Sep 1 (AD) The govt will not be prepared to show any leniency toward individuals involved in the sale of narcotics, Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara says. He made the remarks on today during a discussion at the Mahara Prison on a joint mechanism aimed at ensuring a rapid response to emergency or volatile situations in prisons and improving the welfare of inmates. Minister said delays in issuing more..

Sep 1 (NF) Colombo High Court today sentenced former Civil Aviation Minister Piyankara Jayaratne to seven years of rigorous imprisonment after finding him guilty of corruption-related charges. Colombo High Court Judge Mohamed Mihail ruled that the former minister was guilty of the corruption offences brought against him. The case was filed on two charges alleging that, in 2014, funds amounting to Rs. 330,000 belonging to SriLankan Catering were used to provide meals to political more..

Sep 1 (AD) The Govt has commenced a project to construct 1,000 Arogya Health and Wellness Centres across the country, with foundation stones laid today for the construction of 10 new wellness centres under the programme. The foundation-laying ceremony was held under the patronage of Minister Nalinda Jayatissa. Speaking at the event, Minister stated that construction of all the wellness centres initiated today is expected to be completed by December, while more..

Sep 1 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has accused the govt of attempting to undermine judicial independence through the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, claiming the move is part of an effort to establish one-party rule in Sri Lanka. Speaking to the media following proceedings at the Supreme Court over petitions challenging the proposed amendment, Premadasa said the SJB was among the petitioners more..

Sep 1 (DM) SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa said people who had distanced themselves from the party during previous elections were now returning to its camp due to growing dissatisfaction with the government. Speaking at a divisional meeting in Jandure, Angunakolapelessa, Hambantota, Rajapaksa said the SLPP had been visiting villages across the country to reconnect with the people. “We have now gone from village to village as a party to many districts in Sri Lanka. more..

Sep 1 (Island) SJB MP Dayasiri Jayasekera has sought a clarification from Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne regarding several allegations against Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, in Parliament, recently. In a letter dated 31 August, Jayasekera has asked the Speaker whether he received any documentary evidence from MPs in support of the allegations at issue. SJB MP has also inquired about the steps taken by the Speaker regarding the allegations and whether more..

Sep 1 (NW) Sri Lanka’s merchandise exports to India increased by 7.22% year-on-year during the first seven months of 2026, reaching US$669.36 million, according to data from the Export Development Board (EDB). Exports to India during the January-July period rose from US$624.31 million recorded during the corresponding period of 2025. In July alone, exports to India increased by 9.12% year-on-year to US$129.51 million, compared with US$118.69 million in July 2025. more..

Sep 1 (FT) UN World Food Program (WFP), together with the Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment Ministry, last week handed over agricultural equipment valued at nearly Rs. 22 million to farmers and school meal suppliers participating in the Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) program in the Nuwara Eliya District. To date, the WFP has also invested more than Rs. 92 million to support the implementation and expansion of the HGSF across the district. more..

Sep 1 (DM) A complaint has been lodged with the CIABOC against three Supreme Court judges over allegations that their actions resulted in nearly US$999 million in compensation that was due from the X-Press Pearl shipping company and its local representatives not being recovered. Dr Chamal Sanjeewa, President of the Medical and Civil Rights Doctors’ Association, submitted the written complaint to the Director General of more..

Sep 1 (EN) Cabinet has approved submitting gazetted regulations to Parliament designating 68 entities in the Colombo Port City as Secondary Businesses of Strategic Importance. The proposal was presented under the provisions of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act No. 11 of 2021. The designated entities span information technology, consulting services, business process outsourcing (BPO), logistics, infrastructure hybrid/combined business models & public enterprises. more..

Sep 1 (AD) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said that the estimated crop damage caused so far by the prevailing extreme dry weather conditions is nearly 8,000 acres of farmland belonging to around 7,000 farmers. He said that the govt has allocated Rs. 3,000 million as the first phase of an expedited programme to provide compensation to farmers affected by the crop damage. Accordingly, compensation will be provided for crops including paddy, maize, big onions, potatoes, soya more..

