Sep 21 (AD) SLC’s Major Tier ‘A’ club structure is set for a major overhaul, with the Cricket Transformation Committee deciding to reduce the number of clubs in the top domestic tier from 14 to 10 over the next two years. The move is among the key measures announced by the Cricket Transformation Committee (CTC), appointed by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs on Apr 29, 2026, as part of a broader programme to reform the administration & development of SL cricket. more..

Sep 21 (NW) Irrigation Dept reports that significant rainfall has been recorded across much of the wet zone, including the districts of Galle, Matara, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya & Matale districts and the Western, North Western, and Sabaragamuwa Provinces. Director of Irrigation, L.S. Sooriyabandara said that although rainfall has slightly reduced compared to previous days, showers continue. He further said that as of this morning, the upper areas of the Kelani River received between 100 mm and 125 mm of rain, more..

Sep 21 (DM) The govt is examining legal options to allow private fuel distributors to set their own prices within a specified upper and lower range, Minister Anura Karunathilaka said. He said the move is being considered as several private fuel distribution companies have raised concerns over heavy losses under the existing pricing structure, leading to restrictions on diesel supplies. Three private fuel companies in SL—Lanka IOC (LIOC), Sinopec, and RM Parks—have restricted diesel distribution more..

Sep 21 (DM) In response to a query about Sri Lanka seeking defence cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Russian Ambassador Levan Dzhagaryan said that it was Sri Lanka's bilateral issue, and Russia, unlike Western countries, does not put pressure. Asked whether Russia is concerned about Sri Lanka's engagement with NATO, the Ambassador told Daily Mirror, " No, it’s you bilateral issue. Unlike Western countries, we don’t put pressure." more..

Sep 21 (NW) The 13th newly built post office under the current govt was officially opened to the public in Kaithady, Jaffna, marking another step in the ongoing postal modernization programme. Constructed at a cost of 28 million rupees, Kaithady Post Office was declared open under the patronage of Minister of Nalinda Jayatissa. The facility, equipped with modern amenities, was built using allocations from the 2025 Budget, which earmarked 600 million rupees for new post office buildings more..

Sep 21 (TM) Three former Directors General (DGs) of Archaeology have written to the Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs over the replacement of the casket in which the Sacred Tooth Relic had been kept, claiming that the removal of the historic casket and its replacement with a new casket is in complete violation of the Antiquities Ordinance and related legislation. The letter, signed by former Archaeology DGs Prof Senarath Dissanayake more..

Sep 21 (FT) SL’s spices industry must move beyond traditional commodity exports and harness artificial intelligence (AI), traceability, branding, and value addition to capture premium global markets, Int'l Finance Corporation (IFC) Operations Officer for SL Rukshila Gooneratne said. Addressing the 42nd AGM of the Spice and Allied Products Producers’ and Traders’ Association (SAPPTA) last Friday, she said the sector was at a critical juncture as SL targets $ 36 billion more..

Sep 21 (EN) Two groups from SL’s Parliament visited China and South Africa last week for a traditional medicine forum and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference. The team participating in the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Forum on Traditional Medicine in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China were Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne, Deputy Minister of Health Hansaka Wijemuni, and Managing Director of the SL Ayurveda Drug Corporation Marasinghege Jayalal. more..

Sep 21 (TM) Sri Lanka is seeking to strengthen its spice and export-agriculture sector by connecting farmers and entrepreneurs to engage directly with foreign markets, while developing region-based export crop hubs, Minister K D Lal Kantha said at the SL Spice Expo 2026 held recently in Kandy. Addressing the event, Lal Kantha said Dept of Export Agriculture is working to bring farmers and entrepreneurs together to strengthen more..

Sep 21 (Island) Three Thai nationals were arrested at the BIA in Katunayake yesterday for allegedly attempting to smuggle Kush and hashish into the country after arriving from Bangkok. The arrests were made in two separate operations conducted by officers of the Police Narcotics Bureau at the airport’s arrival terminal yesterday morning. In the first operation, a 38-year-old Thai woman was arrested with 3.2 kilos of Kush and 1.8 kilos of hashish. more..

