Feb 21 (Island) Two shooting incidents could not be described as collapse of national security, Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala told Parliament. Making a special statement to the House, Minister said: “We regret these unfortunate incidents. The govt has taken severe measures following these incidents. Investigations are in progress and I assure you that there is no threat to national security.” “Those who now clamour about national security during the times they ruled the country, more..

Feb 21 (Island) CCD sources said that the assassin who gunned down Ganemulle Sanjeewa had made three calls abroad while fleeing to Kalpitiya after the killing. The calls had been made to three Lankan underworld characters known as Kehelbaddara Pathme, Commando Salintha and Achintha living overseas. Suspect identified as Samindu Kandanaarachchi, a resident of Maharagama, has told the investigators that he had carried out the contract killing for a fee of Rs 15 million. more..

Feb 21 (DM) A little over 24 hours since the shocking killing of Sanjeewa Samararathne alias Ganemulla Sanjeewa inside the Colombo Magistrate Court on Wednesday, the govt was left stunned with contradictory statements coming from two senior ministers last afternoon. While there was uproar in Parliament yesterday with the Opposition demanding for answers as to how the security apparatus of the country fell so weak, more..

Feb 21 (DM) Port of Colombo began 2025 on a shaky start as transshipment container volumes declined amidst persistent congestion, marking a contrast to the robust growth experienced in the first and latter parts of 2024. The port, a critical transshipment hub in South Asia, faced operational bottlenecks, primarily driven by heightened SL Customs inspections. Transshipment volumes, which typically account for 90% of the port’s total container throughput, declined by 6.5% more..

Feb 21 (TM) Sri Lanka has foregone Rs. 965.6 billion in taxes in the last 21-month period due to exemptions, allowances and tax rate reliefs provided to achieve govt social and economic objectives, Finance Ministry said. Tax Expenditure Statement (TES) showed that SL has foregone Rs. 965.6 billion in tax revenue in the 21 months between March 2023 and Dec 2024. The report which is released as per the direction of the IMF, estimates the revenue forgone from tax expenditures more..

Feb 21 (FT) Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) welcomed the new Govt’s maiden Budget, recognising its focus on export-driven growth, investment facilitation, and policy consistency. Budget’s commitment to economic stabilisation and a competitive business environment marks a positive step forward for SL’s textile and apparel sector. “The expansion of SL’s FTAs aligns with our strategy to protect existing market access while pursuing new partnerships with key global markets. more..

Feb 21 (DN) Thurstan College and Isipathana College will battle for the Blackham Wijewardena Trophy in their 62nd Battle of the Brothers annual cricket encounter, which will be played from today to Feb 23 (Friday to Sunday) at the SSC Grounds. As the first 3-day encounter to kick off the school big match season, both teams are determined to play for a result, making it a historic occasion. Both sides are well-balanced and packed with all-rounders. Based on their performances this season, more..

Feb 21 (TM) Batticaloa-Colombo train, Meenagaya, collided with a herd of elephants at Gal Oya last morning, resulting in the death of six elephants and critical injuries to another. The incident occurred near the 141-milepost on the Batticaloa Railway line when a herd of seven elephants, crossing the railway track from the Kaudulla Forest Reserve, was struck by the train. Five of the 7 elephants died on the spot, more..

Feb 21 (ST) The Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) is intending to create a solid pathway to the young and aspiring football players of the country with a long term vision that ensures a concrete development plan towards producing contenders to its national programme. Among the plans intended, as according to FFSL President Jaswar Umar, the country’s football custodians are drawing blueprints to establish Sri Lanka’s very own Centre of Excellence and a Football Campus. more..

Feb 21 (ST) Auditor General’s (AG) Dept’s efforts to expose corruption irregularities and financial misappropriation by conducting audit inspections in 1980 state institutions have become a fruitless exercise due to the lack of legal authority of govt audit chief and failure of the state machinery to take prompt action. Under the present state of affairs more than 95% of the 2,500 reports issued by the AG in recent times have not been acted upon by the relevant institutions responsible for more..

