Mar 22 (CT) As the ME conflict reaches its third week, approximately 7,800 targets have been hit by the US military and destroyed or damaged 120 Iranian vessels, at a cost of USD 11 billion in the first week itself. With the Pentagon requesting over USD 200 billion from Congress last week, both the targets and the destruction will prove critical in the coming weeks. Third week of Sri Lanka’s tryst with a world at war started with more..

Mar 22 (ST) On Friday, the Iranians targeted the US military base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, firing two long-range missiles; one was shot down, the other landing in the sea. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake had hardly got back home after making a statement to Parliament outlining the Govt’s neutrality in the war between the US-Israel axis and Iran, pointing to how he acted when an Iranian warship was sunk off Galle and did not allow US aircraft to use Hambantota as more..

Mar 22 (CT) With the escalation of the Middle East crisis forcing the world towards an energy crisis of severe magnitude, the impact on countries like SL, dependent entirely on the supply chains for its entire consumption, has hit home at a time when it can ill afford such a crisis. As global oil prices once again rose above USD 110 on Thursday, following the hit on one of the largest natural gas fields in the world, a 5% rise from two days earlier, Iran’s military warned decisive action against attacks more..

Mar 22 (TM) Since the global pandemic in 2020, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has dealt a severe blow to the global order, with unbearable pressures being placed on smaller states. Apart from economic challenges, Sri Lanka’s foreign policy and diplomacy have also been put to the test by the ongoing conflict between Israel/US and Iran. Pressure faced by the Govt in the diplomatic balancing act was revealed by more..

Mar 22 (TM) It was only a few weeks ago that a local think tank, Verité Research, delivered what appeared to be a decisive endorsement of the ruling administration. Its research polling placed the Govt’s approval rating at a comfortable 65%, a figure that was swiftly embraced and amplified by those in power as proof of public confidence and political legitimacy. Yet, almost in the same breath, a far more sobering assessment emerged from the global stage. World Happiness Report 2026 more..

Mar 22 (SO) Two weeks into the US/Israel War on Iran, the world is no close to a solution, though US Prez Donald Trump has spoken of the possibility of winding down the war without declaring a ceasefire per se as Iran’s military capabilities have been severely downgraded. Iran too has said it is not yet ready for a ceasefire, in the context of its success with the de-facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz. But both sides face the same problem – war resources are not endless and more..

Mar 21 (EN) Sri Lanka hopes the renovation of the oil tank farm in the island nation’s Eastern port district of Trincomalee, with an India, UAE, SL tri-partite agreement, could be a long-term solution for the fuel shortage. The Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm, also known as the China Bay Tank Farm, is a massive World War II-era strategic asset consisting of 99 serviceable tanks with a total storage capacity of nearly one million metric tonnes. more..

Mar 21 (DN) Minister Bimal Ratnayake told Parliament that 650,000 users were registered yesterday after a new feature has been added to the re-implemented National Fuel Pass system to address the difficulties faced by the public earlier when trying to obtain the QR code of a previously registered vehicle. By 12 noon yesterday, 593 private buses had obtained fuel from 103 SLTB bus depots around the country. Only a few Govt vehicles have not been registered with QR code. more..

Mar 21 (DM) Sri Lanka has moved a step closer to closing a critical chapter in its external debt restructuring, with the national carrier securing near-unanimous creditor backing for its long-delayed bond workout, in a deal that signals both fiscal discipline and renewed investor alignment. SriLankan Airlines and the govt yesterday announced the successful completion of the consent solicitation, exchange and tender offer tied to the airline’s US$ 175 m govt-guaranteed bonds more..

Mar 21 (FT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday told Parliament that the Govt will move quickly to revise fuel pricing, review taxation and expand procurement measures to manage the impact of the Middle East crisis, warning that delays could affect supply. “We must carefully assess how it may impact us and respond accordingly,” he said, describing the situation as an external shock affecting both energy supply more..

Mar 21 (DN) PM Harini Amarasuriya informed Parliament that 833 official vehicles were available in the Presidential Secretariat vehicle pool during the tenure of the Eighth Executive Prez and that more than 200 of those vehicles have been reduced from the pool since Anura Kumara Dissanayake was sworn in as Prez as promised by the NPP Govt. PM said that the reduction of the excessive official vehicles that were used by the previous administration and its Prez has been more..

