Don’t fall for scammers claiming your account holds drug money View(s):By Nidarshani WickramasingheA group of scammers pretending to be police officers or bank employees are deceiving people into transferring out money from their accounts on the pretext that they (the scammers) are investigating funds that have been deposited into such accounts by drug traffickers, police warned this week. If anyone receives such calls, they should not transfer money into the accounts of any unknown party and must immediately inform the police. In some cases, death threats have been made, and fear has prompted victims to transfer money from their bank accounts to the scammers. Do not share bank details, the NIC number, login details, OTP, passwords, PIN numbers or photographs, and do not click on suspicious links, police also urged. Use only verified accounts, and always confirm the identity of the person when transferring money, the SLCERT expert advised.

Milan Rathnayake — Sri Lanka’s possible missing link in victories cricket View(s): View(s):Modern limited-overs cricket is unforgiving to imbalance. On slow, spin-friendly surfaces in the subcontinent, Wellalage will remain central to Sri Lanka’s plans where control and batting depth will be priceless. Yet the selectors have persisted with the right-arm medium pacer as the all-rounder Sri Lanka are searching for. His decline through injuries left a structural hole in Sri Lanka’s ODI set-up, one that has never truly been filled. If Sri Lanka are serious about competing away from home, Milan Rathnayake must be more than a squad player.

Krrish liquidator invites bids for controversial project View(s):The controversial Krrish project in Fort, Colombo which has residencies and two upmarket global hotel brands, last week invited local and foreign bids to develop the property which has three towers and a podium with a total 10.4 million square feet of space. The project originally promoted by India’s Krrish group was taken over by the government after the former failed to meet deadlines. The Krrish liquidator said the original total project cost was made up of $395 million (84 floors for Ritz hotel and residencies), $125 million (74 floors for JW Hotel and JW residencies), $145 million (94 floors for JW Residencies and office), total construction costing $665 million and design and development $47 million. Construction work by the Krrish company, after securing a 99-year lease from the Urban Development Authority in 2012 for $17 million (Rs. 70 million in connection with the controversial Krrish project.

Airports operator 2024 profit slips 25%, but pays Rs 664.6m bonus View(s):By Kapila BandaraState-owned Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited, the aviation services provider, has reported a 25% drop in profit for 2024 at Rs 21.108 billion versus Rs 28.122b the year before. But, the company has paid Rs 664.6 million in bonus, the national auditor observes. In 2023, AASL even paid Rs 50,000 bonus advance totalling Rs 178.8 million to 3,589 employees. Turnover in 2024 increased by 14% on year to Rs 43.897b as against Rs 38.376b in the year before, filings this week to Parliament show. In 2024, AASL recorded 8.9m travellers, “far exceeding Terminal 1’’ annual capacity of 6m passengers.

Legal action looms over CEB bullying solar firms By Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera View(s): View(s):Grid-connected solar power developers are appalled at the audacity of the insubordination of state authorities in implementing cabinet directives related to their industry, and bully behaviour towards them, with members eyeing legal action to resolve the issue. These renewable plants are classified as “Must Run” facilities, requiring dispatch to cover operational costs, but recent CEB actions have undermined contractual agreements. GCSPA is calling for compensation from the CEB and Ministry of Power and Energy, highlighting that any long-term solutions would take years to implement. Curtailment of solar power plants results in losses of 4 million electricity units daily. These financial institutions have lent to us on the strength of the Power Purchase Agreement with the CEB.

It seems, however, it’s not only that government that is keen to assist the temples. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa and Sarvajana Balaya MP Dilith Jayaweera have all announced they plan to assist the temples affected by the cyclone. “We exchanged views on challenges, opportuities & pathways from ADB, to strengthen resilience and sustainable growth,” his X post says. The inquiry revealed that the magistrate had organised an auction for the windows and windowpanes being held as court productions at his court premises. The proprietors were also relieved when the European leaders said they would defend Greenlands with all their collective might.

Soon a new Gold Refinery for economic renewal By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):Sri Lanka is actively exploring the establishment of a domestic gold refinery to address enduring shortages and high import taxes that have driven the gold trade underground. Due to over 45 per cent import taxes enforced under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, formal gold imports came to a standstill, fostering a black market. A local refinery aims to formalise this trade. The refinery is expected to import less refined gold from producing countries like South Africa, he disclosed. The cost of large refinery projects could be in the region of US$30 million-$50 million+ for robust industrial plants.

Sri Lanka to roll out RAMIS overhaul View(s):Sri Lanka’s Revenue Administration Management Information System (RAMIS) undergoes a, state-mandated modernisation to transform it from a largely administrative tool into a real-time, API-driven, and AI-enabled tax compliance system. It has prioritised upgrading to RAMIS 3.5 to enhance automation, analytics, and data-driven auditing. RAMIS is being linked via a Secure Web API to taxpayer ERP systems to enable real-time recording of transactions, a senior official explained. From January 2026, RAMIS will facilitate a new risk-based audit selection system that aims to limit officer discretion, add more transparency, and prevent corruption. 2,000 million has been allocated to establish a new IRD HQ to centralise operations and support the modernised RAMIS system.

