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..

Sep 11 (TM) SL’s Govt should consider reducing the current 18% Value Added Tax (VAT) in the upcoming Budget to provide short-term relief to households struggling with the high cost of living, Uni of Colombo Department of Economics Prof Priyanga Dunusinghe said. Prof Dunusinghe said: “The most important measure the country should implement with regard to reducing the cost of living, as I see, is to lower taxes, specifically, the current 18% high-level VAT must be reduced. more..

Sep 11 (FT) Advocata Institute presented the institute’s inaugural Freedom Award to Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, recognising his tireless efforts to further freedom and civic life of SL citizens. Dr. Saravanamuttu’s journey, which commenced from strong moral roots to academic excellence at the London School of Economics, has consistently guided the nation toward transparency, accountability, and pluralistic liberal democracy. The award was presented by Advocata Institute more..

Sep 11 (Island) Sri Lanka could soon face a new electricity-grid challenge—not from too little power, but from having too much solar generation in the wrong places and at the wrong times, a former CEB General Manager said. Former CEB GM who insisted not to be named warned that the rapid growth of rooftop and utility-scale solar could place increasing pressure on CEB and LECO distribution feeders, substations and the national grid more..

Sep 11 (NW) ‎President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised that one of the Govt’s foremost objectives is to create an environment in which no community feels insecure or fearful in society because of its cultural identity, while ensuring their psychological security. Prez also pointed out that it is the responsibility of everyone to properly understand the nature of politically driven ethnic currents and internal conflicts and to prevent the recurrence of ethnic conflict. more..

Sep 11 (PMD) A meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Catholic religious leaders, led by His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, was held at the Presidential Secretariat today (10). Special attention was given to the Govt’s programme to strengthen coexistence, peace and reconciliation among all communities in the country and to ensure national unity by preventing any form of racist or religiously motivated hate activity. more..

Sep 11 (GLN) Colombo Chief Magistrate Mr. Asanga Bodaragama has issued an order preventing four individuals, including famous motor racing champion Dilantha Malagamuwa, who are accused of being involved in a racket of preparing fraudulent documents and selling a land located in Barnes Place, Colombo, valued at over 250 million rupees, from traveling abroad. Foreign travel has been banned for Dilantha Malagamuwa, Shantha Vithana Gamage, Desmond Amarasinghe, and more..

Sep 11 (TM) Court of Appeal yesterday directed that further hearing of a writ petition filed by Sarvajana Balaya leader and MP Dilith Jayaweera, challenging a reference made by the Colombo Fort Magistrate over an alleged contempt of court statement, be taken up on 14 Sept. Petition was heard before a two-judge bench comprising Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysooriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando. Appearing for MP Jayaweera, President’s Counsel Ali Sabry told Court that more..

Sep 11 (TM) A total of 78,368 people from 25,037 families have lost their livelihoods due to the dry weather conditions caused by El Niño, with losses reported across seven Districts, Minister Dammika Patabendi said. Affected Districts are Monaragala, Badulla, Ratnapura, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara & Anuradhapura, with livelihood losses reported among people engaged in agriculture, fishing, plantation work, more..

Sep 11 (Island) The axe is set to fall on Test captain Dhananjaya de Silva following his uninspiring leadership during Sri Lanka’s 1-0 series defeat to India at home last month. SL’s next assignment in the World Test Championship is a two-Test series in Pakistan and The Island learns that Dhananjaya is unlikely to lead the side. More significantly, he could even find himself fighting to retain his place in the XI. Although Dhananjaya served as Dimuth Karunaratne’s deputy for a couple of years, more..

Sep 11 (DN) SSC will meet Moors SC today in the Major Club limited-Overs final at the R. Premadasa Stadium under lights, with the match scheduled to begin at 2.30 p.m. SSC, led by Avishka Fernando, secured a thrilling one-run victory over CCC under the DLS method in the semi-final at the NCC Grounds last Monday. Moors SC, meanwhile, booked their place in the final with a convincing 51-run victory over Colts CC at the Sara Stadium. Both semi-finals produced high-scoring more..

Sep 11 (DM) Galle Fort has overtaken the long-standing cultural and urban fixtures to become SL’s most visited tourist attraction, capturing over 54% of foreign traveller itineraries, according to the latest survey by SLTDA. The survey, covering 11,731 departing tourists over the one-year period to June 2025, marks a decisive repositioning in SL’s traditional destination hierarchy. Galle Fort drew 6,340 respondents (54%), more..

Sep 11 (NW) SL has exported its first locally manufactured amphibious craft capable of operating on both land and water to Europe, marking a milestone for the country’s marine manufacturing industry. The craft, manufactured by Ocean Voyager International, was officially sent for export at an event held at the Koggala Free Trade Zone on Thursday, attended by Minister Sunil Handunnetti. High-tech amphibious craft is the first of its kind manufactured in SL for export to European more..

Sep 11 (FT) ‎Sampath Bank announced the appointment of Dilip de S Wijeyeratne as Deputy Chairman further strengthening the bank’s leadership as it advances its strategic priorities and continues to evolve as a purpose-led, technology-enabled financial institution. Wijeyeratne brings extensive experience across banking, finance, risk management and compliance, investment banking and treasury, complemented by a strong understanding of corporate governance, more..

