Feb 22 (CT) Sri Lankans trafficked into sprawling scam compounds in Southeast Asia were subjected to brutal punishments, including hours-long immersion in water containers known as water prisons if they failed to meet scamming targets, according to a new report released by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Friday (20). The report, presented in Geneva, details grave abuses suffered by hundreds of more..

Feb 22 (AD) The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) issued updated landslide evacuation notices for four districts at 8:30 p.m. today. Evacuation-level red alerts were issued to residents in several Divisional Secretariat Divisions (DSDs) and surrounding areas, where rainfall exceeding 150 millimeters was reported over the past 24 hours. In the Kandy District, red alerts were declared for Yatinuwara, Doluwa, Ududumbara and Ganga Ihala Korale DSDs and nearby areas. more..

Feb 22 (ST) If SL’s resounding victory over Australia felt like a statement that restored pride and reawakened faith in a team that had been struggling under criticism and scrutiny, Thursday’s defeat by Zimbabwe felt like a warning ahead of their opening Super Eight fixture against England this afternoon at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium. Though the defeat had no bearing on qualification for the next round, as both teams had already secured their places, it served as a reminder to Dasun Shanaka’s more..

Feb 22 (CI) SL took a 1-0 lead in the ODI series with a tense ten-run win over West Indies, thanks largely to a match-defining performance from Inoka Ranaweera. After being asked to bat, Sri Lanka posted 240 for 6, built on half-centuries from Hasini Perera (61 off 86) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (66 off 105). Captain Chamari Athapaththu made 27, while useful middle-order contributions from Nilakshika Silva and Kavisha Dilhari kept the innings moving at a controlled rate. more..

Feb 22 (CI) On the eve of Sri Lanka's Super Eight match against England, it's pouring in Kandy. SL's meteorological department has issued a heavy rain warning. And all five of the days leading up to this match have seen significant rainfall in Pallekele. That doesn't mean the match is under serious threat, though it might be. Weather forecasts for Pallekele are notoriously unreliable, and the groundstaff at the venue are famously nimble. But what it has definitely meant, is that the outfield is more..

Feb 22 (CI) Pathum Nissanka doesn't have the long levers so vaunted for hitting sixes. He is all of five feet six, with appropriately-sized limbs for a man his height. But on the fifth ball of the 17th over during his century against Australia, he gave himself longer levers. As he shaped to play Nathan Ellis, he dropped his bat through his hands and held it - unusually - near the top of the handle. His bottom hand acting as a fulcrum, more..

Feb 22 (CI) Sri Lanka may have vanquished Australia in Pallekele on Monday, but England have an entirely different recent history at this venue. In January, they had played three T20Is in Pallekele, and beaten SL in all three. It had been a low-scoring series, but the likes of Tom Banton, Phil Salt, Harry Brook and Sam Curran all have recent history of producing good innings at this venue, while Adil Rashid has been effective with the ball. England's match against SL on Sunday more..

Feb 22 (CI) It's a measure of England's messed-up psyche right now that the start of the Super Eight might finally be the moment that they can relax into their T20 World Cup campaign. The prologue is done, the terrifying mights of Nepal, Scotland and Italy have been put (just about) in their places. Harry Brook's men can take a deep, cleansing breath, and prepare to face [checks notes] the tournament co-hosts at the scene of one of the most wildly acclaimed victories in their recent history. more..

Feb 22 (SO) The modern history of diplomatic relations between SL and Japan is anchored in a profound act of reconciliation following World War II. At the 1951 San Francisco Peace Conference, SL’s then-Finance Minister (and later Prez) J. R. Jayewardene delivered a historic speech advocating for a free and independent Japan. Quoting the Buddha, he famously said that hatred ceases not by hatred, but by love, and renounced SL’s right to war reparations to help Japan reintegrate into more..

Feb 22 (ST) My dear King Charles, I am writing to you at this trying time after your brother Andrew was arrested for alleged misconduct in public office. I hope you won’t mind me not addressing you as ‘Your Majesty’. We are a republic now and not one of your colonies, though some still wish that power would pass from parent to child! The reason I am writing to you is to offer you some tips and tricks to get out of the difficult situation you and Andrew find yourself in. These days, we in Paradise are quite used to more..

