Feb 12 (DM) Control Union Sri Lanka has officially opened its new analytical laboratory, marking a significant milestone as the 28th laboratory within the global Control Union network and the first PCR-based food testing laboratory in the country. The facility launch held on February 5 reinforces the company’s century-long commitment to delivering trusted testing, inspection and certification services across international supply chains. The event invited delegates from more..

Feb 12 (CI) Crishan Kalugamage can make a mean pizza. But when he's not busy hand-tossing dough at the pizzeria he works at in Lucca, in the heart of Tuscany, he's giving the ball a rip on an astroturf ground in Rome, fine-tuning his legspin with the same precision. Cricket, for Kalugamage, has never been a casual pursuit. It's been a sustained commitment alongside his day job, fuelled by little more than love for the game and a stubborn belief that it could take him somewhere someday. more..

Feb 12 (ST) Sri Lanka’s inefficient public transport services are well reflected in the state-run bus service, which for decades had accumulated billions in financial losses in the hands of corrupt politicians and their incompetent appointees. And turning around the state bus service along with filling up staff gaps now is a daunting undertaking. According to reports, 55 of the Sri Lanka Transport Board’s (SLTB) depots are running at a loss. more..

Feb 12 (FT) Indian Hotels Company Ltd, (IHCL) has signed an agreement to develop a 220-key Taj-branded hotel in Weligama, expanding its presence in SL’s southern coastal belt. The greenfield project will comprise 220 keys, including 80 luxury apartments. IHCL CEO Puneet Chhatwal said Weligama was emerging as a prominent coastal destination, supported by growth in surfing, wellness, and nature-led tourism. He said the development would reinforce the Taj brand’s more..

Feb 12 (FT) The Cargills Group has reported a strong financial performance for the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, demonstrating resilience despite severe weather disruptions experienced across Sri Lanka during the period. Group revenue for the quarter reached Rs. 70.8 billion, reflecting a 14.5% year-on-year (YoY) increase, while Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) grew 29% to Rs. 7.3 billion. Profit After Tax (PAT) rose 79.3% to Rs. 2.9 bi more..

Feb 12 (CI) As Sri Lanka prepare for their crucial encounter against Oman in Pallekele, senior quick Dushmantha Chameera has made it clear that the team cannot afford to dwell on the absence of star spinner Wanindu Hasaranga. Speaking ahead of the match, Chameera acknowledged the void left by the allrounder's absence but sought to focus on a unified team response. A limping Hasaranga picked up more..

Feb 12 (FT) Stakeholder engagement on proposed tariff reforms under the 2026 Budget has commenced, with the Govt initiating consultations aimed at supporting domestic industries while aligning trade policy with broader economic growth objectives. The initiative is being jointly carried out by the Finance, Planning and Economic Development Ministry, the Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry, the World Bank, and other relevant agencies. more..

Feb 12 (TM) Sri Lanka claimed two medals, a silver and a bronze, at the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship 2026, being held from 2-14 Feb in New Delhi, India. SL claimed the silver medal in an Individual Event, while the bronze medal came from a Team Event. Umaya Kumarasiri, a senior student of Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya, won the silver medal of the 10m Air Rifle Women Youth event, finishing her event on 247.4 points. She became the only SL shooter among three to reach the Top 8 more..

Feb 12 (FT) Siddhalepa, SL’s most trusted Ayurvedic healthcare brand, has been awarded Superbrands Sri Lanka status, reaffirming its long-standing position as one of the nation’s most respected heritage brands with deep roots in Ayurveda. The recognition celebrates Siddhalepa’s enduring commitment to authenticity, holistic wellbeing, and consistent brand excellence spanning over nine decades. Founded in 1934, Siddhalepa has become synonymous with natural healing in SL, more..

Feb 12 (TM) Sri Lanka’s rise from 121 to 107 on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index is welcome news. After years of economic collapse, political upheaval and institutional distrust, any signal of improvement in governance carries weight. A 14-place climb is not insignificant. It suggests that something has shifted. But what, exactly, has changed, and how deep does that change run? To understand this moment, we must return to 2022. more..

