Jan 15 (DN) Two match officials from SL, Graeme Labrooy and Prageeth Rambukwella, will officiate at the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, which begins today in Zimbabwe and Namibia and continues until Feb 6. Prageeth Rambukwella, a member of the ICC International Umpires Panel, is the only SL umpire in the 17-member panel for the U-19 World Cup. He has already officiated in 8 ODIs, 28 T20 Internationals, 1 Test match, 13 Women’s ODIs, and 7 Women’s T20 Internationals. more..

Jan 15 (DN) The ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, featuring 16 teams divided into four groups, will commence today and run until February 6 in Namibia and Zimbabwe. The tournament gets underway today with three matches. India will face the USA in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Hosts Zimbabwe will take on Scotland in Harare, while Tanzania will meet the West Indies in Windhoek, Namibia. SL, led by Vimath Dinsara, are drawn in Group A alongside Ireland, Japan, defending champs Australia. more..

Jan 15 (TM) Board of Investment (BOI) has refuted the claim that Chinese investor Amber Adventures has exited the Rs. 5 billion worth Ambuluwawa cable car project, as both entities are awaiting the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, and the Central Environmental Authority to present substantiated environmental concerns, BOI Media Director Leslie Uduwavidane said. “If they are pulling out, they should officially inform us. more..

Jan 15 (FT) SriLankan Airlines has unveiled a landmark int'l branding initiative to promote the Colombo Nawam Maha Perahera 2026, one of the country’s most iconic religious and cultural festivals. The initiative is showcased on an Airbus A320neo, transforming the aircraft into a flying ambassador of SL’s living heritage. Through a specially designed aircraft livery, SriLankan Airlines now carries the prestige, spirituality, and cultural identity of the Nawam Maha Perahera across more..

Jan 15 (FT) Govt has rolled out a series of policy and financing reforms aimed at easing longstanding credit bottlenecks faced by entrepreneurs, as part of a broader push to strengthen industrial development and shift the country towards a production-based economy. In a statement outlining key policy priorities, Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe announced that limited access to capital, particularly debt financing, has been one of the most critical challenges hindering entrepreneurship. more..

Jan 15 (FT) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa has announced that the Govt has granted approval for the recruitment of over 100,000 individuals into the public service since assuming office. He said all recruitments were carried out under the supervision of a special committee headed by the Secretary to the PM, established to oversee and rationalise public sector hiring. “Unlike in the past, where recruitments were often made more..

Jan 15 (FT) Shaking off two previous muted trading sessions, Colombo stock market yesterday posted a strong recovery, gaining over Rs. 37 billion in value and the ASPI ending on an all-time high. The ASPI closed 0.43% on the up, gaining 100.90 points to close on a new high at 23,708.70, surpassing the previous benchmark set on 12 Nov 2025 of 23,659.70 points. Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) in a statement said the milestone reflects robust investor confidence across the market, more..

Jan 15 (DM) SL’s apparel industry stepped up its push into the UK market this week, leveraging the newly secured duty-free access as the exporters showcased the manufacturing depth and sustainability credentials at Source Fashion London 2026. SL pavilion at the three-day sourcing fair at Olympia London featured 20 exhibitors, including 12 small and medium-sized enterprises, underscoring a broad-based industry effort to win new UK buyers and deepen the relationships with more..

Jan 15 (DM) A leading corporate legal expert has urged the govt to engage in meaningful consultation with the private sector, including the CCC, before proceeding with the proposed conversion of the EPF into a pension scheme. The call for stakeholder engagement follows a recent announcement by Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe, who revealed that the govt is considering formulating a mechanism to pay the EPF benefits as a monthly pension, rather than the traditional lump-sum payment more..

Jan 15 (FT) CHEC Port City Colombo Ltd, the primary developer of Port City Colombo, has pledged approximately $ 300 million in foreign direct investment to advance Phase II of the Port City Colombo project. The investment commitment follows the completion of the relevant regulatory processes and enables the next phase of development of SL’s largest and most significant urban development initiative. “This $ 300 million Phase II investment is a clear and more..