Sep 11 (TM) Ceylon Tea exports have remained resilient despite about 85% of shipping routes being disrupted; with freight rates rising, and shipments forced to travel around the Cape of Good Hope, Tea Exporters Association (TEA) Chairperson for 2026/2027 Huzefa Akbarally said recently. Addressing the TEA’s 27 AGM, Akbarally said: “This has been a challenging year for the tea industry, with the current global conflicts and geopolitical tensions, Cyclone Ditwah, abolishment of SVAT, more..

Sep 11 (ST) The controversial emergency power purchasing agreements (PPAs) with Ace Power have been completely terminated, and a fully forensic audit is currently underway. This decision follows severe findings regarding irregular extensions and massive state expenditure, The unbundled state utility officially notified the management of Ace Power Embilipitiya that all power purchases from the plant were permanently discontinued, bringing an end to years of controversial extensions. more..

Sep 11 (ST) Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) has succumbed to institutional failure in which systematic corruption and widespread malpractice have brought about a situation of non-viability and lack of public faith. From being a vital pillar of the country’s transport system, it has become a huge drain, due to poor governance practices, rampant fraud, and leakages within procurement and finances. Findings of audit reports by National Audit Office, more..

Sep 11 (Island) Silting of reservoirs is a major problem today affecting our hydropower production and irrigation systems. The main Mahaweli reservoirs are silted to a considerable extent reducing the water holding capacity of them. Due to poor soil management practices, floodwaters deposit large amounts of silt in these reservoirs. When the Polgolla reservoir was fully drained about two years back, one could see mountains of silt in the lower reaches of the reservoir. more..

Sep 11 (FT) The Cabinet decision of 24 August 2026 to establish the National Business Facilitation Centre (NBFC) directly under the Presidential Secretariat signals an important shift in economic policy thinking: Sri Lanka’s persistent foreign reserve fragility cannot be permanently addressed through fiscal compression, debt renegotiations, or emergency import controls. It requires aggressive, sustainable, and diversified foreign exchange (FX) generation. more..

Sep 11 (ST) The current drought in several regions of the country and the prospect of El Niño followed by floods threaten our food security. Being prepared for these climate disasters is a challenging task. These climate disasters that are affecting the country are also affecting other countries in South and Southeast Asia. They threaten our food security as well as that of the region. The prospect of an El Niño drought later this year haunts us. Already several areas in the North, East, more..

Sep 11 (TM) 180 elephant deaths reported by 12 August. The number has travelled quickly because it is almost impossible to forget: more than 800 elephants dead in Sri Lanka this year (2026). It sounds like the kind of statistic that should stop a country in its tracks. It is also inaccurate. SL has not recorded 800 elephant deaths in 2026. The latest publicly reported DWC figure is 180 wild elephant deaths as of 12 Aug. The phrase over 800 refers to two earlier years combined. more..

Sep 11 (DN) SL film industry had Gamini Fonseka and Vijaya Kumarathunga when Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan dominated the Indian commercial stream films. When Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar sang for Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan in Indian cinema, H R Jothipala, Milton Mallawarachchi, having mesmerising screen voices sang for our cinema heroes. We had Latha Walpola, when India had Lata Mangeshkar. more..

Sep 11 (Island) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent announcement that the govt would set up 50 new universities came while university teachers were urging the govt to solve a host of issues affecting their institutions. The FUTA lost no time in responding to the President’s grand plan. FUTA Secretary Senior Lecturer Charudatta Ilangasinghe stressed that the government should focus on maintaining, funding, and improving the existing 17 state universities. more..

Sep 11 (CT) As SL once again comes under scrutiny at the ongoing 63rd Session of the UNHRC in Geneva, familiar questions concerning accountability, disappearances, reconciliation and the final stages of the armed conflict have returned to the international agenda. The latest report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, A/HRC/63/18, continues to emphasise accountability, truth-seeking, institutional reform and reconciliation. 17 yrs after the guns fell silent, more..

Sep 11 (TM) “We truly experienced and enjoyed the beauty of SL; it is absolutely magnificent. The country’s beaches, in particular, captivated us instantly. Surfing at Arugam Bay further enriched our experience; SL is an ideal destination for surfing.” These were the words of a foreign tourist who recently visited the East Coast. We Sri Lankans are now very familiar with the delightful and captivating sport of gliding across ocean waves, more..

Sep 11 (DM) When the UNP celebrated its 80th anniversary last Sunday, it did not appear that anyone considered it a major political event in the country. Had they been in power, the event would have been the lead story in many national newspapers the next day, but this time media attention on it seemed to be insignificant. The UNP is a party that deeply impacted SL history. When SL gained independence from the British in 1948, power was transferred from the British to the UNP. more..

Sep 11 (DM) A recent video of a poacher waiting for his kill inside Yala National Park exposed the harrowing realities that happen even within Protected Areas. Video was captured by a safari jeep driver and submitted to the Wildlife Conservation Dept. Incident was recorded on Aug 10 and the Department has launched a probe to apprehend the suspect. This is one among many incidents that largely remain unreported when it comes to poaching attempts inside national more..