Sep 7 (AD) Police have arrested the motorcyclist allegedly involved in the shooting incident that took place in the Panchikawatta area of Maradana, Colombo this morning (6). Police said that offices attached to Modara Police were able to arrest the motorcyclist within a few minutes of the shooting. The suspect who was arrested is a 21-year-old resident of Bodhiraja Mawatha in Maligawatta and is a close associate of an organized criminal known as Keselwatte Kavi, police said. more..

Sep 9 (EN) President Anura Dissanayake has flagged off the construction of a 100MW solar farm which will be built at a cost of 140 million US dollars, his office said in a statement. The plant is expected to generate about 219 GigaWatt hours of energy each year indicating about 25 percent plant factor. The project, is built on 500 acres of land in the Kotiyagala Grama Niladhari Division of the Siyambalanduwa Divisional Secretariat in the Monaragala District. more..

Sep 7 (ST) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) has given notice that it will issue an enforcement order on Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to compel it to sign fuel supply agreements (FSAs) with the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and Lanka Coal Company Ltd. At present, CEB buys fuel from the CPC and Lanka Coal for its thermal power plants at rates that are not bound by any supply agreements. more..

Sep 7 (ST) Maldives once again showed their dominance over SL as they cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory in the opening match of the South Asian Super Cup, played at the Racecourse Stadium yesterday. The visitors led 2-0 at half-time before sealing the win with a late strike. Maldives, known as the Red Snappers, struck the opening blow in the 30th minute. Their swift attacking play cut through the Sri Lankan defence and left home fans stunned, when Naiz Hassan headed a corner kick, more..

Sep 7 (ST) When the govt introduced the Coastal Leisure Park Development Project under its Clean Sri Lanka national programme, it had promised to transform 43 coastal belts in 14 districts into leisure havens. With pathways, viewing points, and greenery, tourism was to be developed while creating much-needed recreational facilities for citizens. But at Mahamodara Beach in Galle, what began as a green initiative is now raising red flags over corruption and misuse of public funds. more..

Sep 7 (DM) In light of the increased illegal hunting activity resulting in the deaths of wildlife, authorities have stepped up efforts to apprehend poachers operating in wildlife reserves. A senior official at the Department of Wildlife Conservation said that the department has scaled up the measures to crack down on poachers. “We have identified the areas where poaching is most prevalent. As such, the patrol measures have been intensified,” the official stated. more..

Sep 7 (ST) SL’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) Act will soon be introduced by the govt with the enabling bill having been prepared by the Finance Ministry. The law has been framed to give a holistic legal and institutional base for PPP projects in SL and create a dedicated National Agency for PPP to promote, facilitate, and oversee PPP projects. The move follows an effort by the govt to advance private investment into public sectors and infrastructure in times of fiscal strain. more..

Sep 7 (Island) Only time will tell whether the arrest and remand of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe (RW) marks a watershed moment for Sri Lanka. While the courts will ultimately determine whether he is guilty of misusing public funds, the political fallout has already exposed deeper systemic issues. First, politicians—regardless of ideology—stand together when one of their own is in trouble. more..

Sep 9 (NW) In the immediate aftermath of the fatal bus crash on the Ella–Wellawaya road that claimed 15 lives, the 1990 Suwa Seriya National Ambulance Service mobilized a coordinated emergency response that officials say helped save multiple lives. The first ambulance was dispatched within minutes of the alert on Sept 4, reaching the crash site near the 24th milepost in just seven minutes, according to the Suwa Seriya Foundation. Six more ambulances were sent from surrounding stations more..

Sep 9 (ST) Former Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of SL (NOCSL) Maxwell de Silva, who was banned for five years from holding any office at the NOCSL, has withdrawn his case before the Court of Appeal challenging his initial suspension from office. De Silva was suspended on January 10, 2025 by the Ministry of Sports over abuse of power and challenged the Minister’s decision before NOCSL banned him in May. De Silva had petitioned more..

Sep 9 (CI) Sri Lanka crashed to their second-lowest T20I total ever, going down for 80 inside 18 overs, as Sikandar Raza, Brad Evans, and Blessing Muzarabani shared eight wickets between them. At no point in their batting innings did SL stage even a mild recovery. There was a 26-run partnership for sixth wicket, but even that appeared laboured, and had multiple close calls. Zimbabwe's top partnership was also worth just 26, more..

