News

The Sri Lanka Army has directed all personnel below the rank of Major to hand over their passports to their respective regiments, according to the Army Spokesman.

Army Spokesperson Brigadier Waruna Gamage further revealed that this step has been taken in connection with an administrative matter.

However, he also mentioned that passports can be reacquired for personal purposes by informing the relevant departments.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Most Ven. Dr. Gallelle Sumanasiri Thera as the Chancellor of the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka.

The official letter of appointment was presented to Most Ven. Dr. Gallelle Sumanasiri Thera this afternoon (14) at the Presidential Secretariat by the Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, according to the President’s Media Division (PMD).

Most Ven. Dr. Gallelle Sumanasiri Thera, who has been appointed as the Chancellor of the Rajarata University, is the Chief Incumbent of the Harankahawa Molagoda Rajamaha Viharaya.

He also serves as the Kandy District Secretary of the All-Ceylon Shasanarakshaka Bala Mandalaya and previously held the position of Vice-Chancellor of the Homagama Pali and Buddhist University.

The event was attended by Ven Denike Ananda Thera, Ven. Karagaswewa Vajira Thera, Ven. Vitharandeniye Nanda Thera and several other monks and laypersons. Following the official appointment, the Secretary to the President engaged in cordial discussions with the Maha Sangha and other attendees.

Senior journalist Seetha Ranjani, former convenor of the Free Media Movement, has passed away at the age of 70

The Attorney General has filed indictments against Yoshitha Rajapaksa and his grand-aunt Daisy Forrest Wickramasinghe before the Colombo High Court.

The indictments have been filed under the Money Laundering Act, related to a Rs. 59 million joint account belonging to the duo.

Previously, the Police had filed charges against both under the Money Laundering Act after investigations since 2016 found Rajapaksa was unable to provide satisfactory explanations regarding the funds.

According to the investigation, the funds in question were placed in fixed deposits and bank accounts, including a joint account maintained with Daisy Forrest.

The Attorney General then directed the Police to name Forrest as a suspect in the case.

As a result, both Yoshitha Rajapaksa and Forrest were formally named as suspects in the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court last Sunday (Feb 11), with charges filed under the Money Laundering Act.

Indian Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar met former President Ranil Wickremesinghe on the sidelines of the 8th Indian Ocean Conference in Oman.

Former President Wickremesinghe is attending the conference as a guest speaker.

The 8th Indian Ocean Conference, organized by the India Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Oman, is being held on February 16–17, 2025, in Muscat. This year’s theme is Voyages to New Horizons of Maritime Partnership.

Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage today appointed the new National Sports Council, in accordance with the provisions of the Sports Act No. 25 of 1973 with the aim of advising the Minister on matters relating to the promotion, development and governance of sports in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan Rugby legend and former CEO of Sri Lanka Rugby, Priyantha Ekanayake has been appointed as the new Chairman of the National Sports Council.

The following prominent figures have been appointed as members of the council:

1. Priyantha Ekanayake (Chairman) - Former Rugby Player and former CEO of Sri Lanka Rugby
2. Prof. Samantha Nanayakkara - Professor in Sports Studies, University of Colombo, and Sport Psychologist
3. Rukman Wekadapola - International Boxing Referee
4. Sidath Wettimuny - Former Sri Lankan Cricketer
5. Chanaka Jayamaha - Civil/Commercial Lawyer and Non-Executive Independent Director at Colombo Dockyard PLC
6. Rohan Abeykoon – Former Rugby Player and former Chairman of National Rugby Selection Committee 
7. Niroshan Wijekoo – Former Badminton Player and former National Champion (Singles)
8. Murad Ismail – Former member of Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka (TTASL)
9. Roshan Mahanama – Former Sri Lanka Cricketer and former ICC Match Referee
10. C. Ratnamudali - Lecturer at Moratuwa University and former Secretary of Sri Lanka Beach Volleyball Association
11. Sriyani Kulawansa – Former Sri Lankan Hurdler and Olympian, Commonwealth Games Silver Medalist
12. Malik J Fernando – Co-Chairman of MJF Group, and Dilmah Tea
13. Shanitha Fernando – Former Rugby Player

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake reviewed the final draft of the 2025 budget today (16) at the Presidential Secretariat.

Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Mahinda Siriwardana, was also present at the occasion.

The inaugural budget of the National People’s Power government is set to be presented to Parliament by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake tomorrow (17) at 10:30 a.m.

India's Adani Green Energy said it will withdraw from two proposed wind power projects in Sri Lanka, according to a letter sent by the company to a Sri Lankan government agency.

