Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has stressed that a “free and open Indo-Pacific” is the pillar of her strategic foreign and security policy. However, the Japanese media has failed to emphasize this statement, or its connection to India, either intentionally or out of ignorance, or out of fear or over-consideration for noisy neighbors. As Takaichi’s mentor, the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe predicted, the Indo-Pacific has become the strategic heart of the twenty-first century, marked by shifting power balances, contested maritime spaces, and growing emphasis on economic security. Within this fluid environment, Japan and India have emerged as two pivotal democracies…
The Sri Lankan Report
The Sri Lanka Embassy in Belgium, which is also accredited to Luxembourg, hosted a “Country Seminar on Sri Lanka” in collaboration with the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, highlighting the growing opportunities for two-way trade and investment. According to the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Brussels, the event held at the premises of the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in October marked another milestone in fostering economic, commercial, and bilateral cooperation between the two countries. In welcome remarks, International Affairs Lead at the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, Sabrina Aksil, emphasized the strong complementarity between Luxembourg’s globally recognized expertise in finance, ICT, consulting,…
A large sack containing narcotics has been discovered by the Police along the Bentota coastal area. It is reported that approximately 20 to 25 kilograms of narcotics are suspected to be inside the sack. Reports indicate that the parcel had washed ashore, and it was found by the Police at the Bentota beach this morning. (Newswire) The post Police find sack with narcotics washed ashore in Bentota appeared first on Newswire.
In a significant milestone for Buddhist heritage and inter-community cooperation, seventeen Buddhist groups from across India have joined together to organize the 20th Annual International Tipitaka Chanting Ceremony in Bodhgaya, Mahabodhi Temple, Bihar, an official statement said. This marks the first time in the event’s history that such a broad coalition has come forward to collectively organise the event that has been held continuously since 2006 by Wangmo Dixey, the Founder and Executive Director of the Light of Buddha Dharma Foundation International (LBDFI- USA) whose father is a Buddhist monk. The chanting is followed by the commemorative walk (of retracing…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s rupee opened at 307.15/25 to the US dollar in the spot market Tuesday, weaker from 307.00/25 the previous day, dealers said, while bond yields were broadly steady. A bond maturing on 15.03.2028 was quoted at 8.97/99 percent, from 8.95/9.00 percent. A bond maturing on 15.09.2029 was quoted at 9.45/47 percent. A bond maturing on 01.07.2030 was quoted at 9.56/65 percent, from 9.58/62 percent. A bond maturing on 15.12.2031 was quoted at 10.00/10 percent. A bond maturing on 15.12.2032 was quoted at 10.25/32 percent, up from 10.22/32 percent. A bond maturing on 15.09.2034 was quoted at 10.53/58…
ISLAMABAD: Chagai and Quetta in Balochistan and Attock in Punjab were the top three districts across the country where most of Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders or undocumented Afghan nationals were arrested or detained in over 10 months this year, says a UN refugee agency report. The highest number of arrests or detentions were made in 2025, the report says, adding that a total of 100,971 Afghans were arrested from Jan 1 to Nov 8, 2025, whereas 9,006 Afghans were detained in 2024. In 2023, 26,299 Afghans were arrested. The UNHCR report, which was released on Friday, says that prior…
Galito’s, one of South Africa’s most successful fast-casual exports, is set to tantalize Sri Lankan taste buds with its signature flame-grilled chicken and fiery flavoured sauces. The franchise agreements were signed between Mr Abdul Azeez Mohamed Hilme, Chairman & Managing Director, Abdul Azeez Brothers Pvt.. Ltd and Louis Germishuys, Galito’s International Limited, Founder & CEO, paving the way for the brand’s official entry into Sri Lanka and Maldives Started in the small town of Nelspruit, South Africa in 1996, Galito’s quickly rose to prominence as a household name in South Africa, celebrated for its authentic flame-grilled flavour, marinated for hours…
The low-pressure area over the island continues to persist, due to which cloudy skies can be expected over most parts of Sri Lanka today, according to the Department of Meteorology. As such, showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Northern, North-central, Eastern, Southern and Uva provinces, while showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the other areas of the island after 1.00 p.m. Heavy falls of about 100 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Northwestern, Southern and Uva provinces and in the Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Meanwhile, showers or thundershowers will occur…
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup fast approaching, the qualification picture is becoming clearer as nations across every continent scramble for their place at the expanded 48-team tournament. Co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico, the competition will feature more teams than ever before — and as of now, 32 countries have already sealed their spots.
Police have launched an investigation into the death of a 22-year-old woman who was found murdered inside a house in the Uriyankattu area, under the Vakarai Police Division, on the evening of November 17. The victim, a resident of Thattamunei, had reportedly been involved in a domestic dispute with her husband shortly before the incident. According to initial investigations, the husband is suspected to have strangled her using an electric fan wire. The body has been placed at the mortuary of the Batticaloa Hospital for the post-mortem examination following a magistrate’s inspection. Police said the 25-year-old husband had consumed poison…
Hosts open week-long event as Sri Lanka await; Nissanka nears major milestone.
ECONOMYNEXT – Profits of Sri Lanka’s state-run Ceylon Electricity Board fell 85 percent to 3.5 billion rupees, with revenues down 2 percent, interim accounts show. Quarter on quarter profits were down from 5.3 billion rupees in June. At group level profits were 466 million rupees, down from 29 billion rupees last year. Last year’s profits were boosted by other income and gains. CEB revenues fell 2 percent from to 118.9 billion rupees in the September 2025 quarter, from 120.8 billion rupees a year go, and cost of sales went up 12 percent to 115.8 billion rupees. Gross profits contracted 83…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Finance Ministry has inked agreements to borrow 300 million US dollars from the Asian Development Bank, were approved by its board in recent weeks of which 270 million dollars are policy-based or ‘budget support’ credits. A 100 million dollars came from a policy-based loans on Financial Sector Stability and Reforms Program (Subprogram 3) from the ADB’s Concessional Ordinary Capital Resources window after 11 policy actions on strengthening governance in the banking sector, the Finance Ministry said. Another 100 million dollars came from Strengthening Macroeconomic Resilience and Transparency Program (Subprogram 1), from Concessional Ordinary Capital Resources after…
Claiming that some 30 to 40 Winter Charter flights have to be cancelled within a week due to the delay in expansion of the passenger terminal at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Deputy Minister of Tourism Ruwan Ranasinghe said today if those flights could have been accommodated, Sri Lanka could have reached the target of 3 million tourist arrivals this year.
Sri Lanka is yet to reach any final agreement to be inked with the United States on reciprocal tariffs, and discussions are still underway regarding the matter, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said today.
A woman was killed in a shooting incident reported at Dombanwila in Meetiyagoda today, Police said.
Air India said on Monday it will resume New Delhi-China flights starting February 2026, nearly six years after suspension, as recent diplomatic steps are seen as cautiously reopening bilateral links.
Sri Lanka has signed loan agreements with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to receive USD 300 million. The funds will support three main programs to strengthen the financial sector, improve the economy, and develop tourism.
Mahanayaka Thera of the Amarapura Chapter, Most Venerable Karagoda Uyangoda Maithrimurthi Thera, in a letter addressed to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has expressed his dismay at the incident at the Bodhiraja Sambuddha Jayanthi Viharaya in Trincomalee.
A total of 2,182 complaints related to violence against women have been reported from November 2024 to October this year through the 1938 toll-free Women’s Helpline operated by the National Committee on Women (NCW) under the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs.