The Court of Appeal today (24) instructed Sri Lanka Customs to expedite the ongoing investigations regarding the engine capacity of the BYD vehicles currently being held. Court of Appeal President, Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya, stated in open court that while Customs plays a vital role in collecting tax revenue for the national economy, the interests of vehicle buyers and importing companies must also be considered. Due to this, the judge informed the petitioner’s party that the investigation should be concluded swiftly and that support should be extended for this process. This statement was made during the hearing of a petition filed…
The Sri Lankan Report
Former Chairman of the Galenbindunuwewa Pradeshiya Sabha, Samantha Namal Wijeratne, has been arrested by the Assets Investigation Division of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC). He was taken into custody over a complaint related to unexplained assets allegedly accumulated during his tenure as Chairman from 2011 to 2016. Investigators said Wijeratne had been informed to appear before the Commission to record a statement regarding the inquiry but had failed to do so. Accordingly, he was arrested under Sections 126 and 127(1)(u) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 of 2023 for non-cooperation with an ongoing investigation. The…
The Sri Lanka Army has refurbished 76 previously unserviceable vehicles and reintroduced them to active service under the instructions of Army Commander Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo. The restored fleet, which includes trucks, buses, water bowsers, Uni-Buffel vehicles, cabs, ambulances, vans, and fuel bowsers, was repaired by the Army’s Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. The initiative, carried out in line with the Clean Sri Lanka programme, allows the Army to save a significant amount of foreign exchange by avoiding new imports. According to the Army, the redeployment of these vehicles will also save around Rs. 10 million each month that…
All Muslim Parliamentarians, including the government and the opposition, have requested the Minister of Religious Affairs, Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, to intervene for the immediate release of the unlawfully detained consignment of the Holy Qur’an (Tamil translation) by the Sri Lanka Customs, which they said violated Fundamental Rights. The request has been made via a letter to the Minister of Religious Affairs, signed by all Muslim Members of Parliament, including the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, Muneer Mulaffer. In the letter, they said a consignment of Holy Qur’an copies (Container No. FSCU 8233306) was unlawfully detained by the Sri Lanka Customs…
Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Jagath Withana today raised concerns in Parliament over alleged assassination plans and possible threats to his life. Addressing the Parliament today, MP Jagath Withana said the IGP has informed the Kalutara DIG to conduct a probe into the matter. “The DIG has been informed via a letter from the IGP of plans to assassinate me while getting off the vehicle. The suspect’s name has also been mentioned in the letter. It says I will be shot dead,” he said. MP Jagath Withana further requested the Parliament and the government to take the necessary measures to…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s newly appointed Ports & Civil Aviation Minister Anura Karunathilaka, will attend the Indian Maritime Week 2025 scheduled for next week, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said. It will be Minister Karunathilaka’s first foreign visit as the Ports Minister. During the visit, the Minister will have a bilateral meeting with his counterpart, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Indian Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the High Commission said in a statement. The Minister will also join the Ministerial plenary of the India Maritime Week and meet prominent industry leaders on the sidelines of the visit. Key site visits will…
Oil prices surged around 5% to a two-week high on Thursday after the U.S. imposed sanctions on major Russian suppliers Rosneft and Lukoil over Moscow’s war in Ukraine, prompting energy firms in China and India to consider cutting Russian imports. Brent futures rose $3.40, or 5.4%, to settle at $65.99 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $3.29, or 5.6%, to settle at $61.79. Those were the biggest daily percentage gains for both crude contracts since mid-June and their highest closes since October 8. “The announcement of sanctions by the U.S. on Rosneft and Lukoil is a…
The Sri Lankan Rupee has depreciated further against the US Dollar today (24), compared to Thursday. According to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the buying rate of the US Dollar has increased from Rs. 299.80 to Rs. 299.81, while the selling rate has also increased from Rs. 307.14 to Rs. 307.32. The Sri Lankan Rupee has also depreciated against a basket of foreign currencies, including Gulf currencies. (Newswire) The post Today’s CBSL official exchange rates appeared first on Newswire.
Southern Cross University (Australia) and NSBM Green University (Sri Lanka) are signing a groundbreaking partnership this Friday to deliver an offshore program that will allow Sri Lankan students to earn Australian degrees locally at NSBM- without needing to relocate to Australia. This collaboration aims to expand access to globally recognised qualifications, enhance academic mobility, and deliver industry-aligned learning, while advancing joint research, enabling staff and student exchange, and strengthening ties between Australia and Sri Lanka. “This initiative will provide highly cost-effective, world-class education to Sri Lankan students who can save a substantial amount ontuition and living expenses,” said Associate Dean…
The ‘National Climate Finance Strategy of Sri Lanka 2025 – 2030’, which provides a comprehensive roadmap to leverage and channel climate investments effectively, supporting Sri Lanka’s transition to a carbon net-zero pathway, was launched today (24), coinciding with the International Day of Climate Action. The Strategy, which underscores Sri Lanka’s commitment to accelerating climate resilience and sustainable development through strategic financial planning, is led by the Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the Climate Finance Network project, funded by the Government of the United Kingdom. “As the global climate crisis intensifies, countries like…
Comet ‘C/2025 A6’, also known as Lemon, can currently be observed in the evening skies, space scientist Gihan Weerasekara announced.
