The Kandy Municipal Council has decided to ban pavement trading in the city from January 1. Mayor Chandrasiri Wijenayake said the decision was taken to protect the beauty of the city and ease congestion for the hundreds of thousands of people who visit Kandy. “Although the council passed the relevant resolution about six months ago, we did not implement it immediately, considering the difficulties pavement traders would face. Instead, we gave them until December 31, more than five months, to clear their goods. They requested time until their stock was sold, so we allowed nearly six months. That period ends…
The Sri Lankan Report
The Sri Lankan Rupee has depreciated slightly against the US Dollar at commercial banks in Sri Lanka today (29 Dec), compared to last Friday. At Seylan Bank, the buying rate of the US Dollar remains unchanged at Rs. 306.35, while the selling rate is also unchanged at Rs. 311.60. According to the NDB Bank, the buying rate has decreased from Rs. 308.45 to Rs. 308.40, while the selling rate has also dropped from Rs. 312.95 to Rs. 312.90. People’s Bank reports the buying rate of the US Dollar has increased from Rs. 306.19 to Rs. 306.23, and the selling rate…
ECONOMYNEXT – New active credit cards in Sri Lanka increased by 16,039 in October this year, the central bank data showed, amid the country’s economic recovery and lower interest rates. The number of total active credit cards recorded 2,133,417 by end October, compared to 2,117,378 by end September, showing an increase of 0.76 percent in the month. The active credit cards have risen by 6.2 percent or 124,961 in the first 10 months of this year, the data showed. Active credit cards in Sri Lanka rose by 4.8 percent or 91,371 in 2024 with the island nation’s economic recovery and…
A fire broke out this morning (29) at a factory in the Wavulagala area of Horana that produces rubber‑based goods. Police said the cause of the blaze has not yet been identified. It is reported that the Horana Fire Brigade, together with local residents and factory workers, are engaged in efforts to bring the fire under control. (Newswire) The post Fire erupts at Horana Rubber Factory appeared first on Newswire.
A train carrying 250 people has derailed partially in southern Mexico, killing at least 13 people and injuring 98, according to officials. The Mexican Navy said that the Interoceanic Train linking the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz went off the rails on Sunday as it passed a curve near the town of Nizanda. It said that 98 people were injured and that, “unfortunately, 13 people lost their lives”. The train was carrying nine crew members and 241 passengers at the time of the accident. Of those on board, 139 were reported to be out of danger, while 36 of the…
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday wrote to Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, urging immediate diplomatic intervention to prevent the continued detention of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy and to secure the swift release of those currently in custody along with their fishing boats. In his letter, Stalin drew attention to a fresh incident in which three fishermen from Ramanathapuram district were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy on Sunday while fishing in what they said were traditional fishing waters. The fishermen had ventured out from the Mandapam fishing harbour on December 27 and…
Sri Lanka Customs reports that it has earned a record revenue of Rs. 2,497 billion during the year. Customs Media Spokesman Chandana Punchihewa stated that the revenue target set for 2025 by the Ministry of Finance was Rs. 2,115 billion, and by November, this target had already been exceeded. Accordingly, by November, the target was revised from Rs. 2,115 billion to Rs. 2,231 billion, he said. However, the spokesman noted that even this revised target has now been surpassed. Punchihewa explained that various measures taken within Customs had enabled the achievement of this higher revenue. “When setting this year’s revenue…
The Sri Lanka Society of Logistics and Transport (SLSTL) has renewed its call for the government to prioritize a modern, disaster-resilient rail corridor to Kandy, urging that feasibility studies begin in 2026. The proposal, first developed with the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL) in 2017, identified two viable alternatives that build on the proposed electrified double‑track up to Rambukkana: the Galagedera Trace, linking Rambukkana to Katugastota and Kandy via the Galagedera Pass, and the Pattiagedera Trace, connecting Rambukkana to Kandy through the Yattewera Oya valley. Both routes promise faster travel times of under 90 minutes to Kandy, safer alignments…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s rupee was quoted at 309.60/75 to the US dollar in the spot market Monday, broadly unchanged from 309.65/75 Friday, having depreciated in recent weeks, dealers said, while bond yields were lower on the short end. A bond maturing on 15.12.2029 was quoted at 9.68/75 percent. A bond maturing on 15.03.2031 was quoted at 9.95/10.00 percent. A bond maturing on 01.10.2032 was quoted at 10.30/35 percent, from 