News Room : Sri Lanka’s Economy Grows by 5.0% in 2024, Rebounding from Crisis
Sri Lanka’s economy grew by 5.0% in 2024 despite concerns that elections could further strain the crisis-hit nation, official data showed on Tuesday. The Department of Census and Statistics announced that the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanded by 5.0% for the year. Sri Lanka held two crucial elections in September and November 2024, which led to the country’s first...
News Room : Putin Agrees to Halt Attacks on Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure, Rejects Full Ceasefire
In a phone call on March 19, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to halt attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure but stopped short of endorsing a full ceasefire. Putin rejected a proposed month-long ceasefire negotiated by the United States with Ukraine in Saudi Arabia, citing conditions that would require an end to foreign military...
News Room : Showers above 75 mm can be expected at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts after 2pm –
The Aswasuma Welfare Benefit payment Scheme has been implementing from 01-07-2023 and this scheme has been finally amended by the Extra Ordinary Gazette No 2415/66 dated 21-12-2024. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, to publish the following through a Gazette Notification,...
News Room : Understanding the basics and getting started – Part I – The Island
Former Commander-in-Chief and ex-President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s inadequate defence of the war-winning armed forces underscores the failure on the part of successive governments to address war crimes allegations. Wickremesinghe’s responses highlighted Sri Lanka’s collective and pathetic failure to defend its armed forces. The country missed an opportunity to question the absurdity of UN war crimes accusations based on claims by...
News Room : IGP Deshabandu Still Missing as President AKD Vows Crackdown on Crime
Sri Lankan police are still searching for their own chief, while President Anura Kumara Dissanayake held discussions with top officers from the Western Province today (18 March), his office said. During the meeting at the Presidential Secretariat, Dissanayake pledged to provide the necessary resources to combat organized crime and drug trafficking while introducing new legislation, according to a statement from...
News Room : SC Holds State Liable for Illegal PTA Detention Order Issued by Gota
The Supreme Court has ruled that a detention order issued by then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) against a woman arrested for alleged drug possession in 2020 was unlawful. The court ordered the State to pay Rs. 100,000 in compensation to the petitioner for violating her fundamental rights. The judgment was delivered today (18) by Justice...
News Room : Peru declares state of emergency, deploys army as violence surges in capital
Amid widespread protests a day after the killing of a popular singer, Peru’s president on Monday declared a state of emergency in the capital, ordering the deployment of soldiers to assist police in quelling a surge in violence. President Dina Boluarte’s government issued a decree saying the state of emergency would last for 30 days and that authorities would restrict...
News Room : Israel launches ‘extensive strikes’ on Gaza, at least 220 reported dead
The Israeli military says it is carrying out “extensive strikes” on the Gaza Strip, and the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry reported that at least 220 Palestinians have been killed. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was targeting what it called “terror targets” belonging to Hamas. Mahmoud Abu Wafa, the deputy interior minister in Gaza and a Hamas security official in the...
News Room : Ivy Global Campus Debuts in Sri Lanka Bridging Local Talent with Global Opportunities
Ivy Global Campus has officially opened its doors, marking a transformative leap in international tertiary education in Sri Lanka. With a vision to become a leading global higher education provider, the institution aims to offer world-class academic programmes and professional training, empowering students to succeed in international markets. The launch event, held at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo, was...
News Room : Key Points in Appeal Court’s Rejection of Deshabandu Tennakoon’s Writ to Quash Arrest Warrant
In a landmark ruling, the Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka dismissed a writ application by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon, who sought to overturn an arrest warrant issued against him by the Matara Magistrate’s Court. The decision, delivered today by Acting President of the Court of Appeal M. T. Mohammed Laffar and Judge K. M. S. Dissanayake,...