Feb 23 (LS) Controversial business figure Arjun Aloysius, along with two others, has been released from remand custody after serving a 6-month prison sentence for defaulting on a Rs. 3.5 billion VAT payment. Prison spokesman confirmed their release from Welikada Prison earlier today (22). Trio had been sentenced by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court in Oct 2023 after the Inland Revenue Dept (IRD) filed a case against W.M. Mendis Distilleries for failing to pay the outstanding VAT amount more..

Feb 23 (Island) NDF General Secretary Shyamila Perera has strongly denied recent rumours suggesting that UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is preparing to return to Parliament through the NDF National List. Perera confirmed that there is no truth to the claims and that no such request has been made by Wickremesinghe’s camp. In a statement to the media, she responded to media inquiries on the reported political manoeuvrer, saying, “Ranil’s claim about coming to Parliament is false. more..

Feb 23 (NW) SL govt has an extraordinary gazette, continuing the ban on 15 organizations, including the LTTE, due to their alleged involvement in terrorism-related activities and financing. Gazette, signed by Defense Secretary Sampath Thuyyakontha, states that these organizations have repeatedly provided financial support for terrorism. As a result, their financial and economic assets remain frozen. In addition to the extended ban, govt has also reaffirmed its list of 222 individuals linked to more..

Feb 23 (ST) USAID funding freeze has left several NGOs high and dry, but the govt sector, too, is deeply affected. Four ministries and several departments under them were receiving USAID grants at the time of the freeze and are now looking for money to continue their projects. Data obtained from the Dept of External Resources (ERD) reveal that since 2019, USAID has financed SL govt projects amounting to Rs. 31 billion (USD 106 mil). more..

Feb 23 (NW) Journalist Chamuditha Samarawickrama has been provided with additional Police security, following increased threats to his life and amidst the deaths of his four interviewees. Acting IGP confirmed that Chamuditha Samarawickrama had been provided with Police Security. Upon being inquired, Chamuditha also confirmed that he has been provided with four MSD officials. 4 persons interviewed by Chamuditha had been killed under mysterious circumstances more..

Feb 23 (NW) In a pulsating opening game of the International Masters League 2025 held in India, the Indian Masters edged past the Sri Lankan Masters by 4 runs in a high-scoring thriller that had fans on the edge of their seats from start to finish. The match, characterized by its rapid-fire scoring and breathtaking athleticism, saw both teams showcase their formidable batting prowess. The Indian Masters, displaying a masterclass in power hitting set a challenging target early on. more..

Feb 23 (NW) Parliament today decided to expunge a remark made by Deputy Minister Nalin Hewage regarding SJB MP Rohini Kaviratne from the official Hansard. The incident unfolded when Deputy Minister Hewage, during his speech, criticized the SJB MP and addressed her by a different surname, a move that quickly sparked outrage in the chamber. SJB MP Harsha De Silva immediately objected to the remark, demanding that it be withdrawn from the parliamentary record. more..

Feb 23 (TM) Sri Lanka’s first cable car project remains in limbo due to a dispute with the Forest Department over the release of a small portion of land, despite all necessary approvals having been granted, SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) reveals. SLTDA Acting Director General Upali Ratnayake revealed that despite receiving all necessary regulatory approvals, Sri Lanka’s first cable car project from Nanu Oya to Nuwara Eliya had failed to break ground up to now. more..

Feb 23 (TM) Sri Lanka is to introduce a new valuation mechanism for vehicles as the Govt takes steps to combat revenue leakages during taxation of imported vehicles. Ceylon Motor Traders’ Association (CMTA) Chairman Andrew Perera revealed that in a bid to tackle manipulative practices concerning vehicle valuation, the Govt had announced that it was developing a new system to value imported vehicles. more..

Feb 23 (ST) Govt will introduce digital TV to free up spectrum space for launching 5G, top officials said. Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne said that the govt with the Telecom Regulation Commission (TRC) has plans to launch digital television. “Currently, analog television is consuming spectrum space with 26 channels. We are coming up with digital TV. It will minimise the spectrum usage and free up the spectrum for 5G, & other mobile communication requirements” more..

Feb 23 (ST) The Court of Appeal has asked Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage and all other respondents to file objection in the case filed by Maxwell de Silva, challenging his suspension from serving as the Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of SL (NOC). Minister of Sports, Secretary to the Ministry of Sports Aruna Bandara, the Executive Committee of the NOC, the Ethics Committee of the NOC, and the Attorney General of Sri Lanka have been named as respondents. more..

