Sep 11 (DM) The Forest Conservation Dept has denied reports that more than 2,000 kumbuk trees were destroyed in a fire at the old Eluwakkulam Nelum Wewa bordering the Wilpattu National Park. Department said reports claiming that over 500 kumbuk trees had been destroyed in an alleged arson attack were baseless. Recent reports had said that a fire that initially affected the roots of a century-old kumbuk tree had spread across the area, destroying more than 2,000 kumbuk trees, more..

Sep 11 (NW) Parliamentary Business for the next Parliamentary Week, scheduled to be held from Sept 22 to 25, has been decided at the meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business held yesterday under the chairmanship of Speaker, Jagath Wickramaratne. On each day that Parliament meets, the period from 9.30 am to 10.00 am has been allocated for Parliamentary Business specified under Standing Orders 22(1) to 22(6). The period from 10 am to 11 am has been allocated more..

Sep 11 (NW) Deputy Minister T.B. Sarath has responded to criticism over photographs showing him holding the hands of young girls, saying he was attempting to prevent the children from bowing before him. Deputy Minister said the photographs were taken during events to open newly constructed houses, where children had welcomed him with betel leaves before attempting to bow in respect. more..

Sep 11 (DM) Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of SL (TRCSL) is preparing to introduce stricter regulations for the issuance and use of mobile SIM cards amid a rise in criminal activities involving illegally obtained and untraceable connections. TRCSL Director General Bandula Herath said new SIM cards are expected to require live photograph verification from later this year. He said the move follows requests from law enforcement authorities, including SL Police, more..

Sep 11 (TM) Around 300 hectares (ha) of forest have been damaged by wildfires amid the dry weather conditions caused by El Niño, with authorities also reporting an increase in wild elephants entering villages in search of food and water, Environment Minister Dr Dammika Patabendi said. Making a statement in Parliament yesterday, he said around 90 to 100 forest fire incidents had been reported during the drought, prompting intervention by the Forest Conservation Department. more..

Sep 11 (Island) Catholic Bishops’ Conference of SL (CBCSL) has called for an impartial investigation into the alleged mass graves in the Chemmani area of the Jaffna Peninsula, stressing the need to establish the truth and ensure accountability for alleged crimes committed during the country’s long civil conflict. In a statement issued yesterday following its Plenary Session held from Aug 18 to 20, CBCSL said the ongoing more..

Sep 11 (DM) A significant number of swimming pools in Sri Lanka are not adequately safe, with the absence of properly trained lifeguards identified as a major concern, a senior Health Ministry specialist said. Specialist Dr. Samitha Siritunga, Chief Specialist of the Accident Prevention Division of the Non-Communicable Diseases Unit of the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, said every swimming pool should have lifeguards to ensure the safety of swimmers. more..

Sep 11 (AD) Former Minister Priyankara Jayaratne, who is currently serving a prison sentence over a corruption charge, has been produced before the Colombo High Court today (11) in connection with another corruption case filed against him by the CIABOC. The case has been filed against the former minister over allegations that he caused a loss of Rs. 128,520 to the govt by unlawfully printing Vesak cards while serving as the Minister of Civil Aviation in 2013. more..

Sep 11 (NF) Supreme Court ordered today to call the appeal petition filed by former CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal, on Oct 9. He has requested to be acquitted from the case filed by the Bribery Commission regarding the 2012 Greek bonds case. This case was filed before the Trial-at-Bar of the High Court over causing a loss to the govt by investing Rs. 1.8 billion in Greek bonds. The appeal petition challenging this was called today before a Supreme Court judge bench more..

Sep 11 (AD) The father of Shiran Basik, a suspected major drug trafficker who was recently brought back to Sri Lanka from Dubai, has been arrested by the Central Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) in connection with an investigation into a property worth approximately Rs. 30 million. Accordingly, Abdul Razak Mohomed Basik has been arrested on charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. According to reports, investigations have revealed that Shiran Basik had purchased more..

