Sep 20 (CI) Sri Lanka hold a slight edge over Pakistan heading into Sunday's semi-final, although contests between the two sides have generally been close in this format. Their most recent meeting came in the Asia Cup semi-final, where SL overcame Pakistan despite an all-round threat from Fatima Sana. In the Asian Games quarter-final, Pakistan were pushed hard again, surviving a Thailand scare in a rain-affected chase of 92. They slipped to 47 for 4 before Sana came to their rescue, more..

Sep 20 (DM) Former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday said that he cannot take over the nation now if needed, as he is not in Parliament now. Mr Wickremesinghe made this remark in response to a question raised by a youth as to whether he is prepared to take over the nation once again. Questions were raised by the youth from the former Prez during a programme to mark the 120th birth anniversary of the late Prez J.R. Jayewardene. “I cannot take over the nation now as I am not more..

Sep 20 (CI) Sri Lanka saved their most dismal batting performance of the series for last as they were bowled out for 124, a target which England knocked off in just 9.4 overs. The result secured a 3-0 series sweep, and subjected SL to a 15th consecutive loss in T20Is against England, who regained the ICC No. 1 ranking from India in the process. It was Harry Brook and Jos Buttler once more in the thick of the chase, more..

Sep 20 (ST) My dear Mahinda maama, I am writing to you with mixed emotions after seeing you on stage at the rally organised by the pohottuwa last week. This must be a difficult time for you, with Namal baby behind bars, even if it is only temporarily, and Shiranthi jetting off to Singapore for what is supposed to be medical treatment. Namal baby had delegated the task of organising the rally to Tisakutti. It was supposed to be a repeat of Mahinda sulanga, the rally at Nugegoda more..

Sep 20 (ST) A year ago, SL’s nearly new govt won time – and sympathy – from the int'l community at the UNHRC to put the country’s human rights house in order. There was also immediate bonding between the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, and the new govt, the former calling it a historic opportunity for transformative reforms and the govt losing no time in inviting him to visit the country with open access, in the naïve belief that its openness would turn the tide of adversity. more..

Sep 20 (Island) AI Snake Oil is the title of a 2024 book authored by Arvind Narayanan and Sayash Kapoor, two Indo-American computer science academics at Princeton Uni. Book became a popular primer on the subject. The long subtitle – What Artificial Intelligence Can DO, What it Can’t, and How to Tell the Difference – is summarily indicative of what the book is about. Within two years, however, the somewhat tempering message of the book would appear to have been overtaken more..

Sep 20 (TM) A quarter of a century has passed since 11 Sept 2001, when airplane attacks targeted the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in New York and the Pentagon in Washington. The smoke that billowed high into the sky that day permanently altered the global political map. Thereafter, nothing remained as it was before. The US’s declaration of a Global War on Terror was not merely a military campaign; it served as a historical turning point that fundamentally and radically reshaped more..

Sep 20 (ST) The awarding of a tender to obtain black shoe polish for the SL Police has not only taken the shine off the uniformed footwear of police personnel but also drawn allegations that the awarding of the tender was manipulated to suit certain individuals. Police Department had called for tenders to procure 350,000 tins of black shoe polish in April last year, and out of six bidders, the lowest bidder had been selected in Sept last year. more..

Sep 20 (Island) The 120th birth anniversary of President J.R. Jayewardene (JRJ) was commemorated in Colombo on Thursday. The well-attended event, with a representative audience, brought the UNP and its offshoot, the SJB, together, with their leaders, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, respectively, stressing the need for their parties to unite and fight what they described as the JVP-led NPP govt’s dictatorial rule. more..

Sep 20 (SO) Sri Lankans voted for Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the NPP two years ago mainly because they had trust in his personal honesty. They had heard promises to fight corruption before and had seen those promises broken within months. Following the sheer trauma of the 2022 economic collapse, voters turned to Dissanayake because of his distance from the political establishment that had governed SL into bankruptcy. They also thought he would be willing to act against those more..

Sep 20 (TM) As Sri Lanka awaits the judicial decision on the controversial 22nd Amendment, expected this week, the Opposition is rallying to protest the amendment. However, all is not going according to plan, it is learnt. The Nidahas Meheyum Madhyasthanaya (Independent Operations Centre), a group composed of several political activists and lawyers, aims for collective action to defeat the 22nd Amendment Bill in Parliament. more..

