Feb 25 (AD) Organized criminals and drug traffickers were utilized in the past for certain factions to consolidate their political power, Minister Ananda Wijepala stated. he made these remarks while participating in the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the Mirigama Police Station. Responding to an inquiry, Minister assured that no factions will be allowed to intimidate or threaten individuals providing information regarding organized more..

Feb 25 (DN) Court of Appeal today dismissed two writ petitions filed by Avant-Garde Maritime Services and its employees, which sought to overturn an order issued by the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence to remove three of the company’s armouries. The court issued the order following a preliminary consideration of the petitions. By dismissing the cases without a full hearing, the court has effectively declined to interfere with Ministry of Defence’s directive regarding the weapons more..

Feb 25 (DM) A train halted near the Ulapane–Warakapitiya Railway Station has remained stranded for four months after a landslide triggered by heavy rains associated with the Ditwah cyclone caused severe damage to the railway line, railway dept sources said. Train was operating from Colombo to Nanu Oya via Kandy and Nawalapitiya at the time of the incident. It comprises nine compartments, including an air-conditioned coach. The locomotive alone is valued at around Rs. 200 million, more..

Feb 25 (TM) A faction of trade unions attached to the CEB has announced plans to launch strike action from 27 Feb if their eight demands are not met and authorities proceed with a proposal to restructure the utility. The warning comes as the GCE O/L Exam concludes tomorrow (26). Kosala Abeysinghe, President of the CEB Technicians’ Union, said the unions had formally notified Ministry of Energy of their decision. more..

Feb 25 (AD) Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Portugal, Paulo Rangel, has met with the PM Harini Amarasuriya, at the PM’s Office for bilateral discussions. During the discussion, held on Tuesday (24), attention was drawn to exploring potential collaborations across multiple sectors of mutual interest, with a focus on strengthening cooperation in the tourism sector. Climate change and its impacts were also discussed extensively, with emphasis on shared vulnerabilities and more..

Feb 25 (NW) Sail Training Ship INS Tarangini of the Indian Navy will arrive at Trincomalee on Friday (27), beginning a goodwill and training visit that will continue until 02 March. The ship will then call at Colombo from 6–9 March, providing ocean sailing training and experience to SL Navy trainee officers during both harbour and sea phases. The ship commanded by Commander Nitin Gajjar is on return passage from Visakhapatnam after taking part in the International Fleet Review 2026. more..

Feb 25 (AM) Several opposition political groups met former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe this morning with the stated aim of uniting around a common purpose. The discussion took place at the UNP office on Flower Road. Udaya Gammanpila said the initiative was not merely an attempt to form a political alliance, but a collective effort to safeguard the people’s right to live with dignity. He stressed the need for all opposition parties to work together in addressing the common challenges faced more..

Feb 25 (DM) A sex centre operating under the guise of a homeopathic treatment clinic in the Ambatale area of the Mulleriyawa Police Division was raided by officers of the Western Province (South) Crime Division. Police said three suspects and a homeopathic doctor, who is believed to be the owner of the establishment, were arrested during the operation. The suspects are scheduled to be produced before court. Investigations revealed that the premises had allegedly been used to more..

Feb 25 (DM) The govt has not taken any decision to stop the construction of the proposed international cricket stadium in Jaffna, and that construction work will go ahead as planned, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr Nalinda Jayatissa said yesterday. He said that the project will be implemented with the coordination and support of all the ministries. “We will continue the construction work of the Jaffna Int'l Cricket Stadium. more..

Feb 25 (NW) Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath will visit Germany from Feb 26 to 27 to strengthen economic and political ties. Herath is scheduled to take part in a series of meetings focused on trade and foreign employment, following an invitation extended by the German-Asia Pacific Business Association (OAV) Bremen Chapter. During the visit, the minister will attend events marking the 125th anniversary of the Bremen Chapter of the Asia Pacific Business Association as the Guest of Honor and more..

Feb 25 (EN) Sri Lanka plans to issue its first digital national identity card (digital ID) by the third or fourth quarter of 2026, with the government currently finalizing the procurement process, deputy minister Eranga Weeraratne said. “Instead of carrying a physical card to various locations, citizens will be able to verify their identity with 100% certainty using biometric data,” Weeraratne said. The digital ID project is being developed to streamline interactions between citizens and more..

