Sep 15 (DN) SL’s javelin champion Rumesh Tharanga continued his remarkable international medal hunt by winning the men’s javelin throw at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary on Sunday, overcoming a field of several world’s leading throwers of this event. The pre-competition favourite Rumesh got off to an inauspicious start in Budapest, though, opening with 75.89m. European champion Julian Weber impressed with his first throw which landed comfortably beyond more..

Sep 15 (FT) Sri Lanka and Germany last week identified practical avenues for cooperation with regard to maritime and logistics. This was at the sector-focused briefing titled Positioning Sri Lanka as a Competitive Maritime, Logistics and Export Hub: Opportunities for German–Sri Lankan Business Cooperation convened by the Foreign Affairs Ministry in association with the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka) in Colombo. more..

Sep 15 (FT) SL Retailers’ Association (SLRA), in partnership with the CCC, last week successfully concluded the Sri Lanka Retail Forum 2026 under the theme Retail Without Boundaries: Building the Next Growth Engine, bringing together retailers, business leaders and industry experts to explore the changes shaping SL’s retail sector and its next phase of growth. Speaking at the event, SL Retailers’ Association (SLRA) President more..

Sep 15 (Island) Heartbreak of the T-20 World Cup earlier this year is still fresh. SL failed to reach the semi-finals despite enjoying home advantage throughout the tournament, with their batting proving the Achilles heel. Those concerns have hardly disappeared as they head into a three-match T-20 series against England, beginning today in Southampton. Batting misfired in both warm-up games against England Lions and how SL respond when real business begins remains to be more..

Sep 15 (FT) The Gem Sri Lanka 2027 was unveiled in Bangkok on 6 Sept, bringing together key stakeholders to promote SL’s gem and jewellery industry ahead of its fourth edition in Jan 2027. The launch was organised by the Ceylon Gem and Jewellery Traders Association (CGJTA). The event was attended by the Chief Guest, Minister Sunil Handunnetti, who delivered the keynote address. He highlighted the importance of value addition, innovation and international collaboration more..

Sep 15 (TM) National Olympic Committee of SL (NOCSL) Chair Asanga Seneviratne, in a scathing attack on officials of certain domestic sports federations, said it has become embarrassing to sit on behalf of the country at top global sporting events anymore. He charged that to be physically present at high-profile events such as Commonwealth Games and Asian Games on behalf of SL has become a degrading experience, for want of local more..

Sep 15 (FT) The Institution of Engineers, SL, will hold the National Engineering Conference 2026 on 24 Sept from 3 p.m. at Cinnamon Grand Colombo. The conference will bring together policymakers, senior govt officials, engineers, academics, industry leaders, investors and development partners to discuss practical solutions for several important national challenges. NEC 2026 is designed as more than a professional conference. IESL will present four policy papers prepared by more..

Sep 15 (FT) Hayleys Solar marked a major milestone in its renewable energy journey with the opening of its 3MW Veyangoda Ground-Mounted Solar Project, with Energy Minister Anura Karunathilake gracing the occasion. The project marks the first of Hayleys Solar’s planned 300MW portfolio of ground-mounted solar power projects across Sri Lanka, further strengthening its commitment to expanding large-scale renewable energy solutions. Hayleys Solar is part of more..

Sep 15 (FT) SL Economic and Investment Summit 2026, organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on 12-13 Oct will host a session titled Linking SL to Asia’s Growth Networks: Trade, Corridors, and Value Chains. The session will form part of the second day of SLEIS 2026, held under the theme Positioning Sri Lanka in a Changing Global Economy: Resilience, Reform, and the Future of Economic Policy. It will examine the opportunities for SL to deepen its integration with more..

Sep 15 (FT) Can AI bring the joy and imagination that a book gives? Can it provide the warmth of a conversation that brings soul-to-soul connection? Can it inspire a love of reading and, most importantly, can it give us the smell of a new book? These questions were among those raised at the recently held Readers’ Summit 2026, organised by Pick a Book under the theme Human edge begins with reading, which brought writers, leading entrepreneurs, readers & publishers together. more..

