Sep 22 (NW) Minister of Transport Bimal Rathnayake says the govt plans to recruit 450 drivers and 300 conductors to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), including female staff. “Interviews are currently underway, and this includes female recruits as well. Beyond recruitment, we must ensure adequate protection and sanitary facilities for women before deploying them to depots,” he said. The initial plan is to assign female staff to school buses in Colombo district, rolled out in phases. more..

Sep 22 (EN) SL’s bank interest rates have continued to edge up after a rate cut in May 2025, amid a strong economic recovery made possible by the stability provided by the central bank through past deflationary policy as well as stable govt policies. The weighted average new fixed deposit rate fell to 6.62% in May and climbed to 6.85% in June and 6.90% in July. However, banks are now mobilizing 12-month deposits at 7.75% and above to finance strong credit demand & economic recovery. more..

Sep 22 (FT) Sri Lanka must gradually trim its bloated public sector via well-targeted attrition policies focusing on the long term, a recent World Bank report has suggested. The State pays public employees less than private sector peers and less than comparable economies, but employs more of them and should gradually trim or rightsize the public sector, World Bank’s Sri Lanka Public Finance Review said. more..

Sep 22 (TM) CIABOC has decided to launch an investigation into the alleged misuse of officers attached to Ministerial Security Division (MSD). Move comes following a complaint lodged by Citizens Power Against Bribery, Corruption, and Waste (CPABCW) President Kamantha Thushara on 3 Oct 2024. CIABOC has informed him that the matter will be investigated. Thushara said that, as a policy, security is assigned only after a proper assessment of threat levels, more..

Sep 22 (AD) An Extraordinary Gazette notification has been issued by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, declaring all services connected to the supply of electricity as essential public services. Exercising the powers vested in him under Section 2 of the Essential Public Services Act, No. 61 of 1979, the President has taken steps to designate electricity-related services as essential to the life of the community. The order, issued yesterday, states that services provided by any Public Corp, more..

Sep 22 (DM) Russia remains open for cooperation with SL in the development of nuclear energy, but will not impose anything in this regard since it is the sovereign right of the country, Russian Ambassador Levan Dzhagaryan said. In response to a question during an interaction with the press, the Ambassador on Thursday said he is seeking a meeting with the SL Energy Minister to discuss the proposal for the setting up of a nuclear power plant. “The ball is in your court, as I always say,” he said. more..

Sep 22 (DM) Two persons have been arrested following an attack on six German tourists at a tourist hotel in Unawatuna last night. Incident reportedly occurred during a party involving three couples. After the initial altercation, the German tourists had left the hotel on two motorcycles and a three-wheeler. The suspects had pursued the tourists in a car, blocked their path, and attacked them. Victims reported the incident to the Unawatuna Tourist Police, who arrested more..

Sep 22 (FT) UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, making his first public appearance since his arrest and remand, on Saturday urged Opposition parties to form a united front to resist what he described as a looming constitutional dictatorship. He made the appeal at the UNP’s 79th anniversary convention, calling the gathering the beginning of a broad democratic campaign. “Today, we are not talking of the party, we are more..

Sep 22 (ST) Police Chief Priyantha Weerasooriya has instructed his officers to take steps to accurately identify personnel assigned to VIP events in order to thwart attempts by criminals or radical elements to carry out unlawful acts while disguised in security force uniforms. In an internal circular to senior officers this week, the IGP notes that considering current threats to VIP security, it is likely that a criminal or violent radical dressed in a uniform of the tri-forces, SL Police, or other agencies more..

Sep 22 (CT) Trade unions of the CEB announced that they will intensify their ongoing trade union action from midnight yesterday by refraining from participating in procurement processes and tender procedures. This move marks the next step in the unions’ campaign against what they describe as illegal proposals in CEB restructuring process. “We began a work-to-rule campaign from midnight on 4 Sept, demanding solutions to 16 issues, including halting irregular restructuring proposals, more..

Sep 22 (SO) Minister Kumara Jayakody said the Govt is reviewing trade union demands while fully safeguarding the State-sector status and rights of CEB employees. He said that some of the protests appeared to be politically motivated and did not reflect the views of the majority of workers. About 25 of the CEB’s 42 trade unions have launched demonstrations, saying the restructuring would undermine workers’ protections. more..

Sep 22 (FT) Last week, Prez Anura Kumara Disanayake, unveiling SL’s National Cyber Protection Strategy 2025-9, declared open the National Cyber Security Operations Centre or NCSOC, an outfit brought into existence by the work done by SL Computer Emergency Team or CERT and the Ministry of Digital Economy with technical support from the World Bank.1 The objective of this outfit has been to improve the preparedness of state institutions, strengthen the capacity of CERT, protect institutions more..

