35 years after displacement of Northern Muslims, a new generation takes steps...
Feb 16 (FT) Inside a crowded hall at the SL Girl Guides Association in Colombo 7, M.M. Safwan stood still, smiling politely with the attendees of a photography exhibition and screening of Amid the Villus documentary. His family’s story is a part of the Saturday’s event itself. Memories of the North, marked a significant moment in the country’s post-war reflection. It was a space to witness the stories of the Northern Muslims who were forced to
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UK Labour campaigner for sanctions against ex-military chiefs due tomorrow
Feb 16 (Island) Global SL Forum (GSLF) Yasas Dharmadasa said that UK Deputy PM David Lammy who is due to visit Colombo tomorrow played a significant role in imposing sanctions on ex-military chiefs, including Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda and former Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva. Alleging that Lammy had pushed for punitive actions on the basis of unsubstantiated war crimes allegations, Dharmadasa said that the NPP owed
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2025 O/L exam to begin tomorrow at over 3,500 centres
Feb 16 (DM) Comprehensive security and special arrangements have been put in place for the GCE (O/L) Exam 2025 (2026), which will be held from Feb 17 to 26, Dept of Examinations SL announced. This year, 451,463 candidates comprising 382,249 school applicants and 69,214 private candidates will sit the examination at 3,545 centres across the country. To ensure efficient coordination, 531 coordination centres and 33 regional assembly centres have also been established.
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Labour Law Reforms: Flexible working hours, digitalisation, and women’s employment...
Feb 16 (TM) Ministry of Labour has announced plans to consolidate 12 existing labour acts into four, introducing modern provisions for flexible working hours, digitalisation, and women’s employment. Secretary to the Labour Ministry, S.M. Piyatissa said the current legal landscape, which comprises approximately 50 acts enacted across different time periods, has become a labyrinth of inconsistencies that fails to address
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GMOA halts submitting vital data to Health Ministry, threatening national healthcare...
Feb 16 (DM) The GMOA has decided to further intensify its ongoing trade union action, a move that is increasingly disrupting public healthcare services and posing a threat to the national health system while inconveniencing patients. In a fresh move starting Wednesday (18), regional health officials will also abstain from submitting crucial data to the database of the Health Ministry required for the functioning and coordination of the national health sector.
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Video: Advisory for low pressure area in Bay of Bengal issued
Feb 16 (AD) A low-pressure area has formed over the Bay of Bengal sea area to the south east of Sri Lanka, the Department of Meteorology stated. The low-pressure area is around 930km from Pottuvil, according to the latest estimates. Due to its influence, heavy showers or thundershowers, strong winds of about 50-60kmph, and rough seas can be expected, the Met. Department noted. The Meteorology Department said it is constantly monitoring the behavior of the system.
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Lasantha murder investigation: Part 9
Cardinal warns of growing breakdown of family life in Sri Lanka
Feb 16 (NW) The Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith on Saturday warned of what he described as a growing disintegration of family life in Sri Lanka, saying the erosion of marriage poses a serious threat to society. Addressing devotees at the annual feast at the Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Kalutara, the Archbishop said the collapse of family structures in the country was spreading like a dangerous epidemic. Emphasizing that the family is the smallest unit of society,
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Video: IMF Chief Kristalina Georgieva arrives
Feb 16 (AD) Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of International Monetary Fund (IMF), has arrived in Sri Lanka a short while ago. She will be in Sri Lanka from Feb 16 to 18, according to a top IMF official. During her visit, she will meet with govt authorities and key stakeholders, observe firsthand the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, and discuss ways in which the IMF can support recovery efforts and contribute to building a more resilient future for all Sri Lankans.
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EOIs to be called for MRIA development
Feb 16 (TM) Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation has revealed plans to invite fresh Expressions of Interest (EOIs) under multiple service categories for the comprehensive and holistic development of the Mattala Rajapaksa Int'l Airport (MRIA). Deputy Minister Janitha Kodithuwakku revealed that they were looking to cancel the EOI process commenced by the previous regime for a passenger operator at the MRIA.
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Over 800 prisoners currently on death row in Sri Lanka: Ministry
Feb 16 (AD) A total of 817 local and foreign individuals who have been sentenced to death are currently held in prisons across the country, Ministry of Justice and National Integration has stated. According to the 2025 Progress Report, as of Sept 30, 2025, there were 811 local prisoners on death row, comprising 792 men and 19 women. The report further revealed that five foreign nationals and one individual convicted of a terrorism-related offence are also among those sentenced to death.
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Rice Mill to Runway Leading miller to take wings to U.S. for private helicopter purchase
Feb 16 (DM) Reaffirming his plan for investment in the aviation business, SL’s leading mill owner Mithrapala Lankeshwara said that he would fly to the United States tomorrow to finalise the purchase of yet another aircraft for commercial purposes in SL. Lankeshwara said that he would be examining the aircraft manufactured by Robinson Helicopter Company in the US. It is a leading helicopter manufacturing company in the world. “I will share more details after I return,” he said.
