Mar 21 (TM) Sri Lanka has received the mandatory second party opinion for its green bond framework, which is required to sell the bonds. Speaking at a forum organised by the Asian Development Bank (ABD) in Colombo on Wednesday, Finance Ministry Additional Director General Visakha Amarasekera confirmed that the country has received this second party opinion. Amarasekera said that a formal announcement will be made after cabinet approval in the coming weeks. more..

Mar 21 (DN) Sri Lankan para athletes once again performed well, winning three gold medals and four silver medals at the New Delhi World Para Athletics Grand Prix, which concluded last Thursday in New Delhi. The SL team comprised five para athletes, with Prasanna Jayalath clinching two gold medals in the 100m and long jump events. He finished the 100m T-42 event in 12.94 seconds to claim gold, while his second gold came in the T-42/44 long jump event with a leap of 5.36m. more..

Mar 21 (TM) Health authorities are in the process of introducing new laws and amending the existing ones with regard to cosmetic products, as they believe that the existing regulations are insufficient to protect both consumers and businesses, it is learnt. During a session of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises, it came to light that SL has failed to regulate the use of cosmetics, leading to severe health complications, with unauthorised more..

Mar 21 (DM) Sri Lanka’s listed banks have declared their largest-ever dividend haul for their financial year, ended in December 31, 2024. This is as they posted massive profits on the back of large provision reversals that came from the bond exchange in December last year. According to Capital Trust Securities, the listed banks have declared a whopping Rs.46.21 billion as dividends from the profits they made for the financial year ended in December 2024. more..

Mar 21 (Island) Central Environmental Authority (CEA) chairman Dr. Tilak Hewawasam urged businesses to take greater responsibility in addressing environmental challenges, warning that failure to act could have severe long-term economic consequences. Dr. Hewawasam emphasized that sustainability is no longer just a compliance issue but a core business strategy. “Environmental responsibility is not just a regulatory obligation—it is a business imperative. Companies that more..

Mar 21 (Island) Olympian Yupun Abeykoon’s 60 metres Indoor National record is among several national indoor records under threat when SL’s top sprinters vie for honours at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Nanjing China from today. SL’s athletes do not get many chances to take part in indoor competitions. Most of the current national indoor records are owned by athletes who were based in Europe or USA more..

Mar 21 (FT) The Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody has chosen Harsha Wickramasinghe, a seasoned mechanical engineer, to lead the sustainable energy program of the country. Sustainable Energy Authority quickly changed the pace of renewable energy development in the country, opening up many opportunities for private sector investments. Wickramasinghe is credited for laying the regulatory framework for renewable energy development, which was previously mired in controversies, more..

Mar 21 (FT) Learning about a business can come after making mistakes, because you come out stronger and armed with more knowledge than before, ready to spearhead the next big challenge waiting for you in your way, says Aban Pestonjee, whose relentless efforts have culminated in the establishment and successful continuation of one of Sri Lanka’s largest, most diversified conglomerates that have become a household name, Abans. Speaking to the World Bank blog more..

Mar 21 (ST) The National Shooting Sport Federation of SL (NSSF) will conduct its Skeet Open and Trap Open Meets for 2025 during the latter part of March at the Clay Target Shooting Club of Colombo, Payagala Range. The first of the two events, the NSSF Skeet Open Meet 2025, will be held this weekend, followed by the NSSF Trap Open Meet 2025 from March 27 to 30. SL’s top clay target shooting athletes of all categories are expected to join the dual meet that will be considered for more..

Mar 21 (CT) Goals from Wade Decker and Adhavan Rajamohan headlined SL’s 2-1 victory over Laos in their FIFA international friendly match worked off at Laos National Stadium on Thursday. Game’s defining moment came early in the 16th minute when Wade Decker opened the scoring in spectacular fashion. A beautifully weighted ball over the top from Sam Durrant found Decker in the box. With composure and precision, Decker calmly directed his header into the bottom corner, more..

