Jan 8 (EN) SL’s cabinet this week approved proposals to enter into agreements with Chinese media institutions for capacity building ahead of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s January 14 official visit to Beijing. The signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) will see Sri Lanka officials from the Ministry and Department of Govt Information as well as journalists from state media institutions going to China for capacity building through training, a govt official said. more..

Jan 8 (AD) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that no govt institution has so far granted authorization for the construction of Israeli religious centers or any similar places. She made this comment in response to a question raised by SJB MP Mujibur Rahman in Parliament today. “So far, neither the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, nor any of its departments have granted permission for the construction of religious centers or similar places by Israeli nationals. more..

Jan 8 (AD) The bus associations have decided to call off their island-wide strike following successful discussions with the Acting IGP. This decision was reached after a successful discussion held today between the private bus associations and the Acting IGP, Priyantha Weerasooriya, regarding traffic operations linked to the Clean SL national initiative. As a result, the bus associations have decided to call off their planned island-wide strike. more..

Jan 8 (FT) In an era where digital connectivity defines both personal and professional spheres, cyber scams have emerged as a rapidly escalating global threat. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Centre, reported cyber fraud cases surged by 22% in 2023, with estimated financial losses exceeding $ 10 billion worldwide. Sri Lanka is no exception, witnessing a sharp rise in online scams targeting individuals and businesses alike. Against this backdrop, more..

Jan 8 (DM) The govt will formulate a mechanism to stop foreigners who engage in business activities while on tourist visas, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said today. The PM told Parliament that it is reported that foreigners on tourist visas engage in business activities and that the govt has identified it as an issue. "We are discussing the measures to be taken against that and are in the process of formulating a mechanism to stop such illegal activities," she said. more..

Jan 8 (CI) New Zealand strode to 255 for 9 in their 37 overs, with a 112-run second wicket stand between Rachin Ravindra and Mark Chapman the bedrock of that innings. And then Sri Lanka's top order crashed and burned again. They were 4 for 22 inside the first five overs, their hopes of levelling the series almost completely dashed. Kamindu Mendis attempted to revive the innings, but his 64 was not nearly enough to revive this innings. more..

Jan 8 (AD) Acting IGP has ordered an investigation into 1,042 candidates and 197 party secretaries and independent group leaders who failed to report their income and expenditure for the 2024 general election, in violation of the Regulation of Election Expenditure Act. IGP orders probe into over 1,000 candidates over election expenditure violations Acting IGP has ordered an investigation into 1,042 candidates and 197 party secretaries and independent group leaders who failed to more..

Jan 8 (EN) SL’s central bank will revise its current open market operations system to inject liquidity into banks to effectively implement the monetary policy under the single policy interest rate mechanism, according its 2025 policy agenda. The central bank is currently barred by law from printing money through direct market operations to create forex shortages and external instability but under instrument independence it is free to inject money through other means. more..

Jan 8 (CT) Parliament should look into media reports on sexual abuse against female staff members in Parliament, said SJB MP Mujibur Rahman in Parliament. He said this before the commencement of the orders of the day. He said that it was reported that some female employees of certain departments were sexually harassed by some other employees. He said it was reported that the Secretary-General had taken measures to get some employees their retirement while some others were suspended more..

Jan 8 (FT) In his New Year message, Prez Anura Dissanayake outlined three development goals – namely, eradicating rural poverty, implementing the Clean Sri Lanka project, and building a digital economy. As I see it, Clean Sri Lanka and the Digital Economy are not goals, but strategies aimed at the social and economic revival of the country. What is particularly noteworthy is that they are practical strategies devoid of ideology. In the context of some ministers still thinking that more..

Jan 8 (TM) Govt of India has converted nearly $ 100 million worth of loans issued to Sri Lanka, to grants, Indian High Commissioner Santhosh Jha said. Jha commented on 2024, calling it a good year for Indo-Lanka diplomatic relations, adding that the partnership between both Indian Ocean neighbours had matured over the years. He also said that Indian PM Narendra Modi had been officially invited to visit SL in 2025 by more..

