Feb 17 (FT) The manufacturing and services sectors have kicked off 2026 with expansions, but at a slower rate compared to the seasonal peak in Dec 2025, as per the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI). Its compiler, Central Bank said the PMI for Manufacturing (PMI – Manufacturing) recorded an index value of 56.1 in January, indicating month-on-month (MoM) expansion in manufacturing activities at a slower rate. All sub-indices contributed positively to this improvement. more..

Feb 17 (EN) Top officials from Sri Lanka and Pakistan discussed over importance of working collaboratively against international drug networks. The aim of the meeting was to strengthening regional cooperation to prevent the entry of narcotics into the country. The discussion was between Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala and a Pakistani delegation including the Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control, Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and more..

Feb 17 (FT) Govt has issued fresh regulations defining eligibility criteria and tax concessions for projects seeking classification as Strategic Development Projects (SDPs) under the SDP Act, No. 14 of 2008. The regulations, published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 2474/66 dated 8 Feb 2026, were promulgated by Prez and Finance, Planning & Economic Development Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake under powers vested more..

Feb 17 (CT) A sparkling half-century by Ama Kanchana powered SL to a commanding 106-run victory over Malaysia in their second outing of the Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament worked off in Bangkok yesterday. Opting to bat first, SL A Women posted an imposing 172 for 6 in their allotted 20 overs, riding on a brilliant 52 off just 29 deliveries from Kanchana. Her innings, studded with six fours and two sixes, came at a blistering strike rate of 179.31 and provided the late impetus more..

Feb 17 (ST) Supreme Court (SC) has determined that the fundamental rights of a retired Supreme Court Justice had been violated by the move to recover his commuted pension. Accordingly, the court has ruled that all steps, decisions, including Cabinet decisions and Parliamentary Resolutions, to recover commuted pension from retired judges of superior courts are void and of no force or avail in law. In a 2:1 decision, a 3-judge bench of the SC gave the ruling after considering more..

Feb 17 (FT) Sri Lanka registered nearly 40,000 tourist arrivals over the weekend as fans flocked to Colombo for the most-anticipated India-Pakistan T20 WC encounter, with 15 private jets touching down to accommodate high-net-worth profiles. Arrivals reached 11,201 on Friday, peaked at 12,565 on Saturday, and eased slightly to 11,113 on Sunday following the marquee fixture at the R. Premadasa Stadium. more..

Feb 17 (CI) Sri Lanka fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana left the field four balls into his first over, after collapsing to the ground clutching his left calf, and did not return to the field during SL's bowling innings against Australia. Having briefly received treatment from the SL physiotherapist immediately after sustaining the injury, Pathirana hobbled off the field with assistance from support staff. He then spent the majority of the innings being treated in the dressing room. more..

Feb 17 (CI) Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis had planned to keep Sri Lanka in the hunt until the dew arrived in Pallekele. In the end, the dew didn't make it, but SL did, racing to the target of 182 in 18 overs, to vault themselves into the Super Eights with one group match still to play. Nissanka was instrunmental to SL's victory, hitting the T20 World Cup's first century, smoking 100 not out off 52 balls. He and Mendis, who hit 51 off 38 balls, had put on a rapid 97-run stand for the 2nd wicket together. more..

Feb 17 (CI) 2: Pathum Nissanka became the second batter to score a hundred for SL at the Men's T20 World Cup after Mahela Jayawardene, who scored 100 against Zimbabwe in 2010. He is also the first batter to score a hundred against Australia at in the tournament, bettering Umar Akmal's 94 in 2014. Nissanka is also the first batter to score a hundred in the Men's T20 World Cup since Glenn Phillips' 104 against SL in the 2022 edition. Only three batters, including Nissanka, have scored a hundred more..

Feb 17 (Island) Problems and solutions in plural societies like SL’s which have deep rooted ethnic, religious and linguistic cleavages require a consciously inclusive approach. A major challenge for any govt in SL is to correctly identify the problems faced by different groups with strong identities and find solutions to them. Durability of democratic systems in divided societies depends less on electoral victories than on institutionalised inclusion, consultation & negotiated compromise. more..

