Mar 2 (TM) In the wake of artificial shortages caused by widespread panic buying across the country, Deputy Minister Akram Ilyas warned that the Govt may be compelled to reintroduce a QR code-based rationing system if panic buying persists. Long queues have been observed at filling stations over the last two days, with motorists predominantly purchasing petrol. This rush continued despite repeated assurances from more..

Mar 2 (Island) If you are late for work and fancy beating every red light on Galle Road to clock in on time, you are chasing a mirage. Try the same stunt on Baseline Road and you will learn soon enough that Colombo traffic plays by its own rules. Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign was much the same. When you are ranked eighth in the world and expect to waltz into the semi-finals, that is wishful thinking. And as the old saying goes, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. more..

Mar 2 (DM) Students Visa (TSV) hosted EduFest 2026, SL’s Premier Study Abroad Expo at the Hilton Colombo recently. EduFest 2026 brought together over 40 international university representatives from leading institutions across the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Finland and Sweden, providing SL students and parents with direct access to global higher education opportunities under one roof. With the participation of over 350 students and parents, the exhibition successfully simplified more..

Mar 2 (DN) Medin Full Moon commemorates one of the most emotionally charged and spiritually significant events in the life of the Buddha, his first return to Kapilavastu after Enlightenment. This homecoming was more than a reunion between a son and his royal family. It became a moment of reconciliation, emotional healing, and psychological transformation. Pride softened, grief found expression, desire was understood, and restless minds were guided toward insight. more..

Mar 2 (DM) Former Sri Lanka fast-bowling legend Lasith Malinga has called on cricket fans to remain patient and continue supporting the national team, insisting that another ICC World Cup triumph is within reach. In a heartfelt Facebook post, Malinga reflected on Sri Lanka’s historic cricket journey since winning their first World Cup in 1996. He said that while the country experienced early exits in some tournaments and suffered heartbreak after losing in four World Cup finals, more..

Mar 2 (TM) SLC is currently monitoring the evolving situation in the Middle East ahead of SL’s white-ball series against Afghanistan in the UAE, its CEO Ashley de Silva said. SL’s ODI and T20 squads are scheduled to leave Colombo on 10 March, to feature in a 3-match T20I series from 13 to 17 March in Sharjah, after which they are to contest a three-match ODI series from 20 to 25 March in Dubai, as per ICC future tours programme. more..

Mar 2 (Island) Sri Lanka wakes each morning to wings. From the liquid whistle of a magpie robin in a garden hedge to the distant circling silhouette of an eagle above a forest canopy, birds define the rhythm of the island’s days. Their colours ignite the imagination; their calls stir memory; their presence offers reassurance that nature still breathes alongside humanity. For conservation biologist Rajika Gamage, these winged lives are more than fleeting beauty—they are a lifelong calling. more..

Mar 2 (ST) A ten-point joint declaration made at a Maha Sangha Convention in Colombo at the All-Ceylon Buddhist Congress earlier this month at which the NPP Govt was called upon to take measures to protect Buddhism in Sri Lanka has raised more questions than answers. Govt called upon to prevent hostility against monks. Particularly, the tenth point in this declaration by an assembly of Buddhist monks, (first touted to be massive in numbers but which claim more..

Mar 2 (Island) We are witnessing a new world order that is anything but rules-based. US has once again demonstrated that might is right. Big powers have placed themselves above international law and reduced the UN to a mere spectator. US Prez Donald Trump has graduated from abductions to assassinations in dealing for foreign leaders he considers hostile. The US and Israel seem to think they have succeeded in engineering a regime collapse in Iran by assassinating Supreme more..

Mar 2 (CT) Forty years ago, when I asked for my right to study, my family did not beat or kill me. Instead, they married me to the Quran — a symbolic punishment meant to end education without bloodshed. I was just 16 and continued to resist. My parents disowned me and sent me to live with my elder sister, who already had two young daughters and more responsibility than she could afford. They did not kill me. But they tried to kill my passion for education. That, too, is how honour works. more..

Mar 2 (CT) Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd (LCC), on behalf of the Standing High Level Procurement Committee (SHLPC) of the Ministry of Energy, has invited registered coal suppliers to submit bids for the emergency supply of 300,000 MT (±10%) of coal for the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant or the Norachcholai coal plant for the 2025–2026 period. The procurement, listed under EP No. LCC/25-26/EP/1, has been initiated as more..

