ECONOMYNEXT – Central bank lending to banks hit 48 billion rupees on January 08, up from 19 billion rupees a day earlier, official data showed, with market participants saying state banks were in a severe cash crunch. Sri Lanka’s government had built a so-called ‘domestic buffer’ by over borrowing from bonds and depositing in banks, when public debt was under the control of the central bank, apparently in a scheme to control market interest rates. However, analysts have warned that it is not possible to build domestic buffers to keep rates down and big withdrawals of deposits is likely to…
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After Vijay’s Jana Nayagan, Sivakarthikeyan-starrer Parasakthi held up over censor clearance: Report
The release of Parasakthi has reportedly been held up due to delays in obtaining certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). As per news agency PTI, this has led to concern within the Tamil film industry about the censor process. The film was slated to follow actor Vijay’s Jana Nayagan in the Pongal lineup. After Jana Nayagan, will Parasakthi release get delayed? Citing its industry sources, PTI reported that it talked about a big-budget production, expected to open a day after Jana Nayagan on January 10, had not received clearance from the board as of Thursday evening. Neither…
Police are continuing investigations into a tragic incident in which six people died and eight others were hospitalized after consuming illicit liquor in the Wennappuwa police division. According to police, the incident occurred on January 6, 2026, within the area under the jurisdiction of the Wennappuwa Police Station. Victims had reportedly consumed illegally brewed alcohol, leading to severe poisoning. Eight other individuals affected by the incident are currently receiving treatment at hospital. As part of the ongoing investigation, two suspects involved in the illicit liquor trade were arrested and produced before the Marawila Magistrate’s Court on January 7. The court…
ECONOMYNEXT – A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal which is around 170 kilometers East of Baticaloa is likely to move towards Trincomalee, the Department of Meteorology said its latest land area forecast, revising an earlier possibility of its intensifying in to a cyclone. “The deep depression in the Bay of Bengal to the southeast of Sri Lanka (At 06:00 a.m. on Jan 9th, 2026 located about 170 km East of Batticaloa) is very likely to move northwestwards towards the coast of Sri Lanka between Pottuvil and Trincomalee in the evening today, the 9th January 2026,” the Met Dept…
ECONOMYNEXT – India will disburse around 350 million dollar equivalent of 450 million dollars of aid committed for cyclone recovery to Sri Lanka in Indian rupees, High Commissioner Satosh Jha said. India is giving 100 million dollars of the of the reconstruction aid in grants. “The assistance will be multi-pronged, assisting Sri Lanka in sectors that are the worst hit,” High Commissioner Jha told reporters in Colombo. “The five categories of support are rehabilitation and restoration of road, railway and bridge connectivity, support for construction of houses fully destroyed and partially damaged. “Support for health and education systems, in particular…
A minor tremor with a magnitude of 2.2 was recorded in the Ududumbara area this evening, the Seismic Data and Tsunami Center confirmed.
Dr. Mahinda Parakrama Disanayake has been appointed as Presidential Advisor on Maritime, Ports, and Supply Affairs, with immediate effect, the President’s Office said.
Sri Lanka has significantly strengthened its national security framework by placing renewed emphasis on Targeted Financial Sanctions (TFS), a critical tool used to disrupt the financing of terrorism and safeguard the country’s financial system, the Ministry of Defence said.
Sri Lanka formally deposited its instrument of ratification of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Convention No. 190 on the elimination of violence and harassment at work this morning at the Labour Ministry auditorium. The event was held under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Labour Mahinda Jayasinghe.
The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) extended its upward momentum on Thursday, with both benchmark indices closing firmly in positive territory, supported by renewed investor confidence, strong sector participation, and an exceptional IPO debut.
The government is taking steps to provide disaster loan relief to small businesses affected by the minor cyclone “Ditwah,” including flower shops, pet shops, incense shops, lottery outlets, and mobile shops.
A Technical Officer attached to the Welisara Sub-Office of the Wattala Pradeshiya Sabha, who is alleged to have solicited and accepted a bribe of Rs. 50,000 to approve a building plan while overlooking its deficiencies, was remanded till 23 January by Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama today.
Sri Lankan garment exports will gain full tariff-free access to the United Kingdom from January 1, 2026, following reforms to the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), the British High Commission in Colombo announced on Thursday . Under the new rules, Sri Lankan apparel manufacturers can source up to 100 percent of raw materials from anywhere in the world while continuing to enjoy zero-tariff access to the UK market. The reforms also remove the previous requirement that two significant manufacturing processes must take place in Sri Lanka. The changes are expected to significantly boost Sri Lanka’s garment exports to the…
A SriLankan Airlines Airbus A321neo operating a flight to Kuwait returned safely to Colombo on Thursday after experiencing a technical issue shortly after takeoff, aviation authorities said. The aircraft, registered as 4R-AND and operating as flight UL229, turned back to Bandaranaike International Airport as a precaution, officials said. The Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka said it closely monitored the situation under the supervision of the Director General of Civil Aviation and the chief executive officer, ensuring that all standard safety procedures were followed. The aircraft landed safely and was parked at a designated bay without incident. No injuries were…
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed yesterday (7) at the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), opening up job opportunities in Japan’s electrical engineering sector for qualified Sri Lankan youth.
More than 4.4 million students across the country are set to receive free school uniforms in January 2026 under a programme implemented by the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education.
The Ministry of Labour has issued a clarification regarding recent media reports misinterpreting remarks made by Deputy Minister of Labour, Mahinda Jayasinghe, about the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF).
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said Thursday that the government is formulating a national policy to ensure child protection in the use of technology, amid controversy surrounding a Grade 6 English language textbook. Speaking in Kandy, the prime minister briefed the chief Buddhist prelates of the Malwathu and Asgiriya chapters on an error identified in the first print run of the Grade 6 English module. Printed copies of all modules were also presented to the Mahanayake Theros during the discussions. Earlier in the day, Amarasuriya visited the Malwathu Viharaya, where she met the Mahanayake Thero of the Malwathu Chapter and explained…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka will experience heavy rains with flash flood risks over the next 24 hours from a deep depression offshore, ahead of it hitting the coast between Hambantota, and Batticaloa in the evening of January 09, a regional and national met offices said. The deep depression in the Bay of Bengal to the southeast of Sri Lanka was located about 230 km southeast of Pottuvil by 1600 hours of January 08. It was “is very likely to move west-northwestwards across southwest Bay of Bengal and cross Sri Lanka coast between Hambantota and Batticaloa between 5.30 p.m. to 11.30…
Describing the India–Sri Lanka partnership as being in a “historic sweet spot,” Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha on Thursday said bilateral ties have reached an unprecedented level of trust, goodwill and cooperation, as he summarised key developments during a meeting with journalists in Colombo. Wrapping up what he called a year of “re-energising and reaffirmation,” Jha said 2025 saw renewed political engagement, deeper economic cooperation and strong people-to-people ties between the two neighbours. He highlighted high-level exchanges, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025 and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s state visit to India in December…