Sep 2 (AD) According to the results of the 2026 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination, the highest marks in Sinhala medium was obtained by a student from the Kurunegala District with 193 marks. The Commissioner General of Examinations A.K.S. Indika Kumari Liyanage revealed this while speaking at a special media briefing this afternoon . Meanwhile, the highest score in Tamil medium, which stands at 188 marks, has been obtained by a student from the Jaffna District. more..

Sep 2 (AD) Supreme Court has today concluded the consideration of petitions filed in relation to the 22nd Amendment Bill to the Constitution, which was recently presented to the Parliament by the govt. Following the conclusion of the deliberations related to the petitions, the Supreme Court stated that its confidential determination on the constitutionality of the Bill will be conveyed to the Speaker of Parliament. A five-member Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, more..

Sep 2 (FT) The Human Rights Watch said in a report released yesterday alleged that the SL Govt’s prosecution of past grave abuses has lagged, raising concerns for future progress. “United Nations officials and UN member countries at the Human Rights Council should call on the Govt led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to show greater determination to address emblematic rights cases and cooperate with international accountability efforts,” HRW said. more..

Sep 2 (Island) The MoU relating to the project to provide technological solutions to prevent wild elephants from being hit by trains was signed yesterday at the President’s Media Centre, under the patronage of Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake. Coordinated through the Clean Sri Lanka programme, the project is being implemented as a public-private partnership, with the Railway Department, the Department of Wildlife Conservation and more..

Sep 2 (NW) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has hosted 160 students from the University of Kelaniya’s Mass Communication Department for an educational field visit designed to give them practical exposure to sports journalism and international media operations. According to the SLC, the students, accompanied by their academic staff, visited the RPICS in Colombo during the Sri Lanka vs. India Under‑19 Second Four‑Day Game. They conducted a field study on cricket reporting, more..

Sep 2 (DM) SL should regard five million tourists a year as the maximum the island can accommodate and focus future growth on generating greater value from visitors, Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe said, signalling a shift away from a volume-driven tourism strategy. “For an island of this size and type, I think five million tourists would be the maximum,” Ranasinghe said, citing SL’s small size, sensitive ecosystems and fragile cultural heritage. more..

Sep 2 (NW) The President of the Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association, Steven Thiru, observed proceedings at the Supreme Court yesterday as hearings began on petitions challenging the Govt’s proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution. Thiru’s participation follows his warning in July that Sri Lanka risks repeating Zimbabwe’s controversial judicial crisis if it proceeds with plans to extend the retirement age of sitting superior court judges without broad public consultation. more..

Sep 2 (NW) PM Harini Amarasuriya brought Sri Lanka’s ancestral wisdom on sustainable food systems to the global stage in Bhutan, delivering the keynote address at the inaugural Global Conscious Food Systems Summit 2026. Held on Monday at Dungkar Dzong, the Summit was jointly hosted by the Royal Govt of Bhutan, the Conscious Food Systems Alliance (CoFSA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), under the theme “Activating the Heart of Food Systems Transformation.” more..

Sep 2 (DM) Japan has donated seven low-floor buses to Sri Lanka to support the development of public transport services, under the ongoing development cooperation between the two countries. The buses, jointly donated by the Govt of Japan and the people of Yokohama, were officially handed over to the SL Govt today by Japanese Ambassador to SL Akio Isomata. The buses were handed over to Minister Bimal Ratnayake at the joint depot of the SL Transport Board and Lanka Metro Transit (Pvt) Ltd. more..

Sep 2 (TM) Sri Lanka is moving towards a care economy, with the Govt giving greater attention to social care through a 10-year national action plan under the supervision of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Labour Minister and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr Anil Jayantha Fernando said, at the presentation of the National Action Plan on Social Care 2026-2035 on Monday (31 August). Speaking at the event, Fernando said: more..

Sep 2 (TM) Due to the international backlash that China had faced with its strategic statecraft investments in Sri Lanka more than a decade ago, there has been growing consus among its intelligentsia that the Government should focus on smaller investments, less involvement of its State-owned enterprises, and greater consideration for the industrial capacity of the host societies of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) investments, more..

Sep 2 (NF) Sri Lanka Police say two investigative teams have been deployed to conduct further inquiries into the death of former Hambantota Mayor Eraj Fernando. The investigations are being carried out under the supervision of the SSP in charge of the Colombo South Division. The body of former Hambantota Mayor Eraj Fernando was discovered this (2) morning inside an apartment on the eighth floor of a residential complex in Thimbirigasyaya that belonged to him. more..

Sep 2 (NW) Venerable Battaramulle Seelarathana Thera, leader of the Janasetha Front, was assaulted this morning in the Weeragula area, it was reported. The assailant fled the scene following the attack. At the time, the Thera was at a temple in Warana, Attanagalla, where funeral arrangements of a devotee were being discussed. Reports indicate that arguments arose during the discussion, leading to the assault. The monk is currently receiving treatment at Gampaha Hospital. more..

Sep 2 (NW) Police have launched an investigation into a Rs. 60 million robbery at a travel agency in Thalawathugoda. Three masked men stormed the premises yesterday afternoon, threatening the owner and employees with sharp weapons. The gang arrived in a small white car, carried out the robbery, and fled in the same vehicle. Investigators said the suspects first assaulted one employee before seizing the cash and valuables. more..

Sep 2 (EN) US helped Sri Lanka detect a narcotrafficking network attempting to smuggle crystal methamphetamine through the island-nation to international markets. US Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Delhi Country Office and SL’s Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) conducted the joint operation disrupting a Pakistan-based network. “Acting on intelligence developed by DEA’s Foreign Counterparts Unit Pakistan Anti-Narcotics Force Special Investigations Cell between August 14–29 more..

Sep 2 (FT) SL’s AI Academy has entered a strategic partnership with Berlin-based Tomorrow University of Applied Sciences to launch challenge-based AI degrees through an integrated work-study model that eliminates the gap between education and employment. The partnership will deliver two Tomorrow University-awarded qualifications: a BSc in Applied AI and an MBA in AI and Technological Transformation. Both degrees are offered through AI Academy’s local incubator structure, allowing more..

Sep 2 (AD) The results of the 2026 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination have been released online, the Commissioner General of Examinations announced. Accordingly, the results can be viewed on the department’s official website: www.doenets.lk This year’s Grade 5 Scholarship Exam was held on Aug 9 at 2,723 exam centres islandwide. A total of 294,089 students sat for the examination, comprising 220,366 candidates in the Sinhala medium and 73,723 candidates in the Tamil medium. more..

Sep 2 (NW) SL captain Chamari Athapaththu has made significant strides in the ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings following her standout performance in the opening weekend of the Women’s Asia Cup in the UAE. Athapaththu’s unbeaten 25‑ball 48 and one for 10 in three overs against the UAE lifted her to career‑best rating points across all categories, 734 in batting, 552 in bowling, and 405 as an all‑rounder. She remains sixth in the batting rankings, climbs three places to 33rd in bowling, more..

Sep 2 (TM) Govt’s move to bring all 18 dedicated economic centres under a new centralised management structure has hit a delay, with the proposed administrative overhaul yet to be formally completed due to pending stakeholder agreements, Deputy Minister R M Jayawardena said. Jayawardena said that although a company had already been established and its board of directors appointed, the new administrative structure could not be formally finalised until an agreement was signed by more..

Sep 2 (NW) The Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena today ordered the Director of the National Hospital to submit a report on the health condition of former State Intelligence Service chief Suresh Sallay, who is being held under detention orders in connection with the Easter Sunday attacks. The report must clarify whether Sallay requires continued inpatient treatment or can be released. The order followed a request by State Counsel Oswald Perera, appearing for the CID, more..

Sep 2 (AD) The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development has directed relevant officials to obtain approval of the Cabinet of Ministers and take steps to promptly implement the national-level program formulated to control water pollution around Diyawanna Lake and the Parliament premises. The directive was issued when the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development, chaired by Committee Member and MP Ajith P. Perera, more..

Sep 2 (CI) Charith Asalanka has been made part of Sri Lanka's leadership group once more, three months after being deposed as ODI captain and six months on after being sidelined from the T20 unit. He will be vice-captain of the ODI and T20I sides for Sri Lanka's tour of England in September. Former vice-captain Kamindu Mendis has been retained in both squads, while Kusal Mendis will continue to captain both white-ball sides. more..

