One person was killed and several others were injured when two buses and a lorry were involved in a collision on the Colombo–Kandy main road in the Palpatha area of Mawanella around 3.30 p.m. today (09), police said.
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Although the lives lost in the disaster cannot be replaced, the Government will provide every possible form of assistance to help the affected communities and that he will not ask the people to wait until 2048 for relief, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said.
Sri Lanka saw a decline in average tourist spending in 2025 despite a strong increase in visitor arrivals, official data show. According to figures from the Central Bank, tourist arrivals rose to 2,362,521 in 2025, up from 2,053,465 in 2024, marking a year-on-year growth of 15.1 percent. However, total earnings from tourism increased only marginally to US dollars 3,219.2 million in 2025, compared to US dollars 3,168.6 million a year earlier, reflecting a growth of just 1.6 percent. Based on these figures, the average spending per tourist declined to approximately US dollars 1,363 in 2025, down from about US…
Workers’ remittances to Sri Lanka surged to US dollars 8,076.2 million in 2025, up from US dollars 6,575.4 million in 2024, recording a strong year-on-year growth of 22.8 per cent. Tourist arrivals also increased during the year, reaching 2,362,521 in 2025 compared to 2,053,465 in 2024, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 15.1 per cent. Earnings from tourism amounted to US dollars 3,219.2 million in 2025, marginally higher than US dollars 3,168.6 million recorded in 2024, marking a 1.6 per cent year-on-year increase. Meanwhile, gross official reserves were provisionally estimated at US dollars 6,825 million as at end-December 2025. This includes…
Construction activities at the Ambuluwawa Environmental Zone have been ordered to be suspended until further notice, pending a technical assessment by experts, the Ministry of Environment said. In a statement issued on January 9, the ministry said it has instructed the Central Environmental Authority to halt all construction on the Ambuluwawa mountain until a formal report is obtained from specialists and a determination is made on the level of risk in the area. The move follows concerns raised ove environmental management and safety conditions within the Ambuluwawa Environmental Zone. The ministry also said steps are being taken to appoint a…
A hotel owner on Marine Drive in Dehiwala was shot dead by an unidentified assailant on Friday night, police said. According to the Police Media Spokesperson, the victim was rushed to the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital following the shooting, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspect, who was reportedly consuming alcohol at a restaurant at the time, opened fire on the hotel owner and fled the scene immediately after the incident. The motive for the shooting has not yet been established, and further investigations are underway. (Newswire) The post Hotel owner shot dead in…
More than 65 cases that had been withdrawn between 2019 and 2024 have been re-filed by the present government, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya told Parliament today.
According to the notice issued by the Department of Meteorology today at 4:30 p.m., a warning has been issued regarding a deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal for the next 24 hours. The deep depression was located about 150 km east of Batticaloa at 3:30 p.m. on 9 January 2026. The department said it is very likely to move northwestwards and cross the Sri Lanka coast between Trincomalee and Jaffna tomorrow afternoon (10 January 2026). Director General of the Department of Meteorology, Athula Karunanayake, said that the path of the deep depression has changed and it is now…
Former Minister Douglas Devananda, who was remanded in connection with an investigation into a missing firearm, was granted bail by Gampaha Magistrate Seelani Perera.
One lane of the Colombo–Kandy main road will be temporarily closed near Kadawatha due to construction work, Police said. The closure will affect a 500-meter stretch of road from the Kadawatha interchange towards Mirigama. As construction work is currently underway, one lane of the Colombo–Kandy main road from the Bandarawatte -Puwakpitiya area will remain closed until March 15, 2026. Traffic restrictions will be in place during this period, and motorists entering and exiting Colombo are advised to use alternative routes to avoid inconvenience. As an alternative route, vehicles can travel from the Kadawatha New Town traffic lights via the expressway…
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that the government plans to build 31,000 new houses after the World Bank estimated Sri Lanka’s disaster-related losses at USD 4.1 billion.
A Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) member elected from the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) is facing the risk of losing her council seat after the party terminated her membership for voting in favour of the municipal budget alongside the National People’s Power (NPP). In a letter dated Jan. 9, 2026, the SLMC informed CMC councillor Zohara Buhary that her party membership had been terminated with immediate effect for what it described as a “gross violation of party discipline.” The party said Buhary voted in support of the Colombo Municipal Council budget proposal despite a clear directive for SLMC councillors, as…
ECONOMYNEXT – As Julie Chung, U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, prepares to depart Sri Lanka on next week after nearly four years, her tenure stands out as one of the most active and influential in recent diplomatic history. Arriving in February 2022, just as Sri Lanka plunged into its worst economic crisis since independence, Chung navigated a landscape of protests, political upheaval, and recovery efforts. Her approach blended high-level engagements, public diplomacy, and grassroots outreach, often sparking debate about the extent of U.S. influence on Sri Lankan policies. While critics accused her of overreach, supporters praised her for fostering stability…
A two-year-old elephant calf was killed after a herd of elephants collided with a lorry on the Anuradhapura–Padeniya road in the Galgamuwa Mee Oya area, wildlife officials said.
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya says the government does not act to protect anyone based on their status, and that it is clearly evident through the ongoing judicial processes. PM Amarasuriya made these remarks in response to a question raised by Opposition MP Ajith P. Perera in Parliament. She revealed that a system governed by the rule of law and an independent judiciary mentioned under the policy framework “A Thriving Nation, A Beautiful Life” presented by the President as the National People’s Power presidential candidate at the 2024 Presidential Election, action is being taken to review cases that were withdrawn by…
Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath met outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung today, as she paid her farewell call, marking the conclusion of her tenure in Sri Lanka. “I thanked Ambassador Chung for her indefatigable efforts to strengthen US–Sri Lanka relations during her tenure of office, and especially for the quick coordination of assistance by the US authorities in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah,” Minister Herath said, commenting on the meeting. In a post on ‘X’, he added that Sri Lanka extends its best wishes to Ambassador Chung as she embarks on her next assignment. (Newswire) Ambassador Julie Chung @USAmbSL paid her…
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna MP D.V. Chanaka has publicly challenged Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody to a televised debate over alleged corruption in a recent coal import tender. Speaking in Parliament, MP Chanaka accused the government of engaging in corruption and fraud since the beginning of its term, revealing details of an alleged large-scale coal scam. He claimed that substandard coal was imported into the country, resulting in financial losses, and said he would prove the transaction was “completely corrupt” if Minister Jayakody accepts the debate challenge. The MP pointed out that according to reports, the government postponed the annual coal…
Pilgrims can now safely access Sri Pada via the Hatton route, as the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has confirmed that there is no longer a risk of landslides in the Mahagiridamba area, Venerable Dorapane Sumanajothi Thera said.
A demerit system under which driving licences of habitual traffic offenders and route permits of buses will be cancelled is to be introduced soon to enhance road safety, Minister of Transport Bimal Rathnayake told Parliament yesterday.
While categorically and vehemently rejecting the vile, personalised attacks that have been directed at Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, Moratuwa Municipal Councillor of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), Lihini Fernando said the Prime Minister failed as the Minister of Education and disappointed and disgusted with her disgraceful justifications of her errors.