Sep 9 (ST) Sri Lanka’s badminton celebrated a landmark day as two of its brightest stars – Ranithma Liyanage and Viren Nettasinghe – achieved career-best postings in the latest update of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) world rankings. Sri Lanka’s top Women’s Singles shuttler, Ranithma Liyanage, climbed 10 places to reach World No. 101, her highest-ever position in the senior rankings. The 18-year-old has also soared to World No. 5 position in the junior rankings, more..

Sep 9 (ST) The much-anticipated ACC T20 Asia Cup 2025 gets underway on Tuesday, bringing together the continent’s best cricketing nations for a fierce battle of supremacy. After a two-year break, the stage is set for fireworks, fresh leadership, and the emergence of new stars in Asia’s premier cricket competition. World T20 champions and defending Asia Cup holders India arrive with a revamped side under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, who succeeded Rohit Sharma as captain in more..

Sep 9 (ST) Today (7), is Binara Full Moon Poya – a very important poya for Buddhists, particularly women. This poya falls between the months of July and October when Upasampada bhikkhus and bhikkhunis (monks and nuns) observe the vassana (rainy season) staying indoors for three months. The most important event that took place on Binara Poya during the life of Gauthama Buddha was the ordination of women as bhikkhunis. It was not easy for women to achieve this status in traditional more..

Sep 7 (Island) It’s quite a conundrum that Kamindu Mendis is leaving us with. Having once again pulled victory out of the fire by marshalling the tail, every man in the SL camp would love to see him bat higher up the order. Mind you, the number four slot in white-ball cricket remains an empty chair, but the fact is not everyone can turn water into wine at number six. Kamindu is doing the job so well that he deserves to stay there, though many will be tempted to push him up the ladder. more..

Sep 9 (EN) Sri Lanka’s credit to private borrowers expanded by 201.5 billion rupees in July, after a record 221 billion growth in June, amid broadly deflationary policy that gave confidence with stable costs, but there have been some inflationary swaps recently. In the seven months to July, Sri Lanka’s banks now disbursed 901.6 billion rupees in credit, compared to 341 billion rupees last year. more..

Sep 7 (ST) Royal College weathered a storm and clung on to the Bradby Shield, sealing the 79th edition of the two-leg contest on an aggregate of 18-13, despite losing the second leg 8-3 to Trinity College at the Royal College Sports Complex in Reid Avenue yesterday. The match was a real arm-wrestle. Trinity drew first blood, hit hard in the opening minutes, and even managed to turn the tables on the home team, who stunned the league champs in the first leg a fortnight ago by 15-5. more..

Sep 7 (GV) Political divisions are not new to SL nor are they unique to our country. History is littered with disputes, breakaways and betrayals, often among those who once marched under the same banner. The left, in particular, has long been characterised by factionalism, ideological feuds and the inability to reconcile competing visions of reform and revolution. From Stalin and Trotsky’s bitter clash after Lenin’s death to the Sino-Soviet split of the 1960s, disputes within the socialist camp more..

Sep 7 (Island) Seldom does a day pass in this country without shooting incidents or fatal accidents making headlines. On Thursday night, a bus toppled down a precipice near the famous Ravana Falls on the Ella-Wellawaya road, killing 15 passengers and injuring about dozen others. Some of the injured were in a critical condition in the Badulla hospital. The ill-fated vehicle was on its way back from Ella to Tangalle, carrying about 30 municipal workers on a pleasure trip. more..

Sep 7 (ST) Tomorrow (8) will be the re-fixed trial date in the long drawn-out case: The UNHRC vs. The Republic of SL. The matter that has been going on forever in Geneva will see an amended resolution, according to the Govt, with an original petitioner (US) withdrawing from the case and a Core Group either press-ganged to join the crusade (Montenegro and Malawi) or guilt-tripping due to domestic political compulsions (UK and Canada). A Govt that has been on a prosecution overdrive more..

Sep 7 (ST) During his 2-day official visit to the North, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake undertook an inspection tour of the uninhabited Kachchativu islet, where Catholic fisherfolk from across the Palk Strait meet once a year in the third week of March to host the annual feast of St Anthony. Presidential visit turned out to be historic, making Prez Dissanayake the first prez to visit the islet since the bilateral and maritime border agreements between more..