Jan 15 (TM) The SJB is discussing lodging a complaint with the CIABOC over the Grade Six education reforms, citing financial losses linked to the preparation and printing of new school modules that are now due to be reviewed, with their implementation already deferred. SJB MP Rohini Kumari Kavirathna claimed that public funds were wasted through a reform process that was carried out behind closed doors, more..

Jan 15 (Island) The world is having the evidence of its eyes all over again that economics drives politics and this time around the proof is coming from theocratic Iran. Iranians in their tens of thousands are on the country’s streets calling for a regime change right now but it is all too plain that the wellsprings of the unprecedented revolt against the state are economic in nature. It is widespread financial hardship and currency depreciation, for example, that triggered uprising in the more..

Jan 15 (Island) The govt finally swallowed its pride and postponed the implementation of education reforms meant for Grade 06. It has said its reform initiative is on track, but it is very likely to avoid a headlong rush. It may not concede defeat, but it is obviously wary of performing another high-wire act without a safety net amidst protests. The govt has done itself a favour by shelving the education reforms for Grade 06. Protests tend to snowball, and the Satyagraha campaigns, rallies and more..

Jan 15 (ST) When the coconut was king many decades ago, it was so ubiquitous that a night club at a well-known hotel in Colombo was named The Coconut Grove. The late baila maestro M.S. Fernando regaled his fans with the popular song Pol-pol-popol-pol-pol-pol – Lankawe wathuwala wawena pol (Coconuts grown in the gardens of SL), with many homes having one or two coconut trees. The coconut for cooking needs and that delicious pol sambol came from the home garden and more..

Jan 15 (CT) Someone asked me a question; Dilith Jayaweera M.P. has said Provincial Councils are not suitable to SL. What is your observation in this regard? I said; I have great respect for Dilith Jayaweera, an Attorney at Law, and who has been one of our foremost businessmen. He entered politics very recently. He is no doubt a Nationalist. He feels for his Nation just as much as we feel for ours. What he has failed to appreciate is that his is Sinhala Nationalism just as ours is more..

Jan 15 (CT) The year 2025 marked an indelible chapter in SL’s political and legal history. Under the vision of a Clean Sri Lanka, the bold measures undertaken by the new administration against the deeply -entrenched culture of corruption and impunity that had dominated the country’s governance for decades reached their peak during this year. The arrest of powerful political figures, including a former Prez once more..

Jan 15 (TM) NPP Govt’s proposed electricity policy has raised serious concerns, not just among opposition politicians but among ordinary citizens and those invested in the country’s renewable energy future. The policy appears to shift financial burdens onto consumers, penalise low-income households and weaken confidence in renewable energy at a time when diversification and resilience should be national priorities. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has articulated what more..

Jan 15 (DM) Even though rice is the staple diet for most Sri Lankans, purchasing a few measures of rice has become a luxury today. Enjoying a meal of premium rice varieties such as keeri samba or basmati has now become next to impossible. With rice becoming the staple food of the country, the paddy business became politicised over the years. Today, it is a known fact that several large scale rice mill owners are directly or indirectly involved in manipulating the wholesale price of several more..

Jan 15 (DN) As the celestial chariot of the Sun begins its northward journey, marking the end of the winter solstice, the Tamil month of Thai (January) is born. For millions, Thai Pongal is more than a mere harvest festival; it is a profound symphony of gratitude—a ritualistic thank you to the cosmos that sustains us. It is the dawn of new beginnings, encapsulated in the timeless Tamil proverb that with the birth of month of Thai, more..

Jan 15 (DM) The NPP govt’s decision to shelve education reforms for one year highlights the limits of political power. Despite holding 159 seats, the administration was forced to backtrack after an inappropriate web link in a Grade VI English module sparked a national outcry, uniting religious leaders and opposition parties against the project. In the face of mounting pressure, the govt took a step back and shelved the implementation of education reforms for one year. more..

Jan 15 (CT) Sri Lanka stood at a crossroads when it courted investors during the depths of the 2022 economic collapse. Confidence was scarce, risk was high, and the country had little leverage beyond assurances of stability, legality and good faith. It was within that fragile context that the Ambuluwawa cable car project was conceived. An ambitious, first-of-its-kind venture, privately financed, technically complex and promised as a future public asset. What has since unfolded around it more..

