Mar 20 (FT) The unfolding disruptions caused by the Middle East crisis are impacting industries differently, business leaders weighed in yesterday. SL’s tourism sector is losing between $ 80-100 million a month due to cancellations triggered by the Middle East conflict, Hotels Association of SL (THASL) President Asoka Hettigoda said, as private sector leaders across apparel, tea, and rubber industries outlined more..

Mar 20 (FT) The Cabinet of Ministers this week approved a proposal to implement a Rs. 646 million grant-funded project aimed at strengthening post-review monitoring of industrial wastewater and improving data-driven environmental policymaking, with a special focus on the Kelani River. The initiative, spearheaded by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) in collaboration with the Uni of Moratuwa and Tohoku Uni, has received financial backing from the JICA more..

Mar 20 (DM) Energy security is a topic that has been discussed for years, if not decades. It is sensible for any govt, policymakers and independent analysts to engage in it. Indeed, reams have been written on the subject. Still, rhetoric has not been translated into action here, and Sri Lanka remains highly vulnerable to external shocks. With the Middle East war, triggered after the US-Israel attack on Iran, continuing to rage, Sri Lanka - which entirely imports its fuel requirements more..

Mar 20 (Island) US Prez Donald Trump, driven by his MAGA dream, may have expected the bombing of Iran to scare the rival world powers, but the explosions in the Gulf have apparently shaken Washington instead. The Pentagon has asked for more than USD 200 billion from the White House for its war on Iran. Trump is now left with no alternative but to keep on pouring tax money into an endless war, much to the consternation of the public at home, with midterm elections due in Nov '26. more..

Mar 20 (ST) With the West Asian conflict swirling around us, in addition to other distractions, some serious stuff confronting sections of the population seems to have been conveniently put on the back burner. One such issue is the Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Act 2026 passed in Parliament on March 4, which Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Anil Jayantha has said is aimed at protecting borrowers from exploitation and to ensure financial stability. more..

Mar 20 (TM) On the invitation of India, Iran (IRI) despatched a three-ship flotilla to the Indian Ocean where the IRI Ship IRIS Dena was to participate in India’s International Fleet Review at Visakhapatnam (Vizag) in Bay of Bengal (BoB) on 18 Feb. Thereafter, the ship was engaged in the 13th edition of the annual Naval exercise of the Indian Navy called MILAN 2026 from 18-25 Feb. As per the event web page, 74 countries participated more..

Mar 20 (CT) Had the Omayyad soldiers led by Abdul Rahman won at the Battle of Tours against the Carolingian troops under Charles Martel in 732, speculated Edward Gibbon in his multi-volume Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, the Arabian fleet might have sailed without a naval combat into the mouth of the Thames. Perhaps the interpretation of the Koran would now be taught in the schools of Oxford, and her pulpit might demonstrate to a circumcised people the sanctity and truth more..

Mar 20 (DM) Story of the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee in 1939 remains one of the most cited lessons in the law of neutrality. During her commerce-raiding mission in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean between Sept and Dec 1939, Graf Spee sank nine merchant ships totalling over 50,000 GRT. Her actions forced the British to deploy multiple hunting groups across vast oceans, culminating in the Battle of the River Plate, where British cruisers HMS Exeter, HMS Ajax & HMNZS Achilles more..

Mar 20 (DM) To commemorate the 30th anniversary of SL’s historic 1996 ICC Cricket World Cup victory, and to mark the signing of a MOU between the Sri Lanka Cricket Foundation (SLCF) and Indira Cancer Trust (ICT), a ceremony was held on March 17 at the Indira Cancer Trust premises in Maharagama Set against this historic backdrop, MOU was signed to establish a partnership and give hope to children enduring critical illnesses more..

Mar 20 (GV) Although SL’s civil war ended almost 17 years ago, many issues facing the minority Tamil community in the North are still unaddressed including putting in place a genuine power sharing mechanism, heavy militarisation, large tracts of land remaining in the hands of the military, drug use and unemployment of youth and the taking over of Hindu religious sites in the name of Buddhism. While the NPP secured a significant proportion of the Northern vote at the prez and parliamentary elections more..

