Two U.S. senators, together with two congressmen, have introduced a bicameral and bipartisan resolution expressing the United States support for the peaceful democratic and economic aspirations of the people of Sri Lanka.

By Shamindra Ferdinando One-time Foreign Secretary Kshenuka Senewiratne and Admiral Ravindra Chandrasiri Wijegunaratne (Rtd.) on Dec 04, 2023 assumed duties at the Sri Lankan High Commission in New Delhi and Islamabad, respectively. It would be pertinent to mention that Wijegunaratne previously served as the First Secretary/Defence Advisor of Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi […]

Sri Lanka extended restrictions on outward remittances by six months to manage foreign exchange reserves, cabinet spokesperson and transport minister Bandula Gunawardane told reporters at a weekly cabinet briefing on Tuesday.

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs to establish an Inter-Ministerial Standing Committee on Human Rights with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the coordinating / lead agency to act as a stable national framework for an effective domestic process of follow-up and reporting on Human Rights and […]

by Jehan Perera A group of Tamil Diaspora members from western countries have been in Sri Lanka for the past several days. They have been engaging in a series of meetings, with religious clergy in the main, but also with civil and political leaders and with their friends and relatives. The highlight of their meetings […]

Contrary to various local and foreign reports about the death of three Sri Lankan ex-military personnel in Ukraine last week, the Army said that one of the deceased identified as Captain Ranish Hewage of 1st Commando Regiment had been a Second Lieutenant of the Light Infantry, cashiered in 2012. The Army said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa […]

Inflows recorded a monthly average of USD 507mn during the period Passport issuances ,however, showed some decline compared to 2022 Workers’ remittances have increased notably to USD 482.4 million in September 2023 in comparison to USD 359.3 million in September 2022, according to the quarterly bulletin of Worker Remittances and Labour Migration, Issued by the […]

Sri Lanka earned 205.3 million US dollars from tourism during the month of November 2023, which is over twice the amount in the corresponding month in 2022, the latest data by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) have revealed. The revenue from tourism in November 2022 was 81 million dollars, according to official data.The […]

By Eng. Thushara Dissanayake Sri Lanka is ranked high in terms of climate change impacts facing a multitude of hazards. Impacts of climate change vary by location and severity due to the presence of different climatic zones, varying topography, and diverse land use patterns of the country. Severe wet weather events often result in floods […]

Migrant workers have remitted 5.4 billion U.S. dollars in the first 11 months of 2023, the latest data released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) shows.The workers remitted 537.3 million dollars in November 2023, up 40 percent from 384.4 million dollars in November 2022, CBSL data showed. Workers sent only 3.3 billion dollars in […]

The Sri Lanka Navy conducted a special operation to chase away Indian trawlers which were poaching in Sri Lanka waters in the dark hours of 09th December 2023. The operation led to the seizure of  two trawlers with 25 Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters off Point Pedro. The Navy conducts regular patrols and operations […]

The term ‘travesty’ is defined as a false, absurd, or distorted representation of something. In this case ‘the something’ is the Teaching of the Buddha and practices and customs done and followed at present times, arising thereof. Thus the propagation of false beliefs; the emphasis given to rites and rituals which the Buddha did not […]

Lankan mercenaries in Ukraine: By Shamindra Ferdinando Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC, yesterday (08) said that recruitment of foreign personnel for military forces of a particular country was the prerogative of the government concerned. Dr. Rajapakshe said so when The Island asked him whether the government could prohibit ex-military personnel from joining the Ukrainian […]

Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment, Manusha Nanayakkara said that Sri Lankans will be able to work in the Japanese civil aviation sector from March next year.Nanayakkara told Parliament that Sri Lankans are already going to Japan to work as caregivers, and in manufacturing and food processing. The country also sent 5,414 people for jobs […]

Sri Lanka has been chosen to host the 37th session of the Asia Pacific Regional Conference (APRC) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), to be held from 19th to 22nd February 2024 in Colombo. The Asia Pacific Regional Conference will enable ministers of agriculture and high officials from 46 member […]