Feb 18 (AM) Uni of Kelaniya has decided to suspend all student activities within the university premises and student centres after 10 pm, based on a Supreme Court order, Vice Chancellor Professor Nilanthi de Silva announced. According to a statement issued by the VC, the decision was taken by the Anti-Ragging Committee on 16 Feb and came into effect yesterday (17). The statement further noted that legal action would be initiated against any attempts to act in violation of the directive. more..

Feb 18 (DN) Sri Lanka will play their first T-20 World Cup super eight game against England on February 22 at Pallekele, commencing at 3pm. After eight wickets victory over Australia, SL came on top of the ‘B’ group to ensure the super eight stage presence with 6 points (three wins in a row). The match between Zimbabwe and Ireland which was scheduled to be played yesterday at Pallekele from 3 pm was delayed by rain and finally abandoned at 5.30 pm. Two teams shared one point each more..

Feb 18 (ST) Multiple Special Rapporteurs of the United Nations have responded to the govt’s call for comments on SL’s revised anti-terrorism bill that is set to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act by expressing deep concern over the continuation of substantive deficiencies that make the bill fall significantly short of conformity with international law. The concerns were outlined in a joint report by several UN human rights more..

Feb 18 (DN) Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to reconstruct and relocate Deniyaya Base Hospital as a modern 300-bed facility to improve healthcare access for residents in surrounding districts. The existing hospital in Deniyaya currently serves nearly 70,000 people across parts of Matara District, Galle District, and Ratnapura District, but operates with only 137 beds. Authorities noted that the present hospital location is vulnerable to landslides due to its elevation and more..

Feb 18 (FT) Cabinet approved obtaining a $ 400 million financial facility from the World Bank to support the country’s ongoing structural reform program under the EFF of the IMF. The funding will be provided through a three-year Programmatic Reform Development Policy Operation (DPO) covering the 2026–2028 period. “The facility is aimed at strengthening competitiveness, enhancing economic governance and promoting sustainable growth as the country continues its more..

Feb 18 (FT) Maritime industry veteran professional and corporate leader Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake has been appointed as the new Chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) in what would be his third innings in this position. To take up the latest post on an honorary basis, Dr. Dissanayake has resigned as the Deputy Chairman of Aitken Spence and Group companies. Prior to the appointment as SLPA Chairman, more..

Feb 18 (ST) Colombo Port has in the past 14 months recorded deaths of at least four of its workers with the latest incident reported this month. Officials at the port believe it to be due to the negligence of the vessel operators to maintain a proper protective fence. On Feb 6 this year a signalman Sarath Sandalal (57) working for the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) working at the MV SOL Stride, a Singapore registered vessel’s 18th bay had given the signal to close the more..

Feb 18 (AM) Ven. Dambara Amila Thera has alleged that a coordinated campaign is under way to mislead Generation Z youth by using social media and modern technology to launch what he described as a large-scale defamatory drive against the Buddhist clergy. Addressing the media yesterday (16), the Thera claimed that the current Govt, which he characterised as aligned with Marxist ideology, was attempting to transform Sri Lanka into a communist state and ultimately abolish religion. more..

Feb 18 (DM) Tech entity WSO2 yesterday announced the launch of a new Fair Pricing for Governments initiative, aimed at supporting public-sector organisations’ worldwide access to high-quality, ethical digital services at prices aligned with local economic realities. The initiative is based on a simple principle: govt technology fees should be proportional to the average citizen’s income to ensure fairness. By introducing a standardized, transparent pricing model for govt customers, more..

Feb 18 (FT) To strengthen a leading SL manufacturer’s global presence, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has committed $ 28.6 million, as part of a larger envelope of $ 40 million, to CBL Group. The IFC’s investment will enable CBL, one of Sri Lanka’s largest food manufacturing conglomerates, to extend its global footprint across Asia and Africa. The financing supported the acquisition of PT Tri Jaya Tangguh Indonesia (TJT), more..