Mar 20 (Island) Today marks a truly historic and momentous occasion in the realm of transdisciplinary diplomacy in our country. We gather here with a twofold purpose of profound national and global significance: the establishment of the Science Diplomacy Forum, and the launch of the volume Science Diplomacy: National, Regional and Global Approaches in a Changing World. This volume brings together valuable and timely contributions from internationally renowned experts more..

Mar 19 (AFP) Sri Lanka reintroduced a system designed to ration fuel purchases as the Middle East war strained supplies, but a link shared in posts urging users to sign up for the National Fuel Pass does not point to the govt's official registration website. State-run CPC told AFP the link is fake, while an information technology official warned the site was being used by scammers to steal personal information. "Govt of SL has decided to release fuel only to those who have a QR code. more..

Mar 19 (BU) Sri Lanka’s digital ID rollout will occur in phases, with measurable security, privacy, and performance standards to build confidence through demonstrated results rather than assumptions. Sri Lanka is moving forward with the SL Unique Digital Identity (SLUDI) project, designed to create a biometric-based foundational digital ID. Nationwide rollout is scheduled for the third quarter of this year. Publishing clear commitments concerning the ID’s functions, data protection measures, more..

Mar 19 (AD) Court of Appeal of SL has directed both parties to consider the possibility of reaching an amicable settlement in the petition filed by former Deputy Secretary General of Parliament, Chaminda Kularatne, challenging his suspension from duty. The Court of Appeal issued this order today instructing the parties involved to consider the possibility of reaching an amicable settlement in the petition and to inform court more..

Mar 19 (DM) Fuel prices in Sri Lanka are likely to rise once more by the end of this month or early next month, according to informed sources at the CPC. Officials indicated that the upcoming increase could surpass the recent hike, driven primarily by higher import duties resulting from the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. In addition to fluctuations in the global oil market, rising shipping costs and insurance premiums are expected to contribute significantly to the price adjustment. more..

Mar 19 (EN) US businessman and Special Envoy Sergio Gor has met with Prez Anura Dissanayake. “Special Envoy Sergio Gor met with Prez Dissanayake and discussed deepening our trade relationship through U.S. business investments, commercial deals, and the expansion of Sri Lanka’s ports sector,” US Embassy said. Gor is the US special envoy to South and Central Asia, in addition to US ambassador to India. He is set to meet with senior leaders, the embassy said, more..

Mar 19 (OMAAT) It has been a wild few weeks for global aviation, particularly for airlines based in the Middle East. For many years, carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways have been transporting passengers traveling across the globe, and their success with this has largely been due to the safe image these destinations have. Suffice it to say that recent times have really challenged that. We’ve seen Gulf carriers frequently have to more..

Mar 19 (DN) MP Ravi Karunanayake stated that former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has undergone surgery. He said the surgery had been completed successfully and wished the former President a speedy recovery. “At this moment, I must mention that as we speak, Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe has undergone surgery. It has been completed successfully. We wish him a speedy recovery,” he said. Wickremesinghe left for Singapore on March 16 on a private visit. more..

Mar 19 (ORF) Sri Lanka is located just off the Southern tip of India, with its southern coast located approximately 20 to 50 km from a very busy shipping route that has 60 to 70% of oil shipments from the Middle East passing through it. It is a major transhipment hub and has deep-water ports, including Colombo, Trincomalee, and the Chinese-leased and operated Hambantota Port, which gives the country significant geopolitical importance. SL underwent economic & political convulsions more..

Mar 19 (Island) MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam has come under criticism after filing legal complaints, under the controversial Online Safety Act (OSA), against Tamil media organisations, journalists and social media users, despite previously warning that the law could be used to suppress the freedom of expression. The complaints have sparked renewed debate over the Online Safety Act and raised concerns about the growing use of sweeping cyber laws to target journalists and political critics. more..

Mar 19 (Island) Senior Professor Wasantha Athukorala of the Department of Economics at the Uni of Peradeniya, said that special weekly day off conserve the country’s energy, amidst the current situation, should not be treated as an ordinary holiday. Instead, it should have been designated as a Work-from-Home day for all public servants to carry out their duties from home, under the supervision of their respective heads of institutions. The professor pointed out more..