Feb 23 (ST) Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has delivered a crushing blow to the National Olympic Committee of SL (NOCSL), refusing to release funds until the local body expels all officials tainted by corruption. The decision comes as a continuation of the financial suspension imposed by both the OCA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in December last year, following severe governance failures & allegations of financial misconduct more..

Feb 23 (TM) Sivagangai ferry service resumed operations yesterday after a 3-month suspension due to bad weather and technical issues, according to Subham Freight Carriers India Ltd. COO K.M. Jeiyaseelan. The service, which initially halted on 5 Nov 2024, restarted with 83 passengers travelling from India to SL and 89 departing from SL. Originally launched in August last year, the ferry service has been operating under the protection of the Navy and with the approval of the govt. more..

Feb 23 (TM) National Rugby Selection Committee Chairman Sudath Sampath has officially written to Director General (DG) of Sports Shemal Fernando to coordinate matters for the committee to select the SL squad for the upcoming Asia Rugby Division 1 match against Malaysia. Fernando currently functions as the Competent Authority (CA) for Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) following its dissolution by former Sports Minister Harin Fernando in May last year. Former Sri Lanka scrum-half said that, more..

Feb 23 (Island) Champions Trophy, one of cricket’s biggest showpiece events is underway in Pakistan and Dubai, but conspicuous by their absence are Sri Lanka – a team that once punched above their weight at ICC tournaments. For the first time since Anura Tennekoon led Sri Lanka to their maiden ICC event, the 1975 Prudential World Cup in England, the men’s team has failed to make the cut. How did Sri Lanka end up missing out on a tournament of the magnitude of the Champions Trophy? more..

Feb 23 (SO) Sri Lanka claimed the bronze medal in the Women’s Junior 10m Air Pistol Team event, while Umaya Kumarasiri accounted for a new National Record at the Asian Rifle/Pistol Cup 2025 held at the SAT Shooting Range in Bangkok, Thailand. Sri Lanka secured third place in the Women’s Junior 10m Air Pistol team event, represented by Thisangi Geethma, Reinya Ranasinghe and Vinuthmee Seneviratne, who displayed great spirit to earn podium finish. more..

Feb 23 (SO) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake presented the Govt’s maiden Budget highlighting its role beyond revenue and expenditure planning. He described it as a blueprint for economic transformation, aiming to empower citizens rather than merely facilitate participation. He stressed the need to lift barriers that prevent citizens from reaching their economic potential, citing factors such as geographical disadvantages, disability and more..

Feb 23 (Island) Commencing with Premakeerthi de Alwis in 1986 and concluding with Lasantha Wickrematunge in 2009, 40 accredited SL journalists and media personnel, 31 of them of Tamil, have been murdered or died violently. Of these, 31 occurred between April 2004 and March 2009, during the Mahinda Rajapaksa tenure, initially as Prime Minister and then as President. His younger brother Gotabaya, later president himself, was the Defence Secretary of SL from 2005 to 2015. more..

Feb 23 (Island) A lot of wisdom dawns after the fact; and this is what we have seen in the James Bond-style drama that unfolded in Hultsdorf on Wednesday when a high-profile prisoner, Ganemulla Sanjeewa described as an underworld kingpin, was shot dead in the dock by a gunman disguised as a lawyer. A woman accomplice, also pretending to be a lawyer, had smuggled in the revolver used for the shooting. This, ironically, was hidden in a copy of the Criminal Procedure Code hollowed out more..

Feb 23 (CT) The traditional response to the question of what defines a diplomat is often phrased as follows: “A diplomat is someone who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you actually look forward to the trip.” On the surface, this statement seems to carry a negative implication. However, its underlying message highlights that a truly skilled diplomat, even when conveying a harsh or unpleasant message, does so with such finesse and charm that the recipient is left feeling as more..

Feb 23 (ST) My dear Namal baby, I thought I must write to you, even though it is only three weeks since I wrote to Mahinda maama. That is because you seem to be in the news for all the wrong reasons. You are seen meeting American ambassadors while also being accused of misappropriating millions and cheating at law exams! You need to have a better grasp of what your party members are up to, Namal baby. One moment, pohottuwa stalwart Sarath, formerly of the Civil Defence fame and more..

