Sep 9 (CI) Sri Lanka crashed to their second-lowest T20I total ever, going down for 80 inside 18 overs, as Sikandar Raza, Brad Evans, and Blessing Muzarabani shared eight wickets between them. At no point in their batting innings did SL stage even a mild recovery. There was a 26-run partnership for sixth wicket, but even that appeared laboured, and had multiple close calls. Zimbabwe's top partnership was also worth just 26, more..

Sep 9 (ST) Sri Lanka’s badminton celebrated a landmark day as two of its brightest stars – Ranithma Liyanage and Viren Nettasinghe – achieved career-best postings in the latest update of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) world rankings. Sri Lanka’s top Women’s Singles shuttler, Ranithma Liyanage, climbed 10 places to reach World No. 101, her highest-ever position in the senior rankings. The 18-year-old has also soared to World No. 5 position in the junior rankings, more..

Sep 9 (ST) The much-anticipated ACC T20 Asia Cup 2025 gets underway on Tuesday, bringing together the continent’s best cricketing nations for a fierce battle of supremacy. After a two-year break, the stage is set for fireworks, fresh leadership, and the emergence of new stars in Asia’s premier cricket competition. World T20 champions and defending Asia Cup holders India arrive with a revamped side under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, who succeeded Rohit Sharma as captain in more..

Sep 9 (ST) Today (7), is Binara Full Moon Poya – a very important poya for Buddhists, particularly women. This poya falls between the months of July and October when Upasampada bhikkhus and bhikkhunis (monks and nuns) observe the vassana (rainy season) staying indoors for three months. The most important event that took place on Binara Poya during the life of Gauthama Buddha was the ordination of women as bhikkhunis. It was not easy for women to achieve this status in traditional more..

Sep 7 (Island) It’s quite a conundrum that Kamindu Mendis is leaving us with. Having once again pulled victory out of the fire by marshalling the tail, every man in the SL camp would love to see him bat higher up the order. Mind you, the number four slot in white-ball cricket remains an empty chair, but the fact is not everyone can turn water into wine at number six. Kamindu is doing the job so well that he deserves to stay there, though many will be tempted to push him up the ladder. more..

Sep 9 (EN) Sri Lanka’s credit to private borrowers expanded by 201.5 billion rupees in July, after a record 221 billion growth in June, amid broadly deflationary policy that gave confidence with stable costs, but there have been some inflationary swaps recently. In the seven months to July, Sri Lanka’s banks now disbursed 901.6 billion rupees in credit, compared to 341 billion rupees last year. more..

Sep 7 (ST) Royal College weathered a storm and clung on to the Bradby Shield, sealing the 79th edition of the two-leg contest on an aggregate of 18-13, despite losing the second leg 8-3 to Trinity College at the Royal College Sports Complex in Reid Avenue yesterday. The match was a real arm-wrestle. Trinity drew first blood, hit hard in the opening minutes, and even managed to turn the tables on the home team, who stunned the league champs in the first leg a fortnight ago by 15-5. more..

Sep 7 (GV) Political divisions are not new to SL nor are they unique to our country. History is littered with disputes, breakaways and betrayals, often among those who once marched under the same banner. The left, in particular, has long been characterised by factionalism, ideological feuds and the inability to reconcile competing visions of reform and revolution. From Stalin and Trotsky’s bitter clash after Lenin’s death to the Sino-Soviet split of the 1960s, disputes within the socialist camp more..

Sep 7 (Island) Seldom does a day pass in this country without shooting incidents or fatal accidents making headlines. On Thursday night, a bus toppled down a precipice near the famous Ravana Falls on the Ella-Wellawaya road, killing 15 passengers and injuring about dozen others. Some of the injured were in a critical condition in the Badulla hospital. The ill-fated vehicle was on its way back from Ella to Tangalle, carrying about 30 municipal workers on a pleasure trip. more..

Sep 7 (ST) Tomorrow (8) will be the re-fixed trial date in the long drawn-out case: The UNHRC vs. The Republic of SL. The matter that has been going on forever in Geneva will see an amended resolution, according to the Govt, with an original petitioner (US) withdrawing from the case and a Core Group either press-ganged to join the crusade (Montenegro and Malawi) or guilt-tripping due to domestic political compulsions (UK and Canada). A Govt that has been on a prosecution overdrive more..

Sep 7 (ST) During his 2-day official visit to the North, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake undertook an inspection tour of the uninhabited Kachchativu islet, where Catholic fisherfolk from across the Palk Strait meet once a year in the third week of March to host the annual feast of St Anthony. Presidential visit turned out to be historic, making Prez Dissanayake the first prez to visit the islet since the bilateral and maritime border agreements between more..

Sep 7 (ST) My dear Sajith, I am writing to you as you seem to be facing an unexpected problem these days, just when you thought you could get the telephone party up and running to try and challenge the maalimaawa chaps. I am referring to the problems caused by Uncle Ranil’s recent court appearance, of course. I wouldn’t blame you if you had thought that the Greens as a party were good as dead and with many of the pohottuwa chaps being behind bars or on their way to Welikada, more..

Sep 7 (CT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake made yet another visit to Jaffna last week. With all good intentions, he may be on course to set a record for visiting Jaffna more times than all his predecessors combined. There is no Lyn Ludowyk among us to make a political satire of presidents going to Jaffna, reversing the time honoured old trope he wrote as a play – He Comes from Jaffna! The President’s visit was primarily to launch development projects in the peninsula. more..

Sep 7 (TM) While there are many challenges facing Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his JVP-led NPP Govt, the three most prominent current challenges could be listed as facing the upcoming UNHRC sessions, recording positive progress in the country’s economic recovery programme, and adopting a foreign policy that will support SL’s economic recovery. On the matter of economic recovery, Prez AKD and his Govt more..

Sep 7 (TM) As Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake prepares to mark his first year in office on 23 September, the question dominating both political circles and ordinary conversations is a sobering one: is the NPP Govt losing the plot? What was hailed as a new chapter in SL politics, one that promised a break from the cronyism, corruption, and stagnation of the past, is increasingly looking like it is turning into yet another story of missed opportunities, disorganisation, and disillusionment. more..

Sep 7 (SO) What began as a joyous annual trip to Ella aboard the Galaxy Dream (Sihina Mandakini) turned into a night of horror on Sept 4, the bus carrying employees of the Tangalle Urban Council (UC), plunged 300 metres down a precipice near the 15th milepost on the Ella–Wellawaya road, killing 15 people including children. It was the second major bus tragedy in recent months, following the Gerandiella accident in June which claimed 21 lives. That such mass casualty crashes are more..

Sep 6 (CT) An investigation has been launched to determine how containers of chemicals used in the production of crystal methamphetamine (ice) in SL, reportedly for a facility funded by organised crime leader Mandinu Perera, alias Kehelbaddara Padme, were released from the Port and SL Customs. Reports indicate that the containers were disguised as essential ceramics. On Friday, Western Province North Crime more..

Sep 6 (DM) A SLPP member and his brother have been implicated in the discovery of nearly 50,000 kg of chemicals used in the production of crystal methamphetamine (ice) during a police raid at a property in Middeniya, Thalawa, on Friday (5). The stock had been imported by underworld figure Kehelbaddara Padme, who had earlier rented a house in Nuwara Eliya to manufacture ice with the help of two Pakistani nationals. Raid, carried out by the Western Province North Crimes Division, more..

Sep 6 (CT) Trade unions of the CEB have launched a work-to-rule campaign from midnight on 4 Sept, protesting the proposed restructuring of the CEB. The unions warned that if the Govt fails to meet their demands, they will escalate to a full-scale nationwide strike. The unions have submitted 24 demands to the Ministry of Power and Energy. Among them is a call for every employee to receive by 15 Sept 2025, a formal letter confirming their position, remuneration, workplace and more..

Sep 6 (DM) The govt has delayed the enactment of the proposed piece of legislation for monitoring and supervision of both local and international NGOs despite the availability of a draft worked out during the previous rule. The need for monitoring and supervision of NGOs has been debated for well over a period of two decades because of complaints about unchecked spending and working against national interests of SL. more..

Sep 6 (AD) The President’s Fund has decided to grant compensation of Rs. 1 million each to the families of those who lost their lives in the bus accident that occurred last night (04) on the Ella–Wellawaya main road. A bus, which was carrying a group of Tangalle Urban Council employees and their families returning from a trip, veered off the road near the 24th km post on the Ella–Wellawaya main road at around 9 p.m. last night (04). It first collided with an oncoming SUV vehicle more..

Sep 6 (NW) The National Milad-Un-Nabi commemoration ceremony was held this afternoon (05) under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Masjidul Aroosiya Jumma Mosque premises in the Malay Colony village, Ambalantota. The event was organised by the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, together with the Department of Muslim Religious And Cultural Affairs, to mark the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad. more..

Sep 6 (DN) Sri Lanka team led by Charith Asalanka is brimming with confidence to take on Zimbabwe in second T -20 after winning first game win when they meet at Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club today at 5 pm (Sri Lanka time ). Sri Lanka team want to make good fight to get series win before their Asia Cup which will commence from September 9 in UAE .The winning mentality from this Zimbabwe series in more important for Asia Cup series and they want to continue their momentum. more..

Sep 6 (EN) Cigarette smuggling occurs across the country, and a better understanding of this is needed to develop policies to curb it, increase government revenue, and minimise adverse health impacts, a study by the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) has found. Sri Lanka’s smuggling is a result of incentives given by high tobacco taxes. High import duties have also promoted corruption in the trade of other goods including foods in Sri Lanka analysts have pointed out. more..

Sep 6 (ST) Colombo’s ageing underground sewage system has been identified as the main factor behind the recent road collapses and sinkholes in the city. The two road failures leading into Colombo caused severe traffic jams between Model Farm Road Junction and D.S. Senanayake Junction in Borella on August 20 and 27. These busy roads are used by thousands of people daily, and diversions through Baseline Road & Cotta more..

Sep 6 (DN) Former cricketer Roshan Mahanama has stepped down from his role as a member of the National Sports Council (NSC) with immediate effect. Mahanama was appointed to the National Sports Council for the 2025–2028 term by letter dated 14 Feb 2025 and formally accepted the position on 20 Feb 2025. Announcing his resignation, Mahanama stated that he was reluctantly compelled to discontinue his role due to personal reasons. A former ICC match referee, more..

Sep 6 (ST) By late August, Sri Lanka had already counted 147 forest fires this year. That is an average of two a day, Director and Media Spokesman of the Disaster Management Centre Pradeep Kodippili said. The DMC says the numbers are neither unusually high nor low when compared with the past decade. Yet the frequency and the scale in districts like Badulla, Matale and Ratnapura have left officials worried. “We have had 30 fires in August alone,” Mr. Kodippili said. more..

Sep 6 (ST) An Aldabra tortoise has found its forever home at the Dehiwala Zoo three months after being dumped in the ocean by suspected wildlife smugglers. The Director General of the National Zoological Gardens, Dr. Chandana Rajapaksa told the Sunday Times that the Department of Wildlife Conservation handed over the tortoise to the zoo this week. Dr. Rajapaksa said that the reptile was in good health, but it was not yet decided if it would be put on public display. more..

Sep 6 (ST) Many university students are increasingly using artificial intelligence tools, particularly for writing literature reviews in their theses and for preparing assignments and presentations. While plagiarism detection software is available to monitor AI use, some educators believe generative AI can be beneficial if applied responsibly. “AI tools are available for this generation to use and it can be a valuable resource, however, students must develop a solid understanding of more..

Sep 6 (CT) It was just past 9 pm on 4 Sept when residents along the Ella–Wellawaya road heard the terrible sound of metal grinding against rock, followed by an echoing crash that reverberated through the valley. A bus, carrying around 30 passengers, had collided with an oncoming jeep, broken through a roadside barrier, and plunged nearly 1,000 feet down a cliff. Scene that unfolded in the darkness was one of devastation. more..

Sep 6 (ST) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has once again drawn attention for the manner in which its finances are managed. A review of SLC’s latest financial statements shows extensive related-party transactions, raising questions about governance, transparency, and possible conflicts of interest within the organisation. Payments categorised as Transactions with Related Entities amount to over Rs. 2bn (Rs. 2,041,383,177) in 2024 and again over Rs. 2bn (Rs. 2,078,418,418) in 2023. more..

Sep 6 (Island) Deputy Minister of Technology and Innovation Chathuranga Abeysinghe has called on Sri Lanka’s engineering community to take the lead in driving industrialisation and positioning the nation as a global hub for innovation. Besides he stressed that engineering must extend beyond infrastructure, with a greater focus on research, development and exportable solutions. Speaking at the National Engineering Conference 2025 held for the second consecutive year recently, more..