Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Namal Rajapaksa said that if the President believes education reforms compatible with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) are also compatible with the country, then a wrong decision has been taken.
The Sri Lankan Report
A gas cylinder explosion early Sunday after a wedding reception at a home in Pakistan’s capital killed at least eight people, including the bride and groom, police and officials said.
Police arrested four suspects in connection with an alleged plan to carry out a shooting in the Grand Pass area.
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s China-backed Hambantota Port said its container handling volumes went up 705 percent to 428,036 twenty foot equivalent units in 2025, and it was planning to boost capacity to two million TEUs. Hambantota International Port Group, a joint venture between Sri Lanka Port Authority and China’s CM Ports group broke into the container business in 2023 handling only 44 boxes and installed more equipment last year to boost capacity to a million TEUs. “Scheduled for completion by the end of 2026, the second phase will increase the port’s annual container handling capacity to approximately 2 million TEUs”…
Vice President of the Democratic People’s Front and Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Barath Arullsamy has called on the government to assume full responsibility for providing disaster relief housing to plantation families urging authorities not to merge such efforts with the Indian Housing Project.
The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka today urged the government to restart the probe into the bomb drama at the All Saints Church in Borella.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado expressed her desire to share the Nobel Prize with U.S. President Donald Trump, prompting the Norwegian Nobel Committee—which administers the Nobel Peace Prize—to state, “Once announced, the Nobel Prize cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to another person.”
Sri Lanka’s postal service has recorded a remarkable turnaround in 2025, surpassing revenue targets set by the Treasury and signalling a major revival after years of stagnation.
The Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) has made it mandatory to include the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) for all vehicle registrations and ownership transfers, effective January 5, 2026. The requirement applies to all vehicles except motorcycles, hand tractors, tractors, tractor trailers, and three-wheelers. Under the new rule, the TIN must be entered along with the new owner’s National Identity Card number, or in the case of businesses, the business registration number. The TIN requirement was first introduced for certain motor traffic services on April 15, 2025, but full enforcement across the updated DMT database began on January 5, 2026. (NewsWire)…
Plans are underway to implement a programme aimed at strengthening Sri Lanka’s domestic aviation sector to support the growth of the tourism industry, said Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilake.
The U.S. government issued a new security alert Saturday urging Americans in Venezuela to leave the country immediately, citing security concerns and the U.S. government’s inability to provide emergency assistance, according to the U.S. Embassy Caracas.
Restoration work on the Northern and Talaimannar railway lines commenced today (11), supported by a financial grant of USD 5 million received from the Government of India. Development and modernisation work on the Northern and Talaimannar railway lines, which began several years ago with the objective of enabling train operations at speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour, had been interrupted due to damage caused by the Ditwah disaster. The project includes the construction of five bridges and an underpass to facilitate the movement of wild elephants. The Ministry of Transport confirms that the previously stalled development activities are…
By Netanya Weerakkody. Be enraptured by the fairytale magic of Cinderella, the girl by the cinders, who, with the help of her godmother and a fair amount of hope, proves that impossible things happen every day, and even foolish dreams come true. Despite the cruelty of her step family, Cinderella proves that “it’s possible for a plain country bumpkin and a prince to join in marriage”. Cinderella (Youth Edition) is not your typical “happily ever after” story, but a reimagined version of the classic fairytale. This musical masterpiece was created by combining the elements of drama, music and dance,…
Police arrested four suspects in Colombo on Friday night over an alleged plan to carry out a shooting, seizing a foreign-made revolver, ammunition and crystal methamphetamine (“ice”). The Colombo North Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau said arrests were made in Mattakkuliya and Fort on Jan. 9 following linked investigations, leading to the recovery of more than 60 grams of the drug, a three-wheeler and a motorcycle. The suspects, aged 32 to 35 and from Mattakkuliya, Horana, Wanawasala and Kelaniya, were allegedly preparing to shoot a person in the Mahawatta area of Grand Pass under the direction of two organised criminals abroad.…
Meta has denied claims of a large-scale Instagram data breach following reports that information linked to as many as 17.5 million users may have been exposed. In a statement to the Newswire, a Meta spokesperson said the company had addressed a technical issue that allowed an external party to trigger password reset emails for some Instagram users. “We fixed an issue that allowed an external party to request password reset emails for some Instagram users,” the spokesperson said. “We want to reassure everyone that there was no breach of our systems, and people’s Instagram accounts remain secure. People can disregard…
Sri Lanka’s postal service has recorded a significant turnaround in 2025, surpassing revenue targets set by the Treasury and marking what officials describe as a major revival after years of stagnation. Postmaster General Ruwan Sathkumara said the Department of Posts exceeded the revenue target assigned for 2025, generating income of Rs. 13.1 billion, above expectations set by the Treasury. He said the past year also saw wide-ranging reforms, including large-scale recruitments, confirmations of long-serving staff, infrastructure development and investments in technology and transport aimed at improving efficiency and service delivery. According to the Postmaster General, 378 Sub-Postmasters were granted permanent…
Development work on another rural road funded at Rs. 80 million commenced on Saturday under the government’s National Rural Road Development Programme in the Polgahawela electorate of the Kurunegala District. The project involves the improvement of a 1.4-kilometre stretch of road from Dangolla Junction to Kopihena, a key route linking the Kurunegala, Polgahawela and Wariyapola electorates. Officials said the road is used daily by nearly 600 families living in surrounding villages, including Hambara, Demataluwa, Helgama–Rathmale, Piduruwella, Kohana, Dangolla, Dampitiya, Damunugala, Wehera Benda, Dematagahapelessa, Sandagala North and Sandagala South. The road development is being carried out using direct labour under the…
Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has said she would like to share her Nobel Prize with U.S. President Donald Trump, prompting a response from the Norwegian Nobel Committee. In a statement issued on the 9th, the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which administers the Nobel Peace Prize, said that once a Nobel Prize has been announced, it cannot be revoked, shared or transferred to another individual. “Once announced, the decision remains permanent,” the committee said. The committee added that it does not, as a matter of principle, comment on statements or actions taken by Nobel Peace…
ECONOMYNEXT – India will build 15 Bailey Bridges to through a 450 million dollar cyclone recovery package to reconstruct Sri Lanka’s damaged infrastructure, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said. A 100 foot Bailey Bridge was on the B-492 Highway along the Kandy–Ragala Road, was inaugurated on January 10 by High Commissioner of India Santosh Jha, and Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways, Prasanna Gunasena. The bridge was installed by the 19 Engineer Regiment of the Indian Army and was begun within three weeks of announcing a 450 million dollar aid package. “The newly commissioned Bailey Bridge has significantly improved…
The first Bailey Bridge built under India’s Assistance Package for post-Ditwah reconstruction was opened for traffic on Sunday, restoring a vital road connection between Sri Lanka’s Central Province and Uva Province. The 100-foot Bailey Bridge on the B-492 highway along the Kandy–Ragala Road was inaugurated by Santosh Jha, India’s top diplomatic representative in Sri Lanka, together with Deputy Minister of Transport Dr. Prasanna Gunasena and Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education Madhura Senevirathne. Officials said the bridge reinstates a key transport link that was damaged following Cyclone Ditwah, improving connectivity for residents, commuters and businesses while facilitating the movement…