Jan 6 (DM) While SL has managed to push its Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) slightly atop the billion dollar mark in 2025, the IMF policies have put the country in a bind in having polices, particularly when it comes to taxation in making the country an attractive destination for international investors. SL is estimated to have attracted FDIs of around US $ 1.1 billion for 2025, little under twice as much as the US 614 mil more..

Jan 6 (DM) Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) has lodged a complaint with the CID after a fraudulent company defrauded depositors of more than Rs. 17 million by misusing the CSE’s name and logo. Scammers posed as a legitimate financial company registered with the CSE, promising stock market investments and financial advisory services, CSE Senior Vice Prez Niroshan Wijesundara said. Fraud was reportedly conducted through a fake mobile application and is believed to have been more..

Jan 6 (DM) SL would overhaul its foreign employment framework within months, stepping up efforts to curb illegal migration after a growing number of citizens were rescued from cybercrime camps in Myanmar and conflict zones in Russia. Minister Vijitha Herath issued a stark warning that organised trafficking networks are increasingly exploiting the economic pressures and social media to lure Sri Lankans abroad through illegal channels, often disguising jobs as short-term travel more..

Jan 6 (FT) Siam City Cement (Lanka) Ltd, has announced the appointment of Thusith Gunawarnasuriya as its new CEO, effective 1 January 2026. He succeeds Nandana Ekanayake, who will continue to serve as Chairman, ensuring leadership continuity and strategic stability for the organisation. A long-standing contributor to INSEE’s journey, Thusith has worked with the company through its evolution under Holcim (Lanka) Ltd, LafargeHolcim & INSEE, playing pivotal roles more..

Jan 6 (Island) The scourge of narcotics has eaten into the vitals of many institutions. Among those arrested and prosecuted for drug-related offences are some state employees including police officers. The proliferation of dangerous drugs has therefore come as no surprise. Juvenal’s famous rhetorical question comes to mind: Who guards the guards? Thankfully, the police officers involved in the drug trade run the risk of having to face the full force of the law in case of being found out. more..

Jan 6 (FT) Sri Lanka’s tourism industry closed 2025 on a historic high, recording its highest-ever annual arrivals with over 2.36 million visitors, signalling a strong recovery after six years marked by crises and disruptions. Minister Vijitha Herath said the final tally surpassed the previous record set in 2018 by 1.23%, whilst posting a robust 15.1% year-on-year (YoY) growth. Performance marks a critical milestone for an industry more..

Jan 6 (Island) Looking back at the past year, the anxiety among influential sections of the population that the NPP govt would destabilise the country has been dispelled. There was concern that the new govt with its strong JVP leadership might not be respectful of private property in the Marxist tradition. These fears have not materialised. The govt has made a smooth transition, with no upheavals and no breakdown of governance. This continuity deserves recognition. more..

Jan 6 (TM) As climate change accelerates and populations grow, the frequency and severity of natural disasters, such as floods, landslides, and storms, are increasing globally. If anyone in SL had doubts about climate change, what has occurred in the last decade and what the island has witnessed recently should be adequate to convince the most ardent disbelievers. Following each natural or man-made disaster, Sri Lankans often question national preparedness, only to find out there is much more..

Jan 6 (ST) Oh dear! Ms Harini Amarasuriya’s ambitious plans for educational reforms with same-sex on the school menu for 10- or 11-year-old kids suddenly seem to have come a cropper after it was revealed that the English module for students in Grade 6 contains a weblink that leads to an adult gay chat room. The revelation made by a prominent Buddhist monk at a media conference has led to such a cyclonic storm of public outrage that it left Harini, in the early hours of the newly more..

Jan 6 (GV) World Braille Day is a moment to reflect on the power of tactile literacy and its role in the lives of blind and visually impaired individuals. Jan 4 marks the birth of Louis Braille, the French educator, whose tactile writing system developed nearly two centuries ago, transformed access to written communication. Officially recognised by UNGA in 2018, World Braille Day underscores Braille’s continuing relevance as a tool for literacy, independence and equal opportunity. more..

Jan 6 (CT) Education reforms are among the most consequential policy decisions a nation can undertake. They shape not only the intellectual capacity of future generations, but also the economic resilience, social cohesion, democratic culture, and long-term sovereignty of a country. In Sri Lanka, education has historically functioned as a powerful engine of social mobility, equity, and national integration. From the mid-twentieth century more..

