March 12, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s tourism sector has recorded a strong start to 2026, with visitor numbers surpassing the 600,000 mark within the first two months of the year, according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.
Latest figures released by the tourism regulator show that a total of 604,301 international travellers entered the country between January 01 January and March 08 this year, signalling continued momentum in the island’s travel industry.
The data also indicates that 47,646 tourists arrived during the first eight days of March alone, suggesting that the country may experience another busy month for inbound travel as the peak season continues.
India remained the largest source market during February, with 11,345 visitors accounting for roughly 24 per cent of arrivals during the month. Significant numbers of travellers also arrived from Russia, the United Kingdom, China and Germany, reflecting Sri Lanka’s continued appeal across several key international markets.
Tourism officials say the steady influx of visitors is helping support hotels, transport services and small businesses that depend heavily on the sector. Industry stakeholders are optimistic that the upward trend will continue in the coming months as new promotional campaigns and improved air connectivity encourage more travellers to choose Sri Lanka as a destination.
For comparison, official records show that 229,298 tourists visited the country in March last year, a benchmark that authorities hope to approach or exceed if the current pace of arrivals continues.
Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals Surpass 600,000 in Early 2026
Sri Lanka Explores Deeper Agricultural Collaboration with Global Rice Research Body
March 12, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is seeking to strengthen international cooperation in rice research and sustainable farming, following discussions between Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya and the Director General of the International Rice Research Institute, Yvonne Pinto.
The bilateral meeting took place at the institute’s headquarters in Los Baños, where both sides explored ways to expand collaboration aimed at improving rice cultivation and supporting long-term agricultural sustainability in Sri Lanka.
Talks focused on the current state of paddy farming in the country and the difficulties faced by local farmers, including fluctuating yields, changing climate conditions and rising production costs. The discussions also highlighted the need for research-backed solutions that could help modernise cultivation practices while protecting the livelihoods of farming communities.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister underscored the importance of improving productivity through better seed varieties, modern irrigation techniques and wider access to agricultural technology. She noted that strengthening the resilience of the rice sector is essential for maintaining food security in Sri Lanka.
Representatives from IRRI shared insights from their ongoing global research programmes, including work on climate-resilient rice strains, improved crop management methods and sustainable farming models designed to support farmers in developing countries.
Both parties expressed interest in expanding knowledge exchange, training opportunities and joint research initiatives in the future, with the aim of equipping Sri Lankan farmers with more advanced tools and scientific expertise to meet the growing challenges facing agriculture.
March Payments Under Aswesuma Welfare Scheme Released to Beneficiaries
March 12, Colombo (LNW): The monthly allowance for March under Sri Lanka’s Aswesuma social welfare initiative is being credited to beneficiaries’ bank accounts on Thursday (12), according to the Welfare Benefits Board.
Officials stated that payments for households enrolled in the first stage of the programme will be distributed among more than 1.4 million families across the country. In total, the government is allocating over Rs. 11 billion to support these beneficiaries as part of its ongoing social protection measures.
The Aswesuma scheme, introduced to provide financial assistance to low-income households and vulnerable groups, delivers monthly cash transfers directly through the banking system. Authorities say the arrangement helps ensure that funds reach recipients more efficiently and with greater transparency.
In addition to the initial group of recipients, families included in the second phase of the programme will also receive their allowances on the same day. More than Rs. 2.3 billion has been set aside for these payments, which will be credited to their respective accounts as the programme continues to expand.
Public Consultations Begin on Proposed Electricity Tariff Adjustment
March 12, Colombo (LNW): The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka has launched a fresh round of public consultations regarding a proposed revision of electricity tariffs, marking the second such review scheduled for this year.
According to the regulator, discussions are currently being held across several provinces in order to gather views from consumers, industry representatives and other stakeholders on the suggested tariff increase of approximately 13.56 per cent.
The consultations are intended to ensure that perspectives from different regions of the country are considered before a final determination is made.
Members of the public have been invited to participate in the process by sharing their opinions during the provincial sessions. In addition to speaking at these meetings, individuals and organisations may also submit written comments or objections directly to the commission for evaluation.
Jayanath Herath, Director of Corporate Communications at the PUCSL, said the consultation phase is a key step in the decision-making process, allowing the regulator to weigh public feedback alongside financial and operational considerations within the power sector.
He added that the commission expects to conclude the review and announce its final ruling on the proposed tariff revision before the end of the month. The outcome will determine whether the adjustment proceeds as proposed or is modified following the consultation process.