MP Harsha de Silva in Parliament today said that the special audit report on Sri Lanka’s controversial e-visa contract by the Department of Immigration and Emigration has been received by MPs. The report includes nine recommendations, which de Silva, as Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance, urged to be implemented immediately. The audit report by Acting Auditor General G.H.D. Dharmapala recommends several key reforms, including legal clarity on the visa issuance process under the Immigration and Emigration Act of 1948, and the need for continuous improvement in service delivery through modern technology. It also stresses that any outsourcing of…
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya says the Government’s development agenda is rooted in sustainability and human dignity and that the government aims to uplift every community and ensure that progress reaches all corners of the country. She made these remarks while attending the United Nations Day 2025 commemoration held under the global theme “Our UN,” marking the 80th anniversary of the United Nations and 70 years of partnership between Sri Lanka and the UN. The national celebration took place on 23 October 2025 at the UN Headquarters in Colombo, with the participation of UN Resident Coordinator Marc-André Franche and members of…
Sri Lanka’s export engine continued to gather pace this year with steady growth delivered across both goods and services.
The Sri Lankan Rupee has depreciated further against the US Dollar at commercial banks in Sri Lanka today (24), compared to Thursday. At Seylan Bank, the buying rate of the US Dollar has reduced from Rs. 300.25 to Rs. 300.20, while the selling rate has also dropped from Rs. 305.75 to Rs. 305.70. According to NDB Bank, the buying and selling rates of the US Dollar have increased from Rs. 300.15 to Rs. 300.35 and from Rs. 306.65 to Rs. 306.85, respectively. People’s Bank reports that the buying rate of the US Dollar has increased from Rs. 300.01 to Rs.…
Fitch Ratings-Hong Kong/London-23 October 2025: Macroeconomic headwinds will present a growing challenge to emerging market issuers across sectors in 2026 as the US tariff shock continues to evolve, says Fitch Ratings. However, near-term prospects for emerging market liquidity remain broadly robust, supported by the extension of monetary easing cycles in several emerging market countries. We forecast global emerging market GDP growth will slow to 3.7% in 2026, from 4.1% this year. We predict growth in emerging markets next year will be below the average for 2020-2026 of 4%, though emerging market growth this year has been stronger than we had…
The Thai government is set to hold talks with Sri Lanka next week (28) to bring back two elephants that were gifted by Thailand, following reports of poor living conditions and alleged mistreatment. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), Suchart Chomklin, wrote on his Facebook page yesterday (23) that he plans to fly urgently to Sri Lanka amid growing concerns about the welfare of the two Thai elephants, Plai Pratu Pha and Plai Srinarong. Concerns were first raised last year by the Reclaim Thai Elephant group. The group’s coordinator, Yuwanuch Kiattiwong, together with 50 members,…
Sri Lankan–Australian real estate firm Oryx Investments has announced the sell-out of its first six-villa project in Hiriketiya within weeks of launch, alongside the debut of its new digital investment platform, oryx-propertyinvestment.com, marking a tech-driven shift in Sri Lanka’s property investment landscape. The villas, priced between LKR 40 million and LKR 95 million, were purchased by investors from Europe, Australia, and the UAE under a guaranteed 22 percent annual-return model managed by DBI Hotels. Oryx’s “Prop-Co × Op-Co” structure combines property development, sales, and hotel management in one integrated framework, allowing investors to buy freehold villas, lease them back to…
A 28-year-old woman from Colombo 13 has been arrested by the Illegal Assets Investigation Division for allegedly managing financial transactions linked to two major drug traffickers based overseas. Police said the suspect had opened two bank accounts in local private banks to facilitate money transfers on behalf of the traffickers. Investigations into the illegal money flow are continuing. (Newswire) The post Colombo Woman arrested for laundering drug trafficking proceeds appeared first on Newswire.
The Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) has arrested a suspect for aiding Ishara Sewwandi, the chief suspect in the murder of underworld figure Ganemulla Sanjeewa in February, to flee to India by boat. According to the Police, the suspect was arrested along with a boat near the Aralithuduwa coastal area in Jaffna. The suspect was arrested after questioning his detained accomplice, Anandan, who is a relative of the arrested man. It has been revealed that the boat, which allegedly facilitated Ishara’s escape to India, belonged to Anandan and was equipped with a 400-horsepower engine. The suspect is reported to have operated…