Jan 28 (AD) Former Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake has been remanded until February 11 by the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court. Ekanayake has been remanded in relation to the case filed against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe over the alleged misuse of Rs. 16.6 million in public funds during a visit to the UK in 2023. Saman Ekanayake appeared before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court today. more..

Jan 28 (DM) Claiming that the attention of the govt has been drawn to the circulation of videos on social media, involving a leading school in Colombo, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said the govt will adopt a regulation process if media and social media do not self-regulate voluntarily on matters concerning privacy and identity of individuals. Minister told the weekly briefing to announce cabinet decisions that the Online Safety Act is badly needed in situations like this. more..

Jan 28 (DM) Lieutenant Koyan Chamitha of the SL Navy’s elite Special Boat Squadron (SBS), the first Sri Lankan to complete the U.S. Navy SEAL basic training and earn the coveted SEAL Trident, passed away in the early hours of today at the Walisara Wardroom. Last year, Lieutenant Chamitha made history by becoming the first Sri Lankan to complete the rigorous SEAL basic training conducted by the Naval Special Warfare Basic Training Command of US Navy, marking a significant milestone. more..

Jan 28 (FT) Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week SL (MBFWSL) has officially announced the dates for its 2026 edition, taking place from 7–11 Oct 2026 at Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, welcoming the global fashion community home to Colombo. The announcement reaffirms the platform’s ambition to position SL firmly on the international fashion and creative industries calendar. Presented by AOD and powered by DIMO, the only authorised agent for Mercedes-Benz in SL, MBFWSL continues to more..

Jan 28 (FT) My interest in trade agreements arose while working on my PhD in Canada in 1982-1985. Having been immersed in the protectionist/State-centric discourse that pervaded SL in the 1970s, I was intrigued that the Canadian Govt was pressing for a bilateral agreement with the more powerful and much larger US. The Canada-US Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA) that was signed in 1987 was the first to include services trade. Given the cultural protectionism that was pervasive among more..

Jan 28 (TM) Former Chairperson of the Lanka Coal (Pvt) Ltd Company, who was involved in the processes related to the importation of coal consignments for electricity generation, is to be summoned before the Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure & Strategic Development. This review took place when the Committee met in the Parliament recently under the Chairpersonship of S.M. Marikkar. more..

Jan 28 (Island) Chief Prelates of the Malwathu, Asgiriya, Amarapura and Ramanna Nikayas, in a joint letter addressed to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has expressed concern over the protracted delay in appointing a permanent Auditor General. The Chief Prelates have said that the appointment of an outsider as the Head of the National Audit Office (NAO) responsible for ensuring transparency and accountability in public finances will be inappropriate. more..

Jan 28 (TM) Housing, Construction & Water Supply Ministry said they are planning to provide more affordable apartment complexes for residents in Colombo, competing against the private sector with the intention of making the City more affordable. Deputy Minister T.B. Sarath said the Govt is planning to build apartments with affordable prices in Colombo in competition with the private sector. "Further, in this year’s Budget, we have allocated money to build 3,000 houses for lower more..

Jan 28 (NW) Governor of the Western Province and Presidential Special Envoy for Foreign Investment, Hanif Yusoof, went live today on Channel News Asia (CNA) from Singapore, where he spoke on SL’s economic recovery and the role of Port City Colombo as a key driver of the country’s next phase of growth. The Special Envoy addressed a range of questions from CNA, including SL’s post-crisis economic stabilisation, more..

Jan 28 (FT) Amid growing criticism that micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) affected by Cyclone Ditwah were not receiving adequate recovery support, Economic Development Deputy Minister Nishantha Jayaweera and Finance Ministry officials recently conducted a seminar for MPs on the Govt’s initiatives to date. According to the Parliament Secretariat, Finance Ministry officials pointed out that the Govt has addressed the biggest challenges faced by MSMEs: more..

Jan 28 (AD) A 28-year-old man has died after being shot during a private party held in the Tsunamiwatta in Ambalangoda. The victim sustained gunshot injuries after being shot by two unidentified individuals while attending the gathering. He was admitted to the Balapitiya Hospital for treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries. The deceased was a resident of Galaboda. The motive for the shooting has not yet been identified, and police suspect that a pistol-type firearm was used more..