Sep 20 (TM) In a few days, the NPP will mark two years in office. After much political upheaval, long periods of poor governance, and an economic meltdown, SL public propelled Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the NPP to an electoral win with high hopes. Many were willing to overlook the disdain they held for the NPP’s core, which remains, functionally, the JVP, a movement that has twice attempted to overthrow an elected govt through violent insurgency and terror tactics, more..

Sep 20 (SO) Two years ago, Sri Lankans voted simply not for a new Govt, but for a different way of governing. The NPP came to office on a powerful promise: to break with the political practices of the past, clean up the Govt and deliver a more accountable, efficient and equitable State. Two years on, the question is no longer whether the Government has a reform agenda. It clearly does. The real test is whether that agenda is producing durable results for the economy, more..

Sep 19 (NW) SL’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it is closely monitoring the case of Anojan Sivarasa, a SL national undergoing judicial proceedings in Saudi Arabia, amid claims by his family that he has been sentenced to death following an appeal. Ministry said the SL Embassy in Riyadh, in coordination with the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Colombo, continues to monitor developments. Ministry said it remains engaged with more..

Sep 19 (DN) A 75-member strong SL Army contingent comprising 20 officers and 50 other ranks departed for Russia on Thursday to participate in Exercise Wolverine Path II – 2026, scheduled to be held at the 249th Sergeyevsky Combined Arms Training School. This is the first occasion on which Russia has hosted a military exercise on its territory involving SL military personnel. Contingent departed for Russia on Thursday and will remain there for 14 days. Exercise is aimed at strengthening more..

Sep 19 (ST) More than 500 Kumbuk trees in the old Eluwankulama lotus enclosure in Wanathavilluwa, located on the border of the Wilpattu National Park, have been destroyed by arson by unidentified persons, an environmentalist said. This happened during the restoration of the old Eluwankulama tank embankment, which was damaged by the Nov 2025 Ditwah cyclone. The old Eluwankulama Nelum Tank, which has a capacity of over 100 acres, is being filled, and nearly 700 acres of paddy fields more..

Sep 19 (DM) Two-day railway strike is scheduled to end at midnight today (18), but railway trade unions warned that they could launch further industrial action if their grievances remain unresolved, claiming the strike has already caused losses exceeding Rs.60 million. Railway Station Masters’ Association and other unions told a press conference that there was still no satisfactory solution to their demands, despite more..

Sep 19 (FT) Minister Anura Karunathilake yesterday said the Govt will add close to 960 MW of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity by the end of 2027 as it looks to absorb a growing daytime solar surplus. He said this at a ceremony to connect a 10 MW/40 MWh system in A'pura, first of 13 built by Storex Ltd, to the national grid. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake was also at the event. The 13 systems under this project will total 130 MW/520 MWh in combined capacity once complete. more..

Sep 19 (PMD) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that, as children are the nation’s most precious asset, safeguarding their lives is the responsibility of a responsible Govt. Prez Dissanayake stated that, under the Diviyata Saviyak Housing Programme, Rs. 1 million was provided last year to support the construction of a secure home for children who have grown up in Child Development Centres and that this amount had been increased to Rs. 2 million this year. more..

Sep 19 (Island) Three organisations advocating Muslim women’s rights have called on the Govt to disclose the status of proposed reforms to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA), saying the process has again stalled following a public consultation earlier this year. The Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group (MPLRAG), Islamic Women’s Association for Research and Education (IWARE) and Human Elevation Organisation (HEO), in a joint statement, said Ministry of Justice more..

Sep 19 (ST) The popular Beach Wadiya restaurant, which has been in operation for more than 50 years and has attracted both local and foreign tourists, was identified to be demolished, but the Court of Appeal has issued an interim order preventing the enforcement of a notice issued by the Director General of Coast Conservation. The order will remain in effect until Sept 21. The order was issued after taking into consideration submissions made by President’s Counsel Faiszer Musthapha, more..

Sep 19 (Island) Director General of the CIABOC Ranga Dissanayake has questioned whether some promises contained in the National People’s Power (NPP) manifesto, A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life, could be fulfilled even if the govt wanted to implement them. Dissanayake raised the issue during a discussion following the release of the third biannual report on manifesto monitoring by the March 12 Movement, at the BMICH, on Wed. more..