Sep 2 (Island) Transparency International SL (TISL) has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of the proposed Anti-Corruption (Amd) Bill, arguing that several provisions could weaken anti-corruption safeguards, restrict civic space and infringe fundamental rights. The petition was filed on Aug 31 in the public interest, challenging the Bill placed on Parliament’s Order Paper on Aug 19. The proposed legislation seeks to amend the Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 of 2023, more..

Sep 2 (NW) National Water Supply and Drainage Board has announced a 24‑hour suspension of water supply in several areas of Colombo and its suburbs, beginning tomorrow (3) at 8 pm and continuing until Friday (4) at 8.00 pm. The Water Board said the interruption is necessary to carry out essential maintenance work at the Ambatale Water Treatment Plant. Areas affected include Nugegoda, Kohuwala, Dehiwala, Mount Lavinia, Ratmalana, Moratuwa, Rawatawatta, Soysapura, Angulana, Indibedda, Katubedda, more..

Sep 2 (FT) The Petroleum Development Authority of SL (PDASL) on the 27 August 2026 announced that the country is seeking investors to develop natural gas resources in the Mannar Basin. This presents the country with a question far larger than resource extraction. The conventional answer may focus on reserves, production volumes, electricity generation and reduced fuel imports. These outcomes matter. Yet, several other factors weigh in on such developments. more..

Sep 2 (FT) Although the new Courts Complex in Galle was not quite complete, the then Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe was anxious to make a profound discourse on how our legal structure was shaped from the time the Dutch introduced Roman Dutch Law to our land. At the official inauguration of the Rs. 1.6 billion court complexes in Beligaha, Galle on July 19, 2024, Prez Wickremesinghe drew on rich historical context to connect our littoral province’s judicial evolution with the origins of SL’s modern legal framework. more..

Sep 2 (NW) The Supreme Court began considering 67 petitions challenging the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, with several procedural and substantive issues raised during the hearing. The petitions were taken up before a five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and comprising Justices Achala Wengappuli, Arjuna Obeyesekere, Sampath Abeykoon & Gihan Kulatunga. more..

Sep 2 (AD) Police have launched an investigation into an international drug trafficking network following the seizure of approximately 472 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (Ice), from a container at the Colombo Port. Police suspect the consignment was sent to SL by a drug trafficker known as Paravi Suda, who is believed to be currently in Pakistan after fleeing Dubai. Investigators also suspect that individuals known as Angoda Priyantha and Ruben may have more..

Sep 2 (DM) The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN, in one of its latest reports on Asia and the Pacific, has identified Sri Lanka as a country to be wetter than average starting from October as a result of the El Niño phenomenon. The report, which highlights snapshots of El Niño, said that for SL, the wetter signal becomes particularly important from Oct 2026 onwards, as it coincides with the Second Inter-Monsoon (Oct–Nov), typically the wettest period of the year across the country, more..

Sep 2 (TM) The process of evaluating proposals to determine the future operator of the Mattala Rajapaksa Int'l Airport (MRIA) is currently underway, and the entire process is expected to be finalised by the middle of next year, Deputy Minister Janitha Kodithuwakku said. He said Govt is currently evaluating the proposals submitted by parties interested in taking part in the operation of the MRIA. “We're currently carrying out the evaluations. more..

Sep 2 (FT) Cabinet has approved a proposal to submit to Parliament regulations designating 68 businesses operating within the Colombo Port City as secondary businesses of strategic importance. 68 businesses operate across a range of sectors, including information technology, consultancy services, business process outsourcing, logistics, infrastructure, hybrid and integrated business models, and other general business activities, reflecting the expanding commercial activities more..

Sep 2 (NW) Sri Lanka has begun rehabilitating 296 minor irrigation tanks under a World Bank-funded programme aimed at strengthening irrigation infrastructure and improving climate resilience. More than Rs. 5.8 billion has been allocated for the work under the Integrated Rurban Development and Climate Resilience Project (IRDCRP), which is planned to continue until 2029. Of the 296 tanks, 290 are located across 18 districts and were damaged by Cyclone Ditwah. more..