Sep 15 (FT) Advocates compliance-led revenue growth, digital transformation, taxpayer fairness and more competitive business environment. Proposes revising Advance Personal Income Tax threshold to Rs. 200,000 per month, providing relief to middle-income earners. Estimates measure would result in approximate revenue contraction of Rs. 26 b against 2026 baseline and Rs. 79 b compared with 2025 actual revenue. more..

Sep 15 (Island) The ongoing 63rd session of the UNHRC, which runs from Sept 7 to Oct 7, in Geneva is important to Sri Lanka. Its outcome will send a signal to other international actors, including the European Union, as to whether SL’s reform policy is on track. The written update on SL, prepared by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights under High Commissioner Volker Türk and presented by Deputy High Commissioner Nada Al-Nashif, has taken a more holistic approach to more..

Sep 15 (DM) Arrest of SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa over alleged corruption linked to SriLankan Airlines’ Airbus procurement has revived one of the most troubling chapters in the national carrier’s history. Predictably, some welcome the arrest as proof the Govt takes corruption seriously, while others see a politically motivated probe. Both reactions miss the main point. The Airbus affair is ultimately about establishing who was responsible for exposing billions of dollars of public money, more..

Sep 15 (ST) ​There is reason to cautiously applaud the raft of arrests of racketeering politicians of previous regimes taking place currently, subject to the reminder that the law must not be weaponised against political opponents. In that context, the clearance of a proposed Prevention of Organised Crime Bill aimed at establishing a dedicated legal framework to combat organised criminal activity by the Cabinet of Ministers is of particular note. This recognizes that a separate law will more..

Sep 15 (GV) ​If you grew up in SL over the last decade, your introduction to the state was direct and unforgiving. You didn’t just read about policy in a textbook; you lived it in fuel queues, during rolling power outages, through hyperinflation that slashed the value of your savings and amidst an overnight policy shift that disrupted agriculture nationwide. For Gen Z, these weren’t isolated bad luck events. They were the natural end result of a system built on top-down state control, political price fixing more..

Sep 15 (SO) Former UNP National List MP, Prof. Ashu Marasinghe has found himself at odds with his former party over his recent comments on the political situation in the country. While expressing support for several measures taken by the present Govt, Marasinghe has also been openly critical of the UNP’s current political approach. The UNP has since announced that he is no longer a member of the party and is not authorised more..

Sep 15 (TM) Two boys were asleep in their home in Kawdana, Dehiwala, in the hours before dawn on Friday, when a hand grenade meant for a house they did not live in tore through their world instead. They did not wake up. Their father, badly wounded, remains in hospital, left to make sense of a loss no parent should ever have to comprehend. Police now say the attack was a case of mistaken identity, the intended target was a neighbouring house linked to a narcotics dispute between two rival more..

Sep 15 (TM) On 27 December 1864, Ceylon's first train pulled out of Colombo, hauling the promise of a modern age into the interior of the island. One hundred and sixty-one years later, that promise remains largely unfulfilled. Thousands of commuters, mostly government employees and students who buy the cheapest season tickets in the country, still climb into overcrowded carriages each morning, uncertain whether they will reach office or classroom on time, or at all. more..

Sep 15 (TM) There was a time when a ship could determine the fate of a port simply by refusing to call there. For centuries, Galle was Ceylon’s principal maritime gateway, a familiar stopping place for the great steamship lines and an important coaling station on the routes to the East. Colombo was a less impressive proposition, an exposed roadstead whose limitations were obvious to mariners. more..

Sep 15 (Island) Printing is becoming increasingly challenging in Sri Lanka. This is more so about printing newspapers and books owing to the ever-rising cost of paper, ink and high taxes, which even threaten the very survival of the printing and publishing industries. Printers and publishers are struggling to keep their heads above water. Today’s comment however is not a tale of woe about the predicament of printers and publishers. Instead, it is about the fact that under SL law, more..

Sep 15 (DM) Political revenge, they say. But why is accountability suddenly political revenge? When allegations were made, where was this outrage? When questions were raised about public money, govt contracts, questionable deals and the misuse of state resources, where was the concern for the people? Govts changed, politicians crossed the floor, and cases dragged on for years. Meanwhile, the public paid the price. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has taken a direct swipe at more..

