Ditwah impact:

Sri Lanka to seek leniency from EU for GSP+

28 Jan 2026

1

Given the impact of cyclone Ditwah, which caused US $ 4.1 billion damage, Sri Lanka is to seek redress from the European Union in its evaluation of the country’s eligibility for GSP+ trade facility under the new criterion that will come into effect after 2027, an official said yesterday.

Karuna broke away from LTTE after seeing life, development in Bangkok - Erik Solheim

27 Jan 2026

9

Erik Solheim, a Norwegian diplomat and former Cabinet minister best known in Sri Lanka for his role as the chief international facilitator of the Sri Lankan peace process during the 2002–2006 ceasefire talks, shared his views in an interview with Daily Mirror about the pitfalls of the process .

Türkiye offers to sell drones to Sri Lanka

24 Jan 2026

2

Türkiye has offered to sell drones manufactured there as part of defence ties between the two countries, according to Ambassador Semih Lütfü Turgut.

Sri Lanka’s investment climate difficult, bureaucracy complex- Envoy

22 Jan 2026

0

In what appeared to be a wake-up call for the improvement of the business environment in Sri Lanka, Turkish Ambassador Semih Lutfu Turgut said yesterday that Sri Lanka’s investment climate is ‘difficult’ and bureaucracy is complex.

What can Turkiye and Sri Lanka do in a world which is in a flux in 2026?

22 Jan 2026

1

The world steps into 2026 with uncertainty. It is witnessing prolonged crises involving Gaza, Ukraine and the Middle East. A possible U.S. strike on Iran looms.

Consumers to bear Rs. 20 bn Cyclone Ditwah damage to CEB infrastructure

21 Jan 2026

7

Electricity consumers are likely to be compelled to absorb the cost of nearly Rs. 20 billion in damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah to the infrastructure of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), Daily Mirror learns.

Viet Nam’s success: Socialism embracing market reforms, not resistant

20 Jan 2026

1

Viet Nam’s ruling Communist Party has gathered for its five-yearly National Congress, a pivotal event that will define the leadership and economic trajectory of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing economy. For observers in Colombo and beyond, Hanoi’s success offers a compelling proof of concept: that disciplined socialist governance can flourish alongside aggressive global integration.

Electricity tariff revision :

Current freeze will backfire in second quarter

19 Jan 2026

2

The government is likely to come under enhanced pressure to seek an electricity price revision -even at a higher rate- in the next revision in terms of the IMF prescribed cost-reflective pricing formula if any price revision is withheld for the first quarter of 2026, Daily Mirror learns.

Iran will continue buying Sri Lankan tea despite U.S. tariff warning: Ambassador

17 Jan 2026

4

In response to a question about the possible impact of any additional 25 per cent tariffs by the U.S. on countries trading with Iran, Iranian Ambassador in Sri Lanka Dr Alireza Delkhosh said that the bilateral ties are strong enough withstand such warnings.

Japanese smart engineering expertise sought for landslides prevention

16 Jan 2026

2

A Japanese expert will arrive in Sri Lanka for collaboration in the application of smart engineering methods for slope stabilization as a measure for landslides prevention in the future, an official said.

Sinopec delegation to arrive for talks on US$3.7bn Hambantota refinery

16 Jan 2026

4

A high-level delegation from Sinopec is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka early next month to work on the finalization of agreement for the oil refinery project in Hambantota, a source familiar with the process told the Daily Mirror yesterday.

Average tourist spending falls in Sri Lanka

13 Jan 2026

1

Average tourist spending in Sri Lanka has dropped to US$ 148 a day from US$ 181 in 2018, despite a rise in arrivals, with government authorities now planning for the development of upmarket tourism, an official said yesterday.

Companies from India, China, America, Japan eye Sapugaskanda oil refinery

12 Jan 2026

4

Twenty companies including from countries such as China, India, the United States and Japan have responded to Sri Lanka’s invitation for Expression of Interest (EOI) to develop and expand the Sapugaskanda oil refinery, an official said yesterday.

Vehicle imports surge strained country’s external sector hit by global uncertainties

10 Jan 2026

0

Import of vehicles, largely reflecting the release of pent-up demand at a scale much higher than expected, exerted pressure last year on Sri Lanka’s external sector that faced significant challenges amidst elevated global uncertainties, arising from shifts in global trade policies and heightened geopolitical tensions, according to the Central Bank.

All set for international bidding for oil and gas exploration, development

10 Jan 2026

4

The energy companies from countries such as Qatar and India have already shown interest in participation in the exploration and development of hydrocarbon resources (oil and natural gas) in four blocks of the Mannar basin, an official said yesterday.

Indo-Lanka ties: Govt drops ideological rigidity, embraces reality

10 Jan 2026

5

The election of the JVP-led government was once feared as a potential frost in Indo-Lanka relations, yet the reality has proven remarkably different. Driven by the twin pressures of IMF-mandated reforms and the devastating wake of Cyclone Ditwah, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has embraced a foreign policy defined by strategic necessity.

Land connectivity

India awaits Sri Lanka’s response to detailed project report request

09 Jan 2026

1

India awaits Sri Lanka’s response to the proposal for a detailed project report on land connectivity between the two countries, an official said yesterday.

Ondansetron Supply

No Scope for SL to seek Indian govt. intervention over injection deaths

08 Jan 2026

0

Sri Lanka has little to no room to seek the involvement of Indian government authorities over the recent deaths of several patients following the administration of an injection, as the purported Indian supplier is a private entity, Daily Mirror learns.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to visit Sri Lanka, assistance package likely

07 Jan 2026

0

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Sri Lanka on January 12 and 13, on his way back from a tour of Africa, the Daily Mirror learns.

India’s US$350Mn loan package will be disbursed as Indian rupee-dominated loans

06 Jan 2026

0

The US$350 million loan package announced by India for post-Ditwah reconstruction works will be disbursed as Indian- rupee dominated loans (INR loans) at concessionary rates, Daily Mirror learns.