Mar 12 (TM) Claiming that power sector trade unions are demanding a 40% salary increase, National Transmission Network Service Provider (NTNSP) warned that meeting the demand could force electricity tariffs up by nearly 100%. NTNSP Chairperson Nusith Kumaratunga, addressing a joint media briefing of the newly formed CEB successor companies, said the proposed hike would increase salary expenditure by more..

Mar 12 (NW) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa has rejected claims made by former Minister Wimal Weerawansa that former State Intelligence Service Director Suresh Salley is being ill-treated while in the custody of the CID. Responding to the allegations, Jayatissa said that to his knowledge no complaint has been received regarding such conditions at the CID. Weerawansa had earlier claimed that Salley was being forced to sleep on newspapers, that rats were running over him and that poor sanitation more..

Mar 12 (FT) The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) has formally notified customers that its Retail Banking operations in Sri Lanka will transfer to Nations Trust Bank (NTB) from 1 May 2026, marking the final phase of the global bank’s exit from the country’s consumer banking segment. HSBC confirmed that accounts, credit cards, and retail loan portfolios will move to NTB following the completion of the sale of its Retail Banking business for Rs. 18 billion in Sept 2025. more..

Mar 12 (FT) Cabinet on Monday approved awarding of a Rs. 2.19 billion contract to Millennium I.T.E.S.P. Ltd, for the supply of an Oracle Exadata XIIM system and related software to SL Customs. The move follows an earlier decision taken at the Cabinet meeting on 21 Aug 2024 to initiate the procurement process to select a suitable agency for the supply of the system to SL Customs. Accordingly, bids were called under the national competitive bidding process, with three proposals received. more..

Mar 12 (CT) As of March 2026, the global economy is no longer operating on the predictable rhythms of the past decade. The escalation of conflict in the Middle East has sent shockwaves through the “energy arteries” of the planet. For oil-producing nations, the crisis manifests as a revenue decline due to disrupted logistics; for oil-dependent nations like SL, it is an existential threat driven by skyrocketing import costs. Oil is not just a commodity; it is the basic energy source more..

Mar 12 (FT) Sri Lanka’s manufacturing sector suffered an estimated Rs. 33.96 billion in economic losses following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah, which struck the country in late Nov 2025. It was noted that the bulk of the losses stemmed from damage to raw materials and inventory, which alone accounted for around Rs. 10.2 billion, while significant losses were also reported from revenue disruptions and more..

Mar 12 (Island) Recent humanly costly torpedoing of an Iranian naval vessel in SL’s Exclusive Economic Zone by a US submarine has raised a number of issues of great importance to int'l political discourse and law that call for elucidation. It is best that enlightened commentary is brought to bear in such discussions because at present misleading and uninformed speculation on questions arising from the incident are being aired by particularly jingoistic politicians of Sri Lanka’s South more..

Mar 12 (ST) Shortly after the avaricious and imperious Donald Trump launched his land- and assets-grabbing adventure, he set up a money-sucking organisation called the Board of Peace. He invited political leaders and money trees to contribute the very generous one billion dollars for a seat on the board intended to end the conflict in Gaza, not to mention other good deeds also, knowing what a good humanitarian man he is. If Mark Antony’s words in Julius Caesar more..

Mar 12 (TM) SL cannot rely indefinitely on its traditional revenue streams, particularly when they are exposed to global conflict. The war in the Middle East has once again demonstrated how vulnerable we are to external shocks. Tea exports face uncertainty as shipping routes and energy prices fluctuate. Remittances from migrant workers in the Gulf are exposed to regional instability. Tourism, though recovering, is sensitive to perceptions of insecurity and rising travel costs linked to more..

Mar 12 (Island) It is not possible to predict who will emerge victorious in the ongoing war in the Middle East or whether the conflict will end without a clear winner though US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would have the world believe that they will surely be the winners. The US-Israel military power is doubtlessly far superior to that of Iran, but in a war of this nature, military might alone does not guarantee a clear victory. more..