Feb 17 (CI) SL survived an early onslaught to qualify for the 2026 T20 World Cup Super Eights, leaving Australia right at the exit door and hoping for a miracle. The returning captain Mitchell Marsh and the returning-to-runs Travis Head were brutal in taking Australia to 104 in the first 50 legal deliveries, but some spectacular fielding and spin bowling helped SL take 10 for 77 off the last 70 balls. In front of a partying full house in Pallekele, more..

Feb 17 (FT) With Omega Line entering its 28th year in Sri Lanka, the company operates as part of Oniverse Group (formerly the Calzedonia Group), a global fashion business with an integrated model spanning design, retail, and manufacturing across multiple international brands. The Group says SL remains a key pillar of its manufacturing network, supported by the country’s long-established capability in intimate apparel, especially technically demanding products such as bras that more..

Feb 17 (Island) JVP-NPP govt is on cloud nine over the results of an opinion poll. Verité Research Mood of the Nation poll indicates that the govt’s approval rating rose to 65% in early Feb 2026, compared to 62% recorded a year earlier. The disapproval rating remained low and unchanged from Feb 2025. Interestingly, the results of the aforesaid poll have been published close on the heels of the Opposition’s claim that according to a recent survey commissioned by the govt, more..

Feb 17 (TM) The cold-blooded murder of a lawyer and his wife in the parking area of a supermarket, at a busy junction in a well-frequented Colombo suburb, is not merely another entry in the Police log. Rather, it forces the country to confront an unsettling question. Are citizens truly safe in the spaces they inhabit every day? What makes this killing especially chilling is not only its brutality but its audacity. Gunmen reportedly armed with T-56 rifles carried out the attack in full public view, more..

Feb 17 (CT) In a Gallup-style Mood of the Nation poll, Verite Research has identified that approval ratings of the govt have remained stable in a statistical sense since last year, while disapproval ratings continue to be low and unchanged when comparing results from previous polling. Furthermore, for the first time in several years, those who expressed their confidence in the nation’s economic conditions in a positive light have increased by a significant margin. more..

Feb 17 (TM) Two suspects were arrested at the BIA, the island’s main entry point, last week for allegedly attempting to smuggle 436 Anthurium plants into Sri Lanka from Thailand. Officials from the Customs Narcotics Control Unit and the Biodiversity, Cultural, and National Heritage Protection Division discovered the plants concealed inside their luggage, in a case authorities say highlights a broader trend of illegal imports of more..

Feb 17 (ST) When Prez Trump made his audacious outburst of 21st-century imperialism one night in Venezuela’s capital, some leaders near and far quickly wrote finis to their illustrious careers. The contributions of some to their nations were hardly illustrious, but who was to know unless the nations’ auditor-general and assorted diggers into their family vaults went to work on what was felt? But one week later, when the obstreperous leader of the world power detected other parts of the globe more..

Feb 17 (SO) While temple bells and rhythmic chants of Om Namah Shivaya will fill the air, beneath the surface of this religious fervour lies a sophisticated astronomical and physiological phenomenon. Maha Shivaratri—the Great Night of Shiva—is arguably the most scientifically significant festival in the Vedic calendar. It marks a moment when the planetary alignment offers a literal boost to the human body. Maha Shivaratri is not a fixed date on the Gregorian calendar because more..

Feb 17 (SO) As SL moves from economic stabilisation towards recovery, its international relationships are entering a new phase. For the UK, the emphasis is no longer primarily on aid, but on deeper collaboration in education, skills development, climate financing and trade. British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick said recent economic improvements, including the sharp fall in inflation and a stable political more..

Feb 17 (DM) Nearly four years after the violence that scarred Sri Lanka on 9 May 2022, Gampaha High Court has delivered one of the most consequential verdicts arising from the Aragalaya period. Twelve individuals have been sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of former SLPP MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala and his police bodyguard in Nittambuwa. The judgement marks a dramatic legal response to a day that spiralled from political provocation into nationwide anarchy. more..

Feb 17 (DM) Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) on Sunday had decided not to appear before courts island-wide on Monday in protest over the fatal shooting of attorney-at-law Buddhika Mallawarachchi and his wife W.A. Nisansala in Akuregoda. Their decision to keep away from courts seems to be aimed at pressing the govt to take decisive action in eradication of crimes, especially those related to gun violence. Although one might question why the lawyers did not take any such drastic action more..