Sep 11 (FT) Brandix Lanka CEO Ashroff Omar called for a system of Customs pre-clearance directly from manufacturing plants to eliminate waiting time in the supply chain, warning that SL’s current tariff advantage over regional competitors is not guaranteed to last and that infrastructure, logistics costs, and efficiency remain the areas within the country’s control. Omar said rapidly changing customer expectations were reshaping more..

Sep 11 (NW) SL Navy has facilitated the transport of heavy machinery and essential supplies to Delft Island in Jaffna, supporting ongoing infrastructure development aimed at transforming the island into a sustainable tourism destination. Naval vessels under the Northern Naval Command carried the cargo from the Kurikadduwan jetty on Pungudutivu Island to Delft on 6 and 10 Sept. The consignments included machinery and materials required for improvements to drinking water facilities, more..

Sep 11 (NF) Former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa has arrived at the FCID. He was summoned to record a statement regarding an investigation into alleged financial irregularities surrounding the procurement of MiG fighter aircraft for the SL Air Force. Yesterday, former Air Force Commander, Marshal of Air Force Roshan Goonetileke, also recorded a statement with the FCID for over five hours regarding this matter. In 2006, a transaction was carried out involving the purchase and refurbishment more..

Sep 11 (TMZ) Ne-Yo’s team is firing back at the lawsuit over a canceled concert in Sri Lanka … denying a promoter’s claims that it shelled out $300K and got no show in return. A spokesperson for Ne-Yo tells TMZ, “The claims made by Brown Boy Presents are categorically fraudulent and misleading. Brown Boy Presents isn’t owed money by NE-YO—the promoter owes NE-YO answers regarding its misconduct.” more..

Sep 11 (AD) Minister Anura Karunathilaka stated that there are no plans to request an increase in electricity tariffs for the upcoming quarter. Speaking in Parliament, Minister said that higher-than-expected rainfall in recent times had enabled the authorities to manage electricity generation costs to a certain extent. He stated that an increase in electricity tariffs is therefore not necessary for the upcoming quarter and that there are no plans to submit a request for a tariff increase. more..

Sep 11 (NW) The weight of schoolchildren’s bags is expected to be significantly reduced under SL’s new education reforms, with a module-based learning system set to be introduced for Grade 6 from 2027, PM Harini Amarasuriya said. Responding to a question in Parliament on measures being taken to reduce the weight of school bags, the PM said the activity-based learning process introduced under the reforms would reduce the number of books students need to carry between home and school. more..

Sep 11 (EN) Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs had called for applications to fill 500 vacancies in 25 state institutions under it and received 17,000 applications, Minister Hiniduma Sunil Senevi told Parliament. The public sector recruitment drive was to resolve labour shortages across the state institutions, he said, including the Central Cultural Fund and the Dept of Archaeology. “All 25 institutions under my ministry, including the Central Cultural Fund & Dept of Archaeology. more..

Sep 11 (PMD) A meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and representatives of the SL Scout Association was held at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon (10). Prez was briefed on the 11th National Scout Jamboree, scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka in Jan 2027, as well as the current status and progress of its organisational arrangements. The official logo of the National Scout Jamboree was also presented to the President and officially unveiled on the occasion. more..

Sep 11 (Island) PM Harini Amarasuriya stated that SL is now creating a common dream as a nation and that the Govt’s objective is to make public transport the convenient choice for the people. PM made these remarks while participating in the ceremony held to open the renovated Bambalapitiya Railway Station under the Dream Destination project. The renovated Bambalapitiya Railway Station was opened more..

Sep 11 (NW) The National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka has opened applications to select the film that will represent the country in the International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards (Oscars) in 2027. Chairman Sudath Mahaadivulwewa announced the move at a media briefing held at the Government Information Department today, noting that this marks a historic milestone following approval of a special request made to the Oscar organizers. more..

Sep 11 (DM) Leaders of several public service trade unions today lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL), calling for an investigation into alleged human rights violations involving the General Manager of Railways, Ravindra Pathmapriya. Unions alleged that the General Secretary of Railway Station Masters’ Association had been questioned by Railway General Manager regarding alleged human rights violations & subsequently issued an apology more..

