Jan 3 (ST) The charge for plastic shopping bags at major supermarkets, introduced as an environmental measure, is prompting growing public scrutiny over who ultimately benefits from the policy. Since Nov 1, 2025, SL’s leading retail chains have been required, under Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2456/41, to end the free distribution of plastic shopping bags and instead charge Rs.3 for medium & Rs.5 for more..

Jan 3 (AD) Ministry of Health and Mass Media has stated that the State Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Corporation (SPMC) has recorded the highest drug production in its history during the year 2025. Accordingly, the SPMC produced a total of 3,625 million tablets and capsules during the year 2025. Ministry further noted that the corporation also achieved its highest-ever monthly production in March 2025, during which 385 million tablets and capsules were manufactured. more..

Jan 3 (ST) With the State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Act for the proper management and maintenance of SOEs coming in the 1Q next year, certain such entities have agreed in principle to go public on the Colombo Stock Exchange, a deputy minister said. About 65 SOEs have agreed in principle to go for listing. These entities are for a selected commercial nature, Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando said. He said that these selected entities will be brought under a holding company. more..

Jan 3 (FT) NDB Bank partnered with Kandy City Centre (KCC) as the Official Banking Partner of Splash Shopping Fiesta 2025, the biggest shopping festival of the season, held from 24-28 Dec. The event brought together an exciting blend of retail, entertainment, and festive cheer, creating a vibrant shopping experience for customers in the Central Province during the year-end season. As the Official Banking Partner, NDB Bank played a key role in enhancing the overall experience by more..

Jan 3 (FT) SL Export Development Board (EDB) recently hosted a networking session aimed at equipping new and prospective exporters with the knowledge and connections needed to succeed in international markets. A large number of entrepreneurs preparing to enter the export sector participated in the session, during which experienced industry professionals shared valuable insights essential for successful export operations. Key topics discussed included participation more..

Jan 3 (FT) EDB Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe said SL is projecting total export earnings of $ 20 billion in 2026, reflecting a year-on-year (YoY) growth of 10%, whilst expressing confidence in the country’s steady recovery and medium-term export expansion strategy. “Merchandise exports are forecast to exceed $ 15.7 billion in 2026, while services exports are expected to rise to $ 4.3 billion, supported by growth in key sectors more..

Jan 3 (Island) Superlatives galore were used, especially on social media, to highlight R&B singer Ne-Yo’s trip to SL: Global superstar Ne-Yo to perform live in Colombo this December; Ne-Yo concert puts Sri Lanka back on the global entertainment map; A global music sensation is coming to SL … and there were lots more! At an official press conference, held at a five-star venue, in Colombo, it was indicated that the gathering marked a defining moment for SL’s entertainment more..

Jan 3 (DM) The NPP govt is being accused of suppression of media freedom again, a month after it was accused of the same, after the Chief Editor of the Sinhala language daily, Aruna was summoned by the CID over a news item published in that newspaper. The govt this time is being accused after the police requested Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of SL (TRCSL) to look into certain news items telecast by a controversial television channel. Even most groups that are not happy with more..

Jan 3 (Island) Electricity Consumers’ Association (ECA) has said the govt is planning to pass the cost of the voluntary retirement scheme for the employees of the CEB, which is to be restructured, on to the public in the form of a power tariff hike. A proposal to this effect has been submitted to Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL), ECA has said. The proposed tariff hike is said to be 11.57% for the first quarter of the current year. Speculation is rife that the PUCSL will grant the CEB’s request, more..

Jan 3 (ST) As Sri Lankans prepare to move into 2026, three significant events that defined and shaped SL this year were parliamentary polls (in which the NPP secured a landslide victory); the continuation of the IMF’s extended fund facility by the ruling party contrary to expectations that it would be abandoned; and the Nov 28th Cyclone Ditwah (while the number of casualties was less than the 2004 tsunami, the destruction to land and property was higher than in 2004). more..

Jan 3 (CT) The political year opened in SL not with fireworks or slogans, but with gestures heavy in symbolism: religious observances, unexpected phone calls, quiet meetings behind hotel doors, and carefully worded public statements. Together, they offered early clues to the contours of a political season likely to be shaped as much by recalibration within the Opposition as by the governing coalition’s attempt to consolidate authority amid more..