Mar 21 (FT) Parliament Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne yesterday endorsed the certificate on the Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill, which was recently passed in Parliament. The Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Act provides for the establishment of a new regulatory authority to introduce a strong legal framework for regulating and supervising money lending and microfinance businesses in Sri Lanka. The objective of this authority is to regulate more..

Mar 21 (FT) The Court of Appeal has ruled that the RTI Act prevails over the Official Secrets Act, while holding that national security cannot be used as a blanket ground to deny access to information, in a judgment delivered on 19 March 2026. The case arose from a Sept 2022 RTI request seeking eight details from the SL Navy regarding former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s departure aboard a naval vessel during the July 2022 crisis. Request included confirmation of the travel, more..

Mar 21 (Island) The Kandy South Labour Office has launched a special programme to commence the payment of Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) contributions and gratuity payments which have remained unpaid since 2010 to the estate labour community of the Janatha Estates Development Board (JEDB) in the Kandy District. Due to various reasons, the relevant company had failed to pay these entitlements to estate workers, country-wide. As the govt has allocated Rs. 2000 million, more..

Mar 21 (FT) Vehicle import momentum is beginning to moderate after a sharp surge following the reopening of the market, with January data already pointing to a slowdown and February registrations falling by 3,683 units, suggesting further easing. Total vehicle imports declined to $ 236.4 million in Jan 2026 from a record $ 311.1 million in Dec, with a sharper correction in personal vehicle imports, which fell from more..

Mar 21 (NW) A 26-year-old woman was rescued in critical condition after being abducted, assaulted and thrown into a well in the Nellikkadu area, while another woman’s body was discovered in the same well. Residents in the area alerted authorities after hearing cries for help from the well and found the woman struggling in the water. She was rescued with the assistance of police and admitted to the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital for treatment. Police identified victim as Murugamoorthy Ranuja, more..

Mar 21 (SO) Environmentalists are warning that Sri Lanka is facing a growing environmental threat as the illegal wildlife and pet trade expands. They caution that without stronger enforcement, tighter regulation and greater public awareness, the island could become a hub for global wildlife trafficking. The concern was highlighted at a recent media briefing organised by the Sri Lanka Young Zoologists’ Association (YZA) in Colombo. YZA President Diluksha Soysa said more..

Mar 21 (FT) IMF has flagged SL’s significant exposure to the Middle East conflict and said it will assess the potential economic impact and how best to support the country during its upcoming mission, as authorities seek to complete a combined Fifth and Sixth Review under the EFF program. An IMF staff team is scheduled to visit SL from 26 Mar to 9 Apr to hold discussions with authorities on economic policies, with the external shock from the Middle East crisis expected to weigh on more..

Mar 21 (DM) Adopting the globally recognised Cradle to Cradle (C2C)-certified standard can help the local companies remain competitive in an increasingly sustainability-focused global market, Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute Director Built Environment Ren DeCherney said. According to her, a majority of industry stakeholders already consider circularity an important part of the design process and third-party verified certifications like the C2C-certified standard can support more..

Mar 21 (ST) Shutdown of airspace across parts of West Asia due to the war has significantly disrupted SL’s aviation sector, with experts warning of sharp declines in flights, revenues, and tourist arrivals. Industry officials say the ripple effects are being felt across the board, from higher insurance premiums and rising fuel costs to reduced aircraft movements and the loss of overflying fees paid to SL for air traffic services. more..

Mar 21 (ST) The Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority’s Board of Directors has decided to temporarily suspend permission granted to a private company to instal floating solar panels on the Dambulu Oya reservoir in Ibbankatuwa. The project, which planned to cover 18 acres of the water surface, is on hold until the progress of pilot projects at Kiriibban wewa in Monaragala and Chandrika wewa in Ratnapura are reviewed, the authority’s director Nalinda Thilakaratne said. more..

Mar 21 (NW) The Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development has officially called for tenders to supply 200 new luxury diesel buses to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), aimed at strengthening expressway and long‑distance bus services. According to Deputy Minister of Transport Prasanna Guansena, the project seeks to modernize public transport and provide passengers with a more comfortable and high‑quality service, while raising national transport standards. more..