Jan 6 (SLG) The year 2025 will be remembered in SL for Cyclone Ditwah, which struck the SL coast towards the end of November. The heavy rain and landslides during the cyclone presents a grim picture: 644 people losing their lives, 18 injured, while 183 people were missing. World Bank has estimated initial damage from the disaster at around $4.1 billion. During the years 2023-24, the nation was preoccupied with recovering from economic bankruptcy and it coloured political narrative more..

Jan 6 (DM) US’ invasion of Venezuela in early Jan 2026, culminating in the overthrow of Prez Nicolás Maduro’s left-wing govt, was driven by four interlocking objectives: (1) Installing a compliant regime in Caracas; (2) Forcefully reasserting American primacy in the Western Hemisphere under a revived Monroe Doctrine; (3) Preventing Venezuela from abandoning the US dollar in favour of the Chinese yuan and other currencies for international trade; (4) Securing strategic more..

Jan 6 (TM) Despite renewed public debate on the impact of the Ratmalana Airport, Galle Road boundary wall on aviation safety, prompting fresh scrutiny of safety, security, and compliance with int'l aviation standards, Deputy Minister Janitha Kodithuwakku says that an audit has found the removal of the wall is not needed. Debate escalated when former accident investigator at Civil Aviation Authority of SL (CAASL) more..

Jan 6 (CT) The international community once again found itself reeling after the US attack on Venezuela, unleashing a large-scale attack on the nation and capturing Nicolas Maduro, removing him from the country and bringing him to American soil. US and the Trump administration have reported that Maduro and his wife, who was also captured in the attack, will appear in a Court in New York on drug-related charges. At this stage, Trump has threatened military action and violence against other more..

Jan 6 (DM) Why did the Trump administration launch a major military attack on Venezuela on Saturday morning, bombing facilities and capturing the country’s leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores and flying them to the US? The charges levelled by the US against Maduro, in an indictment unsealed Saturday and quoted by ABC News, include narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices. more..

Jan 5 (Reuters) Sri Lanka is targeting 3 million tourist arrivals in 2026, a top official said on Monday, after a record 2.36 million last year, as the country seeks to boost revenue and support recovery from Cyclone Ditwah. Famous for its pristine beaches, ancient temples and Ceylon Tea, tourism is Sri Lanka's second-largest foreign exchange earner with $3.2 billion in revenues in 2025. The tourist arrival target, which is an ambitious 27% increase over the previous year, more..

Jan 5 (EN) Sri Lanka has recorded around US$ 7.8 billion through foreign remittances sent by the expatriates, Minister Vijitha Herath said. “We still don’t have the official December figure from the central bank. But it is around US$ 650-700 million,” Minister said. “With that, our total remittances in 2025 would have been around US$ 7.8 billion, which is the highest ever in the history.” Sri Lanka surpassed the 2017 record high remittances of USD 7.16 billion in the first 11 months of 2025. more..

Jan 5 (EN) Sri Lanka will complete the standard of procedure (SOP) for handling foreign research vessels within the next two months, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said. Sri Lanka appointed a committee last year to draft SOP to handle foreign research vessels after arrivals of Chinese research vessels into the island nation’s shore were strongly opposed by the US and India citing possible threat to the Indian Ocean. more..

Jan 5 (CT) The historic staircase at Sigiriya has been severely eroded as a result of continuous daily foot traffic, according to Minister Hiniduma Sunil Senevi. He said the deterioration of the ancient structure highlights the growing pressure on Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage sites caused by large numbers of visitors. He added that steps have already been taken to amend the Antiquities Ordinance of SL in order to strengthen legal protections for archaeological/heritage sites. more..

Jan 5 (NW) NPP MP Shantha Pathma Kumara has sent legal notices to local media institutions, Hiru and Derana, seeking Rs. 3 billion in compensation. According to the legal notices sent to the two media companies, the compensation has been sought for damage caused to his reputation by what he describes as false, defamatory, and malicious reporting. MP has demanded Rs. 1.5 billion from Hiru Media Network and Rs. 1.5 billion from Derana Media Network. more..

