Jan 20 (DM) The salaries and allowances of all MPs and Ministers of the NPP govt are credited to a single account as in the past, Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala said today. He said that the NPP will continue the practice which was started from Nihal Galappatti. "The President is aslo doing the same," he added. Deputy Minister said all money is credited to an account in Borella and added that it is used for public service. "We get more opportunities to work for the people through this fund," he said. more..

Jan 20 (FT) Employees of Lumala City Cycle Industries Manufacturing Ltd., are calling for urgent Govt intervention as their company faces an unprecedented crisis that threatens to shut down one of South Asia’s leading bicycle manufacturers. Located at Panadura, Lumala has played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s industrial sector for over five decades, yet escalating costs and unfair market practices are now putting its survival at risk. “The management has already begun more..

Jan 20 (AD) Minister Bimal Ratnayake has expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of coordinated efforts to alleviate congestion at the Colombo Port, despite clear instructions from the Prez to address the issue promptly. Speaking to journalists, Minister Ratnayake highlighted inefficiencies and a lack of cooperation from various stakeholders, including private sector importers, shipping companies. more..

Jan 20 (FT) Much-awaited discussions for a merger between the SJB and UNP) to form a stronger alliance will begin today. SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, who heads the team of negotiators from the SJB, told the Daily FT that a five-member committee had been appointed to hold discussions with the UNP team. Bandara said that SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa was positive on commencing the merger between the two parties and he was confident that UNP would more..

Jan 20 (CT) With the Govt mooting to purchase paddy from the upcoming Maha season harvest under a special procurement programme, it is also planning to utilise 209 paddy storage facilities owned by the Paddy Marketing Board. However, due to the prolonged disuse of these storage facilities and their surrounding premises, cleaning and minor renovations are required to make them suitable for use. In response, under the directives of the Secretary of Defence and the guidance of more..

Jan 20 (CT) In response to the Government’s decision to introduce a new Constitution, the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), SL’s oldest Tamil political party, has announced that its Central Working Committee has appointed a seven-member team to actively engage in the process. The decision was made during the Central Working Committee meeting held in Trincomalee on 18 Jan, chaired by ITAK Acting leader C.V.K. Sivagnanam. more..

Jan 20 (AD) Former Minister Vijith Wijayamuni Soysa, who was arrested by the Walana Anti-Vice Unit over an illegally assembled lorry, has been granted bail by the Bandarawela Magistrate’s Court. Accordingly, he has been ordered to be released on a surety bail of Rs. 200,000 by Bandarawela Magistrate Peter Paul. The case has also been ordered to be recalled on Feb 6, 2025. The former minister was arrested yesterday by the Walana Anti-Vice Unit, after he was questioned for over more..

Jan 20 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara has announced that China will construct a state-of-the-art exhibition and convention centre at the Colombo Port City, aimed at boosting SL’s capacity to host international trade summits and large-scale events. The new facility, funded entirely by China, will surpass the BMICH in size and functionality. “This convention centre will position Colombo Port City as a hub for global conferences and exhibitions, strengthening our role in int'l trade and diplomacy,” more..

Jan 20 (FT) I first met Sudarshan Seneviratne – or Uncle Sudarshan as he was to me – when I was around 10 years old. In retrospect, I realise I have known him my entire life. While early memories are hazy, centred mainly on his friendship with my parents, he soon made an indelible impression on my young mind in a way few adults did. Already a Professor of Archaeology at the University of Peradeniya by then, he would go on to hold the only Chair in Archaeology in SL’s uni system. more..

Jan 20 (FT) S’ls current debt and economic crisis has earned the global interest so much that the London based think tank Overseas Development Institute, presented to the world as ODI, had commissioned two experts on the subject to produce a compendium of essays authored by several of leading economists who have an interest in the country. The two experts are Ganeshan Wignaraja of ADB fame and Dirk Willem te Velde, a director at ODI looking after issues relating to more..

Jan 20 (AD) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has reiterated his commitment to completely eliminating the corrupt politics in the country, as promised to the people. He made these comments delivering a strongly worded speech while addressing a public gathering in Kalutara, today (19). Prez participated in an interactive meeting held at the Pakistan Sports Ground in Wettumakada, Katukurunda, Kalutara. more..

