Sep 16 (NW) Sri Lanka and Thailand underscored the importance of finalizing the Labour Cooperation MOU and the Agreement on the Employment of SL Workers in Thailand, during talks between SL’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath and Thailand’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Sarun Charoensuwan in Bangkok. During the meeting held yesterday, Thai side expressed readiness to welcome SL workers while ensuring their safety, rights, and welfare. more..

Sep 16 (DN) Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake said, he cannot agree to the Railway Union demands to remove the General Manager. The Transport Ministry Secretary held a discussion with railway trade union representatives on Monday (14) but the talks concluded without an agreement to cancel the planned 48-hour strike. They have presented two demands and the immediate removal of the Railways General Manager was one demand among them. more..

Sep 16 (DM) Representatives of KELEER (Hear our Voices), a Forum for Gender-Just Family Law and Legal Practices and the Muslim Women’s Research and Action Forum (MWRAF) met with members of the Caucus of Women Parliamentarians in Parliament on September 10 to raise longstanding concerns affecting women’s access to justice, protection from violence, family law rights and economic security. more..

Sep 16 (NW) Emirates Airlines and Boeing have held preliminary discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) on the potential introduction of Boeing 777-9 aircraft operations to Sri Lanka. Representatives from Boeing and Emirates met Director General of Civil Aviation Capt. Daminda Rambukwella at the CAASL headquarters to discuss the regulatory, airworthiness, airport and operational requirements for introducing the aircraft. The meeting was attended by more..

Sep 16 (DM) The Railway Technological and Operating Service Union has announced that it will join the joint trade union action scheduled for September 17 and 18, while calling for the intervention of the authorities over issues affecting the railway service. In a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Railway Joint Trade Union Alliance, the union expressed support for the proposed trade union action and said it would actively participate in the process. more..

Sep 16 (AD) PM Harini Amarasuriya stated that the new National Youth Policy, being formulated to address the current challenges faced by SL’s youth and fulfil their aspirations for the future, is scheduled to be finalised and implemented by the first quarter of 2027. The PM made these remarks on Sept 16, while addressing the 1st National Research Symposium on Youth Development – NRSYD 2026, jointly organised by Open Uni more..

Sep 16 (FT) Sri Lanka should move beyond its traditional role as a transshipment hub and build a broader logistics ecosystem capable of capturing higher-value activities and attracting foreign investment, A.P. Moller-Maersk Singapore Managing Director Rene Piil Pedersen said. Speaking during a panel discussion at the Colombo International Maritime and Logistics Conference 2026 last week, he said the combination of Colombo’s strategic location and stronger logistics capabilities more..

Sep 16 (PMD) Construction of the new Cardiology Unit building at the District General Hospital, Trincomalee commenced this morning under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, with the aim of providing comprehensive and modern cardiac care services to the people of the Eastern Province at a single location. The project is being implemented at a cost of Rs. 2,403 million with financial assistance from the Govt of Japan through the Japan Int'l Cooperation Agency (JICA), more..

Sep 16 (AM) Attorney-at-Law Manoj Gamage has denied allegations that former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa misappropriated State or public funds through the Siriliya Saviya Foundation, claiming that all money collected by the organisation remains untouched in its bank account. Responding to allegations raised by govt politicians, Gamage said the Siriliya Saviya Foundation had initially collected funds to purchase a PET scanner for children receiving cancer treatment. more..

Sep 16 (FT) Vidullanka PLC yesterday said it has subscribed to 1,000,000 ordinary shares in Vidul Biomass II Ltd., for a total consideration of Rs. 100 million, representing the first equity infusion toward its 6.6 MW Medawachchiya Dendro Power Project. Vidul Biomass II is the project company undertaking to build, own and operate the proposed greenfield plant in Medawachchiya, Anuradhapura District, with an installed capacity of 6.6 MW gross and 5 MW net. The facility will be the Group’s second more..

Sep 16 (PMD) Construction work on the Accident and Emergency Unit at the Mannar District General Hospital commenced this morning under the patronage of the Prez. Accident and Emergency Unit, which is being constructed at a cost of Rs. 600 million with a grant from the Govt of India, will be equipped with all modern facilities and will further expand healthcare services for the people of Mannar. Construction is scheduled more..

