The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) reports that the number of foreign tourist arrivals to the country in 2025 has surpassed 1.8 million as of October 15. According to the latest statistics released by the SLTDA, a total of 75,657 tourists visited Sri Lanka during the first 15 days of October, bringing the total…
A special holiday has been declared for all Tamil medium schools in the Central and Uva provinces on 21 October (Tuesday) in view of the Deepavali festival which falls on 20 October (Monday). The relevant provincial governors have reportedly declared the holiday. However, principals of all Tamil medium schools in the provinces have been instructed…
Port City Colombo (PCC) has been named the Best Knowledge Zone in Asia-Pacific at the Global Free Zones of the Year 2025 awards organised by fDi Intelligence, a division of the Financial Times. This prestigious recognition places Sri Lanka’s flagship development project among the world’s top-performing free zones, alongside leading hubs such as the Dubai…
The Ministry of Education says that textbooks will not be provided for Grade 1 and Grade 6 students next year.Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Madhura Senevirathna, stated that under the new educational reforms, activity books and modular learning materials will be introduced for those students.Printing of these materials has already begun.Accordingly, the Deputy Minister pointed…
Officials of the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation informed the Ministerial Consultative Committee that currently, more than 300,000 driver’s licenses are pending issuance, and arrangements have been made to print and distribute them within the next three months. They further stated that a new driver’s license with enhanced security features will also…
The Sri Lanka Police Headquarters has issued a public alert urging citizens to exercise caution when obtaining loans via the Internet or mobile phones, following an increase in complaints related to deceptive lending practices. According to the Police, a significant number of institutions are currently advertising loans online and through mobile platforms, often attractively presenting…
The price of gold in Sri Lanka has risen significantly following the continuous increase in global gold prices. In response to the surge, the price of a 22-carat gold sovereign in the Pettah gold market has risen to Rs. 379,200, for the first time today (17). Meanwhile, the price of 24-carat gold sovereign has increased…
Effective from today (17), passengers departing from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake will be permitted to check-in up to four hours prior to their scheduled departure time. This measure has been introduced to enhance the overall travel experience and ensure a smoother passenger flow at BIA, according to airport authorities.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has commended Sri Lanka’s continued progress under its economic reform program, highlighting strong growth momentum following the country’s recovery from a deep economic crisis. At a press briefing presenting the latest regional economic outlook, Krishna Srinivasan, Director of the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department, and Thomas Helbling, Deputy Director, provided…
The Ministry of Education has announced that Grade 1 classes for the 2026 academic year will officially commence on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in all Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim medium schools across Sri Lanka. The directive applies to all government schools as well as private schools that are either state-assisted or non-assisted. According to the…
