Mar 11 (FT) How does one navigate a terrible past while capturing an essence of the beauty that existed prior to calamity and the hope that revolves around normalcy; where human beings reclaim their right to live, let live and co-exist while re-creating the joy of life. To obtain an answer to the above one can visit Fox Jaffna in Kokuvil which has created an idyllic touristic identity for itself in the northern peninsula. This seems to be the only place in this country which has integrated more..

Mar 11 (Island) Jaffna-based Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) has reiterated its demand for Sri Lanka to be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC). TNPF raised the issue in a letter addressed to the Heads of Missions in Geneva of the UNHRC Core Group on Sri Lanka. The TNPF criticised previous UNHRC resolutions as ineffective, stating that they have failed to deliver justice for Tamil victims. more..

Mar 11 (DM) Either Sajith Premadasa, during his tenure as the Housing Minister, or his secretary has misused funds allocated to construct a bridge across the Walawe Ganga in the Hambantota District, Govt MP Upul Kithsirti alleged in Parliament today. The MP said the allegation has actually been made by the people in the area. Minister of Transport and Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayake said the bridge is half constructed and has stopped in the middle of the river. more..

Mar 11 (NF) Dhananath Fernando, CEO of Advocata Institute, has stressed on the urgent need for economic reforms to address SL's economic position. Speaking on the country's economic challenges, Fernando emphasized that despite 76 years of independence, SL remains a developing country due to poor financial management and unsustainable borrowing practices. "The problem is very simple. We borrowed too much money in dollar terms, in short maturity, and invested more..

Mar 12 (DM) There is a war-like situation growing in the Palk Straits. It is a battle for fish and livelihood, especially affecting our Northern fisher communities. The demarcation of the maritime boundary agreements of 1974 and 1976 between India and Sri Lanka made it illegal for fishermen from either side to cross over into each other’s waters to fish. But large Indian trawler vessels keep aggressively entering our sea-space. The bottom trawling methods they use denude fish stocks and more..

Mar 12 (TM) The man who sexually assaulted a lady doctor at the doctors’ quarters of the A'pura Teaching Hospital on Monday has been identified but was at large at the time this newspaper went to print. The victim reported returning to her quarters after completing her duties that evening when the attacker, at knife point, raped her. Incident sent a shockwave through the island, with the matter given prominent airtime, addressed in Parliament and becoming the subject of a social media storm. more..

Mar 12 (CT) The chaos caused by the designation of auspicious times for performing Sinhala and Tamil New Year rituals at night last year (2024) is continuing this year, with the designation of auspicious times for rituals at dawn in 2025, National Astrologers’ Association Convenor Ravishanka Senanayake said. “As Sri Lankans who observe this cultural tradition faithfully were frustrated when the majority of more..

Mar 12 (DM) At the end of the COVID pandemic in 2021, the residents of Colombo North came in for a rude shock. They found that the public transport system that had served them for several decades didn’t exist anymore. The Kotahena roundabout junction had been always a busy bus terminal hub with key bus routes originating for their onward journey across the city. Tragically now, no buses are found anywhere at the terminus, that now looks like a grave yard. Routes now thus terminated more..

Mar 12 (GV) Sri Lanka’s battle for gender equality in politics has once again been marred by systemic barriers and patriarchal attitudes. The latest challenge? A new wave of obstacles facing women candidates in the upcoming local authority elections, including how the 25% women’s quota will be fulfilled, as the men within political parties seem more determined to maintain control than to allow women the chance to be elected. A woman politician who contested the last parliamentary election, more..

Mar 12 (TM) Govt’s decision to revise the 3% commission charged by fuel distributors has raised questions about whether consumers will see a reduction in fuel prices. Under the current pricing mechanism, the Maximum Retail Price of fuel is determined using a formula that includes several cost components. These include the landed cost of fuel (V1), processing costs (V2), stockholding costs (V3), taxation (V4), administrative and more..

Mar 12 (ST) The date: 15th March. The time: Between 8 and 8.05 AM. That’s the auspicious date and nakath time the Deputy Minister JVP’s Namal Karunaratna, has preordained for the people to step out to their garden plots and to agricultural fields and participate in the great national endeavour of gathering firsthand data for an islandwide census of the usual wildlife suspects of crop devastators. On this auspicious Ides of March, at the nakath time of 8 in the morning, more..

Mar 12 (Island) It looks as if the CID did political work full-time and investigated crime part-time. A regime change means more political work for the CID, which has to make numerous arrests and conduct many politically motivated probes, which enable the culprits to play the victim card and regain public sympathy. The CID bigwigs never own up to their mistakes and failures and blame them on others. However, a woman working for a crime syndicate has outwitted them and left them more..

