Jan 29 (FT) CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe yesterday did not rule out any changes to the ongoing IMF EFF on account of emerging needs due to the post-Ditwah recovery. Speaking at the post-Monetary Policy announcement press conference, Dr. Weerasinghe said IMF staff are currently assessing the economic impact of Cyclone Ditwah ahead of the postponed fifth review under the Extended Fund Facility. more..

Jan 29 (FT) At MTI’s Thought Leadership Forum, CEO Hilmy Cader commended the resilience of SL’s tourism industry, while cautioning that long-term risks must be strategically addressed to ensure sustainable growth. “When a destination is on a high there is a tendency to not address the potential longer-term risks,” said Cader, highlighting the importance of foresight in tourism planning. Cader pointed out several areas of concern. He noted that overtourism could result in demand far more..

Jan 29 (FT) Top blue chip John Keells Holdings (JKH) announced strong earnings for the third quarter with all businesses reporting improved profitability driven by momentum across the Group portfolio. Group revenue rose by 54% to Rs. 125.05 billion in 3Q of the financial year 2025/26. Cumulative Group revenue for the first nine months of FY26 grew by 69% to Rs. 383.96 billion. Group earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation grew by 68% to Rs. 23.76b more..

Jan 29 (FT) Digital Mobility Solutions Lanka (PickMe) said it delivered a resilient operational and financial performance in the third quarter of the financial year 2025/26 (3QFY26), sustaining strong growth momentum over the first nine months of the year and reinforcing its leadership in SL’s digital mobility ecosystem. Company recorded a revenue of Rs. 6.2 billion for the first nine months of FY25/26, representing a 50% YoY (YoY) increase from Rs. 4.1 billion in the corresponding period of more..

Jan 29 (Island) Four Mahanayake Theras have made an intervention, albeit with delay, to reorient govt policy towards commonsense and good governance. They have raised concerns about the prolonged delay in appointing the Auditor General (AG). In a letter to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, they have warned that the continued absence of an AG has created space for various groups to question the state’s financial oversight and fuel debate over public financial management. more..

Jan 29 (ST) In the case of a foreign spouse—a victim of domestic abuse—being denied a visa extension by the Dept of Immigration and Emigration because she could not produce a consent letter from her estranged husband, the Court of Appeal this week ruled that imposing such a requirement on a victim of violence constitutes a legal impossibility and contradicts established migration guidelines. more..

Jan 29 (ST) In a major victory for environmental conservationists, govt has published a gazette rescinding a May 2024 extraordinary gazette which had changed the boundaries of the Wedithalathivu Nature Reserve, the Supreme Court was informed this week. On Jan 19, the AG notified a 3-judge bench comprising CJ Preethi Padman Surasena, Justice Janak De Silva and Justice Gihan Kulatunga that the impugned gazette was officially rescinded by Gazette No. 2463/47 dated 21.11.2025. more..

Jan 29 (Island) Imagine you are 58 years old, financially stable with a decent pension plan, and finally ready to build your dream home in the suburbs of Colombo. You walk into a bank, application in hand, only to be told: “Sorry, your repayment period would extend past 60. We can’t help you”. In SL, this scenario plays out daily, leaving thousands of mature, creditworthy citizens locked out of homeownership. But, step outside our shores, you’ll find a drastically different story. more..

Jan 29 (TM) Police warnings about the spread of drugs among schoolchildren should not be treated as routine law-enforcement updates. They are signals of social failures that demand attention beyond arrests and surveillance. ASP F.U. Wootler has said that organised groups are targeting children near schools by disguising drugs such as Mava and Babul as sweets, popsicles, cotton candy, biscuits, and toffees. This is not a distant threat; but something that happens by the school gate. more..

Jan 29 (CT) Language has always been more than a medium of communication in SL. It is a carrier of identity, memory and power, shaping access to the State and one’s sense of belonging within it. Against this backdrop, the revelation that between 100 and 150 complaints are received annually over violations of citizens’ official language rights, with 156 recorded in 2025 alone, should not surprise. What should alarm us is how little progress has been made, decades after the problem was first more..