Feb 12 (CI) When Duleep Mendis first arrived in Muscat to help a budding nation find its footing in int'l cricket, he expected his stay to be brief. That was 13 years ago. 2026 tournament in India and SL is Oman's fourth T20 World Cup and Mendis has been around for the whole journey. He had not expected to stay, and find a second home in a desert nation that has grown into a competitive force in Associate cricket. more..

Feb 12 (Island) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake once spoke of a shadow state run by powerful crime syndicates and vowed to dismantle it. The general consensus is that such an unseen, parallel power structure really exists and must be eliminated as a national priority. However, criminals are not alone in running parallel governments. Extremely powerful business cartels also challenge the writ of the state and exploit the public, with impunity. Minister Bimal Rathnayake has evinced more..

Feb 12 (Island) SL’s traditional spice-based farming systems could hold the key to restoring degraded landscapes, strengthening rural livelihoods and tapping into global carbon markets, a leading international ecologist said this week, warning that continued reliance on monoculture agriculture risks irreversible environmental damage. Speaking at the Genesis Thought Leadership Series at the Dilmah Centre for Sustainable Future, Professor Friedhelm Goeltenboth, Honorary Professor of more..

Feb 12 (FT) Salam Ramadan is a flagship cultural and city-branding initiative of the Western Provincial Council, implemented in collaboration with the Colombo Municipal Council and conceived to celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan while fostering inclusivity, cultural understanding, and economic vibrancy across Colombo and the Western Province. Following a highly successful inaugural edition in 2025, which attracted over 15,000 visitors in three days, more..

Feb 12 (CT) The indefinite postponement of the Swiss facilitated meeting among Tamil political parties has triggered renewed debate about the future of Sri Lanka’s Provincial Council system. What initially appeared to be a diplomatic initiative aimed at fostering Tamil political consensus has instead exposed deeper structural tensions within Tamil politics and revealed the careful political calculations of the NPP govt. This episode must not be viewed in isolation. more..

Feb 12 (CT) After more than three decades of legal confusion, informal trading, and underground contracts, SL’s private bus industry has finally been brought under a clear legal framework. From 6 Feb, passenger service permits can now be legally transferred, sold, or inherited under a new Gazette notification enforced by the Ministry of Transport, Highways & Urban Development. Minister Bimal Rathnayake said that the long-awaited more..

Feb 12 (GV) More than a year in, the NPP govt remains popular. There are several reasons for that. One of them is that the govt has been deft in its handling of the major hot button political issues. These issues are typically more cultural than material, more abstract than immediate, deeply rooted in contested interpretations of history and intimately related to notions of personal identity. We refer in particular to demands for some kind of official reckoning for the violence around more..

Feb 12 (CT) Air pollution in SL has long been framed as a domestic failure — the by-product of traffic congestion, ageing vehicles, industrial emissions and weak enforcement. Yet, a 6-year longitudinal study by the Institute for Ethical Research and Innovation (IERI) urges a wider lens. SL’s worsening air quality, it argues, stems from a dangerous convergence between local emissions and pollution drifting across borders. This is not about shifting blame, but recognising complexity. more..

Feb 12 (CT) In the age of information, SL often feels like a country of secrets. While data exists, it is frequently buried in static PDFs, fragmented across ministries, or shielded by information asymmetry that favours the ruling class over the citizen. Dr. Sanjiva Weerawarana, the founder of WSO2 and a pioneer of the island’s tech landscape, is looking to change that. His latest venture, Lanka Data Foundation (LDF), isn’t a commercial startup; more..

Feb 12 (DM) When climate disasters strike, they don’t affect everyone equally. Marginalised communities typically face worse outcomes, and Cyclone Ditwah is no exception. Especially in a context where normalcy is far from normal, the idea of returning to normalcy or restoring a life of normalcy makes very little sense. The islandwide survey conducted by the Social Scientists’ Association (SSA), between early to mid-January on Cyclone Ditwah shows stark regional more..