Mar 19 (Island) Jaffna Magistrate’s Court has directed that the third phase of excavation at the Chemmani mass grave commence on 20 April. Case was taken up for hearing last week before Magistrate Lenin Kumar, who issued a series of directives aimed at preparing the site for renewed excavation work. Court instructed the Nallur PS to clean up the site, under the direct supervision of the JMO, to ensure proper conditions for more..

Mar 19 (DM) The modernization of the Bambalapitiya Railway Station commenced today under a public-private partnership, with significant financial backing from the Dawoodi Bohra community. The project, implemented under the Dream Destination program of the Clean Sri Lanka initiative, aims to upgrade key railway infrastructure to ensure a safer and more comfortable experience for passengers. An estimated Rs. 60 million has been allocated for Bambalapitiya upgrade, more..

Mar 19 (AD) Sri Lanka has been ranked among the least happy countries globally, with the island nation’s rankling dropping one place to 134th, according to the World Happiness Report 2026, published on Thursday. With an average life evaluation score of 4.013, SL is only ahead of 13 other countries in the index, including nations such as Ethiopia, Tanzania, Lebanon, Yemen and Afghanistan. In comparison, SL was ranked 133rd in 2025 and 128th in 2024 while more..

Mar 19 (Island) A salary increase in the range of 15 to 20% is currently under discussion within the CEB, though no official decision has yet been taken, The Island reliably learns. A senior electrical engineer who is is privy to ongoing salary negotiations, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the proposal had been put forward as a reasonable and necessary measure, rather than a rigid demand, in light of the prolonged delay more..

Mar 19 (NW) The Civil Society Collective for Malaiyaha Reconstruction has presented a 15‑point set of demands to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, urging urgent action to address the plight of Hill Country Tamil families affected by Cyclone Ditwah. The collective highlights that months after the disaster, hundreds of families remain in temporary shelters, unsafe houses, and dilapidated plantation buildings, with little clarity on resettlement or land release. more..

Mar 19 (NW) Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena has dismissed claims that SL lacks funds to import fuel, stating that such assertions are misleading. A single shipment of diesel brings in between 35,000–40,000 metric tonnes (MT), while the country’s average daily diesel consumption stands at 4,500–5,000 MT. Of this, the maximum requirement for electricity generation is only 500 MT, about 10% of daily usage. He explained that if one shipment were allocated solely for electricity generation, more..

Mar 19 (AD) A businessman has been arrested in the Meegaswewa area of Polonnaruwa for illegally hoarding 604 litres of petrol without a valid license. The arrested suspect, a 70-year-old owner of a retail shop, was apprehended yesterday, following information received by Meegaswewa Police. Suspect reportedly had been collecting petrol stocks from fuel stations in the area during the past few days. Police suspect that the fuel was being hoarded to be sold at higher prices during shortages. more..

Mar 19 (FT) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) said a decision on the proposed electricity tariff revision will be announced within the month, following the conclusion of public consultations held across the country, with the final session taking place in the Western Province at the BMICH yesterday. The review relates to a proposal submitted by the CEB to increase tariffs by 13.56% for the April to June 2026 period, citing a projected revenue shortfall of Rs. 15.8 billion. more..

Mar 19 (AD) SL Banks’ Association (SLBA) has assured the public that banks will continue to operate on all five weekdays as an essential service, despite the temporary measures introduced to conserve fuel and energy resources. Accordingly, banks will remain open from Monday to Friday, including Wednesdays, with operations on Wednesdays limited to the hours of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Customers will therefore continue to have more..

Mar 19 (NW) SL migrant workers in Lebanon, many employed as domestic helpers under strict conditions, have used their only day off to prepare and distribute food to families displaced into tents and the streets. Despite earning modest wages and living within employer households, the workers pooled small savings from their salaries to buy rice, cheese, onions, and water. They cooked meals together before distributing them across Beirut to those affected by Israeli occupation attacks. more..

Mar 19 (EN) 23 Sri Lankan nationals, including children, in Southern Lebanon have been evacuated to safer areas amidst Israel’s attacks on the Dahiyeh suburb in Beirut, officials from the SL embassy in Lebanon said. The 23 nationals, workers in Southern Beirut, have been given temporary shelter and dry rations by the embassy and local Christian churches. No requests for repatriation to Sri Lanka have been made by the evacuated workers so far. Inquiries for evacuation, however, more..