Sri Lanka Secures Fuel Shipments to Cover Demand Until End of April
March 12, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka has arranged sufficient fuel imports to meet national demand through the end of April, D.A. Rajakaruna, Chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO), disclosed.
Rajakaruna said the state-run fuel supplier has already placed orders for several shipments of petroleum products to maintain steady supplies in the coming weeks. A series of tankers are expected to reach the island during the second half of April, with deliveries planned around April 14–15, 17–18, 21–22 and again towards the end of the month between 29 and 30.
The consignments are scheduled to arrive from suppliers based in India and Singapore, both of which remain key sources of refined fuel for Sri Lanka.
Officials indicated that the shipments will help maintain stable stocks at fuel terminals across the country and support uninterrupted distribution through the local network of filling stations. Authorities have also been monitoring global oil markets closely in recent weeks amid fluctuations in international energy prices.
Rajakaruna added that the petroleum cargoes will be purchased at the prevailing global market rates at the time of discharge, a standard procurement practice designed to reflect the most up-to-date pricing conditions.
The CEYPETCO said it will continue coordinating closely with suppliers and shipping operators to ensure timely deliveries, while also maintaining adequate reserves to prevent potential supply disruptions.
Five-Year Agriculture Initiative Aims to Strengthen Sri Lanka’s Thriposha Supply
March 12, Colombo (LNW): A major new agriculture and nutrition programme has been launched in Sri Lanka to strengthen the production of a key supplementary food relied upon by mothers and young children across the country.
The initiative, titled “Sow and Grow”, is being rolled out by the World Food Programme with financial backing from the Korea International Cooperation Agency and in collaboration with the Government of Sri Lanka.
Valued at around USD 10 million, the project will run over the next five years and aims to reinforce the supply chain supporting the country’s long-standing Thriposha nutrition programme.
Thriposha, a fortified food supplement distributed through the public health system, plays a vital role in supporting children under the age of five as well as pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. By expanding the cultivation of locally grown maize—one of its key ingredients—the programme seeks to ensure a more stable and sustainable supply of the product nationwide.
As part of the project, approximately 7,500 farmers from the districts of Anuradhapura District, Monaragala District and Badulla District will receive assistance aimed at improving yields and grain quality. The initiative will also encourage climate-resilient farming methods, modern storage practices and better post-harvest management to minimise crop losses.
In addition to boosting production, the programme intends to strengthen links between growers, agricultural aggregators and Sri Lanka Thriposha Limited, the state enterprise responsible for producing the nutritional supplement. Officials say this approach will help secure a reliable local supply of maize while reducing reliance on imported grain and cushioning the sector against climate-related disruptions.
If successful, the effort is expected to benefit more than 650,000 young children and over 330,000 expectant and nursing mothers throughout the country by ensuring consistent access to Thriposha.
The project will be carried out with the involvement of several government bodies, including the Ministry of Agriculture Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Health Sri Lanka and other agencies responsible for rural development, food security and economic planning.
Representatives from both KOICA and the WFP noted that Sri Lanka’s maize farmers face growing pressures from erratic weather patterns and fluctuating markets. They said the new programme is designed not only to protect vulnerable groups who rely on nutritional assistance, but also to strengthen rural livelihoods and build a more resilient national food system.
The project was formally inaugurated at a ceremony attended by senior government officials, development partners and representatives of the farming community, signalling a renewed commitment to improving nutrition while supporting the country’s agricultural sector.
Oil Prices Climb Above $100 as Middle East Conflict Rattles Global Energy Markets
March 12, World (LNW): Global oil markets experienced another sharp surge overnight, with prices once again climbing above the $100-per-barrel threshold as the ongoing hostilities involving the United States, Israel and Iran continue to unsettle international energy supplies.
The rally comes only days after crude prices reached their highest levels in roughly four years, reflecting mounting concerns that the conflict could disrupt key shipping routes and production across the Middle East. Traders have responded nervously to the growing risk of supply interruptions, pushing prices upward despite efforts by major economies to stabilise the market.
Earlier on Wednesday, member states of the International Energy Agency agreed collectively to release an unprecedented 400 million barrels of crude from emergency reserves in an attempt to ease pressure on global supply and temper price volatility.
Nevertheless, the announcement did little to calm markets. The international benchmark Brent crude traded at around $100 per barrel by late Wednesday, marking an increase of approximately 8.7 per cent over the course of the day.
Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the primary benchmark for the United States, recorded a similar rise of about 8.7 per cent, climbing to roughly $94.80 a barrel.
Should tensions persist or expand, experts warn that global fuel prices could remain volatile in the weeks ahead, with ripple effects likely to be felt across inflation, transport costs and economic growth worldwide.
Lanka eNews Editor Taken Into Custody After Arriving in Sri Lanka
March 12, Colombo (LNW): Sandaruwan Senadheera, the editor associated with the online news platform Lanka eNews, was taken into custody on Wednesday (11) after landing at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) following a flight from London.
Authorities stated that officers attached to the Department of Immigration and Emigration Sri Lanka stopped Senadheera shortly after his arrival at the airport earlier in the day.
After being questioned at the terminal, he was formally detained and later transferred to the custody of the Sri Lanka Police for further legal procedures.
Reports indicated that the arrest was carried out in connection with an ongoing legal proceeding which cites Senadheera as a suspect.
Escalating Hostilities Leave Middle Eastern Children Facing a Humanitarian Crisis
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By: Isuru Parakrama
March 12, World (LNW): The deepening confrontation involving the United States, Israel and Iran is rapidly worsening the situation for children across the Middle East, according to the UN children’s agency, UNICEF, which warns that the consequences are becoming “catastrophic”.
In a statement released this week, the agency said that more than 1,100 children have reportedly been killed or injured since the surge in violence that began on 28 February. Preliminary figures indicate that around 200 children have died in Iran, while at least 91 fatalities involving minors have been reported in Lebanon.
Additional deaths have been recorded in Israel and Kuwait, with many more young people wounded amid ongoing strikes and clashes.
Humanitarian officials caution that these numbers are expected to rise as the conflict spreads and fighting intensifies across the region. Entire communities are experiencing repeated bombardment, forcing hundreds of thousands of families to abandon their homes and seek safety elsewhere.
Beyond the immediate casualties, the disruption to daily life has been severe. Schools in several affected areas have been forced to close, leaving millions of children without access to education. Healthcare services, water supplies and other essential systems that support families have also been damaged or interrupted.
UNICEF stressed that children are bearing a disproportionate burden of the violence. The organisation said that attacks which kill or injure minors, as well as the destruction of critical infrastructure they depend on, cannot be justified under any circumstances.
With an estimated 200 million children living across the broader Middle East, the agency urged the international community to respond swiftly, warning that delays in diplomatic and humanitarian action could deepen an already devastating crisis for the region’s youngest and most vulnerable residents.
The 147th Royal–Thomian and 175 Years of the School by the Sea
By Krishantha Prasad Cooray
There can be no auspicious moment to celebrate life, foster humanity and work towards peace or prosperity. Sadly, we live in times where the energies of violence unleashed have sent tremors of anxiety and foreboding to all corners of the world even as they maim, kill and destroy.
One can only hope that sanity will soon prevail and that there will be a cessation of hostilities before more innocent lives are lost. In moments such as this the world would do well to remember that the preservation of human life needs to be the foremost objective. Sri Lanka itself recently reminded the world of this simple but powerful truth when lives were saved during the incidents involving Iranian vessels off our shores. One hopes that the global community will learn from such acts of humanity and choose compassion over conflict.
Such against-the-grain acts are sadly little more than a drop in an enormous ocean of discontent. We applaud and then slip into despair. At such times, in particular, we take refuge in what might have been and indeed what has transpired — those happy carefree moments where the only weapons sanctioned was friendly if caustic banter between friendly rivals. That’s what the Royal-Thomian cricket encounter is all about.
Royal College, Colombo, and S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia will do battle for three days, from the 12th to the 14th of March, for the 147th consecutive year. And every year something quite remarkable happens to thousands of otherwise sensible men. They begin discussing school cricket with the seriousness normally reserved for matters of state, diplomacy and occasionally national elections. This year’s encounter is extra special for the present and past students of S. Thomas’ College, that inimitable ‘School by the Sea,’ because it coincides with the institution’s 175th anniversary.
Royalists would be quick to raise objections, but it is abundantly clear to me that S. Thomas’ is the more distinguished and refined of the two schools. It is my conviction that many honest Royalists quietly accept this incontrovertible truth, although they may do so only after the second drink at the Royal Thomian!