Feb 18 (TM) The SL Tennis Association (SLTA) has announced the official creation of the SL Tennis Premier League (SLTPL), marking a significant new chapter in the growth and future of tennis in SL. The inaugural edition of the SLTPL is scheduled to be held from 22 to 25 April, bringing together SL Tennis players from across the island in a professionally governed, franchise-based competition. League will feature 8 city-based more..

Feb 18 (Island) The legal fraternity is up in arms over last week’s murder of a lawyer and his wife in a Colombo suburb. On 13 Feb, two gunmen shot lawyer Buddhika Mallawarachchi and his wife Nisansala dead inside their car near a supermarket at Akuregoda, where the Defence Headquarters Complex is located. The killers used a T-56 assault rifle and a pistol in the attack. There was absolutely no need for an assault rifle to kill the unarmed victims. Those who ordered the killing more..

Feb 18 (Island) As the debate on educational reforms rages, I find it useful to pay as much attention to the reactions they have excited as we do to the content of the reforms. Such reactions are a reflection of how education is understood in our society, and this understanding – along with the priorities it gives rise to – must necessarily be taken into account in education policy, including and especially reform. My aim in this piece, however, is to couple this public engagement with more..

Feb 18 (TM) Seventeen years after Sri Lanka’s internal conflict formally came to an end in 2009, the situation of Tamil refugees who fled to India remains unfinished business. What was once an immediate humanitarian response has become a legal uncertainty and unresolved citizenship status. The numbers and trajectories involved show how deeply complex and political this issue is, especially in the context of Sri Lanka’s post‑conflict reconstruction and regional relations. more..

Feb 18 (ST) 250 years ago, Adam Smith – often called the father of modern economics – wrote the following passage in his famous book, The Wealth of Nations (1776): “As it is the power of exchanging that gives occasion to the division of labour, so the extent of this division must always be limited by the extent of that power, or, in other words, by the extent of the market.” What Smith meant is straightforward: a country’s economic growth depends on the size of its market. more..

Feb 18 (CT) With a history stretching back more than two centuries and a formal written beginning marked by the first Gazette printed in 1802, SL’s Govt Printing Department stands as both custodian of State documentation and witness to the evolution of print technology. From lead-type presses to high-speed digital web machines, Dept operates a unique blend of old and new under one roof, a living archive of the global history of printing. more..

Feb 18 (CT) The decision by the Govt Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) to withdraw Medical Officers of Health from submitting official community health data marks a troubling new chapter in its ongoing dispute with the authorities. Trade union action within the health sector is not new, nor is it illegitimate. Yet, the form this escalation has taken, the suspension of routine public health reporting, strikes at the very nerve centre of disease prevention and community protection. more..

Feb 18 (DM) Law and order, and judicial fairness in SL, were under scrutiny last week over two separate incidents. First, a lawyer and his spouse were gunned down in the car park of a supermarket complex in Akuregoda in a suspected underworld shooting. The assailants, who arrived in a car, fled the scene during rush hour. A charred car believed to have been used by the assailants was later found abandoned in Agaliya, Galle. The deceased, attorney-at-Law Buddhika Mallawarachchi, more..

Feb 18 (SO) As Sri Lanka seeks to rebuild its economy and restore investor confidence after years of crisis, governance and transparency have emerged as critical factors in securing international partnerships. Japan, one of SL’s longest-standing development partners, has signalled that sustained anti-corruption efforts will be key to deepening economic engagement and attracting Japanese investment. more..

Feb 18 (DM) Life stands still for many people affected by cyclone Ditwah, especially in the outskirts. The disaster cannot be described as a sudden occurrence when looking at existing gaps in disaster communication to begin with. With over 600 lives lost and over a 100 reported missing (as of January 2026), it is clear that the authorities could have averted impacts on people if the weather conditions were closely monitored and early warnings were issued on time. more..

Feb 18 (GV) The aragalaya became one of the most powerful and widespread public uprisings in SL’s modern history. It was a people’s movement that shook the political system, brought down a govt, and led to the formation of a new one. More importantly, it delivered a powerful message not only to Sri Lanka but to the world. What made aragalaya unique was that it was not led by any political party. It was led by ordinary citizens. It began as a response to the severe economic crisis more..