Mar 12 (TM) In the light of SL’s continuous step forward in digitising the economy, Insurance Regulatory Commission of SL (IRCSL) confirms the ongoing nature of discussions with the Ministry of Health in the IRCSL’s vision to become South Asia’s first country to fully adopt international healthcare standards across the country and implement a unified electronic health record system that integrates both modern medicine and more..

Mar 12 (DM) In 1953, the CIA and the British MI6 together staged Operation Ajax, a coup which overthrew Iran’s democratically-elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, who nationalised Iran’s oil industry in 1951. This was done without Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s approval. The Pahlavi dynasty had ruled Iran since 1925, but power now lay with the parliament which gave Mosaddegh the green light to nationalise Iran’s oil industry. more..

Mar 12 (DM) SL’s prudent handling of the two Iranian warships – IRIS Dena, which sank off SL waters, and IRIS Bushehr, which was granted sanctuary – was a rare example of a small nation, not just, navigating a looming geopolitical conundrum, but also making political capital out of it, by playing safe and playing right in accordance with Int'l Law. At 5.08 in the morning of March 4, the SL Coast received a distress call from IRIS Dena, a Moudge-class guided missile frigate of the Iranian Navy, more..

Mar 12 (TM) SL’s indigenous Vedda community, believed to be among the island’s earliest inhabitants, continues to struggle with long-standing challenges linked to land rights, access to forests, cultural preservation, and the absence of representation in national-level decision making bodies. Spread across several Districts including Badulla, Monaragala, Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee & Polonnaruwa, many of their more..

Mar 12 (DM) Sri Lankans are once again facing several crises in the aftermath of the intensified conflict in the Middle East. Fuel and gas price hikes are obvious outcomes of these tensions and it doesn’t only affect Sri Lanka. Global oil prices have surged, with Brent crude briefly exceeding $100-120 a barrel. It is said that the conflict threatens supply chain disruptions. But this is not the first time that SL experienced such shocks. In response, govts are considering measures to mitigate impact, more..

Mar 12 (GV) By the end of February, the window for public comments on Sri Lanka’s draft Protection of the State from Terrorism Act of 2026 (PSTA) was officially closed. This draft law intends to replace Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act No. 48 of 1979 (PTA), the draconian counter-terrorism law currently in force that received significant criticism over decades for a range of concerns including its role in fuelling a significant number of torture cases. more..

Mar 11 (AD) An 18-month-old toddler has died after reportedly falling into a pond located near the daycare centre where he had been under care. The deceased has been identified as a resident of the Kadamadiththa area in Medamulana. The child’s mother had handed him over to the daycare centre before leaving for her place of employment. It is stated that the manager of the daycare centre had later contacted and informed the mother to come to the Middeniya Kariyamadiththa Hospital. more..

Mar 11 (NW) Lanka eNews editor Sandaruwan Senadheera was arrested at the BIA upon his arrival in SL after 16 years abroad, according to reports. The arrest was carried out based on a warrant issued by the Gampaha Chief Magistrate’s Court in 2016 over allegations related to contempt of court. However, the exact case under which he was arrested has not been officially confirmed. Senadheera had left SL in 2010 following the arson attack on the Lanka eNews office more..

Mar 11 (NW) On the invitation of the Govt of SL, UN-flagged vessel R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen under the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka today to conduct a marine scientific survey. The survey will be conducted in SL's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in collaboration with Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources and NARA. R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen supports countries more..

Mar 11 (NW) The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has launched a five-year Sow and Grow project, supported by USD 10 million from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), in partnership with the government of Sri Lanka. The project aims to strengthen Sri Lanka’s Thriposha programme by boosting the production of high-quality local maize and ensuring a reliable supply of Thriposha for children under five, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women. more..

Mar 11 (AD) President of the Bar Association of SL (BASL), Attorney-at-Law Rajeev Amarasuriya, delivered a historic address at the Supreme Court of India in connection with a delegation of SL lawyers visiting India at the invitation of the Bar Association of India. The Indian Supreme Court No. 1 was presided by the Chief Justice of India, Honourable Surya Kant with Honourable Justices R. Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi. Chief Justice of India warmly welcomed the SL Delegation and more..

