Mar 20 (DM) In a significant ruling, Supreme Court of SL has held that the recognition of a foreign judgement granting a divorce in SL must strictly comply with domestic statutory provisions, thereby limiting the grounds for divorce to adultery after marriage, malicious desertion, or incurable impotence at the time of marriage. Court further clarified the legal framework governing the recognition of foreign divorce decrees under more..

Mar 20 (DM) World Happiness Report 2026 has flagged serious concerns about how social media is affecting young people’s wellbeing around the world. According to the report, happiness levels among youth in North America and Western Europe have dropped noticeably over the past 15 years, a period that also saw a sharp rise in social media use. While the link isn’t simple, the findings suggest that heavy usage plays a significant role. Data from 47 countries show that teenagers who spend more..

Mar 20 (DM) Information has been received from some districts that consumers have doubled the amount of fuel they usually purchase and some filling stations have doubled the amount they sell daily, Minister Bimal Rathnayake said. He said such a scenario would create issues. He said the QR code was introduced in order to save fuel for an emergency and not because of any shortage of fuel. Minister accepted that those who have obtained new phone numbers have found it difficult to more..

Mar 20 (EN) Most govts have encouraged electric cars by offering generous tax concessions, but President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has highlighted how the supposedly green vehicles are actually powered by highly polluting coal and diesel. In an address to the nation on the impending energy crisis following the Middle East war, Dissanayake spoke about the added strain on the national electricity grid from electric vehicles. more..

Mar 20 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated in Parliament today that immediate licenses have been granted to five private companies to supply fuel specifically for exporters in SL. He noted that these companies had previously informed the Govt of their ability to meet the fuel requirements of exporters in Sri Lanka, following which the licenses were issued promptly. President further clarified that these private companies are not authorized to supply fuel to the general market more..

Mar 20 (IANS) India's High Commissioner to SL, Santosh Jha met Sri Lanka's Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation K D Lal Kantha on Thursday, discussing opportunities for collaboration to increas, especially usage of cost effective technology to boost farmer’s incomes. They also spoke about regional and global developments. In a statement shared on X, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka wrote, "High Commissioner Santosh Jha met Hon K.D. Lal Kantha, more..

Mar 20 (AD) CIABOC informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court today that it has concluded investigations into corruption allegations involving former Minister Manusha Nanayakkara. The commission officials informed this when the case was taken up today before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama. During the proceedings, CIABOC officials stated that the investigative phase of the case has now been completed. They further noted that more..

Mar 20 (NW) The inaugural meeting of the Cabinet Committee appointed to ensure the systematic functioning of the public service has held discussions on maintaining the uninterrupted operation of the public service while effectively managing energy resources, in light of the challenges that have arisen due to the prevailing conflict situation in the Middle East. According to the President’s Office, the first meeting of the Cabinet Committee was held on Thursday more..

Mar 20 (EN) Soon after the US and Israel started bombing Iran on Feb 28, SL’s booming stock market took a hit. The bourse has plunged 12.7% so far through March 20, erasing 1.07 trillion rupee worth capital in just 14 days. It plunged over 5% with a temporary trading halt when it opened for trading for the first time on March 3 after the attack. The market has been waiting for some good news from both local and external fronts. more..

Mar 20 (AD) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa says that the govt’s primary objective is to provide uninterrupted power supply and that all necessary measures for this are being taken by the govt. He noted that prices of all commodities in the world market have increased, including coal. Minister further said: "Our main goal is to provide continuous electricity. We are following all the necessary measures for that. There are variations in electricity consumption from month to month." more..

Mar 20 (DM) Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) siad that fuel distribution to dealers will continue uninterrupted tomorrow and the day after, despite circulating rumors of a potential shutdown. The Managing Director of the CPC, Mayura Neththikumara clarified today that no decision has been made to close filling stations over the weekend. He addressed ongoing speculation regarding a Saturday closure, explaining that such rumors likely stem from the corporation's more..

