Sep 24 (NF) Is There a Link Between Manamperi and the Tangalle Drug Haul? Police have not yet confirmed any direct connection between Sampath Manamperi and the massive drug haul uncovered yesterday. Manamperi, a former SLPP local council candidate, is currently in detention and being interrogated over suspicions of involvement in organized crime, including drug trafficking, alongside individuals such as Kehilibaddara Padme more..

Sep 24 (AM) The govt is likely to surpass its expected revenue target from vehicle imports by the end of this year, according to the revelation during the Committee on Public Finance (COPF). The meeting was chaired by SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva. When asked about the projected revenue from vehicle imports for this year, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Dileep Silva, said it was initially estimated at Rs 460 billion. However, Ishani Abeyratne, Additional Director General – more..

Sep 24 (FT) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said two major road development projects worth more than Rs. 2.4 billion have been approved, drawing on external financing and Govt allocations. He said SL had secured a $ 40 million loan from the OPEC Fund to improve the Rakwana–Suriyakanda section of the Galle–Deniyaya–Madampe road. Of this loan, Rs. 1 billion remains unutilised. On Monday the Cabinet cleared the use of this balance, together with domestic funds, to upgrade a 9.62 km more..

Sep 24 (DM) Dr. Vajira Dissanayake has tendered his resignation as the President Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC). In a letter addressed to Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, Dr. Dissanayake said the decision follows the withdrawal of the appeal applications filed before the Supreme Court relating to the office of the President of the SLMC. Judgment stems from a legal battle dating back to 2020, when then Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi removed SLMC Prez Prof. Harendra Silva more..

Sep 24 (CT) Under the Dumbara Haritha (Green) empowerment project, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land & Irrigation has launched a series of development programmes over the past few days, chaired by the subject Minister, K.D. Lalkantha. The programme to remove aquatic plants from the Thunhiriya Wewa is currently underway. The project is estimated to cost approximately Rs 4.3 million. Once completed, it will bring 392 acres of cultivable land under the plough, directly more..

Sep 24 (Island) In a significant development in the ongoing litigation over the environmental disaster caused by the X-Press Pearl vessel, Sea Consortium Lanka Ltd. has confirmed payment of Rs. 300 million to the Treasury. An affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, in connection with Fundamental Rights case SCFR 168/21, states that the payment was made on Sept 22, 2025, through a pay order in favour of Secretary to Treasury. more..

Sep 24 (DM) The 2026 Grade 1 and Grade 6 school teacher training programs for modular education are scheduled to be completed by the end of November, Education Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa said. He made this statement during a discussion in Parliament on the progress of the ongoing education reforms. About 80% of the Trainer of Trainer (TOT) program has already been completed, with the remaining group currently undergoing training at the National Institute of Education, Maharagama. more..

Sep 24 (EN) SriLankan Airlines’ said its new five-year strategic plan will focus on achieving financial stability, and recovery from recent fleet disruptions, among other matters. “SriLankan Airlines’ comprehensive five-year strategy is steering the airline towards operational efficiency and recovery from recent fleet disruptions,” the airline said in a statement. “Moving forward, SriLankan will focus on achieving financial stability through ongoing debt restructuring, fleet expansion, more..

Sep 24 (EN) Nations Trust Bank said it has entered into a sale and purchase agreement with The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation’s SL branch (HSBC SL) to acquire its retail banking business for 18 billion rupees, and applicable taxes if any. The proposed acquisition covers HSBC SL’s retail banking business including premium banking customers, credit cards, retail loans and accounts of approx 200,000 customers. more..

Sep 24 (NW) The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has issued a stern warning to former MP Tissa Kuttiarachchi over making irresponsible statements in public meetings. It is reported that SLPP General Secretary, Sagara Kariyawasam, had issued the warning to Tissa Kuttiarachchi over his recent statements. The warning comes after Tissa Kuttiarachchi said he will serve as Sri Lanka’s unofficial president when SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa is elected head of state. more..

