Mar 3 (CT) Minister of Urban Development, Construction & Housing, Anura Karunathilaka, has announced that discussions have already taken place regarding the effective utilisation of funds allocated in the recent Budget Speech presented by the Prez to Parliament, along with the funds earmarked for Budget proposals. Addressing the first meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Urban Development, Construction and Housing for the first session of the Tenth Parliament, more..

Mar 3 (AD) Every year on March 3, people celebrate World Wildlife Day to honour the beauty of nature and raise awareness about the need to protect animals, plants, and ecosystems. This special day reminds us that wildlife is not just about the fascinating creatures we see in forests, oceans and skies, but also essential for our survival. Wildlife includes all living things that exist naturally without human interference, from majestic creatures like Tigers, Lions and more..

Mar 3 (AD) The release of water to farmlands for commencement of Yala season after March 15 has been discussed at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation. This was discussed when the Committee met in Parliament recently under the chairmanship of the Minister K.D. Lal Kantha. Deputy Minister Namal Karunaratne said that it is planned to release water for paddy fields more..

Mar 3 (Island) Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the University of Kelaniya organized the SL Inter-University Make-A-Thon for Assistive Medical Technology from 22–24 Feb to come up with new solutions for affordable assistive medical technology devices. This Make-A-Thon is supported by Ministry of Education, University of Colombo, Open University of SL, Thrimana 3D Printers, ATG Glove Solutions, Avon Pharmo Chem, Leeban Interiors, and FabLab Shinagawa, Japan. more..

Mar 3 (AD) SL Railways has amended the train schedule along the Batticaloa line starting from Friday, to prevent elephant-train collisions. The Meenagaya intercity express train, which travels through an elephant corridor, will leave Colombo Fort for Batticoloa at 11.00 pm this Friday. Additionally, Power Sets will be deployed instead of engine-driven trains. The change from the usual 7 pm departure time follows a collision which killed a herd of elephants last month. more..

Mar 3 (NW) A group of fuel distributors handed over a petition to the Presidential Secretariat today in a bid to resolve the issue that has arisen due to the CPC's decision to abolish the 3% commission given to petroleum separators in fuel distribution. Speaking to a senior official at the Presidential Secretariat, representatives of the Petroleum Dealers Associations requested the matter to be taken up with the Prez and more..

Mar 3 (EN) Importing specific products and the potential for signing a free trade agreement was discussed between Vietnam Ambassador Trinh Thi Tam and SL Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe. Bilateral trade between SL and Vietnam had been around US$ 300-350 million a year. Minister had noted Viet Nam’s recent economic development, especially in market expansion, hi-tech agriculture development and tourism diversification, setting a good model for SL. more..

Mar 3 (DM) Coming up with a number of disclosures in Parliament, Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra today alleged that the Opposition is behind the fuel distribution crisis that is prevailing at the moment. “We were wondering why the Opposition is concerned about the fuel distribution crisis and are sympathetic towards the fuel distributors. We found out that a number of Opposition politicians have associated with a major distributor in the country. “We also found out that former Prez more..

Mar 3 (NW) Former Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekara has denied allegations that the previous govt failed to act on a court order regarding dealer margins owed to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC). Clarifying the timeline, he stated that court orders obtained by the Petroleum Dealers’ Association in 2022 and 2023 prevented the govt from implementing a CPC-approved tariff formula. However, the Court of Appeal revoked this order on Aug 30, 2024, more..

Mar 3 (TG) ITAK MP S. Shritharan has strongly condemned the overwhelming military presence in the North-East, accusing the SL govt of prioritizing military expansion over pressing social needs such as education and economic development. Shritharan highlighted the disproportionate concentration of armed forces in Tamil-majority areas. “In SL, there is one armed personnel for every 14 citizens. Which country that is not at war needs such a massive military presence?” he questioned. more..

Mar 3 (Island) The Lawyers’ Collective issued a statement expressing serious concerns about the practice of appointing retired judges, particularly those from the Superior Courts, to positions in both the public and private sectors. According to the Collective, such appointments cast a shadow on the integrity of their prior judgements, regardless of their merit, and could undermine public confidence in the independence of judiciary. more..

Mar 3 (CT) Anthony Iresha Rajalechchumi achieved an extraordinary feat by plucking 8 kilograms of raw tea leaves in just 15 minutes, securing a prize of Rs 600,000. She is employed at Great Western Estate, owned by the Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC. She emerged victorious in a tea plucking competition held at the Radella Tea Estate, where 50 female estate workers from Talawakelle, Horana, and Kelani Valley plantation companies under the Hayleys Group competed. more..

