Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)
President in the North to open several projects
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited Jaffna this week and participated in several groundbreaking and opening ceremonies for development projects including a housing project as well as the third phase of the Myliddy Fishery Harbour development...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Crisis looms over VRS as CEB split nears
More than 2,000 Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) employees, many of them midcareer professionals, have opted for a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) and yesterday complained to the Energy Minister that the management is “forcibly retaining” them in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Light bill hike proposal linked to Rs. 11.5bn golden handshake
A‘golden handshake’ worth Rs 11.554 billion for workers choosing voluntary early exit will be funded by raising electricity tariffs from January to March, the Ceylon Electricity Board has proposed to the regulator. This generous payout, offered as a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Indo-Lanka committee to oversee post-Ditwah reconstruction
Ajoint official committee consisting of Sri Lankan and Indian officials will be entrusted with handling India's US$450 million postdisaster reconstruction package, a senior government official said. The joint committee would decide on reconstruction...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Some flood-affected families living in risky situations
More than 20 days after the flooding caused by cyclone Ditwah, many people living in the worst affected areas are still stranded and vulnerable. They continue to face severe hardships and a significant number of affected families have yet to receive...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Rs. 1,000 bn emergency funding for relief work
The government will present a supplementary estimate of Rs.1000 billion to Parliament when an emergency sitting of the House is held on Thursday, December 18. The special sitting of the House has been summoned by Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne at the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
New body to manage disaster recovery funds and rebuilding
The government is to set up a statutory body to handle a special fund, starting with a Rs 500 billion supplementary estimate to be passed in Parliament next month to undertake a rebuilding plan after cyclone ‘Ditwah’ left more than 600 dead, 213...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Ditwah leaves over 150 dead, 200 missing, one million affected
Rescue workers continued the grim task of recovering bodies in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah's devastation, with more than 150 reported dead, over 200 missing, and close to a million affected by one of the worst natural disasters to hit the country...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CC rejects President's bid to extend Acting Auditor General's term
Arecommendation by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to extend the services of Acting Auditor General for another three months has been rejected by the Constitutional Council. The presidential recommendation, however, came with an accompanying note...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Double cabs on use-and- return basis for all MPs
Three days after closing the tender for an expedited multibillion rupee double cab tender, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced in his budget speech that every Member of Parliament will receive a pickup truck each. The Finance Ministry’s...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Friday's Budget: Tax net to be expanded
The annual budget for next year to be presented on Friday will have incentives for exporters and small and medium industries and relief on essential items while the government would introduce measures to expand the tax net by bringing in sectors that...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Govt. in 12-day rush to buy 1,775 double cabs
The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development on Thursday floated a multibillion rupee tender for the purchase of 1,775 diesel-powered double cabs, allowing just 12 days for interested parties to submit their bids. Sealed bids are invited...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Pay-and-commute deals for the corrupt: CIABOC mulls proposal
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has agreed to consider requests by the accused charged with corruption for causing financial losses to the state to pay back those losses along with interest, provided those...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Police charging fee for security at private events
The Police Department has begun levying charges for providing security for commercial events, following a directive from the Inspector General of Police, Priyantha Weerasooriya. Police spokesman Minura Senarath told the Sunday Times that, in view of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SLC rake in two foreign coaches, marking T20 WC
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has enlisted two foreign coaches to its national men’s cricket team support staff, as part of a strategic effort to strengthen performance across formats. Julian Wood, a former English first-class cricketer and power-hitting...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
New move to fast track corruption cases against public officials
Public officials facing allegations of bribery or corruption after scrutiny by the two parliamentary oversight committees—COPE and COPA—will be referred directly to the police or the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Provincial elections under old system
The Government is considering holding the provincial council elections under the old system to overcome the impasse caused by disagreements over the delimitation process. A senior government source said that as the new delimitation process is complex...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Govt. rejects OHCHR’s external accountability initiative
The Government has rejected calls by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for international action to advance accountability in Sri Lanka, stating that external initiatives will only serve as hindrances to the ongoing national...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Ranil plans to turn UNP’s convention into unity show
Former President and United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday that opposition party leaders have been invited to attend the party’s September 6 (Saturday) annual convention, where they are to discuss the current political...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Opposition bigwigs vow united action against Govt.
