Mar 17 (NW) As Sri Lanka marks the 30th anniversary of its historic 1996 Cricket World Cup victory, match-winner Aravinda de Silva has reflected on the pressure, strategy and unique mindset that helped the team secure its first global title. Speaking about the semi-final against India in Calcutta, Aravinda said the atmosphere at the packed Eden Gardens stadium remains one of the most unforgettable experiences of his career. more..

Mar 17 (AD) Most of the issues related to the QR code system used for obtaining fuel have been resolved, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa has stated. Minister noted that owners of vehicles who already had a QR code and whose registration number has not changed can continue to use the same QR code without any problems. However, in cases where a vehicle’s registration number has been updated, provisions were made for the owner to obtain a new QR code and this process has also more..

Mar 17 (FT) Increasing tax revenue is a key plank of the IMF program. Since May 2022 the Govt has introduced new taxes, adjusted rates and significantly expanded the tax net. Number of income tax files has more than tripled, from 333,313 in 2022 to 1,093,134 in 2024, while VAT registrations doubled, from 10,604 to 21,227 in the same period. These measures have produced a sharp increase in collections: tax revenues grew 55% in 2023, a further 25% in 2024. more..

Mar 17 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised that each Ministry must have a practical plan in place for fuel conservation, noting that it should be a sustainable, data-driven process that ensures minimal energy consumption. Prez further instructed that a report on this matter be submitted promptly at the ministerial level. Prez issued these instructions while attending a meeting with the committee appointed to oversee more..

Mar 17 (DM) In light of the media coverage concerning ongoing court proceedings in Sri Lanka related to allegations of financial fraud involving the use of Binance accounts by certain individuals, Binance, an Abu Dhabi Global Markets licensed exchange with a fully KYC-ed user base globally, said these allegations pertain solely to the actions of specific parties. The statement said Binance takes action alongside law enforcement to combat fraudulent or illegal activities and more..

Mar 17 (AD) The Ministry of Education stated that, as govt schools are closed on Wednesdays which have been declared as public holidays, a request has been made for government-approved private schools to also remain closed on those days. Accordingly, govt-approved private schools have been notified to close on Wednesdays. Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Nalaka Kaluwewa, further stated that a request has been made for int'l schools to follow the same procedure. more..

Mar 17 (AD) The final provincial public consultation session for verbal submissions on the proposal submitted by the CEB to revise electricity tariffs for the second quarter of 2026 will be held in Colombo tomorrow by the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL). The session is scheduled to take place at the BMICH (Levender Hall) from 8.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. PUCSL initiated a series of public consultation sessions on the proposed revision of electricity tariffs for the year 2026, more..

Mar 17 (Island) OzLanka Journalists’ Consortium officially launched its international digital news platform www.ozlankanews.com at a special ceremony held at Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams last weekend. The portal was ceremonially inaugurated by Matthew Duckworth, High Commissioner for Australia in SL in the presence of media professionals, diplomats, and invited guests. Speaking at the launch event Australian High Commissioner in SL told that he needed to more..

Mar 17 (AD) The govt has released the Avurudu Nekath Seettuwa for this year’s Sinhala and Tamil New Year. Accoridngly, Sri Lankans celebrate the dawn of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year on April 14. The New Year, known as Aluth Avurudda in Sinhala, and Puththandu in Tamil, is celebrated by both communities by observing various rituals and customs. According to traditional astrological belief, the Sun completes its movement across more..

Mar 17 (NW) SC ordered that a lawyer practicing in Kekirawa be removed from the roll of attorneys after finding her guilty of violating professional ethics. The court also convicted the lawyer of contempt of court for violating a previous order issued in relation to the same matter. She was sentenced to one year in prison, which was suspended for 5 years. In addition, the court imposed a fine of Rs. 25,000, with a further six-month jail term to be imposed if the fine is not paid. more..

Mar 17 (EN) SL will amend the Colombo Port City regulatory framework to allow passengers arriving from abroad to purchase goods from its duty-free shopping complex on two occasions within 4 days of arrival, minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. Colombo Port City (Guidelines on the Grant of Exemptions or Incentives to Businesses of Strategic Importance – Duty-Free Operations) Regulations No. 1 of 2024 is a regulatory framework under the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act, No. 11 of 2021. more..

