Mar 26 (Island) A spokesperson for the US Embassy in Colombo declared that the US and SL maintain a long-standing defence partnership, grounded in transparency, mutual respect, and shared interests. The official said so in response to The Island query regarding Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent bombshell disclosure, in Parliament, that his govt declined to allow US Air Force to use Mattala Rajapaksa Int'l Airport, more..

Mar 26 (NW) The Ministry of Justice has announced that the initiative aimed at the speedy disposal of productions stored in court premises has yielded significant results, generating Rs. 952,896,911.74 in 2025 alone. According to the ministry, when combined with other judicial revenue sources, including copying fees, notary fees, fines, stamp duties, and bail bond confiscations, the total income generated through the courts amounted to Rs. 6,574,829,926.91. more..

Mar 26 (AD) A meeting has been held between former Prez Maithripala Sirisena and the Iranian Ambassador to SL, Dr. Alireza Delkhosh in Colombo. The meeting took place at the Embassy of Iran in Colombo yesterday. It is reported that discussions focused on strengthening the longstanding friendship between Iran and Sri Lanka, as well as the current military situation in the Middle East region. Meanwhile earlier this week, Iranian Ambassador reiterated Iran’s commitment to more..

Mar 26 (FT) In a landmark split decision, Justice Nawaz of the Supreme Court has recently ruled that the supply of bunker fuel to foreign vessels in SL waters is a domestic sale — not an export — closing a long-contested avenue for concessionary tax treatment and reshaping the legal landscape for the island’s bunkering industry. Eight consolidated appeals, brought by companies engaged in the supply of bunker fuel and more..

Mar 26 (AD) More than 6.2 million people have registered for the National Fuel Pass system and obtained new QR codes since March 15, when the govt re-introduced fuel distribution through QR codes to manage fuel usage. Advisor to Ministry of Digital Economy, Sumudu Rathnayake, made these remarks at a press conference held today to brief on the impact of the ongoing Middle East conflict on SL. He further commented: “The distribution of fuel through QR codes was started on March 14, more..

Mar 26 (TM) Turkish Airlines has announced an increase in flight frequency between Istanbul and Colombo, adding two more services per week to better support stranded tourists and enhance access to Sri Lanka. The decision follows positive diplomatic discussions between Sri Lanka and Türkiye, which were well received by both nations. The Civil Aviation Authority of SL (CAASL) responded promptly, granting the necessary approvals to facilitate the expanded schedule. more..

Mar 26 (TM) The national netball team head coach Somitha de Alwis says that she is optimistic that Sri Lanka will make an impact at the 14th Senior Asian Netball Championship to be held in Hong Kong China from 6-16 August this year. Sri Lanka is currently aiming for a top-two finish at the upcoming tournament in Hong Kong China, with it also doubling as the Asian Qualifying round for the Netball World Cup in Australia next year. According to World Netball (WN) stipulations more..

Mar 26 (Island) Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land & Irrigation, and Mahaweli Development, K.D. Lal Kantha, has requested the public to submit any grievances, or issues, related to his Ministries, via WhatsApp. Citizens can send their concerns as a WhatsApp Voice Message to the dedicated mobile number 071 2473104. The Minister shared this information through a recent post on his official Facebook account, aimed at streamlining communication between the public & Ministry. more..

Mar 26 (TM) Sri Lanka’s only GLOCAL supermarket chain - SPAR SL, continues its expansion across the island with the opening of its newest outlets in Kandy and Kurunegala. Kandy outlet, located at 27B, George E. De Silva Mawatha, will officially open its doors on Monday, March 30th at 10.00 am, marking a long-awaited milestone for shoppers in the Hill Capital. This expansion to 12 stores islandwide, reflects SPAR’s commitment to more..

Mar 26 (DM) As temperatures soar, veterinarians are warning that Sri Lanka’s animals are facing a silent heat crisis, with dehydration posing a serious threat to pets, farm animals and even birds. SL Veterinary Association Secretary Dr. Uditha Wijesinghe said animals, like humans, are vulnerable to heatstroke, rashes, sunburn, diseases and parasite attacks during extreme heat. “Dehydration is the main challenge that both farm animals and pets face this season. High temperatures increase more..

