Jan 30 (DN) Sri Lanka, led by Dasun Shanaka, are set to kick off their three-match T20 series against England today at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, with the first match scheduled for 7 pm. Both teams are expected to put on a tight contest, aiming to start the series on a winning note. This T20 series holds added significance as both sides gear up for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and SL, which begins on Feb 7. Pallekele is one of the SL venues for the tournament, more..

Jan 30 (CI) Viran Chamuditha's 94-ball 110 helped SL Under-19 chase 262 and keep their hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals of the Men's Under-19 World Cup 2026 alive. SL will now have to hope Afghanistan lose to Ireland; otherwise, Afghanistan will go through. South Africa, on the other hand, have lost all four of their games and are placed fifth in the six-team group. The day began well for South Africa Under-19, who won the toss, chose to bat and added 96 for the first wicket. more..

Jan 30 (CI) SL's selection process is in the spotlight ahead of the start of their T20I series against England. Less than two weeks out from the T20 World Cup, certain decisions taken by the new selection committee, headed by Pramodya Wickramasinghe, have raised eyebrows. One of them is the return of Kusal Perera, who had been dropped for the Pakistan series earlier this month, with Kamindu Mendis making way for him. Neither player has set the T20 stage alight of late. more..

Jan 30 (FT) SL Institute of Directors (SLID), in partnership with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), on Wednesday hosted the inaugural National Corporate Director Awards 2025. British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick was the Chief Guest. The Guest of Honour was Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Senior Professor D.B.P.H. Dissabandara, whilst International Finance Corporation (IFC) Principal Country Officer Victor Antonypillai was Special Guest. more..

Jan 30 (ST) An organic fertiliser plant near the Ella town has become an eyesore for tourists, who have to put up with the stench as well, while hoteliers and eateries struggle with fly infestations. Tourist guides said that the organic fertiliser plant is located at the junction towards the entry point to the city on the Kithal Ella Road. Visitors approaching from Ella-Wellawaya and Millagama roads are hit by the stench of garbage. World-renowned Ella, SL’s most famous hotspot for scenic views, more..

Jan 30 (ST) While SL Customs and importers of salt continue to lock horns over the fate of around 1,700 containers held at the Colombo Port for more than six months, the govt is yet to offer a solution to either party. Customs Media Spokesman Chandana Punchihewa admitted the dilemma and noted that much of the stock may have expired. “They could be mixed and used as coconut fertiliser, but even that would need approval from the National Fertiliser Secretariat,” Mr Punchihewa said. more..

Jan 30 (FT) The 13th session of the SL-Pakistan Joint Economic Commission (JEC) was successfully held yesterday in Colombo, reaffirming the strong and longstanding bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. SL delegation was led by Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe, while the Pakistani delegation was headed by Pakistani PM’s Special Assistant for Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan. At the conclusion of the JEC, the agreed minutes were signed by both Co-Chairs, more..

Jan 30 (FT) John Keells Properties yesterday said that The Offices at Cinnamon Life, located within the landmark City of Dreams Sri Lanka, has reached full occupancy, along with some floors sold to a diverse portfolio of leading local and international corporates, marking a key milestone for the development. This demand reflects the appeal of City of Dreams as a fully integrated urban destination, offering a seamless blend of work, lifestyle, and city living. Centrally located in Colombo, more..

Jan 30 (FT) Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has launched a street-level survey across Colombo to identify taxpayers and improve compliance, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen revenue collection. The survey, which commenced on Tuesday, is being carried out in Colombo Municipal Council areas 1 to 15. Special field teams from the IRD are conducting visits to commercial establishments in these areas. During the exercise, IRD officials were observed inspecting business premises and more..

Jan 30 (FT) The Export Development Board (EDB) has launched its flagship annual publication Export Performance Indicators 2024. The latest edition provides statistical information related to SL’s external trade and its contribution to major economic indicators such as trade balance. GDP and individual sectorial involvement for the year 2024 and five preceding years. This volume is the 38th Volume of this publication, and its previous editions have been constantly used as a comprehensive and more..

Jan 30 (FT) Sri Lanka’s premier business chamber, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chairman Krishan Balendra said the economic impact of the recent cyclone has been moderate, with most key sectors recovering faster than initially feared. Speaking at the Asia Securities Investor Conference this week, Balendra said assessments conducted around two weeks after the cyclone showed that total damage to cultivated agricultural land was lower than expected, more..

