Sep 29 (DM) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed officials to work towards establishing a single national digital system covering public services, while reviewing the ongoing digitalisation of local authorities and Divisional Secretariats. Prez gave the directive during a progress review meeting on the Govt’s digital transformation programme held at the Presidential Secretariat today. The meeting focused on the digitalisation of local authorities and Divisional Secretariats, more..

Sep 29 (NW) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa says a statue of former LTTE member Rasaiah Parthipan, also known as Thileepan, was removed from the Thileepan Memorial Square in Nallur, Jaffna, after facts were reported to the relevant area court. Minister said that the Police had reported facts to the court and that a case is being deliberated with regard to the statute. Minister Jayatissa further revealed that commemorative events marking Thileepan’s death anniversary more..

Sep 29 (NW) A new fleet of 122 Metro buses was officially launched today to operate along seven routes in the Western Province, as part of a government initiative aimed at reducing traffic congestion in Colombo and improving the quality of public transport. The buses were launched at the Thalangama Metro Bus Depot under the patronage of Prez and will operate on designated routes and schedules centred around Colombo. more..

Sep 29 (NW) Lieutenant General Joel Vowell, Deputy Commanding General of US Army Pacific (USARPAC), arrived in Sri Lanka today for a three-day official visit aimed at strengthening military cooperation between the US and SL. Lt. Gen. Vowell is the highest-ranking US Army officer to visit SL, marking a milestone in growing Army-to-Army cooperation between the two countries. His visit will continue until October 1 and will include meetings with senior SL military officials. more..

Sep 29 (AD) Former Minister Udaya Gammanpila was acquitted and released by the Colombo High Court today in the case in which he was accused of misappropriating Rs. 21 million through the use of a forged power of attorney to sell company shares. Colombo High Court ordered the acquittal and release of former Minister, who was accused of committing criminal breach of trust involving Rs. 21 million through the misuse of company shares belonging to an Australian businessman. more..

Sep 29 (DM) Cabinet has approved the appointment of a committee to facilitate the restoration of SL cultural artefacts currently in foreign possession, particularly those removed from the country during the colonial period. The committee, titled Committee for the Restoration of SL Cultural Heritage in Foreign Possessions, will be chaired by the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious & Cultural Affairs. more..

Sep 29 (AD) The govt is taking all possible measures to secure the release and save the life of Sivarasa Anojan, a Sri Lankan national who has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said today. He said the govt is seeking the assistance of the former President of the Maldives to make an appeal to the King of Saudi Arabia. He said arrangements are also being made to submit a letter to the Saudi King containing a request from the Prez and signatures of MPs more..

Sep 29 (NW) A special programme has been held to brief media industry stakeholders on SL’s television broadcasting digitalization project, with the first digital television experience expected to be introduced to viewers in the country by Dec 2028. The programme, attended by owners and heads of media institutions and other stakeholders, was held in Colombo on Monday under the patronage of Minister Nalinda Jayatissa. The programme focused on the progress of the Digitalization of more..

Sep 29 (NW) A former Commissioner (Investigations) of the Department of Land Title Settlement has been arrested by the Bribery Commission over allegations involving a government-owned property in Borella valued at more than Rs. 1.58 billion. CIABOC said Nishantha Wickramasinghe was arrested by its investigating officers at around 9.45 am today (29). According to the Bribery Commission, the suspect is accused of misusing his official authority while serving as more..

Sep 29 (NW) Cabinet has approved the appointment of two committees to oversee the conservation, rehabilitation and management of Gregory Lake in Nuwara Eliya, amid concerns over the deterioration of its water quality and surrounding environment. Accordingly, a Monitoring and Management Committee, chaired by Deputy Minister of Environment, will be appointed to oversee efforts to improve and sustainably maintain the lake and its catchment area. more..

Sep 29 (DN) Cabinet has approved the continuation of the Grade 1 education reforms introduced in 2026 and the commencement of education reforms for Grades 2 and 6 from 2027. The decision was taken based on the Concept Paper on Transformational Change in General Education in SL formulated by the National Education Commission, the revised National Curriculum Framework approved by National Steering Committee more..