Mar 21 (Island) The famous St. Anthony’s Church feast this year was held on 14 and 15 March. St. Anthony, as per Catholic belief, gives protection and looks after fishermen and seafarers like me. Many Buddhist seafarers are believers in St. Anthony and they usually keep a statue of the saint in their cabins in the ship or craft. St. Anthony died on 13th June 1231 at age of 35 years, at Padua in Holy Roman Empire and was canonized on more..

Mar 21 (Island) Govt has permitted, after several years, the import of motor cars. Imports, including cars, were cut off because the govt then wisely prioritised importing other commodities vital to the everyday life of the general public. It is fair to expect that some pent-up demand for motor vehicles has developed. But at what prices? Govt seems to have expected that consumers would pay much higher prices than had prevailed earlier. The rupee price of foreign exchange had risen by more..

Mar 21 (CT) The parliamentary privilege, as defined by the Parliament of SL (Powers and Privileges Act), grants MPs and the Parliament itself legal immunities and protections to ensure freedom of speech, freedom from arrest on civil matters, and the publication of parliamentary proceedings without undue interference. As such, the MPs are protected from prosecution for statements made in Parliament, they are generally immune from arrest on civil matters, while Parliament is in session, more..

Mar 21 (Island) There has been a sharp increase in fatal accidents on Sri Lanka’s expressways during the past several years. On Tuesday night, a university lecturer lost his life and his family members sustained serious injuries in a mishap on the Kurunegala-Mirigama stretch of the Central Expressway. Road accidents cause about 2,500 deaths a year in SL. Most of these accidents are preventable, according to road safety experts. Public focus is typically on bereavement caused by more..

Mar 21 (TM) Presidential Commissions of Inquiry (PCoIs) in SL have long been a tool used by successive Govts to investigate matters of public concern. These commissions, appointed under Commissions of Inquiry Act, No. 17 of 1948 as amended, are meant to uncover the truth, provide recommendations, and hold wrongdoers accountable. In theory, they serve as mechanisms for transparency, justice, and institutional reform. However, in practice, they have often been more..

Mar 21 (CT) “Both the husband and wife are part of the underworld. They are at odds. The husband is abroad. But their child was under the care of his parents in Sri Lanka, who had admitted the child to the hospital. One day, the mother, armed with a firearm, stormed into the ward with a group of accomplices. The entire ward was terrified. They forcibly took the child away, leaving the hospital staff helpless.” This is the account of a doctor more..

Mar 21 (DM) A good number of Sri Lankans have a problem in understanding the word perspective. After 77 years of celebrating independence, most Sri Lankans complain that all past regimes collectively put this country in a financial mess. We can also opine that for the past 77 years, ambitious and destructive individuals channeled all their energies and time in toppling govts rather than enhancing productivity. This nature of destroying the other and then realising goals has been passed on from more..

Mar 21 (CT) In a new Policy Brief from Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA)’s Shahane de Silva outlines a governance-directed approach to addressing Sri Lanka’s continuing economic challenges. Ever since SL’s 2022 economic meltdown, it has been popular – if not the mainstream consensus – to argue that the country’s travails were chiefly the result of poor economic decision-making and policy. Absent swinging tax cuts and a decision to go organic in agricultural more..

Mar 21 (TM) SL’s once-rapid expressway expansion has hit a dead end with every major highway project, except for the Central Expressway Project (CEP), having been put on hold indefinitely, with no clear roadmap for resumption. Amid a deep financial crisis and strict fiscal controls backed by the IMF, infrastructure spending has taken a backseat, leaving commuters, businesses, and investors wondering when – or if – more..

Mar 21 (ST) Many people in Sri Lanka look at the price and quality of medicine suspiciously. They doubt about the price they pay for medicines even if it is reasonable. They too doubt about the quality of medicines even if it is the right kind with right standards. In spite of all that, however, they are left with almost no choice but must buy them anyway. The customers in the pharmaceutical market are a special category – the people who are unwell or their near ones have to buy medicine. more..

Mar 21 (TM) Controversial IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon was remanded until 3 April by the Matara Magistrate’s Court, yesterday. This, despite pleas by his legal team to grant him bail, raised concerns about his safety and security while in remand custody. Tennakoon, who was subject to an arrest warrant in connection with a shooting incident near a hotel in Pelena, Weligama in 2023, surrendered to the Court by submitting a motion yesterday (19), after evading arrest for nearly 20 days. more..