Sep 24 (DM) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is currently in the United States to attend the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, met South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the One Plaza in New York. President Dissanayake was warmly welcomed by the President of South Africa. Bilateral discussions commenced between the two parties, during which attention was focused on further strengthening the existing relations between the two countries. more..

Sep 24 (CT) A restaurant owner in the Pelwehera area of Dambulla has returned a lost handbag belonging to a foreign tourist, which contained over Rs 1.8 million in local currency and a large amount of foreign currency, to the same tourist. The Australian national, Tennie Martin Stime, who has been permanently residing in Australia, revealed that he was born in Sri Lanka and migrated to Australia 50 years ago. He encountered this unexpected incident while visiting his motherland. more..

Sep 24 (AD) The Digital Task Force was appointed to facilitate education reform and that digitalization can bring a significant transformation to the education sector in the country, said Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Training, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. PM made these remarks while participating in the quarterly progress review meeting of the Parliamentary Digital Task Force for Education, held to inform Members of Parliament. more..

Sep 24 (Island) SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa warned Parliament that SL’s international standing could be jeopardised following a statement made to the Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) by the father of a child killed in the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks. Premadasa said that the father of Vihanga Tejan, a young boy who lost his life in the suicide bombing at the Shangri-La Hotel, more..

Sep 24 (CT) A total of six complexes in the Accident Service Building of the National Hospital, Colombo, have been severely affected for nearly 12 months due to a faulty central air-conditioning system, causing serious discomfort to patients and staff and placing the machinery housed there at risk. Sources within the hospital yesterday (23) said that although two surgical complexes, two intensive care units (ICUs), and two radiotherapy units in the building must be maintained under more..

Sep 24 (AD) Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe is reportedly preparing to travel overseas due to health reasons, according to informed sources. It is reported that former President Wickremesinghe is considering traveling to either France, the UK, or India. In view of the current climate in the country, the former President was recently invited by opposition political parties to take on a leadership role and contribute to future political activities. more..

Sep 24 (DM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is currently in the United States to attend the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, met with President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy for South and Central Asian affairs, U.S. Ambassador to India and Director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, Sergio Gor on 23rd afternoon, US time. The meeting took place at the Office of Sri Lanka’s more..

Sep 24 (DM) Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake today proposed that students who complete their A/L exams be granted Rs. 5,000 to engage in recreational activities such as watching a movie or visiting the beach. Speaking in Parliament, the Minister said students should be encouraged to watch movies and dramas, listen to good music, visit beaches and participate in cultural activities. “I once reminded the PM about this matter, as it is an important step for the younger generation as more..

Sep 24 (NW) Ada Derana posted a video featuring the ruling party JVP MP Sunil Handunneththi, who is currently the Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development. The video was posted to Facebook, as well as to YouTube. The exchange is completely in Sinhala. The segment begins with the Ada Derana TV anchor Kalindu Karunaratne observing that many asset declarations appeared incomplete, lacked credibility, and perhaps made a mockery of the law, questioning more..

Sep 24 (FT) Among the hopes many had for the NPP Govt when it was elected one year ago was that it would move Sri Lanka to actually opposing the devastating genocide Israel was carrying out against the Palestinian people in Gaza. What the NPP Govt has gone on to do since then has been the opposite. A look at its positions on Palestine, its actions while in Govt and its own past unearths a shamelessness which all Sri Lankans must contend with. During his pestilent, unelected presidency, more..

Sep 24 (FT) For time immemorial, SL has been a decisive node in global trade. From the days of the Silk Route, Ceylon—as it was then called—connected East and West. Historical records from the Godawaya port in Hambantota show how this southern coast played a role in international trade centuries ago. After 75 years of independence, despite every Govt repeating Hambantota’s location-specific advantage as an election slogan, little was done to convert that advantage into real more..

