The daily issuance of driving licenses at the Hambantota District Office of the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) has been disrupted following a breakdown of telephone connections at the Hambantota Administrative Complex, the Commissioner General of Motor Traffic Transport confirmed.
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Following an incident during a landing on the waters of Lake Gregory earlier today, Saffron Aviation (Pvt) Ltd, operator of Cinnamon Air, confirmed that no passengers were on board and all crew members are safe, with no injuries or casualties reported.
The BCB issued a statement on Wednesday in which it claimed that the ICC was committed to “ensuring the full and uninterrupted participation of the Bangladesh team” in the T20 World Cup that gets underway on 7 February.
A viral video showing a youth being dragged into the air while trying to fly a kite is circulating on social media. The incident reportedly occurred in the Valvettithurai area of Jaffna, when a group attempted to fly a giant kite. The youth was later safely rescued by the group, and no injuries were reported (NewsWire). The post Watch: Youth dragged into the air while flying giant kite in Jaffna appeared first on Newswire.
Sri Lanka has recorded a setback in its efforts to limit tobacco industry influence, ranking 45th in the 2025 Global Tobacco Industry Interference (TII) Index. The country falls within the 40–49 score range, where lower scores indicate stronger performance.
Parliamentary pensions will be abolished once the relevant bill is passed into law, with no individual entitled to receive such benefits thereafter, Justice and National Integration Minister, Attorney-at-Law Harshana Nanayakkara, said today. He made the statement after the bill to abolish pensions for Members of Parliament was presented for its first reading in Parliament today (7). The minister said pensions already received prior to the law coming into effect will not be affected. Nanayakkara said the move addresses public opposition to MPs receiving pensions after a short period of service without making contributions, unlike ordinary public servants who must fulfil…
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the programme to provide compensation for fully damaged houses and to construct new homes for families affected by the disaster will commence on January 09th in Anuradhapura and Kurunegala. The President made these remarks while participating in the second meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Finance, Planning and Economic Development of the 10th Parliament, held this afternoon (7 January) at the Parliamentary Complex. During the meeting, extensive discussions were held on the current status of the Government’s relief programme for communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah, including resettlement efforts and compensation for crop damage.…
Former Foreign Minister Ali Sabry has criticised the government’s decision to cancel pension entitlements for former Members of Parliament, describing it as a symbolic move driven by political optics rather than economic necessity. In a detailed statement, Sabry said the amounts involved in MP pensions are negligible and would not meaningfully contribute to fixing the economy, reducing the budget deficit, or improving public services. “The decision serves no real economic purpose. It is designed to satisfy short-term political optics and play to public anger,” he said. Sabry warned that the move would cause real harm, noting that some former…
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Sri Lanka on January 12 and 13, on his way back from a tour of Africa, the Daily Mirror learns.
A seaplane preparing to land crashed into tge Gregory’s Lake in Nuwara Eliya this afternoon (07).
The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) has halted trading in Wealth Securities Ltd (WLTH.N) after detecting an unusual price movement at market opening, the Exchange said.
The Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance (COPF) has approved the Regulations Issued under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, No. 1 of 1969, post consideration. The COPF Committee took into consideration the Regulations issued under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, No. 1 of 1969 (as amended) during a meeting of the Committee on Public Finance, chaired by MP Harsha de Silva, in Parliament yesterday (06 Jan). Accordingly, Regulations issued under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, No. 1 of 1969(as amended), were presented to the Committee seeking approval to enable tax exemptions, streamlined procedures, and the swift clearance and…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka Customs has set a revenue target of 2,207 billion rupees for this year, 13.5 percent less than last year as it expects a significant decline in car imports, the official data showed. The Customs collected 2,551 billion rupees in revenues in 2025, higher than its revised target of 2,241 billion rupees for the year. However, the target for this year has been around 344 billion rupees lower than last year. The Customs revenue jumped 64 percent last year compared to the previous year, mainly due to higher income from vehicle import tax. The revenue collecting body…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s rupee closed at 310.05/15 to the US dollar in the spot market Wednesday, weaker from 310.00/10 the previous day, dealers said, while bond yields edged down on the 2028s and 2029s. A bond maturing on 15.12.2026 closed flat at 8.50/60 percent. A bond maturing on 15.12.2028 closed at 9.20/27 percent, down from 9.20/30 percent. A bond maturing on 15.12.2029 closed at 9.65/73 percent, down from 9.70/73 percent. A bond maturing on 01.07.2030 closed at 9.75/80 percent, down from 9.77/80 percent. A bond maturing on 15.03.2031 closed at 9.95/10.00 percent. A bond maturing on 01.11.2033 closed at…
The Sri Lanka Army has completed the renovation of the Mahagiri Damba section of the Hatton–Sri Pada road, which was damaged by Cyclone Ditva, and reopened the route for pilgrims visiting Sri Pada.
ECONOMYNEXT – A Cinnamon Air amphibian aircraft operated by Saffron Aviation experienced an “operational incident” when it was landing in Lake Gregory in Sri Lanka’s central district of Nuwara Eliya, the operator said. A Cessna 208 Caravan Amphibian (registration 4R-CAE) operated by Cinnamon Air plunged into Gregory Lake, Nuwara Eliya, during a landing attempt around 12:30 p.m. amid strong winds. No passengers were aboard but only two pilots, who were swiftly rescued by relief teams and hospitalized with no fatalities reported. The seaplane, en route to transport tourists, flipped upon water contact, prompting an immediate response from the Civil Aviation…
The Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance (COPF) has approved the Colombo Port City Economic Commission (Amendment) Bill, post consideration. According to a Parliament statement, in consideration of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission (Amendment) Bill, it was stated that the amendment limits income tax exemptions for employees of new entrant authorized persons. However, officials present stated that a 3-year transitional period for existing entities has been given. This was discussed at length during a meeting of the Committee on Public Finance, chaired by MP Harsha de Silva, in Parliament yesterday (06 Jan). At the meeting, COPF members sought clarity on…
Russia has deployed navy assets to escort an oil tanker also being pursued by US forces across the Atlantic, CBS News, BBC’s media partner in the US, reported.
The Opposition today commenced the signing of a No-Confidence Motion against Minister of Education Harini Amarasuriya.
Saffron Aviation (Pvt) Ltd, which operates Cinnamon Air, says it is working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL), following an operational incident involving one of its amphibian aircraft at Lake Gregory in Nuwara Eliya. Issuing a statement, Saffron Aviation (Pvt) Ltd said the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka is currently conducting an on‑site assessment of the incident which occurred earlier today during landing on the waters of Lake Gregory. Saffron Aviation (Pvt) Ltd further said that no passengers were on board at the time, and all crew members are safe with no injuries or casualties…