Jan 29 (SO) Public playgrounds in Colombo 2 and 3 are disappearing. Those that remain are gated and locked, accessible only to those who can pay for entry. We investigated the politics driving this disappearance to reveal the stark reality of urban regeneration, a process of privatisation that begs the question, Is Colombo being built for its citizens, or for its shareholders? For generations, public playgrounds in and around Col 2 & 3 more..

Jan 29 (CT) The submission of the Draft National Electricity Policy (NEP) 2026 in January marks a decisive point of no return for Sri Lanka’s energy sector. Few policy areas better capture the country’s deeper structural failures than electricity. For decades, the sector has functioned as a black hole of debt, inefficiency, and political interference—absorbing public resources while delivering high costs, unreliable supply & mounting fiscal risk. At the centre of this more..

Jan 29 (ST) Last Sunday this column was headlined An American clown who turns tragedy into farce. For that I must apologise a thousand times. I was being more gentle than I should have been. After all, this little island of country of ours and its people had suffered weeks of hardships and deserved the empathy and goodwill of a sympathetic world. So maybe President Trump was playing a few light operas and readying himself for an enjoyable evening on that new part of the White House, more..

Jan 29 (DM) Senior politician and one of the few MPs who held almost all prominent and most responsible portfolios in almost all govts since he entered politics in 1994, Prof. G.L. Peiris carried a massive experience in major areas like economics, education, foreign affairs, constitutional and judiciary. The former Vice Chancellor of the Uni of Colombo, since entering politics as a National list MP and a representative of 1994 Chandrika more..

Jan 29 (DM) Agreement in principle has been reached on a massive trade agreement between the major economic powerhouses of India and the EU. This is a major and positive element of the reconstitution of international economic relations following the depredations of Donald Trump. But it requires attention and action on SL’s part. As soon as the agreement comes into effect, tariffs on textiles, apparel, marine, leather, footwear, chemicals, plastics/rubber, sports goods,, more..

Jan 29 (DM) In SL, a common notion is that women should be primary care providers whereas males should be primary breadwinners. But these gendered norms have differed over the course of history due to various circumstances. Today, women have to juggle between multiple roles thereby distancing them from hopes to seek employment opportunities. It is in this backdrop that Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya made a recent statement at 2026 World Economic Forum more..

Jan 28 (CT) In what is being seen as a major setback to SL’s long-anticipated independent women’s rights watchdog, the Chairperson of the National Women’s Commission (NWC), Dr. Ramani Jayasundere, has tendered her resignation to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, amid mounting concerns over alleged attempts to undermine the Commission’s independence. When contacted by Ceylon Today, Dr. Jayasundere confirmed that she had stepped down from the position but more..

Jan 28 (NW) SL cricket great Sanath Jayasuriya faced the first ball under the newly installed floodlights at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground on Wednesday, marking a historic milestone for the iconic Colombo venue. The floodlights were officially opened by Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage, with Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka bowling the inaugural delivery to Jayasuriya before the ceremonial friendly match between SSC and the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Development team. more..

Jan 28 (AM) Supreme Court today directed the petitioner’s lawyers to take steps to issue notices on a group of respondents, including former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in connection with a Fundamental Rights petition seeking the recovery of compensation allegedly paid unlawfully to former Ministers whose houses were set on fire following the violence of 9 May 2022. The petition was taken up before a SC bench more..

Jan 28 (EN) SL’s revenue collecting body initiated a special field observation program centered in Colombo and its suburbs, aimed at enhancing tax compliance in the island nation and formally expanding the tax base, Finance Ministry said. The Inland Revenue Department’s (IRD) effort primarily focuses on checking whether business establishments are properly registered with the IRD, ensuring that the information in existing tax files is accurate, identifying businesses and more..

Jan 28 (DM) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, also serving as Minister of Education, emphasized that the govt believes no child’s education should be determined by their parents’ financial situation and that every child has the right to education. In a congratulatory message to children entering Grade 1 under the new education reforms, PM highlighted the govt’s commitment to creating measures that ensure equal educational opportunities for all. She stressed the importance of community input, more..

