Mar 27 (AD) Commissioner General of Essential Services, Prabath Chandrakeerthi has requested teachers to suspend all tuition classes held on Wednesdays. However, he clarified that this is not a mandatory order, but rather a request made in light of the current situation. This statement was made in response to inquiries regarding issues that have arisen concerning the conduct of tuition classes on Wednesdays. The govt has recently taken several special decisions aimed at allocating more..

Mar 27 (FT) Colombo Dockyard PLC has delivered the 10th vessel in the Misje Eco Bulker newbuilding series, with Misje EcoBulk AS of Norway Owner Roald Misje naming the vessel Misje Kandy, inspired by the last capital of the SL monarchy as a tribute to Colombo Dockyard, the SL shipbuilder and the local owners’ representative site team. The ceremonial breaking of the milk pot in accordance with the SL traditions by CDPLC more..

Mar 27 (DM) The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) has conducted a Cyber Safety Awareness Programme for Members of Parliament, aimed at promoting the secure and responsible use of digital technologies in national governance. The programme was organised in response to the growing reliance on digital platforms in policymaking, governance and public communication, highlighting the need for stronger cybersecurity awareness among lawmakers. more..

Mar 27 (NW) The Police have appealed to the public for assistance in locating a Chinese national wanted in connection with the murder of a Chinese woman in Kohuwala on 23 March 2026. According to police, the victim, who was residing on rent in a house at a residential complex in the Kohuwala Police Division, was fatally stabbed with a knife. The Mount Lavinia Division Criminal Investigation Unit has launched an investigation into the crime. The suspect, identified as Wang Huiyin, more..

Mar 27 (NW) Minister Anura Karunathilaka inspected the ongoing construction of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority’s new administrative building, the Maritime Facilitation Centre (MFC). Deputy Minister Janitha Kodithuwakku, Ministry Secretary W.W.S. Mangala, senior officials, SLPA Chairman Parakrama Dissanayake, and Managing Director Ganaka Hemachandra joined the inspection. The new complex is being built at the Colombo Fort Canal Yard premises after several SLPA buildings more..

Mar 27 (AD) Following India’s decision to cut special excise duties on petrol and diesel, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, has urged the govt to do the same on fuel prices here and provide relief to the public. He said the Narendra Modi-led govt has decided to reduce the Special Additional Excise Duty on petrol and completely remove it for diesel in order to cushion the hardship on the Indian consumer. He further stated it is high time for AKD to keep up to his election promise and follow suit. more..

Mar 27 (DM) Supreme Court today held former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and several top health sector officials accountable for violating the Fundamental Rights of the people over a controversial drug procurement deal that caused serious public harm. Delivering its judgment in a Fundamental Rights petition filed by Transparency International SL, Supreme Court 3-judge-bench comprising Chief Justice more..

Mar 27 (NW) The SLTDA reports that 151,693 tourists arrived in the country between 1st and 25th March. India emerged as the leading source market, contributing 39,424 visitors. UK and the Russia followed with 13,967 and 13,272 tourists, respectively. China ranked fourth with 12,166 arrivals, while Germany brought in 10,523 visitors. Other notable contributors included Australia (8,522), France (7,237), the United States (4,638), Japan (3,915), and Bangladesh (3,432). more..

Mar 27 (AD) The Welfare Benefits Board has issued a notice regarding the publication of the qualified beneficiary list under the second phase of the Aswesuma Welfare Benefits Payment Scheme, as well as the opportunity to submit appeals and objections. Accordingly, the second beneficiary list under the second phase of the Samurdhi Welfare Benefits scheme has been displayed at all Divisional Secretariat offices across the country from today (27), the Board stated. more..

Mar 27 (NW) A peaceful protest was held at Gandhi Park in Batticaloa today, as residents and relatives of victims demanded swift justice following a series of brutal crimes in the area. The demonstration was sparked by the murder of a woman whose body was found in a well in the Kokkadicholai Police Division on March 20, and the attempted murder of another woman who survived a similar attack. Opposition MP Shanakiyan more..