Feb 21 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Wednesday said the 120 MW solar power plant in Sampur, Trincomalee will begin construction work in April. He noted that reducing production costs is a key priority, with a particular focus on lowering energy expenses. “We are commencing the construction work of a 120 MW solar power plant in Sampur by April,” he said. Prez added that the Govt recently awarded a contract to a wind power more..

Feb 21 (DM) The govt is optimistic about achieving its revenue targets under the tax reforms introduced in the 2024 Budget, provided the economy expands beyond projections set by the IMF, Senior Economic Advisor to the Prez, Duminda Hulangamuwa, said. He emphasised that the govt aims to meet fiscal parameters through overall economic growth and increased revenue from vehicle imports, rather than adjusting tax rates. “We don’t want a situation where we lower duties, leading to excessive more..

Feb 21 (FT) Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Harshana Suriyapperuma expressed optimism over the 79th National Budget of the country, noting its commitment to revitalising the economy by targeting a 5% growth rate, empowering vulnerable communities and ensuring financial stability in businesses. This stance was conveyed yesterday at a post-Budget webinar organised by BDO Partners, a leading audit firm in Sri Lanka. Speaking about the features of the Budget, Deputy Minister said: more..

Feb 21 (FT) Aitken Spence held its first flagship Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) programme recently to bring awareness to the importance of looking at increasing resilience building mechanisms, practical process creation for disaster response and always looking at reducing hazards be it natural or man-made. The exacerbation of the climate emergency has led to the increasing importance of having a specific focus on Disaster Risk Reduction incorporated into strategies. more..

Feb 21 (FT) National Development Bank PLC (NDB) announced a record-breaking profit for the financial year 2024, marking a significant milestone in its growth trajectory. All key performance indicators (KPIs) and shareholder metrics showed substantial improvements, reflecting the bank’s resilience and commitment to delivering value. NDB CEO Kelum Edirisinghe said: “We are proud of our performance in FY 2024, which demonstrates our financial strength and our ability to adapt in a reviving more..

Feb 21 (ST) Despite a proud history of more than 160 years, Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) has been plagued by multiple issues resulting in its inability to deliver a satisfactory service to thousands of daily passengers. National Audit Office’s report of the Railway Dept’s annual performance, recently tabled in Parliament, highlights some of these issues. NAO’s findings into the 2023 annual performance report (2024 report is yet to be more..

Feb 21 (Island) The coin Cassandra starts her Friday Cry with the recent film Rani. Parroting what her friends said on seeing the film, Cass in her Cry just prior to this wrote: “It has been reviewed as outstanding; raved over by many; and already grossed the highest amount in SL cinema history – Rs 100 million from date of release Jan 30 to Feb 14. This last: testimony to its popular appeal and acceptance as an outstanding cinema achievement. Cass admitted she had not seen the film. more..

Feb 21 (DM) The present govt has been tested to the brim these days. Hulftsdorp Court shooting posed enough questions about security in this country. And much of those questions become provocative ones when security is linked with the govt and comparisons are made with past regimes. This shooting inside a courtroom is also a reality check for the present govt. Not very long ago we saw the newly elected Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake mingling with people in crowds more..

Feb 21 (Island) A typical Sri Lankan budget debate is currently underway. The focus of most Opposition politicians is on the politics of the budget rather than its economics. Sideshows in the House usually eclipse the national budget. The Opposition pretends to be scandalised that the JVP-led NPP govt’s maiden budget is out of sync with the JVP’s core ideology. Its MPs are heard lamenting in Parliament that the NPP has deep-sixed the JVP’s original economic policies. more..

Feb 21 (ST) Aldoris, the choon-paan karaya, came down the lane in his gaily decorated tuk-tuk, with the popular ages-old baila song Biwwa neda Wadakaha Sudiya playing on his speaker. The commotion was enough to wake up the neighbourhood on this Thursday morning, and that was I reckon, Aldoris’ hidden agenda so that he could have a field day of sales. Knowing his regular arrival times, the trio was at the gate to greet him. As they piled up the maalu paans on a plate, more..

Feb 21 (TM) Govt has announced its intentions to establish an Independent Prosecutor’s Office (IPO), following criticisms levelled at the Attorney General’s (AG) Department for not acting independently in the pursuit of justice for notable cases. Attorney General’s Dept, coming under the Justice Ministry, holds the office of the Attorney General of SL – the chief legal officer of the State and the head of the bar. more..

