Mar 25 (FT) The UK yesterday sanctioned figures responsible for serious human rights violations and abuses during the civil war in SL. The UK said sanctions have been imposed on former SL commanders and an ex-LTTE commander responsible for serious human rights violations and abuses during the civil war and said sanctions aim to seek accountability for serious human rights violations and abuses committed during more..

Mar 25 (TM) Several stakeholders such as the Northern and Eastern Provincial Governors, the Land Commissioner General's (CG) Department, and the Departments of Wildlife Conservation and Forest Conservation are to meet in the coming days, and discuss the prompt resolution of land-related issues in the North and the East. The frequent issues that the Northern and Eastern people face include the occupation of their lands by the military forces and State departments. more..

Mar 25 (Island) Two days before the killing of notorious criminal Sanjeewa Kumara Samararatne, alias Ganemulle Sanjeewa, two suspects, including alleged shooter Samindu Dilshan (known as Commando Samindu) and his accomplice, 25-year-old Ishara Sewwandi, had visited the Hulftsdorp court premises, police said. According to a senior officer from the Colombo Crime Division (CCD), their visit was part of a plan for the murder. Police investigations have revealed that a suspect, more..

Mar 25 (TM) The SJB, stated that there are sufficient grounds to remove suspended IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon from his post, and that it would fully support a motion in the Parliament to that effect. SJB MP Ajith P. Perera said that Tennakoon has undermined the rule of law in the country, and that his 20-day disappearance after a court-issued arrest order is proof that he does not respect it. "There is sufficient evidence to confirm that more..

Mar 25 (DM) Cable car projects that operate more than a kilometre between two mountains without any support are rare in the world. SL people will have the chance to experience this rare opportunity before the end of this year. The first cable car project in the country covering a distance of 1.8 km between Ambuluwawa Religious and Biodiversity Complex to the summit of Ambuluwawa Hill in Gampola and from there to Ambuluwawa Agrarian Tower is a joint venture of Chinese and American investors. more..

Mar 25 (DM) The Central Bank is set to keep the rates when it meets for the second time for this year, this week, to decide on the key policy rate, after it left the overnight policy rate (OPR) unchanged at its January meeting. In January, the Central Bank cited limited price pressures and in fact, the deepening deflationary conditions, declining interest rates and recovery in the economy, which was taking place at a robust pace. At the first policy meeting held for 2025, the Monetary Policy Board of more..

Mar 25 (FT) Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, SL’s premier business chamber, is marking its 186th anniversary today (25). Reflecting on this milestone, Ceylon Chamber Chairman Duminda Hulangamuwa stated: “For 186 years, Ceylon Chamber has remained committed to putting Sri Lanka First in all its efforts. Whether through policy advocacy, trade facilitation, or fostering market access, we reaffirm our dedication to advancing business interests while driving national growth and prosperity.” more..

Mar 25 (DM) A major human smuggling scam to migrate Bangladeshi nationals to European destinations via India, Sri Lanka and the Middle East has been busted by the Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE), where 10 such foreigners were arrested from Minuwangoda today. The department’s Investigation Division on information raided a guesthouse in Minuwangoda to find ten Bangladeshi nationals remaining in the country overstaying their tourist visas. more..

Mar 25 (Island) 29% of Sri Lanka’s adolescent population, or approximately 3.5 million young persons aged 10 to 19, are currently not attending school, according to the latest findings of the Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) 2024 SL report. The survey, conducted with the participation of 3,843 students from grades 8-12 in 40 govt schools across the country, sought to assess health-related behaviours, identify risk more..

Mar 25 (CT) Hemantha Amarasinghe, Director of Agricultural Technology at the Ministry of Agriculture, announced that it will take two months to analyse and submit the final report on the recent animal census. Census, which includes species such as torque monkeys, monkeys, giant squirrels & peacocks, is still in progress in some areas as leaflets are being collected. Several Grama Seva Niladhari Offices have confirmed delays in collecting leaflets distributed to households for census, more..

Mar 25 (SO) Election Commission (EC) launched a mobile application designed to streamline the handling of election-related complaints and ensure free and fair polls. The new Election Dispute Resolution (EDR) app – developed by the Commission’s IT Department – enables the public, election monitors and law enforcement agencies to directly report election violations and irregularities in real time. EC Chairman R.M.A.L. Ratnayake described app as a significant step forward more..