Mar 3 (DM) GMOA has warned of an island-wide strike starting from March 5 if the govt fails to address concerns over reductions in additional duty and holiday allowances for govt doctors. Speaking to the media, GMOA Secretary Dr. Prabath Sugathadasa stated that these allowances had been reduced under the 2025 budget. “The additional duty and holiday allowances for doctors must be restored. If this correction is not made by March 6, the GMOA will take strict decisions from March 7,” more..

Mar 3 (TM) A special committee has been appointed to address crop damage caused by wild animals and to provide essential recommendations for managing the animals responsible. This committee has been appointed by the Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Livestock, and Irrigation, M.P.N.M. Wickramasinghe, under the directives of Minister K.D. Lalkantha. Accordingly,ministry's Additional Secretary more..

Mar 3 (CT) SL’s Gross Int'l Reserves (GIR) have climbed to USD 6.4 billion with a conditional USD 1.4 billion equivalent Chinese PBOC swap, following the release of USD 334 million equivalent in Special Drawing Rights (SDR) from the IMF. This comes as the IMF’s Executive Board approved its fourth tranche on Friday under the USD 3 billion, 4-year EFF programme, the Central Bank said. This brings the total IMF financial support disbursed so far to SDR 1.02 billion (USD 1.34 billion). more..

Mar 3 (AD) Discussions have been held at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Transport, Highways, Ports & Civil Aviation, regarding SLTB bus drivers who operate services while bypassing schoolchildren and citizens with season tickets. During the meeting, Minister Bimal Rathnayake, stated that any citizen could report such incidents by calling 1958. He further emphasized his awareness of the said issue & assured that stringent measures would be taken against such misconduct. more..

Mar 4 (CT) In a shocking revelation uncovered by the COPE, it was discovered that SLBFE had allowed 683 underage persons to migrate as domestic workers between May 2023 and June 2024, while spending billions of govt funds. According to the findings, SLBFE has allowed for gross oversights in several areas, including failing to provide mandatory residential training to 28,165 first-time migrant domestic workers, which had also incurred a loss of 631.1 million rupees. more..

Mar 4 (DM) Never in the Sri Lankan history had a govt faced such a plethora of hot issues, at once, at its beginning, as faced by the current NPP govt. Similarly, never in the history had a govt really wanted a system change including the change in the thinking pattern of politicians, officialdom, and the ordinary people. The govt’s process of system change too has created many issues in almost all sections of the state machinery as expected. Within a week after NPP leader more..

Mar 4 (DM) However, experienced military officers opine that national security is a broader concept that needs to be addressed with an integrated approach. Former Security Forces Commander of the Wanni Region and Eastern Province Maj. General Dr. Boniface Perera opines that national security and national economy goes hand in hand. Dr. Perera is a battle-hardened infantry officer who served SL Army for over 26 years, more..

Mar 4 (CT) There is an insightful saying with a touch of sarcasm and humour from ancient Tamil literature: “It is as though one listened to the entire Ramayana and then asked what the relationship between Rama and Sita was” (Iramuedum Ramayanam kettu, sithaikku Raman envendum enbadupola). This metaphor is often applicable to how members of non-Tamil-speaking communities in SL engage with the political aspirations of the Tamil people. Many Sri Lankans are acutely aware of the inherent more..

Mar 4 (DM) Former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has strongly criticized the UNHRC for what he perceives as selective and biased scrutiny of Sri Lanka’s human rights record. Wickremesinghe, who even ignored the Supreme Court’s ruling on local govt elections and proceeded to postpone them, emphasized that while Western nations, such as Ukraine, faced no criticism for postponing elections amid conflict, Sri Lanka consistently upheld democratic principles—even during war. more..

Mar 4 (CT) Port congestion at the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has frequently made headlines, but the crisis is worsened by inefficiencies in clearing agencies, warehouse congestion, and deteriorating infrastructure. Currently, even wharf clerks are forced to work inside the BQ4 warehouse due to a severe shortage of labourers. The delay in the process of importing also weakens the economy of the country. more..

Mar 4 (TM) SL has a long-standing issue of having a small tax base while needing to support a large-State expenditure. While there has been some improvement in widening the tax base, the number of tax files the Govt tracks have not significantly increased. Govt’s decision to impose a 15% income tax on digital service exports drew warnings that it could impact the growth of the domestic IT industry. Many online service providers and freelance service specialists in SL have voiced their concern more..

Mar 4 (Island) There is no dearth of depressing news these days both at home and overseas. Cheerful tidings that buoy up the public are very rare. Thankfully, some positive news has come at last amidst doom-mongering and doomscrolling. A special exhibition of the sacred tooth relic is to be held from April 18 to 27 at the Dalada Maligawa, Kandy. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has said on X that he is honoured to announce that the special relic exhibition is being held at his request. more..

