Mar 21 (FT) IMF has flagged SL’s significant exposure to the Middle East conflict and said it will assess the potential economic impact and how best to support the country during its upcoming mission, as authorities seek to complete a combined Fifth and Sixth Review under the EFF program. An IMF staff team is scheduled to visit SL from 26 Mar to 9 Apr to hold discussions with authorities on economic policies, with the external shock from the Middle East crisis expected to weigh on more..

Mar 21 (DM) Adopting the globally recognised Cradle to Cradle (C2C)-certified standard can help the local companies remain competitive in an increasingly sustainability-focused global market, Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute Director Built Environment Ren DeCherney said. According to her, a majority of industry stakeholders already consider circularity an important part of the design process and third-party verified certifications like the C2C-certified standard can support more..

Mar 21 (ST) Shutdown of airspace across parts of West Asia due to the war has significantly disrupted SL’s aviation sector, with experts warning of sharp declines in flights, revenues, and tourist arrivals. Industry officials say the ripple effects are being felt across the board, from higher insurance premiums and rising fuel costs to reduced aircraft movements and the loss of overflying fees paid to SL for air traffic services. more..

Mar 21 (ST) The Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority’s Board of Directors has decided to temporarily suspend permission granted to a private company to instal floating solar panels on the Dambulu Oya reservoir in Ibbankatuwa. The project, which planned to cover 18 acres of the water surface, is on hold until the progress of pilot projects at Kiriibban wewa in Monaragala and Chandrika wewa in Ratnapura are reviewed, the authority’s director Nalinda Thilakaratne said. more..

Mar 21 (NW) The Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development has officially called for tenders to supply 200 new luxury diesel buses to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), aimed at strengthening expressway and long‑distance bus services. According to Deputy Minister of Transport Prasanna Guansena, the project seeks to modernize public transport and provide passengers with a more comfortable and high‑quality service, while raising national transport standards. more..

Mar 21 (FT) Former CB Deputy Governor Dr. W.A. Wijewardena has warned that SL is entering a more vulnerable phase where Govt debt sustainability, interest rate dynamics and growth prospects are increasingly exposed to external shocks, particularly from the ongoing Middle East conflict. He said SL’s fiscal and external financing model remains heavily dependent on continuous borrowing and refinancing, making it sensitive to shifts in more..

Mar 21 (FT) The Paw-Sperity Xtravaganza, to be held on 29 March at the Cinnamon Grand, in aid of Rescue Animals SL (RAS), promises to be a day filled with fun, good food, shopping and entertainment, one that ushers in Avurudu Cheer as well as Easter Joy. This year Browns Veterinary Pharmaceuticals have come on board to partner with RAS, while a Kiddies play area, run by the ABC Group of Schools with both indoor handicrafts and an outdoor play area, will keep your little ones more..

Mar 21 (FT) Colombo stock market ended on the up yesterday, but was still lower than the previous week’s close as the economic fallout from the Middle East crisis continues to weigh on sentiment. During the week, the benchmark ASPI fell 4.85% or 1,052.82 points while the active S&P SL20 index declined 5.46% or 332.46 points. Since the Middle East conflict erupted on 28 Feb, CSE has lost about Rs. 1.06 trillion in value. Yesterday, ASPI ended on up 375.72 (1.85%) at 20,639.73 more..

Mar 21 (DN) St. Peter’s College closed day two on 248 for 7, still trailing St. Joseph’s College’s first innings total of 352 for 8 declared, in the 92nd Battle of the Saints at the SSC Grounds yesterday. The day unquestionably belonged to Peterite all-rounder Shavidu Silva, who produced a superb performance with both bat and ball. The off-spinner was instrumental in restricting the Josephians, claiming an impressive 5 for 95 in a demanding 31-over spell. He then followed it up with more..

Mar 21 (Island) Mahinda College fought back strongly to reach 90 for two wickets at stumps in reply to Richmond College’s 315 on day two of the Lovers’ Quarrel Big Match at the Galle on Friday. In a similar pattern to their arch rivals’ start, Mahinda suffered an early setback, losing two quick wickets in the opening phase of their innings. However, the third-wicket pair of Randula Mabarana and Dineth Pehesara restored stability with a composed stand, ensuring the team closed the day more..