Sep 14 (NW) The foundation stone for new hospital buildings in Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Mullaitivu, and Mannar, with an investment of Rs. 7,148 million, will be laid on Wednesday under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The initiative, supported by loan assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Govt of India, aims to strengthen the health system and expand treatment services in the Northern, North Central & Eastern provinces. more..

Sep 14 (AD) Railway Joint Trade Union Alliance has decided to proceed with its planned two-day token strike on September 17 and 18, after talks with the Ministry of Transport failed to produce a decision on the future of the incumbent General Manager of Railways. Alliance Co-Convener Kasun Chamara Jayasekara said the unions would not alter their previously announced strike plans as the government had yet to reach a firm decision on the matter. Decision follows a meeting held today more..

Sep 14 (NF) Sri Lanka and Thailand have taken steps towards strengthening bilateral labour cooperation, signing two landmark agreements that will pave the way for the structured recruitment and employment of SL workers in Thailand while ensuring their rights, welfare and legal protection. The agreements, a MoU on Labour Cooperation and a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on Employment of SL Workers more..

Sep 14 (DM) Certain Individuals are engaged in blackmailing Members of Parliament facing court cases in the guise of helping them to resolve such cases with the respective plaintiffs, MP Jagath Vithane alleged today. “These individuals, who claim to be media activists, actually engage in blackmailing MPs, saying they will provide information to the media on the allegations they face if they don’t pay the amount of money demanded,” the MP told the Daily Mirror. more..

Sep 14 (AD) Former SL fast bowler Chaminda Vaas is set to make his IPL coaching debut in 2027 with Delhi Capitals appointing him as their bowling coach. Cricinfo has reported that Vaas and former India legspinner Amit Mishra will be part of the coaching staff led by former India captain Sourav Ganguly, who will be head coach, with former India allrounder Yuvraj Singh taking over as batting coach. Vaas, SL's most successful fast bowler with 355 wickets in Tests and 400 in ODIs, more..

Sep 14 (FT) SL’s Budget swung to a deficit of Rs. 119.23 billion in July, wiping out the Rs. 9.51 billion surplus the Govt had accumulated over the first half of the year, as expenditure continued to outpace revenue collection into the third quarter, the latest data showed. The July reversal followed a similar pattern in June, when a Rs. 197.34 billion surplus recorded at end-May had narrowed to just Rs. 9.51 billion by end-June, more..

Sep 14 (AD) National List MP M.S. Abdul Wahid has resigned from parliament, with effect from today. Abdul Wahid, who represents the SLMC, formally submitted his resignation to the Acting Secretary-General of Parliament, Hansa Abeyratne. In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Election Commission, Abeyratne confirmed that Abdul Wahid had tendered his resignation from the office of MP, effective Sept 14. Following the resignation, Acting Secretary-General formally informed more..

Sep 14 (AD) Around 30% of road accidents in the country are caused by dogs, according to Dr. Chamith Nanayakkara, the founder of the Association of Veterinarians for Humane Management of Animal Population. Dr. Nanayakkara also revealed that approximately Rs. 1 billion is spent annually on rabies vaccinations for people who are bitten by dogs. He said the growing population of stray dogs is having a significant impact on the country’s economy. more..

Sep 14 (EN) Foreign investors bought a net 2,750 million rupees (US$8.5 million) worth of Sri Lanka rupee bonds in the week ended on September 11, CB data showed, amid a steady rupee currency. The latest buying boosted the foreign buying in the govt securities to 92 billion (US$280 million) in the last 13 straight weeks since June 19. The inflows boosted foreign holding to 213.4 billion rupees, the highest figure the Central Bank has published in its Weekly Economic Indicators. more..

Sep 14 (NW) Crude oil prices have risen sharply in the international market, and SL’s fuel pricing will once again be calculated at the end of the month based on these global rates, Minister Anura Karunathilaka said. According to the Minister, while fuel is currently sold domestically at prices lower than world market levels, private distributors have repeatedly warned they cannot continue under such conditions. He said the govt is considering several measures to address the situation. more..