Jan 22 (DN) Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena has described the discovery of drug use among bus drivers as an alarming and troubling situation after 10 out of 56 drivers tested positive during surprise mobile laboratory inspections in Colombo. Tests, conducted at Bastion Mawatha in Fort yesterday, revealed that drivers had used drugs including ice, heroin, and cannabis. Initial urine samples confirmed the positive results, more..

Jan 22 (AD) Court of Appeal today ordered that the written order and audio recording of the directive issued by the Trincomalee Magistrate’s Court on 19 January pertaining to the Buddha statue incident, be produced before court without delay. Accordingly, the Appeals Court sought the Magistrate’s decision to remand Ven. Balangoda Kassapa and another monk in connection with the Trincomalee Buddha statue incident. The Appeals Court order was issued when the writ petition filed by more..

Jan 22 (NW) A commemorative stamp marking 100 years of SL cinema, featuring the image of veteran actress Iranganie Serasinghe, was unveiled. The national celebration was held yesterday at the premises of the National Film Corporation to mark 79 years of Sinhala Cinema and 54 years since the establishment of the National Film Corporation. The event was held under the patronage of Minister Sunil Senevi, with Deputy Minister of Mass Media Kaushalya Ariyarathna also in attendance. more..

Jan 22 (DM) Electrician Licensing System aimed at enhancing electrical safety and professional standards in the electricity sector has been implemented from this year under the provisions of SL Electricity Act and SL Engineering Council Act. Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL), which is responsible for regulating and standardizing the country’s electricity industry, said the new system is intended to improve safety and more..

Jan 22 (CT) Former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe said that religion remains essential even as artificial intelligence continues to advance, stressing that human consciousness cannot be replaced by technology. He made these remarks while attending a religious ceremony held in Galle, where he reflected on the growing global influence of artificial intelligence and its relationship to the human mind. Referring to the ceremony’s welcome song, he said he was informed that it had been generated more..

Jan 22 (AD) Former Minister Ramesh Pathirana has rejoined the SLPP and has been appointed as the party’s Benthara-Elpitiya Electoral Organiser. He received his letter of appointment today from SLPP National Organiser Namal Rajapaksa at the party headquarters. Additionally, Ramesh Pathirana has been appointed as the Convener of the SLPP Health Professionals’ Association. Pathirana had notably expressed support for former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe during the last prez election. more..

Jan 22 (CT) Sri Lanka reports 1,282 new leprosy cases in 2025, with nearly 10% of patients being children under the age of 15, health authorities say, highlighting the need for early detection and greater public awareness. Speaking at a media briefing to mark World Leprosy Day on 25 January, Yasoma Weerasekara, Director of the Leprosy Eradication Campaign at the Ministry of Health, says 123 of the newly identified patients are children below 15 years of age. more..

Jan 22 (NW) The GMOA has ended the doctors’ strike that had been launched in all hospitals in the Eastern Province, as of 2 pm today. The strike had been initiated, demanding the removal of the Medical Superintendent of the Akkaraipattu Base Hospital, citing administrative and financial irregularities, and the appointment of another director to the post. Accordingly, Medical Superintendent in question has now been immediately removed from the position, more..

Jan 22 (NW) The GMOA has announced a 48-hour token strike across state hospitals islandwide, scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. tomorrow, citing the Health Ministry’s failure to implement previously agreed solutions. Emergency services will continue during the strike. The association said trade union action had earlier been temporarily suspended based on written assurances given following discussions with Prez Anura Kumara more..

Jan 22 (DM) Minister K.D. Lal Kantha has said that no group or individual, regardless of their attire or identity, is immune from criticism. Addressing a public gathering, the Minister said that wearing a black coat, national dress or even a robe does not grant anyone protection from criticism. He added that those who choose to enter politics must be prepared to set aside such matters and face responses directed at them as individuals, irrespective of what they wear. more..

Jan 22 (NF) The Port of Colombo hosted a double display of maritime diplomacy today as two friendly navies made scheduled logistics stops and courtesy visits, reinforcing SL’s role as a trusted maritime hub in the Indian Ocean. In separate arrivals, the Royal Navy of Oman Ship (RNO) AL SEEB and the Indonesian Naval Ship KRI SULTAN ISKANDAR MUDA – 367 berthed in Colombo for replenishment, professional interaction, and goodwill engagements. Both vessels were welcomed with full naval more..