Sep 22 (FT) To truly understand the story of a nation, one need not look further than the pulse of its stock exchange. It is a living, breathing entity that discounts the future, processes the present, and is invariably haunted by the ghosts of the past. For 16 tumultuous years, the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) has been the most honest narrator of SL’s modern saga—a tale of euphoric triumph, devastating despair and now become the forward barometer of Sri Lanka’s economic rebirth. more..

Sep 22 (DM) A hotel owned by Ms. Ajantha Herath, wife of former North Central Province Governor Maheepala Herath, has been ordered to be demolished after it was found to be illegally constructed within the Perimiyankulama Tank Reserve. The order was issued by Central Nuwaragam Province Divisional Secretary Sudarshana Dissanayake, who confirmed that the buildings, including the hotel and several adjoining structures, occupy a 60-perch plot of protected land. According to authorities, more..

Sep 22 2 (ANI) Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea of actor Jacqueline Fernandez against a Delhi High Court order refusing to quash money laundering proceedings against her in the Rs 200 crore case involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar. Bench gave liberty to Fernandez to approach the court at an appropriate stage. On the request of senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Fernandez, that the observations made by the High Court in the judgment should not influence the trial, more..

Sep 22 2 (TM) A major cyberattack is suspected to be the cause of widespread flight disruptions at several airports in Sri Lanka and Europe yesterday (20). In SL, the Border Control Computer System at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake was down for over two hours yesterday, from approximately 1.45 p.m. to 4.15 p.m. This outage forced airport officials to revert to manual clearance procedures for all arriving and departing passengers. more..

Sep 22 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayaka will undertake an official visit to Japan from 27-30 Sept 2025, at the invitation of the Govt of Japan. Prez is scheduled to have an audience with His Majesty the Emperor of Japan and will hold a summit meeting with the Japanese PM on a wide range of issues of mutual interest. During the visit, President Dissanayaka will address a Business Forum attended by high-level representatives of key Japanese businesses and investors in Tokyo, more..

Sep 22 (EN) India–SL Foundation (ISLF) has approved several new proposals received by the Colombo and New Delhi Secretariats at its 40th meeting held in Colombo recently. “The Board reviewed the progress of ongoing projects and approved several new proposals received by the Colombo and New Delhi Secretariats across diverse sectors including culture, education, health, environment, agriculture, and capacity building,” the High Commission of India, Colombo said in a statement. more..

Sep 22 (CT) Ministry of Transport has issued a comprehensive set of new regulations detailing the exact procedure Police officers must follow when testing drivers suspected of driving under the influence of drugs. The new guidelines, which came into effect on 1 Sept, have been issued under Section 151 of the Motor Traffic Act and are aimed at strengthening road safety and ensuring a standardised approach to dealing with drug-impaired driving. more..

Sep 22 (AD) Colombo High Court has ordered that the case filed by the Attorney General against Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa, and his grandmother, Daisy Forrest, over the alleged unlawful acquisition of assets worth approximately Rs. 73 million, be recalled on October 15. Yoshitha Rajapaksa and his grandmother, Daisy Forrest, who are named as defendants, appeared in court when the case was called. The Court subsequently ordered that the case be taken up on October 15, more..

Sep 22 (DM) The father of Vihanga Tejantha, a 20-year-old killed in the 2019 Easter Sunday bomb attack at Colombo’s Shangri-La Hotel, has called for justice at the 60th session of the UNHRC. Speaking on behalf of the Centre for Society and Religion and Franciscans International, Suraj Nilang urged a thorough, independent and speedy investigation to hold all perpetrators accountable. He also called for full economic, social and psychological support for the victims’ families and the injured. more..

Sep 22 (DM) The ongoing shortage of medicines in the country is the result of procurement delays and not financial difficulties, Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. Minister said procurement processes for importing medicines have already been initiated, and the required stocks are expected to arrive after November. “Some medicines are not available in the private market or in pharmacies. We do not allow registration with unlimited pricing during the drug registration process. more..

Sep 22 (DM) Education Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya assured that the current govt has no intention of reducing religious education or aesthetic subjects in schools. Minister made this remark during a discussion held at the Education Ministry, following inquiries by members of the Buddha Sasana Task Force regarding the contents of the Buddhism textbook under the new syllabus. Responding to concerns, the Director of the Religion and Values Branch explained that under more..

Sep 22 (DM) NPP govt led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has now completed a year into its tenure. It is now at a critical juncture where people watch whether its campaign rhetoric meets delivery on the ground. The NPP was swept into office on a wave of anti-establishment sentiments that arose in the wake of the 2022 economic crisis. People rejected the two key political forces that had called the shots in SL since independence and installed Prez Dissanayake in office more..

