Sri Lanka News : InfoLanka News Room

May 27 (AD) Governor of the CB Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe says it will take at least two years for SL to reach a real GDP value similar to that of 2018. Governor further said this year’s economic growth will depend on policies implemented within the year, mainly fiscal and structural policies. Dr. Weerasinghe, who further clarified that the negative inflation is temporary, noted that it is mainly due to repeated reductions in electricity tariffs more..

UK sanctions, Tilvin’s unrepentant untruths, Anura’s policy direction

May 27 (FT) The UK govt took time off from cutting social welfare, ramping up its military budget and undermining a possible US-Russia détente which would end the Ukraine war, to sanction four Sri Lankans for (alleged) human rights abuses in wartime. This from the country that hasn’t jailed any military officer involved in the Bloody Sunday massacre (1972) where British army paratroopers shot 26 unarmed civilians participating in a protest march. It was broad daylight and more..

GDP and GDP growth: Are they measures that really matter?

May 27 (FT) A country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the standard measure of the total value of all goods and services produced within its borders during a specific period, typically a year. The services component of GDP includes the value of all final services produced, such as transportation, communication, finance, healthcare, education, and many others. SL GDP was estimated to be $ 84.36 billion, and it is reported that the country achieved a GDP growth of 5% in 2024. more..

පාතාලය පොලිසියට රිංගයි පොලිසිය...

Julie Chung visits UNP HQ Sirikotha

Mar 27 (NW) A discussion has been held between US Ambassador Julie Chung and senior members of the UNP at the party HQ in Sirikotha today. Accordingly, Ambassador Julie Chung had engaged in discussions with UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardana and General Secretary Thalatha Athukorala. It is reported that the discussion, which had taken place for over an hour, had focused on the current political state and the UNP’s political activities. more..

Four suspects remanded over Colombo nightclub brawl

Mar 27 (AD) Four suspects who surrendered to the Central Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) in connection with an assault incident that took place in front of a nightclub at Union Place in Colombo on Saturday (22) night have been remanded until April 1. This order was issued after the suspects were produced before the Fort Magistrate’s Court today. The suspects were arrested after their statements were recorded at the CCIB yesterday. Meanwhile, Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former Prez more..

Chamara Sampath Remanded on Corruption Charges

Mar 27 (NF) MP Chamara Sampath Dasanayake has been remanded until April 1 in connection with corruption charges. The charges stem from his tenure as Chief Minister of Uva Province. Dasanayake was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court, where he was remanded until April 1. Dasanayake was taken into custody by the CIABOC this morning after arriving to provide a statement. more..

Sumanthiran welcomes UK sanctions

Mar 27 (NW) ITAK General Secretary and former MP M.A. Sumanthiran has welcomed the recent sanctions imposed by the UK Govt on four individuals, three of whom are former military commanders of the SL armed forces. “We welcome the sanctions imposed by the UK today, which include former senior SL military commanders, and a former LTTE military commander who later led the paramilitary Karuna Group, operating on behalf of the SL military against the LTTE,” more..

FMM urges Govt to ensure transparency

Mar 27 (CT) Free Media Movement (FMM) urged the Govt to ensure transparency and public accountability in its proposed restructuring of State-owned media institutions. Concerns were raised over the financial losses of SL Rupavahini Corporation, SLBC, and Independent Television Network, prompting the Govt to consider placing them under a unified management structure. While acknowledging the need for financial sustainability, FMM stresses that any restructuring more..

Alipay+ open to work with Sri Lanka Tourism

Mar 27 (TM) Singaporean incorporated digital payments solution platform, Alipay+, is open to work with Sri Lankan tourism authorities to boost tourism to the island by targeting the South East Asian region and tourism source markets, Alipay+ Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand General Manager Edward Yue said. “We always take an open collaborative approach and work with local partners to support the travel ecosystem. In our past more..

HC Judge Withdraws from Krrish Case

Mar 27 (NF) Colombo High Court Judge Manjula Thilakaratne has recused himself from the ongoing case involving allegations of misappropriation of Rs. 70 million related to the Krrish transaction. The case, which has drawn significant public attention, involves SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa. The Attorney General filed the case against Rajapaksa, accusing him of misappropriating funds provided by the Indian company Krrish for the development of rugby in SL. Judge Thilakaratne announced his decision more..

Over 11,000 dengue cases reported in Sri Lanka this year

Mar 27 (AD) A three-day special mosquito control program has been implemented in eight districts, starting today. Accordingly, the mosquito control program will be carried out in the Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Ratnapura, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Matale, and Matara districts where mosquito density is reported to be high. The National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) pointed out that there is a risk of dengue spreading again due to the ongoing intermittent rains. more..

Four Stories with ‪NEWS19

Women workforce: PM wants unpaid care work recognised

Mar 27 (TM) PM and Education Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya emphasised that since only 35% of women participate in the paid workforce, it is necessary to find ways and means to ensure that women have opportunities to contribute towards the economy through employment opportunities and equal pay while acknowledging and recognising unpaid work and unpaid care work, which are often disproportionately carried out by women. The Premier made these remarks while more..