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Central Bank expects success in pushing cost of living to 5% in 2026
Feb 16 (EN) Central Bank is expecting to push up the annual rise in cost of living towards its controversial 5% floor rate in the second half of 2026, according to a monetary policy report. “Inflation is projected to accelerate gradually and is expected to move towards the 5% target by H2-2026,” report said. “This increasing trajectory can be broadly attributed to the gradual recovery in demand conditions, while the expected
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NPP lawyers demand swift justice for attorney and wife brutally killed
Feb 16 (DM) While condemning the assassination of Attorney-at-Law Buddhika Mallawaarachchi and his wife, lawyers of the NPP urged the govt to accelerate its efforts to restore public safety and the rule of law. They said in a statement that they expect that the NPP govt, elected for the dignity and well-being of all citizens, will fulfil its responsibility. “We vehemently condemn this attack launched against a community dedicated to voicing and defending the rights of citizens,
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Video: Asgiri Anunayake Thero calls for calm amid criticism of Buddhist clergy
Feb 16 (AD) Members of the Buddhist clergy should respond with equanimity to allegations directed at them by certain sections of society, the Anunayake of the Asgiri Chapter, Most Venerable Narampanawa Ananda Thero stated. Thero emphasized that rather than reacting with agitation, it would be more timely and prudent to remain silent, noting that the truth would eventually prevail. The Thero made these remarks while attending a felicitation ceremony held to honour his service at
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විධායක ජනාධිපති අහෝසිය 2028ට...
Legislators’ pensions: Denying a legitimate expectation
Feb 16 (FT) in 1976, the late Felix Dias Bandaranaike initiated the legislation that would provide a person who had retired after serving in the national Legislature for a minimum period of five years with a pension during his or her lifetime. Parliamentary Pensions Act No.1 of 1977 is applicable to any SL citizen who had served in the Legislature since July 7, 1931. A person who has served for the minimum period in the aggregate is entitled to a monthly payment of
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Digital banking hype: More to be done to make it inclusive
Feb 16 (FT) Recently, a popular science writer and social activist had posted on X his frustrating experience with a leading private bank in SL. Naming the bank, he said that SL banks may use digital marketing hype but in practice, they are still very much paper-based taking cover behind regulations issued by the Central Bank. His woe had been that when he wanted to add an account to his portfolio of accounts as an existing customer, the bank had insisted that he should fill a paper
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Double Murder in Akuregoda: BASL to boycott all courts today
Feb 16 (TM) Bar Association of SL (BASL) has decided that its members will not appear before courts island-wide today in protest over the fatal shooting of a lawyer and his wife in Akuregoda. The decision was taken at a special general meeting convened in Colombo yesterday, where members deliberated on the implications of the attack. BASL President, Attorney Rajeev Amarasuriya said the move reflects
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15 private jets bring fans for India-Pakistan T20 clash
Feb 16 (FT) Sri Lanka witnessed a spike in private jet arrivals over the weekend as high-net-worth cricket fans and VIPs flew in for the much-anticipated India-Pakistan T20 World Cup encounter in Colombo. “We have accommodated around 15 private jets, mostly from India,” BIA Head of Airport Management Aruna Rajapaksa said, noting the surge began on Saturday night ahead of the marquee fixture at the R. Premadasa Int'l Cricket Stadium. Private jets are a rarity for SL.
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GMOA claims: Govt in no hurry to resolve doctors’ issues
Feb 16 (TM) Govt does not appear to be in any hurry to resolve issues affecting doctors and are dismissing ongoing trade union actions as politically motivated, said Assistant Secretary of the GMOA, Dr. Hansamal Weerasuriya. He said the GMOA is an apolitical trade union that was using various measures short of striking to draw the Government’s attention to its demands. However, he added, the Government has framed these measures politically, resulting in a deadlock as authorities seem
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Sri Lanka turns more optimistic amid strong Govt approval: Mood of the Nation poll
Feb 16 (FT) Economic policy think tank Verité Research said that the approval rating of the Govt polled at 65% in early February, in the latest round of its Gallup-style Mood of the Nation poll. With a ±3 percentage point error margin, the approval rating has remained statistically stable from the 62% polled a year ago. The disapproval rating remained low and unchanged from what it was in the previous poll in Feb 2025.
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Law and Order: Sajith demands explanation over Chicago-Style killings
Feb 16 (TM) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has said the Govt must explain to the country how Chicago-style killings are taking place even in high-security zones at a time when a state of emergency is in force and the tri-forces have been deployed to maintain law and order. Issuing a special statement following the shooting to death of a lawyer and his wife in the Akuregoda area, Premadasa said he was deeply shocked to hear of the murder and described the incident as another warning about
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Prez Anura Kumara attends India-Pakistan World Cup game at Premadasa Stadium
Feb 16 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake arrived at the R Premadasa Int'l Stadium in Colombo accompanied by high-level dignitaries to watch the India-Pakistan T20 World Cup encounter. Prez was accompanied by Ministers Vijitha Herath & Sunil Kumara Gamage. Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Jay Shah, President of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Shammi Silva and Mohsin Naqvi Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi were also at the VIP box
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දෙරණ අරුණ
Following Akuregoda shooting: Academic urges crackdown on illegal firearms
Feb 16 (CT) A senior academic has called on the Govt to urgently amend the country’s firearms legislation and take decisive steps to seize illegal weapons in circulation, warning that failure to do so would allow street killings to continue unabated. Professor Prathibha Mahanamahewa made the remarks while commenting to the media on the recent shooting of a lawyer and his wife by two unidentified gunmen in the Akuregoda area. He said a significant number of illegal firearms
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Justice Minister inspects new Special High Courts to fast-track anti-corruption and...