Galvanised by the arrest and subsequent remanding of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, leaders of leading opposition political parties are vowing collective action against what they call the JVP-NPP government's attempts to suppress political...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Bribery case against NPP minister
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has decided to file action against Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody following corruption complaints over misappropriation of funds while serving at the Fertiliser Corporation in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
UK, Canada to table new UNHRC resolution against Sri Lanka
The United Kingdom and Canada have informed the government that a new resolution on Sri Lanka will be presented at the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council next month, but the Government expects softened wording on it as compared to previous...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Lanka grants host of concessions to US in tariff negotiations
Sri Lanka granted the United States a wide range of concessions in exchange for the US reducing its "reciprocal tariff" on Sri Lankan goods to 20 per cent from the previous 30 per cent that was due to have come into effect on August 1, authoritative...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Mega projects: Local firms told to find foreign loans
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has informed his Cabinet that in considering mega development projects such as expressways, local parties expecting to bid for them would have to bring funding or loans from overseas, instead of obtaining loans from...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
'Structural changes' await CC, Commissions
The Government is planning to make what it calls 'structural changes' to appointments and other revisions to the Constitutional Council and Independent Commissions established by the Constitution, the Sunday Times learns. The move comes as it feels...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Budget 2026 aims to revive mega projects
The 2026 national budget will give priority to stalled mega-infrastructure projects and settling domestic arrears, while the current freeze on new vehicles for state institutions, except for public transport and healthcare, will continue, according to...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Vehicle imports: Treasury alerts CB over dollar drain
The Treasury has warned the Central Bank that the enthusiasm shown in the import of vehicles after the ban was lifted could have a negative impact on foreign reserves and urged that precautionary measures be taken. A senior Treasury official said that...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Minimum wage being raised, but legal tussle over monthly allowance
The national minimum wage is to be increased from Rs. 21,000 to Rs. 27,000 a month next week through amendments to existing legislation. However, the move has proved controversial as it includes the termination of the budgetary relief allowance (BRA),...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Largest IPO ever: Govt. bid to control LTL thru’ CPC worries investors
The largest initial public offering in the history of Sri Lanka’s stock exchange—the LTL Holdings IPO—is likely to be scuppered after private investors were spooked by government plans to retain control of the company by getting the Ceylon Petroleum...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Opposition secures control of local councils through alliance of convenience
When a group of opposition parties first started talks last month on reaching an agreement to form administrations in local councils where the combined number of seats won by political parties and independent groups outnumbered those won by the ruling...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
16 former ministers face asset freeze by CIABOC
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) is to take measures to freeze the assets of 16 former ministers over the coming days, Commission sources said. The politicians are among those who allegedly obtained...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
UNHRC chief Türk toST2 visit Lanka this month
The United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk will visit Sri Lanka this month or early July, a Foreign Ministry source confirmed. No dates have been finalised for the visit, though the government has agreed to the visit by Mr....