Jan 8 (DN) Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala told Parliament yesterday that 747 suspects have been arrested so far following investigations conducted by the CID and the Counter-Terrorism and Investigation Division in connection with the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks. The Minister revealed that 41 cases have been filed in the High Court against 100 suspects, both male and female, and indictments have been filed by the Attorney General (AG) in 14 cases. more..

Jan 8 (DN) Sri Lanka has proposed new benefits for athletes aiming to qualify for the future Olympic Games, suggesting that all athletes who meet the qualification standards should receive a tax-free car. Additionally, those winning Olympic medals should be given a monthly grant of Rs. 250,000 after reaching the age of 60. This proposal, presented by the SL National Olympic Committee (NOC) and the Ministry of Sports, aims to incentivize athletes striving for Olympic success. more..

Jan 8 (EN) SL has ended 2024 with gross official reserves of US$ 6,091 million down US$ 360 million from a month earlier. Reserves are down for the third month in a row. Gross official reserves are made up of both monetary and fiscal reserves in the Treasury, which usually come from foreign loans and grants. The year-end reserved dipped due to year end debt repayments. SL’s official reserves are still up by US$ 1.6 billion in 2024. more..

Jan 8 (TM) Medical Research Institute (MRI) has confirmed that the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), currently spreading in China, is a disease which has already been identified in a few instances in Sri Lanka. However, the health authorities have assured the public that there is no cause for undue alarm. Virologist Dr. Jude Jayamaha explained the nature of the virus and its symptoms. “HMPV typically causes mild symptoms such as a cough, a runny nose, and low grade fever. more..

Jan 8 (Island) SL’s foreign reserves would reach USD 7 billion by the end of 2025, Governor of the CB, Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said. He said that the country’s foreign reserves remained robust. Dr. Weerasinghe said their foreign reserve target for 2024 had been USD 5.6 billion but the country had raised USD 6.5 billion before settling debts. After settling debts, the reserves stood at USD 6.1 billion and the CBSL expected the reserves to reach USD 7 billion at the end of 2025, more..

Jan 8 (DM) SL along with China, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia and Laos has been identified as major countries that will help to boost the future Asian Tourism Industry in 2025. This was opined by Travel and Tour World (TTW), the premier digital B2B integrated media platform in the travel and tourism industry, reaching more than 5 million readers globally. Asia’s tourism industry is entering a transformative phase in 2025, with nations like China, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, more..

Jan 8 (AD) The Committee on Public Finance met for the first time yesterday under the Chairmanship of its Chair, MP Dr. Harsha de Silva. In terms of the Standing Orders of Parliament, MP Dr. Harsha de Silva, representing the opposition, was nominated as the Chair to the Committee on Public Finance by the Committee of Selection. Following the address by the Chair in which a brief overview of the functions and past work by the Committee was highlighted, the forum was made available for more..

Jan 8 (Island) In a bold move that promises to reshape SL’s energy future, Ministry of Energy has confirmed the initiation of sweeping reforms to modernize the country’s electricity sector, inclusive of the unbundling of the sector into three distinct functions. Spearheaded by the newly formed Power Sector Reforms Secretariat (PSRS), these reforms aim to create a sustainable, competitive, and people-centric energy landscape, laying the groundwork for a new era in energy generation, more..

Jan 8 (AD) Two individuals were killed in a shooting incident early this morning (7) on Watarappala Road, Mount Lavinia, which had been carried out by two unidentified gunmen. The gunmen had arrived at a residence on a motorcycle around 4:25 a.m. and opened fire using a 9mm pistol and a homemade Galkatas handgun. The victims have been identified as Sudath Gomes alias Mano, 36, who died on the spot, and Chanaka Vimukthi alias Sandun, 20, who succumbed to his injuries more..

Jan 8 (TM) SL expects about $ 879 million in investments from local investors in 2025 based on govt incentives and an improved investment climate in the country, Deputy Minister Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando said. Govt forecasts $ 879 million from local investors, an assumption based on the current situation and past trends. He also added that the figure is forecasted based on the incentive packages that govt will provide, more..