Feb 17 (EN) Cabine has approved a 30-year lease of a Kerawalapitiya land to Powertech Products, part of DHT Cement, for a 272.20 million rupee lump sum payment and an annual nominal rent of 83,500 rupees, minister Vijitha Herath said. Land, measuring 3 acres, 1 rood, and 0.95 perches, will be used to set up a manufacturing plant for fiber cement corrugated roofing sheets, flat sheets, and related accessories for both domestic and export markets with an investment of US$ 7 million, more..

Feb 17 (DM) A huge boulder which had rolled down a hill had crushed two workers who were blasting rocks in a quarry about 300ft below at Mapitiya in Bandarawela on Saturday (14). Their bodies were recovered by the police with the help of the army. The deceased R.M. Ajantha (45), of Bandarawela was father of five children and, Ganesh Lingeswaran (25) from Mapitiya in Liyangahawela in Bandarawela. Several equipment and a lorry at the quarry had been extensively damaged more..

Feb 17 (TM) Central Environmental Authority (CEA) said they have not established a direct link between the recent landslides in Ambuluwawa and the cable car project undertaken by Amber Adventures, although a final decision on resuming construction has yet to be made. CEA Director General Kapila Rajapaksha said that work on the project was temporarily halted following complaints from local residents alleging environmental more..

Feb 17 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has left the island for India to attend the AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi. Prez Dissanayake and the SL delegation departed from the BIA at 2:05 p.m. on a SriLankan Airlines flight bound for Delhi, India. Prez is scheduled to take part in the summit on an invitation extended by Indian PM Narendra Modi. The summit, held under the patronage of PM Modi aims to promote the responsible use of artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity. more..

Feb 17 (AD) Parliamentary Pensions (Repeal) Bill has been passed in Parliament without amendments. Bill seeking to abolish pensions for MPs was presented to Parliament on Jan 7 by the Minister of Justice Dr. Harshana Nanayakkara. The Bill was subsequently challenged in the Supreme Court on its constitutionality. However, following the consideration of the Bill, Supreme Court determined that no provision in the Pensions (Repeal) Bill is inconsistent with the Constitution, more..

Feb 17 (AD) Managing Director of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva commenced her official engagements in SL with field visits to areas affected by Cyclone Ditwah, inspecting damage and interacting with impacted communities as part of efforts to support recovery and long-term resilience. As part of her tour, IMF Chief Georgieva today visited Mawathura village in the Udapalatha DS Division, one of the most sensitive zones more..

Feb 17 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake met IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and her delegation at the Presidential Secretariat for discussions during their three-day visit to SL. During the meeting, Prez expressed appreciation for the IMF’s contribution toward stabilizing SL’s economy, noting that improved stability had enabled the country to respond effectively to the impact of Cyclone Ditwah. He said the govt had ensured that neither political considerations nor more..

Feb 17 (AD) Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court has granted permission to police to detain and question the two brothers arrested in connection with the Akuregoda double murder, until tomorrow. The suspects were taken into custody in Kottawa by officers of the Western Province South Crimes Range for allegedly aiding and abetting the killing of the lawyer and his wife in Akuregoda. The two brothers were arrested in connection with the shooting and killing of a lawyer and his wife more..

Feb 17 (BBC) Ireland and Australia have both been eliminated from the T20 World Cup as rain prevented play in the Group B game between the Irish and Zimbabwe at Pallekele Stadium. Zimbabwe's shock victory over Australia left them needing just a point on Tuesday to advance to the Super 8s with the match being a must-win for Ireland to retain any hope of advancing. Australia, who suffered an eight-wicket defeat by SL on Monday, were also banking on a win for Ireland to more..

Feb 17 (EN) Sri Lanka’s Cabinet has approved the formal substitution of Fine Aggregate for river sand in construction; a move aimed at circumventing environmental regulations and managing supply shortages, minister Vijitha Herath said. This will allow industry stakeholders to use standardized alternatives in place of river sand. The substitute typically consists of Manufactured Sand (M-Sand), Crushed Rock Fines, Offshore Sand, and other industrial minerals. more..