Sep 5 (NW) SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa was arrested following an investigation that included an affidavit from businessman Nimal Perera alleging that he handed Rajapaksa Rs. 100 million linked to funds received in connection with the controversial SriLankan Airlines Airbus deal, the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court was told. Nimal Perera is a prominent SL businessman and investor whose name has surfaced in several more..

Sep 5 (DM) Mohamed Hisham Jamaldeen, the son of former Western Province Governor and former Colombo Mayor A.J.M. Muzammil was arrested at the BIA on Wednesday. Jamaldeen, 47, was arrested by Immigration and Emigration officials while he was preparing to board SriLankan Airlines flight UL-503 to London at around 1.45 p.m., according to the police. The arrest was made in connection with a travel ban imposed on him as part of an ongoing investigation by the FCID. more..

Sep 5 (DN) Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will arrive in Sri Lanka on Sept 8 for a two day official visit, during which he is expected to hold comprehensive discussions with SL leaders on bilateral defence cooperation, maritime security, and other areas of mutual interest. During the visit Singh is scheduled to meet President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and PM Harini Amarasuriya on September 9. He will also hold talks with Defence Secretary Sampath Thuyacontha. more..

Sep 5 (DN) UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk on Thursday called for a moratorium on the use of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, pending its repeal, as well as the release of long-term detainees held under it. High Commissioner urged SL to redouble its reconciliation and accountability efforts. Türk also called for all individuals credibly accused of human rights violations to be excluded from senior more..

Sep 5 (Island) The Supreme Court yesterday concluded hearing 15 petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Anti-Corruption (Amendment) Bill presented to Parliament by the Government. A three-member bench, comprising Justices Shiran Gooneratne, Mahinda Samayawardhena and Sampath Wijeratne, heard the petitions over two days. Following the conclusion of oral submissions, the bench directed the relevant parties to file any written submissions by noon on Monday. more..

Sep 5 (NW) The 21st model village constructed in SL with grant assistance from the Government of India was handed over to beneficiaries in Polonnaruwa on Friday. Indian HC Santosh Jha and Deputy Minister T.B. Sarath jointly inaugurated and handed over 24 houses at the Suhada Gama Model Village. Speaker of Parliament Jagath Wickramarathna also attended the ceremony. The Model Village Housing Project is being implemented across all 25 districts in partnership with more..

Sep 5 (NW) A Panadura Magistrate’s Court officer responsible for handling fiscal and summons-related duties has left SL for Thailand amid an investigation into two missing case files, police said. The missing files are linked to organised crime and drug trafficking suspect Salindu Gunaratne, alias Kudu Salindu. The court registrar lodged a complaint with Panadura South Headquarters Police on Sept 1, following which the Panadura Division Crime Investigation Bureau began an inquiry. more..

Sep 5 (ST) A man had been wrongfully indicted for robbery due to misidentification, and this has been revealed after 13 years at the Kurunegala High Court. Instead of the actual suspect, Prasad Kumara, wanted for the robbery that took place in the Maha Mukalanayaya area in 2013, his elder brother Priyantha Kumara had been indicted. Though the brother was not involved in the robbery, assuming that he too had been made a suspect in the case, he had turned up at Kurunegala HC more..

Sep 5 (NW) SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa has questioned the timing of his arrest and remand, pointing to upcoming political rallies by both the govt and the SLPP. In a statement issued after he was remanded until Sept 18, Rajapaksa said the govt would hold a political rally on Sept 5 to mark two years in office, with the President scheduled to address the gathering. He said the SLPP was also preparing for its own political meeting on more..

Sep 5 (FT) Recognising the strategic importance of the Marine and Offshore sector to SL’s export development, the National Export Development Plan (NEDP) 2026–2030 has identified marine-based industries, including boat and shipbuilding, as one of the country’s priority export sectors. In line with this national priority, the Export Development Board (EDB), in collaboration with the Institution of Engineers, SL (IESL), conducted a one-day capacity-building workshop more..