Mar 25 (FT) The Civil Aviation Authority of SL (CAASL) yesterday announced that new regulations will be introduced to boost adventure tourism whilst enhancing safety, streamlining operations, and supporting the industry. The decision was made during a key meeting held under the chairmanship of CAASL Director-General and CEO Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Sagara Kotakadeniya to discuss and develop the regulatory framework. The initiative will be rolled out as a collaborative effort between the more..

Mar 25 (Island) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), in its ongoing efforts to enhance domestic cricket performance, provided local clubs with state-of-the-art performance-enhancing equipment, including skinfold calipers and pocket radars with smart displays. A total of 17 clubs and the four centers of excellence of the SLC received skinfold calipers, enabling trainers to assess players’ body fat percentage by measuring subcutaneous fat thickness at specific body locations. more..

Mar 25 (FT) SL’s total exports in February reached $ 1.38 billion, growing 5% year-on-year (YoY) driven by services exports, while merchandise exports saw a marginal drop during the month. Merchandise exports declined by 0.27% YoY to $ 1.05 billion and the services sector surged by 24.37% YoY, bringing in $ 326.14 million. However, it noted that February exports registered a 2.58% m-o-m increase more..

Mar 25 (NW) Video footage has emerged of a Matara-Galle bus being obstructed on the road and the driver being beaten. According to the video, a lorry is seen obstructing the bus in the middle of the road. Thereafter, the lorry driver is seen verbally arguing with the bus driver and then resorting to assaulting the driver. Several more persons are also seen entering the bus through the driver’s door and front entrance, proceeding to attack the driver. Passengers and the conductor more..

Mar 25 (Island) There’s a fresh buzz in the domestic circuit as First-Class cricket in SL has found its competitive edge once more. The coaching staff of the national team, together with the selection panel, have put their heads together and encouraged top cricketers to roll up their sleeves and return to the grind of red-ball cricket. The result? A season brimming with tight contests, spirited performances, and no shortage of drama. With T20 leagues mushrooming across the globe and more..

Mar 25 (ST) Travel agents registered with the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Agency (SLFEA) have questioned the State-run entity about short, irregular tender periods granted to quote ticket prices for workers leaving to Israel and South Korea under bilateral agreements. Tickets are issued to workers through SLFEA. The Sunday Times was provided with a list of recent tenders dated January 3 to March 4, 2025. more..

Mar 25 (DM) The transshipment volumes at the Port of Colombo declined for the second straight month in February, as the services that earlier pulled out of Colombo, amidst heavy congestion, were yet to return to the port. This marks a stark contrast to the robust growth the port experienced during the first and latter parts of 2024, when it benefited from the diversions caused by the disruptions in the Red Sea. The transshipment volumes dropped by 9.2% year-on-year (YoY) to 479,942 more..

Mar 25 (DN) Making a historic landmark in the tea industry, Russel’s (pvt) Ltd which launched five variants of Ceylon Tea to the international market signed a MoU to provide 4% of its international sales proceeds to the development of the vedda community. MOU to provide 4% of its international sales proceeds from the sale of Ceylon Ancestral Herbal Infusions towards the development of the vedda community was signed by the Director Russell’s Tea, Jehan Perera with more..

Mar 25 (FT) High Commission of SL in Kuala Lumpur conducted a series of investment promotion activities in Malaysia in collaboration with Colombo Port City in February and March 2025. These initiatives aimed to strengthen economic ties, attract Malaysian investors, and showcase SL’s investment potential. SL Acting High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur Mohamed Rizvi formally introduced Colombo Port City to the Ministry of Investment, Trade & Industry (MITI) of Malaysia and more..

Mar 25 (FT) The economic winds are blowing eastward. And after decades of the West being the engine of the global economy, it is now the turn of the East to be the growth engine. India is now poised to be the growth engine of the world, and South Asia has a unique opportunity to reap the rewards of this shift in the economic epicentre from the West to its own backyard. India and Sri Lanka have engaged in mutually beneficial economic relationships for millennia. more..