Mar 17 (AD) A total of 134 foreign nationals, including 126 Chinese nationals, four from Myanmar, and four Taiwanese, were arrested during a joint operation conducted by SL Army intelligence units and the Dept of Immigration & Emigration. The suspects were allegedly involved in a large-scale organized online scam ring operating across several guest houses in the A'pura and Mihintale areas. The operation was launched following a tip-off more..

Mar 17 (DM) Public transport services in SL will be limited on Wednesdays declared as govt public holidays, Essential Services Commissioner General Prabath Chandrakeerthi said today. Speaking on the decision, Chandrakeerthi said the move aligns with the closure of government offices and the absence of students from schools on these days. He added that requests have also been made to the private sector to minimize commuting on Wednesdays. Discussions have been held with CCC more..

Mar 17 (AD) Another fuel shipment ordered by Sri Lanka has arrived at the Colombo Port, amid the energy crisis caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation have confirmed. Ministry stated that the fuel ship, Seafrontier, is registered in Hong Kong. According to the Ministry, part of the fuel carried by the ship was offloaded this morning at the Kerawalapitiya fuel storage facility. Another portion of the shipment was delivered this afternoon more..

Mar 17 (FT) The availability and price of fuel is what the war brings to mind. The Govt appears to be addressing availability issues by asking for supplies from Russia and India. It has yet to decide on the affordability problem. India is reported to have obtained Iranian approval for two LNG tankers to cross the strait, possibly in return for repatriating sailors. Sri Lanka has not so far shown it can change or even shape what is happening in the Gulf, though it also has Iranian sailors. more..

Mar 17 (DM) Ella Tourism Zone has been hit owing to the Middle East military conflict, much to the anxiety of thousands of people, who depended on the income from providing services to the foreign tourists. They said that Ella, a main tourist destination in the country, which experiences a heavy influx of tourists during the tourism season, has turned a ghost town in recent times sans tourists. This has been a severe blow on tourist hotels, lodges, restaurants, and more..

Mar 17 (AD) Secretary to Ministry of Education, Nalaka Kaluwewe, has announced that all govt schools will remain closed on Wednesdays due to the ongoing fuel supply crisis. He further stated that this decision was taken in line with the govt’s move to grant leave to public sector employees every Wednesday. Prez emphasized that, in light of the current challenges, measures are being implemented to manage energy efficiently more..

Mar 17 (DM) Minister Eranga Weeraratne has assured the public that all technical obstacles in the newly upgraded QR fuel system will be resolved by today, allowing citizens to obtain fuel without difficulty. He said the govt has introduced the QR code-based fuel distribution system to protect the country’s fuel reserves and ensure uninterrupted supply amid ongoing global political uncertainties. He highlighted that managing fuel consumption has become crucial due to volatile world markets more..

Mar 17 (TM) Some school activities are already affected due to ongoing fuel-related difficulties, Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) President Priyantha Fernando said, warning the situation could disrupt both teachers’ and students’ school attendance if urgent solutions are not introduced. He said many teachers depend on private transport, particularly motorcycles, to travel to school, and the amount of fuel currently available to them is not sufficient for their weekly travel needs. more..

Mar 17 (TM) Deputy Health Minister, Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni, reassuring concerned health trade unions (TUs), said that the fuel quota being issued per week with the quick response (QR) code-based system would be further amended by CPC to accommodate the requirement of various fields of work. Dr. Wijemuni said that a basic circular containing the various fuel quotas allocated under QR code had been issued for the moment. more..

Mar 17 (DM) Sri Lanka has turned to the US for domestic gas purchases instead of depending on the Middle East for supplies, and a shipment that has already been imported is currently stored at anchorage in the Maldives waters due to the lack of sufficient storage facilities in the country, an official said. In SL, the domestic Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) market is dominated by two main retailers- Litro Gas Lanka Limited and LAUGFS Gas PLC. Litro Gas Chairman Channa Gunawardana more..