Sep 29 (NW) Former Chairman of National Transport Commission (NTC) Renuka Perera, who was remanded over allegations involving the irregular issuance of bus route permits, has been granted bail by the court. Perera was ordered to be released on two surety bails of Rs. 5 million each after being produced before court today. He was arrested by the CIABOC on Sept 17 in connection with the alleged illegal issuance of route permits for buses. Former NTC Chairman is accused of more..

Sep 29 (AD) Sri Lanka and China have discussed expanding cooperation in public administration reforms, local govt capacity building, disaster management, clean drinking water and artificial intelligence-based early warning systems during a meeting between the new Chinese Ambassador to SL, Wei Huaxiang, and Minister Prof. Chandana Abayarathna. The meeting was held at the Ministry of Public Admin, PCs and LG premises. The discussions focused on strengthening more..

Sep 29 (DM) Lalith Rathnayake’s Riverstone has been selected as SL’s official entry in the International Feature Film category of the 99th Academy Awards (Oscars). According to National Film Corporation Chairman Sudath Mahaadivulwewa, who also chairs SL’s National Oscar Selection Committee, the film was selected through a newly regulated process introduced in line with the requirements of the Academy of more..

Sep 29 (Island) A humanitarian initiative combining environmental conservation, education and friendship is taking shape as South Korea extends a helping hand to SL. The programme, set for 10 a.m. on 10 Oct at National Namal Uyana, is a step in a long-term effort to strengthen educational, cultural, technological and people-to-people ties, not a one-day handout. The main Korean partner is the Korea National Merit Volunteer Association, active in social service, veterans’ welfare, more..

Sep 29 (NW) Court of Appeal today issued a warrant for the arrest of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, ordering that he be produced before court on Oct 1. Warrant was issued after Gnanasara Thera failed to appear before court when a motion filed by the Attorney General was taken up today. Attorney General has sought an order from the Court of Appeal to enforce the prison sentence imposed on Gnanasara Thera, following the revocation of the presidential pardon previously granted to him. more..

Sep 29 (DM) Cabinet has approved the award of the contract for Phase III of the Baseline Road Extension Project to Maga Engineering at a cost of Rs. 2.89 billion. The decision was taken following the recommendations of a High-Level Procurement Committee, which evaluated seven bids submitted under a national competitive bidding process. The project, proposed by the Minister of Transport, covers the development of a 0.86-km section from Kirulapona Junction to Dutugemunu Street more..

Sep 29 (FT) NDB Investment Bank (NDBIB) has been recognised as the Best Investment Bank in SL by Euromoney Magazine at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence, securing the accolade for a 15th consecutive year. This latest recognition marks a remarkable milestone in NDB Investment Bank’s journey of nearly three decades of excellence in Sri Lanka’s capital markets. While NDBIB’s legacy has been built over 30 years through innovation, resilience, trusted partnerships and more..

Sep 29 (Island) Executive Director of PAFFREL Rohana Hettiarachchi said that there were three major concerns regarding the Anti-Corruption (Amd) Bill 2026. Acknowledging the recent Supreme Court determination, in respect of the above-mentioned Bill, that three of the provisions were not consistent with the Constitution, requiring a special majority in Parliament, with one clause requiring approval by the people at a Referendum, more..

Sep 29 (NW) Cabinet has approved the purchase and installation of eight additional automated passenger clearance gates at the BIA, increasing the planned total number of gates to 12. Latest decision follows earlier Cabinet approval granted in May 2025 for the purchase and installation of four automated passenger clearance gates at the airport. Under the new plan, the automated clearance facility, which has so far been limited to SL nationals, is expected to be expanded to foreign more..

Sep 29 (DM) The Supreme Court today ordered former Minister A.H.M. Fowzie to pay Rs. 6.6 million to the Consolidated Fund after holding that he had violated the fundamental right to equality guaranteed under Article 12(1) of the Constitution by misusing a government vehicle for his personal benefit. The Court also directed Fowzie to publish a public apology in three newspapers over the misuse of public property. The publication is to include a photograph of the vehicle. more..