Mar 25 (TM) The country’s long stymied motorsports sphere is all set to kick start shortly with a newly formulated events calendar. This has come about after the Competent Authority (CA) for the sport Shemal Fernando, formed an administrative committee, consisting of officials from nine clubs and the Department of Sports Development, on 7 March. This was revealed to The Daily Morning Sports, by the ex-Secretary more..

Mar 25 (Island) Six months into the term of office of the new govt, the main positive achievements continue to remain economic and political stability and the reduction of waste and corruption. The absence of these in the past contributed to a significant degree to the lack of development of the country. The fact that the govt is making a serious bid to ensure them is the best prognosis for a better future for the country. There is still a distance to go. The promised improvements that would more..

Mar 25 (Island) The JVP/NPP govt is still upbeat about the passage of its maiden budget with an unprecedented majority of 159 votes. That was no mean achievement, but everybody knew that the ayes would have it. Euphoria invariably gives way to the sobering reality in politics. A serious problem is already looming on the horizon. The harvesting of Maha season paddy is drawing to a close. It was forecast that the country would be able to produce about 2.9 million MT of paddy during more..

Mar 25 (GV) With British colonial rulers controlling the coastal regions, including the lowlands, they secured the Kandyan kingdom through an agreement unifying Sri Lanka into a single state in March 1815. Until then, the feudal land tenure system had existed but following the British takeover, it gradually transformed into a capitalist economy. Initially, coffee was introduced as a plantation crop, later expanding to tea, rubber, coconut and cinchona. more..

Mar 25 (CT) Since 2023, and continuing to this day, the SL people have been grappling with rampant gun violence at an unprecedented level, raising public concern over the State’s ability to suppress the presence of organised crime and other violence. Unfortunately, this pressing issue is only worsening. Yesterday, the Police reported that 27 shooting incidents had taken place in the country since the start of this year, resulting in the deaths of 22 people and injuring several others. more..

Mar 25 (SO) Leader of the House and Minister Bimal Ratnayake shared his insights on the challenges and strategies that the Govt faces in a rapidly changing global and domestic landscape. From navigating political sovereignty amidst shifting global power dynamics to addressing social issues such as marginalised communities, Ratnayake provided a candid perspective on the Govt’s priorities and future plans. more..

Mar 25 (ST) The NPP govt showed off its overwhelming 2/3 Parliamentary majority on Friday evening to pass its inaugural budget by a thumping majority of 114 votes, with 159 votes in favour and just 45 against. All 158 of the NPP’s MPs voted for Budget 2025 and were joined on the opposition side by Vanni District SL Labour Party MP Kader Masthan. The main opposition SJB voted against the budget, as did the smaller opposition parties and independent Jaffna District MP Archchuna. more..

Mar 25 (CT) In the face of uncertainties surrounding the future operations of the USAID, Prez Donald Trump’s administration has released a 36-point questionnaire directed at UN agencies and recipients of US foreign assistance. The purpose of the questionnaire is to gauge their positions and includes requests to ensure they are not collaborating with entities associated with communist, socialist, or totalitarian parties, or any party that espouses anti-American beliefs. more..

Mar 25 (CT) The Parliamentary election held on March 22, 1965 was an important turning point in the post-independence history of Sri Lanka known as Ceylon then. It was this election held sixty years ago that led to the formation of a seven party national Govt under PM Dudley Senanayake after the signing of an agreement (Dudley-Chelva pact) with Tamil leader SJV Chelvanayagam. This column focuses on more..

Mar 25 (TM) The crash of a K-8 jet trainer aircraft of the SL Air Force at Minuwangete in Wariyapola, during a routine exercise last Friday (21), has once again pushed the status of the equipment used by the Sri Lanka armed forces into the Public spotlight. Defence is an expensive affair. If you do not plan, prioritise and effectively manage fleets of ground, naval and air assets used by armed forces, it becomes costlier in the long run to sustain. While the Air Force has officially stated that more..

Mar 25 (DM) Although the LG elections have to be held once in 4 years, they have been scheduled this time for May 6, after a lapse of 7 years. Last time the LG polls were held on Feb 10, 2018 at which the SLPP secured a landslide victory, bagging over 239 out of 340 councils. In SL we have three tiers of people’s representative councils, namely Parliament, provincial councils and local govt bodies. Local govt bodies are categorized as municipal councils, urban councils & pradeshiya sabhas. more..