Mar 20 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has strongly criticized Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent statements in Parliament, accusing him of failing to condemn violations of international law during wartime. Addressing Parliament, Premadasa said that while the Prez claimed to have acted neutrally, he ignored breaches of the UN Charter, specifically Articles 2.4 and 2.7, and other int'l conventions. more..

Mar 20 (AD) PM Harini Amarasuriya, stated in Parliament that the govt aims to ensure the uninterrupted continuation of essential services, public services, and industries even during the current crisis. She also called on the opposition to support the fulfillment of promises made for public welfare. Responding to a question raised by MP V. Radhakrishnan, PM pointed out that there are numerous issues within the education sector of the estate community, with teacher shortages more..

Mar 20 (AD) Supreme Court, which concluded the hearing of a petition filed by MP Sujeewa Senasinghe seeking a ruling that his fundamental rights were violated through a CID probe over an allegedly illegally assembled vehicle, has reserved its judgment indefinitely. The petition was heard today by a 3-member Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Janak de Silva, Arjuna Obeyesekere, and Menaka Wijesundara. President’s Counsel Ali Sabry, representing the petitioner more..

Mar 20 (FT) SL’s drive for energy security is not happening in a vacuum; it is propelled by seismic shifts in the international arena. The stakes have been raised by immediate geopolitical crises that threaten the very arteries of global trade. The Straits of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for a significant portion of the world’s oil supply, is currently engulfed in tension. Attacks on shipping vessels and energy terminals in oil-producing nations have introduced severe uncertainty, more..

Mar 20 (FT) Amid global disruption, Sri Lanka’s tourism recovery will depend less on demand generation and more on how effectively the country secures and manages its air connectivity and operational stability. Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, which entered 2026 with strong momentum and renewed confidence, is once again facing an external shock—this time driven not by domestic instability, but by global geopolitical disruption. The ongoing Middle East conflict, combined with more..

Mar 20 (TM) In a bid to quell mounting public concern over fuel supplies, the CPC yesterday assured that shipments have now been secured to meet demand through April, while firmly denying that recent price hikes are linked to any outstanding debt. CPC Managing Director Dr. Mayura Neththikumara said that five fuel shipments for next month were confirmed on Wednesday (18), ensuring uninterrupted availability. more..

Mar 20 (Island) Peradeniya uni administration has advised the university community to remain vigilant after several cattle reared at the livestock farm of its Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, were killed and eaten by leopards. When inquired about the matter, Vice Chancellor of the Uni, Prof. Terrence Madhujith, said advisory notices have been issued to the university community following several incidents where leopards from the Hanthana area entered the cattle sheds at night and more..

Mar 20 (FT) A high-level discussion on the economic fallout from the escalating conflict in the Middle East was held yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, with a focus on safeguarding energy supplies and protecting the country’s export sector. Officials examined the widening global energy crisis triggered by disruptions to international supply networks and assessed possible fuel market trends in the months ahead. more..

Mar 20 (AD) An IMF team is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka from March 26 to April 9 to hold policy discussions and aims to complete the combined Fifth and Sixth reviews under SL’s EFF Arrangement. This was announced by the Director of the Communications Dept of the IMF, Julie Kozack. “The debt restructuring is nearly complete, and gross international reserves have been increasing significantly. more..

Mar 20 (NW) An anti-war exhibition and conference highlighting the humanitarian, political, and economic impacts of the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran was held in Colombo today. The event, titled The Story Within Blood and Tears, was organised by the National Freedom Front at the SL Foundation Institute. Organisers said the exhibition aimed to present an analytical perspective on the crises triggered by the war, with a focus on its human cost. more..

Mar 20 (FT) SL Shippers’ Council yesterday urged the Govt to look into the increasingly deteriorating conditions for both exports and importers from the impacts of the Middle East war. Issuing a statement, the Council said it wished to draw the Govt’s urgent attention to the growing challenges faced by exporters and importers due to the ongoing fuel shortage in the country. The current situation is beginning to significantly disrupt manufacturing operations, logistics movements, more..