Jan 30 (Island) In the quiet woods of West Bengal and the lush countryside of Kerala, a lethal pathogen is once again testing the limits of modern biosafety. The Nipah virus (NiV), a shadow that has flickered across South and South-East Asia for decades, is currently the subject of heightened international surveillance. With a case fatality rate that can soar up to 75%, this virus Nipah is not just a regional concern; it is a priority pathogen on the WHO Research and Development Blueprint, more..

Jan 30 (Island) Time was when govts inveighed against the JVP for instigating strikes in vital sectors to further its political interests. Today, a JVP-led govt is accusing its political rivals of manipulating trade unions to advance their political agendas on the pretext of championing workers’ rights. Following the 2024 regime change, it was widely thought that the country would at last be free from strikes as the JVP, the main instigator of strikes, had gained state power. more..

Jan 30 (CT) “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat. “I don’t much care where—” said Alice. “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat. Although Lewis Carroll claimed that his Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland were for children it offers eminently logical commonsense for politicians and specifically for Executive Presidents brazenly brave in utopian pursuits of making lives beautiful for all in a land of plenty. more..

Jan 30 (TM) Police brutality is not at all new to SL, and it is one of the key reasons, if not the most predominant one, that has created a rift between the Police and the public. Numerous acts ranging from using excessive force during arrests or even regular checks to custodial torture and deaths have been reported, prompting the public to question how public-friendly the Police actually is. These long-standing concerns have resurfaced yet again with several troubling incidents reported this month alone. more..

Jan 30 (ST) For the sixth consecutive month to Dec 2025, year-on-year increases in a SL household’s monthly education and health expenditure remained above Rs 100 each, exposing the widening gap between the State’s promise of free education and health services and the rising out-of-pocket costs borne by families. At the same time, the year-on-year increase in a household’s total monthly expenditure, covering both food and non-food items, more..

Jan 30 (ST) I learned these details from the person I met that day. But what struck me most was his remark: “This restaurant is built on reservation land. Residents complained, but authorities told them to go to court instead of taking action.” He continued: “The other problem is if it was an illegal construction on reservation land, how was it possible that the restaurant owner got telephone connection, water supply, electricity, an official address and Pradeshiya Sabha approval?” more..

Jan 30 (CT) The current Govt seemingly had everything: an unprecedented majority in Parliament for a single political party, the faith of the people, and, most importantly, a weak Opposition which thus far has failed to pose a serious threat to the Govt or bring forward relevant debate to enhance its good work. However, it now appears that the sensible, down-to-earth and realistic govt is quite capable of doing the Opposition’s work itself. Although the overall conduct has been satisfactory thus far, more..

Jan 30 (DM) Air pollution is increasingly becoming a national health issue, with the 2025 WHO Health and Environment Scorecard for SL stating that air pollution is a primary driver of cardiovascular mortality. “If we are otherwise healthy, when we breathe bad air, we don’t feel it immediately unless the pollution is severe,” said Consultant Pulmonologist Dr. Neranjan Dissanayake. “But unfortunately, these health effects are silently killing us without us even knowing.” more..

Jan 30 (DM) We have already seen how Constantino de Sa, perhaps the ablest Portuguese captain general to arrive here, worked hard to stabilise the Portuguese position in the coastal and low-country areas under their control before finally setting off to invade Kandy. Conquest of the troublesome kingdom in the hills would have pleased the viceroy of Goa as well as the king of Portugal, and consolidated his position as Jaffna was already under his control. After putting down a plot to hand over more..

Jan 30 (DM) Minister K.D. Lal Kantha’s recent remarks on ‘state capture’ have struck a chord in the country. Govt is unable to perform at the desired pace because the country’s institutional mechanism is not fully cooperative with it. In fact, the State has, over decades, been captured by narrow political and business interests, hollowing out public institutions and eroding public trust. The people’s verdict during the 2022 uprising and subsequent elections was, in many ways, an indictment of this very capture. more..

