Mar 19 (ST) More than a thousand people are still living in temporary displacement camps in the districts of Kegalle, Badulla and Nuwara Eliya, three months after Cyclone Ditwah. Many affected are still waiting for permanent housing solutions. Secretary of the Ministry of Public Admin, Home Affairs, PCs, LG, and Labour, Aloka Bandara, said that “The recovery process is complicated and will take time. We are also trying to balance more..

Mar 19 (FT) Impact Hallmarks (IH) has announced the nomination of 20 distinguished icons from South Asia and China for the international opinion poll of the Quarticentennial Merited Impacts Gazette (2000-2025), a global initiative aimed at documenting the most meritorious and transformative contributions of the first quarter of the 21st century. The nominations form part of the official launch of the opinion poll under the theme The Mirror of Rectitude, chronicling 181 icons shortlisted more..

Mar 19 (Island) A large-scale move to establish solar power plants in Hambantota has triggered a major environmental and social crisis, with more than 1,000 acres of forest—identified as critical elephant habitat—cleared in violation of the law, environmental activist Sajeewa Chamikara said. Chamikara, speaking on behalf of the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform, said that 17 companies have already begun clearing forest land along the boundaries of the Hambantota more..

Mar 19 (Island) Whenever the JVP-NPP govt gets into hot water, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake rushes to Parliament and makes special statements; the CID and the national anti-graft commission try to pull a rabbit out of the hat to distract the public. While the govt is drawing heavy flak for mismanaging the current fuel quota system, with long queues of vehicles persisting near filling stations, CIABOC has recorded a statement from former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa on more..

Mar 19 (CT) Nations do not collapse only through coups or revolutions. Sometimes they decay quietly and progressively, through the gradual erosion of ethics that once restrained power. SL’s political journey since 2005 is a story not of dramatic constitutional collapse, but of a slow normalization of lawlessness where the law increasingly became a tool of politics rather than an instrument to maintain a just society. The years following the end of the civil war in 2009 should have marked more..

~Mar 19 (SO) The recent sinking of the Iranian warship IRIS Dena by a US-flagged submarine off the coast of SL pushed the island nation to the epicentre of a diplomatic and environmental crisis of unprecedented proportions. Yet the incident, the first of its kind since the end of WWII, also highlighted the ecological and environmental crisis that the ever deteriorating international law and rules of war in the Indian Ocean poses to Sri Lanka. more..

Mar 19 (ST) Years ago, I lived in the suburbs of Colombo and commuted daily to the Uni of Colombo in a 45‑minute journey. By the main road, on one side there was a rubber estate, the other – a residential area. Early in the morning, some motorists on bikes, tuk‑tuks, cars, and vans would bring their household trash in polythene bags and toss them over the fence into the estate. Though no one lived there, the garbage became a nuisance for the villagers opposite: heaps of waste, more..

Mar 19 (SO) SL figured in a classic new age geopolitical drama involving two Iranian maritime vessels last week. One of the Iranian ships (IRIS Dena) was torpedoed by a US submarine and the surviving sailors were rescued by the SL Navy (SLN). Ever since these events transpired, interested parties have evinced an interest in getting the SL Govt to skirt the extremes. Some wanted the Govt to come down heavily on the side of the Iranians and there were others who implied more..

Mar 19 (TM) As several countries that were early adopters of digital learning begin restricting devices in schools, questions are being raised about the role of technology in classrooms and what this means for countries like SL. While many countries leant heavily into digital learning in previous years by introducing laptops, tablets, and educational apps in efforts to modernise learning, some are now gradually reversing these more..

Mar 19 (DM) American-Israeli onslaught against Iran is now more than two weeks old. US President Donald Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu expected Iran to give in quickly under the sheer weight of bombs. Instead, Iran has counter-attacked effectively, and has re-written the rules of modern warfare within the past fortnight. With no effective air force or navy, it has been able to damage 27 American bases in the Gulf, and attack Israel’s capital Tel Aviv and port of Haifa effectively more..