Health sector: Ministry instructs on filling admin. vacancies

Mar 27 (TM) Ministry of Health has instructed the relevant officials to urgently fill vacancies of administrative officials in the ministry and hospitals, with a special focus on making permanent appointments in place of acting officials. Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni said that many key administrative positions of the ministry are currently held by acting officials, with some officials having to oversee several departments at once. This, he said, has led to a noticeable more..

People should get used to relatively low banking interest rates: CBSL Governor

Mar 27 (AD) Sri Lanka’s investment environment needs diversification to provide better opportunities for both the public and corporations, Governor of the CB Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe stated while addressing the Invest Sri Lanka forum held today. Highlighting the limited investment options available to the general public within the country, he emphasized the need for expanding capital markets and allowing SOEs more..

Schoolchildren grapple with sleep- related problems: Medical specialist

Mar 27 (DM) SL is grappling with an increase over sleep- related problems, raising concerns as 63% of schoolchildren are not getting enough sleep, Physician Dr. Chiranthika Vithanage said. She said that sleep is important for health, and 8.2 % of schoolchildren aged 16 - 17 have a sleep duration of 4 hours or less. She stated that students have reported serious motor veical injuries or being hit by a motor vehical ,with 6.6% females and 16.4% of males experiencing this during past 12 mo more..

333 SLTB drivers to return to original roles

Mar 27 (CT) Deputy Minister of Transport, Prasanna Gunasena, revealed that 333 Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) bus drivers have been impacted by political appointments, which resulted in them being assigned to non-related duties. Speaking on the issue, the Deputy Minister stated that SLTB drivers and conductors had been diverted from their primary roles due to political interference. In response, the SLTB has decided to reassign these drivers and conductors to their original duties. more..

SOE reforms to suit present-day needs

Mar 27 (TM) Govt stated that it is not prepared to maintain certain State institutions, which were established decades ago to provide specific services, in their original form, but seeks to reform these institutions in line with present-day needs. Minister Nalinda Jayatissa stated that most of these institutions were established in the 1960s and 1970s to offer services that were not provided by the private sector. more..

Sri Lanka-France parliamentary association to enhance bilateral relations

Mar 27 (EN) SL – France Parliamentary Friendship Association was re-established for the Tenth Parliament to strengthen cordial relations between the two countries. Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj was elected as the chairperson of the association. Charge d’affaires of the French Embassy in SL Marie-Noelle Duris highlighted the potential for collaboration between the two countries in areas such as culture, education, tourism, economy, women’s rights, gender equality & HR. more..

Standard Chartered Sri Lanka to sell wealth and retail banking business

Mar 27 (EN) SL unit of Standard and Chartered has said they are looking to sell their wealth and retail banking business in the island nation. “As part of Standard Chartered’s Group strategy, we are exploring the sale of our Wealth & Retail Banking (WRB) business in SL, subject to regulatory approvals,” Standard Chartered SL CEO Bingumal Thewarathanthri was quoted. This was in line with the parent company’s commitment to “concentrating resources where the Group has the most, more..

NMRA එක නිර්වින්දනය කර බාල ඖෂධ...

Central Bank asks SMEs to apply for loan relief before deadline

Mar 27 (EN) SL’s central bank has urged SME borrowers to contact their banks before March 31 to get loan relief measures. These include rescheduling of credit facilities up to a period of 10 years, extending the time to commence repayments based on the capital outstanding, waiving off unpaid interest subject to conditions, and providing new working capital loans. However, only a limited number of borrowers had approached licensed banks to avail themselves of these benefits more..

Japan, FAO handover upgraded hatchery and live fingerling bowzers

Mar 27 (NF) The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with funding support from the Government of Japan and in collaboration with the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources and the National Aquaculture Development Authority of Sri Lanka (NAQDA), officially inaugurated and handed over the upgraded hatchery and three live fingerling bowzers at the NAQDA Aquaculture Development Center in Inginiyagala, Ampara. more..

India surpasses Sri Lanka to become second largest tea exporter

Mar 27 (TNN) Finally, Indian tea industry, which has been reeling under problems for years, has something to cheer about. According to data, India has exported 254 million kg of tea in 2024, thus becoming the second-highest exporter in the world. While Kenya retained the first spot in global tea exports, India surpassed SL to take the second spot. Kenya exported over 500 Mkg of tea in 2024. In 2023, India and SL were neck-in-neck more..

Gampola schoolgirl abduction : Youth recognized for rescue attempt

Mar 27 (NW) The Sri Lanka Police has felicitated a youth who had attempted to rescue a 19-year-old girl who was abducted in the Davulagala area in Gampola in January. The youth, who had sustained several injuries in the incident, was recognized for his heroic rescue attempt. Video footage emerged of the girl being kidnapped by a group in a van on 11 January, with many social media users praising the youth for his brave attempt to rescue the schoolgirl. At the time, Police investigations more..

