Sep 10 (AD) Former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe today expressed deep concern over the situation in Kathmandu, Nepal, condemning the recent violence and calling for the restoration of peace and stability in the country. “First of all, I condemn all kinds of killings, including those of the youth that has occurred in Nepal. Similarly, the burning of the former PM’s house and the killing of the former PM’s wife is an extremely sad situation. I express my condolences over that murder,” more..

Sep 10 (TM) AC Milan’s partnership with the Colombo Athletic and Football Academy (CAFA), gathers more traction as it announced the much anticipated second instalment of their academy camp in SL, marking the third significant youth football exposure program delivered in just nine months. This remarkable frequency of world-class training opportunities demonstrates that these initiatives are far from one-off events. Instead, they represent a structured, long-term more..

Sep 10 (AP) The swelling wave of public anger first swept through the island nation of SL in 2022 and ousted the president. Two years later, it erupted in Bangladesh as protesters toppled the ruling govt. On Monday public fury exploded in Nepal, forcing its prime minister to resign a day after. Each protest movement began with a specific grievance that flared up, ending in the rejection of the govt or its leaders. In many ways, more..

Sep 10 (CT) Mano Ganesan, TPA leader and MP, has criticised the current Govt for neglecting the rights of the upcountry Tamil community. He claimed that in the year since coming to power, NPP Govt has attempted to undermine the rights of the Malayaga people. Ganesan specifically highlighted the proposed shutdown of the New Villages Development Authority for the Plantation Region (NEVIDA), urging the Govt not to proceed with the move. He noted that he has written to more..

Sep 10 (AD) SriLankan Airlines announced that all flights to Nepal have been temporarily suspended until further notice. Most airlines, including Indian carriers, have suspended flights after Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu was forced to shut down on Tuesday afternoon amid escalating violence in the country, grounding hundreds of passengers and cancelling multiple services. Indian media reported that as the day progressed and the situation worsened, more..

Sep 10 (DM) SL must focus on smarter spending and fairer revenue collection to sustain its economic gains, the World Bank cautioned in a report published yesterday, as the country seeks to consolidate one of the sharpest fiscal adjustments in its history. The report, SL Public Finance Review: Towards a Balanced Fiscal Adjustment, noted that over the past three years, fiscal consolidation equivalent to nearly 8% of GDP more..

Sep 10 (DN) MAS Holdings recently hosted a delegation from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) at the MAS Fabric Park in Thulhiriya as part of ADB’s efforts to support the private sector through meaningful partnerships and investment. The visit offered the ADB team an opportunity to experience MAS’ operations firsthand and gain insights into the company’s commitment to manufacturing excellence and sustainable business practices. “Partnerships with leading private sector companies more..

Sep 10 (AD) The Speaker of Parliament Jagath Wickramaratne today informed the House that the No-Confidence motion submitted by the Opposition against Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekera is not in order and cannot be accepted in its present form. Speaker stated that the motion was carefully considered in light of the provisions of the Constitution, the Standing Orders of Parliament, and established parliamentary practices and presedence. “I also studied the traditions and more..

Sep 11 (SO) “Don’t worry, I will control the situation”, former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe told reporters and supporters as he arrived at court in a van full of lawyers and legal aides on Aug 22. Hours later, local news was flooded with photographs of Wickremesinghe in handcuffs, being escorted by uniformed police officers, and of his silhouette behind the grills of a prison bus. This marks the first time a former Prez has been arrested since SL introduced the office of Exec. Prez in 1978. more..

Sep 11 (TM) Sri Lankans watching the prevailing situation in Katmandu, Nepal would have breathed a sigh of relief, with the sobering thought of OMG! That could have been us!. Many Lankans would have patted themselves in the back for what was a more orderly change of govt and a more restrained use of law and order during SL’s recent upheaval. Had SL law enforcement agencies and the defence establishment acted with less restraint, the outcome for Colombo could have been much worse. more..

Sep 11 (CT) Govt allocated LKR 479 billion for Health in its 2025 Budget. Although a definitive figure cannot yet be provided for 2025, SL’s public health expenditure was between 1.5 and 1.6% of GDP during the period from 2018 to 2021. Following an actual 14% increase in budgetary allocations for health in 2024, the precise proportion of GDP spent on public healthcare this year can only be determined at the end of the fiscal year. more..

Sep 11 (GV) Every 45 seconds someone in the world takes their own life. Suicide claims over 700,000 lives annually cutting across borders, classes and communities. It is one of the leading causes of death among young people aged 15-29 and no country is untouched by its toll. According to the WHO, more than 77% of suicides occur in low and middle income countries but the shadow of suicide haunts even the world’s most developed nations. In Asia, suicide accounts for more..

