By Hiran H.Senewiratne A top local hotel chain owner who faced an enormous financial crisis during the Covid 19 lock down period and left Sri Lanka to find funds to maintain his local hotels, has ended up in Australia where he has acquired a restaurant next to the Brisbane Cricket Grounds (Gabba Stadium). This is […]

By Rathindra Kuruwita The Seychelles Coast Guard, yesterday, rescued a Sri Lankan fishing trawler with six crew members, seized by a group of pirates in the Arabian Sea on Saturday, Captain Gayan Wickramasuriya, Media Director of the Navy, told journalists. The Navy Spokesperson said three pirates, too, have been arrested, and the rescued Sri Lankan […]

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Partnership for Accelerating Results in Trade, National Expenditure, and Revenue (PARTNER) activity, with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), have completed an on-the-job coaching programme for 50 Development Officers (DOs) attached to the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (SLEDB), said a release from the CCC. At an […]

In yet another significant medical initiative, Rotary has handed over critical care equipment to the value of Rs.35 million for the expanded Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka. This project was undertaken by the Rotary Club of Colombo West in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Hamamatsu South, Japan together […]

by Rex Clementine This is a busy year for the national cricket team and having already played Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka are preparing to host Afghanistan in an all-format series that will get underway later this week. The Afghans will arrive in the island shortly and will feature in a Test match in our soil for […]

By Lynn Ockersz Immense learning loss among the young, the likelihood of increasing school dropouts, the interruption of the school feeding programme and rising mental stress and confusion among children are just a few among the multiple ills that result from prolonged school closures in Sri Lanka, the Gamani Corea Foundation’s (GCF) 13th discussion session […]

by Jehan Perera The election of Sivagnanam Shritharan as President of the ITAK has the potential to bring Tamil nationalism to the fore again. The ITAK is the largest Tamil political party and the mainstay of the now fragmented TNA which was an alliance of political parties that came into existence during the latter phase […]

Tuesday 30th January, 2024 The government has reportedly decided to enhance the fine for the offence of bribing voters. Candidates contesting elections bribe electors in various ways. The election laws governing the local government, Provincial Council, parliamentary and presidential elections are very explicit on what election bribes are. Bribing voters is the name of the […]

The Sri Lankan government s proposed law to create another body to investigate wartime abuses replicates previous failed efforts, ignores the needs of victims, and falls far short of meeting Sri Lanka s international legal obligations, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday (29 Jan.).

In a significant milestone for Sri Lanka s agricultural sector, Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries Mahinda Amaraweera has announced that the country is now self-sufficient in rice production.

The Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF) with the Seychelles Coast Guard led an operation to regain control of a Sri Lankan fishing vessel abducted by armed Somali pirates, State House said on Monday. According to the SDF, they were alerted by Sri Lanka of the hijacking and deployed a rescue mission by patrol ship Topaz. The mission is still ongoing. The vessel, […]

The group stage of the 2024 Under-19 World Cup concluded with Australia’s win over Sri Lanka and India’s rout of USA, which means we now move on to the Super Six stage of the competition. India, Bangladesh and Ireland qualified from Group A, while Group B saw South Africa, England and West Indies progress to […]

Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries Mahinda Amaraweera joining a press briefing held at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) on the theme ‘Collective Path to a Stable Country’ today (29) announced that the country is now self-sufficient in rice production but in reply to a query by The Island  admitted that the government does not […]

Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan s office has confirmed that ÂSeychelles forces have freed a Sri Lankan vessel hijacked by armed Somali piratesÂ.

UPDATE- Three sea pirates have been taken into custody by the Seychelles Navy, according to the spokesman of the Sri Lanka Navy.

Sri Lanka s total exports for the year 2023 reached USD 14.49 billion, the Export Development Bank (ED) reported, adding that it is only a minor decline of 0.39% compared to 2022.