Gazette issued on new Medicine Pricing Mechanism

Mar 27 (CT) Regulations have been issued to implement a pricing mechanism for medicines (Pricing Mechanism for Medicines under Regulations No. 01 of 2025). The Minister of Health and Mass Media, issuing regulations under Section 142 read with subsection (04) of Section 118 of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority Act, No. 5 of 2015 in consultation with the Pricing Committee of National Medicines Regulatory Authority, noted that the regulations would include pricing mechanism more..

18% of Sri Lankan students struggle with mental health

Mar 27 (NF) A recent survey conducted by Family Health Bureau of the Ministry of Health has revealed that 18% of school children in SL are suffering from various mental health issues. The survey, which covered over 2,500 students aged 13 to 17 across the country, was conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. Survey, carried out between Sept and Oct 2024, involved 78 questions across 10 health-related topics. more..

Former ASP Udugampola acquitted from Millennium City case

Mar 27 (NF) Colombo High Court Judge Aditya Patabendige has acquitted former ASP Kulasiri Udugampola, who was accused of revealing sensitive information about military intelligence officers residing at the Millennium City housing complex in Athurugiriya. The officers were reportedly conducting operations to safeguard SL's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Delivering the verdict, Judge Patabendige stated that the prosecution failed to prove charges against Udugampola beyond more..

Namal says removing former CJ Shirani was wrong

Mar 27 (NW) SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa says former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake should not have been impeached under the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime. Shirani Bandaranayake had corruption charges levelled against her by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa following some of her legal rulings which were against his govt. She was removed from her post as Chief Justice in January 2013 after being impeached on the recommendation of a parliamentary committee. more..

දේශබන්දුගේ දේපල වැලිකඩින් මතුවෙයි?

Why is Ceylon Tea losing steam?

Mar 28 (DM) Ceylon Tea still has the potential to be in the global news. This time around what we hear of news from the tea world is a little negative. The latest news reaching us informs that SL has been overtaken by India in terms of tea exports. According to the Tea Board of India, Bharat has exported 254 million kgs of tea in 2024, the feat threatening SL’s position in tea in the world. India-SL rivalries may not be severe as the rivalries between India and Pakistan, but this is a welcome news more..

Fixing the gaps for tourists

Mar 28 (TM) With the island’s worst economic crisis and political upheaval in the rear-view mirror, the Govt of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake set an ambitious goal for Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, aiming to welcome over 2.5 million visitors in 2025. Backing the effort with a Budget allocation of Rs. 500 million, the Govt has moved to prioritise infrastructure development, industry promotion, and the introduction of a digital ticketing system to enhance the visitor experience. more..

Tea industry: Workers bear the cost of unregulated work

Mar 28 (TM) Tea plantation workers are raising the alarm about the rapid informalisation of labour in the tea industry, noting its harmful effects on labour rights and the economic growth of the sector. Ceylon Workers’ Red Flag Union (CWRFU) Deniyaya representative Yapahuwage Geetha Kumari said the issue began in 2017 when Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs) based in the south (known for low-country tea) slowly more..

The Path towards Reconciliation and Transitional Justice

Mar 28 (DM) During a recent parliamentary debate, Minister Sunil Senavi, emphasised the need for Sri Lanka to establish a Truth and Forgiving Commission. He further referenced the views of former South African President Nelson Mandela, highlighting the importance of achieving national unity. Minister’s statement evoked controversy, primarily because of the term forgiving as many argued that it is the right of the victim to know the truth along with the legal framework more..

Batalanda and complexities of paramilitary operations

Mar 28 (Island) Former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe’s recent combative Head-to-Head interview with British-American Mehdi Hasan on Al Jazeera has opened a can of worms. As to why Hasan raised the Batalanda Prez Commission report, during a 49-minute interview conducted at the London’s Conway Hall, with a clearly pro LTTE audience, remains a mystery. This must be yet another notorious way to show how even-handed they are as in the case of its coverage of more..

Online misrepresentation: Veddah community fights back

Mar 28 (SO) In a digital era where social media platforms shape public opinion and cultural narratives, a recent controversy has brought to light the challenges faced by Indigenous Veddah community. A satirical YouTube video has sparked outrage, leading the community’s leader, Uruwarige Vannila Aththo, to take legal action. The video’s misrepresentation of the Veddah people has ignited a debate on cultural respect, free speech & more..

Take UK sanctions with a pinch of salt!

Mar 28 (CT) UK Govt has recently imposed sanctions on four SL individuals allegedly responsible for serious human rights abuses and violations during the SL civil war, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and/or perpetration of sexual violence. The individuals include former SL Army Commanders Shavendra Silva and Jagath Jayasuriya, former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda, and former military commander of the LTTE terrorist group, V. Muralitharan, more..

Adani’s winds of power blow cold

Mar 28 (ST) Indian billionaire Gautam Adani’s billion dollar project to set up a network of power windmills in northern Lanka was first inked by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, with the power purchase price set at 8 dollar cents per unit for twenty years. Adani Group had first made a backdoor entry during the Gotabaya years in 2022, but its existence had been kept under wraps until a Sunday Times investigative report brought it to public light. JVP Anura Kumara had, on the eve of last year’s prez election, more..

උපාධියේ උරුමය විරැකියාවද?