Mar 7 (SO) SL Navy said last week that, after bringing On Board Security Team (OBST) facilitation under full State control, it completed 404 operations between Oct 3, 2025 and Feb 25, 2026, earning more than USD 598,000 in foreign exchange credited to the Govt’s Consolidated Fund. The Navy said the service includes the supervised storage and transfer of weapons used by these teams on merchant vessels. more..

Mar 7 (FT) In moments of geopolitical tension, the conduct of states is often measured not merely by their declarations, but by the calmness and clarity of their actions under pressure. SL’s decision to disembark the crew of the Iranian vessel Bushehr at Colombo Port while transferring the vessel to Trincomalee reflects precisely such a moment of strategic maturity. At first glance, the move appears humanitarian. At a deeper level, however, it represents a carefully calibrated decision more..

Mar 7 (DM) Two weeks ago, hundreds of Buddhist monks descended on Colombo to protest against the alleged govt disrespect of the religion and the clergy. There are three ways to view the Maha Sanga Convention– the first salvo of the Buddhist clergy, or at least an influential section within it, against the govt. The first, and most convenient, approach is to term it an effort by a section of monks to revive the declining fortunes of the Rajapaksa dynasty. In many ways, it sounds convincing, more..

Mar 7 (TM) SL’s long-standing promise of free education is once again under scrutiny, as parents across the country complain of increasing financial demands from Govt schools, despite repeated assurances from authorities that such collections are not permitted. From annual school development fees of nearly Rs. 10,000 per student to Rs. 15,000 collections for smart boards and digital classrooms, parents say more..

Mar 7 (DM) SL Govt facing multiple issues that have stemmed from the missile attack by US and Israeli forces on Iran on Feb 28 and the latter’s retaliation targeting Israel and the US bases in nine countries in the Middle East that has now grown into a regional war. It was the US and Israel that started the attacks while the negotiations between the US and Iranian representatives in Oman on the Iranian nuclear programme were ongoing. The two countries did the same in June last year as well while more..

Mar 7 (CT) Second anniversaries of the Prez and Parliamentary polls are fast approaching. A major promise by NPP was the eradication of corruption and waste. The opposition has set about taunting the Govt for its failure to rope in the major perpetrators, and has only trapped some sprats, while the major sharks are romping around. This is not fair and the Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has plausibly explained that 75* years of laxity and nurture of criminals cannot be cleared in just 2 years. more..

Mar 6 (AD) The proposal for the extension of the State of Public Emergency has been approved by the Parliament, by a majority of 100 votes. A total of 108 members voted in favor of the proposal and 8 opposition members voted against it, this evening. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramanayake informed Parliament that the proposal under Section 81 of the Public Security Act was approved. Meanwhile, the proposal under the Essential Public Services Act was also passed as presented. more..

Mar 6 (NW) SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa has welcomed President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s decision to allow the Iranian vessel IRIS Bushehr to enter local waters and dock at Trincomalee Port, while bringing its 208 crew members to Colombo on humanitarian grounds. “This is a timely move that reflects Sri Lanka’s commitment to humanitarian obligations under international law,” Rajapaksa said, stressing the importance of maintaining neutrality in the ongoing conflict. more..

Mar 6 (TM) Committee for Protecting the Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) organisation said that it is planning to lodge a complaint with the CID alleging bias in court proceedings involving the Police, following a series of incidents where individuals allegedly died from shootings while in Police custody. Committee Convenor Sudesh Silva alleged that the Police are attempting to suppress the investigation into the murder of more..

Mar 6 (TM) High Commissioner Yasoja Gunasekera officially handed over the Commission of Appointment to Dimuthu Samaranayake, who has been appointed as the Honorary Consul for SL in Adelaide, with jurisdiction covering South Australia. The ceremony was held at the Sri Lankan High Commission in Canberra. According to the HC, Samaranayake is a seasoned project management professional in the mining sector and has been actively involved in various SL community more..

Mar 6 (DM) In the backdrop of an Iranian warship sinking off in SL’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) after a U.S. submarine attack, former Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha said it was thankfully that Sri Lanka had not signed the Status of Force Agreement with the U.S. despite many people advocating for it at that time. A SOFA is an international treaty that defines the legal rights, privileges, and obligations of foreign military personnel operating in a host country. more..