Mar 21 (FT) Former CB Deputy Governor Dr. W.A. Wijewardena has warned that SL is entering a more vulnerable phase where Govt debt sustainability, interest rate dynamics and growth prospects are increasingly exposed to external shocks, particularly from the ongoing Middle East conflict. He said SL’s fiscal and external financing model remains heavily dependent on continuous borrowing and refinancing, making it sensitive to shifts in more..

Mar 21 (FT) The Paw-Sperity Xtravaganza, to be held on 29 March at the Cinnamon Grand, in aid of Rescue Animals SL (RAS), promises to be a day filled with fun, good food, shopping and entertainment, one that ushers in Avurudu Cheer as well as Easter Joy. This year Browns Veterinary Pharmaceuticals have come on board to partner with RAS, while a Kiddies play area, run by the ABC Group of Schools with both indoor handicrafts and an outdoor play area, will keep your little ones more..

Mar 21 (FT) Colombo stock market ended on the up yesterday, but was still lower than the previous week’s close as the economic fallout from the Middle East crisis continues to weigh on sentiment. During the week, the benchmark ASPI fell 4.85% or 1,052.82 points while the active S&P SL20 index declined 5.46% or 332.46 points. Since the Middle East conflict erupted on 28 Feb, CSE has lost about Rs. 1.06 trillion in value. Yesterday, ASPI ended on up 375.72 (1.85%) at 20,639.73 more..

Mar 21 (DN) St. Peter’s College closed day two on 248 for 7, still trailing St. Joseph’s College’s first innings total of 352 for 8 declared, in the 92nd Battle of the Saints at the SSC Grounds yesterday. The day unquestionably belonged to Peterite all-rounder Shavidu Silva, who produced a superb performance with both bat and ball. The off-spinner was instrumental in restricting the Josephians, claiming an impressive 5 for 95 in a demanding 31-over spell. He then followed it up with more..

Mar 21 (Island) Mahinda College fought back strongly to reach 90 for two wickets at stumps in reply to Richmond College’s 315 on day two of the Lovers’ Quarrel Big Match at the Galle on Friday. In a similar pattern to their arch rivals’ start, Mahinda suffered an early setback, losing two quick wickets in the opening phase of their innings. However, the third-wicket pair of Randula Mabarana and Dineth Pehesara restored stability with a composed stand, ensuring the team closed the day more..

Mar 21 (SO) On Dec 10, 2025, former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal emerged from the Colombo High Court a free man, cleared in the case widely known as the 2012 Greek Bond scandal. Yet, his freedom came with a caveat: a Rs. 1.84 billion fine that remains unresolved. Cabraal had been indicted by the CIABOC for allegedly causing a massive loss to the Govt of SL through controversial purchase more..

Mar 21 (SO) For more than a century, Sri Lanka’s plantation sector has shaped the country’s landscapes, economy, and international identity. From the mist-covered tea estates of the central highlands to the rubber-growing regions of the wet zone, plantations have long been symbols of productivity and export success. Generations of Sri Lankans have depended on these landscapes for livelihoods, and the world has come to associate them with the country’s heritage. more..

Mar 21 (DM) Elections to the Legislature of the South Indian State of Tamil Nadu has been announced by the Election Commission of India. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23 to elect 234 members to it’s Legislative assembly. Counting of votes would commence on May 4. Tamil Nadu voters number approximately 5.67 crore. Of these 2.77 crore are males and 2.89 crore are female. There are 7,617 transgender voters. India is our closest neighbour and within India, more..

Mar 21 (TM) Energy politics is nothing new to Sri Lanka. In 1971, when the India-Pakistan war broke out, an oil-tanker with a full capacity of refined petroleum got stuck in the Indian Ocean in close proximity to SL. As the ship could not enter Indian, West Pakistani or East Pakistani ports, the Singaporean oil company that owned the shipment offered it to Sri Lanka at a highly subsidised price. The Cabinet of Ministers of PM Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s Govt discussed this offer, but more..

Mar 21 (FT) SL today is not merely facing a crisis—it is confronting the cumulative cost of missed opportunities and flawed judgments over time. What we are witnessing is not an isolated downturn, but the gradual consequence of decisions taken without sufficient foresight, depth, and strategic clarity. The present condition of the country, therefore, must be understood not simply as a moment of difficulty, but as the outcome of a pattern—one where opportunities were overlooked, undervalued more..