Sep 16 (DM) Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena today issued warrants for the arrest of former cricketer Aravinda de Silva and his wife, Priyanga Anushka Wijenayake. The order was made when the case relating to the Airbus transactions involving Kapila Chandrasena and his wife was taken up before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court this morning. Kapila Chandrasena, who had been named as a suspect in connection with the incident, is now deceased. more..

Sep 16 (AM) NPP MP Samanmalee Gunasinghe has called for discussions with the management of Lyceum International School in Nugegoda to address severe traffic congestion during morning and school closing hours. She made the remarks during a discussion held at the Colombo District Secretariat. Gunasinghe said traffic congestion at both the Kohuwala and Nugegoda junctions had also been discussed at the Kohuwala Coordinating Committee meeting. more..

Sep 16 (TM) SJB yesterday called on Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and NPP Govt to take a decision on Speaker Dr Jagath Wickramaratne over corruption-related allegations and an ongoing investigation by the CIABOC. SJB General Secretary and MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara said that it is totally inappropriate for Dr Wickramaratne to continue holding the post in the face of allegations and complaints made against him. more..

Sep 16 (NW) A 20‑member delegation of dairy farmers from SL has completed a specialised Training and Capacity‑Building Programme in India, held from August 16–23, 2026, under India’s ongoing bilateral cooperation initiative. The programme, conducted by the Govt of India at the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in Anand, Gujarat, was organised following the commitment made by Indian PM Narendra Modi during his April 2025 visit to SL, to offer 700 customised training slots annually more..

Sep 16 (DM) BBS General Secretary Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera, who appeared before the Colombo High Court today, said he would surrender to the court and abide by the law, insisting that he would not flee following the Supreme Court decision to annul the presidential pardon granted to him in 2019. Speaking to journalists outside the court, Gnanasara Thera said reports on social media and some credible media outlets had claimed that he had gone missing following SC ruling. more..

Sep 16 (DM) Positive talks between Indian PM Narendra Modi and Chinese Prez Xi Jinping during the BRICS summit could make a positive symbolic gesture to ease concerns surrounding the Colombo Port City and create a more favourable environment to attract Indian investment, according to CHEC Port City Colombo Deputy Managing Director, Thulci Aluwihare. Aluwihare, said the meeting was symbolic somewhat, but added that the Chinese President’s visit to India was an indication that more..

Sep 16 (NW) Two branches of a prominent supermarket chain have been fined a combined Rs. 400,000 by the Panadura Magistrate’s Court in separate cases relating to selling goods above the marked price, altering original price markings, and offering expired beverages for sale. The cases were filed by officers of the Consumer Affairs Authority’s (CAA) Kalutara District Office against outlets in Bandaragama and Matugama, both operated under J.K. Marketing Services (Pvt) Ltd. more..

Sep 16 (NW) Turkish Airlines has agreed to take necessary steps to promptly compensate for the damage caused to the sports equipment of world javelin champion Rumesh Tharanga, during a discussion held with Deputy Minister Janitha Kodithuwakku yesterday (15). At the meeting, Turkish Airlines representatives expressed their regret over the incident, assuring that institutional investigations will be carried out more..

Sep 16 (DM) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa clarified remarks by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake that drew criticism from the Opposition, saying the Prez was referring to reducing unnecessary visits to tertiary hospitals for primary healthcare needs. Minister said congestion at outpatient departments (OPDs) and clinics at National and Base Hospitals had reached unbearable levels, with people seeking treatment for conditions that could be managed at primary healthcare facilities. more..

Sep 16 (TM) China is prepared to share advanced agricultural technology with SL, including hybrid rice varieties that can be cultivated even under saline conditions, Chinese Ambassador in Colombo Wei Huaxiang has said. He made the remarks during a meeting with Minister, K D Lal Kantha on Monday, where discussions focused on strengthening technological cooperation in SL’s agricultural sector. China has developed advanced hybrid rice varieties capable of growing in saline conditions, more..