Sep 11 (DM) Former Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya, through his lawyer, raised a preliminary objection before the Colombo Chief Magistrate, arguing that insufficient evidence had been disclosed in the B Report and subsequent reports to proceed with charges against him over allegations that he fabricated official documents to falsely claim that inmates had received Presidential pardons. more..

Sep 11 (NW) Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) Bethany Poulos Morrison met with a group of SL MPs in Washington, D.C. this week. According to the SCA, they engaged in discussions on economic policy, governance, and the US–SL partnership. The MPs’ visit will continue to Baltimore, Raleigh, and Tulsa, where they are scheduled to study American innovation and best practices in maritime security and artificial intelligence policy. more..

Sep 11 (DM) The recruitment process for academic and non-academic staff at state universities should be made more efficient, PM Harini Amarasuriya instructed officials. PM made the remarks when the Subcommittee on the Higher Education Sector met on September 10 at the Parliament premises. Officials of the University Grants Commission (UGC) presented a report on the progress of recruiting academic and non-academic staff to universities during 2025 and 2026. more..

Sep 11 (TM) The numbers released this week by European climate scientists indicate that August has tied with July 2023 as the hottest month ever measured, with the planet's average temperature pushing past 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for only the second time since the Paris Agreement was signed. Oceans recorded their joint-highest surface temperatures on record. Roads melted and train lines buckled in Europe. Landslides tore through Nepal & Tibet, killing hundreds. more..

Sep 11 (FT) A friend of mine, Lal, once told me that his family’s ancestral land of 10 acres was acquired for a hotel project in the early 1980s. A case was filed to determine the compensation. Lal’s father attended every court hearing until his death. Thereafter, his mother continued attending court. Still, there was no verdict before she too passed away. Lal eventually attended himself courts hearing. The court decided some 30 years later. The judgement was in his favour. more..

Sep 11 (NW) The Supreme Court has ruled that the presidential pardon granted to Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero by former Prez Maithripala Sirisena was arbitrary and unlawful, finding that the former President had effectively approved a recommendation without demonstrating that he independently considered the relevant material before exercising his constitutional power. In a unanimous judgment delivered Thursday more..

Sep 11 (NW) Families and beneficiaries of registered SL migrant workers who die while employed overseas will receive up to Rs. 2 million in death compensation under a new programme introduced by SL Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE). Under the existing insurance scheme, eligible beneficiaries receive Rs. 600,000 from the insurance provider. The SLBFE will provide an additional Rs. 1.4 m through its Migrant Workers’ Welfare Fund, bringing the total compensation to Rs. 2 m. more..

Sep 11 (TM) An IMF staff mission arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday for discussions with authorities as the country faces a key assessment of its economic reform programme and broader economic outlook. The IMF team, led by SL Mission Chief Evan Papageorgiou is scheduled to remain in the country until 23 Sept for discussions on the combined Seventh Review under the EFF programme and the 2026 Article IV Consultation. The mission will assess SL’s progress in implementing reforms under more..

Sep 11 (FT) CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe yesterday cautioned that reserves cannot be accumulated at any cost, warning that excessive intervention can distort market signals, excessive monetary expansion can stoke inflation, and excessive reliance on external borrowing simply creates future debt-service obligations. He said such measures undermine the very macroeconomic stability that reserves are meant to safeguard. more..

Sep 11 (NW) SL migrant workers will be able to obtain housing loans ranging from Rs. 500,000 to Rs. 10 million under the newly launched Ethera Diriya housing loan scheme. SL Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) signed agreements with DFCC Bank and Union Bank on Thursday to implement the scheme. Agreements were signed under the patronage of Ministers Vijitha Herath and Susil Ranasinghe. SLBFE plans to enter into similar agreements with nine more banks, bringing more..

Sep 11 (AD) Two children have been killed in a hand grenade attack on a house along Sirisangabo Road in Kawdana, Dehiwala early this morning (11), police said. The children’s father and their two brothers were seriously injured in the explosion and admitted to the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital for treatment. The 10-year-old boy was pronounced dead upon admission to the hospital, while his 14-year-old brother died while receiving treatment, according to a hospital spokesperson. more..