10.32/35 percent. A bond maturing on 01.11.2033 was quoted at 10.50/55 percent, from 10.45/60 percent. An issue of Rs 55,000 million Treasury Bonds is scheduled for December 30, and an…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s vehicle market have been swept away by Cyclone Ditwah with 50 sales plunging 50 percent as many customers are no longer in a position to go ahead with car purchases, President of the Ceylon Automobile Importers Association Prasad Manage said. Customers in Kandy and many other areas are no longer in a position to complete purchases already initiated, he said. Importers now face a 3 percent a month penalty on an imported which is unsold for more than three months. “When your house is flooded you are no longer thinking of buying cars,” Manage said. “Sales…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s overall budget deficit fell 73 percent to 325 billion rupees and revenues grew 35.5 percent to 4945 billion rupees, as economic activity recovered and the central bank maintained monetary stability, missing its inflation target. Up to November, there was a current account surplus in the budget, indicating that total revenues were higher than recurrent spending. Tax revenues grew 36.8 percent to 4,611 billion rupees, and non-tax revenues grew 8.6 percent to 334 billion rupees, central bank data showed. Sri Lanka has improved tax administration and hiked rates after a sovereign default triggered by aggressive macro-economic policy…
A Qatar Airways flight arriving at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake, from Doha this morning (28) was subjected to a comprehensive security search following an email warning claiming that bombs were on board.
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka rid-hailing company PickMe says it has sought police protection and even-handed law enforcement for drivers after gangs of tuk-tuk drivers assaulted and intimidated drivers on its app to stop competition in some tourist hotspots. “The company’s letter follows a series of disturbing incidents in Ella and other tourist sensitive areas, where independent drivers using digital platforms have reportedly faced physical assault, property damage, and unlawful obstruction of public roads,” Picke Me said in a statement. “Several of these incidents were captured on video and circulated widely online.” The three-wheeler drivers were resorting to violence to protect…
An aircraft arriving at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) from Doha was subjected to a special security inspection on Sunday (28) following a hoax threat, police said. The Qatar Airways flight, which landed at 8.27 a.m. with 245 passengers, was flagged after an email sent to BIA’s official address claimed that four individuals on board were planning an explosion. The pilot later confirmed that there was no security threat. Despite this, the aircraft was directed to an isolation area after landing, and passengers and crew were disembarked. A thorough inspection was carried out with the assistance of the bomb disposal unit…
Myanmar is voting in an election widely dismissed as a sham, with major political parties dissolved, many of their leaders jailed and as much as half the country not expected to vote because of an ongoing civil war.
Estate workers from the N.C. section of the Kotiyagala Estate in Bogawantalawa have donated their one-day salary to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund in support of national recovery efforts.
The Department of Railways has announced that train services on the Puttalam line, specifically between Colombo Fort and Chilaw, are scheduled to resume tomorrow, December 29th. Services on this line were severely disrupted following the extreme weather conditions that lashed Sri Lanka in late November. The heavy rains caused significant soil erosion and damage to the track near the Kadupiti Oya bridge, situated between the Kudawewa and Madampae railway stations. Due to the track damage, train operations from Colombo Fort were restricted to Nattandiya, leaving five train sets stranded at the Chilaw station and causing major inconvenience to commuters. The…
Nathavaram police in Anakapalle district have arrested eight people, including a Bengaluru-based software engineer, for allegedly supplying highquality Sheelavathi strain cannabis from Narsipatnam to Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka has been named one of the top five “Best Places to Visit in Asia” for 2026 by U.S. News & World Report, marking a major milestone in the island’s tourism recovery. The U.S.-based publication ranked Sri Lanka ahead of several established regional hubs, citing its “diverse offering” and growing appeal to global travelers. The rankings were determined by a data-driven analysis of: * Accessibility & Affordability * Cultural & Culinary Richness * Attractions & Reader Sentiment The report specifically lauded Sri Lanka for its unique ability to pack world-class beaches, ancient UNESCO heritage sites, and premier wildlife safaris…
An extraordinary gazette notification has been issued further extending the state of public emergency. The post State of Emergency further extended appeared first on Newswire.