Mar 19 (DM) It seems like SL has a habit of repeating past mistakes, either intentionally or otherwise. Perhaps the Govt wasn’t ready for a global conflict to affect its fuel supplies. Perhaps the Govt thought they could negotiate obtaining fuel from other countries. But the rapid progression of the conflict has now thrown SL towards another pandemic-like period. This is why it is important to prepare ahead of times, now that we depend on other countries for many of our domestic more..

Mar 18 (AD) Both local and foreign nationals have been warned against operating drones within SL without proper authorization, SL Air Force (SLAF) has announced. According to the notice issued by the Air Force, legal action has previously been taken against individuals who operated drones within High-Security Zones without obtaining the required permits. Accordingly, the Air Force emphasized that all individuals intending to operate drones in Sri Lanka must strictly comply with more..

Mar 18 (AFP) Sri Lanka has urged electric vehicle (EV) owners to stop charging their cars at night, saying the surge in demand is forcing the country to burn more coal and diesel to keep the power grid running. In an address to the nation, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said electric cars were adding an extra 300 megawatts of demand at night, straining the grid. “Electric car owners charge their vehicles when they return from work. This is placing an additional burden on the grid, and more..

Mar 18 (AD) SL Police states that despite continuous public awareness efforts regarding fraudulent activities and financial crimes carried out through the internet and modern technology, number of complaints related to such scams is steadily increasing. Investigations have revealed that fraudsters are exploiting the names of well-known and trusted institutions within the country. Police said it has identified several deceptive methods more..

Mar 18 (NW) SL’s first fully functional tourism mobile application, Lily Lanka App, officially registered with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, was launched in Colombo yesterday. The event was held under the patronage of Minister Vijitha Herath, with the participation of Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe and several local and international guests. The app aims to provide all essential services required by tourists visiting Sri Lanka through a single platform. more..

Mar 18 (DM) SL continues to battle a significant number of undiagnosed tuberculosis (TB) cases, with around 5,000 patients yet to be identified, health officials warned. Dr. Pramitha Shanthilatha, Director of the National Program for Tuberculosis Control and Communicable Diseases, highlighted the issue during a seminar at the Health Promotion Bureau today. She said that 8,726 TB cases were officially reported in the country last year, with men accounting for 5,622 of these cases. more..

Mar 18 (TM) Railways Department said the reconstruction of the Peradeniya Railway Bridge, better known as the Yaka Palama (Devil’s Bridge), will be completed in time for the reopening of the Upcountry Railway line. Responding to recent allegations by the Railway Station Masters’ Association regarding significant delays in the project, the Dept’s General Manager Ravindra Pathmapriya said that while efforts are being more..

Mar 18 (AD) At least four individuals have been killed in a head-on collision involving two buses along the Ambalantota–Kataragama road in Weerawila, police stated. Around 40 persons have also sustained injuries in the accident involving the two Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses. The injured are currently being taken to hospitals for treatment. The accident occurred when a Colombo–Kataragama bus collided head-on with another SLTB bus traveling from Tissa to Karapitiya. more..

Mar 18 (AD) A 240-foot Bailey Bridge on the Chilaw–Thoduwawa Road, connecting the coastal villages of Thoduwawa and Iranawila, was inaugurated today under India’s post-Ditwah reconstruction assistance programme. The bridge was jointly declared open by Minister of Public Admin, PCs and LG, Prof. A.H.M.H. Abayarathna, and Santosh Jha, High Commissioner of India to SL, and MP W. Ajith Gihan was also present at the occasion, according to the High Commission of India in Colombo. more..

Mar 18 (DM) SL is expanding its emergency response to the economic and logistical fallout from the Middle East conflict, as fuel rationing, supply chain disruptions and energy security concerns continue to shape daily life across the country. 19 days into the crisis, the govt has tightened fuel distribution controls, introduced sector-specific relief measures, created new crisis-management committees and stepped up efforts to maintain stable supplies of fuel, gas, coal & essential goods. more..

Mar 18 (SLN) Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) ship OONAMI arrived at the port of Colombo on a goodwill and replenishment visit on 9 Mar 26. The visit concluded on 11 March, as the ship departed the island, receiving a formal farewell from the SL Navy, in keeping with naval traditions at the Port of Colombo. 150.5m long JMSDF OONAMI is commanded by Commander IIO Hiromasa. Commanding Officer of the ship also called on the Commander Western Naval Area at more..