Sep 29 (AD) The govt will seek to bear the maximum possible share of rising fuel costs to limit the burden on the public as global oil prices continue to increase, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. Minister said the Cabinet had approved a further Rs. 41 billion from the Treasury for fuel subsidies over the next three months. “The govt is trying to manage the situation by bearing the maximum possible share of the cost, more..

Sep 29 (NF) Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa left the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court today after providing evidence online in connection with the long-running case concerning the disappearance of Lalith Kumar Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganandan. The case is being heard before Jaffna Magistrate S. Lenin Kumar, who today ordered that further recording of evidence be continued on Nove 27. Rajapaksa had been issued notice in 2019 to appear before court and and provide evidence more..

Sep 29 (NW) Ministry of Women and Child Affairs has urged parents and guardians to exercise greater caution when sharing photographs and videos of children on social media, warning that such content could expose children to serious safety and privacy risks. The Ministry said the growing monetization of content on platforms such as Facebook has contributed to a rapid increase in photographs and videos of children being uploaded online, both with and without parental consent. more..

Sep 29 (FT) I have been visiting SL for decades. But my recent trip left me angry, exhausted, and deeply embarrassed. As a Sri Lankan Australian, I love exploring the country using public transport. But during my recent trips in July and August, it became crystal clear: our public transport isn’t just an inconvenience anymore—it’s a national crisis. Here’s what happened to me in just one week: Matara to Colombo Train: Jam-packed before it even arrived. I stood for five straight hours— more..

Sep 29 (FT) There is widespread interest in the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka in this country as well as abroad. This is especially so, after the widely disseminated comments by Ms Margaret Satterthwaite, the Special Rapporteur of the UN on the independence of the judiciary. The analysis contained in this article is being developed for publication in scholarly legal journals in the Commonwealth. The current version was written to cater to local interest. more..

Sep 29 (TM) Govt will not remove nearly one million families classified as extremely poor and poor from the Aswesuma welfare programme unless their incomes improve, despite an IMF condition requiring the two categories to be phased out by next year, Deputy Minister Wasantha Piyathissa said. Around one million families currently classified as extremely poor and poor are receiving Aswesuma benefits, with families in two more..

Sep 29 (TM) An audit report for 2024 has raised serious concerns over repeated thefts of electrical cables, copper wires, streetlight poles and other equipment from Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, warning that the cost of repairing the resulting damage could exceed Rs 1.77 billion. 100 theft incidents were recorded on the Expressway between 2021 & 2023. Estimated value of 11 of these thefts was Rs 580 million, while the value of remaining 89 incidents had not been determined. more..

Sep 29 (FT) A property tax on houses proposed under SL’s IMF program has been deferred for another year, Prez Anura Dissanayake told a public rally. Prez said the tax would have fallen on houses built with the savings of people who had already paid tax on their earnings. He said that in the run-up to the elections, there had been fearmongering that a NPP Govt would take away people’s second houses. “Even at that time, there was an agreement that there would be a property tax. more..

Sep 29 (TM) Govt has ruled out introducing a minimum age for children to use digital devices for now, with the Women & Child Affairs Ministry saying it will instead focus on changing children’s screen-use behaviour through parental education. Ministry secretary Tharangani Wickramasinghe said Govt had identified parental guidance as a more effective way of influencing children than imposing min. age restrictions. more..

Sep 29 (IANS) India on Monday sent about three tonnes of anti-tuberculosis medicines to Colombo, reaffirming its commitment to supporting Sri Lanka's public health system. Minister S Jaishankar said that a consignment of anti-tuberculosis medicines was sent to Colombo aboard an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft. "India remains committed to supporting SL's public health system. About 3 tonnes of anti-tuberculosis medicines were dispatched to Colombo today aboard an IAF C130J," more..

Sep 29 (NW) Regular train services between Colombo Fort and Peradeniya/Gampola will resume from the evening of Oct 2, following the completion of reconstruction work on the railway line damaged by Cyclone Ditwah. Railway Dept said the railway line between Rambukkana and Gampola was damaged at 103 locations, including 36 large-scale landslides and 67 railway line washouts and rockfalls. The restoration work was carried out by the Roads and Industries Sub-Department of more..