Feb 25 (AD) Former Head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) Major General (Retired) Suresh Sallay was arrested this morning under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (PTA), police have confirmed. DIG in charge of the Legal Division Jaliya Senaratne said since former SIS head Suresh Sallay has been arrested under the provisions of the PTA, he can be held for 72 hours for questioning. more..

Feb 25 (DM) Former Minister Ali Sabry has expressed concern over the arrest of former State Intelligence Chief Suresh Sallay, describing it as a troubling development for the SL Army and its Intelligence Corps. Sabry said the arrest of Major General Sallay—an officer he noted was associated with operations that dismantled the LTTE’s intelligence network and targeted senior leadership figures including Tamilchelvan, as well as efforts linked to the apprehension of more..

Feb 25 (AD) Professor Susiripala Manawadu officially assumed duties as the Governor of the Southern Province this morning at the Southern Province Governor’s Secretariat in Galle. The occasion was attended by a large gathering, including political representatives, govt officials, and high-ranking security officials of the Southern Province. Prof. Manawadu was appointed as the Southern Province Governor by the President in accordance with Article 154B of Constitution, more..

Feb 25 (FT) SL has long recognised the need to modernise its insolvency framework, yet meaningful reform has remained in the pipeline for years. The proposed Rescue, Rehabilitation & Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Law now represents a significant step forward. It is not merely another statute, but a structural recalibration of how the country approaches financial distress. At a time when businesses, financial institutions and individuals continue to navigate aftereffects more..

Feb 25 (FT) The NPP Govt, in keeping with its electoral promise as pledged in its Manifesto has repealed the Pension rights afforded to past MPs. It is an undeniable fact, this proposal received the overwhelming positive response from the general public who have been consistent in expressing their opposition to the perks and privileges enjoyed by the members of Parliament. A few leading personalities, voiced their objections to the removal of these facilities which they contend more..

Feb 25 (TM) Amid ongoing allegations over coal imports, the Energy Ministry yesterday appointed a seven-member expert committee to evaluate the current methodology for supplying coal to the Lakvijaya Power Plant in Norochcholai. The committee includes, Prof. W.D.A.S. Rodrigo (Chairman) – Department of Electrical Engineering, Uni of Moratuwa; Dr. N.A.I.D. Nissanka (Member) – Senior Lecturer, Dept of Mechanical Eng, more..

Feb 25 (CT) The Customs Trade Union Alliance launched trade union action from yesterday (24), citing several unresolved demands, including promotions that have reportedly been delayed for the past six years. In a statement, the union said that despite repeatedly raising the matter with the relevant authorities, no concrete solutions have been provided. The prolonged delay, it noted, has caused frustration among officers and disrupted career progression within the department. more..

Feb 25 (DM) While apologising to SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa for not being able to proceed with his address to the Union, Oxford Union has informed Namal that it had been rescheduled for a future date so that the lecture could be delivered without compromising the safety of the attendees. Union has informed Namal that it was determined that the proceedings with the event would pose significant safety and operational risks and that it had received credible indications of a large scale protest more..

Feb 25 (TM) A coalition of academics, journalists, feminist activists, and lawyers issued a statement yesterday expressing concern over reports the former first lady, Professor Maithree Wickramasinghe has been summoned by the FCID. The summons is reportedly linked to an ongoing investigation involving her husband, former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, over the alleged misuse of public funds to attend a ceremony more..

Feb 25 (AD) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) will hold public consultation sessions from today to March 18 on the proposal submitted by the CEB to revise electricity tariffs for the second quarter of 2026. The public can submit comments and suggestions verbally and in writing from today to March 18. The sessions are expected to cover all nine provinces, and following the conclusion of the consultations, the PUCSL will decide on the proposed tariff revision after more..

Feb 25 (EN) Sri Lanka has recorded a foreign direct investment (FDI) of 1,062.8 million dollars in 2025 with Singapore and India leading as the top investors. The manufacturing sector emerged as the primary driver of the foreign investment inflows last year, contributing US$486 million led by rubber products, the BOI data showed. Infrastructure was the second biggest sector which saw an FDI of US$404.6 million with port container terminals bringing in US$275.3 million dollars. more..

