Sep 8 (AD) Minister Vijitha Herath says SL rejects any external interference or mechanisms to investigate alleged human rights violations that occurred during the conflict with the LTTE. Responding to the report presented on SL by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker at the 60th session of the UNHRC in Genève today, Minister Herath on behalf of the govt said SL is committed to the accountability process more..

Sep 8 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has questioned how two containers of raw materials used in the production of Crystal Methamphetamine (ICE), discovered by security forces, were able to leave the port. MP Premadasa said that while the discovery marks progress in the effort to curb drug trafficking, it also raises several troubling questions that the govt must clarify. “The core issue is how these two containers exited the port. International intelligence agencies regularly more..

Sep 8 (FT) SL’s economy is at a critical juncture, where digital transformation is no longer a luxury but a necessity. From mid-sized enterprises to large corporations and technology-driven start-ups, companies are adopting Salesforce solutions to streamline operations, boost customer engagement, and unlock new growth opportunities. The platform’s ability to integrate customer data across multiple channels — from call centres and websites to mobile apps and social media — eliminates more..

Sep 8 (DM) General Secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Tilvin Silva, dismissed speculation that Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya will be removed from her position. Speaking at a public meeting, Silva said the Opposition had been spreading baseless claims for a long time, but none of them had materialised. “Earlier, they said Harini Amarasuriya would lose her ministerial portfolio. Now they claim she will be removed as PM. These are nothing more than their dreams,” more..

Sep 8 (FT) Chairing the late H.L. de Silva Memorial Events in 2012, the ex-Foreign Secretary H.M.G.S. Palihakkara openly questioned whether it is the rule of men or the rule of law which would usher prosperity to a nation.1 He answered his own question and opined that what was prevailing in Sri Lanka was not the rule of law but ‘a rule’ of men. For Sri Lanka to prosper, he said that the latter should be defeated. What he presented 13 years ago is valid for Sri Lanka even today. more..

Sep 8 (TM) SL has responded to the report filed by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, by stressing that external initiatives will only serve as hindrances to the ongoing national efforts and serve to polarise the population. SL’s response and the UN report will be discussed at the upcoming UNHRC session. Govt of SL said that it does not agree with the conclusions and recommendations in the report more..

Sep 8 (IW) Excavation at the Chemmani mass grave in SL’s northern province has been suspended after 45 days due to insufficient funding from the Justice Ministry, according to lawyers involved. The site, discovered during routine development in February, has yielded 240 skeletal remains so far, with operations halting at noon on Saturday, Fresh allocations are expected within two weeks to resume the judicially supervised work, which began on May 15 following a court order. more..

Sep 8 (DN) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake stressed that it is the responsibility of state officials in each district to ensure that development projects implemented at district level are not delayed and that their benefits reach the people within the stipulated timeframe. He further stated that once a development project is initiated, officials must maintain a target plan up to its completion date. Prez pointed out that failing to complete previously launched development projects on time and more..

Sep 8 (Island) The SJB, won’t support the UNHRC call for SL to recognise the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC).Top SJB spokesman Dr. Harsha de Silva said that there was no need for SL to accept the ICC. The UNHRC proceedings continue until 8 Oct. Dr. de Silva said so in response to The Island query in the wake of Geneva-based UNHRC asking the NPP to have SL submit to the ICC jurisdiction. more..

Sep 8 (FT) Sri Lanka’s workers’ remittances surged to $ 680.8 million in August, marking the highest monthly inflow so far in 2025. The figure reflects an 18% year-on-year (YoY) increase and represents the fifth consecutive month of record inflows, underscoring the steady recovery of foreign worker earnings. August’s inflow is also the second-highest monthly remittance in the country’s history, just behind the $ 708.09 million recorded in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. more..

Sep 8 (Island) In the latest economic indicators report, CB has painted a picture of an economy showing some encouraging signs while grappling with significant challenges. The Island asked an economic analyst to explain the latest indicators to help understand what they mean for everyday Sri Lankans. His analysis is as follows: For the first 7 months of 2025, govt revenue has increased significantly, reaching Rs. 2,734.9 bil compared to Rs. 2,161.8 bil in the same period last year. more..