Jan 8 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday discussed the next steps with regard to vehicle imports, tax reforms and digitisation with officials from the Finance Ministry. A statement from the PMD said a significant portion of the discussion addressed the challenges surrounding vehicle imports into Sri Lanka. The President emphasised the need for a well-balanced approach to address these concerns, taking into account the country’s financial constraints and economic priorities. more..

Jan 8 (DM) Sri Lanka has achieved a breakthrough in its telecommunications infrastructure with SLT-Mobitel successfully landing the Southeast Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 6 (SEA-ME-WE 6) submarine cable in Matara on 29 Dec. Accordingly, the cable system will be in commercial operation by mid-2026. Matara landing was completed in collaboration with Subcom LLC, USA, and under an agreement with SEA-ME-WE 6 Consortium including Sri Lanka Telecom, as the legal signatory more..

Jan 8 (DM) Sanjaya Mahawatte, Chairman of the Magen Ratata organization, lodged a complaint today (6) with the CIABOC, calling for a fair investigation into a significant financial loss involving a modern, high-tech pilot boat worth approximately Rs. 260 million. He claimed that the boat was damaged during a private excursion while Ganaka Hemachandra, current Managing Director of the Ports Authority, was serving as more..

Jan 8 (DM) The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has received approval to complete the procurement of two 80-ton bollard pull tug vessels on a rental basis for Colombo Port operations, while also initiating a new procurement process for two 70-ton bollard pull twin azimuth stern drive harbour tugs required for a new terminal set to open in mid-2025. The decision comes after SLPA halted an earlier procurement of the 80-ton tug vessels due to cost concerns stemming from the implementation more..

Jan 8 (DM) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed a new Chairman and Board of Members to the 1990 Suwa Seriya Foundation. The letters of appointment were handed over today by the Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake at the Presidential Secretariat. Accordingly, A.M.N. Ratnayake was appointed as the new Chairman of the 1990 Suwa Seriya Foundation, while R.J.M.A.P. Sampath and Nalin Perera were appointed as members of the Board. more..

Jan 8 (FT) Reaching a new agreement with the IMF through a new debt sustainability program has been completely levelled to the ground while a situation has been created, today where the people’s mandate is not valued even like the dust under your foot, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said. In his speech in the Parliament today he questioned the whereabouts of the implementation of a people-centric process more..

Jan 8 (FT) Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC (DCSL), yesterday said it will redefine brewing landscape with palatable new product launch following the acquisition of 99.4% of Heineken Lanka’s shares from Heineken Asia Pacific Pte Ltd., last year. This acquisition signalled a major milestone in DCSL’s expansion within the brewing industry, positioning the company as a comprehensive provider of spirits and brews to meet evolving consumer preferences. more..

Jan 8 (DN) SL team, led by Charith Asalanka, is expected to make a comeback in the second ODI against NZ, which will be played today at Seddon Park, Hamilton. This day/night game will commence at 6:30 a.m. (SL time). NZ made a comfortable nine-wicket win in the one-sided affair of the first ODI at Wellington, and they hope to win again to secure an early series victory. However, SL want to level the series by winning this game and is determined to fight back and rectify their mistakes. more..

Jan 8 (DN) SL is set to kick off its first-ever junior football league tournament, the FFSL President’s Youth Cup 2025, organized by the Manchester Soccer Academy (MSA) in collaboration with the Football Federation of SL (FFSL). The much-anticipated tournament will run from Jan 13 to Feb 22, with matches hosted at the Race Course Grounds in Colombo and the Beddagana Football Complex in Kotte. The competition will feature two age categories: Under-14 and Under-16, more..

Jan 8 (Island) It is still being claimed in some quarters that the current rice shortage has come about owing to the use of rice/paddy for manufacturing beer. Among the peddlers of this view are some powerful rice millers including Dudley Sirisena, who cannot be expected to tell the public the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth for obvious reasons. SJB National Organiser Tissa Attanayake has also subscribed to the aforesaid claim. Some brewers may be using more..