Lead Story
Jetstar will take off for the first time from Australia to Sri Lanka in August next year, with the launch of the only direct low-cost service from Melbourne to the South Asian nation’s capital, Colombo. From 25 August 2026, Jetstar will become the first Australian airline to operate this route, flying three times a week between Melbourne and Colombo and offering more than 100,000 low-fare seats a year on the new route. Upgraded aircraft This year-round service will be operated by Jetstar’s fleet of 11 widebody Boeing 787 Dreamliners which are progressively being upgraded from…
Featured
On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, John Keells Foundation (JKF) reaffirmed its long‑standing commitment to combatting gender‑based violence and child abuse through its flagship initiative, Project WAVE (Working Against Violence through Education). Since its launch in November 2014, Project WAVE has reached over 5.8 million individuals, including…
The immersive experience ‘Through her eyes’ blends audio and visual storytelling with theatre in a never-before-seen approach to SGBV awareness. The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is a global campaign observed annually from 25 November to 10 December, beginning on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and concluding on…
JXG (Janashakthi Group) was recently recognised with the Parent-Inclusive Workplace of the Year 2024/25 Award at the Parent-Inclusive Workplaces Summit 2025. Held at the Courtyard by Marriott, Colombo, the recognition reflects JXG’s commitment to fostering a supportive, empowering, and inclusive environment for working parents. Positioning JXG as a benchmark for parent-friendly workplace practices in Sri…
The World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB), one of the most influential global organisations dedicated to the advancement of Buddhist philosophy, celebrated its 75th Anniversary recently at Vajiravudh College in Bangkok, bringing together delegates from more than 170 regional centres worldwide. As part of the anniversary programme, the WFB also held its 31st General Conference, along…
Colombo welcomed a new chapter in its urban landscape as Unity Plaza revealed Sri Lanka’s largest outdoor LED digital screen, drawing a distinguished audience that included the Board of Directors and the Management of On’ally Holdings PLC, over 250 invitees, representatives from its business partner company and members of the media. The unveiling signals the…
Tokyo Cement Group’s longstanding commitment to social progress and sustainability was honoured with a CSR Brand of the Year Merit Award at the SLIM Brand Excellence 2025 Awards ceremony held recently. The accolade recognises the Group’s flagship environmental conservation and community empowerment initiatives, designed to drive national transformation through meaningful, measurable CSR initiatives. The Tokyo…
Seylan Bank PLC has partnered with eChannelling (Pvt) Ltd, the country’s foremost digital healthcare platform, to integrate with the Bank’s Open Application Programming Interface Banking platform, a move that marks another milestone in Seylan’s digital banking journey. Through this integration, eChannelling will now execute real-time, secure, and automated payments via Bank Accounts in collaboration with…
The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to advancing women’s empowerment and financial inclusion, by partnering with the National Credit Guarantee Institution Limited (NCGIL) as a Participating Shareholder Institution (PSI) in the newly introduced ‘Liya Shakthi’ credit guarantee scheme, designed to support women-led enterprises across Sri Lanka. The operational launch of the…
The company is involved in the research, design, manufacturing, and exporting of advanced sports simulators and lifestyle products, with a particular emphasis on its flagship product, the SkiPod. Recognized as the world’s first indoor ski and snowboarding mixed reality simulator of its kind, the company’s primary markets include North America, Europe, and the UAE. Backed…
In the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah’s severe flooding across the Western Province, Round Table Sri Lanka (RTSL) has emerged as one of the nation’s fastest and most effective humanitarian responders, deploying urgent relief operations since 28 November 2025. RTSL’s first major mission launched in Welampitiya, delivering emergency food parcels, ration packs, medication, and bedsheets to…
Top News
Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and users, today announced a landmark regulatory achievement: The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM, the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi, the Capital of the UAE, has formally approved the authorisation of Binance’s global platform, Binance.com, under a comprehensive regulatory framework. This global first…
Seylan Bank PLC entered a strategic partnership with the Central Depository Systems (Pvt) Limited (CDS), the wholly owned subsidiary of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing investment accessibility for non-resident investors. The MoU enables prospective, non-resident individual investors with Inward Investment Accounts (IIAs) to…
The Sri Lanka–Russia Business Council (SLRBC) of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce successfully held its 22nd Annual General Meeting at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo – Oak Room, with the presence of senior government officials, business leaders, diplomatic representatives, and members of the Council. The meeting was attended by His Excellency Levan Dzhagaryan, Ambassador of the…
The Colombo Tea Traders’ Association is the private sector apex body of the tea industry. The Committee of the association encompasses a broad spectrum of industry stakeholders that includes representatives from The Planters’ Association of Ceylon, Sri Lanka Tea Factory Owners’ Association, Colombo Brokers Association, Tea Exporters’ Association, Sri Lanka Federation of Tea Smallholdings Development…
The Export Development Board (EDB) has launched a rapid relief and recovery program following the severe impact of adverse weather conditions on Sri Lanka’s export sector. A discussion meeting was held recently at the EDB premises, with the participation of Secretary to the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Mrs. Tilaka Jayasundara, EDB Chairman and…
Global Times – China’s foreign exchange reserves reached $3,346.4 billion at the end of November, up $3 billion from the end of October, marking a 0.09 percent increase, according to data released by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), which noted that China’s economy remains stable, supporting steady forex reserves. The nation’s gold holdings…
Mr. Evan Papageorgiou, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Mission Chief for Sri Lanka issued the following statement today: “In the wake of the devastating impact and widespread destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah, we extend our deepest sympathies to the people of Sri Lanka who have been profoundly affected by this disaster. “The Sri Lankan authorities have…
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has ordered all licensed banks to extend temporary debt relief and new credit support to individuals and businesses hit by the recent cyclonic and flood disasters. Under Circular No. 04 of 2025, affected borrowers can request assistance until 15 January 2026. Banks may suspend repayments for up to…
Analysis
Fitch Ratings – Surging IT investment and wealth effects from buoyant equity markets are cushioning the impact of higher tariffs on the US economy, Fitch Ratings says. We have raised our world growth forecasts in our December Global Economic Outlook (GEO) but still expect growth to slow to 2.5% this year and to 2.4% in…
The barometer’s record high loses momentum as pre-budget caution weighs on sentiment The beginning of November saw the presentation of Budget 2026, which largely mirrored the previous year’s proposals. While the budget did not introduce any major reforms, the president assured that Sri Lanka is on track to regain the economic output lost during the…
By Dr Pulasthi Amarasinghe and Usha Perera Cyclone Ditwah exposed critical gaps in Sri Lanka’s health and disaster response systems. Health and disaster agencies lack integrated dashboards and real-time data, forcing frontline workers to rely on informal, siloed information during emergencies. Building integrated coordination platforms and climate-health surveillance systems can create climate-resilient health systems. As Sri…
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