Mar 20 (DM) Condemning Israel’s alleged violation of ceasefire with airstrikes, SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem yesterday urged the SL govt to speak against its violation of international law. MP Hakeem said the following in a statement. We vehemently condemn the Israeli Zionist regime’s blatant violation of the ceasefire with yesterday’s shocking airstrikes. Israel’s flagrant resumption of bombings have claimed more than 400 lives in Gaza amidst Ramadan, shattering 2-month long ceasefire. more..

Mar 20 (DM) SJB MP Mujibur Rahman made a startling revelation about irregularities and malpractices at Lanka Sathosa, and charged that a tender for system audit had been offered to a company that belongs to Duminda Hulangamuwa who now serves as the advisor to Prez. Delivering his remarks in Parliament, he said the previous tender for system audit which was opened on Feb 28, 2025 was scrapped since Hulangamuwa’s company had not been selected. more..

Mar 20 (UCAN) Catholic nuns in Sri Lanka are upset over a recent order from Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith banning girls from being altar servers, but have not protested as they did during a public stir against their country's president in 2022. The cardinal, the church leader of the island nation, issued the circular last October, saying serving at the altar is reserved for boys as it is one of the the main sources for priesthood vocations. more..

Mar 20 (FT) Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana on Tuesday emphasised the urgent need to shift to an evidence-based, data-driven policy mechanism, as a means of addressing financial inequality in women-led businesses. Speaking at the National Adoption of Women Entrepreneurs Finance Code (WE Finance Code) organised by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in partnership with the Department of Development Finance and Ministry of Finance, Planning more..

Mar 20 (DM) Claiming that suspended IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon’s wife who is a legal officer at the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) had gone on leave, Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said the govt will not allow any hindrance to the medicine supply as a result. He told the weekly briefing to announce Cabinet decisions that an acting legal officer has been appointed to oversee duties in the position and that there has been no obstacle to the medicine supply. more..

Mar 20 (TM) Minister Bimal Rathnayake said that the Govt has taken measures to increase the number of members in all Parliamentary committees where the Opposition has requested such an increase. He said that it is the Govt’s policy to appoint members to Parliamentary committees as specified in the relevant Standing Orders of the Parliament, but that the number of members in all committees was increased following more..

Mar 20 (Island) Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala informed Parliament that two iPhones taken into custody from the residence IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon on Tuesday evening were expected to provide fresh information about the Police Chief’s activities. Minister confirmed that Tennakoon had surrendered to the Matara Magistrate Court yesterday morning. Minister also stated that a team from the CID had inspected Tennakoon’s residence at more..

Mar 20 (DM) Perpetual Treasuries owned by Arjuna Aloysius had paid cheques worth Rs. 1.08 billion to 108 persons, Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe told Parliament. Meanwhile, Deputy Minister Harshana Sooriyapperuma said Perpetual Treasuries had paid funds to MPs Sujeewa Senasinghe, Dayasiri Jayasekara and Harshana Rajakaruna. "MP Harsha de Silva should not engage in selective disclosures," the Deputy Minister said referring to a comment made by MP Harsha de Silva that more..

Mar 20 (NF) A renewed discussion has emerged regarding the infamous Batalanda torture chamber, where thousands of young people were illegally abducted, tortured, killed, or disappeared during the 1988/90 period. This discussion was sparked by comments made by Ranil Wickremesinghe during an interview with Al Jazeera. A report on the Batalanda torture chamber, prepared by a Prez Commission, has now been submitted to Parliament and is scheduled for debate on April 10. more..

Mar 20 (DM) SL must accelerate the adoption of sustainable financing frameworks to attract the global investors and strengthen its long-term economic resilience, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said. With the global investors increasingly seeking socially impactful financing mechanisms such as green and sustainability-linked bonds to strengthen resilience in their investment ventures, ADB officials noted that SL should focus on improving its sustainable finance ecosystem more..