Mar 11 (AD) The bodies of 84 Iranian sailors, currently placed in two mobile cold storage units at the Galle National Hospital, have been ordered to be handed over to officials of the Embassy of Iran in Sri Lanka. The order was issued this morning by the Galle Chief Magistrate, Sameera Dodangoda. Accordingly, the Magistrate ordered the hospital’s director to release the remains to the Iranian embassy representatives. more..

Mar 11 (AD) The Officials’ Committee, appointed under the chairmanship of the Secretary to the PM to supervise the implementation of the decision taken by the Cabinet of Ministers on Mar 17, 2025 concerning non-commercial state institutions, has convened under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat. Taking into consideration factors such as the failure of non-commercial state institutions to be updated in line with contemporary requirements, more..

Mar 11 (NW) PM Harini Amarasuriya met senior officials of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) at its headquarters in Manila, Philippines, yesterday, during which discussions were focused on strengthening development cooperation, reviewing ongoing projects, and exploring new opportunities for collaboration between SL and ADB. PM Amarasuriya first met with ADB President Masato Kanda. During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed the strong partnership between SL & ADB. more..

Mar 11 (TM) Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) purchased $ 461 million from the domestic foreign exchange market in February, according to the latest CB data. The report further noted that the Central Bank did not sell any US Dollars during the month, indicating continued efforts to accumulate foreign reserves. In January, the CBSL purchased $ 209.8 million from the domestic forex market while selling $ 9.5 million, resulting in a net purchase of $ 200.3 million for the month. more..

Mar 11 (DM) Former State Intelligence Services (SIS) Chief Suresh Sallay who is under detention order is running a risk of being infected with rat fever, MP Dayasiri Jayasekara said. “Sallay is kept in a small room on the fourth floor. Rats are said to be running all over the room. He is said to be sleeping on the ground. Rats are said to be running over his body. Also it was said that there is rat excreta all over his room. Sallay is running the risk of being infected with rat fever,” more..

Mar 11 (TM) Govt should avail of more measures to cushion the impact of a more significant, incoming global oil price shock on the local economy, by utilising its cash reserves for subsidies, adjusting taxation, or making cash transfers to critical select groups of the population, CoPF Chairperson Harsha de Silva said, responding to the CBSL Governor’s comments on accommodating the price shock through SL’s inflation space, de Silva said: more..

Mar 11 (AD) The Welfare Benefits Board of Sri Lanka has announced that the allowance for the month of March for beneficiaries of the first phase of the Aswesuma Program will be credited to their respective bank accounts tomorrow (12). According to the Board, the funds will be distributed among 1,408,635 families. A total sum exceeding Rs. 11,179,801,250.00 is set to be deposited into the bank accounts of these first-phase beneficiaries, the Board said. more..

Mar 11 (NW) A student has died after collapsing during a practice run at an inter‑house sports meet of a school in the Buttala area. Police said that the deceased was a 15‑year‑old student studying in Grade 11 at the same school. The student had been taking part in a marathon event, running towards Buttala along with a group of other children from near the Katugahakolaniya tank on the Buttala–Badalkumbura road, when he suddenly collapsed. Afterwards, the student was admitted to more..

Mar 11 (NW) SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa says the 2019 Easter attacks investigation must not be diverted toward political rivalries or geopolitical agendas. Rajapaksa stressed that while a fair, transparent, and impartial inquiry is essential to deliver justice to victims and their families, recent developments raise concerns about credibility and objectivity. He noted that attempts to single out respected military officers such as Maj. Gen. more..

Mar 11 (AD) CID has launched an investigation into the killing of underworld gang leader Makandure Madush, who was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen while in the custody of the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD). According to the CID, statements will be recorded from the officers who had taken Madush to Maligawatte on the day of the incident. Madush was killed on October 20, 2020, when two unidentified gunmen opened fire in Maligawatte. At the time, officers from CCD had taken him more..

Mar 11 (AD) A Police Constable attached to the Kosgoda Police Station has been arrested over allegations that he fraudulently obtained more than Rs. 600,000 using the bank card of a suspect who had been arrested and remanded in connection with heroin trafficking charges. The arrest was carried out by the Galle District Crimes Division. The police said the police constable in question had allegedly used the money to purchase a motorcycle as well as several goods from a supermarket. more..