Mar 6 (TM) Deputy Minister Anton Jayakody said the Govt is considering de-designating areas within gazetted forest reserves in the N&E Provinces where hospitals, schools and other public institutions are located, in a move aimed at resolving long-standing land disputes. He said the move would not affect overall forest density, as new forest areas are being gazetted under govt’s Wanaspathi programme. more..

Mar 6 (NW) Minister Ramaligam Chandrasekar has ordered an immediate investigation into the boat accident reported in Jaffna, directing the SL Navy and all relevant agencies to determine the causes of the tragedy. Minister extended condolences to the families of the victims and assured them that the govt will provide relief and support. He also requested a comprehensive report on whether the vessel was seaworthy, if passenger limits were exceeded, and whether maritime safety more..

Mar 6 (DM) A recent survey has revealed that the retirement of police officers due to the burden of work has been increasing and that it affected the police service. DIG Renuka Jayasundara said the retirement of officers at the age of 55 has increased and that it created a shortage of officers. Addressing the District Coordinating Committee, the DIG pointed out that several officers have been recommended for light duty on medical grounds and that they should be subject to further medical examinations. more..

Mar 6 (AD) Colombo High Court has ordered the case filed against former Minister Johnston Fernando and two others, over deploying of Sathosa employees for political activities, be called again for further examination of evidence on March 18, 2026. The case was taken up today before Colombo High Court Judge Mohamed Mihal, Ada Derana reported. Former Minister Johnston Fernando and former Operational Director of Sathosa, Mohamed Shakir, who are currently in remand custody more..

Mar 6 (NW) SL Police have instructed all police stations to monitor businesses involved in the import, sale and repair of drones and their spare parts amid concerns over potential threats to national security. Police Headquarters said the move comes amid concerns that drones or unmanned aerial vehicles could be used to gather sensitive information related to national security or to carry out possible terrorist attacks. olice noted that the import, trade and operation of drones in SL more..

Mar 6 (TM) Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara, announced that the appointment of Justices of the Peace (JPs) will no longer be based on political considerations. He explained that a new mechanism has been established to handle complaints regarding JPs, and a system is being developed to compile data on all JPs across the country. This database will enable verification of an individual’s status as a Justice of the Peace more..

Mar 6 (NW) U.S. Embassy in Colombo has clarified that a recent social media post regarding U.S. citizens in SL was not a travel alert or advisory, after several media outlets reported it as such. The embassy said the post was a routine message intended to remind U.S. citizen travelers in SL that the government had issued visa extensions and to provide information on how the embassy could assist Americans facing issues such as visa expirations or flight cancellations. more..

Mar 6 (DM) Global shipping costs have started to rise following the Israel-US conflict in Iran as the Strait of Hormuz being closed by the Iranian authorities for passing ships containing all sorts of trade to Asia. Sri Lanka’s import and export sector will also bear the brunt of rising shipping costs as insurance for ships increase and route changes incur more delays, an official from the Essential Food Commodities Importers and Traders Association said. more..

Mar 6 (Island) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) has warned of a possible risk of power cuts due to the use of inferior quality coal affecting generation capacity at the Lakvijaya Power Plant, according to a recent commission report. PUCSL said the risk to the continuous electricity supply was assessed based on the peak demand forecast submitted by the CEB for 2026. Analysis assumed that hydropower plants more..

Mar 6 (Island) Library facilities at Uni of Peradeniya have been suspended, with main libraries across seven faculties remaining closed, disrupting academic activities of students. Libraries in the Faculties of Medicine, Science, Agriculture, and several other faculties are among those affected by the closure, leaving students preparing for examinations in a state of distress. Many students have reportedly been forced to continue their academic work outdoors, including under more..

Mar 6 (DM) The Sri Lankan Meteorology Department has issued an official advisory warning of a significant rise in the heat index today (6), particularly affecting Sabaragamuwa Province and several nearby districts. The advisory includes a colour-coded map and table outlining potential health risks, ranging from fatigue and dehydration to more severe conditions such as heat stroke. Officials are urging residents to take precautions to prevent heat-related illnesses. more..