Feb 25 (FT) SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva has warned of a growing tourism paradox, claiming that while visitor arrivals are increasing, sector earnings are failing to keep pace due to regulatory loopholes and revenue leakages. MP noted that foreign nationals are allegedly operating unlicenced cafés, bars, surf camps and tour services on tourist visas, allowing income to be collected through overseas payment platforms. Arrivals surging, revenue falling, he wrote, arguing more..

Feb 25 (AD) Second gunman involved in the recent shooting and killing of a lawyer and his wife in Akuregoda has been arrested by police. The suspect was arrested today (24) at Hulandawa in Monaragala, police said. The suspect was arrested during a special investigation conducted by the Monaragala Police. Accordingly, it is reported that the arrested suspect is currently being detained by the police for further questioning. Further investigations are being conducted through more..

Feb 25 (FT) Sri Lanka’s export sector has kicked off 2026 with highest January earnings in a decade, raking in over $ 1.53 billion in January, reflecting a solid 13.7% year-on-year (YoY) growth. The latest data showed that total merchandise exports shipped in January were up 10.66% YoY to over $ 1.16 billion, while estimated total service earnings in the month increased by 24.59% YoY to $ 367.55 million. more..

Feb 25 (DN) Sri Lanka team after suffered a huge loss against England in their Super Eights opener in Pallekele facing a must win situation in their second T-20 World Cup Super Eight game against New Zealand today at the R.Premadsa Stadium, commencing at 7 pm. Sri Lanka have strong batting line up but their inconsistency is a big issue and the team management has an idea to add extra batter either Charith Asalanka or Janith Liyanage to strengthen the batting line up. more..

Feb 25 (FT) In a remarkable feat for SL’s tourism sector, arrivals surpassed the half-a-million mark in just under two months of 2026, sparking optimism about meeting the ambitious target of 3 million visitors by the end of the year. Year-to-date (YTD), the country welcomed a total of 505,751 tourists, reflecting a 10.7% year-on-year (YoY) growth. During the first 22 days of February 228,424 visitors have arrived in the country, up 12% YoY amidst the ongoing Men’s T20 World Cup in Colombo. more..

Feb 25 (Island) In a campaign where Sri Lanka have been forced to reshuffle their deck more often than they would have liked, Dunith Wellalage has found himself tossed the new ball during the Power Play and the young all-rdnesday, it will have been eight days since their last competitive fixture, but in the face of their disastrous outing with the bat against England, it's Sri Lanka that might be feeling rather undercooked, and are in danger of being eliminated from a World Cup they are co-hosting. Make no qualms about it, SL enter this contest seeking a massive course correction. Despite a strong start to the tournament more..

Feb 25 (CI) The scene in Pallekele was a familiar one for those of SL persuasion, in fact probably one they wished they might have seen more frequently over the years: a lanky figure - perhaps one with a touch more muscle now than in the past - sprinting rhythmically towards the crease, that open-chested silhouette discernible even at a distance, the biomechanics tidy as ever, and the seam of the ball bolt upright like a student suddenly noticing the arrival of their headmaster. more..

Feb 25 (Island) Nearly five years after the catastrophic sinking of the X-Press Pearl, off SL’s western coast, the environmental scars remain visible — from contaminated beaches to disrupted fisheries. Now, that tragedy has become a rallying point for an international coalition of scientists, demanding urgent reforms to global maritime law. A group of leading researchers and environmental experts is calling on the IMO more..

Feb 25 (FT) Ambassadors-designate of Cuba, Qatar and Slovenia yesterday presented their Letters of Credence to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake at a ceremony held at the Prez Secretariat. The credentials were presented by Ambassador-designate of Cuba to SL Patricia Lázara Pego Guerra, resident in Colombo; Ambassador-designate of Qatar to SL Hamad Mohammed Abdullah Al-Sanad Al-Dosari, resident in Colombo; and Ambassador-designate of Slovenia to SL more..

Feb 25 (FT) Sri Lanka’s apparel and textile sector is forecast to generate $ 5.5 billion in export revenue this year, with authorities banking on new trade concessions and market access gains to drive growth. Export Development Board (EDB) Chairman and CEO Mangala Wijesinghe yesterday said 2026 is expected to mark a major transformation for the industry, leveraging on preferential market access and agreements, to create fresh opportunities to scale up value-added exports. more..