Read Full Story (Page 1)
India eyes dominance in Lanka’s minerals sector
Indian mining companies led by India’s Mines Ministry visited Sri Lanka this week to look at potential collaborations in the mines and minerals sector even as the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB)—the primary government agency responsible for...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
NMRA chief resigns, citing threats to life
Saveen Semage, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), resigned with immediate effect yesterday, citing threats to his life. On May 9, CCTV in his home captured two men breaking in and walking around...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CEB plans up to 35% tariff hike
An electricity tariff increase of 25 to 35 percent is among the proposals under consideration by Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) awaits the implementation of the revised rates. CEB sources said these tariff...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Outrage as Buddhist relics go under the hammer in Hong Kong
Next week (May 7), on the eve of Vesak, Sotheby's, the well-known Britishfounded brokers of fine arts, collectibles, and jewellery, will auction a collection of more than 300 sacred Buddhist relics unearthed in 1898 from the ancient Piprahwa stupa in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Lanka seeks US plans to defuse tariff crisis
Sri Lanka has sought proposals from the United States to be considered to resolve trade issues following the new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration while agreeing to import LNG, petroleum products and vehicles. The move came while placing Sri...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
50 new bribery cases coming to courts
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) is taking steps to file as many as 50 court cases shortly regarding long-running bribery and corruption investigations which have now been completed. A majority of the accused...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Lanka moves to reduce its trade surplus with US
Sri Lanka is among the countries currently facing a 90-day pause on the new tariffs—as announced by US President Donald Trump on Wednesday—and is trying to work out a plan to reduce the trade surplus in its favour by increasing imports from the US...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
India and Lanka sign Defence MoU built on ‘interlinked security’
Sri Lanka and India inked a defence cooperation memorandum of understanding yesterday, sealing close ‘interlinked’ security ties between the two nations as Sri Lanka reiterated once again that the country will not be allowed to pose threats to India’s...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
India to expand defence co-op with Lanka during Premier Modi’s visit
The defence sector agreement to be signed between Sri Lanka and India next week will expand on existing cooperation to include joint military exercises and maritime surveillance. The defence sector MOU will be among the six that the two countries will...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
AKD presidency 6 months on, concerns over slow progress on anti-corruption front
Anura Kumara Dissanayake, leader of the National People's PowerJanatha Vimukthi Peramuna (NPPJVP) government, hit a significant milestone last Friday—six months at the helm as Sri Lanka's President. The September 21 presidential election last year was...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Foreign consultant hired to fix anti-money laundering failures
Sri Lanka has hired a foreign consultant to prepare for regional scrutiny of its regime against the economic crime of money laundering and terrorism financing after repeated failures to fully comply with global standards. It has negotiated breathing...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Government to review politicians’ entitlements in new action plan
Entitlements to current and former politicians including the laws under which they are granted are to undergo a comprehensive assessment under a new Goverrnance Action Plan (GAP) The Government has pledged in its new Governance Action Plan (GAP) to...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Trump- Zelensky shouting match
US President Donald Trump erupted at Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, angrily sending the Ukrainian leader out of the White House after an extraordinary Oval Office meltdown because he was “not ready” for peace with Russia. The stunning row saw European...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Police Chief, NPC in open battle over transfers
The National Police Commission (NPC) and the Acting Inspector General Priyantha Weerasooriya have locked horns over the transfer of Officers in Charge (OIC) of police stations, with the dispute reaching the Constitutional Council (CC). Acting Police...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Govt’s relief budget within IMF parameters
The National People's Power Government's maiden budget, which will be presented to Parliament tomorrow, will offer pay hikes to state sector workers and more government jobs but will be within the parameters identified under the International Monetary...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Local council polls further delayed
The local council elections can be held only after the April National New Year, Election Commissioner General Saman Sri Rathnayake said yesterday. He said this was because the Local Authorities Elections (Special Provisions) Bill was expected to be...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Vehicle import restrictions lifted, but prices soar
A string of taxes has sent the imported vehicle prices soaring, with the five-year restriction on imports being lifted with effect from yesterday. Vehicle importers were finalising their prices yesterday, but the initial calculation of the taxes is...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Public servants to get pay hike in budget