Sep 8 (FT) Despite the shortfall in arrivals, Sri Lanka’s tourism industry has managed to rake in over $ 2 billion in revenue during the first eight months of 2025. Tourism earnings from January to August registered over $ 2.03 billion, reflecting a substantial 7.8% year-on-year (YoY) increase. However, the sector is still grappling with a 46.3% shortfall in revenue, compared to its benchmark performance in 2018. In August, the industry registered earnings of $ 318.5 mil, down 3.1% more..

Sep 8 (AD) The strict enforcement of laws against drivers operating vehicles with dangerous and unauthorized modifications will begin today, according to Deputy Minister of Transport Dr. Prasanna Gunasena. In a statement, the Deputy Minister emphasized that special attention would be directed towards vehicles equipped with excessively loud sound systems and multi-colored, flashing lights, which are installed in violation of transport regulations. more..

Sep 8 (Island) An organised crime syndicate led by Padmasiri Perera, alias Kehelbaddara Padme, is believed to have manufactured large quantities of crystal methamphetamine (ICE) in a clandestine facility in Nuwara Eliya and distributed it countrywide. Investigations have revealed that chemicals, unearthed recently in Middeniya, had been used for manufacturing ICE. On several occasions, group attempted large-scale more..

Sep 8 (EN) SL is planning to install barrier nets in 250 reservoirs to protect fish stocks and boost harvests, minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. An estimated 20,000 to 40,000 km are washed way annually from each reservoir when water is released for agriculture, reducing fish harvest for human consumption. The loss of mature fish in of reproductive age also leads to depletion of fish stocks. The cabinet of ministers had approved a plan by National Aquaculture Dev Authority more..

Sep 8 (Island) Post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables in Sri Lanka amount to Rs. 180 billion a year, and, according to a new study by the Department of Agriculture and several partners, the quantity lost is sufficient to feed the entire nation for two to four months. The research has found that more than 500,000 metric tons of produce goes to waste annually, during transportation alone. Of this, around 200,000 metric tons are vegetables and 300,000 metric tons are fruits. more..

Sep 8 (EN) SL Railways plans to build small trains with three cars to operate on rural tracks where passenger demand is insufficient to run larger trains, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. The cabinet of minister had given the nod to assemble the railcars locally which will be powered by a diesel engine in each compartment, and controlled by an electronic system. The small trains would be able to carry around 200 to 240 passengers. There were already some rail buses (a single compartment bus more..

Sep 8 (FT) Official reserve assets rose marginally to $ 6.17 bil as at end-Aug 2025, up from $ 6.15 bil as at end-July. Reserve assets have been inching upwards since falling to $ 6.08 billion in June from a peak of $ 6.5 bil in Mar 2025. In August, foreign currency reserves amounted to $ 6.1 bil, up from $ 6.06 bil in July, and $ 6.02 bil in June. Gold assets amounted to $ 52 mil as at end-Aug, up from $ 50 mil the previous month, with $ 4 mil held in reserves with the IMF unchanged. more..

Sep 8 (TM) Govt is yet to make a decision on approximately Rs. 200 billion in claims submitted by the local construction industry for expenses incurred due to project delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis, according to the Chamber of Construction Industry of SL (CCI). CCI CEO Nissanka Wijeratne revealed that while the certified payments for locally-funded Govt projects that had been delayed due to more..

Sep 8 (DN) Sri Lanka’s motor racing super star Yevan David experienced mixed emotions at Round 6 of the Euroformula Open 2025 in Austria, where he claimed one victory but also endured two tough races that concluded yesterday. David, racing for Team Motopark, qualified third on the grid. But his hopes in Race 1 were cut short after an early incident dropped him back, forcing him to settle for sixth place. In Race 2, the 18-year-old made a strong comeback. more..

Sep 8 (FT) The Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW.ORG) yesterday said that its three-day International Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses, held from 5-7 September at the Sugathadasa Indoor and Outdoor Stadium, concluded successfully, bringing together more than 3,500 international delegates from 10 countries and over 14,000 total participants, including local members. JW.ORG said in a statement: “The convention delivered a significant boost to SL’s tourism and hospitality sector. more..

