Sri Lanka claim haul of 25 medals with nine golds at Open Masters Games 2026 badminton View(s): View(s):Sri Lanka veteran badminton players won an impressive tally of 25 medals at the IMGA Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi 2026, pocketing nine each of gold and silver medals and an addition of seven bronze medals. Nadeesha claimed two gold medals in the Women’s Over-40 Singles and Doubles, while Kaushali excelled in the Women’s Over-55 to claim the golds in Singles and Doubles, partnering with Sriyani. Clarence Homer won a silver medal in Mixed Over-55 Doubles, as well as the Men’s Doubles partnering with Upendra Perera. Sri Lanka added two more silver medals in Men’s Over-45 Doubles from Randika and Romesh, and Men’s Over-55 from Nishantha Jayamanna and Rudianto. Among bronze medallists, Renu Chandrika de Silva topped with two from the Women’s Over-55 Singles and Doubles, partnering with Thushari, while Enoka accounted for two medals.

Take measures to protect Buddhism: Maha Sangha View(s):A “Maha Sangha Convention” was held in Colombo at the All-Ceylon Buddhist Congress on Friday, where they resolved to call on the government to take measures to protect Buddhism in the country. A 10-point joint declaration was made at the event attended by a large number of Buddhist monks. The declaration will be formally presented to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake shortly. Head of the Department of Sinhala at the University of Colombo, Agalakada Siri Sumana Thera read out the Sangha declaration. The declaration stressed that the Government must take necessary action to defeat short-sighted measures pursued by state and non-state actors, including via social media, aimed at undermining and dividing this relationship.

Can Sri Lanka brush off the dust and move forward as a complete unit? Only the top two teams in each group will qualify for the semi-finals–a place Sri Lanka is obviously keen to reach. None of the bowlers looked truly threatening, and no spell gave the impression that Sri Lanka were in control of the match. So far, it has been a mix of brilliance and vulnerability for Sri Lanka. This phase of the tournament will define whether Sri Lanka can convert promise into performance and emerge as genuine contenders in this competition.

SLID discussion on “Directors’ Accountability” under data protection View(s):The Sri Lanka Institute of Directors (SLID) concluded its high-level executive session titled “Your Data. Your Responsibility – Director’s Accountability under Sri Lanka’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA)” on January 30 in Colombo. The session delivered a powerful message: data protection is no longer an operational issue — it is a boardroom responsibility. His address underscored the role of leadership in establishing governance structures that treat data protection as a strategic priority. Participants noted the urgency for boards to implement structured data protection management programmes and strengthen internal governance models.

Tech companies are scouting for capital market opportunities View(s):The Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) and the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) hosted a forum themed “Seed to Scale – Unlock Value & Potential” for tech companies recently in Colombo. The forum is part of a broader initiative to engage and encourage tech companies to use the capital market as a source of funding to spur mid-to-long term business growth, the stock market regulator said in a media release. Panellists discussed several matters, including why the Sri Lankan capital market would be attractive for IT start-ups. The dream is that of Sri Lankan IPs and Sri Lankan headquartered companies becoming multinational. That’s when the digital ecosystem in Sri Lanka will really flourish and capital will come in to fuel Sri Lankan companies and IPs to go overseas.

99x wins gold at NCE awards View(s):99x, a global leader in product engineering, has once again strengthened its position as one of Sri Lanka’s leading technology exporters by securing the Gold Award in the Extra-Large Category under the ICT, BPO & Related Services Sector at the recent 33rd National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) Awards event. The awards ceremony, organised by the NCE, was held in Colombo to recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements within Sri Lanka’s exporter community for 2025. The recognition highlights organisations that have demonstrated exceptional export performance, global competitiveness, and significant contributions to the national economy. This latest achievement reflects 99x’s sustained growth, innovation-driven mindset, and commitment to delivering high-quality digital products and engineering excellence to global markets. Shehani Seneviratne, Chief Operating Officer of 99x, said, “Winning Gold at the NCE Awards is a proud moment for our entire team.

Prime Lands reports strong earnings growth in Q3 FY2025/26 View(s):Prime Lands Residencies PLC has reported strong financial performance for the quarter ended 31 December 2025, keeping shareholder expectations intact. Quarterly revenue grew by 43 per cent year-on-year to Rs. 200 million contribution to the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund, of which Prime Lands Residencies PLC contributed Rs. For the nine-month period ending December 31, 2025, Prime Lands Residencies PLC maintained solid year-to-date performance while delivering a standout 3rd quarter. Profit after tax for the nine-month period rose strongly by 68 per cent year-on-year to Rs.

Union Bank recognises top performers View(s):Union Bank recently recognised its top performers at the UB Heroes 2025 awards, the bank’s performance‑based recognition initiative that honours exceptional achievement across categories including Branch Awards, Central and Retail Recovery Awards, CSAT (Internal Customer Service) Awards and Green Awards. Head Office Branch was recognised as a leading performer for its exceptional outcomes across seven key performance indicators (KPIs). Hitad.lk has you covered with quality used or brand new cars for sale that are budget friendly yet reliable! Now is the time to sell your old ride for something more attractive to today's modern automotive market demands. Browse through our selection of affordable options now on Hitad.lk before deciding on what will work best for you!