Root masterclass drive England to level series By Champika Fernando cricket View(s): View(s):On a slow R. Premadasa surface that exposed every flaw in technique and temperament, England’s senior pro Joe Root delivered a masterclass in control to level the three-match ODI series 1-1 with a 5-wicket win, dragging Sri Lanka into a high-pressure decider on Tuesday. This was Root at his most authoritative, his dominance evident as he guided England in chasing 220 to keep the series alive. He batted with clarity, leaving Sri Lanka chasing shadows in a game that slipped away long before the result was sealed. At 219, Sri Lanka posted a total that asked questions but offered no threat. Sri Lanka must now respond under pressure, because right now, Joe Root is not just winning games–he is setting the terms.

Lecture on rainforestation farming View(s):The Genesis Thought Leadership Series continues with a timely lecture on sustainable land use in the humid tropics by Prof Friedhelm Goeltenboth, Honorary Professor of Tropical Ecology at the University of Hohenheim, Germany, and Scientific Advisor to NatureLife-International. Titled “Rainforestation Farming – an innovative new option for the humid tropics”, the lecture will take place at 5 pm on Thursday, January 29, at GENESIS: Dilmah Centre for Sustainable Future. Rainforestation Farming, a land-use system developed in the Philippines through a long-term collaboration between the University of Hohenheim and Visayas State University combines forest restoration with food security and income generation for rural communities. Prof Goeltenboth has more than 25 years of hands-on experience in tropical ecology, agroforestry, and landscape rehabilitation across Asia, including work in the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Laos.

Is there life after the US dollar? There has never been a more appropriate moment to reflect on the dynamics that have kept the international monetary system relatively stable over the past half-century. In 2009, Zhou proposed exploring a global currency decoupled from the domestic concerns of any single issuer. Until then, China—the world’s largest exporter—had relied almost entirely on the dollar to invoice and settle its external trade. Reducing reliance on the dollar and diversifying away from a single reserve asset made sense for China then, and it still does.

The Grand, Ward Place recognised by National Construction Excellence View(s):Prime Lands Residencies’ “The Grand” – Ward Place, its landmark luxury apartment development in Colombo 7, was recently recognised at the Sri Lanka National Construction Awards, organised by the Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA). MAGA Engineering is widely recognised as one of Sri Lanka’s leading engineering and construction firms, with a proven track record in delivering complex, large-scale developments across the country. The award reflects the high standards of engineering discipline, quality control, and professional execution demonstrated by MAGA Engineering in delivering “The Grand” – Ward Place to nationally recognised benchmarks. “The Grand” – Ward Place is fully sold out, having been successfully completed and handed over to its residents, marking a significant milestone for the development. The achievement further reinforces Prime Lands Residencies’ track record of delivering completed residential projects as promised.

Accountants are custodians of trust, says SC judge View(s):Accountants are not mere servants of profit, but custodians of balancing trust. They are appointed by and report to shareholders, said a senior Supreme Court Judge this week. The Supreme Court judge said accountants occupy a unique position as they serve their employers by contributing towards the implementation of business objectives, through maximising revenue, minimising expenditure, and thereby optimising profit. He noted that accountants must not be confined to supporting their employers make profits. Support to employers to achieve corporate business objectives should never be at the expense of wider national interests of the country.

Saunders hold Serendib to thrilling draw football View(s): View(s):Saunders FC made a remarkable comeback to level their FSL Champions League 2025/26 encounter against Serendib SC as both sides ended the clash following a 3-all thriller at the Racecourse yesterday. Serendib struck early through forwards Frimpong Yaw in the eighth minute and Mohamed Rahuman in the 17th minute, as they went on to take a healthy 2-0 lead at halftime. But Saunders struck with a stunner through defender Clauvice Franck in the 52nd minute, before forward Roger Phillippe struck a penalty in the 79th minute to level the scores at 2-all and lead the encounter to an exciting finish. Still following their attacking instincts Serendib fought back valiantly to gain control as they completed their mission with forward Vijayakumar Abishan striking their third goal in the 81st minute to lead by 3-2. But substitute forward Pathum Gimhana pulled a stunner out of nowhere when their game was on extra time to strike back and push Saunders to a thrilling 3-all draw.

Customs sticks to rule and importers won’t re-export delayed salt cargo By Nidarshani Wickramasinghe View(s): View(s):While Sri Lanka Customs and importers of salt continue to lock horns over the fate of around 1,700 containers held at the Colombo Port for more than six months, the government is yet to offer a solution to either party. “They could be mixed and used as coconut fertiliser, but even that would need approval from the National Fertiliser Secretariat,” Mr Punchihewa said. Customs said it was instructed to re-export the goods, but that the importers have refused to do so. Another challenge is that, to auction the salt, Customs or SLPA will have to intervene to get clearance from both the SLCI and Health Ministry food inspectors that the salt is suitable for use. Mr Subramaniam admitted that the salt held up was loaded at ports past the June 10 deadline.