Feb 5 (Island) Police have launched an investigation into a leaked audio recording that went viral on social media on Sunday, allegedly featuring a group call among several SL drug kingpins based overseas. 20-minute audio clip is said to involve Dubai-based drug trafficker Russell Smith, underworld figure Rueben, Gamage Saranga Pradeep alias Welle Saranga, a notorious organised criminal and large-scale narcotics dealer more..

Feb 5 (NW) Sri Lanka is mentioned in 188 search results within the publicly released Jeffrey Epstein document archive, according to a review of the Epstein records library updated in the U.S. Department of Justice website. A search of the database using the term Sri Lanka shows the references appearing across multiple datasets, largely in emails, travel-related communications, contact notes, and side correspondence involving third parties. more..

Feb 5 (DM) A foreign digital creator, known online as Travel with Balnur, has shared her experience of being allegedly scammed of Rs. 15,000 on her first day in SL, highlighting a growing concern over street-level fraud targeting visitors in Colombo. In a video posted on TikTok on Jan 15, Balnur recounted being approached along Galle Road by a man who claimed to be facing personal hardships. Introducing himself as Manoj, a 55-year-old Sri Lankan, he told her that his wife was battling cancer more..

Feb 5 (AD) Electricity tariffs will be reduced by 30% within the next three years, in line with the govt’s promise, Minister of Energy Kumara Jayakody stated in Parliament today. Speaking in Parliament, the Energy Minister stated that the average cost of generating a unit of electricity has already been brought down from Rs. 37 to Rs. 29. He emphasized that a reduction in electricity bills is only possible through lowering the cost of electricity generation. “The electricity bill cannot be slashed more..

Feb 5 (AD) The newly appointed Auditor General of Sri Lanka, Samudika Jayaratne has officially assumed duties as the 42nd Auditor General of Sri Lanka at the National Audit Office today (05). The appointment marks a historic milestone, as she becomes the first woman to hold the post. On Tuesday (03), the Constitutional Council (CC) unanimously approved the appointment of Senior Deputy Auditor General L.S.I. Jayaratne to the position of Auditor General. more..

Feb 5 (Island) Returned cheques, delayed payments and unresolved insurance claims dominated Parliament as NDF MP Ravi Karunanayake asked the govt to make statement on compensation and restoration following Cyclone Ditwah. Raising the matter under Standing Order 27(2), Karunanayake said thousands of citizens, affected by 28 Nov, 2025 cyclone, were still waiting for relief, despite a presidential directive more..

Feb 5 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa today questioned the govt’s failure to provide adequate security to MP Rohana Bandara, stating it was his responsibility to raise ongoing concerns when the safety of opposition MPs is neglected. Premadasa noted that despite repeated calls for ensuring the security of opposition members, the govt had failed to respond appropriately. He emphasized that MP Bandara is still not receiving the protection he is entitled to and urged more..

Feb 5 (FT) Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL) has expressed deep concern over what it described as emerging threats to freedom of expression in Sri Lanka, particularly the ability of journalists to carry out their professional duties without undue interference. In a statement, the Commission said it was especially disturbed by a growing trend of law enforcement authorities initiating investigations into allegedly defamatory speech, including speech by journalists, more..

Feb 5 (DM) The Protection of Occupants Bill, 2025, gazetted in September last year, was recently tabled in Parliament by Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, aiming to introduce legal safeguards against the arbitrary eviction of occupants from premises. According to its preamble, the primary objective of the proposed legislation is to prevent landlords from ejecting persons in occupation of premises and to provide for more..

Feb 5 (DM) The govt is still in the process of completing the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA), despite the lapse of two months since Cyclone Ditwah struck the country. The assessment is required to determine the replacement cost for the rehabilitation of infrastructure damaged by the disaster. Cyclone Ditwah made landfall on Nov 27, 2025, unleashing rainfall and landslides that caused floods. The country suffered extensive damage to agriculture, irrigation systems, highways, more..

Feb 5 (AD) Indian PM Narendra Modi today said India and Sri Lanka are connected by deep civilisational and spiritual bonds as he thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for inaugurating the exposition of the sacred Devnimori relics of Lord Buddha in Colombo. The first-ever international exposition of the sacred relics, which originate from the Devnimori archaeological site in Gujarat’s Aravalli district, is taking place at the Gangaramaya Temple. more..