Feb 23 (ST) In the age of social media, comments by public figures made in the past can always come back to haunt them at a later date. This has already been the case with the Deputy Defence Minister, retired Major General Aruna Jayasekara. In the aftermath of the most recent shootings, a clip that went viral on social media showed the deputy minister telling those who do not know national security to meet him with more..

Feb 23 (ST) JVP-NPP Govt’s maiden budget was debated this week in Parliament with as little on its content and as much on the political ideology of the ruling party. It was a confused mix all round. Govt MPs were straining to justify why the once-upon-a-time Marxist party was now sailing with the Washington-based IMF and its reform programme initiated by their predecessor govt for the economic recovery of the country since its bankruptcy in 2020. Opposition benches were, on the other hand, more..

Feb 23 (CT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has delivered an excellent first budget. It could easily be described as the best budget so far this century and presented in the most dire economic circumstances in SL’s modern history. Following his consummate performance in parliament, the President waded into a post-budget forum and joined the country’s economic experts to dissect new Govt’s maiden budget, as headlined by the Daily FT, one of the sponsors of the event. more..

Feb 23 (TM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his Govt last week passed a key milestone with the presentation of the much-awaited and decisive Budget for 2025. The 2025 Budget sets the course for the country for this year, while also indicating that JVP-led NPP Govt has decided to proceed with the economic recovery path set by the previous Ranil Wickremesinghe Govt without causing disruptions to ongoing programme, more..

Feb 23 (TM) The mountain has laboured and brought forth a mouse. This old Greek proverb going back to Aesop two-and-a-half millennia ago basically describes the new Govt’s maiden Budget that was presented in Parliament by the Minister of Finance last Monday. NPP regime’s first proper budget, though essentially interim in nature as it only covers the period from April to Dec 2025, came about amidst an immense sense of anticipation stemming from the mountain of promises made during more..

Feb 23 (SO) We have heard the slogan trade, not aid which suggests that it is trade that can develop a country, not monetary largesse from foreign countries. Total world trade amounted to US$ 33 trillion last year, according to the World Trade Organization (WTO). But trade is not a one-way street. A country cannot export thousands of products and refrain from buying anything at all from other countries. In this globalised world, that would in any case be impossible. more..

Feb 22 (CT) The CEB is preparing to launch the Maha Oya Pumped Storage Hydropower Project, known as Pumped Storage Power Plants (PSPP), its first-ever Water Battery, located in Aranayake and Nawalapitiya. This groundbreaking 600 MW project will store surplus renewable energy from solar and wind sources, ensuring grid stability. The initiative supports SL’s ambitious target of generating 70% of its electricity from more..

Feb 22 (AD) The two assailants arrested following last night’s shooting in Kotahena, have been shot dead by police officers when they allegedly tried to grab a gun and escape while being taken to recover hidden weapons. A Police Constable (PC) was also injured in the incident, according to the Police Media Spokesman. The suspects had attempted to snatch a firearm from a police officer and open fire while leading officers to the location of their hidden weapons, he claimed. more..

Feb 22 (FT) Women and Child Affairs Minister Saroja Paulraj presented the progress made since the submission of SL’s 9th periodic report to the UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in Geneva on 13 Feb. Outlining notable progress achieved, notable achievements in decision making roles including in Parliament, Minister Paulraj underlined the Govt’s commitment to upholding the rights of women and girls and in advancing gender equality across all sectors, more..

Feb 22 (ST) The high taxes imposed on imported vehicles have dashed the hopes of purchasing a vehicle. While there has been a liberalisation of imports of vehicles, problems in the importation of Japanese vehicles have been brought into focus by the Lanka Vehicle Importers Association. Up to Feb 2025, the market for secondhand vehicles in Sri Lanka is seeing firm price directions due to changes in policy. more..

Feb 22 (FT) An individual named Gayan Wickramathilake, who allegedly maintained the OnmaxDT database — a pyramid scheme in SL, has been arrested by the CID in Dubai for the alleged fraudulent pyramid scheme. Wickramathilake was brought back to SL yesterday. OnmaxDT is among nine entities that were banned by the Central Bank of SL in Aug 2023 for engaging in pyramid schemes. The private firm was found to be allegedly involved in a pyramid financial fraud of $ 100 m in SL. more..