Jan 20 (DN) Meteorology Dept reports continuous rainfall for the next 24 hours in Northern, North-Central, Eastern, Uva, and Central provinces, with cloudy skies and showers or thundershowers expected. Heavy showers (100 mm) are likely in Eastern and Uva provinces and Matale, Nuwara-Eliya and Polonnaruwa Districts. Showers or thundershowers will occur at several other places. Fairly strong winds (30-40 kmph) are expected at times over the Eastern slopes of Central hills more..

Jan 20 (DM) NPP MP Dharmapriya Dissanayake said that all MPs will soon be provided with new vehicles. Speaking to reporters during an inspection of the North Western Province Mechanical and Equipment Authority in Kurunegala, MP said that a minister or MP requires a vehicle to carry out their duties—this is undeniable. “We expect all MPs to receive new vehicles. To date, MPs have not been allocated any official vehicles. An agreement has been reached to provide vehicles to MPs. more..

Jan 20 (FT) The recently announced decision by Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) to reduce electricity tariffs by an average of 20% was widely lauded by various sectors, which see the move as a much needed lifeline. Among the most affected are the hotel industry, exporters, manufacturers, and spice producers, which have highlighted the significant impact of tariff cuts on their operations and more..

Jan 20 (CT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that his next official visit will be to the UAE, following an official invitation from the UAE Govt. Prez confirmed that the Govt would explore the possibility of importing fuel through a govt-to-govt agreement, which could be advantageous to Sri Lanka. Prez Dissanayake also revealed that 73 T-56 assault rifles from an Army camp had fallen into the hands of underworld groups, raising serious concerns about national security. more..

Jan 20 (DN) Former Minister Vijith Wijayamuni Soysa was arrested yesterday (19) by the Special Task Force for Anti-Corruption in Walana, Panadura, in connection with an investigation into an illegally assembled lorry. The arrest followed six hours of questioning by the task force, according to a senior police official. The investigation revealed that the lorry in question had fraudulent engine and chassis numbers, and was allegedly being used by the former Minister. more..

Jan 20 (DM) Despite recent actions, Railways Dept has revealed that groups involved in the online seat reservation racket continue to operate through the booking system. These groups now manage to reserve all available seats within just 30 seconds, a reduction from the previous 42 seconds. A senior department official explained, “Before the seats for Colombo Fort to Badulla were fully booked, all seats from Kandy to Nanuoya on the same train were also sold out today (19).” more..

Jan 20 (EN) SL’s cost of living will rise to the 5 to 7% target, in the second half of 2025, the central bank has said, ending falling price it has achieved under broadly deflationary monetary policy since the second half of 2022. Amid deflationary policy the central bank allowed the exchange rate to appreciate, bringing down prices absolutely, which is not usual under IMF programs. In the age of inflation involving the invention of indiscriminate open market operations and currency debasement, more..

Jan 20 (Island) Authorities have launched an investigation into the disappearance of over 70 assault rifles from an undisclosed Army camp.The police confirmed that two of the missing T-56 assault rifles had been recovered. A 47-year-old Civil Defence Force (CDF) member has been arrested in connection with the incident. Acting on information from the suspect, police recovered a T-56 with 11 rounds of ammunition in Kotawila, more..

Jan 20 (AD) Veteran journalist and former Editor of Ravaya newspaper, Victor Ivan has passed away at the age of 75. He had reportedly passed away while receiving treatment at a hospital, where he had been admitted for several months due to an illness. A prominent investigative journalist, political critic, theorist and social activist, he was also an author of several books. A Marxist rebel in his youth, Victor Ivan later became the Editor of the controversial Sinhalese newspaper Ravaya. more..

Jan 20 (DN) The 15-year-old leg spinner Chamodi Munasinghe had fine figures of 3 for 5 while Dahami Sanethma stroked 52 ball 55 with 5 fours to emerge as the star performers as SL recorded an easy 139 run victory against Malaysia in their ICC Women’s U-19 T-20 World Cup opener yesterday in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia chasing the target of 163 were bowled out for just 23 in 14.1 overs the lowest total ever in under 19 women’s T-20 World Cup. SL were on top from the beginning after invited to bat more..