Sep 1 (NW) Former Minister Piyankara Jayaratne has been sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment after being found guilty of a corruption charge filed by the CIABOC. The sentence was imposed by Colombo HC Judge Mohamed Mihal following a lengthy trial. Case relates to a payment of Rs. 330,000 from the accounts of state-owned SriLankan Catering Ltd. to a private catering company in Marawila to more..

Sep 1 (FT) Beyond its refreshed spaces and stunning beachfront setting, Citrus Hikkaduwa is embracing a new identity as one of the South Coast’s most exciting entertainment hubs. At the heart of this transformation is Summer Salt, the hotel’s signature social and entertainment venue, positioned as the new address to be seen in Hikkaduwa. Designed to capture the energy of modern beach culture, Summer Salt brings together everything that defines today’s lifestyle more..

Sep 1 (FT) Agriculture in SL, and in many other countries, is sitting on a ticking time bomb. The burning signs are no longer hidden. We see it in erratic monsoons, prolonged dry spells, flash floods, landslides, heat stress, damaged irrigation systems and repeated crop losses. Now another warning light is flashing. On 13 Aug 2026, NOAA reported that El Niño was strengthening, with a greater than 90% chance of becoming a very strong event. Met Dept had warned of substantial rainfall changes, more..

Sep 1 (ABC) A SL-origin Australian couple and their two young sons are among dozens of Australians still missing after catastrophic floods devastated areas along the Nepal-Tibet border, according to Australian media reports. Chandrasekaran Muralitharan, 47, his wife, Shylaja Muralitharan, 42, and their sons Ashwin, 14, and Aarush, 11, were travelling with a Himalayan Glacier Adventures group when contact with them was lost. The family lives in northwestern Sydney. more..

Sep 1 (FT) SL is at an important crossroads in its economic recovery. Having gone through one of the worst financial crises in its history, the country is now trying to rebuild trust, restore stability, and set the stage for steady growth. As the current monetary policy framework comes up for review, one question keeps surfacing: should the CB change its inflation target? The short answer is no — not because 5% is some magic number, but because the existing framework fits SL’s economic reality. more..

Sep 1 (SO) Govt is moving to make teaching a regulated profession, with teachers and other education professionals set to come under a new system of mandatory registration, professional licensing and quality assurance, Education Ministry officials said. “It is fast-tracking legislation to establish an Education Council, with the Legal Draftsman now instructed to prepare the relevant Bill,” Edu. Min. Secy Nalaka Kaluwewe said. more..

Sep 1 (FT) Sri Lanka yesterday welcomed its largest-ever privately organised Japanese visitor delegation, as over 250 travellers arrived in Colombo through the Little Japan initiative, in what organisers are calling a landmark moment for tourism and bilateral cooperation between the two nations. The arrival marks the culmination of months of planning under the campaign banner Japan Returns to SL, and is being positioned as a defining moment in the renewal of people-to-people, more..

Sep 1 (SO) SL is unlikely to see a significant reduction in its import bill in the immediate future, with most current imports being essential goods, but the Govt expects to bring down import expenditure within the next one to two years by increasing domestic production and exports, the Trade, Commerce & Food Security Ministry stated. Deputy subject Minister R M Jayawardena said SL is now importing mainly essential goods and could not simply stop imports altogether. more..

Sep 1 (FT) Corporate earnings of companies listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) rose 10% year-on-year (YoY) to Rs. 168.3 billion in the second quarter of 2026/first quarter of FY27, led by a strong performance from the banking sector, according to Softlogic Stockbrokers (SSB) Research. Despite the YoY improvement, earnings fell 10% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) from Rs. 186.6 billion in 1Q2026/4QFY26, more..

Sep 1 (PMD) A discussion on developing SL’s mineral industry in line with the export-oriented National Mineral Policy 2026 was held this afternoon (31) at the Presidential Secretariat, chaired by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, with the participation of officials from the SL Mineral Sands Association (SLMSA) and the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau. The discussion focused on the exploration, extraction and value addition of mineral resources, as well as the measures required to more..

Sep 1 (AD) Three more suspects, including two Pakistani nationals, have been arrested in connection with the seizure of nearly 463 kilograms of suspected crystal methamphetamine (Ice), from two containers at the Colombo Port earlier today (31). According to police, the arrests were made by officers of the Central Crimes Investigation Bureau (CCIB) as investigations into the drug consignment continue. The seized narcotics are estimated to be worth more than Rs. 8 billion, more..