Sep 11 (DM) Deadly protests in Nepal have so far claimed the lives of at least 19 protesters. What began as an outrage towards a govt-imposed ban on at least 26 social media platforms has dragged the country towards a state of anarchy. On Sept. 29, 2024, the Nepali Supreme Court ordered all social-media platforms in Nepal to register before operating so that authorities could monitor undesirable content, with the text of the court verdict made public in Aug 2025. more..

Sep 11 (TM) The Ministry of Defence has said that approximately 26,000 firearm licences have been issued across SL under various categories, including around 1,800 licences for personal protection. The 26,000 licences include firearms for private law enforcement, sports, and crop protection/pest control, according to the Ministry of Defence. These figures were provided by Ministry of Defence Spokesperson more..

Sep 11 (CT) The shocking scenes unfolding in Kathmandu this week have alarmed the world. With 22 dead, Parliament in flames, prisons breached, and a nation teetering on constitutional collapse, Nepal’s turmoil is a stark reminder of how quickly democratic institutions can unravel. PM Sharma Oli’s resignation came too late. A sudden, poorly handled ban on social media sparked initially peaceful protests that turned violent after Police opened fire on demonstrators, killing 19 on Monday. more..

Sep 11 (ST) I watched with relish, from the kitchen window, just as Aldoris, the choon-paan karaya, stopped at the gate. I was hankering for a ‘maalu paan’ and this time Aldoris was singing a different tune – meaning playing a new song on his battered loudspeaker. It was the newest creation by the legendary Gypsies and the song – Kasade (marriage) – with its catchy tune has become another hit for the band. Tune in to youtube.com/watch?v=BRcVnNUVLXQ to more..

Sep 11 (DM) Nepal is unique among South Asian nations. Alongside Tiny Bhutan, landlocked Nepal was never fully colonised by the British, and its distinguished Gurkha soldiers were first hired by the British military as far back as 1815. Though poor (Per capita income USD 1,447) Nepal has room (147, 181 sq. km) for its 29.6 million people. Despite the poverty, the country looks blessed -- Nagarkot, a popular tourist spot in Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley, offers a stunning view of the Himalayas. more..

Sep 11 (Island) Nepal will be really lucky if it can arrest its rapid descent into anarchy, with the military struggling to bring order out of chaos. It has become rudderless without a govt, and the so-called Gen Z uprising has led to arson attacks on Parliament, the Supreme Court, iconic edifices and the houses of political leaders. About 20 people have been killed during protests. A former PM’s wife was burnt alive inside her house; she succumbed to her injuries in hospital. more..

Sep 11 (FT) SL’s much-publicised target of welcoming 3 million tourists in 2025 is slipping out of reach, with the Govt now conceding that actual arrivals will likely fall short by at least half a million. Deputy Minister Ruwan Ranasinghe said the country will not reach its ambitious target of 3 million arrivals, but will not downsize its target. “Realistically, we will not reach the 3 million target this year, but we will not downgrade our target. more..

Sep 11 (FT) Colombo will host a timely and high-level discussion this week on the latest reforms to the German Supply Chain Act (Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz – LkSG) and their intersection with the EU GSP+ program and the upcoming EU Supply Chain Law. The session, led by Löning – Human Rights and Responsible Business Founder and Managing Director and former German Human Rights Commissioner Markus Löning, will take place on 12 Sept at Cinnamon Grand. more..

Sep 11 (FT) Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) successfully hosted an exclusive networking lunch in Colombo, bringing together its Strategic Partners and key Govt stakeholders to foster dialogue, collaboration, and future partnerships within SL. Networking lunch served as a platform for Strategic Partners of CWEIC to engage directly with Govt and private sector representatives, exchange insights on emerging opportunities, and strengthen ties more..

Sep 11 (FT) The 11th Annual Cyber Security Summit, Sri Lanka’s premier cyber security event, has announced South Asian Technologies (SAT) as its Platinum Partner for the 2025 edition. Scheduled for 18 Sept at the Cinnamon Grand, Colombo, the Summit arrives at a critical juncture. In an era defined by rapid digital transformation and sophisticated AI-driven cyber threats, the need for robust, collaborative security measures has never been more urgent. more..

Sep 11 (AD) SL Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) has announced that Sri Lankans can now apply online for employment opportunities under the fourth phase of the renovation sub-sector within Israel’s construction industry. Interested candidates can register via the official SLBFE website: www.slbfe.lk. The online application link will remain open until Sept 14. Accordingly, construction workers (electrical panel installation, plastering, painting, partitions), ceramic tile layers and plasterers more..