An increase in the basic salary or allowances of public sector employees is under consideration by the government as it prepares to present its maiden budget next month. According to Treasury officials, the possibility of salary increments up to Rs...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Police Com. to question IGP's mass transfer move
Acting Inspector General Priyantha Weerasooriya has requested the mass transfer of 17 officers-in-charge (OICs) of police stations in the Western Province, but the National Police Commission (NPC) will ask him to provide further details outlining...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Appeal Court President to resign amid Govt's move to impeach him
Court of Appeal (CA) President Nissanka Bandula Karunarathna is to step down from his position, the Sunday Times learns. The decision comes in the wake of plans by the National People's Power (NPP) Government to move an impeachment motion against...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Loud booms and sound like hell for pets
Thundering firecrackers, bright lights and sky-illuminating fireworks signify people’s joy, yet man’s best friend the dog (canis familiaris) experiences terrifying loud sounds, confusing lights, and unpleasant noises. The frequencies that people hear...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
No more talks with India at fishermen-level
The Fisheries Ministry has decided to scrap future Indo-Lanka talks at the fishermen level on the ongoing issue of illegal mechanised bottom trawling by Indian fishermen in Sri Lanka’s Northern waters while sticking only to official-level engagement...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Palestinian Keffiyeh holds Baby Jesus
Pope Francis prays before the “Nativity of Bethlehem 2024” during its inauguration in the Vatican. The picture shows the “Christ Child” displayed on a keffiyeh scarf gifted by the Palestinian Higher Committee of Churches Affairs, as part of the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
All NGOs and INGOs to come under National Secretariat
The Government has made it compulsory for all local and foreign non-governmental orgaisations operating in Sri Lanka, including those that have registered under the Companies Act, to register with the National Secretariat for Non-Governmental...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Rice prices rise by Rs. 10; MRP revised
The government has given the green light to increase rice prices by revising the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) on selected varieties with immediate effect. The move came following talks between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and leading paddy millers...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Cyclone Fengal departs, leaving devastation and drop in air quality
The cyclonic storm “Fengal” departed Sri Lanka yesterday after a week of heavy rains and floods that left at least 16 dead, half a million affected, more than 2,500 houses damaged, and caused a drop in air quality. The depression in the Bay of Bengal...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Stay on course, IMF advises new Govt.
Stay on the macroeconomic reform path to protect the gains so far, rebuild fiscal buffers, and redouble efforts to achieve the minimum social spending target, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) advised Sri Lanka yesterday. The IMF's Sri Lanka...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
President to name 23-member Cabinet tomorrow; Harini PM
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will name a 23-member Cabinet tomorrow while holding the portfolios of defence and finance as the beginning of a string of changes to be effected after his party’s spectacular victory in the parliamentary elections on...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Suspect who tried to kill Trump also planned Arugam Bay attack
The United States Justice Department on Friday charged that an Iranian national now at large planned to assassinate Presidentelect Donald Trump and disclosed that he also put together a plot to kill Israeli tourists visiting Arugam Bay. In indictments...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
President to present Vote on Account this month
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will present a Vote on Account (VoA) in his capacity as Minister of Finance during the first sitting week of the new Parliament this month. The VoA will ensure the continuation of government services for four months...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Vehicle imports: Extra tax on dealers if they do not register within 90 days
Atax equivalent of 3 percent of the Cost, Insurance, and Freight (CIF) value of a newly imported vehicle will be levied from the vehicle importers under new regulations on lifting import restrictions if they fail to register the vehicle within 90 days...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
EC quashes presidential directive to resume development projects
The Election Commission (EC) has shot down a presidential directive to go ahead with development projects overseen by District Coordinating Committees (DCCs) under the supervision of provincial governors. This is on the grounds that such a move would...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
More than 100 Lankan peacekeepers under fire in Lebanon war
The United Nations Interim Force (UNIFIL) command centre in Naqoura, Southern Lebanon, which was attacked from air and ground by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) on Friday, injuring two Sri Lankan soldiers serving at the base, is facing a standoff with...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Seven politicos, officers face asset freeze
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has decided to file legal action to freeze properties belonging to seven persons, including politicians, public officials, and military officers. Accordingly, steps have been...
Read Full Story (Page 1)