Mar 2 (CT) Darius III was the last emperor of the Achaemenid dynasty, dethroned by Alexander the Great. With his fall, the Great Persian Empire—the heart of the Aryan world—ceased to be the dominant global power for centuries to come. Alexander the Great was no modern man; he was a titan of the ancient world, representing the very womb from which Western civilization eventually emerged. While Persia/Iran no longer seeks the role of a sole military conqueror, it maintains world-power more..

Mar 2 (DM) Coal is a curious thing, a dull black lump of carbon pulled from the earth. It is dirty, so dirty that even the cleanest hands turn black at a touch. Yet coal has a stubborn nature. It is inefficient. Rs. 7.67 billion Lost on Substandard Fuel: Opposition demands minister’s removal as quality failures expose systematic procurement manipulation. JVP-NPP govt faces mounting pressure over a massive coal procurement scandal that has cost the state Rs. 7.67 b, with all 8 shipments of imported coal more..

Mar 2 (TM) Govt Analyst’s Department has been grappling with a severe staff shortage, resulting in significant delays and practical difficulties in improving the dept’s performance. According to the AG’s report for the 2024 financial year, the Auditor General was informed that nearly 64% of the total number of case materials submitted had been analysed during the year. However, almost one-third of the approved staff positions in more..

Mar 2 (DM) Discrimination is treating one person or a group worse than others. One should realise and accept the fact that it is not justifiable to treat one person or a group of persons as worse or inferior than another, as everyone has equal rights for liberty, equality and fraternity in the face of law. Hence, no one or any group should be discriminated against on any grounds. The United Nations first celebrated the Zero Discrimination Day on March 1, 2014. more..

Mar 2 (TM) Rising tensions in the Middle East are not a distant geopolitical drama for SL. They have direct consequences for our people and for our economy. At a time when the country is still recovering from the worst economic crisis in its history, even external tremors can have serious implications. The need of the hour is not panic, but preparedness and realism. More than 1 million Sri Lankans live and work across the Middle East, particularly in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar more..

Mar 1 (ST) Those in the ruling JVP-led NPP have been talking of finding the spectral mastermind (maha molakaru) behind the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks for many months now. It began during the election trail in 2024 with the promises made in its election manifesto to ‘expose all information related to murders, including the Easter Sunday attacks, to take appropriate legal action against the politicians and public more..

Mar 1 (SO) CPC Chairperson D.J.S. Rajakaruna allayed public fears of a possible fuel shortage following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, saying SL has sufficient stocks. He said reports had reached the CPC that residents in Northern and Eastern Provinces were panicking amid concerns that the escalating Middle East crisis could disrupt fuel supplies. “There is no reason for the public to panic,” Chairman said. “We currently have adequate stocks, and several fuel shipments are more..

Mar 1 (TM) No significant decline has been observed in vehicle imports thus far this year, as the total annual value of Letters of Credit (LCs) opened for vehicle imports is expected to reach levels close to those recorded in 2025, the Deputy Minister of Trade reveals. Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security R.M. Jayawardana stated that, unlike last year, no specific target had been set for the volume of LCs to be opened for the purpose of importing vehicles into the country. more..

Mar 1 (TM) The GMOA yesterday threatened to expand its trade union action by withdrawing from ‘Arogya’ clinics from tomorrow (2), citing a lack of response from the Govt to its demands. The unanimous decision to withdraw from the ‘Arogya’ project had been taken by the GMOA’s Central Committee last Wednesday (25). The GMOA said that it had repeatedly called for solutions to issues affecting medical officers and clarity on more..

Mar 1 (TM) Following discussions held yesterday among CEB trade unions on the Govt’s response to eight specific demands concerning the restructuring process of the board, the CEB Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) has announced that further union action will be launched on Tuesday (3). With the date for the CEB’s proposed liquidation having been deferred due to the postponement of its restructuring process, a discussion held on 16 Feb between trade union representatives and the CEB Chairman more..