Jan 29 (Island) Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT) has entered into a three-year partnership (2025–2028) with the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) under the Turtle and Coastal Health United Programme (TACHUP) to protect sea turtles and restore coastal ecosystems along the Colombo Port City–Mount Lavinia coastline. Sri Lanka is home to five of the world’s seven sea turtle species, all of which nest along this highly urbanised stretch of coastline. more..

Jan 29 (AD) Six police officers attached to the Gampaha Divisional Crime Detection Bureau (DCDB), who were arrested in connection with the alleged assault on a Catholic priest, have been granted bail. The order was made when the case was taken up today before the Gampaha Magistrate’s Court. Magistrate ordered that each suspect was released on a Rs. 500,000 surety bail. Court also imposed a foreign travel ban on the suspects. During an earlier identification more..

Jan 29 (JT) SL detainee Wishma Sandamali’s life could have been saved at three junctures before she died at an immigration facility in Japan in 2021, a doctor said at a court hearing on Wednesday. Wishma’s death at the facility in Nagoya, resulted from a combination of factors including dehydration and starvation, Dr. Masamune Shimo said during the Nagoya District Court hearing on a lawsuit filed by her bereaved family more..

Jan 29 (AD) A total of 10,455 complaints related to children have been lodged with National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) in 2025. Of these, 8,514 complaints fell under the NCPA Act, while 1,941 complaints were outside its direct mandate. Among the reported cases, 545 complaints involved sexual harassment while 231 involved grave sexual abuse. The Authority also recorded 79 teenage pregnancies and three abortions last year. The NCPA added nine child marriages, 38 cases of rape, more..

Jan 29 (NW) The US Embassy in SL has extended its condolences following the death of Lieutenant Koyan Chamitha of the SL Navy, recognizing his service and contribution to international defence cooperation. Lt. Chamitha was the first Sri Lankan naval officer to complete US Navy SEAL basic training. He served with the SL Navy’s Special Boat Squadron and was commended for his distinguished service. US Embassy said Lt. Chamitha’s career reflected the strong professional ties between more..

Jan 29 (NW) Ministry of Health has said the risk of Nipah virus transmission to the country remains minimal, following recent reports of cases in West Bengal, India. The ministry said Nipah virus is a zoonotic infection that primarily affects animals, particularly fruit bats, and can be transmitted to humans through close contact with infected animals or contaminated materials. Human-to-human transmission can occur more..

Jan 29 (DM) The Election Commission has called for applications from political parties eligible for official recognition in 2026. According to the Commission, applications will be accepted from Jan 28 to Feb 28, 2026, and must be submitted with the required documents signed by the party secretary. Application forms can be obtained from the Election Commission’s official website, district election offices or the Office of the Election Secretary. The Commission said recognised parties more..

Jan 29 (AD) Colombo Magistrate’s Court has scheduled the next hearing of the complaint against MP Namal Rajapaksa under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act for July 30. The complaint was called today before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama. MP Namal Rajapaksa, along with three other suspects, appeared in court during today’s hearing. During the proceedings, CID informed court that legal advice regarding the case had not yet been received. more..

Jan 29 (NW) ASP Rohan Olugala has been appointed as the new Director of the Walana Central Anti-Corruption Unit. Olugala is known for his involvement in a high-profile international police operation that led to the arrest of underworld figures Mandinu Padmasiri, also known as Kehelbaddara Padme, Commando Salintha, and Kudu Nilantha. The suspects, who were in hiding in Jakarta, Indonesia were captured through a covert mission coordinated by Sri Lankan authorities. more..

Jan 29 (AD) Veteran film director Sena Samarasinghe has passed away at the age of 89. Born on Nov 25, 1937, in Randeniya, Kegalle, Nandasena Samarasinghe was popularly known as Sena Samarasinghe after gaining recognition in SL cinema. He is also a relative of the popular film actor Bandu Samarasinghe. Sena Samarasinghe received his education at Bandarawela, Gurutalawa, St. Thomas’ College, where he excelled in sports and demonstrated remarkable leadership skills, more..

Jan 29 (FT) The CIABOC recorded 154 arrests, filed 115 cases and secured Rs. 2.839 million in fines, penalties, compensation and confiscated funds during 2025, according to its 2025 progress review. CIABOC said 84 suspects were arrested during raids carried out in 2025, following 130 raids conducted during the year, of which 68 were classified as effective. A further 70 suspects were arrested on grounds other than raids, more..