Ex-minister writes to Trump seeking tariff cut on Sri Lankan imports
Former Cabinet Minister Dullas Alahapperuma has written to U.S. President Donald Trump requesting a reduction in tariffs imposed on Sri Lankan imports to the United States, according to Ada Derana. In the letter, Alahapperuma appealed for relief from the tariffs,…
FM departs for Bangladesh to attend Khaleda Zia’s funeral
Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath departed for Bangladesh from the Bandaranaike International Airport this morning. The Foreign Minister had left the country on SriLankan Airlines flight UL 189 bound for Dhaka. It is reported that he is travelling to…
E-gates introduced at BIA to speed up immigration clearance
Automated e‑gates have been introduced at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake, providing Sri Lankan passengers with quicker and more secure immigration clearance. The Airport & Aviation Services Sri Lanka Private Limited (AASL) said the new system is designed to…
Galle MC water attack : Five opposition councillors arrested
Five opposition members of the Galle Municipal Council were arrested yesterday (30) for allegedly using criminal force against municipal staff and obstructing officials in the discharge of their duties, police said. The group — including one woman and representing the…
India doubles financial commitment to 3 housing projects in Sri Lanka
The Government of India (GoI) has agreed to double the financial support per house to SLR 1,000,000 for the construction of houses under the owner-driven model in the Northern and Southern provinces, based on a request from the Government of…
BASL flags judicial promotion concerns, urges seniority-based process
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has raised concerns over the process of promotions of Judicial Officers, Judges of the High Court and the Court of Appeal in Sri Lanka, drawing President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s attention to the matter….
Defence Ministry extends firearm licence renewal deadline
The Ministry of Defence has issued a statement announcing the extension for the renewal of firearms licenses of individuals and institutions for 2026. Previously, issuance of firearm permits for individuals/institutions for the year 2026 was to be carried out until…
India overtakes Japan as 4th-largest economy, report says
India has surpassed Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy, according to calculations in the Indian government’s end-of-year economic review. On current trends, India is expected to overtake Germany to become the world’s third-largest economy within the next three years,…
President appoints Commission to probe corruption at CMC
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed a Commission of Inquiry to probe alleged irregularities at the Colombo Municipal Council between 2010 and 2025, including corruption, abuse of power and misappropriation. A Gazette notification, issued by the President on 30 December…
Water test conducted on India’s Vande Bharat Sleeper train clocking 180 kmph
Indian Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took to social media on Tuesday to share a video of a Vande Bharat Sleeper train running at a speed of 180 kmph between the Kota-Nagda section while also conducting a “water test”. “Vande Bharat…