Mar 17 (DN) Sri Lankan women’s cricketer Harshitha Samarawickrama is among the three ICC Player of the Month nominees list which was released by ICC yesterday. The left hand top order batter Harshitha who successfully performed at the recently concluded Sri Lankan – West Indies women’s ODI series in West Indies has been shortlisted with Pakistan all rounder Fathima Sana and Indian bowler Arundhati Reddy for the ICC women’s Player of the Month award. more..

Mar 17 (Island) Sri Lanka’s globally acclaimed marine biologist Asha de Vos was honoured on the international stage when her portrait and words were featured at the opening of the UN General Assembly in conjunction with Int'l Women’s Day and the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women 70th session. Her powerful message — They told me I was not capable, so I made a discovery that changed the world — was showcased as a symbol of resilience, determination and more..

Mar 17 (FT) SL’s manufacturing and services sectors in February have expanded, as per the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), its compiler the Central Bank said. Manufacturing PMI registered an index value of 56.8 in February, reflecting an increase in manufacturing activities at a faster rate compared to 56.1 in Jan 2026. The CBSL said this increase was broad-based, with all sub-indices contributing positively to this expansion. The New Orders and Production sub-indices expanded in February, more..

Mar 17 (TM) Amidst lowering demand for tea from Iran due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Ceylon tea’s potential alternate Middle Eastern markets, such as Libya, are also increasingly difficult to reach due to the compromised state of the Red Sea’s Suez Canal, former SL Tea Board Chairperson Niraj de Mel said recently. “We know that 52% of tea exports go to the Middle East, and another 9% goes to Russia. To reach Russia, ships have to more..

Mar 17 (FT) Sri Lanka yesterday advocated for immediate de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East and West Asia, whilst calling for global peace. “SL is deeply concerned by the rapidly escalating situation in the Middle East and West Asia, which poses a direct threat to the civilian population. We are saddened by the tragic loss of civilian life and condemn any attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. Sri Lanka underscores that the protection of civilians on all sides more..

Mar 17 (FT) Motorists have reported continued difficulties with the National Fuel Pass system after the Govt reintroduced fuel distribution through QR code scanning, with long queues also observed at several filling stations. Users said they were unable to register for the National Fuel Pass when attempting to use a new mobile number instead of the one previously used during the 2022 fuel crisis. Some motorists also complained that they could not complete registration because more..

Mar 17 (FT) Former Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Chairman Mohamed Uvais has urged the Govt to consider reducing fuel taxes to help stabilise prices as global oil markets face mounting uncertainty. Uvais warned that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could worsen if another key shipping route between Yemen and the African continent is also affected. He noted that Sri Lanka, which imports all of its petroleum requirements, remains highly exposed to global supply shocks. more..

Mar 17 (FT) Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said that it has made several recommendations to the Govt to urgently address the economic risks from the escalating Middle East Crisis. Chamber said: The evolving global situation and the escalating conflict in the Middle East requires coordinated measures to safeguard economic stability. The Ceylon Chamber remains ready to work with the Government in addressing potential economic risks and has outlined detailed policy recommendations. more..

Mar 17 (DM) Sri Lanka is actively pivoting towards high-value, experiential travel by heavily promoting its untapped marine tourism sector, with a strategic focus on shipwreck diving. Recognising the growing global demand for immersive and sustainable underwater experiences, the local tourism authorities and SL Navy have partnered to showcase the island’s rich maritime heritage to the adventure seekers and more..

Mar 17 (FT) Consumer Sentiment Index, done by Prosoft Research and Insights, has declined slightly to 86 in Feb 2026, down from 89 in January. Despite the rapid recovery in consumer sentiment observed in Dec 2025 and Jan 2026 following Ditwah, the decline in February could indicate a renewed fluctuation in sentiment. After the strong recovery seen in Dec and Jan, consumer sentiment in February appears to have been negatively affected by remaining gaps in recovery efforts, more..

Mar 17 (DM) SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa charged that instead of increasing fuel prices, the govt should reduce alleged commissions and inefficiencies if there is no corruption at present, and provide relief to the public. He said that in the past ministers were accused of earning large commissions from fuel transactions, and if such practices have stopped now, the benefit should be passed on to the people by lowering prices. He said the govt should have introduced the fuel QR system much earlier more..