Sep 1 (DM) Authorities are planning to introduce daily visitor limits and an online advance booking system at Horton Plains National Park as part of measures to reduce environmental pressure on the sensitive ecosystem. The proposal was discussed during a special joint field observation tour and progress review meeting held on Aug 29 at Horton Plains, chaired by Deputy Minister Anton Jayakody. Officials said an online time-slot booking system would allow authorities to more..

Sep 1 (FT) Sri Lanka is seeking to turn its increasingly sophisticated digital-payment infrastructure into a wider engine of innovation, investment and economic growth, as Govt and industry leaders look to strengthen the country’s position within Asia’s expanding FinTech landscape. The ambition was outlined at the launch the inaugural Sri Lanka FinTech Festival 2026 by the FinTech Forum Sri Lanka, in collaboration with the Digital Economy Ministry. more..

Sep 1 (Island) The Cricket Transformation Committee met the press yesterday and offered a firm assurance that the new constitution for Sri Lanka Cricket will be in place before November, with all democratic avenues available for concerned parties to challenge it in court. According to committee head Eran Wickramaratne, the draft constitution has already been forwarded to the Ministry of Sports and subsequently to more..

Sep 1 (NF) ‎PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, arrived at Paro International Airport today, 31 August 2026, to participate in the inaugural Global Conscious Food Systems Summit, being held in Bhutan from 31 August to 04 September 2026. The Global Conscious Food Systems Summit 2026 is the inaugural global summit dedicated to exploring the role of consciousness, values, culture, spirituality and inner transformation in advancing sustainable, equitable and regenerative food systems. more..

Sep 1 (NW) ‎The govt will establish 250 King Coconut villages across the country under a new programme aimed at expanding cultivation and increasing the economic contribution of the coconut sector, Minister Samantha Vidyaratna said. The Ceylon King Coconut Villages programme will be launched to coincide with International Coconut Day on Sept. 2, with 75 villages to be established during the first phase this year. The programme had been developed through collaboration more..

Sep 1 (FT) Standard Chartered SL CEO Bingumal Thewarathanthri has made the case for Sri Lanka to consider an IMF Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) after completing its current EFF in 2027, arguing that continued engagement could support investor confidence and external market access while allowing greater policy flexibility. Speaking at a recent Global Research Briefing hosted by Standard Chartered, Thewarathanthri said the approaching end of the EFF raises a broader question more..

Sep 1 (FT) Sri Lanka’s long-awaited global destination marketing campaign is set to face a further delay of nearly one year, Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe said, just days after Sri Lanka Tourism unveiled a roadmap envisaging the launch of its Rs. 5 billion global branding campaign in March 2027. Speaking at the launch of the National Tourism Strategic Planning Consultancy (2026-2031) and Global Promotional Campaign Roadmap Consultancy, more..

Sep 1 (FT) Total exports reached a record $ 10.48 billion in the first seven months of 2026, up 5.48% year-on-year (YoY), putting the country just past the halfway mark of its ambitious $ 20 billion full-year export target despite mounting global and geopolitical headwinds. The latest performance, disclosed by the EDB, surpassed the previous January-July record of $ 9.94 billion set last year, with the expansion increasingly being more..

Sep 1 (TM) SL is targeting $ 1.5 billion in export revenue from its plastic and rubber industries by 2030, while strengthening environmental sustainability, with the Govt planning to upgrade waste management and recycling systems in all newly developed industrial parks, Minister Sunil Handunnetti said in Rubexpo 2026 on Sunday. Speaking at the event, Handunnetti said: “We view the plastic and rubber sectors as industries, integrated with other sectors, more..

Sep 1 (DM) Sri Lanka’s engine displacement-based automotive taxation framework is creating severe market distortions, effectively penalising globally acclaimed, highly efficient hybrid vehicles while disproportionately favouring electric vehicle-first architectures, according to leading equities and research firm JB Securities. The current fiscal structure restricts consumer choice across the domestic market, systematically shutting out world-renowned fuel-efficient models with more..