Feb 21 (DM) On the 25th of Feb 1938, the Wilpattu National Park was declared the second National Park in Sri Lanka under the provisions of the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, No. 2 of 1937; a landmark in the history of Wildlife Conservation in this country. Facing various challenges at different times, including the atrocities of terrorism, this unique wildlife reserve has, for nearly nine decades, protected a significant area of the country’s natural heritage. more..

Feb 21 (CT) The murder of the underworld kingpin Ganemulle Sanjeewa inside the Court House 5 of Colombo Court Complex sheds light on some key issues within the public security and areas the authorities should focus more in the future. First and foremost, it shows that the organised crime syndicates in SL are also evolving, in terms of not completely relying on their manpower, firepower, political backings and reputation. Operation which looks as if it has been taken out of a movie more..

Feb 21 (CT) The nationwide blackout on 9 Feb, sparked both amusement and alarm when reports surfaced that the cause was — a monkey. While social media flooded with memes and local IT and clothing brands capitalised on the moment with creative advertisements featuring monkeys, the incident highlighted a deeper concern: the fragility of Sri Lanka’s power infrastructure. Beneath the humour, the power failure underscored more..

Feb 21 (GV) Land is an important component of any SL household. A considerable proportion of the rural population continues to be dependent on arable land as a source of livelihood and income; in SL 26.1% of people are engaged in agriculture[1]). The importance of land is manifold, from economic salience to social wellbeing and a sense of rootedness. Ancestral land of a household is particularly important to a family as it symbolises the continuation of kinship ties and citizenship. more..

Feb 21 (TM) Following the gruesome assassination of an organised crime suspect who was in the witness box of number five Magistrate’s Court in the Aluthkade Courts Complex, the Govt and Opposition yesterday traded blame for the myriad of shortcomings which were exposed. It was interesting to note the Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala who in response to a question raised by the Opposition Leader, stated that while the Govt expressed its disappointment about more..

Feb 20 (AD) Two other wanted SL suspects, who were arrested in Chennai, India, along with the Police Constable (PC) who aided in the escape attempt of notorious drug trafficker Nadun Chinthaka Wickremeratne alias Harak Kata from CID custody and later fled the island, have been brought to the island this morning. One of the two suspects flown back to the island by CID officers today has been identified as Aroshan Madushanka, who is a suspect involved in the murder of Sunshine Sudda, more..

Feb 20 (TM) SJB called on the Govt to apologise for the JVP actions of bombing the Temple of the Tooth relic premises in Kandy in 1981 due to political tensions in the country at the time. “I ask the JVP to also apologise as they have also bombed the Dalada Maligawa,” SJB MP Kabir Hashim said in the Parliament. The JVP attack on the Temple of the Tooth took place on 8 February 1989 after the JVP and its military wing, Patriotic People’s Movement, attacked various govt & civilian targets. more..

Feb 20 (TM) Election Commission (EC) has taken steps to return the bail deposits made by recognised political parties and independent groups for the LG Elections, which were scheduled to be held in 2023 but were later postponed indefinitely. EC’s decision follows the passage of the Local Authorities Elections (Special Provisions) Act, No. 01 of 2025 in the Parliament. EC Chairperson R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said that the said Act provides more..

Feb 20 (EN) An European Union funded project is helping remove an invasive plant species in Knuckles and Victoria-Randenigala-Rantambe Region. The community-led environmental action will remove ulex (Alien invasive plant) in Horton Plains National Park on Feb 27. Ulex europaeus, commonly known as gorse, is an alien invasive plant threatening the park’s biodiversity. “Ulex is a thorny evergreen shrub native to Western Europe, which aggressively invades montane grasslands, more..

Feb 20 (EN) Sri Lanka may cut taxes on vehicles if the demand is lower than expected, Deputy Finance Minister Anil Jayantha said, as constraints were placed over fears of losing foreign reserves. “The central bank has given a guideline (maga penveema) that we have a limit on foreign exchange,” Minister told reporters. “We change the duties to increase the price. After looking at how this happens, an indication has been given by the central bank that import duties can be lowered.” more..