IMF Chief backs Sri Lanka reforms amid cyclone devastation By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):Beyond the balance sheets and debt restructuring, IMF Chief Kristalina Georgieva’s three-day visit to Sri Lanka was defined by a message of solidarity with a disaster-stricken nation. Throughout her meetings with the President, Prime Minister, and Central Bank (CB), the IMF chief termed Sri Lanka’s programme a “success story,” although this success is still very fragile. Discussions between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the IMF chief focused on ensuring economic progress reaches the public, an official of the Finance Ministry told the Sunday Times Business. To receive two tranches this year, the government must pass both the Fifth and Sixth Reviews, IMF sources confirmed. Despite the “success story”, three critical pressure points, highlighted by the IMF include growth projections, external shocks, and governance mandate.

Kerawalapitiya emerges as BOI-driven industrial powerhouse By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):In a major move to develop Kerawalapitiya in Wattala into a major industrial hub, the Government has stepped up the allocation of newly developed land to Board of Investment (BOI)-approved projects, thus reiterating its overall strategy of developing exports, logistics, and manufacturing autonomy. The massive land development project was undertaken to transform underutilised swamplands into productive land that could accommodate mega projects of national importance, he added. According to officials of the Ministry of Urban Development, the planned allocation of plots is part of an overall strategy to develop Kerawalapitiya as a new industrial and logistics hub in the Western Province. In a similar move, the Government has granted another long-term lease in the same industrial zone for logistics infrastructure. Consolidated (Pvt) Ltd outlined plans to develop a warehouse and supply chain complex in Kerawalapitiya.

Virtual assets legislation concept paper presented to NCC By Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera View(s): View(s):The proposed Concept Paper to regulate Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) was recently presented to the National Coordinating Committee (NCC) on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) by Eranga Weeraratne, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy and Chairman of the Sub-Committee established under the NCC. He told the Sunday Times Business that VASP regulation will entail registering such service providers and businesses at the initial stages. The NCC was appraised with the timeline proposed by the Minister for the implementation of a phased-out regulatory framework for VASPs. Meanwhile, the CB is awaiting legislation amendments to the Financial Transactions Reporting Act, which will include virtual assets within the definition of financial institutions. Share This Post FacebookTwitterEmail × Send Email to FriendSend Please enter valid email WhatsappDeliciousDiggGoogleStumbleuponRedditTechnoratiYahooBloggerMyspaceRSS

Siddhalepa awarded Superbrands Sri Lanka status View(s):Siddhalepa, Sri Lanka’s top Ayurvedic healthcare brand, has been awarded Superbrands Sri Lanka Status, reaffirming its long-standing position as one of the nation’s most respected heritage brands with deep roots in Ayurveda. Founded in 1934, Siddhalepa has become synonymous with natural healing in Sri Lanka, particularly in ache, pain, and cold relief, while steadily expanding into a broad portfolio of holistic wellness solutions. This latest accolade reflects nearly two decades of consistent Superbrands recognition, having first received Superbrands status in 2006. Siddhalepa also stands proud as the only Ayurvedic brand in Sri Lanka to be recognised with Superbrands status, a distinction that underscores the deep trust earned across generations. Commenting on the achievement, Asoka Hettigoda, Chairman of Siddhalepa, stated: “Being awarded Superbrands Sri Lanka status for the second time is a profound honour for all of us at Siddhalepa.

President seeks Macron’s help to retain GSP+ View(s):President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, during talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in India, has sought his assistance to retain the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) trade concession after the facility lapses at the end of the year. Mr Macron had assured that France would extend its fullest support for Sri Lanka to retain the GSP Plus facility and also pledged more concessions through its various trade agreements with Sri Lanka. Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath said the government plans to reapply for the GSP Plus facility ahead of its expiry in December this year. Meanwhile, President Dissanayake also discussed trade with Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, who was here on Monday. While thanking Britain for bringing Sri Lanka under the umbrella of the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), which grants preferential market access to 65 developing countries, including Sri Lanka, the President said the government was keen to retain this special facility in the future.

They are the research head, Prof. Neelika Malavige, Director Research and Development/Professor in Immunology and Molecular Medicine, and Prof. Chandima Jeewandara, Director/Professor in Allergy, Immunology and Molecular Medicine. It was the time when she got into dengue research, setting up the Centre for Dengue Research (CDR) in 2012. The leading figures who gave her and Prof. Jeewandara much support were Sri Jayewardenepura University’s then Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sampath Amaratunga, and Prof. Krishan Deheragoda, Professor of Geography. It was then that the Allergy, Immunology and Cell Biology Unit (AICBU) of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura came into being. Sustainability will be guaranteed, assures Prof. Jeewandara, through income from postgraduate courses, clinical laboratory services and commercialisation of product development.

Without verification from an independent accredited laboratory that the coal is substandard, Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd (LCC) cannot charge penalties from the seller. In this instance, the seller is Trident Chemphar, and the load port is Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) in South Africa. “Why does the supplier provide an Indonesia load port report when loading is done at Richards Bay Coal Terminal?” an official source queried. Why are we not?”Eighty percent of the payment—which is the bulk of it—is released based on the load port certificate. The CEB report indicates that shipments four, five and six also failed on the same count.