Feb 12 (DM) SL has witnessed protests of various kinds. These vary from protests that end following govt’s responses towards people’s demands to mass scale people’s movements such as the aragalaya to pseudo-satyagraha campaigns launched by politicians and actual satyagraha done by people. The right to peaceful assembly is a right guaranteed by the Constitution and therefore, people have a right to take to the streets and protest peacefully if they are at the receiving end of injustice. more..

Feb 11 (DN) Work on developing two canal bank roads linking Chandrika Kumaratunga Mawatha and the Arangala Bridge in Malabe commenced yesterday (10), aiming to improve traffic safety and reduce congestion in the Kaduwela area. The project focuses on developing and carpeting canal-side roads along the Athurugiriya–Malabe corridor, creating improved access routes for motorists and easing pressure on existing main roads frequently affected by heavy traffic. more..

Feb 11 (DM) A total of 900 child cancer patients have been reported across the country within a one-year period. Consultant Community Physician Dr. Suraj Perera, said an agreement has been signed with the Minister of Health to provide all essential medicines required for the treatment of child cancer patients over the next three years. He said that early detection of cancer plays a crucial role in enabling timely medical intervention and significantly improving treatment outcomes. more..

Feb 11 (DM) In response to a significant increase in complaints regarding lost and stolen mobile devices, the SL Police has issued a comprehensive set of directives to the public. Highlighting the sensitive nature of personal data, including private photographs, digital identities, and messages, ASP F.U. Wootler said that failing to secure a lost device could lead to owners being victimised repeatedly if their information falls more..

Feb 11 (NW) PM Harini Amarasuriya met with a delegation from the European External Action Service (EEAS) on Feb 10 at the PM’s Office. Welcoming the delegation, PM underscored the importance of further strengthening the long-standing partnership between SL and the European Union, noting the EU’s role as a key development and economic partner. She expressed appreciation for the European Union’s timely assistance to SL following the recent cyclone, highlighting more..

Feb 11 (CT) If the Govt believes it can suppress the Opposition, silence the Maha Sangha, undermine the culture of the country, and shape its policies to suit the diaspora in order to win an election, it is mistaken, said SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa. Rajapaksa said the SLPP is fully prepared to face any election at any time and challenged the Government to allow the public to decide through the ballot. He said delaying elections only reflects the Govt’s fear of public opinion. more..

Feb 11 (DM) Tickets for the much-anticipated India–Pakistan encounter at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 which is scheduled to be played on Sunday (15), are being traded at prices as high as Rs. 100,000. The spike comes amid heightened fan interest across South Asia, with the fixture widely regarded as the tournament’s biggest draw. Limited availability and intense demand have fuelled a secondary market pushing prices more..

Feb 11 (DM) Vedda Chief Uruwarigelage Vannila Aththo has raised serious concerns over what he describes as the exploitation of his community and their age-old traditions for commercial gain, alleging that certain groups are misusing indigenous culture under the guise of promoting tourism. He told the media yesterday in Dambana that organized groups of touts are misusing the culture of his clan as a showpiece. Elaborating on this fraud and the dubious activities of the touts he said more..

Feb 11 (DM) Dambulla National Farmers’ Organization yesterday alleged that the govt is planning to transfer the management of the country’s economic centres to a company comprising members affiliated with the JVP. Speaking to media, National Farmer Organization President Anuradha Thennakoon has warned that it will launch a massive islandwide protest against the government’s reported decision to hand over the management of economic centres to a private company. more..

Feb 11 (DM) Govt is investigating into the allegations of hidden wealth in Uganda, Dubai and in some other places, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. He said this while responding to a question at the Cabinet press briefing whether the govt is investigating into allegations of fraud and corruption made by the NPP during the election period including money hidden in Uganda and allegations of Batalanda. “Do not always focus on Uganda. The govt has launched investigations into wealth more..

Feb 11 (DM) Authorities have officially ceased search and rescue operations for persons reported missing following Cyclone Ditwah even as 173 individuals remain unaccounted for, Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said. DMC Director Pradeep Kodippili stated that rescue efforts were halted as more than two months have passed since the cyclone struck, making further search operations unnecessary under current protocols. However, he stressed that those missing due to Cyclone more..