Sep 5 (CI) Kusal Mendis and Binura Fernando have been ruled out of SL's upcoming T20I series against England, with the SLC saying that the two were still undergoing rehabilitation after injuries picked up at the 2026 Lanka Premier League. The update came just over a day after the two were named in the 16-member squad, with Kusal retained as captain of both the T20I and the ODI sides. Charith Asalanka, who had returned to the vice-captain's position for the series, will now lead the side in the T20Is. more..

Sep 5 (Island) The 104th National Athletics Championship got off to an impressive start at the Diyagama Stadium, with Rasara Wijesuriya and Arunthavarasa Puvitharan producing record-breaking performances on an action-packed opening day. Rasara dominated the women’s 10,000m to win the gold medal in 33:32.77 seconds, setting a new meet record in the process. G. W. O. N. Fonseka finished second in 38:25.55, while H. I. S. Fernando took the bronze in 39:00.69. more..

Sep 5 (FT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has called for a more coordinated approach to developing SL’s mineral industry under the export-oriented National Mineral Policy 2026, with discussions focusing on attracting investment, improving licensing processes and increasing value addition. A meeting chaired by the President earlier this week with officials from the SL Mineral Sands Association (SLMSA) and the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau examined measures required more..

Sep 5 (DM) SL’s apparel manufacturing sector is grappling with sharply compressed order horizons from American buyers alongside virtually zero financial relief from tariff refunds, even as the same US court ruling that unlocked those refunds has delivered a windfall to the American brands they supply, according to the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF). JAAF Secretary General Yohan Lawrence more..

Sep 5 (ST) Sri Lanka’s primary industry-specific promotional reserves, specifically the Tea Promotion and Marketing Fund and the Tourism Promotion Fund are at operational crossroads as a result of the state fiscal consolidation initiatives. The Finance Ministry is compelled to absorb independent, industry-financed reserves to meet its strict 2.3% primary budget surplus target and comply with the transitioning Treasury single account framework. The govt’s primary strategy focuses on more..

Sep 5 (Island) Following a statement by Deputy Minister Nalin Hewage that the govt is considering raising the minimum age for three-wheeler drivers to 40, the Advocata Institute has outlined four key reasons against such a restriction, relating to economic freedom, mobility, livelihoods, and dependent sectors. The first reason is that an age limit violates economic freedom, as three-wheeler driving provides a flexible form of self-employment suited to individual circumstances. more..

Sep 5 (FT) Govt has reaffirmed its decision to retain Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT-Mobitel) as a strategic State asset, with Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne noting the telecom group’s turnaround has demonstrated the potential of State enterprises when placed under the right strategy and management. Addressing SLT-Mobitel’s latest financial update and strategic outlook recently, Weeraratne said the previous administration more..

Sep 5 (DN) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) under its SMELOC2 loan scheme has provided over Rs 530 million to SMEs in the Northern Province as of end June 2026, a recently held media field visit revealed. The ADB island wide supported 2,433 SMEs covering LKR14.9 billion (USD 49.9 million) worth of loans across agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, export and technology sectors, out of which 657 (27%) were women beneficiaries and 539 (22%) were climate finance projects. more..

Sep 5 (SO) Seabourn has your 2029 plans sorted. The luxury cruise liner has just unveiled its 138-day journey that will take you to some of the most coveted island destinations around the world, with plenty of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, remote isles, to be seen along the way. In total, you will be traversing 58 hot spots across 31 countries and territories, a one-of-a-kind adventure that covers more than 32,000 nautical miles all in. You can channel your inner Jules Verne starting more..

Sep 5 (FT) The Colombo stock market rallied yesterday to end the week on a strong note with both indices gaining over 1% during the session. During the week, ASPI gained 1.42% or 304.53 points and the S&P SL20 was up 0.89% or 53.58%. During yesterday’s session, with 175 counters ending in green against 57 in red, the ASPI was up 1.05% or 225.33 points at 21,620.44 and the S&P SL20 was up 1.06% or 63.67 points at 6,058.92. The top contributors to the ASPI were more..

Sep 5 (Island) CIABOC yesterday arrested SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa in connection with a probe into an alleged Rs.100 million bribe linked to an airbus deal. It also took into custody former Minister Johnston Fernando over an investigation into an allegation that he arbitrarily cancelled a properly awarded contract and procured chairs from a company of his choice for the Polgolla Mahinda Rajapaksa Auditorium thereby causing a loss of Rs. 7.4 million to the state. Rajapaksa was more..

