations on Wednesdays limited to the hours of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Customers will therefore continue to have more..

Mar 19 (NW) SL migrant workers in Lebanon, many employed as domestic helpers under strict conditions, have used their only day off to prepare and distribute food to families displaced into tents and the streets. Despite earning modest wages and living within employer households, the workers pooled small savings from their salaries to buy rice, cheese, onions, and water. They cooked meals together before distributing them across Beirut to those affected by Israeli occupation attacks. more..

Mar 19 (EN) 23 Sri Lankan nationals, including children, in Southern Lebanon have been evacuated to safer areas amidst Israel’s attacks on the Dahiyeh suburb in Beirut, officials from the SL embassy in Lebanon said. The 23 nationals, workers in Southern Beirut, have been given temporary shelter and dry rations by the embassy and local Christian churches. No requests for repatriation to Sri Lanka have been made by the evacuated workers so far. Inquiries for evacuation, however, more..

Mar 19 (AD) CIABOC today has informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court that it has been uncovered that funds allegedly received as bribes from the Airbus aircraft deal had been handed over by former SriLankan Airlines CEO, Kapila Chandrasena to former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne. Bribery Commission further informed the court that investigations have also revealed that more..

Mar 19 (AD) CPC has explained that all fuel orders relevant to the month of April were confirmed yesterday. Managing Director of CPC, Mayura Neththikumara stated that orders for five fuel shipments were finalized yesterday. By logging into the fuel distribution QR system and refreshing it, users can check whether their allocated fuel quota has already been obtained by someone else. Issues faced by those who had discrepancies in their previous quota allocations have also more..

Mar 19 (AD) The no-confidence motion against Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody signed by Opposition MPs has been handed over to the Speaker, a short while ago. The motion claims the Minister of Energy has failed to discharge his primary duty to ensure the procurement of sufficient and quality coal for the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant in Norochcholai, and that such gross negligence in overseeing a critical national energy asset constitutes a fundamental breach of more..

Mar 19 (FT) The seas must remain open to all nations, governed not by force but by the rule of law. Principle reflected in modern international maritime law. The reported submarine attack on an Iranian naval vessel close to SL’s southern maritime approaches raises important questions under int'l maritime law and neutrality doctrine. For Sri Lanka, located at the crossroads of one of the world’s most important maritime corridors, the stability of surrounding seas is a matter of national more..

Mar 19 (FT) The questions on our minds these days are manifold. They range from the practical to the philosophical. Where did the good years go? Will fuel stocks be sufficient, despite/because of the fuel quota? And is there a blessed end in sight to this wretched war that arguably heralds a desperate empire in decline? A US-Israeli war on Iran – or is it another game of oil and fire to choke China and Russia? – has a current strategic shape that holds out some hope in regard to end of a conflict. more..

Mar 19 (DM) Fresh controversy has erupted over the country’s fuel reserves after trade unions warned that SL has diesel stocks for only about 18 days, despite having the capacity to store enough fuel for nearly three months, while petrol stocks are sufficient for about one and a half months. Situation has raised serious concerns about energy security and stock management. Trade union representatives said the country currently more..

Mar 19 (AD) US Govt has commenced transferring a total of 10 TH-57 Sea Ranger helicopters to the SL Air Force, the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington D.C. stated. The Embassy confirmed that the batch of TH-57 Sea Ranger helicopters, received as a donation, departed the US to Sri Lanka. Prior to the shipment, a SL Air Force delegation, including Group Captain Iranga Gunasinghe, Group Captain Nalaka Etipola, and Squadron Leader Chamara Dissanayake, visited the U.S in January. more..

Mar 19 (TM) Two ships carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) docked yesterday morning at the Thaldiyawatta gas unloading jetty in Uswetakeiyawa. Unloading operations at the depot have already commenced. Additionally, a fuel tanker also arrived in the country yesterday. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake highlighted that Sri Lanka has already imported 38,000 MT of LPG this month (March). Another shipment of 33,000 MT of LPG is expected to arrive over the next two days, more..

Mar 19 (EN) Sri Lanka’s tea industry is navigating a deepening crisis as prolonged conflict in West Asia has jeopardized the island nation’s top export commodity, tea. Since the US-Israel attack on Iran on February 28, Red Sea turmoil has transitioned from a logistical delay to a systemic threat. High-value teas are becoming unsellable, and Port of Colombo warehouses are reaching maximum capacity, top exporters say. more..

Mar 19 (FT) The Ministry of Public Admin, PCs and Local Govt has issued a circular setting out new guidelines for the continuation of Govt office operations, aimed at conserving fuel amid the ongoing crisis. The directive, issued to ministry secretaries, provincial chief secretaries, heads of departments and heads of State corporations and statutory bodies, outlines adjustments to work scheduling following the decision to grant public servants leave on Wednesdays. more..

Mar 19 (DM) Former SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga has conveyed to ex-Sports Minister Navin Dissanayake that what he (Minister) did in 2015 by preventing him (Ranatunga) from contesting an election of office bearers of SLC paved the way for the gradual demise of the national team on the international stage. Ranatunga made the remarks in an open letter to Dissanayake who in a Social media post stated that he (Dissanayake) regretted disallowing Ranatunga from contesting SLC more..

Mar 19 (NW) Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has decided to temporarily suspend the collection of parking fees for vehicles entering Colombo City. Addressing the media, CMC officials stated that the decision will be implemented with immediate effect until further notice. They further stated that the decision was taken in view of the ongoing fuel supply issue in the country, resulting from the conflict in the Middle East region. CMC’s Financial Committee has agreed to this decision, more..