Feb 22 (ST) SLPP National Organiser and MP Namal Rajapaksa is headed to the UK despite attempts by some sections of the Tamil diaspora to stop him from addressing the Oxford Union. The Cambridge Union, which had also invited him to address it, yielded to the pressure from diaspora groups and cancelled the talk even though the one scheduled at the Oxford Union is still on the cards. Mr Rajapaksa had been invited to speak more..

Feb 22 (ST) In some quarters, the visit of the Managing Director of the IMF, Ms Kristalina Georgieva, to Sri Lanka is being hailed as historic, welcomed not only by the Govt but also the mainstream Opposition. All economic indicators point to an economy on the road to recovery, under IMF watch. However much the incumbents in office seem to convince themselves that they inherited a completely bankrupt economy, the turnaround came during a period when the political leadership more..

Feb 22 (CT) Sri Lanka’s debate on women’s political representation has long revolved around quotas, party gatekeeping and media bias. Those battles are far from over. Yet, an even more consequential threat is gathering force. One that could shape not just who contests elections, but who wins them. As the country looks ahead to future Provincial Council Polls and the pivotal General Election cycle expected in 2029, the conjunction of gendered hate and more..

Feb 22 (TM) The warm reception for President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) at the packed India-Pakistan World Cup cricket encounter at the R. Premadasa Int'l Cricket Stadium last Sunday (15), making him (AKD) the clear man of the match on the occasion, as well as the latest report on the JVP-led NPP Govt’s 65% public approval rating, have undoubtedly placed the ruling party on a high. The approval rating of the Govt stood at 65% more..

Feb 22 (TM) In Jan 2015, when the so-called Yahapalana administration finally dislodged the long-entrenched Rajapaksa-led political machine, the country was promised a new political culture. Yet before the new administration could even settle into office, bond controversy at the Central Bank exploded into public consciousness. It was a cruel twist of fate. A Govt elected on an anti-corruption mandate found itself immediately on the defensive over allegations of financial impropriety. more..

Feb 22 (SO) A short video clip recently took the Internet by storm. It depicted Hollywood superstars Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise locked in an intense fight. At first, many thought that it was an actual clip from a future movie. Then the realisation dawned that it was not real at all – the hyper-realistic flight had been generated entirely by Artificial Intelligence (AI) by the Chinese company ByteDance, the owner of the popular video platform TikTok. Naturally, Hollywood and film industries more..

Feb 21 (CNN) Supreme Court on Friday ruled that President Donald Trump violated federal law when he unilaterally imposed sweeping tariffs across the globe, a striking loss for the White House on an issue that has been central to the president’s foreign policy and economic agenda. The decision is arguably the most important loss the second Trump administration has sustained at the conservative Supreme Court, which last year repeatedly sided with the president in a series of more..

Feb 21 (CT) The Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) has called for dedicated detention facilities for transgender individuals, stating that separate spaces should be established within prisons when such persons are taken into custody. Committee Chairman, Attorney-at-Law Senaka Perera, said that in addition to the conventional male and female wards, a distinct section should be created within prisons to accommodate transgender detainees. more..

Feb 21 (DM) SL’s largest-ever lottery jackpot, amounting to more than Rs. 63 crore, has been claimed, officials said on Friday. A representative of the Development Lotteries Board said the winning ticket carried a prize of Rs. 629,855,919.60, marking the highest payout recorded in the country’s lottery history. The ticket was purchased in the Girandurukotte area in the Badulla District. The winner will be formally identified following verification of the ticket’s authenticity and more..

Feb 21 (DM) UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake demanded an urgent statement in Parliament over the credibility of SL’s Gross Official Reserves (GOR), possible foreign exchange leakages and the consistency of the Central Bank’s regulatory actions. Addressing the House, Karunanayake said reserve strength cannot be judged by headline numbers alone, insisting that transparency, enforceability and regulatory consistency are critical to maintaining public and investor confidence. more..

Feb 21 (Island) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday alleged in Parliament that eight recently imported coal shipments were substandard and called for an independent probe into the matter.Speaking in the House, Premadasa said Sri Lanka typically requires 36–38 coal shipments annually. While 11 Russian shipments received so far had raised no concerns, he claimed that 25 vessels ordered from South Africa under a new tender were facing quality issues. more..

Feb 21 (AD) The Maha Sangha Conference, aimed at educating the public regarding the alleged pressures exerted on Buddhism and the Maha Sangha, was held in Colombo this afternoon (20). During the conference, the Buddhist clergy and Buddhist leaders from across the country jointly declared a Sangha Charter consisting of 10 points to alleviate the current social crises faced by the Buddha Sasana, the Maha Sangha and the people of the country. Accordingly, the relevant 10-point Sangha Charter, more..