Mar 18 (FT) The economy achieved a 5% annual growth rate for the second consecutive year in 2025 since contracting by 2.3% in 2023. However, growth had slowed down in the fourth quarter of 2025 at 4.8% down from 5.4% in the third quarter, 4.9% in the second and equal to the 4.8% first quarter growth rate. DCS states that the GDP growth rate for the year 2025 has been estimated at 5.0% positive growth. more..

Mar 18 (NW) Opposition MP Namal Rajapaksa has highlighted the growing strategic importance of the Indian Ocean, calling for balanced foreign policy and stronger regional cooperation, particularly with Narendra Modi’s India, to navigate a rapidly changing global order. Addressing the WION Global Summit, Rajapaksa said the global system is undergoing a major transformation, with shifting power dynamics, disruptions to trade routes, technological competition, and ongoing more..

Mar 18 (DM) Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody hinted out power interruptions as such a scenario could become unavoidable in the future despite the govt’s efforts to maintain a continuous electricity supply. Responding to a question raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa in the House this morning, the Minister said the govt had so far managed to avoid power cuts despite challenges caused by conflicts in the Middle East, which have affected the energy sector. more..

Mar 18 (AD) China has reaffirmed its strong commitment to cracking down on telecommunications and online fraud, while pledging to further strengthen law enforcement cooperation with SL. In a statement, China noted that it is closely monitoring recent reports of SL law enforcement authorities arresting a number of foreign suspects involved in online fraud, including Chinese nationals. It emphasized that such crimes cause more..

Mar 18 (NW) Cabinet has approved a proposal to declare Namal Uyana, the country’s largest ironwood forest, as a national heritage site. ‎Site, which spans about 602 hectares and has already been designated a protected forest, is considered one of the most significant locations of environmental and archaeological value. ‎Proposal was based on recommendations by an expert subcommittee on identifying national heritage sites, which cited the area’s unique combination of geological, more..

Mar 18 (DM) SL is on the perfect path toward increasing the storage capacity of oil tanks in Trincomalee as part of a long-term strategy to strengthen the country’s energy security, Cabinet Spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa said. He revealed that expanding the storage capacity in Trincomalee remains a key long-term solution under the govt’s energy development agenda. He noted that several tanks have already been renovated by CPC, with an allocation of Rs. 32 b made for the initiative. more..

Mar 18 (AD) A motion of no-confidence against Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody, signed by opposition MPs, will be handed over to the Speaker of Parliament tomorrow (19). So far, 17 opposition MPs, including Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, have signed the motion of no-confidence. 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, more..

Mar 18 (DM) A special programme to restore vision to 1,000 patients suffering from cataracts will be carried out on March 21 and 22, National Eye Hospital Director Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara said. He said the programme aims to perform cataract surgeries on 1,000 patients who are currently on the waiting list and have lost their vision due to the condition. The project is being implemented by the National Eye Hospital in collaboration with the SL Institute of Ophthalmologists. more..

Mar 18 (AD) Owners of vehicles will be allowed to purchase fuel under an odd–even number plate system from today, according to the Managing Director of the CPC, Dr. Mayura Neththikumarage. He noted that from tomorrow, fuel sales for vehicles will be carried out strictly on a rotating system based on odd and even numbers. Under the system, the last digit of the vehicles with zero and even-numbered number plates will be allowed to more..

Mar 18 (NW) Former Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said he had lodged a complaint with the Bribery Commission on Feb 18 over alleged irregularities in coal procurement, despite yesterday’s remarks by the President on the matter. Ranawaka said that the Prez appears to be ill-informed on the matter. Referring to a 2022 procurement process, Ranawaka cited Auditor General recommendations stating that procurement guidelines should not be changed arbitrarily. more..

Mar 18 (AD) A warm weather advisory has been issued for residents of the Western, Sabaragamuwa, North-Central, Southern, North-Western provinces and Monaragala, Mannar, Vavuniya, and Mullaitivu districts. Accordingly, the heat index, the temperature felt by the human body, is likely to increase up to the ‘Caution Level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, North-Central, Southern, North-Western provinces and Monaragala, Mannar, Vavuniya & Mullaitivu districts tomorrow. more..