Mar 27 (DM) The National Youth Corps has opened a new modern shooting range at its Weeraketiya Training Center, aiming to improve the sports skills of youth and schoolchildren in Sri Lanka’s Southern Province. The facility was officially opened by Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Sunil Kumara Gamage. The initiative is expected to help develop young athletes and provide opportunities to reach international standards in shooting sports. Several officials attended the event, including more..

Mar 27 (AD) A warm weather advisory has been issued for residents of the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Eastern, North-western, Northern and North-central provinces and in Monaragala district. Accordingly, the heat index, the temperature felt by the human body, is likely to increase up to the ‘Caution Level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Eastern, North-western, Northern and North-central provinces and in Monaragala districts tomorrow (28). more..

Mar 27 (FT) When Cyclone Ditwah swept across Sri Lanka in November 2025, affecting over 2 million people, it was the latest chapter in a pattern of intensifying climate-related hazards reshaping the island’s risk landscape. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall and frequent extreme weather events are no longer projections – they are lived realities. Average temperatures in the country could rise by 1.5 to 3.4°C within this century. more..

Mar 27 (FT) From World’s Emptiest to the Gulf’s Lifeboat: How a bold SL Proposal is testing the limits of Mattala (MRIA) amid the great Persian Gulf airspace crisis. In the silence of the world’s emptiest terminal, even birds treat the horizontal stabiliser as a perch. Today, this isolation is being reframed as a wartime lifeboat for the Gulf’s aviation giants. In the heat that blankets southern Sri Lanka, Mattala Rajapaksa Int'l Airport (MRIA)—just 18 km from the Port of Hambantota— more..

Mar 27 (Island) Colombo High Court has issued summons on Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody to appear in court today to serve indictment in a corruption case filed by the CIABOC. Action has been taken under Section 70 of the Bribery Act. The losses suffered by the govt have been estimated at Rs. 8,859,708. National List MP Jayakody is the first NPP minister or politician at any level to be indicted for corruption. more..

Mar 27 (TM) The Govt yesterday signalled the need to import key rice varieties, including samba and keeri samba, as shortages and black market activity threaten supplies ahead of the festive season. Commissioner General of Essential Services (CGES) Prabath Chandrakeerthi said that black market prices have been observed for samba and keeri samba rice, and that even at these inflated prices, the rice varieties are difficult to obtain. He added the Committee on Food Safety, more..

Mar 27 (DM) SL’s hospital system currently has nearly 85,000 beds, but the capacity may not be sufficient to meet future health demands, the Doctors’ Trade Union Alliance for Medical & Civil Rights warned, raising concerns over the growing elderly population and rising number of patients requiring specialized treatment. Chairman of the alliance, Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, said around half of the hospital beds are in institutions managed by the Central Govt, while the rest are in hospitals more..

Mar 27 (TM) Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA) warned yesterday that if electricity consumption during peak demand hours is not reduced, the cost of electricity generation would continue to increase, and that a rise in electricity tariffs would eventually become unavoidable. SEA Chairperson, Dr. Wijendra Bandara said they are still in the process of assessing the public response to the request made 2 days ago, urging consumers more..

Mar 27 (DM) Sri Lanka is expected to face the EL Nino phenomenon by May this year where a dry spell could occur resulting in severe heat, a climatologist warned. Climatologist Malith Fernando said that Sri Lanka could face the phenomenon by early May this year. “El Nino is actually an index which is to do with heat. Sri Lanka will experience the phenomenon by May if the index exceeds .5 “ he said. “It could prevent the Southwest Monsoon if it becomes active by May” he added. more..

Mar 27 (TM) A delegation of the IMF arrived in the country yesterday, and is to remain in Sri Lanka until 9 April to complete the combined Fifth and Sixth reviews under Sri Lanka’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement, as confirmed by IMF Director of Communications Department Julie Kozack. During the visit, the IMF delegation will hold discussions with Sri Lanka authorities on economic policies, and the potential impact of the Middle East conflict on the economy. more..

Mar 27 (Island) Lanka Petroleum Private Tanker Owners’ Association has called for a 25% increase in fuel transportation charges, citing rising operational costs following recent fuel price hikes. Co-Secretary Shantha Silva said the association has formally notified the govt of its proposal, warning that failure to respond favourably could result in trade union action. Association President A.M.H. Adhikari said that fuel distribution had continued without interruption despite mounting challenges, more..