Mar 12 (DM) Donald Trump last week issued an executive order making English the official language of the United States of America. The order rescinded a previous presidential decree issued by former President Bill Clinton requiring federal govt agencies to provide assistance programmes for people with limited English proficiency. Instead, it now allows the agencies to decide whether they want to offer documents and other services in languages other than English. more..

Mar 12 (Island) To establish a high-quality educational institution, it is essential to create a sustainable and flexible foundation that meets contemporary educational needs while adapting to future demands. The following outline a robust model for a successful and reputable educational institution. Faculty Excellence and Research Integration: Recruit faculty members with advanced qualifications, industry experience, and a strong commitment to student development. more..

Mar 12 (ST) Boxing Independent Integrity Unit’s (BIIU) Investigation and Prosecution Officer has recommended a two-year suspension among other recommendations on SL boxing referee Nelka Shiromala for unauthourised participation in a tournament organised by a rival of the Int'l Boxing Association (IBA). The investigation officer, Ms Manal Rmeity, has also recommended for the revocation of Shiromala’s IBA certification more..

Mar 12 (FT) CPA Australia Sri Lanka Branch recently hosted its highly anticipated Thought Leadership Forum 2025 under the theme Good Governance – Strengthening for a Better Tomorrow. This event was organised in partnership with Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE). The event gathered corporate leaders, Govt officials, and board members of State-owned enterprises (SOEs) to discuss the crucial role of governance in fostering accountability, transparency, and national progress. more..

Mar 12 (FT) Sigiriya, Sri Lanka has been named a Sustainable Destination at the world’s biggest tourism fair – ITB Berlin. The nation won the Bronze Certificate for Sigiriya, by Green Destinations International, world’s largest community of destinations committed to sustainability, supported by more than 50 program partners around the world. “This award is a prestigious opportunity to boost tourism around the world,” said SL Tourism Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam. more..

Mar 12 (Island) It looks as if the CID did political work full-time and investigated crime part-time. A regime change means more political work for the CID, which has to make numerous arrests and conduct many politically motivated probes, which enable the ce.com/embed/bmv8IemB8Hs?autohide=1" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen> more..

Mar 12 (ST) Sehara Anuhansi, the 20-year-old from Sri Devananda College, Ambalangoda, surged ahead in the 2 Mile Open Women’s Championship, clinching the gold with a timing of 47:38.83 on Day 1 of the 86th Mount Lavinia Sea Swim Championship. Despite a fierce challenge from 16-year-old Ginuki Tharulya de Silva of Leeds Aquatic Club, Panadura, who finished second at 48:17.51, Anuhansi’s determination helped her claim the title. Last year’s winner, 22-year-old Anjalie Agalawatte of SLN more..

Mar 12 (FT) Govt admitted to an oversupply of solar power to the national grid particularly on Sundays, whilst ensuring that engineers along with the CEB are exploring ways to resolve the issue. “There is an imbalance between the power supply and demand, especially from small-scale power producers on Sundays. This imbalance has led the national grid to be more susceptible to disruptions,” said Minister Nalinda Jayatissa responding to a question posed at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing. more..

Mar 12 (FT) The Standard Chartered Bank said Sri Lanka is increasingly attracting positive investor sentiment, particularly from int'l portfolio investors, indicating confidence in macroeconomic improvements, whilst urging policy stability and continuous improvement as certain risks still remain along with multiple challenges. “Int'l investors are viewing SL favourably, recognising the progress made in economic stabilisation. more..

Mar 12 (DN) Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management further made Sri Lanka proud not only as a potential destination not only for its historical and cultural values, but also in the international culinary field, by becoming the winners of three main categories at the World food competition held in India, organized by the Guru Nanak Institute of Hotel Management, Kolkata recently. Twenty two countries participated at this event including South Africa, Russia, Indonesia, etc, more..

Mar 12 (DN) Bangladesh under 19 will tour SL for a six ODI match series against SL under 19 which will commence on April 26 All matches will be played at Mahinda Rajapaksa cricket stadium at Hambantota. The first ODI will be held on April 26 while rest of the five ODIs will be played on April 28, May 1, 3,6 and 8. A warm up match also will be played prior to the ODI series on April 24 at the same venue. SLC organised this youth tournament for the Sri Lanka good to get good exposure more..

Mar 12 (ST) Finance Ministry has advised the Cabinet that if separate holding companies were to be formed for generation, transmission and distribution to succeed the existing CEB, it would be an additional financial burden to the electricity industry and could affect pricing for consumers. 2024 SL Electricity Act envisages unbundling the CEB into 12 companies with four for generation, two for transmission, five for distribution and more..