Jan 3 (CT) Sri Lanka enters the New Year without an Auditor General. This is not a mere administrative delay. It is a grave failure of governance that strikes at the heart of public accountability, financial oversight and constitutional responsibility. The prolonged deadlock over appointing the country’s chief auditor has now crossed the line from procedural dysfunction to institutional negligence. For more than ten months since the retirement of the previous Auditor General, more..

Jan 3 (CT) The passing away of veteran singer Mrs Latha Walpola, The Queen of Songs of Lanka, has created an unfillable void in the Lankan music world. The boundless body of creations she gifted to Sri Lankan singing culture will remain as a cultural heritage of ours. Her melodious voice and her singing ability, which won hearts for generations, set a benchmark in Sri Lankan music. We sang many of her songs on numerous occasions while enjoying ourselves. more..

Jan 3 (DM) Knuckles Forest is a unique forest ecosystem in Sri Lanka, which was declared as a conservation forest by the Dept of Forest Conservation through Extraordinary Gazette No. 1130/22 dated 05.05.2000. It is also the first conservation forest in the country. In addition, under the National Environmental Act No. 47 of 1980, the Knuckles area was designated as an environmental protection area through Extraordinary more..

Jan 3 (FT) Local governance is about managing public affairs at the community level. It involves Local Govt, citizens, and organisations in making and implementing decisions for services like roads, sanitation, schools & parks. It aims to be responsive, efficient, and representative of local needs through participatory processes like budgeting, planning & service delivery. It decentralises power, bringing Govt closer to people, fostering democracy & tackling local development issues. more..

Jan 3 (DM) Under the original provisions, if the Council failed to pass the budget within two weeks of its submission, the budget would, notwithstanding such failure, be deemed to have been duly adopted. Even where the Council modified or rejected the budget, Section 215A allowed the Mayor to resubmit it for further consideration if he did not agree with the Council’s decision. Importantly, under this earlier legal position, defeat of the budget did not require the Mayor to resign. more..

Jan 2 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa says while millions of people have been displaced by Cyclone Ditwah, the govt is preparing to increase electricity tariffs by 11.57%. He stated that although the present govt came to power promising to build a prosperous country and a better life, instead, it is now laying the foundation for a poorer country and a harsher life by raising electricity bills. Premadasa pointed out that govt members, when in opposition, pledged on every platform more..

Jan 2 (NW) Sri Lanka is set for a busy cricketing year in 2026, according to the Future Tours Programme (FTP), with the national team scheduled to play across all formats, alongside major ICC events and domestic leagues. Some tours and match dates, however, remain subject to rescheduling. The 2026 schedule highlights a demanding year for Sri Lanka, with bilateral series against top teams, participation in a global ICC event, and key Test tours. more..

Jan 2 (TM) Land Ministry stated that when resettling families who lost land and housing due to Cyclone Ditwah, Govt will have to allocate a uniform extent of land for settlement, even in cases where the affected families previously owned much larger plots. Deputy Minister of Land, Aravinda Senarath said that no final decision has yet been taken on the exact size of land to be allocated, as discussions are still ongoing. more..

Jan 2 (Hindu) Former Chief Minister and Congress leader V. Narayanasamy has claimed that spurious drugs manufactured in Puducherry were even smuggled to SL. Addressing a press conference in Puducherry, he said the drugs manufactured illegally in the Union Territory were smuggled to the Island nation. The ongoing CBI-probe should cover smuggling of medicines to SL also, he said. Reiterating the charge of the involvement of ruling party members in the illegal drug business, more..

Jan 2 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed officials to ensure that all housing projects planned under the 2026 Budget allocations are completed within the stipulated timeframes and handed over to the public without delay. Prez also emphasized the need to bring the monitoring and supervision of these projects under a single coordinating institution to ensure efficiency and accountability. Prez made these remarks during a discussion held at the Prez Secretariat today more..