Sep 24 (TM) The leave of all employees of the CEB has been cancelled. CEB General Manager has stated that the directive will be in place until further notice. An extraordinary gazette notification was issued by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake on 21 Sept, declaring all services connected to the supply of electricity as essential public services. The order issued by the Prez stated that services provided by any public corp, more..

Sep 24 (DM) In the wake of public pressure to reveal names of politicians said to have been linked to underworld and the drug network, the govt today said disclosing the names of politicians divulged by suspects during interrogations will be a hindrance to further investigations. Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa told the weekly briefing to announce Cabinet decisions that political links with the underworld and the drug network will be revealed gradually. more..

Sep 24 (DM) Safety of high-rise buildings in Colombo and its suburbs came to the limelight in Parliament with an opposition MP asking whether local bodies have the firefighting capacity in an emergency situation. "Cranes which could go as high as at least 50 floors are needed to fight a fire in an emergency. One wonders whether the CMC or other local bodies have the capacity," MP Rauff Hakeem said. Govt MP Akram Illias also questioned the genuineness of safety documents of more..

Sep 24 (TM) The full report on the accident on the Ella-Wellawaya road on 4 Sept, which claimed the lives of 16 people, has been handed over to the Minister Bimal Rathnayake on Monday. According to the report, the bus involved in the accident had been driven by a 22-year-old, and it was his first time driving the vehicle. Report identified that operating a bus carrying passengers along a steep and winding road – more..

Sep 24 (DN) Plans are underway to provide a QR code when distributing fertiliser in the future and this QR code will be implemented for the fertilizer subsidy of Rs.200 million which will be provided for tea cultivation in the near future, Minister Samantha Vidyarathna told Parliament yesterday. In response to a question raised by NPP MP Ajantha Gammedage, the Minister said that this QR code is introduced when distributing fertiliser in the future to avoid problems arising in providing fertiliser more..

Sep 24 (DM) SL yesterday championed fair wages that uphold the dignity of workers, calling on govts, employers, and partners in the region to work together. Joining 16 other countries, the island nation asserted that living wage should not be merely treated as an economic measure but as a fundamental human right across Asia and the Pacific. Addressing policymakers, trade union representatives, employers, and diplomatic officials, Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando emphasised more..

Sep 24 (NW) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who left the country to attend the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in the United States today (23) at around 8.50 a.m. American time. On his arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport, President Dissanayake was warmly received by Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, former Chief Justice and President’s Counsel Jayantha Jayasuriya. more..

Sep 24 (TM) For the first time in history, Sri Lanka will host the Asia Pacific Motorsport Championship 2025, a landmark international event sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the world governing body for motorsport. It will take place from 26 to 28 September at the Speedbay Karting Circuit in Bandaragama, the only track in the country built to FIA-CIK standards. This prestigious championship is organised by the Ceylon Motor Sports Club (CMSC), more..

Sep 24 (TM) Sri Lanka is looking to provide tax concessions for individual commitments of more than $ 50 million in foreign direct investments (FDI) after convincing the IMF, BoI Chairperson Arjuna Herath said. Herath said that as part of a target to double FDIs to about $ 2 billion next year, the govt has convinced the IMF to allow tax concessions, tax-free periods, customs and excise duty concessions for individual commitments of more than $ 50m. more..

Sep 24 (FT) The SL FinTech Summit 2025 has announced its confirmed line up of speakers, bringing together global and SL leaders in digital finance, technology, and regulation to accelerate the country’s transition towards a resilient and inclusive digital economy. The two-day summit will kick-off today at the BMICH in Colombo. The summit will feature more than 25 speakers across Govt, financial institutions, global fintech leaders, and industry innovators. The summit is led by more..

Sep 24 (CT) Cabinet Spokesman, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, announced yesterday that the Cabinet has approved the signing of an agreement between Sri Lanka and Philippines on the transfer of sentenced persons. The proposal, submitted by the Minister of Justice and National Integration, aims to provide prisoners with the opportunity to serve the remainder of their sentences in their home country. He said the move is intended to support social rehabilitation and reintegration into society. more..