A good example of the deep respect Royalists have for S. Thomas’ can be seen in our good friend Rajind Ranatunga, an Old Royalist, who wisely sent both his sons to Mount Lavinia. One of them went on to become Head Prefect of S. Thomas’, which is no small achievement for the Ranatunga family. It demonstrates, if nothing else, that Royalists recognise quality when they see it. Indeed, I have long harboured the suspicion that former president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, who now wears the colours of Royal College, blue and gold, quite proudly, would have preferred to attend S. Thomas’ if it were up to him. His parents decided otherwise and so he had to settle for a school whose main claim to glory was playing a cricket match against S. Thomas’!
But jokes aside, the Royal–Thomian is one of the greatest events in our social calendar. It is not merely a cricket match. It is a reunion, a carnival, a festival of friendship and nostalgia. A spectacle unmatched.
The camaraderie of the Royal–Thomian is something difficult to explain to outsiders. It is something that must be experienced. Over the years I have spoken about this match so often that several of my foreign friends have eventually decided they must come and see what this mysterious event is all about. Some have travelled all the way from overseas simply to witness the spectacle of thousands of otherwise respectable adults behaving like carefree, unruly and even crude schoolboys again. This year two close Malaysian friends will join me; I am sure they will return home slightly puzzled but thoroughly entertained.
For three days the match becomes a carnival. Families gather, friendships are renewed, stories are told for the hundredth time and still raise loud guffaws. Royalists and Thomians sit side by side, arguing passionately about cricket while secretly enjoying each other’s company.
For me personally, the Royal–Thomian also carries memories of dear friends who are no longer with us. I will once again miss my friends Johann Wijesinghe and Suresh Gunasekera who enjoyed the Royal–Thomian like few others could or have and with whom I attended the match many times. These are the friendships that make the Royal–Thomian special.
Some people enjoy the Royal–Thomian with extraordinary enthusiasm, particularly the third-generation Thomians who approach the match with the seriousness of military strategists and the enthusiasm of schoolboys who have just discovered freedom. But this year there is another reason for reflection. Yes, S. Thomas’ College celebrates its 175th year.
Now the Royal Thomian has all kinds of tents for spectators. There are the ‘boys’ tents’ for school boys. The ‘Mustangs’ is the oldest of the tents and is essentially for the older of the old boys. An exclusive club, one might say. At some point some younger and yet ‘old’ old boys formed the ‘Colts.’ Then came the Stallions. Now it’s full of horses: Thoroughbreds, Broncos, Warmbloods etc., and there’s even ‘The Stables!’ I am now a member of the Mustangs. When I joined my good friend Varuna Botejue told me, “Now this is your last tent: the next tent you can get membership for will be the Borella Kanatte Tent.’ That’s the biggest cemetery in Colombo! That’s the Royal-Thomian for you: we can even laugh at impending death! I found it absolutely amusing but it also gave me flashbacks about how much we used to enjoy the Royal Thomian from school days and how time has passed in a remarkable way. It refreshed my mind about how excited we were and how one of the finest friendships developed.
For those of us who were fortunate enough to attend the school by the sea, the lessons we learned there have remained with us throughout our lives. S. Thomas’ did not simply teach us mathematics, history or cricket. It taught us something far more important. It taught us friendship, loyalty and the courage to stand by what is right, even when doing so is not easy and even when it may be unpopular. Those lessons have helped many of us face some rather difficult moments in life.
Looking back now, the times we spent at Mount Lavinia were among the finest of our lives. Friendships birthed and nurtured in school have a special quality. School friends know you at your best and occasionally at your worst. They know your strengths, your weaknesses and most importantly your stories. Of course, life also brings other friendships, wonderful friendships formed later in life that become part of our journey. But school friendships have a foundation that is difficult to replicate elsewhere.
And that, perhaps, is what the Royal–Thomian ultimately celebrates. Not just cricket. Not just rivalry. But friendship. After 147 years, the Royal–Thomian remains one of the most remarkable traditions in Sri Lankan life; a celebration of youth, camaraderie and the enduring bond between Royalists and Thomians. In fact, in my experience, it’s only Royalists and Thomians who virtually beat each other up to settle bills. ‘Friendly rivalry’ just doesn’t do justice to the bonds between the schools and those who walk through the respective portals. Ours exude grandeur, theirs do not, but we don’t hold the fact against any Royalist.
And as for the result of the match this year, we Thomians remain cautiously optimistic. After all, we are a generous school. We occasionally allow Royal to win, simply to keep the rivalry interesting.