Jan 2 (Island) SL’s latest elephant census must result in immediate policy action, not remain a paper exercise, Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) Managing Director Dilena Pathragoda warned, as nearly 400 wild elephants have already died in 2025 alone amid escalating human–elephant conflict. With the national elephant population estimated at around 5,879, Pathragoda said the figures more..

Jan 2 (AD) Investigations have revealed that the suspect who was arrested with heroin in the Gandara area of Devundara is a close associate of the underworld figure Shehan Sathsara, also known as Dehi Bale Malli. Officers of Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) had arrested a suspect identified as Supun Madushan, alias Jore, while in possession of 200 grams of heroin, 23 grams of crystal methamphetamine (Ice), and Rs. 500,000 in cash, suspected to be proceeds from more..

Jan 2 (AD) The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has collected over Rs. 285 million in fines from raids carried out over the past year. The fines were imposed following 21,000 raids conducted across the island in 2025, the authority said. CAA has also taken steps to test 223 food and non-food product samples to ensure compliance with required standards. These include steel wire, coconut oil, cosmetics, rice, canned fish, chilli powder, milk, hair dyes, cordials, and syrups, more..

Jan 2 (TM) In the wake of the suspension of the newly printed Grade Six English language module over an inappropriate web reference, the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) stated that certain issues have been identified in other newly prepared modules and hence called on the National Institute of Education (NIE) to conduct a comprehensive review before they are distributed to students. CTU President, Priyantha Fernando said that teachers have complained of problems in several more..

Jan 2 (FT) Sri Lanka is set to welcome the global gem and jewellery fraternity tomorrow as FACETS Sri Lanka 2026, the country’s flagship gem and jewellery exhibition, opens its doors at The Forum, Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, Colombo. Taking place from 3 to 5 January, FACETS is recognised as the first major international jewellery exhibition of the year, positioning SL at the forefront of the global gem and jewellery calendar. Now in its 33rd year, FACETS SL has grown into one of the more..

Jan 2 (NW) Minister of Health Nalinda Jayatissa has issued a legal notice demanding Rs. 1 billion in damages from YouTube content creator Dharmasri Kariyawasam, accusing him of spreading false propaganda linking the Minister’s name to the importation of a controversial medicine and thereby causing public unrest. According to the notice, issued via Jayatissa’s legal team, investigations are already underway into more..

Jan 2 (TM) Ranjan Marasinghe has been appointed as the 35th Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC). The appointment was made by the Minister of Environment, Dhammika Patabendi. Marasinghe is a long-standing officer of the department, having joined in 1998. He has climbed the ranks from Assistant Director to Director of Operations and Additional Director of Technology. He brings a multidisciplinary academic background to the role, holding degrees in more..

Jan 2 (Island) SL Red Cross Society has announced a nationwide program to remove and properly dispose of debris, including fallen trees, left in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, the organization said. The initiative is set to begin Sunday (4) and will cover all 25 districts across the country. Red Cross Head of Communications Navindra Senarathne said the programme will receive support from the Central Environmental Authority, provincial councils, and other relevant govt agencies. more..

Jan 2 (AD) The CEB has submitted a proposal to the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) requesting a revision of electricity tariffs for the year 2026. In its submission, the CEB has indicated that an 11.57% increase in tariffs will be necessary in the first quarter of the year. The PUCSL has stated that a decision on whether to approve the proposed increase will be made following due procedures and discussions. more..

Jan 2 (Island) The Ministry of Education has yet to clarify whether school hours will be extended by 30 minutes from next Monday (05) under the proposed new education reforms, Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin has said. Stalin told The Island that the Ministry should reconsider the planned reforms, warning that decisions taken without adequate study and consultation could have serious repercussions for nearly four million schoolchildren. more..

Jan 2 (NW) Ministry of Ports says Port of Colombo recorded the highest container throughout in its history in 2025, with the annual volume reaching 8,290,000 TEUs. This record achievement was the result of the collective effort of the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) and East Container Terminal (ECT) operated by the SL Ports Authority, along with South Asia Gateway Terminal (SAGT) managed by a Chinese company, and Colombo Int'l Container Terminal (CICT) operated by Adani Group. more..