Mar 19 (TM) Russian Embassy in Colombo clarified yesterday that no financial or logistical matters were discussed during recent talks on potential energy supplies to Sri Lanka, pushing back against a wave of speculation surrounding the meeting. Embassy said that discussions between Russian Ambassador L. Dzhagaryan and senior officials of SL’s Foreign Affairs Ministry had not progressed to any concrete arrangements. However, the Embassy stressed that it continues to work on more..

Mar 19 (TM) Multi-day boat owners are bleeding up to Rs. 4 million per vessel as the Govt’s troubled QR code-based fuel rationing system begins to take a heavy toll on the fisheries sector, with daily fishermen left unable to head out to sea for want of fuel even as fish prices remain high. President of All Island Multiday Fishing Boat Owners' Association, Tyrone Mendis, lamented that while multi-day boats are getting their full fuel ration more..

Mar 19 (TM) The New Zealand ‘A’ team will arrive in Sri Lanka in April 2026 to play three One Day matches and two Four-Day games, SLC announced in a media release. The team is scheduled to arrive in the country on 2 April. SLC stated that it will use this tour to prepare national players for upcoming international assignments while also providing an opportunity to young and emerging players and keep them ready to compete at the highest level of the game when the opportunity arises. more..

Mar 19 (NW) Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received a telephone call from Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. At the beginning of the call, the president inquired about the situation in Qatar, expressing his country’s solidarity and support in light of the ongoing Iranian aggression against Qatar and other countries in the region. For his part, the Amir reassured the president about the well-being of the SL community in Qatar, affirming the State’s care and concern more..

Mar 19 (FT) The Ministry of Education has issued special guidelines for schools to ensure continuity of teaching and administration while reducing energy consumption amid ongoing fuel constraints. Under the new measures, all schools will operate four days a week, with Wednesdays designated as a holiday until further notice. Principals have been instructed to assign exercises, revisions and other activities to enable students to continue learning from home on those days. more..

Mar 19 (FT) Globally celebrated and one of the most successful stand-up comedians in the world Russell Peters will perform live on 31 March 2026 at 6 p.m. at the Lumina ballroom at Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, Colombo, Sri Lanka. The one-night-only performance in Sri Lanka is part of Russell’s latest RELAX World Tour and will bring his signature style of comedy to Colombo and enthral SL audience with his sharp wit, cultural observations, and high-energy storytelling. more..

~Mar 19 (FT) SL’s tourism sector has begun to feel the strain of the escalating Middle East conflict, with visitor arrivals during the first 15 days of March falling 5.15% year-on-year (YoY), even as cumulative figures for 2026 remain firmly in positive territory. The country attracted 92,573 visitors between 1 and 15 March, as airspace closures, airport shutdowns and rising jet fuel costs disrupted key transit routes and dampened travel flows. more..

Mar 19 (DM) ​The SL govt has initiated the preliminary discussions with Emirates and Qatar Airways to utilise Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport as an alternative transit hub, as the escalating geopolitical tensions continue to paralyse the primary aviation networks in the Middle East. ​The tourism and aviation officials confirmed that both the Middle Eastern carriers have expressed strong interest in repositioning some of their operations to the southern Sri Lankan airport. more..

Mar 19 (FT) EDB Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe underscored a priority program aimed at ensuring exporters receive essential fuel supplies without delay amid ongoing energy constraints. He said the Industry and Entrepreneurship Ministry is currently collecting critical operational data from exporters to facilitate targeted allocations. “If you haven’t submitted your information yet, do so immediately,” Wijesinghe urged at a media briefing, highlighting the EDB’s role in coordinating and expediting more..

Mar 19 (DN) Sri Lanka is set to send a squad of 14 athletes to India following an invitation from the Athletics Federation of India (AFI). The team will compete in the National Open Relay Championship in Chandigarh on March 28. SL will field two men’s 4x400m relay teams and one women’s 4x400m relay team. Men’s 4x400m Team A features Aruna Dharshana, Kalhara Indupa, Pasindu Kodikara, and Sadeera Wimansa Rajapaksa. Aruna Dharshana, who represented SL at the Tokyo Olympics, more..

Mar 19 (ST) The prevailing hot weather affecting several parts of the country is expected to continue until next week, with elevated temperatures likely to persist until May, the Meteorological Department warns. The country is experiencing sunny to partly cloudy conditions, with scattered clouds and occasional passing showers, particularly in the afternoons or evenings. The Met Dept Director General, Athula Karunayaka, said Sri Lanka is currently facing hot weather, even though more..

Mar 19 (FT) Fitch Ratings said it does not expect SL’s sovereign rating to face severe downside pressure from the ongoing global energy shock linked to the escalating Middle East conflict, although it could blunt recent improvements in credit metrics. “SL is quite vulnerable to energy price shocks. However, we think of it perhaps more as blunting some positive improvements in credit metrics that we’ve seen over past few years, more..

Mar 19 (FT) SL Tourism has launched an aggressive push into India’s high-value travel segments, rolling out immediate roadshows in Chennai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad, as it seeks to capitalise on shifting regional travel dynamics and geopolitical uncertainties in the Middle East. SLTPB Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam said on Tuesday that the strategy is designed to tap into India’s fast-growing outbound MICE & destination wedding segments, particularly at a time when traditional hubs more..

Mar 19 (TM) For years, Finland has been held up as a model education system. Its emphasis on equity, well-trained teachers and student wellbeing has earned global admiration. Yet, even Finland is now sounding a note of caution. Faced with rising concerns over children’s mental health, excessive screen exposure, and the influence of social media, it has begun to draw firmer boundaries around the digital lives of young people. That shift should give countries like SL pause, more..