Mar 26 (NW) Court of Appeal today fixed July 2, 2026 for arguments in the Quo Warranto application filed against MP Archchuna Ramanathan, challenging his eligibility to continue holding office as a MP. The case was taken up before a Court of Appeal bench comprising Justice Mayadunne Corea and Justice Mahen Gopallawa. The application was filed by Oshala Herath, leader of the Abhinawa Niwahal Peramuna, who claims that MP Ramanathan submitted his nomination for more..

Mar 26 (NF) Russia has agreed to supply fuel to Sri Lanka and is ready to immediately provide refined petroleum products, following successful talks between SL authorities and a visiting Russian delegation, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) said. CPC Managing Director Mayura Nettikumarage said discussions with the Russian delegation, led by Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation more..

Mar 26 (NW) Three former officials of the Department of Motor Traffic have been arrested over the alleged fraudulent registration and transfer of vehicles, CIABOC said. The arrests were made between 9.05 a.m. and 9.25 a.m. today following an investigation into irregular vehicle registrations. According to CIABOC, the suspects include a former Development Assistant (Road Safety), a former Investigation Assistant, and a former Assistant Commissioner of the Dept of Motor Traffic. more..

Mar 26 (NW) Minister Bimal Rathnayake acknowledged that substandard coal had been imported to SL, revealing that the company responsible has paid fines up to US$ 2 million. He said that the laboratory tests on the imported coal had proven substandard quality, after which fines were imposed on the said company. He further said that coal tenders involve a complex tender process that must be handled carefully to maintain adequate stocks, adding that only fines could be more..

Mar 26 (FT) For years, the Mattala Rajapaksa Int'l Airport has carried a label that has been hard to shake. It has been called the world’s emptiest airport, often cited globally as an example of infrastructure ambition running ahead of demand. But infrastructure stories are rarely static. Context changes. And when it does, so does value. In today’s world, defined by geopolitical instability, disrupted supply chains and shifting trade routes, assets once dismissed as underutilised more..

Mar 26 (FT) Wars and conflicts have always had serious negative effects on economies around the world. They often damage infrastructure, block key transport routes, or prompt countries to restrict exports, in general. The main commodity that gets disrupted is energy, resulting in uncertainty, driving sharp increases in fuel prices, and leading to shortages, especially in countries that depend heavily on imported energy. Since the 1973 oil crisis, many regional conflicts have caused more..

Mar 26 (FT) CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe rejected the need for immediate import controls or capital flow restrictions to contain the economic challenges from the Middle East war. Striking a cautiously optimistic tone, he expressed confidence that SL’s resilience and improved macroeconomic buffers will help the country navigate the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and their spillover effects on more..

Mar 26 (AD) IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya has issued guidelines to be followed when arresting suspects in relation to offences committed under Section 3 of the Int'l Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act. It is reported that the relevant notification has been communicated in writing to all police officers, including all Senior Deputy Inspectors General. According to the provisions of the Act, an individual may only be arrested after examining whether a statement or expression incites war, more..

Mar 26 (DN) A high-level Russian delegation led by Deputy Energy Minister Roman Marshavin will arrive here today to explore a Govt-to-Govt agreement aimed at securing petroleum supplies through a long-term co-operation framework. This marks the first time since 1974 that senior Russian officials have discussed a formal energy co-operation deal with SL. Last week, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath met with Russian envoy in Colombo Levan S Dzhagryan at the Foreign Ministry, more..

Mar 26 (DM) Amidst disruption to global fuel supply, power generation is set to be a challenging task for Sri Lanka unless it rains sufficiently in the areas where the major hydropower reservoirs are located, an official said. Electricity is generated through a mix consisting of hydroelectric power, thermal power (coal and fuel), and non-conventional renewable energy such as wind, solar, biomass and mini-hydro. more..

Mar 26 (DM) SL has been identified as one of the countries to which the UK has transferred foreign national offenders under established Prisoner Transfer Agreements (PTAs), according to official UK Govt policy. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice Jake Richards informed UK Parliament that UK maintains that the removal of foreign offenders with no legal right to remain in the country is a long-standing policy, with such individuals eligible to serve their sentences in their more..

Mar 26 (FT) CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said no official request has been made to grant a financial moratorium or suspend the implementation of the parate law for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), despite concerns raised by some sectors over rising costs. Responding to questions at a media briefing, the Governor said the CBSL does not see justification for such measures at this stage. “No, we don’t see any requests coming in. I think it’s too early to do that. more..