Jan 28 (DM) Professor Chandana Jayaratne, head of Dept of Physics at the Uni of Colombo has stated that videos purporting to show Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) are regularly submitted to him and associated scientific institutions in SL. He made these remarks in response to a video circulating on social media that allegedly shows a UFO following a shrimp farmer in Iranawila. According to the footage, a blinking object believed to be a UFO was sighted near the VOA transmission centre more..

Jan 28 (AD) SL has launched a voluntary drug rehabilitation program with vocational training support to help people addicted to narcotics recover and reintegrate into the workforce, Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Brigadier M.S. Amith has stated. He said participants will undergo a structured three-month rehabilitation process that includes counseling, supervision and recovery support. After completing treatment, they will receive vocational training to develop practical skills more..

Jan 28 (Island) The SJB strongly criticised the govt over the suspension of Deputy Secretary General of Parliament Chaminda Kularatne, alleging that the procedure adopted was flawed, unlawful and in violation of established parliamentary traditions. Former Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella said the Speaker had no authority, under Parliamentary practice, to remove or suspend a senior parliamentary official without more..

Jan 28 (DM) SL health authorities are closely monitoring developments following the detection of a cluster of Nipah virus infections in India’s eastern state of West Bengal, amid heightened surveillance measures across parts of Asia. A senior Health Ministry source said the situation is being closely observed and that necessary precautions are already in place. “SL is on alert and continues to monitor the regional situation very carefully. At present there is no immediate threat, more..

Jan 28 (TM) Police are maintaining close surveillance over the prevalence of drug abuse among schoolchildren, ASP F.U. Wootler has stated. He noted that organised networks are distributing drugs such as Mava and babul under the pretext of selling popsicles, cotton candy, toffees, biscuits and sweets to schoolchildren within close proximity of schools. He emphasised that stringent action is being taken against those involved in such illicit activities, noting that 11 suspects have more..

Jan 28 (ST) SL is set to strengthen its presence on the global sports tourism map with the hosting of IronMan 70.3 Colombo on Feb 22, marking a six-year hiatus since the last event. This int'l franchise endurance event is being organised by Serendib Multisport (Pvt) Ltd, in partnership with Port City Colombo and Shangri-La Colombo. The event represents a strategic effort to position Colombo as an active lifestyle hub and SL as a credible destination for high-value int'l sporting more..

Jan 28 (Yahoo) The second ODI between Sri Lanka and England became a talking point for reasons beyond the result. England’s victory was followed by debate around the playing surface, a familiar theme whenever touring sides struggle in subcontinent conditions. Comments made after the match quickly travelled, prompting a response from one of SL’s most respected former players. For Angelo Mathews, the discussion struck a nerve that extends far beyond one game or one series. more..

Jan 28 (FT) BOI Chairman Arjuna Herath said SL must push through structural reforms to attract between $2 bil and $2.3 bil in foreign direct investment, stressing that the country cannot compete with the scale of fiscal concessions offered by other investment destinations. Herath said SL does not have the fiscal space to match concession-heavy regimes deployed by larger and better-capitalised economies, and must instead more..

Jan 28 (NW) England star batter Joe Root praised SL’s Pavan Ratnayake after the young batter’s standout century in the third ODI, calling him a player with a bright future in int'l cricket. Ratnayake struck a top-class 121 in a high-pressure chase as SL pursued England’s massive 357 for 3, powered by Root’s unbeaten 111 and Harry Brook’s explosive 136. Despite his efforts, SL fell short, handing England a 2-1 series victory and ending SL’s 12-series unbeaten home ODI run since 2022. more..

Jan 28 (ST) The govt on Friday suspended Standing Orders before naming three civil society members to the Constitutional Council, prompting the Opposition to point out that parliamentary tradition had been violated in how the appointments were made. PM Harini Amarasuriya presented the three names to Parliament on Friday afternoon after Standing Orders were suspended. Once the names were approved in Parliament, it was announced that they would be forwarded to the President. more..