Sep 7 (ST) My dear Sajith, I am writing to you as you seem to be facing an unexpected problem these days, just when you thought you could get the telephone party up and running to try and challenge the maalimaawa chaps. I am referring to the problems caused by Uncle Ranil’s recent court appearance, of course. I wouldn’t blame you if you had thought that the Greens as a party were good as dead and with many of the pohottuwa chaps being behind bars or on their way to Welikada, more..

Sep 7 (CT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake made yet another visit to Jaffna last week. With all good intentions, he may be on course to set a record for visiting Jaffna more times than all his predecessors combined. There is no Lyn Ludowyk among us to make a political satire of presidents going to Jaffna, reversing the time honoured old trope he wrote as a play – He Comes from Jaffna! The President’s visit was primarily to launch development projects in the peninsula. more..

Sep 7 (TM) While there are many challenges facing Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his JVP-led NPP Govt, the three most prominent current challenges could be listed as facing the upcoming UNHRC sessions, recording positive progress in the country’s economic recovery programme, and adopting a foreign policy that will support SL’s economic recovery. On the matter of economic recovery, Prez AKD and his Govt more..

Sep 7 (TM) As Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake prepares to mark his first year in office on 23 September, the question dominating both political circles and ordinary conversations is a sobering one: is the NPP Govt losing the plot? What was hailed as a new chapter in SL politics, one that promised a break from the cronyism, corruption, and stagnation of the past, is increasingly looking like it is turning into yet another story of missed opportunities, disorganisation, and disillusionment. more..

Sep 7 (SO) What began as a joyous annual trip to Ella aboard the Galaxy Dream (Sihina Mandakini) turned into a night of horror on Sept 4, the bus carrying employees of the Tangalle Urban Council (UC), plunged 300 metres down a precipice near the 15th milepost on the Ella–Wellawaya road, killing 15 people including children. It was the second major bus tragedy in recent months, following the Gerandiella accident in June which claimed 21 lives. That such mass casualty crashes are more..

Sep 6 (CT) An investigation has been launched to determine how containers of chemicals used in the production of crystal methamphetamine (ice) in SL, reportedly for a facility funded by organised crime leader Mandinu Perera, alias Kehelbaddara Padme, were released from the Port and SL Customs. Reports indicate that the containers were disguised as essential ceramics. On Friday, Western Province North Crime more..

Sep 6 (DM) A SLPP member and his brother have been implicated in the discovery of nearly 50,000 kg of chemicals used in the production of crystal methamphetamine (ice) during a police raid at a property in Middeniya, Thalawa, on Friday (5). The stock had been imported by underworld figure Kehelbaddara Padme, who had earlier rented a house in Nuwara Eliya to manufacture ice with the help of two Pakistani nationals. Raid, carried out by the Western Province North Crimes Division, more..

Sep 6 (CT) Trade unions of the CEB have launched a work-to-rule campaign from midnight on 4 Sept, protesting the proposed restructuring of the CEB. The unions warned that if the Govt fails to meet their demands, they will escalate to a full-scale nationwide strike. The unions have submitted 24 demands to the Ministry of Power and Energy. Among them is a call for every employee to receive by 15 Sept 2025, a formal letter confirming their position, remuneration, workplace and more..

Sep 6 (DM) The govt has delayed the enactment of the proposed piece of legislation for monitoring and supervision of both local and international NGOs despite the availability of a draft worked out during the previous rule. The need for monitoring and supervision of NGOs has been debated for well over a period of two decades because of complaints about unchecked spending and working against national interests of SL. more..

Sep 6 (AD) The President’s Fund has decided to grant compensation of Rs. 1 million each to the families of those who lost their lives in the bus accident that occurred last night (04) on the Ella–Wellawaya main road. A bus, which was carrying a group of Tangalle Urban Council employees and their families returning from a trip, veered off the road near the 24th km post on the Ella–Wellawaya main road at around 9 p.m. last night (04). It first collided with an oncoming SUV vehicle more..

Sep 6 (NW) The National Milad-Un-Nabi commemoration ceremony was held this afternoon (05) under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Masjidul Aroosiya Jumma Mosque premises in the Malay Colony village, Ambalantota. The event was organised by the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, together with the Department of Muslim Religious And Cultural Affairs, to mark the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad. more..