Feb 5 (NW) MP Faiszer Musthapha officially handed over two significant Private Member Bills to the Secretary General of Parliament, Kushani Rohanadeera, aiming to modernize aspects of SL’s personal laws that impact the rights and dignity of citizens, especially women and children. Dissolution of Marriages on the Ground of Irretrievable Breakdown Bill seeks to amend the Marriage Registration Ordinance and the Civil Procedure Code by introducing irretrievable breakdown more..

Feb 5 (EN) SL’s Cinnamon Life City of Dreams, with the John Keells Foundation and Nations Trust Bank, is hosting the West-End licensed musical La Bamba! The Song of Veraruz in an effort to promote Colombo as an entertainment hub in South Asia. “If Colombo can add soft value to the city such as events, museums, art galleries…, it can be one of the leading destinations in South Asia,” Dileep Mudadeniya of John Keells Holdings told reporters at an event to announce the production. more..

Feb 5 (DM) Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) recorded its highest-ever passenger movements in 2025, handling 140,614 passengers. The Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation said this marked the largest number of passenger movements since the airport was inaugurated in 2013. The airport also successfully handled 703 international flights during the year. Officials noted that passenger numbers more..

Feb 5 (AD) A total of 41 clinics are being conducted across Sri Lanka at present under the National STD/AIDS Control Programme, Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa stated. Minister revealed this in Parliament today in response to a question raised by Parliamentarian S.M. Marikkar. Minister Jayatissa further revealed that 4,771 HIV/AIDS patients, 1,469 Syphilis patients, and 2,891 Herpes patients are currently receiving treatment at these clinics. more..

Feb 5 (NW) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today met the Sri Lanka cricket team at the NCC ground following their practice session, in a move aimed at boosting player confidence ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka enter the home World Cup under pressure after a series of recent defeats and sustained criticism from fans over their performances. Against this backdrop, Prez visited the squad to personally address the players, offering encouragement and reassurance more..

Feb 5 (TM) Despite the weather impact of cyclone Ditwah causing a loss of at least 1 million kilograms of Ceylon tea in Dec 2025, the sector is expected to record a cumulative production increase of at least 10-12% this year, SL Tea Board Chairperson Rajpal Obeyesekere said. “We are hoping that we will produce 300 million kg this year, that’s our target, with the expectation that the weather patterns stay predictable. more..

Feb 5 (DM) Workers at a tea estate were witness to a dramatic scene recently when a large fishing cat and its cub wandered into the area, reportedly in search of prey, only to encounter an aggressive pack of dogs. According to estate residents, the adult fishing cat had entered the estate during the night, believed to be hunting stray dogs that roam the area. However, the situation quickly turned when several dogs confronted the wild cat, overpowering it with their numbers. more..

Feb 5 (AD) Police have launched an investigation after an audio recording surfaced on social media, capturing a group phone conversation between four prominent underworld figures currently residing overseas discussing their future plans, criminal activities and drug trafficking. The 22-minute conversation reportedly involved criminals Russel Smith, French Ruban, England’s Kudu Lal and Welle Saranga exchanging ideas and strategies. During the phone call, Russel Smith allegedly made more..

Feb 5 (FT) As the saying goes, in politics, perception is reality. Not long ago, the general perception was that the Attorney General’s office was pretty much an extension of the Govt of the day. Govt says to charge or discharge this or that citizen, the Attorney General complies promptly. Let time decide the small matter of evidence; after all, in the Sri Lankan reality the case will be heard only many years later. By then, it will be a different stage, with different actors enacting a different drama. more..

Feb 5 (FT) Martin Wickramasinghe was 83, and revered as the doyen of Lankan belles lettres when he wrote Bava Taranaya. He had long wanted to write a biography of the Buddha shorn of myths and might have regarded the acme of an illustrious career an opportune moment for it. Unfortunately, neither his age nor his eminence would be proof against the uninformed fury of the pious and the opportunistic. Monks and laymen (led, fittingly, by Yakkaduwe Pragnarama thero who, more..