Feb 16 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised that the Pakistan Interior Minister’s visit, together with the arrival of the Pakistan national cricket team in SL, has further strengthened the long-standing friendship between SL and Pakistan. Prez made these remarks while Pakistan Minister for Interior Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, met with Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake this morning at the Presidential Secretariat. The President expressed his appreciation to the PM of Pakistan for more..

Feb 16 (AD) Deputy PM of the UK, David Lammy is scheduled to arrive in SL tomorrow. The visit will reaffirm the UK–SL partnership while the Deputy Prime Minister is also expected to witness the UK’s humanitarian response to Cyclone Ditwah in SL. During the visit, the Deputy PM is scheduled to meet Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake for discussions covering economic cooperation, reconciliation, humanitarian priorities and SL’s engagement with the Global Charter on Children’s Care Reform more..

Feb 16 (FT) Sri Lanka’s aviation sector delivered its strongest performance in years in 2025, signalling a broad-based recovery in passenger traffic, airline connectivity, and regional airport utilisation as the country continued to emerge from its economic crisis. AASL said the country’s airports handled 10.2 million passengers during the year, supported by operations from 46 airlines linking SL to 72 destinations across 34 countries. more..

Feb 16 (NW) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin wrote to PM Narendra Modi placing four requests before the Union govt for the welfare of Sri Lankan Tamils living in the State. Mr. Stalin requested the Union govt for rescinding earlier administrative instructions that barred the consideration of citizenship applications from SL Tamils. Mr. Stalin, in his letter, sought to flag the matter, which he termed was of profound humanitarian, constitutional & national importance concerning SL Tamils, more..

Feb 16 (TM) Colombo High Court (HC) today postponed the case against MP Namal Rajapaksa related to the alleged Krrish deal until 19 Feb. The delay was ordered as lawyers across SL decided to abstain from court duties today in protest. Despite the boycott, Rajapaksa was present in court when the case was called. The next hearing has been scheduled for 18 Feb. The case, filed by the Attorney General (AG), accuses Rajapaksa of misappropriating Rs. 70 million received from more..

Feb 16 (NW) Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha has clarified that recent claims regarding a tax hike on vehicle imports are largely misleading tactics used by sellers to create public fear. He explained that rather than introducing a brand-new tax, the govt has simply shifted the point of collection for the Social Security Contribution Levy (SSCL) from the point of sale to the initial customs stage. “So, fear is being created in society more..

Feb 16 (NW) PM Harini Amarasuriya warned against attempts to undermine the govt’s reform agenda by inciting racism, stating that women have often been among those most affected by such divisions. Addressing the Mannar District Women’s Meeting held in the Adambal area, PM said the govt would not allow divisive forces to derail progress and urged women to take a leading role in sustaining social and political change. “We will not allow attempts to cripple govt’s progress by promoting racism,” more..

Feb 16 (AD) Train services on the Colombo–Puttalam railway line, which were suspended due to the damage caused by the Cyclone Ditwah, have resumed earlier this morning. Railway Dept announced that the Puttalam line would be fully reopened today, with trains operating along the line from Colombo Fort to Puttalam. Train services on the Puttalam line were temporarily suspended due to damages caused by Cyclone Ditwah. Services were later extended in several stages up to more..

Feb 16 (DM) The govt has announced the minimum prices at which the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) will purchase paddy from farmers for the 2025/2026 Maha season. PMB Chairman Manjula Pinnalanda said the Board will purchase Nadu paddy at Rs. 120 per kilogram, Samba paddy at Rs. 130 per kilogram, and Keeri Samba paddy at Rs. 140 per kilogram. He said the move is aimed at ensuring farmers receive a fair and stable price for their harvest while supporting the country’s paddy production. more..

Feb 16 (NW) Lawyers staged a protest march in Colombo today over last week’s double murder in Akuregoda. The protest, led by the Bar Association of SL (BASL), began at the Supreme Court Complex and proceeded to the BASL Head Office. “This must be the final killing,” President of the BASL Rajeev Amarasuriya said addressing media. BASL had summoned its members to Colombo yesterday to decide on further action in response to the killing of Attorney-at-Law Buddhika Mallawarachchi more..