Mar 6 (NW) SL’s official reserve assets have surpassed the USD 7 billion mark for the first time since Aug 2020. At the end of Feb 2026, reserves stood at USD 7,284 million, reflecting a 6.6% increase compared to USD 6,832 million in January. Bulk of the reserves came from foreign exchange holdings, which rose from USD 6,687 million to USD 7,057 million during the month. CB’s gold reserves also recorded a sharp rise, climbing 83.4% from US$ 109m in Jan to US$ 200m in Feb. more..

Mar 6 (DM) CIABOC has filed indictments before the Colombo High Court against former Deputy Procurement Manager of Lanka Fertilizer Company Limited and present Minister of Power, Kumara Jayakody, over an alleged act of corruption. The indictments state that while serving as the Deputy Procurement Manager of the company in 2016, the accused had allegedly caused an unlawful profit and benefit to a private company through a carpet contract relating to the warehouse premises more..

Mar 6 (ST) As illegal development activity on Mandaitivu linked to the Jaffna International Cricket Stadium of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) was halted by the country’s environmental watchdog, a powerful call went out from conservationists to cancel the project forthwith, as it was the worst site, with a disastrous fallout economically, environmentally and on the livelihoods of people living there. “Find an alternative area more..

Mar 6 (EN) SL has officially set March 9, 2026, as the date for the full implementation of the SL Electricity Act, No. 36 of 2024, paving the way for the structural unbundling of the state-run CEB. In an Extraordinary Gazette issued on Thursday, Minister of Energy Punya Sri Kumara Jayakodi announced that the provisions of the new act will come into operation next Monday (9). The move follows the completion of several key milestones required for the power sector transition, including more..

Mar 6 (NW) Presidential Task Force for Rebuilding Sri Lanka convened yesterday (at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of PM Harini Amarasuriya, during which extensive discussions were held on nationwide recovery and reconstruction efforts following Cyclone Ditwah. Task Force, established to coordinate relief, rehabilitation, and long-term development, reviewed the progress of the Rebuilding Sri Lanka initiative and foreign assistance received for the dedicated fund. more..

Mar 6 (RT) Sri Lanka sees potential BRICS membership as strategically appealing, PM Harini Amarasuriya has told RT India in an exclusive interview. The island nation, which is recovering from an economic and humanitarian crisis that plunged the nation into chaos in 2022, sees the bloc as a platform to spur its economic growth, Amarasuriya said. “We are a small country. If we want to meet the targets we have set for ourselves in terms more..

Mar 6 (EN) Sri Lanka’s debt is on a sustainable trajectory, the finance ministry secretary told an investor call regarding several series of international bonds issued by the govt. “The completion of the debt restructuring has placed Sri Lanka’s debt on a sustainable trajectory, below the targets set by the IMF DSA,” Harshana Suriyapperuma was quoted as saying in the presentation. Sri Lanka scheduled the investor call to present the Debt Report and relevant fiscal and other developments. more..

Mar 6 (NW) A mobile cold storage unit valued at Rs. 2.2 million has been donated by the Galle business community to the National Hospital in Galle to assist in storing the bodies of victims recovered from the Iranian vessel incident off SL. The donation was made after authorities faced difficulties storing the large number of bodies recovered following the maritime tragedy, as the hospital’s existing mortuary capacity was insufficient. Iranian authorities are expected to repatriate the bodies to Iran. more..

Mar 6 (FT) Assessing the rights and wrongs of war or making prognostications on the outcome may entertain. But an analysis of SL’s strengths and position in the world will make it evident that SL cannot influence or shape the events unleashed by Netanyahu-Trump. We can only try to understand them, develop scenarios, and work to minimise the negative impacts on our citizens. The last time Sri Lanka had to evacuate citizens from a conflict zone, we had to rely on the kindness of India. more..

Mar 6 (FT) On 22 July 2025, the SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) gave an undertaking before the Supreme Court of SL to recruit and operationalise a Special Enforcement Unit within three months to act against unregistered, unlicenced tour guides and operators. The commitment was clear: existing law would be enforced. SLTDA Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam, thereafter reiterated in an article published in the Daily Mirror on 19 Oct 2025 that SLTDA more..