Jan 5 (EN) SL authorities have to enforce law against violence used by tuk-tuk gangs against PickMe and Uber drivers who charged lower fares, minister Nalinda Jayatissa said as SL’s tourism brand as a safe destination is also coming under threat. Some regional tuk-tuk driver associations, especially in tourist hotspots have intimidated fellow drivers working through ride-hailing apps like PickMe and Uber more..

Jan 5 (AD) The General Secretary of the Graded Principals’ Association, Nimal Mudunkotuwa, stated that although schools commenced the 2026 academic year today (5), the govt has yet to introduce a formal educational plan for Grade 6 students. Mudunkotuwa noted that while authorities have scheduled the official start of the Grade 6 curriculum for January 21, the absence of academic activities until then has placed teachers and principals in a challenging position. more..

Jan 5 (TM) A decision taken by specialist medical colleges over two years ago to revise the national drug formulary, following SL’s economic crisis, had led to the impression that the country is facing shortages of certain cancer medicines, President ofAll Ceylon Govt Pharmacists Association (ACGPA) Chalith Amaradivakara said. Responding to queries over complaints raised by patients and some medical professionals, Amaradivakara said SL had more than 800 medicines on its priority list, more..

Jan 5 (Island) Continuing a centuries-old tradition, dating back to the era of ancient kings, the annual Aluth Sahal Mangalya—the offering of alms prepared from the maiden harvest of rice—was ceremonially observed at the Sri Dalada Maligawa on Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day, 03rd January. The religious observances were conducted with the participation of Ven. Thibbatuwawe Sri Medhankara Thera, a member of the Thevava (officiating clergy) of the Sacred Tooth Relic, and more..

Jan 5 (AD) A special programme has been introduced by the Ministry of Health with the aim of providing high-quality, nutritious and appetizing meals for patients receiving inpatient care at government hospitals. The pilot phase of the program is scheduled to commence tomorrow at the Apeksha Hospital in Maharagama. A key feature of the initiative is the discontinuation of the traditional single-plate meal system. Under the new model, patients will be served meals using a more..

Jan 5 (AD) Former Minister Johnston Fernando and his youngest son, Kenneth Fernando who were arrested by the FCID earlier today, have been remanded. The duo has been remanded until January 9. Former Minister and his youngest son were arrested in connection with the alleged misuse of a Sathosa vehicle during Fernando’s tenure as Minister. Previously, police had warned that an arrest warrant would be sought from more..

Jan 5 (EN) Sri Lanka will support United Nations action, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said, after the US abducted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro after attacking defense installations in Venezuela. “It is essential that actions should be taken in a way that is according to UN Conventions, to protect international law the and independence of countries,” Minister Herath said. “All members of UN committed to doing that. A meeting of the UN Security council has been called for Sunday. more..

Jan 5 (EN) Sri Lanka tourist arrivals rose a marginal 4.2% from a year ago to 258,928 in Dec 2025, amidst the widespread destruction in the island after Cyclone Ditwah, data showed. Total arrivals for the year were 2,362,521, up 15.1% from a year ago. This was short of Sri Lanka’s target of 3 million. December arrivals were also 2.3% higher than the 253,169 recorded in 2018; the year before SL’s tourism industry was hit by multiple subsequent shocks – Easter attack, pandemic & protests. more..

Jan 5 (FT) SL’s rupee weakened against the US dollar in 2025, posting an annual depreciation of 5.6%, reversing the strong gains recorded over the previous two years. The decline follows a sharp recovery phase in 2023 and 2024, when the currency appreciated by 12.1% & 10.7%, respectively, supported by tight monetary policy, import controls, improved external balances, and inflows linked to IMF-supported reform more..

Jan 5 (AD) Disciplinary action has been taken against approximately 500 police officers in connection with drug-related offences, IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya has stated. The IGP further stated that steps have also been taken to dismiss a number of police officers from service due to their involvement in drug-related crimes. The IGP made these remarks while attending the passing-out ceremony of police officers held at the SL Police College grounds in Anuradhapura. more..

Jan 5 (CT) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has announced the captains for the upcoming Women’s National Super League (NSL), with four leading players set to guide their respective teams in the premier domestic tournament. Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, and Chamudi Prabodha will captain the four sides — Team Green, Team Grey, Team Blue, and Team Red — as the NSL aims to showcase the depth of talent in women’s cricket across the island. more..