Sep 22 (FT) Colombo once again became the focal point of regional tourism dialogue last Friday, as the Connect & Conversations forum of the South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) 2025 returned to the city after six years. The forum, held at Cinnamon Grand Colombo, saw tourism leaders and policymakers from across the region call for a united South Asian approach to position the region as one of the world’s premier travel destinations. SATA Vice President Suraj Khan underscored the forum’s collaborative spirit. more..

Sep 22 (EN) Sri Lanka has seen an increase in traffic fine payments since GovPay, the state digital payment platform, was implemented in the Western Province, an official involved in the initiative has said. “Traffic fine payments via GovPay continue to climb, with yesterday recording the highest volume since the Western Province went live,” Harsha Purasinghe, Board Director of ICTA, said. GovPay lets citizens and businesses make digital payments for govt services more..

Sep 22 (AD) A total of 245 kg of heroin and 380 kg of crystal methamphetamine or commonly known as ‘Ice’ have been recovered from three lorries in Tangalle today. Additionally, five pistols and a T-56 assault rifle have also been seized. Police discovered three lorries that contained a large stock of narcotics, including ‘Ice’ and heroin in Seenimodara, Tangalle, earlier today. The discovery was made this morning, when police found the bodies of two individuals more..

Sep 22 (AD) The process of assigning employees of the CEB to four newly established, fully state-owned companies — established under the implementation of the Sri Lanka Electricity (Amendment) Act — has now officially commenced, the Ministry of Energy stated. Accordingly, a group of employees of the CEB has taken steps to submit letters expressing their willingness to be affiliated with these newly formed institutions, according to a statement from the Energy Ministry. more..

Sep 22 (NW) Sri Lanka has been withdrawn from the Netball World Youth Cup 2025 in Gibraltar after failing to secure visas in time, forcing the team to forfeit all of its group stage matches. World Netball announced Sunday that both Sri Lanka and Zambia had been removed from the tournament due to unresolved matters surrounding their participation. As a result, their scheduled fixtures have been recorded as forfeits, with opponents awarded two points in line with competition rules. more..

Sep 22 (AM) Colombo Additional Magistrate Oshadhi Mahaarachchi today ordered former MP Sajin de Vass Gunawardena to submit in writing, by 16 Dec, any reasons for the non-payment of Rs. 36,975,959 in personal income tax. The case was filed by the Commissioner General of Inland Revenue over allegations that Gunawardena failed to pay income tax due for the years 2010, 2011 & 2012. When the case was called yesterday (21), Gunawardena, who is currently out on bail, was present in court. more..

Sep 22 (DM) A 54-year-old man who had allegedly been posing as a doctor for nearly two decades was arrested in Egoda Uyana last evening. Suspect, a resident of Delduwa, Wadduwa, had been operating a medical centre named Sahana Seva near Sri Thalarukkharama Viharaya. Police said he had been treating patients by fraudulently using the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) registration number belonging to another doctor. Investigations also led to the discovery of a stock of unlicensed medicines at the centre. more..

Sep 22 (AD) Minister Ananda Wijepala has claimed that certain politicians in the Southern Province are allegedly connected to drug trafficking and organized criminal networks. He stated that this information is emerging based on intelligence reports and tips received from the general public. Minister further noted that the criminal underworld and drug networks have expanded as a result of past political culture, but emphasized that the current govt is now more..

Sep 22 (DM) The CID today informed Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga Bodaragama that out of 10,000 gold items believed to have belonged to the LTTE and discovered in camps, illegal banks and buildings in the Northern and Eastern Provinces during the humanitarian operation and thereafter sent to the National Gem and Jewellery Authority on court orders, 6,000 items have now been handed over to the Central Bank of SL. The court had earlier directed the National Gem and Jewellery Authority to examine more..

Sep 22 (CT) Ministry of Digital Economy announced that steps are underway to abolish additional charges imposed on debit and credit card payments. Preliminary discussions have already been held with the Ministry of Finance, Central Bank, and the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) to assess the proposal and its potential financial implications. Talks also focused on developing mechanisms to offset the costs currently passed on to consumers when using cards for transactions. more..

Sep 22 (DM) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised that the Govt will always stand for the country’s energy sovereignty, making it clear that there is no requirement whatsoever to entrust the power sector to private institutions.vHe said that ensuring energy sovereignty is vital for SL’s economic growth, national security and independence. What the Govt seeks is not privatisation but the elimination of inefficiencies within the existing institutional framework, more..

Sep 22 (DM) The police today denied issuing a letter which is being circulated on social media, called Attn: The Alleged Victim dated Sept 20, 2025. The statement said the letter currently circulating on social media, claiming to have been issued under the signature of the IGP, is completely false and has been fabricated. Police said in a statement that the fake document falsely alleges that the IGP has instructed the Bureau for the Investigation of Abuse of Children & Women more..