Jan 20 (AD) More information has come to light regarding the shooting incident that occurred at Siripala Mawatha in Mount Lavinia today (19), which claimed the life of a youth. The victim of the shooting incident, identified as a 24-year-old resident of Badowita, succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment at the Kalubowila Hospital. It is also reported that the victim was a close associate of the notorious underworld figure known by the alias Kos Malli, who is currently more..

Jan 20 (DM) The govt announced its plans to strengthen the connection between financial markets, including capital markets, and the real economy, while integrating advancements in emerging technologies. This comes as limited fiscal capacity constrains its ability to fully invest in development initiatives. Minister of Labour, Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando, while delivering the keynote at the Colombo Investor Symposium 2025 by First Capital Holdings in Colombo last Friday, more..

Jan 20 (TM) Petroleum sector Trade Unions (TUs) are calling on the Govt to reduce fuel prices by 12%, citing concerns over recent changes in the pricing formula. United Trade Union Alliance Convenor Ananda Palitha said that the current pricing structure deviated from the original agreement made in 2022 with the IMF. Under the agreement, Govt was supposed to absorb the debt of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) more..

Jan 20 (ST) Sri Lanka has agreed to support China on issues related to Xizang (Tibet) and Xinjiang and link both of these issues to the One-China policy. Xizang, or Tibet, was the one-time home of the Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, when it was annexed by China in 1951. The Dalai Lama, who was then the head of state and the government in Tibet from the age of 15, fled to India after Chinese troops marched into the Himalayan territory nestled between India and China. more..

Jan 20 (FT) The tourism industry is witnessing a remarkable surge, welcoming over 112,000 visitors in the first two weeks of January, setting an optimistic tone for Sri Lanka’s trajectory in 2025. A total of 112,415 tourists visited the country, reflecting a 21.11% year-on-year (YoY) growth, compared to the 92,821 arrivals registered during the same period in 2024. This also pushed the daily average arrivals growth by 21.12% YoY to 8,030 from 6,630 in the corresponding period last year, more..

Jan 20 (ST) Nearly half of the positions at the Attorney General’s Dept are vacant, with the severe shortage in staff making even the performing of day-to-day activities a challenge, according to a report tabled in Parliament. According to the AG’s Dept, as of Dec 31, 2023, Dept had an approved cadre list of 1,295. However, just 671 of those positions were filled, leaving a staggering 624 vacancies, amounting to 48% of the dept’s workforce. more..

Jan 20 (ST) Colombo Port is losing its competitiveness as vessels bypass Colombo due to delays in turnaround time and the lax attitude of related government agencies involved in clearing containers that have been piling up, directly affecting SL’s main transshipment business at the port. Shipping industry officials pointed out that currently there is a berthing delay of two to three days since there is no capacity and only few berths available as a result of which vessels bypass Colombo more..

Jan 20 (FT) Tradekins Ltd, a leading global compliance consultancy, and Shippers’ Academy Colombo, a premier logistics and shipping education provider, have officially signed a MoU to collaborate on enhancing industry standards in trade compliance, logistics education, and supply chain best practices. The partnership aims to develop and deliver capacity-building programs, compliance training, and thought leadership initiatives to empower industry professionals in South Asia more..

Jan 20 (ST) Chanithma Sinaly of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya secured her second national title at the 44th National Squash Championship, which concluded last Sunday at the Air Force Squash Complex in Ratmalana. With this victory, Sinaly reached the highest world ranking of her career, climbing to world No. 175, surpassing her previous best of No. 180. 19-year-old, who won the Women’s Open title in 2022, had to settle for runner-up last year, losing a hard-fought match to more..

Jan 20 (FT) A new high-performance tractor tyre has been launched by CEAT Kelani Holdings in time for the harvest phase of the Maha cultivation season, in another demonstration of commitment to the agriculture sector. Appropriately tagged 13.6 – 28 PUDDLE XL TT 12PR, this innovative new cross-ply tyre is designed specifically for agricultural tractors, and offers enhanced features to make farming and tractor operations easier and more efficient, the company said. more..