Feb 5 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake set out a broad economic vision centred on governance, human capital, and equitable growth, arguing that Sri Lanka’s political independence remains incomplete without economic freedom. Addressing the 78th National Independence Day celebrations, Prez said the country was still engaged in a struggle to complete our independence, adding that more..

Feb 5 (NW) A large rally was held in Kilinochchi today to declare SL’s Independence Day as a Black Day for the Tamil people, highlighting longstanding grievances in the North and East. The march, which began at the Kandaswamy Temple premises in Kilinochchi, proceeded to the Depot Junction before concluding with a Black Day declaration by a collective of civil society organisations. Protesters called attention to what they described as continued oppression in the Tamil homeland of N&E more..

Feb 5 (EN) SL’s central bank could have intervened to bring down short term rates that were moving up, but rates fell before the agency intervened, CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said. Sri Lanka’s interbank rates moved up above 7.75% overnight policy rate (OPR) as private credit picked up last year until cyclone Ditwah, and also govt relief payments in December. Rates started to move down in January with the central bank also buying more dollars and injecting more liquidity. more..

Feb 5 (DM) As SL celebrated its 78th Independence Day today under the theme Building Sri Lanka, world leaders from across the globe extended their warm wishes, reaffirming bilateral ties and pledging continued support for the island nation’s economic recovery and development. Messages, addressed to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the people of SL, highlighted themes of resilience, regional stability & more..

Feb 5 (CT) A high-level progress review meeting on the renovation of the Pettah Bus Terminal was held on Tuesday (3) at the Ministry of Defence, chaired by Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Sampath Thuyacontha. The meeting focused on the renovation project being executed by the SL Air Force (SLAF), which aims to enhance passenger facilities, improve operational efficiency, and establish a safer, cleaner, and more commuter-friendly environment more..

Feb 5 (DM) UNP is preparing for a new generation leadership that would embrace smart politics, party leader former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe said. Speaking during the launch of the SMART UNP digital drive at Sirikotha, Wickremesinghe said the party and the nation as a whole should be handed over to the Zen Beta generation youth in the future. “I am more than 70 years old. There are people here who are more than 70, some are more than 60 and others who are around 50. more..

Feb 5 (AD) More than 3,000 govt schools across the island have fewer than 10 teachers. According to data from the Dept of Census and Statistics for the year 2025, there are 10,047 schools island-wide. Out of these schools, 3,065 have fewer than 10 teachers. It is also stated that one of these schools is a national school. In 1,645 govt schools across the country, the number of students is fewer than 50. Among the govt schools with fewer than 50 students, there is one national school and 1,644 provincial schools, more..

Feb 5 (EN) Sri Lanka should increase its trade with India with an aim to reduce risks in the ongoing geopolitical battle, a former ADB research expert said. Sri Lanka and India have a long history of attempting to upgrade their 1998 Free Trade Agreement (FTA) into a broader comprehensive deal. While technical negotiations were completed for two major frameworks, CEPA and ETCA, neither was signed due to intense political opposition and domestic pressure within SL. more..

Feb 5 (NW) Marking the commencement of the veneration of the Sacred Devnimori Relics of Lord Buddha, the first floral offering was made this afternoon (4) by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. This event follows discussions held between Prez Dissanayake and Indian PM Narendra Modi during the latter’s visit to SL. As a result of these discussions and through the personal intervention of PM Modi with full patronage more..

Feb 5 (FT) The National Sales Average (NSA) of tea declined in January 2026 on both a month-on-month (M-o-M) and year-on-year (YoY) basis, according to Forbes & Walker Research. The NSA for the month stood at Rs. 1,164.54 ($ 3.76), down Rs. 37.04 and $ 0.13 from December 2025, when the average was Rs. 1,201.58 ($ 3.89). Compared with January 2025, when the NSA averaged Rs. 1,185.43 ($ 4), the January 2026 figure represents a decline of Rs. 20.89 and $ 0.24. more..

Feb 5 (TM) Health Ministry is set to launch telemedicine services by March 2026 with a grant received from the USAID fund a few years earlier. Ministry Secretary, Dr. Anil Jasinghe said that TV screens were imported to Sri Lanka for the provision of telemedicine services on a grant given about three to four years ago. Explaining, he said, “The screens were obtained at the time without developing a platform to operationalise telemedicine.” Dr. Jasinghe further noted that more..