Sep 11 (FT) The global leader in technology solutions for the air transportation industry, SITA, commended the progress at the BIA amidst challenges and stressed for continuous investment in digital transformation to better manage the envisaged uptick in future traffic. It acknowledged that SL authorities have implemented several recommendations made in a special SITA study on how to improve passenger more..

Sep 11 (FT) The Finnovation Lab, held on 2 Sept, marked a significant milestone in Sri Lanka’s journey to become a regional hub for financial technology innovation. Organised by the Sri Lanka FinTech Summit with support from leading industry players, universities, and govt stakeholders, the initiative provided a platform for collaboration, innovation, and knowledge exchange in the country’s rapidly growing FinTech ecosystem. As SL’s digital economy gathers momentum, there remains a critical gap more..

Sep 11 (DN) Royal College Colombo and St. Sebastian’s College Moratuwa were declared joint champions after their final ended with both teams tied on first-innings scores. The tournament, the U-19 Division One Tier A Two-Day Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2024/25, was conducted by the SL Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) and sponsored by SLC. The final concluded yesterday at the P. Sara Oval. St. Sebastian’s, winning the toss, sent Royal in and bowled them out for 201 more..

Sep 11 (ST) Dept for Registration of Persons (DRP) has raised concerns regarding SL’s proposed unique digital identity project (SL-UDI)—including that full delivery, maintenance and integration responsibility lies with a master system integrator (MSI), which is a foreign party. India’s National Institute for Smart Govt (NISG) recently invited bids from Indian companies to appoint an MSI—a contractor—for the development, more..

Sep 11 (DN) Ayomal Akalanka of Ambagamuwa Central College lit up the track again by setting a new meet record in the Under-20 Boys’ 400m final at the 93rd Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletics Championship at Diyagama yesterday. Akalanka clocked a stunning 46.59 seconds to win gold, smashing the old mark and adding another title to his name. It was his second record of the meet, after he had already rewritten the 400m Hurdles record on Day Two, his pet event. more..

Sep 11 (NW) Police have launched a manhunt for a driver who fled the scene after fatally striking a pedestrian on Saranankara Road in Kohuwala on Tuesday night, authorities said. The victim, a 59-year-old man from Kokila Mawatha in Wellawatte, sustained critical injuries in the collision and was pronounced dead after being admitted to the Kalubowila Hospital. The suspect driver remains at large, and Kohuwala Police are conducting further investigations. more..

Sep 11 (DN) Nuyara Fernando of Lyceum Int'l School, Nugegoda, has achieved what no other SL teenager has done in gymnastics. She has not only become the youngest national champion but also emerged among the top 24 gymnasts in Asia, sending a powerful signal that Sri Lanka may have found its future Olympic star. At the recently concluded Senior and Junior Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships in South Korea, Fernando was the only SL competitor in more..

Sep 11 (TM) Sri Lanka is projected to regain its 2018 real GDP level by 2026, while a higher growth rate of 5% is expected to bring poverty levels to pre-crisis levels by 2031 and reduce primary surplus to under 1.5% sufficient to meet debt targets, World Bank said. WB said that sustaining higher economic growth could ease the burden on fiscal adjustment to achieve debt targets. “The 5% growth in 2024 stems from a low base, and Sri Lanka is projected to regain its 2018 real GDP level only by 2026. more..

Sep 11 (TM) In the wake of the Ministry of Public Security stating that it is not practical to frequently rotate or assign different Police officers to the Chemmani mass grave site in Jaffna, Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL) stated that the credibility of the process cannot be ensured by deploying officers from nearby Police stations. HRCSL Commissioner Nimal G. Punchihewa said that credibility of the related investigation more..

Sep 11 (DN) A fire erupted in a crude oil storage tank undergoing repairs at the Sapugaskanda Refinery yesterday. At the time of the incident, the tank was empty. However, officials believe the blaze was ignited by residue that had settled at the bottom of the tank. Both the refinery’s internal fire units and fire engines from the Fire Brigade were deployed to contain the flames. Firefighting teams from Gampaha and the Biyagama FTZ were also dispatched to prevent the fire from more..

Sep 11 (NW) Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala, said he is ready to respond to the legal notice from MP Namal Rajapaksa demanding Rs. 1 billion in compensation, citing defamation. Speaking in Parliament, Deputy Minister said that although he has not yet received the notice, MP Namal Rajapaksa must file a case within 14 days. He added that he welcomes the opportunity to cross-examine the MP in court. “Since he has not practiced law in court, he may not be familiar with this. more..