Mar 4 (ST) When the hysterical meltdown of a superpower takes place in the full glare of television cameras, there is a certain horrified fascination in watching the catastrophe unfold, given the repercussions for the world. ‘You are gambling with world war three’ US Prez Donald Trump snarled at visiting Ukrainian Prez Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office with Vice Prez JD Vance smirking by his side. Mr Trump’s typically egoistic characterisation of himself as a mediator or a facilitator of peace more..

Mar 4 (Island) UNHRC sessions in Geneva have regularly been a focal point of controversy for SL. Since 2009, the year the thirty-year internal war ended, the country has been the subject of multiple resolutions aimed at addressing human rights violations and war crimes committed during and after the war. These resolutions have been met with strong resistance from successive SL govts, which have accused the UNHRC of double standards and external interference in SL’s internal affairs. more..

Mar 4 (FT) SL has all the elements to be a high-end global tourism destination and has a tourism potential that is significantly greater than Kerala, but is currently selling itself too cheaply, said India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant. “SL’s human development index, physical quality of life index, and natural beauty are 10× better than Kerala. But it needs branding, it needs private participation. It’s a destination which should never be sold for more..

Mar 4 (FT) A workshop on Exporting from SL to Japan: Guide and Good Practices was successfully conducted on 24 Feb, at Hotel NH Collection, Colombo, through collaboration between the Int'l Trade Centre (ITC) Geneva, SL Export Development Board (EDB), and Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of SL (FCCISL). The program funded by the Japanese Govt, was organised to create awareness among SMEs and already exporting companies about more..

Mar 4 (FT) Hayleys Solar, the renewable energy arm of Hayleys Fentons Ltd., has secured exclusive distribution rights for Bluetti Power Stations in Sri Lanka. Available in three capacities – 300W, 1000W, and 2400W – these innovative portable power stations are now available island wide. The Bluetti Portable Power Station delivers up to 10 years of optimal performance, built with a robust Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery coupled with an intelligent Battery Management System (BMS). more..

Mar 4 (FT) In a significant step toward boosting entrepreneurship in SL, Abans PLC has joined forces with the Industrial Development Board (IDB), Industries and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry & Education Ministry to introduce the School industry entrepreneurship circles national program. This collaborative initiative aims to address a critical gap in entrepreneurial development, particularly when compared to other rapidly growing economies. Partnership seeks to empower the youth more..

Mar 4 (Island) Royal College, renowned for its rich cricketing legacy and consistent excellence in the sport, proudly announced the continued support of Chrelisa Global Ltd, one of the world’s leading ceramic tile manufacturers from Italy to the development of cricket at Royal College by extending its sponsorship for the second consecutive year. Under the leadership of Dhilip Vedamanikkam, Chairman of Chrelisa Global Ltd, company has once again stepped forward more..

Mar 4 (CT) A legal framework is being drafted to grant women the right to decide on terminating a pregnancy in cases of fatal birth defects that cannot be medically treated or corrected, said President of College of Community Physicians, Dr Kapila Jayaratne. He explained that when lethal birth defects are detected during gestation, posing a severe impact on both the mother and the unborn baby, women who wish to terminate more..

Mar 4 (FT) Sri Lanka told the UNHRC sessions that the Govt is determined to deal with human rights challenges, including reconciliation through domestic processes. “SL will also continue its cowithin fraternity over ethicsmore..

Mar 4 (ST) SL Port authorities are keeping their fingers crossed on the hopes that the Adani West Container Terminal is panacea at the Colombo Port as it becomes operational around July following meetings with shipping lines on Wednesday and in the past few weeks. SLPA Chairman Sirimevan Ranasinghe said that they are keeping their fingers crossed that the West Container Terminal will become operational so as to help ease the congestion and reduce delays at the port. more..

Mar 4 (FT) Sri Lanka’s tourism has maintained its strong momentum in 2025, welcoming over 240,000 visitors in February, surpassing the performance for the month in the industry’s best year of 2018 but lagging behind record haul of 252,033 in 2019. The 240,217 February arrivals pushed the year-to-date tourist numbers to 492,978, reinforcing the sector’s steady growth and setting expectations high for continued growth. more..

Mar 4 (Island) The first round of SLC’s Major League Tournament came to a close last week, with Bloomfield and NCC emerging as the table-toppers in their respective groups. The two Colombo-based powerhouses are now set to lock horns in the grand finale, which begins tomorrow (5) at the R. Premadasa Stadium. The four-day First Class match promises to be a high-stakes battle for domestic supremacy. However, the real headline of the tournament wasn’t the two finalists but more..