Mar 27 (NW) A 48-year-old man was sentenced to 21 days’ imprisonment and fined Rs. 1,500 by the Nikaweratiya Magistrate’s Court after pleading guilty to unlawfully possessing 4 litres of petrol. The accused was produced before court by Kobeigane Police under Petroleum Products (Regulation and Control of Supplies) Act, No. 34 of 1979, which during proceedings, the suspect admitted to the charge. The attorney appearing for the defence told court that the petrol had been kept for use more..

Mar 27 (ST) Children as young as five years old are being pulled into the narcotics trade, and authorities warn that traffickers are targeting children aged 5 to 14 years to move dangerous drugs and also as drug users, raising serious concerns about youngsters. Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) director, SSP H.M.C.P. Herath, said: “The most disturbing aspect of the current crisis is the involvement of minors. more..

Mar 27 (DN) British High Commissioner in Colombo Andrew Patrick yesterday visited the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd (Lake House) and met and interacted with ANCL Chairman Gamini Warushamana, members of the senior management and editors of the Sinhala, Tamil & English dailies. His visit to the Daily News editorial was particularly symbolic. As the oldest English daily in SL, the paper has recorded the country’s history from the time of British colonial times. more..

Mar 27 (Island) SLC will convene an Extraordinary General Meeting in April, with a clutch of resolutions set to be tabled before the membership for approval. SLC Secretary Bandula Dissanayake said that the EGM is pencilled in for April 6. According to Dissanayake, a seasoned hand in cricket administration, while a few tweaks to the constitution will be up for discussion, the headline act on the agenda is the introduction of new playing conditions for SLC-conducted domestic tournaments. more..

Mar 27 (NW) Shani Abeysekara, Director of the CID, came under focus in court today as the defence for former State Intelligence Service chief Suresh Sallay sought to have the Easter Sunday attack investigation removed from his supervision. However, Colombo Fort Magistrate Isuru Neththi Kumara rejected the request, ruling that no strong grounds had been presented to transfer the probe to another police unit. The order was made when the case concerning former SIS chief Suresh more..

Mar 27 (NW) Galle National Hospital has introduced a smart token system to streamline the issuing of medicines to clinic patients, aiming to reduce long queues and improve efficiency. Under the new system, patients present their prescriptions at the medicine counter, where details are registered, and a token is issued. Patients can then wait comfortably and receive their medicines according to their assigned number, eliminating confusion and congestion. Hospital officials confirmed that more..

Mar 27 (DN) 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will commence tomorrow, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in the tournament opener. SL all-rounder Kamindu Mendis and paceman Eshan Malinga are included in the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad, led by Indian wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan. This season promises to be the more..

Mar 27 (FT) The India-Sri Lanka Defence Industry Seminar, held on 25 March at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo, welcomed Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Sampath Thuyacontha as the Chief Guest. Upon his arrival, the Defence Secretary was warmly received by the Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha. The third edition of this seminar is being organised by the Indian High Commission under the theme Identifying new opportunities and forging new bonds. more..

Mar 27 (DN) In accordance with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the country’s preliminary measures to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing, which are expected to be adopted at the annual general meeting of the Asia-Pacific Anti-Money Laundering Group (APG) to be held in July next year, have been implemented according to the scheduled dates and planed. Commenting on this, Director of the FIU, Dr. Subhani Keerthirathna stated that SL has already passed thee major more..

Mar 27 (NW) Court of Appeal has ordered a retrial in the assassination case of former TNA MP Nadarajah Raviraj, setting aside the earlier acquittal of the accused, including three Navy intelligence officers. The judgment was delivered by a bench comprising Justices Sasi Mahendran and Amal Ranaraja on March 26, 2026, following an appeal filed by the Attorney General challenging the High Court verdict. more..

Mar 27 (NW) Global gold prices continued to slide on Tuesday, extending a sharp downturn that has persisted for days as markets grapple with a strong U.S. dollar and fading hopes for near‑term interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. Spot gold in international markets fell again, with prices dipping around 1.5% and remaining under pressure from a firm dollar and investors favouring interest‑bearing assets over non‑yielding bullion. Other precious metals silver & platinum also weakened, more..