Jan 28 (ST) SL’s Revenue Administration Management Information System (RAMIS) undergoes a, state-mandated modernisation to transform it from a largely administrative tool into a real-time, API-driven, and AI-enabled tax compliance system. API (Application Programming Interface) is a set of rules and protocols that allows different software applications to communicate and exchange data with, more..

Jan 28 (FT) The Sri Lanka Institute of Directors (SLID), in partnership with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), will host the inaugural SLID–ACCA National Corporate Director Awards 2025 today at 6.30 p.m. at the Oak Room, Cinnamon Grand Colombo. The awards are designed to recognise and celebrate outstanding corporate directors who have demonstrated leadership, integrity, and governance excellence, while shaping the future of SL business. more..

Jan 28 (DM) SL’s tourism industry has recorded a robust start to 2026, welcoming 194,553 visitors during the first 22 days of January. This performance represents a 9.7% growth compared to approx 177,400 arrivals recorded during the corresponding period in 2025. Strong numbers signal a swift recovery for the sector following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah in late November, which had dampened travel sentiment and triggered cancellations from key regional markets. more..

Jan 28 (DM) A new study has sounded the alarm on Sri Lanka›s export prospects, revealing that the country faces a potential loss of US$ 1.62 billion in exports to the United States in 2026 due to escalating trade policy distortions. The study, titled Trade Policy Uncertainty and Impacts on Developing Countries’ Exporters: The Case of Sri Lanka, was conducted by the Centre for a Smart Future (CSF) and authored by Anushka Wijesinha and Senith Abeyanayake. more..

Jan 28 (FT) The National Collective of Community Savings and Credit Services Providers organised the conference Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill: Neither Here, Nor There on 21 January at the BMICH. It was to foreground the community savings and credit services as an alternative credit practice to moneylending and microfinance. While underscoring the uniqueness of community credit practices, grounded in collective rights, solidarity, mutual aid, more..

Jan 28 (CI) England's batting might arrived in scrintillating style for the third ODI against SL as Harry Brook smoked 136 not out off 65 balls, Joe Root struck 111, and England mounted a mammoth score of 357 for 3. On a track that has historically been unkind to chasing teams, SL made a valiant charge at the target, led by Pavan Rathnayake, who hit a maiden int'l hundred in his fourth ODI. Although SL threatened at times, staying within range more..

Jan 28 (CI) SL women will tour the West Indies for a multi-format white-ball series in Feb-Mar. The tour will consist of three ODIs and three T20Is between Feb 20 to March 3. All six games of the tour will be played at Grenada National Stadium. The first ODI will be on Feb 20, followed by games on Feb 22 and 25. The T20I series then starts on February 28, followed by games on March 1 and 3. T20I series, in particular, will be crucial as both teams look to build their prep towards Women's T20 World Cup more..

Jan 28 (CT) A recent public statement attributed to Cabinet Minister Lal Kantha has given rise to a degree of public unease and speculation that cannot be lightly dismissed. The reference made to a second phase involving the acquisition of state power in addition to the power of govt already held has left many citizens wondering what exactly was meant—and more importantly, what implications such a statement may carry in a democratic and constitutional context. more..

Jan 28 (Island) SJB-led Opposition made a public display of collecting signatures for a no-confidence motion (NCM) against PM and Education Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya over the govt’s flawed educational reforms, but it has since got cold feet. Not all Opposition parties have endorsed the NCM in question. Some bigwigs of the JVP/NPP govt with a two-thirds majority are now daring the Opposition to go ahead with the NCM. Dr. Amarasuriya herself has taunted the Opposition, in Parliament, more..

Jan 28 (Island) The impact of Cyclone Ditwah was asymmetric. Rains and floods affected the central hills more severely than other parts of the country. Rebuilding process is now proceeding likewise in an asymmetric manner in which the Malaiyaha Tamil community is being disadvantaged. Disasters may be triggered by nature, but their effects are shaped by politics, history and long-standing exclusions. Malaiyaha Tamils who live and work on plantations entered this crisis already disadvantaged. more..