Jan 22 (NW) CIABOC has informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court that indictments have been filed in the Colombo High Court against former minister Arjuna Ranatunga and his brother Dhammika Ranatunga over an alleged financial loss of about Rs. 800 million to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC). Bribery Commission told the court that the alleged loss occurred through inflated local tenders awarded by more..

Jan 22 (EN) Sri Lanka launched a raft of tools and a national digital platform for cultivation data and data-driven decision making with the support of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Gates Foundation. The government on Thursday launched the Agriculture Enterprise Architecture Framework, Agriculture Interoperability Framework, Data Sharing Policies, and CROPIX, a national digital platform for crop data and decision-making. more..

Jan 22 (NW) The 147th Royal Thomian Joint Match Organizing Committee has announced that preparations are under way for the 147th Battle of the Blues annual cricket encounter between Royal College and S. Thomas’ College. The three-day match is scheduled to be played on March 12, 13 and 14, 2026, at the SSC grounds in Colombo. Meanwhile, the 49th Mustangs Trophy limited-overs encounter will be played as a day-night 50-over match on March 28, also at the SSC grounds. more..

Jan 22 (FT) SL’s modern higher education landscape rests on a deep social commitment established nearly a century ago. The transformative reforms led by Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara in the 1940s made free education a cornerstone of national development. As scholars such as Jayaweera (1969), Little (2010), and Fernando (2017) have shown, this investment produced one of the most literate populations in the developing world and laid the foundation for university education to more..

Jan 22 (FT) The Grade 6 English textbook scandal has exposed more than publishing incompetence. It has revealed a system in crisis. As half a million children compete for scholarship places to escape failing schools, as 270,000 Advanced Level students face a future with only 30,000 university seats, and as unemployed graduates multiply while the digital economy races ahead, Sri Lanka stands at a crossroads. This is not merely about fixing textbooks or managing examinations. more..

Jan 22 (AD) PM Harini Amarasuriya has reaffirmed SL’s commitment to feminist, intersectional leadership and called on global actors to ensure that women and marginalised communities are not only participants, but principal architects of the policies shaping the future global order. PM noted that while women across the world are increasingly asserting agency in political, economic, and social spheres, their contributions continue more..

Jan 22 (AD) Ministry of Environment reports that a total of 189 public complaints related to wildlife and forest-related offences have been received to date. Investigations are currently underway into 94 of these complaints, while legal action has already been taken in connection with the remaining 95 cases. The complaints were received over the past two months following the introduction of the 1995 short-code hotline of the Wana Surekuma – Joint Operations Unit, launched more..

Jan 22 (CT) Northern Province Governor N. Vethanayagan claimed that, compared to previous administrations, a more favourable and investor-friendly environment has been created in the Northern Province under Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Governor delivered these remarks yesterday at the inauguration ceremony of the Northern Investment Summit. Investment Summit will conclude today. The event, attended by local and foreign investors, entrepreneurs, more..

Jan 22 (DM) CEB's arbitrary curtailment of power generation in the local renewable energy plants is causing a loss of almost Rs.2 billion, the Grid Connected Solar Power Association (GCSPA) said. According to GCSPA President Prabath Wickramasinghe, since Feb 2025, CEB has been arbitrarily curtailing the power generation at all large renewable energy plants on weekends and public holidays, from 9 am to 3 pm. more..

Jan 22 (PMD) The official tour showcasing the ICC T20 World Cup trophy, which will be jointly hosted by India and SL in 2026, was formally inaugurated today (21) at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The trophy will be displayed in several major cities across the island from today (21) until the 24th, over a period of four days. Cricket fans will have the opportunity to see the golden trophy up close during the SL vs England ODI match more..

Jan 22 (NW) A 120-foot Bailey Bridge on the B-492 Kandy–Ragala Road was inaugurated today under India’s USD 450 million reconstruction and rehabilitation assistance to SL, aimed at restoring connectivity in areas affected by Cyclone Ditwah. The bridge was jointly opened by India’s Deputy High Commissioner to SL, Dr. Satyanjal Pandey, and Member of Parliament Manjula Suraweera Arachchi. The project restores a key transport link in the Central Province, improving access for more..