Sep 21 (NW) Minister of Sport Sunil Kumara Gamage has acknowledged that some of SL’s current cricketers are not meeting the required standards, stressing that the long‑standing problems in the sport must be addressed from the grassroots level. Responding to questions from reporters, the Minister said that appointing strong committees or implementing sound plans alone will not revive cricket unless the country produces quality players. “Without good cricketers we cannot take the sport forward. more..

Sep 21 (FT) Ceylon Chamber of Shipping (CCS), established to provide a unified platform and collective voice for SL’s maritime and shipping industry, was officially launched on 9 Sept, at the Colombo International Maritime Conference held at the Radisson Blu, Colombo. The official unveiling of the Chamber’s website was carried out by US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Chairman Laura DiBella, Commissioner Robert J. Harvey, and the Governor of the Western Province Hanif Yusoof more..

Sep 21 (Island) PM Harini Amarasuriya stated that having a disability or other special needs should never be a barrier to a child’s future, and that the Govt is committed to building an inclusive society where everyone has equal opportunities without barriers, while giving due recognition to the true abilities and talents of every child. PM made these remarks at a ceremony held at Temple Trees on Sunday to recognise Girl Guides who received the Blue All Round Cord, more..

Sep 21 (Island) The govt’s position on the abolition of the Executive Presidency and the future of the Provincial Council system will be set out in a new Constitution, NPP General Secretary Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe has said. Abeysinghe made the remarks when a delegation from the CaFFE met him at the NPP headquarters in Pelawatte on Friday evening. Former NPP General Secretary and MP Laxman Nipunarachchi also participated in the discussion. more..

Sep 21 (NF) Former MP Wimal Weerawansa appeared before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today in connection with a long-running case filed over a protest held outside the UN office in Colombo in 2016. Weerawansa appeared before court shortly after a warrant was issued due to his failure to be present when the case was initially called. The case, filed against Weerawansa and five others, was taken up before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama for the recording of further evidence. more..

Sep 21 (NW) Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has launched the first phase of distributing exercise equipment sets worth over Rs. 65 million to 500 schools island‑wide, under the School Cricket Development Programme. The initiative is aimed at raising the standard of school cricket while improving students’ physical fitness. The programme, which began with allocations from the 2024 Budget, is being implemented jointly by the Presidential Secretariat, Ministry of Education, more..

Sep 21 (AD) Around 43% of young Sri Lankans with postsecondary education are unemployed, according to data presented by the IMF, highlighting a serious mismatch between educational qualifications and employment opportunities. Figure places SL at the highest end of the comparison on youth unemployment among those with advanced education. Data highlight the particularly difficult transition from education to employment facing young people in SL and other South Asian economies. more..

Sep 21 (AD) A low-pressure area over the Andaman Sea region of the Bay of Bengal, northeast of SL is expected to intensify into a depression within the next 24 hours, according to the Dept of Meteorology. Although the system is not expected to have a direct impact on SL, its associated wind flow is expected to maintain rainy conditions, particularly across the southwestern parts of the island. Met. Dept forecasts showers or thundershowers at times tomorrow (22), in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, more..

Sep 21 (NW) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has announced that the government will take steps to make a formal written diplomatic appeal to the King of Saudi Arabia seeking a pardon for SL national Anojan Sivarasa, who has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia. Prez made the announcement following a meeting with Sivarasa’s parents in Colombo. During the meeting, Prez assured the family that the govt was making every possible effort to secure a pardon for their son. more..

Sep 21 (FT) With revenue collection sitting at over 60% at the end of the H1 of 2026, the Govt looks well set to achieve its estimate of Rs. 5.3 trillion in revenue for the year. Two strong years of earnings will bolster the Govt’s economic position, and it must consolidate this position during the upcoming Budget. With various exigencies disrupting the global order of business the Govt must toe a careful line. The ideal state-of-play for Budget 2027 seems to be to maintain status quo. more..

Sep 21 (FT) Recently, when asked for his view on AI-generated songs compared with songs performed by human singers, a colleague with close links to music responded as follows: "The difference between AI songs and songs sung by humans is clear. AI does not worry about whether the lyrics can truly be sung. It sings mechanically, whereas a human vocalist sings with feeling, blending the voice with the tone and message of the song. A composer or melody writer may reject certain lines, more..