Mar 12 (FT) Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa yesterday announced that the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) is set to implement a new pricing mechanism for pharmaceutical items. He stated that the pricing framework will apply to a total of 862 essential medicines. “The new system will analyse regional pricing trends and determine reasonable profit margins for suppliers to standardise the industry, without allowing monopolies and undue reliance on suppliers,” he explained. more..

Mar 12 (TM) Ministry of Agriculture stated that the relevant State officers at each administrative level attached to Provincial Councils and District Secretariats have been deployed to monitor and assist with the islandwide monkey population census, which is scheduled for 15 March. Secretary to the Ministry D.P. Wickremasinghe stated that all relevant officials from the provincial to the district levels have been assigned to support and oversee the census. more..

Mar 12 (DM) Prez Dissanayake reaffirmed that the govt would not reintroduce import controls on vehicles, noting that US$ 150 million worth of Letters of Credit (LCs) have been opened since the liberalisation of vehicle imports. He emphasised that the govt closely monitors vehicle import data from the banking system on a daily basis. “As of 10 Feb, there were US$ 150 million worth of LCs were opened,” he said. Speaking at the 26th anniversary of the COYLE in Colombo, more..

Mar 12 (DM) Central Bank has continued its foreign currency buying spree for the fourth consecutive year running, as they ended up being the net absorber of foreign currency in Feb 2025, extending from January. The CB had collected US$ 78.3 million in foreign currency from the domestic foreign exchange market in February but ended up with net purchases of US$ 70.3 million for the month due to little sales of about US$ 8.0 million which appears to have been made to support the currency. more..

Mar 12 (TM) Ministry of Urban Development, Construction, and Housing is reviewing whether the compensation paid to more than 40 Parliamentarians for damages to their houses during the 2022 unrest aligns with the actual losses incurred. Minister Nalinda Jayatissa recently revealed in the Parliament that some 43 former MPs have obtained compensation of Rs. 1.2 billion for the damages caused to their houses & property more..

Mar 12 (DN) Sri Lanka’s Electrical and Electronic manufacturing sector exports will see a growth of 15% this year reaching USD 500 million, said Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe at the launch of the Dvolt Electric products reinforcing Sri Lanka’s reputation as a rising leader in this space. “While the increase of Electrical and Electronic manufacturing is a commendable achievement, we must recognise that it represents only a fraction of what we can truly accomplish. more..

Mar 12 (Island) Canadian media reported that a SL woman had been shot dead and a man badly wounded inside a Markham home that police say was targeted and shot at multiple times in the last year. Shooting happened around 6:30 a.m. Friday at a residence on Solace Road, near Highway 48 and Castlemore Avenue. Officers who responded to the shooting found the two adults with gunshot wounds. Female victim has been identified as 20-year-old Nilakshi Raguthas, a relative of slain more..

Mar 12 (ST) SL govt is looking at alternative financing for a minimum of a dozen govt projects hitherto supported by USAID. The initiative comes in light of the recent US govt move to freeze foreign assistance, significantly impacting the nation’s development programmes a high official of the Finance Ministry said. At the time of the freeze, USAID funds were actively supporting five projects of Ministries of Justice and Finance (one each) and Ministry of Environment (two projects). more..

Mar 12 (TM) The Ministry of Health stated that the existing laws are sufficient to prevent organ trafficking for transplantation and address any related incidents. Organ trade is the trading of human organs, tissues, or other body parts, usually for transplantation. According to the World Health Organisation, the organ trade is a commercial transplantation where there is a profit, or transplantations that occur outside of national medical systems. more..

Mar 12 (TM) India’s Adani Green Energy has expressed its willingness to work with SL on proposed renewable energy projects on the same terms decided earlier, a source said. But Minister Nalida Jayatissa said a discussion on the deal is possible only after a price revision. Adani Group last month said it had decided to withdraw its wind power deals with SL, after Colombo’s recently elected govt demanded to lower the price. more..

Mar 12 (TM) Former Prez Maithripala Sirisena has paid the Rs. 1 million in compensation, which was ordered to be paid following the quashing of the Presidential pardon granted to the convict in the Royal Park murder case, his lawyers have informed the Supreme Court (SC). A three-Judge bench of the SC, which had previously considered the facts presented that the compensation had not been paid, issued an order yesterday (11) directing that notice be issued to Sirisena. more..

Mar 12 (CT) Minister of Public Security, Ananda Wijepala, confirmed yesterday that the suspect involved in the alleged sexual assault of a female doctor at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital on the night of 10 March has been identified. The Minister revealed that the suspect was an army deserter and that five Police teams had been deployed to arrest him. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa raised serious concerns in Parliament regarding the incident, calling for immediate action. more..