Mar 1 (TM) The Govt’s newly launched ‘Himikama’ (ownership) freehold land deed programme, aimed at converting long-standing permit and grant lands into absolute ownership, has received 76,000 applications through the eState Land Information and Management System (eSLIM), with authorities expecting between 40,000 and 45,000 to qualify during the initial six-month phase. The programme was formally inaugurated on Friday in Anuradhapura under patronage of Prez Anura Kumara more..

Mar 1 (NF) Nimal Bandara, SL’s Ambassador to Israel, says all Sri Lankans in the country are safe. Ambassador stated that Sri Lankans residing in Israel have been provided with the necessary safety instructions amid the current situation. He further noted that in case of an emergency, Sri Lankans can contact the Embassy of SL in Israel on 00972 9305731. Director General of the ministry of foreign affairs Thushara Rodrigo said that Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in close contact with more..

Mar 1 (DM) A monk from Pilimatalawa, alleged to have fraudulently obtained money by falsely posing as the Deputy Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship and claiming that relief would be provided to entrepreneurs affected by the Ditwah cyclone, was arrested by the Central Crime Investigation Bureau and produced before court. It is alleged that the suspect falsely represented himself as the Deputy Minister and promised relief assistance to businesspersons affected by more..

Mar 1 (ST) SL’s senior citizen interest scheme’s landscape has shifted from direct government-funded high-interest subsidies toward a model of targeted social welfare and the settlement of past financial obligations. The specialised 3% extra interest scheme for senior citizens, which was one of the cornerstones of the 2025 Budget, has closed its enrollment period on Dec 31, 2025 and being discounted in 2026. If a senior citizen more..

Mar 1 (ST) The govt has accelerated the structured disbursement of reconstruction capital and oversight of large-scale infrastructure projects making use of the money raised by the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund on the directions and the supervision of the 7-member Management Committee The committee operates as a statutory body under the Presidential Secretariat. It is a collaborative group featuring both high-level govt officials and prominent business figures. more..

Mar 1 (IANS) The arrest of SL’s former Intelligence chief, Retired Major-General Suresh Sallay is a turning point in the investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 279 people. The move was a bold one taken by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake who won the presidency in 2024. He had promised that all persons involved in the attack would be brought to justice. Sallay was made State Intelligence Service (SIS) chief in 2019 after Gotabaya Rajapaksa became President. more..

Mar 1 (EN) SL’s construction sector activity spiked in Jan 2026, registering a value of 75.0, up from the previous month’s 67.1, on a Purchasing Managers Index compiled by the central bank. This was the index’ second-highest reading on record after the peak of 75.7 in July 2020, CBSL said. Firms reported increased project activity during the month, driven by the commencement of new projects in the new year, the central bank said. SL has also commenced reconstruction work after more..

Mar 1 (AD) Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (Ceypetco) has announced a revision of fuel prices effective from midnight today (28). Accordingly, the price of Auto Diesel has been increased by Rs. 4 to Rs. 281 per litre, and the price of Super Diesel has been increased by Rs. 6 to Rs. 329 per litre. Meanwhile, the price of Petrol 92 Octane has also been increased by Rs. 1 to Rs. 293 per litre. However, there will be no change in the prices of Kerosene and Petrol 95 Octane, the CPC said. more..

Mar 1 (TM) The Govt has activated emergency response mechanisms and suspended outbound flights to the Middle East following a sharp escalation of military hostilities in the region, as nearly one million Sri Lankans living and working there face growing uncertainty. The Govt’s emergency measures follow a major escalation in regional conflict after the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran in an operation named Operation Epic Fury yesterday. more..

Mar 1 (DM) Department of Immigration and Emigration has announced a special concession for foreign nationals stranded in Sri Lanka following the cancellation of Middle East–bound flights effective from February 28, 2026. The Controller General of Immigration and Emigration stated that passengers who are unable to depart the country within the validity period of their visas due to the flight suspensions may face legal and administrative difficulties. To mitigate these challenges, more..

Mar 1 (SO) Nemindu Akmeemana hit a solid century and Osanda Pamuditha hammered a fighting half century as Nalanda College made a strong reply on the second day of their 96th Battle of the Maroons Inter-School Big Match against traditional rivals Ananda College, which continued at the SSC Grounds in Maitland Place yesterday. The pair came together at a vital stage of the innings when the Nalandians were in a spot of bother and were under some kind of pressure after having lost 3 wickets for 62 runs more..