Sep 16 (TM) People’s Power Against Bribery, Corruption & Waste (PPABCW) organisation has submitted a policy proposal to the Prez, Justice Minister and other relevant authorities calling for a comprehensive legal framework to regulate legal fees, improve fee transparency and strengthen protections for clients using legal services. Proposal, titled Regulating Legal Fees and Protecting Clients: A Framework for more..

Sep 16 (DM) MP Namal Rajapaksa, who was named as a suspect and produced before court by the CID in connection with alleged financial irregularities and money laundering linked to the purchase of Airbus aircraft for SriLankan Airlines, was ordered to be remanded until Sept 23 by Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena today. After considering all submissions, the Magistrate said the order on the bail application would be made on Sept 23 and ordered that the suspect be remanded in custody until then. more..

Sep 16 (AD) Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa has been directed to appear before the FCID on Sept 24 to provide a statement regarding the Siriliya Saviya account, police have clarified. Police said FCID has resumed investigations into the account and that a notice was issued requesting her presence on Sept 24. The notice was initially delivered to her residence, Carlton House in Tangalle. However, she was reportedly receiving treatment at a hospital more..

Sep 16 (FT) The LTTE was a terrorist organisation and should never be romanticised. But defeating terrorism did not remove the state’s obligation to uphold the law; SL’s unfinished task is to make accountability ordinary, reconciliation credible and human rights universal. When violence tore through Negombo prison in July, at least 28 people were killed, including at least seven prison officials, and more than 100 were injured. Hundreds of inmates were transferred; two later died in custody, more..

Sep 16 (FT) This piece intentionally refrains from delving into the granular figures of human casualties, collateral damage, missing persons, or disappearances. Ample space, documentation, and debate have already been dedicated to the human dimension of the conflict at every UNHRC session since 2009. At this juncture, repeating or debating unverified casualty metrics serves little analytical purpose. Nor does this article intend to shed light on specific past investigative reports compiled by more..

Sep 16 (NW) CID has told the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court that investigations have uncovered information suggesting that sections of SL’s military and state intelligence apparatus had prior information relating to the Easter Sunday attacks but failed to share it with other security agencies. The claims were made as the case involving former State Intelligence Service Director Suresh Sallay and other suspects linked to more..

Sep 16 (NW) Turkish Airlines is facing a wave of criticism from Sri Lankans on social media after several javelins belonging to Sri Lankan athletics star Rumesh Tharanga were damaged during his return journey from Hungary. The airline’s social media pages have been flooded with negative comments from Sri Lankan users, with many demanding an explanation and compensation for the damage caused to the equipment of one of the country’s leading athletes. more..

Sep 16 (FT) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has questioned how the President became aware of a confidential Supreme Court ruling on the 22nd Constitutional Amendment, warning that such knowledge undermines judicial independence and poses a threat to democracy. Addressing a meeting with SJB provincial councillors and seat organisers from the Kalutara, Gampaha and Colombo districts, Premadasa said the 22nd Amendment must be read together with the Judicature Act. more..

Sep 16 (FT) SL’s economic growth eased to 4.2% in the second quarter of 2026, slowing from the 5.1% expansion recorded in the first quarter, Dept of Census and Statistics (DCS) said. This is the lowest quarterly growth rate since 2024. Real GDP at constant (2015) prices rose to Rs. 3,029,816 million in 2Q 2026, up from Rs. 2,908,570 million in the corresponding quarter of 2025. Nominal GDP increased 11.3% year-on-year, more..

Sep 16 (NW) The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has reminded taxpayers that the deadline for the final payment of income tax for the Year of Assessment 2025/2026 is September 30, 2026. In a notice to taxpayers, the department urged individuals and businesses liable for income tax to make their payments on or before the deadline to avoid penalties and interest. The notice applies to Corporate Income Tax (CIT), Individual Income Tax (IIT) and Partnership Income Tax (PIT). more..

Sep 16 (TM) Govt Analyst’s (GA) Department has received a range of modern forensic testing equipment aimed at further strengthening its deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing capacity and expediting the analysis of biological evidence. The equipment, provided with the assistance of the UNDP, was officially handed over yesterday at the premises of the Dept in Battaramulla. The equipment includes a Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) machine, a PCR system more..