Mar 26 (FT) Stocks extended its strong rebound to a second session yesterday, setting another benchmark single-day points gain as it recoups 48% of the Rs. 1.1 trillion value loss since the Middle East war began. The ASPI ended on the up by 3.79% or 797.62 points at 21,868.85 and the active S&P SL20 was up 3.81% or 225 points at 6,134.23. Market turnover was over Rs. 6.4 billion on nearly 299.5 million shares traded. The market gained Rs. 284.1 billion in value yesterday, more..

Mar 26 (DM) The tea exports declined marginally in Feb 2026, although the stronger rupee-denominated prices helped lift the earnings. Total exports for the month fell to 19.92 million kilogrammes (M/Kgs), down 0.48 M/Kgs, from 20.40 M/Kgs a year earlier. The drop was driven by the weaker shipments of bulk tea, tea bags and green tea, which offset the gains in tea packets and instant tea. Despite the volume dip, the average free-on-board (FOB) value rose to Rs.1,785.76 per kilogramme in Feb, more..

Mar 26 (TM) Govt observed some wholesale distributors have raised prices of selected items citing the Middle East (ME) conflict, despite importers agreeing to release essential goods without price increases for the festive season, Trade Ministry said. Deputy Minister R.M. Jayawardhana said that recent discussions with importers ahead of Sinhala & Tamil New Year confirmed there are no supply shortages or barriers to maintaining current prices. more..

Mar 26 (TM) Civil Collective for Malaiyaha Reconstruction organisation said that the estates are being largely neglected in the post-Ditwah restoration programmes, and that some of the estates are not being restored with basic facilities. Convenor of the Collective, Selvaraja Rajasegar said that even in the camps, the Malaiyaha community is mistreated, and that in some estates in Badulla, camps are also doubling as schools, in turn requiring camp dwellers to move out for the duration more..

Mar 26 (DN) SL suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Nepal in their SAFF Under-20 Championship 2026 match played at the National Football Stadium in Malé, Maldives yesterday, with a first-half goal proving decisive in a tightly contested encounter. Nepal’s Subash Bam scored the only goal of the match during the first half, giving his side an early advantage which they managed to protect until the final whistle. SL, who came into the match with high confidence after ending a 24-year wait more..

Mar 26 (AD) The CID has arrested a suspect in Nittambuwa for allegedly obtaining fuel by overriding a QR code linked to a vehicle belonging to another person. According to investigations, the suspect had overridden the QR code of a car belonging to a woman and generated a new QR code using the vehicle’s data to fraudulently obtain fuel. The investigation was initiated following a complaint lodged by the Ministry of Digital Economy based on information received via the 1919 hotline. more..

Mar 26 (FT) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for the immediate suspension of the parate law and a comprehensive relief package for micro, small and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs), warning that rising fuel prices and high borrowing costs are pushing the sector towards collapse. Speaking at a meeting with small- and medium-scale businessmen and entrepreneurs at the Opposition Leader’s Office, Premadasa said MSMEs, which contribute around 52% to more..

Mar 26 (DM) SL is banking heavily on the Asian region, particularly China, to buffer a massive hit to the European tourist arrivals stemming from the ongoing geopolitical crisis in the Middle East. SLTDA Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam expects the shifting dynamics to trigger a 30 to 40 percent drop in European travellers. However, a targeted strategy to attract 300,000 Chinese visitors this year is expected to help the island nation more..

Mar 26 (DM) Central Bank left its key policy rate, the Overnight Policy Rate, unchanged at 7.75% yesterday, at its second policy meeting for the year. The stance was delivered although there were some expectations for the Monetary Policy Board to deliver an increase in the interest rates to lean against the rising prices, which are now set to reach its desired level much faster than before the war in Iran. The Central Bank, the primary mandate of which is to ensure price stability, more..

Mar 26 (Island) Last week, the scorebooks of school cricket needed a fresh rewrite as Kingswood College, Kandy broke a 68-year hoodoo to clinch their Big Match against Dharmaraja College in the hill capital. Almost in tandem, down south, another long wait ended when St. Servatius’ College, Matara turned the tables on arch-rivals St. Thomas’ College, Matara, sealing a famous win after 55 years. St. Servatius’ rise has not been a flash in the pan. For the better part of 15 years, more..