Sep 8 (FT) Business leader Dhammika Perera is set to add diversified, unlisted LAUGFS Holdings Ltd, to his fast-expanding business empire. The acquisition is via Dhammika’s latest investment holding Vallibel 3, which will maximise opportunities for 50:50 partnerships with companies which are professionally managed. The Daily FT learns that an understanding has been reached between Dhammika Perera and more..

Sep 8 (SO) Govt will explore the possibility of introducing feasible and affordable taxes for Digital devices products and would take steps to monitor and curtail the growing grey market in the country, said Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne. He was speaking at the launch of INFOTEL, the IT exhibition in Colombo last week. He said cheap second-hand products are flooding the market due to the demand for cheaper products. “Digital Economy Ministry will check the gray market and more..

Sep 8 (DN) SL’s Hesali Peiris produced a fighting performance to claim fifth place in the Women’s Class at Round 3 of the TVS One Make Championship 2025, held at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore, India, concluded yesterday. Riding under the Two Wheels Motor Racing Club with competition number 9, Hesali took part in both the Women’s Class and Rookies Class on the TVS RTR 200 motorbikes. She qualified in fifth place in both events and showed more..

Sep 8 (CI) Pakistan will host a T20I tri-series involving Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in November. The series will begin on 17 November, with all teams playing each other twice. The first two games will game place in Rawalpindi, with the other five, including the final on 29 Nov, in Lahore. This is the second time this season that a bilateral T20I series Pakistan were scheduled to host has ended up being a tri-series. Afghanistan were scheduled to play a three-match T20I series in August, more..

Sep 8 (CI) Asian Cricket Council (ACC) can be criticised for many things. Like having Afghanistan, SL & Bangladesh in a brutal group of death, or missing the chance to ride the wave of cricket's surging popularity in Nepal. But they've often nailed one key aspect: moulding their flagship competition to suit the needs of the cricket calendar. So, two years after its 50-over edition, Asia Cup returns in 2025 as a T20 competition, aiming to be a perfect lead-in to next year's WC in India and SL. more..

Sep 8 (CI) Zimbabwe put forward a team effort led by Tadiwanashe Marumani's fourth T20I fifty to post an imposing 191 for 8. But SL's top four batters made light work of their target by ending the game with 14 balls and eight wickets to spare. With it, SL took the series 2-1. Kamil Mishara will be the name on everyone's lips after the game, though, with his 73 not out off 43 balls the shining light in an outstanding display of more..

Sep 8 (ISland) Deep in SL’s south-western hills, where mist clings to ancient trees and streams tumble over mossy rocks, lies Sinharaja, a rainforest often described as the island’s emerald heart. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988, it is one of Asia’s last remaining lowland rainforests—a living relic of Gondwanaland. But this sanctuary is now under threat. An illegal road project cutting through the Ilumbakanda section has sparked outrage among environmentalists, more..

Sep 8 (SO) Katchatheevu is a low, wind-scoured speck in the Palk Strait. Uninhabited, with a small Catholic shrine to St. Anthony at its centre, it lies roughly midway between northern SL and India’s TN coast. For most of its history the island barely featured beyond fishermen’s lore and colonial charts. Today it functions as a proxy for sovereignty, livelihoods, identity politics—and great-power anxieties in the Indian Ocean. Modern Katchatheevu debate begins with colonial-era ambiguity. more..

Sep 8 (ISland) NPP govt and the Opposition have locked horns over the detection of a huge stock of chemicals, believed to have been smuggled in two freight containers, for manufacturing crystal methamphetamine (popularly known as ICE) in a factory belonging to notorious underworld figure, Kehelbaddara Padme (KB) currently in detention. NPP politicians and their propagandists are in overdrive to implicate the entire SLPP in the drug trade on the grounds that the consignment of more..

Sep 8 (CT) The nation has once again been shaken by the tragic loss of lives in road accidents. Only days have passed since the deadly bus crash in Ella. Before that, we witnessed the Ramboda disaster, and not long ago, the crash involving the KDU bus shocked the country. Each of these incidents brought grief to families, exposed the recklessness on our roads, and raised loud questions about passenger safety. Yet, beyond the mourning and the momentary outrage, more..