Sep 5 (ST) For decades, families across the Jaffna peninsula and surrounding islands have relied on wells and rationed pipe schemes for water that was often salty, hard, or unsafe to drink – a daily reality shaped by the region’s thin rainfall and absence of any river or reservoir. However, this reality changed with the construction of a Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant at Thalaiyadi, as part of the Jaffna-Kilinochchi more..

Sep 5 (Island) Rice is not merely another crop in Sri Lanka. It is our staple food, an integral part of our history and culture, and a foundation of the civilisation that flourished around our ancient hydraulic systems. Revered as Buddha Bhogaya, the Buddha’s crop, rice has sustained our people for more than two millennia. Yet, remarkably, a country with such a profound relationship with rice continues to lurch from one rice crisis to another. At one time, we have a surplus. more..

Sep 5 (DN) A special 2-day digital payments promotion programme aimed at expanding the use of digital financial services was successfully conducted in Jaffna recently, bringing together Central Bank of SL (CBSL), LankaPay (Pvt) Ltd and 16 participating financial institutions. Held under the theme Shaping the Future Through Digital Payments, the programme focused on increasing public awareness of digital payment services and providing assistance to consumers on how to more..

Sep 5 (FT) Economic growth must be one of the most frequently used phrases in public discourse today. Politicians promise it, economists measure it, the media celebrates or laments it, and the people wait for it. But what exactly is economic growth? In simple terms, economic growth is the increase in a country’s output or income from one year to the next, usually measured through the growth of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or Gross National Income (GNI). more..

Sep 5 (FT) There is an aspect of the management of our national economy which, in my view, deserves far greater public attention than it is receiving today. Much of the current public debate is understandably occupied with immediate political controversies, administrative disputes and other day-to-day issues. But behind all these matters lies a much more fundamental question: Where has Parliament legally directed the SL economy to go, and are we doing enough today to ensure that we get there? more..

Sep 5 (DN) The archaeological excavation at Anaikoddai in the Jaffna Peninsula began in July 2026. It was led by Senior Professor of Archaeology Senior Lecturer Sivarubi Sachitharan Somadeva of the Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology (PGIAR), Univ of Kelaniya, and Senior Lecturer in Archaeology Sivarubi Sachitharan of the Uni of Jaffna. The excavation was the third conducted at Anaikoddai. more..

Sep 5 (DM) El Niño has once again begun to figure prominently in international weather and climate discussions. For SL, however, it should not be treated merely as another international weather phenomenon. It could have direct consequences for agriculture, water availability, electricity generation, food prices and the livelihoods of thousands of people. According to forecasts, El Niño conditions are already present and are expected to strengthen in the coming months. more..

Sep 5 (CT) When Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the NPP sought the people’s mandate in 2024, they did not campaign merely to replace one collection of politicians with another. Their appeal rested upon a much more ambitious proposition: that Sri Lanka required a fundamental transformation of its political culture, institutions and constitutional order. The promise of system change was therefore not an ornamental slogan. It was the moral foundation of the NPP’s campaign. more..

Sep 5 (TM) Nestled beneath the majestic Hanthana mountain range and beside the flowing Mahaweli River, Peradeniya University’s Science Faculty offers something increasingly rare in modern higher education: the opportunity to pursue rigourous science in one of SL’s most inspiring academic environments. Here, a distinguished academic heritage is combined with modern research, interdisciplinary learning, more..

Sep 5 (GV) 17 years after the guns fell silent, thousands of SL families still cannot answer the most basic question about a missing relative: what happened? That unanswered question exposes the distance between ending a war and building peace. The decisive question is no longer simply whether Sri Lanka has prevented a return to organised warfare. It is whether the country has confronted the human suffering, institutional failures and political inequalities that the war left behind. more..

Sep 5 (TM) Democracy rests on three essential pillars — the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary. They have different Constitutional responsibilities, but none exists in isolation. Their relationship must be one of checks and balances, mutual respect and Constitutional restraint, not confrontation. Unfortunately, a debate arose on the powers of the three pillars when the Govt decided to bring in the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution in haste, without allowing a national debate. more..