The Sri Lankan government said last month it has started talks with the Adani Group to lower the cost of power from the $1 billion projects.

"It was learnt that another Cabinet appointed negotiations committee and Project Committee would be constituted to renegotiate the project proposal," the company wrote in a letter addressed to the chairman of Sri Lanka's board of investment.

"This aspect was deliberated at the Board of our company and it was decided that while the company fully respects the sovereign rights of Sri Lanka and its choices, it would respectfully withdraw from the said project," the letter, dated February 12, said.

Source: Reuters

The United National Party (UNP) has decided to contest several municipal councils under its iconic “Elephant” symbol in the upcoming Local Government Elections.

This decision was reached during a working committee meeting held on February 14 at the UNP headquarters, Sirikotha, under the leadership of former President and party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

During the meeting, new appointments were made, and key topics such as the upcoming elections and the current political situation were discussed.

As part of their strategy, it has been proposed to contest four municipal councils under the “Elephant” symbol.

These include the Colombo, Kandy, Galle, and Nuwara Eliya municipal councils. The proposal received majority support from the Working Committee members, who believe these councils offer a strong chance of success for the party.

In addition, the UNP is considering alliances with other political parties to contest in other local government institutions.

Discussions are ongoing about the possibility of contesting under a separate symbol, and a final decision on this matter is expected to be made before February 20.

Meanwhile, the UNP has also been engaged in talks with the ‘Samagi Jana Balawegaya’ (SJB), with several rounds of discussions already held between the two parties.

Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have reached an agreement on Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments to strengthen economic and investment relations between the two countries.

According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), the agreement was reached during President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s three-day official visit to the UAE to attend the World Governments Summit 2025.

The agreement on Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments was signed by the UAE’s Minister of State for Financial Affairs, Mohamed Bin Hadi Al Hussaini and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vijitha Herath.

This bilateral agreement establishes a secure legal framework to expand investment opportunities in global markets while ensuring the protection of foreign investments.

The purpose of this agreement is to facilitate and strengthen foreign investments between the two nations by ensuring investor rights protection, promoting economic cooperation, and establishing comprehensive investment protection mechanisms, dispute resolution frameworks, and policy structures. This agreement will also contribute to strengthening global economic partnerships and creating opportunities for exploring new investment prospects in Sri Lanka.

This agreement underscores the importance of bilateral economic development and financial stability while demonstrating the commitment of both the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka to strengthening economic cooperation. It aims to foster trade and business expansion in Sri Lanka while promoting a transparent and stable investment environment.

Furthermore, this agreement also highlights Sri Lanka’s commitment to enhancing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and fostering a more attractive investment landscape. By enhancing investor confidence, it is expected to generate new business opportunities and contribute to economic progress.

The PMD added that this agreement will reinforce the long-term partnership between the UAE and Sri Lanka, facilitating sustainable investments and advancing trade and financial collaborations between the two countries.

A decision has been made to re-extend the Kelani Valley railway line up to Ratnapura.

Railways General Manager Dhammika Jayasundara said that accordingly, train journeys that were limited from Colombo to Avissawella will be extended up to Ratnapura.

Land surveying along the section of the railway line from Avissawella to Ratnapura has already commenced.

Simultaneously, there are plans to increase the speed of the trains on this route from 40 km/h to 60 km/h.

As part of the development project, it is also planned to reduce sharp bends and improve the condition of the railway line.

The Kelani Valley railway line, which was built in 1903 from Colombo to Yatiyantota, was extended to Opanayaka in 1919.

This railway line was constructed by the British to facilitate the transportation of harvested crops, mainly from the country's agricultural regions, to Colombo.

However, in 1975, the railway service was limited to Ratnapura, and by 1977, train services on the Kelani Valley railway line were restricted to Avissawella.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has addressed the main session of the 2025 World Governments Summit in Dubai, where he outlined Sri Lanka’s vision on economic growth, innovation and governance reforms.

In his speech the Head of State also highlighted Sri Lanka’s commitment to sustainable development and international cooperation.

Today (12) marks the third day of the President’s official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake who is currently attending the World Governments Summit 2025 in Dubai held several high-level bilateral discussions with Heads of State, on Tuesday (11).

During the day, the President met with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. Prime Minister Sharif extended his congratulations to President Dissanayake on his government’s significant electoral victory in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, President Dissanayake also met with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The discussions revolved around the potential for Sri Lanka to leverage the United Kingdom’s expertise and specialized knowledge in various sectors.

President Dissanayake also met with the Prime Minister of State of Kuwait His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah Al Ahmad Al Sabah on the sidelines of the summit.