Jan 28 (DM) As outrage grows over explicit school-related content spreading unchecked online, the Govt is now considering restricting social media access for underage children, raising fresh concerns over digital freedom, censorship, and who ultimately controls what SL youth see online. Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne said discussions are currently underway to explore the possibility of imposing restrictions on social more..

Jan 28 (AD) The first Automated Border Control (ABC) electronic gates (e–gate) at the arrival terminal of the BIA will be officially opened from today, Dept of Immigration and Emigration has announced. The Chief Immigration and Emigration Officer, Jude Fernando confirmed that four electronic gates will be opened. The Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation, in partnership with the Govt of Japan and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) launched the e–gate project. more..

Jan 28 (AD) An institutional review of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) and the Jaffna Teaching Hospital was conducted at the Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) on Health, Mass Media and Women’s Empowerment. The committee met in Parliament on January 21 under the chairmanship of MP Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe, according to the Dept of Communication of Parliament. During the review of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol, more..

Jan 28 (AD) The GMOA has stated that its ongoing trade union action will be further intensified if the govt fails to provide a positive response to their issues within the next 48 hours. The decision was taken at a meeting of the GMOA Central Committee held today, during which the Executive Committee was granted full authority to determine future courses of action. Several key decisions were reached at the meeting, including the continuation of the current trade union action. more..

Jan 28 (NW) General Manager of Lanka Coal Company, Namal Hewage, stated that a fine of around USD 2.1 million has been imposed on a company responsible for supplying substandard coal. He revealed this while addressing a media briefing regarding the controversial coal import issue. He was responding to questions from journalists about concerns raised by former minister Champika Ranawaka, stating that the losses to the state exceed fines imposed in such more..

Jan 28 (AD) Despite an initially shock, the impact of Cyclone Ditwah which caused widespread devastation to several parts of the country is unlikely to affect SL’s economic growth in 2026, CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe has confirmed. He made this assertion based on data obtained from the month of December. Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said SL’s GDP growth was projected to be between 4 to 5% in 2026 and it is unlikely that more..

Jan 28 (NW) Lanka Premier League (LPL) Dambulla Thunders franchise owner Thamim Rahman has pleaded guilty in a high-profile match-fixing case and was fined Rs. 24 million, with a five-year suspended prison sentence imposed by the Colombo High Court on Wednesday. HC Judge Udesh Ranatunge delivered the sentence, marking one of the highest fines imposed under SL’s Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports Act No. 24 of 2019. Rahman was indicted over allegations that he attempted more..

Jan 28 (DM) Given the impact of cyclone Ditwah, which caused US $ 4.1 billion damage, SL is to seek redress from the European Union in its evaluation of the country’s eligibility for GSP+ trade facility under the new criterion that will come into effect after 2027, an official said. The market in the European Union (EU) currently absorbs more than 24% of the country’s total exports. SL is presently under observation by the EU authorities for the extension of the GSP+ trade facility more..

Jan 28 (AD) The team from the IMF which arrived last week on a fact-finding mission has indicated that there would be no changes to the agreement relating to the Extended Fund Facility programme being implemented with SL during a meeting with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. A meeting between IMF representatives, who arrived in SL to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah, and Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake more..

Jan 28 (AD) Court of Appeal has ordered the Jaffna Municipal Council to submit a report on the measures taken to reduce air pollution in the Jaffna area. The order was issued when a writ petition filed by Dr. Uma Sugi Nadarajah, a resident of Jaffna requesting court to issue directives to curb air pollution in Jaffna, was taken up for hearing. The petition was heard before a bench of Court of Appeal judges comprising President of the Court of Appeal Justice Rohana Abeysooriya more..

Jan 28 (FT) Colombo will come alive with vibrancy and festivities as Salam Ramadan, SL’s foremost Muslim cultural event, returns for a second successful year to Green Path (Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha), from 27 Feb to 1 March, from 5 p.m. to 12 midnight each evening. This unique three-day event will take place during the holy month of Ramadan, under the patronage of the Office of the Governor of Western Province and Mayor of Colombo. Joining hands as more..