Sep 19 (NW) Minister Bimal Ratnayake has warned that vehicle owners cannot disregard road safety regulations by claiming their vehicles and fuel are their private property, stressing that all motorists must comply with the law when using public roads. Speaking at an event, the minister said individuals were free to make their own decisions about their vehicles within their private premises, but such freedom did not extend to public roads, where the safety of others must be protected. more..

Sep 19 (FT) Colombo stock market ended a bearish week on the up yesterday, ending a four-day losing streak. During the week, ASPI fell 1.52% and the active S&P SL20 was down 1.22% on sustained selling pressure driven by rising oil prices due to escalating tensions in the Middle East and the yields uptick of Govt Treasuries during the week. Yesterday, ASPI closed Friday up 0.16% or 32.83 points at 21,056.26 and the S&P SL20 ended up 0.07% or 3.93 points at 5,928.89 after more..

Sep 19 (Island) Batticaloa District ITAK MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam yesterday urged the Govt to take immediate action to save the life of Sivarasa Anojan, a Sri Lankan national who has reportedly been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia. In a statement posted on ‘X’, Rasamanickam said he would raise the matter in Parliament next week, while questioning the Foreign Ministry’s handling of the case and the accountability surrounding the appeal process. more..

Sep 19 (ST) Kappetipola Police have arrested three suspects, including a beef stall owner from Bandarawela, after a 12‑day investigation into cattle thefts in the Welimada area. Police complaints indicate that about 100 cattle have been stolen from various parts of Uva Province in recent weeks. Suspects, from Galle and Matara, allegedly targeted dairy cattle kept in sheds across Welimada villages. Reports show cattle had been disappearing at night for nearly six weeks in Pelliwinna, Erabadda more..

Sep 19 (TM) FUTA said yesterday (17) that lengthy discussions with PM Harini Amarasuriya had failed to produce solutions to several pressing issues affecting the university system. The discussion, held at the Education Ministry in Isurupaya, continued until around 10 p.m., with university academics from across the country taking part amid what FUTA described as the urgency of resolving the crisis. Speaking to the media after the meeting, more..

Sep 19 (Island) Securities and Exchange Commission of SL (SEC) and the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) have taken their A Share for Everyone, A Unit for Everyone (Samata Kotasak, Samata Ekakayak) initiative to Anuradhapura and Jaffna through investor forums last week, as part of an ongoing islandwide effort to broaden investor participation. The forums were held on 10th September at the Golden Mango in A'pura, and on 12th Sept at Tilko Jaffna City Hotel. more..

Sep 19 (FT) As young talent continues to shape the future of work, Great Place To Work is proud to unveil the award winners for the 20 Great Workplaces for Young Talent in SL for the year 2026. Recognising the growing influence and importance of this demographic within today’s workforce, Great Place To Work Sri Lanka has enhanced and localised its assessment methodology to identify and celebrate organisations that empower, engage, and develop the next generation of leaders. more..

Sep 19 (ST) The removal of structures along the coastal belt from Wellawatte to Mount Lavinia would be carried out in stages, with dates being allocated according to the number of officers available from the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Minister Dammika Patabendi said. He said it had been decided to identify and remove unauthorised constructions by dividing the coastal area into 5 zones, more..

Sep 19 (NW) Former Foreign Minister Ali Sabry has urged Saudi Arabian authorities to grant clemency to SL national Anojan Sivarasa following reports that his five-year prison sentence has been escalated to a death sentence over an offensive social media comment. Expressing deep concern over the reported development, Sabry said SL’s Foreign Ministry had not confirmed the death sentence and that the formal written judgment was still awaited. “Respect for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and more..

Sep 19 (NW) ACMC leader Rishad Bathiudeen visited the family of SL national Anojan Sivarasa in Narpittimunai, Kalmunai, on Sept 18, following reports that he had been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia. During the visit, Bathiudeen met Anojan’s mother, siblings and other family members, offering his support and assuring them that he would engage with relevant authorities over the case. Bathiudeen said reports of the death sentence had also caused concern among SL’s Muslim more..