Mar 20 (NW) Supreme Court has ruled that the arrest and detention of student activist Wasantha Mudalige under the PTA violated his fundamental rights. Ruling was delivered by SC Justice Sobhitha Rajakaruna, with the concurrence of Justices Arjuna Obeyesekere and Priyantha Fernando, following a petition filed on behalf of Mudalige by Attorney-at-Law Manjula Balasuriya. Mudalige, the former convener of the IUSF, was arrested after a protest held on Aug 18, 2022, during the Aragalaya more..

Mar 20 (TM) Yesterday (19) saw two of Lanka’s iconic big matches kick start in Colombo and the south coast. In Galle – Mahinda College won the toss and elected to bowl first against Richmond College in the 121st Lovers' Quarrel at the iconic Galle International Stadium. At the end day-1 yesterday (19) Richmond scored 203/4 in 88 overs. The lads from Richmond Hill missed out on two valuable big match centuries. Ravindu Randinu shined with the bat scoring a well composed more..

Mar 20 (TM) Restaurants and eateries are urging the Govt to allow local businesses to open letters of credit (LCs) to import liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), warning that worsening shortages are already disrupting operations and could severely impact both households and the food industry. The call was made by All Ceylon Restaurant and Eatery Owners Association President Harshana Rukshan, who said more..

Mar 20 (NW) Norway has expressed willingness to support Sri Lanka in developing renewable energy through wind, solar and ocean wave power, officials said. The proposal was discussed during a meeting between Minister K.D. Lal Kantha and Norwegian Honorary Consul Sturle Harald Pedersen at the Agriculture Ministry on Wednesday (18). Pedersen said Sri Lanka could utilise multiple renewable energy sources, including wind, solar and tidal energy, to strengthen its energy production. more..

Mar 20 (NW) A student from a boys’ school in Malabe has been praised for his honesty after returning a bag containing a large sum of cash that he had mistakenly picked up. According to the school principal, the boy reported the matter along with the vice principal, stating that he had gotten off a bus carrying the wrong bag, which contained bundles of cash. Upon inspection, the school authorities found the money and a bank passbook inside, after which the bag was sealed. more..

Mar 20 (DM) National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) brought together some of the country’s leading voices in digital and social media marketing at its pinnacle forum Business Conversion and Global Reach through Social Media Platforms, held at Cinnamon Grand Colombo. These experts in optimising social media strategy, discussed the full spectrum of how SL exporters can use conversion marketing to win international customers. The session was moderated by LINERasia more..

Mar 20 (DM) A 23-year-old female student from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Colombo was miraculously rescued today, after falling down the precipice at World’s End in Horton Plains National Park. The student reportedly slipped and fell nearly 50 feet while attempting to take a selfie at the edge of the famous viewpoint. The incident occurred during the morning hours when the student was visiting the national park with a group of fellow undergraduates. more..

Mar 20 (TM) A new feature introduced yesterday aims to resolve difficulties faced by the public in obtaining fuel QR codes, particularly where the mobile number used for the original vehicle registration is no longer in use. Many users, especially those who had purchased vehicles or changed phone numbers, were unable to reset or override existing registrations and re-register under new numbers. more..

Mar 20 (FT) National Savings Bank Group (NSB) said its operating profit (before all taxes) surged by 55% to reach Rs. 59 billion as of end-2025, while Profit After Tax (PAT) recorded a corresponding increase of 61% to Rs. 28.2 billion. The detailed financial information that follows pertains to the performance of the bank, which accounts for the predominant share of NSB Group’s operations. PAT of the bank surged by 69% reflecting sustained momentum in net interest income, more..

Mar 20 (ST) Ambewela Dairy Farms, recently welcomed Minister K.D. Lalkantha and also the Deputy Minister Dr. Madhura Senevirathne to its farm. This special visit was made with the objective of reviewing the comprehensive development drive at Ambewela, propelling the farm towards significant advancements. During the visit, the management committee took the opportunity to highlight the transformation of Ambewela Farm since its establishment in 1943 & privatisation in 2001. more..