Sep 21 (NW) The Ministry of Energy has directed Electricity Distribution Lanka (Pvt) Ltd to discontinue the Net Metering and Net Accounting schemes for new rooftop solar connections and extensions of existing agreements, requiring them to operate exclusively under the Net Plus scheme. The directive is contained in a letter dated Sept 11, signed by Acting Energy Ministry Secretary G.M.R.D. Aponsu and addressed more..

Sep 21 (Island) A group of estate-sector youth staged a silent protest in Hatton yesterday, calling for the release of a SL national who has reportedly been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia. Protest, held at the Malliappu Junction, was organised by the Federation of Hindu Organisations, SL. The protesters called for clemency for Anojan Sivarasa, a Sri Lankan working in Saudi Arabia, who has reportedly been sentenced to death over a social media comment relating to an incident more..

Sep 21 (FT) Heavy rainfall exceeding 100 mm, thundershowers and strong winds are expected in several parts of the country until tomorrow, the Met Dept said yesterday. Issuing its general weather forecast at 4 p.m. on 20 Sept, Dept said a low-pressure area had formed over the Bay of Bengal, northeast of SL in the vicinity of the Andaman region. Although the system was not expected to have a direct impact on SL, rainy conditions in the southwestern parts of the island were more..

Sep 21 (Island) Heavy rainfall across the Central Highlands has triggered flood and landslide warnings, with the Mahaweli Ganga reaching spill level in Nawalapitiya and several roads and low-lying areas already affected. The Kandy District Disaster Management Unit has urged residents living along the Mahaweli River in Nawalapitiya, Gampola, Gelioya and Peradeniya to remain on high alert as heavy rain continues on the western slopes more..

Sep 21 (NW) Minister Anura Karunathilaka says restrictions imposed on adding electricity from rooftop solar systems to the national grid could be eased in the future with the introduction of battery energy storage systems. Restrictions had been introduced because solar power generation during daytime hours had at times exceeded electricity demand. He said new Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) would allow excess solar power generated during the day to be stored, more..

Sep 21 (AD) Fair enforcement of the law is essential to building public confidence in state institutions, Minister Harshana Nanayakkara has stressed. Addressing the passing-out ceremony of 265 trainee second-grade jailers and prison officers recruited to the Dept of Prisons, the Justice Minister said the law must apply equally to everyone, regardless of their position or political influence. “The law is the same for everyone — those in power, politicians, public officials and ordinary citizens,” more..

Sep 21 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for public mobilisation against the proposed 22nd Amendment, saying the govt’s two-thirds parliamentary majority should not prevent people from opposing the legislation. Speaking at an SJB meeting in Ibbagamuwa, Kurunegala, Premadasa said the amendment is scheduled to be debated in Parliament on Sept. 24 and 25. Current reporting confirms the two-day debate is scheduled for those dates. more..

Sep 21 (Island) National Building Research Institute (NBRI) has issued a Level 3 (Red) landslide early warning for several areas in the Kandy, Kegalle & Nuwara Eliya districts amidst continuing heavy rainfall. The warning, issued at 2 p.m. yesterday, will remain in effect until 2 p.m. today. In Kandy District, the red alert covers the Pasbage Korale DS Division and surrounding areas. In Kegalle District, red-level warnings have been issued for the Dehiowita, Aranayake, Deraniyagala, Mawanella and more..

Sep 21 (SO) Investigations into former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa over the murder of Wasim Thajudeen and several alleged financial crimes have reached a crucial stage. Shiranthi is expected to give a statement to investigators next week. She was summoned to the FCID on Sept 24 over alleged financial irregularities involving an account maintained by the Siriliya Saviya Foundation, which she headed. more..

Sep 21 (TM) Govt has addressed three key concerns raised by the FUTA, according to Deputy Education Minister Madhura Seneviratne. Seneviratne said FUTA had been informed of the steps taken by the Govt to address the concerns. “The first one is the period of the academic year of a student being extended within the university. We have now reached out to the universities and discussed the issues related to delays, whether they are academic, non-academic, or related to more..

Sep 21 (Island) When SL’s athletics contingent lines up in Nagoya later this week champion thrower Rumesh Tharanga will carry the nation’s hopes as the track and field team vie to better the records of the last edition. ‎The presence of the world number one ranked javelin thrower in their team is the biggest positive as the team try to fill the vacume created by the absence of Tharushi Karunaratne, the 800m runner who delivered the country’s first track and field gold in 21 years at Hangzhou 2022. more..