Feb 21 (NW) SJB MP Harsha de Silva has called for recognition of the previous govt’s economic achievements while commenting on SL’s IMF programme. His remarks come after IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, in a recent interview, commended the current SL govt for its commitment to maintaining macroeconomic stability and continuing reforms under the IMF-supported programme. In a post on X, de Silva said that while he supports the IMF programme and appreciates the present govt’s focus on stability, more..

Feb 21 (Island) INSEE Cement, Sri Lanka’s leading cement manufacturer and supplier and the only fully integrated cement plant in the country, announced the recommencement of limestone rail transportation from its Aruwakkalu quarry to the Puttalam plant following the successful restoration of the section of the railway line damaged by the recent Ditwah Cyclone. Limestone transportation via rail officially resumes from 18th Feb, marking a significant milestone in restoring more..

Feb 21 (CT) Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development has been informed that estimated losses linked to eight coal shipments have reached Rs 1,559.3 million (Rs 1.56 billion) for the eighth shipment alone, according to a letter dated 19 Feb, submitted by Engineer K.S.I. Kumara, General Manager of the CEB. The estimates are based on the results of load port and discharge port tests received from all shipments from December 2025 to date. more..

Feb 21 (NW) Sri Lanka Expo 2026, the country’s premier international trade exhibition, will be held from June 18 to 21, at the BMICH in Colombo. The event is organized by the SL Export Development Board (EDB) under the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development. SL Expo 2026 is expected to bring together local and international stakeholders, including exporters, investors, trade representatives and policymakers, to showcase SL’s export capabilities, investment potential and more..

Feb 21 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Sri Lankan delegation have returned to Sri Lanka after attending the AI Impact Summit 2026 held in New Delhi, India. The delegation arrived at BIA, a short while ago, aboard SriLankan Airlines flight UL-196 from New Delhi. The President and the SL delegation had travelled to India at the invitation of Indian PM Narendra Modi to participate in the summit. Prez attended the summit on an invitation extended by Indian PM Narendra Modi. more..

Feb 21 (NW) A 37-year-old SL man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for stabbing his estranged SL wife to death in a car park in Cardiff. Nirodha Niwunhella, known as Nirodha, 32, was killed at South Morgan Place in the Riverside area of Cardiff on Aug. 21, 2025. She died at the scene. Her estranged husband, Thisara Weragalage, from Pentwyn, had been separated from her for several months at the time of the attack. Weragalage initially denied murder but later pleaded guilty at a hearing more..

Feb 21 (DM) The Opposition seems to be not certain of their own stance about the Parliament Pensions (Repeal) Bill that was passed on Tuesday. They criticised the Bill, but did not vote against it. They had left the House when the Bill was put to vote, instead. The JVP from the beginning had been against paying pension for the Parliamentarians and were insisting on the abolition of the Parliamentary Pensions Act since it was adopted in 1977 by the J.R. Jayewardene Govt. more..

Feb 21 (FT) Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) in a statement strongly condemned the illegal commencement of constructing the proposed Jaffna Int'l Cricket Stadium and Sports Complex on Mandaitivu Island by SLC without obtaining the mandatory statutory approvals required under law. Despite SLC’s failure to obtain the requisite approvals, earth-moving machinery is presently in operation on site and construction materials have already been transported there. more..

Feb 21 (ST) Suspects who had smuggled in 144 pigeons from South India into the country and were hiding them in a house in Pungudutivu, Jaffna had set fire to the house along with the pigeons to avoid detection, police said. A few days earlier Kayts police had arrested three people who had brought 44 pigeons to Kurikkatuvan jetty to be transported to Jaffna mainland. Acting on information that an additional 100 pigeons were being held at a residence in Pungudutivu, police prepared to raid the premises. more..

Feb 21 (Island) Former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews believes the islanders have unearthed a gem in Pavan Rathnayake, backing the 23-year-old middle-order batter to scale the game’s highest peaks. Drafted into the World Cup squad at the eleventh hour, Rathnayake has wasted little time in justifying the selectors’ leap of faith. While much of the spotlight has rightly fallen on Pathum Nissanka’s match-winning heroics, the youngster has quietly gone about his business, compiling runs with more..