Jan 22 (PMD) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the isolated functioning of institutions responsible for construction and land management, agriculture, livestock and environmental conservation has posed challenges in restoring the Central Highlands, which were devastated by Cyclone Ditwah. Prez further noted that efforts are underway to establish a new integrated framework, bringing together all relevant parties to swiftly safeguard and rebuild the Central Highlands. more..

Jan 22 (AM) A tuition teacher who referred to prominent SL author Martin Wickramasinghe as an idiot during a lesson has issued a public apology after a video of the remarks went viral on social media, prompting widespread criticism. The footage, circulated widely on platforms including TikTok and Facebook, shows the teacher dismissing Wickramasinghe’s literary stature before students during a class. In the video, he questions why Wickramasinghe — regarded as one of more..

Jan 22 (FT) Vehicle registrations surged in Dec 2025 to their highest level in a decade, with total registrations rising to 48,525 units, up from 43,810 units in Nov 2025. The increase was driven by strong volumes across the motor cars, pre-owned vehicles, hybrids, electric vehicles (EVs), and premium passenger segments. Comparative vehicle registration volumes for 2015, 2019, and 2025 indicate a marked shift in both scale more..

Jan 22 (Island) In a sobering and intellectually provocative lecture delivered yesterday at the Central Bank of SL, Dr. Arvind Subramanian, former Chief Economic Advisor to the Govt of India, posed a haunting question to the nation’s policymakers: Why has one of the world’s oldest democracies outside the West failed to leverage its political system to ensure economic stability? Titled Reviving Growth While Maintaining Stability, the lecture moved beyond technical prescriptions. more..

Jan 22 (DN) Sri Lankan Olympic athlete Tharushi Karunaratne, representing Texas A&M University, began the year with high expectations and delivered a strong performance by winning the silver medal in the 800m at the Corky Classic Sports Performance Center in the United States on Sunday. She clocked 2:08.62. The gold medal went to American athlete Georgia Scott, who finished in 2:07.49, while New Zealand’s Mackie Hilton claimed bronze in 2:08.83. The 21-year-old product of Walala Central more..

Jan 22 (TM) A letter to the Police from the Citizens of the People’s Struggle organisation, alleging a Fundamental Rights (FR) violation by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake during a recent statement in Jaffna, is currently under review by the CID. In the letter, the group has requested from the police the assurance of security and safety for the Buddhists residing in the North. ASP F.U. Wootler confirmed the Police had directed the said letter to the CID and the matter is under investigation. more..

Jan 22 (FT) Nations Trust Bank (NTB) has secured a debt financing package of up to $ 70 million from World Bank Group’s private sector arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), to support the recovery of small businesses which were disproportionately affected by Sri Lanka’s multiple crises. This is the IFC’s first debt transaction in SL’s financial sector since the 2022 financial crisis. The investment forms part of the IFC’s longstanding partnership with NTB, more..

Jan 22 (TM) In the wake of revelations that nearly 23% of SL’s employed population could see their jobs affected by Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), Labour Ministry stated the issue would be discussed with the relevant stakeholders including the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC). Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe said that while no specific discussions have taken place on the matter yet, it will be taken up with more..

Jan 22 (TM) CBL Group, a SL diversified food manufacturing conglomerate, announced its acquisition of PT Tri Jaya Tangguh Indonesia (TJT), a large coconut processing facility, with an investment of over $ 25 million. TJT has a workforce of over 800 employees. The investment was supported by the Int'l Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. “This acquisition is a strategic step in increasing capacity and enabling geographic risk mitigation, more..

Jan 22 (FT) Blue Diamonds Jewellery Worldwide has said it is in discussions with a strategic investor in the jewellery industry as part of efforts to restore its capital position, after its net assets fell below the statutory threshold defined under the Companies Act. The company said the Board has determined that it has incurred a serious loss of capital, triggering the requirement to formally notify shareholders and convene an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), which was held yesterday. more..