Turkey, Vietnam among other top picks; Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore continue to be favourites

Up for sale, Litro Gas Company yesterday contributed Rs. 1.5 billion from its profits for 2023 to the Treasury.

Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Sri Lanka’s Trade Minister Nalin Fernando will sign the free trade agreement between the two countries on February 3 in Colombo.

The Government will roll out the long-awaited e-passports, equipped with biometric chips compliant with the latest International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards by the end of this year, Department of Immigration and Emigration sources confirmed.

Ukraine's security service says it has uncovered corruption in an arms purchase by the military worth about $40m (£31m).

North Korea has fired several cruise missiles in waters off its east coast, South Korea's military says.

The issuing of the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) has not been interrupted or stopped, but necessary steps are being taken to prevent the obstacles and provide necessary facilities to the Inland Revenue Department (IRD), Finance State Minister Ranjith Siambalapitiya said.

The government of Sri Lanka has decided to amplify the penalty for the offense of bribery aimed at influencing votes during an election.

Colombo Measures are being taken with the support of the Foreign Ministry and the Sri Lanka Navy to release the 'Lorenzo Putha 4' - a Sri Lankan multi-day fishing trawler which was hijacked by Somali pirates yesterday, Director General of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Department Susantha Kahawatta said.

The US government has approved the $23bn (£18bn) sale of 40 new F-16 fighter jets to Turkey - a move that had been long delayed - after Ankara ratified Sweden's accession to Nato.

The US is pausing funding for the UN agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, over allegations of staff involvement in the 7 October Hamas attacks.

The government is now in ready to implement a revival plan for the industrial sector in the aftermath of the unprecedented set back suffered by manufacturing and services during the recent economic crisis, national planning department sources unfolded.

Sri Lankan authorities have officially taken a decision for the establishment of a gaming regulatory authority in the wake of ever increasing tax evasion by a handful of local casino owners, finance ministry sources disclosed.

Sri Lanka will be completely reversing the ban on oil palm cultivation and its importation in an effort to ensure the flourishing of grassroots economies via the expanding cultivation for the benefit of plantation companies and smallholders alike, informed official sources confirmed.

A federal judge in Brazil has ordered mining giants BHP, Vale and their Samarco iron ore joint venture to pay 47.6bn reais ($9.67bn) in damages over a deadly dam burst in 2015.

The UN's top court could issue emergency measures ordering Israel to halt its military operations in Gaza.

State Minister of Technology Kanaka Herath met the newly appointed Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha at India House in Colombo

Ceylon Energy, a company with a history of excellence in power transmission projects, has been issued a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Enterprise licence by Kenyan President Dr. William Ruto to commence operations at the Naivasha SEZ.

Singapore based TIW Capital Group is exploring the possibility in the setting up of its subsidiary in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in Bangladesh Dharmapala Weerakkody emphasised the need to expand economic cooperation between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh by leveraging the long-standing and close bilateral partnership between the two countries.