Mar 21 (SO) On Dec 10, 2025, former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal emerged from the Colombo High Court a free man, cleared in the case widely known as the 2012 Greek Bond scandal. Yet, his freedom came with a caveat: a Rs. 1.84 billion fine that remains unresolved. Cabraal had been indicted by the CIABOC for allegedly causing a massive loss to the Govt of SL through controversial purchase more..

Mar 21 (SO) For more than a century, Sri Lanka’s plantation sector has shaped the country’s landscapes, economy, and international identity. From the mist-covered tea estates of the central highlands to the rubber-growing regions of the wet zone, plantations have long been symbols of productivity and export success. Generations of Sri Lankans have depended on these landscapes for livelihoods, and the world has come to associate them with the country’s heritage. more..

Mar 21 (DM) Elections to the Legislature of the South Indian State of Tamil Nadu has been announced by the Election Commission of India. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23 to elect 234 members to it’s Legislative assembly. Counting of votes would commence on May 4. Tamil Nadu voters number approximately 5.67 crore. Of these 2.77 crore are males and 2.89 crore are female. There are 7,617 transgender voters. India is our closest neighbour and within India, more..

Mar 21 (TM) Energy politics is nothing new to Sri Lanka. In 1971, when the India-Pakistan war broke out, an oil-tanker with a full capacity of refined petroleum got stuck in the Indian Ocean in close proximity to SL. As the ship could not enter Indian, West Pakistani or East Pakistani ports, the Singaporean oil company that owned the shipment offered it to Sri Lanka at a highly subsidised price. The Cabinet of Ministers of PM Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s Govt discussed this offer, but more..

Mar 21 (FT) SL today is not merely facing a crisis—it is confronting the cumulative cost of missed opportunities and flawed judgments over time. What we are witnessing is not an isolated downturn, but the gradual consequence of decisions taken without sufficient foresight, depth, and strategic clarity. The present condition of the country, therefore, must be understood not simply as a moment of difficulty, but as the outcome of a pattern—one where opportunities were overlooked, undervalued more..

Mar 21 (SO) For thousands of Sri Lankan families, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) was more than a workplace. It was where careers were built, homes were paid for and lives were shaped. “I joined the CEB as a young technician,” recalled one long-serving CEB employee who asked not to be named. “My children grew up with this job. The house we live in today, their education, everything came through the CEB. more..

Mar 21 (DM) American Wild West, brings to mind of jeans clad cowboys shooting from the hip and gun-toting white Americans on horseback hunting down Native Americans armed with bows and arrows. It paints pictures of horse-drawn wagons filled with white colonists heading west to violently capture/takeover so-called uninhabited lands traditionally owned by native populations. One is put in mind of the setting up of border towns where violent gunfights decided who or what was more..

Mar 21 (GV) The trial has begun in the case presently termed as the main case into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks at a High Court Trial at Bar in Colombo. Several victims testified to the attack and about loss of lives and injuries. This is a good time to reflect on court cases and related matters in relation to seeking justice for 2019 Easter Sunday bombings just under seven years after the attacks. The targets included two Catholic churches in the Archdiocese of Colombo, Zion church in Eastern province more..

Mar 21 (TM) Sri Lankans usually await fuel price changes on the last day of each month, as it has become a new normal. However, on Tuesday (10), an unannounced price hike of about 8% was observed despite assurances that adequate stocks were available, leading to public criticism and displeasure. As a result of this recent revision, the rising cost of living has created a knock-on effect across multiple industries. more..

Mar 21 (DM) Following the Govt’s announcement last week that Wednesday would be a holiday in order to reduce fuel consumption in the country in the face of escalating conflicts in the Middle East, certain health sector trade unions had demanded a holiday allowance for their members as they are not entitled to that holiday. Rationale behind this demand is not that they are going to lose anything due to the Govt’s decision, but that employees of other sectors are enjoying this holiday while they are not. more..