Jan 14 (AM) The Right to Information (RTI) Commission yesterday (13) ordered the Presidential Secretariat to release, before 31 January, information requested on vehicles handed over to the Secretariat by officials whose appointments were limited to the term of the former President. Freelance journalist Rahul Samantha Hettiarachchi had filed the original RTI request seeking details of the vehicles handed over to the Presidential Secretariat after 23 September 2024. more..

Jan 14 (AD) Police have intensified measures against drivers operating vehicles under the influence of drugs, with a mobile laboratory now in operation to detect drug-impaired driving, according to DIG in charge of the Traffic and Road Safety Range, W.P.J. Senadeera. DIG stated that the law will be strictly enforced against drugged drivers. He revealed that more than 7,000 cases related to drunk driving have been recorded so far this year. DIG Senadeera emphasized that while consuming alcohol is a personal choice, more..

Jan 14 (DM) Drug addiction in the Kandy district has increased fivefold in 2025 compared to the previous year, Senior DIG in charge of the Central Province, Lalith Pathinayake, said yesterday. Addressing the Ratama Ekata National Operation aimed at eradicating the drug menace, held at the Kandy District Secretariat, Senior DIG Pathinayake said police raid reports indicate a sharp rise in the circulation and use of narcotics in the district. more..

Jan 14 (TM) A new and exciting tourism attraction, the Dambulla Bustaurant, is set to be introduced in Dambulla tomorrow, offering visitors a novel way to explore the region while enjoying a mobile dining experience. Designed to serve tourists traveling along the popular Dambulla–Sigiriya corridor, the specially outfitted bus will operate as a moving restaurant, allowing passengers to savor meals as they journey through key destinations. The circular route will begin in Pelwehera, more..

Jan 14 (AD) Gampaha High Court Trial-at-Bar has announced today that the delivery of the verdict in the case pertaining to the murder of former MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala has been postponed until 11 Feb. MP and his security officer, a Police Constable, were reported dead amidst the unrest in the Nittambuwa area during the nationwide incidents of violence on May 9, 2022. Initially, a shooting incident was reported in the Nittambuwa area that evening, following which a total of six injured more..

Jan 14 (DM) Patients at the Colombo National Hospital (CNH) have raised serious concerns over deteriorating services, claiming that basic facilities including cleaning and meal provision are not being carried out according to established procedures. Several patients alleged that the hospital’s meal service is in disarray, with raw eggs being served for breakfast alongside a piece of papaw and a bowl of boiled gram. According to patients, no tools were provided to crack the eggs, more..

Jan 14 (IE) In a lengthy and sharply worded letter to PM Narendra Modi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has sought to push India back into the centre of one of South Asia’s most unresolved moral and political questions: the future of the Tamil people in SL. The letter, written after what Stalin describes as detailed representations from Tamil leaders in India and SL, demands direct intervention at a moment when SL is preparing a new Constitution under Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, more..

Jan 14 (DM) Former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake cautions that SL’s 2026 recovery remains on a fiscal knife-edge. Despite IMF-led gains and restructured debt relief of $17 billion, rising pressures from natural disasters and rigid revenue targets leave no room for error. MP Ravi Karunanayake has cautioned that SL’s economic recovery in 2026, while showing visible improvement on the surface, remains tightly constrained by debt obligations, fragile foreign exchange flows, and more..

Jan 14 (CT) Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), the cultural arm of the High Commission of India in Colombo, organised the second Bharat-Sri Lanka Hindi Sammelan on 12 Jan at Sri Lanka Foundation, Colombo. The event witnessed the participation of over 400 scholars, teachers and students of Hindi from both SL and India, symbolising the deep cultural and linguistic ties between the two nations. The event was inaugurated by Santosh Jha, the High Commissioner of India to SL, more..

Jan 14 (DM) The proposed Salaries & Pensions Commission will be established as a top priority to ensure sustainable management of public employee salaries and pensions, The Public Admin, PCs and LG Minister, Professor Chandana Abayaratne said. Minister highlighted that the 2026 national budget includes the creation of the commission to address longstanding salary anomalies and pension-related issues, while taking into account challenges to public financial management. more..