Feb 16 (FT) Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara has instructed officials to expedite the establishment of special High Courts in former ministerial residences in Colombo, as part of efforts to accelerate key prosecutions under the Anti-Corruption Action Plan (2025–2029). The Minister issued the directives on Thursday (12) during an inspection visit of four official residences temporarily handed over to the Ministry by the Public Admin, PCs and LG Ministry.
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Patali: Four out of 25 low-quality coal shipments caused Rs. 1,759 mn loss
Feb 16 (Island) Declaring that large-scale premeditated coal import fraud had caused massive losses, ex-Minister Champika Ranawaka has urged the CIABOC to deal with it, the way former Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando were dealt with. The Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar sentenced Aluthgamage and former Sathosa Chairman Fernando on 29th May, 2025, for 20 & 25 years RI, respectively,
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Gemological Report of Ceylon sets new global benchmark for local gemstone...
Feb 16 (Island) For decades, SL has been globally revered as the Island of Gems, yet the industry has long grappled with a paradoxical challenge: while the SL soil yields the world’s finest stones, the local certification process has often struggled to command the same recognition in international markets. Stepping into this critical void is the Gemological Report of Ceylon (GRC). Located at No. 97, Galle Road, Colombo 3, this newly launched laboratory is on a mission to redefine the standards
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PM Harini calls for unity, compassion and faith on Maha Shivaratri
Feb 16 (AD) PM Harini Amarasuriya has extended her warmest greetings to the Hindu community of SL and to devotees across the world on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri. She described the festival, also known as the Great Night of Shiva, as a profound symbol of the triumph of light over darkness and wisdom over ignorance, highlighting it as a time for deep reflection, spiritual discipline, and the pursuit of inner peace. PM emphasized that in SL’s multicultural and multireligious society,
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නීතිඥවරයා හා බිරිඳගේ ඝාතකයන්...
Colombo Public Library launches 100 for 100 book drive to mark centenary
Feb 16 (NW) Colombo Public Library has launched an islandwide book donation campaign titled 100 for 100 to mark its 100th anniversary, aiming to collect books for 100 libraries across SL. Colombo Mayor Vraie Cally Balthazar said the initiative was conceived as a way to ensure the centenary celebrations make a meaningful contribution to society. “Last December, our public library completed 100 years of service to the community. As we prepared to celebrate this historic milestone,
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Does Sri Lanka JVP chief’s Indian visit signal geopolitical reset?
Feb 16 (EN) In a diplomatic maneuver that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, Tilvin Silva, the General Secretary of the JVP and the ideological heavyweight behind Sri Lanka’s ruling NPP, concluded a landmark 8-day official visit to India this week. The visit, from February 5-12, marks the first time the veteran Marxist leader has set foot on Indian soil, signaling a definitive end to the party’s decades-long anti-India stance. Accompanied by a high-level delegation,
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Plastic pollution: Environmental activists to take Govt to court
Feb 16 (TM) Environmentalists are preparing to initiate fresh legal action against the Govt over what they describe as a failure to operationalise a conservation fund to receive revenue collected from plastic shopping bag charges, despite a Supreme Court settlement requiring such a mechanism. They alleged that, as a result, private retailers were retaining substantial profits, roughly estimated at up to Rs. 50 million per day,
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Reserves dip marginally in January to $6.82b
Feb 16 (FT) Gross official reserves amounted to $ 6.82 billion as at end-January, down a marginal 0.15% from a month ago, while gold reserves increased 26% to $ 109 million. Foreign currency reserves amounted to $ 6.68 bil, with gold assets at $ 109 million, reserves with the IMF at $ 4 mil, and Special Drawing Rights at $ 32 mil. Gross official reserves were down slightly from $ 6.83 billion as of end-Dec 2025 when gold reserves stood at $ 86 mil & IMF Special Drawing Rights at $ 1 mil.
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Confident Sri Lanka face Aussies today
Feb 16 (DN) Sri Lanka is expected to continue winning momentum when they meet Australia today in their T-20 World Cup group fixture at the Pallekele Int'l Cricket Stadium, commencing at 7pm. SL already had back to back wins over Ireland and Oman expected to get their third victory which will make sure of their place in super eight stage but Zimbabwe’s fighting victory over Australia gave them big pressure and they must win today to have expectations of the second round.
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