Mar 21 (Island) Trouble is said to come in threes. For Sri Lankans, it seems to come in multiples of three. Close on the heels of crippling fuel price hikes, speculation is rife that electricity tariff increases are on the cards. The govt is said to be contemplating another round of fuel price hikes as well. JVP/NPP talked the talk in the run-up to the 2024 elections, but it is now unable to walk the walk. In fact, the sobering economic reality has compelled it to do the very antithesis of more..

Mar 20 (NW) Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanka Bodaragama today granted permission to the Bribery Commission to record a statement from former MP and former Chairman of the Housing Development Authority, Duminda Silva, on March 23. Silva is suspected of accepting a bribe to grant bail to Dematagoda Ruwan, a large‑scale drug trafficker arrested for earning illicit money. Although Colombo Additional Magistrate Lahiru Silva had earlier, on March 13, allowed the Bribery Commission to more..

Mar 20 (NW) State-owned supermarket chain, Lanka Sathosa, has rolled out a special island‑wide sales promotion from today, aimed at providing consumers with essential food items and goods at reduced prices during the upcoming Sinhala and Hindu New Year festive season. According to the Ministry of Trade, operating under the theme Avurudu Siri from Sathosa, the program offers discounts of up to 40% on 600 categories of essential goods. Customers making purchases above Rs. 2,500 will more..

Mar 20 (AD) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today provided a clarification on domestic fuel prices in light of rising crude oil prices in the global market and subsequent fuel price increases in other countries, triggered by the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. Prez highlighted that Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) currently supplies 57% of the country’s fuel requirements, while the remaining 43% is supplied by private sector. more..

Mar 20 (NW) High Commissioner of India, Santosh Jha, visited the Udappuwa village during his visit to Puttalam District on Tuesday, during which he paid respects at the Udappuwa Sri Parthasarathy Temple and interacted with the people of the village. The residents of this Udappuwa village trace their roots to Akkamadam and Thangachimadam in Rameshwaram in Southern India. During the interaction with the Indian HC, the residents conveyed that their ancestors came to SL more..

Mar 20 (TG) Students at the University of Jaffna staged a protest and boycotted lectures today, as SL police interrogated student leaders over a demonstration held at the campus last month to protest against Sri Lanka’s Independence Day. The demonstration follows a series of escalating actions by the occupying SL police, as they interrogated staff and students over last month’s protest. On February 4th students had replaced the lion flag with a black flag as an act of protest. more..

Mar 20 (AFP) Sri Lanka refused permission to the United States to station two of its warplanes at a civilian airport in the island’s south in early March, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said on Friday. The request was turned down to maintain SL’s neutrality and ensure its territory was not used for any military purpose that could help or hinder either side, he told parliament. Indian Ocean nation was drawn into consequences of the war more..

Mar 20 (TP) SL Ambassador to Qatar Sithra Khan Azard, has expressed deep appreciation to Qatar’s leadership for ensuring the safety and well-being of the SL community in the country during the ongoing tensions in the Gulf region. In a statement yesterday, the ambassador conveyed the gratitude of the Govt of SL to Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Govt of Qatar for the comprehensive measures taken to protect approximately 140,000 SL nationals residing in the country. more..

Mar 20 (DM) UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake raised a series of questions in Parliament seeking clarity on the current state of Sri Lanka’s aviation sector, including airline operations, passenger volumes, airport capacity, and the collection of embarkation taxes. Addressing the Minister of Civil Aviation, the MP highlighted the growing importance of air connectivity amid the country’s increasing reliance on tourism, trade, and international passenger traffic. Karunanayake requested more..

Mar 20 (NW) SLC wishes to announce that players who have requested to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 will be issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) only upon successfully passing SLC’s mandatory Physical Performance Test. At present, SLC is conducting an 8-week specialized physical training program for all nationally contracted players. This initiative aims to enhance players’ physical performance standards in preparation for upcoming int'l assignments. more..

Mar 20 (DM) Cabinet has approved new regulations allowing the allocation of special vehicle registration numbers from 50,000 to 100,000 for all vehicles, excluding motorcycles, motor tricycles, and motor tricycle vans. Decision follows an amendment to earlier rules published in the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2470/14 on Jan 5, 2026, which revised the 5th Oct 2023 Gazette regulations. Under the new provisions, a fee of Rs 1,000,000 will be charged for each special number allocated more..