Sep 4 (DM) Steps are underway to conduct searches for narcotics in schools across the country, with IGP Priyantha Weerasuriya calling on schools to seek police assistance, including sniffer dogs and officers, in the fight against drugs among schoolchildren. IGP particularly urged parents and teachers to remain vigilant regarding the activities and behaviour of children. He said a proposal has also been submitted to national committee more..

Sep 4 (Island) Police Headquarters has launched an investigation into allegations that three policemen attached to the Kohuwala Police are receiving money and other benefits from a Dubai-based underworld figure to facilitate drug trafficking in the area. The probe commenced on Wednesday (Sept. 2), following complaints submitted to the offices of the President, the Minister of Public Security, the Secretaries to the Ministries of Defence and Public Security, and the IGP. more..

Sep 4 (FT) PM Harini Amarasuriya will deliver the keynote address at a special session on Day 2 of the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit (SLEIS) 2026 organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, titled Nation Building in the Digital Age, on 13 Oct at the Shangri-La Colombo. The session will examine how SL can use artificial intelligence, digital transformation, innovation and education to accelerate economic growth, improve productivity and build a knowledge-driven economy. more..

Sep 4 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for a national dialogue on constitutional reform, saying Sri Lanka should consider establishing a dedicated Constitutional Court or another specialised mechanism to review constitutional matters as part of long-term institutional reforms. Premadasa made the remarks following a meeting with Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association President Steven Thiru more..

Sep 4 (NW) Construction of the Kotaleeya Bridge in Polonnaruwa is rapidly progressing, with authorities planning to complete the project by April next year. The bridge, located on the Maradankadawala–Habarana–Trincomalee main road at point 82/3 within the Dimbulagala Divisional Secretariat area, is being rebuilt as a concrete structure 13.4 meters wide and 60 meters long. The decision was taken due to safety concerns, with the project costing Rs. 251 million. more..

Sep 4 (AD) Former Minister Johnston Fernando, who was arrested by the CIABOC, has been produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court. Johnston Fernando was arrested by CIABOC today in connection with an ongoing investigation. The former Minister had earlier arrived at the Bribery Commission to provide a statement. He was arrested over allegations that he caused a loss of approximately Rs. 7.9 million to the govt. According to the allegations, Fernando removed more..

Sep 4 (NW) Supreme Court has concluded hearings on petitions filed against the Govt’s proposed Anti‑Corruption Amendment Bill, announcing that its confidential determination on the constitutionality of the draft law will be forwarded to the Speaker of Parliament and the Prez. A total of 15 petitions were lodged challenging the Bill, which were examined over two days before a three‑judge bench comprising Justices Shiran Gunaratne, Mahinda Samayawardhena, and Sampath Wijeratne. more..

Sep 4 (Island) Communist Party of SL (CPSL) has strongly objected to the Ministry of Defence’s statement on 1 September that Defence Secretary Sampath Thuyacontha has invited the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to engage and cooperate with Sri Lanka. CPSL General Secretary Dr. G. Weerasinghe has issued the following statement: “According to the Ministry’s official press release, Thuyacontha held discussions with senior NATO officials, including Admiral Guiseppe more..

Sep 4 (Island) ITAK General Secretary M. A. Sumanthiran has condemned the actions of police during a recent confrontation with families of the forcibly disappeared in Jaffna, as well as the conduct of govt ministers who were present during the incident. Sumanthiran, said they strongly condemned the brutal ways in which police had manhandled relatives and mothers of forcibly disappeared persons at Jaffna DS. more..

Sep 4 (DM) The first coal shipment for the Norochcholai Lakvijaya Power Plant in the second quarter of this year has arrived at Puttalam, with unloading expected to commence this afternoon. The coal carrier IVS TRADER has arrived in Puttalam, and quality inspections involving the relevant institutions are expected to be completed expeditiously before unloading begins. Minister Anura Karunathilaka visited the Lakvijaya Power Plant this morning to assess the current more..

Sep 4 (NW) SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa has been arrested by the CIABOC over allegations that he accepted Rs. 100 million in bribes linked to an aircraft procurement deal involving SriLankan Airlines. CIABOC said Rajapaksa was arrested by its investigating officers at around 2:09 p.m. on Friday. The investigation relates to funds allegedly paid as bribes in connection with the purchase of aircraft for SriLankan Airlines. CIABOC alleges that €1,454,651.24 had been received as a bribe more..

Sep 4 (AD) SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa has been arrested by the CIABOC. He arrived at the Bribery Commission this morning to record a statement and was taken into custody following several hours of questioning. Allegations had previously been levelled against former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena and his wife, Priyanka Niyomali Wijenayake, over the alleged acceptance of a USD 2 million bribe more..

Sep 4 (NW) Sri Lanka imported 316,000 vehicles during the first six months of 2026, generating Rs. 512.55 billion in tax revenue, according to figures presented by SL Customs to Parliament’s Committee on Ways and Means. Of the total tax revenue generated through vehicle imports, motor vehicle imports accounted for Rs. 386.73 billion, the largest share of the collection. Petrol-powered cars with engine capacities below 1,000cc emerged as the highest Customs revenue-generating more..

Sep 4 (AD) SL Navy confirmed that the remains suspected to be of the officer who had been reported missing, following the maritime incident involving Fast Attack Craft P 4447 on 15 August, were recovered from the vessel by naval divers this morning. According to the Sri Lanka Navy, the recovery operation was conducted when prevailing sea and underwater conditions permitted specialized diving operations to be carried out safely. The craft was located at a depth of approx 80 feet, more..

Sep 4 (FT) When the term El Niño appears in the news, it is generally associated with weather, rainfall and temperature. But for Sri Lanka, an exceptionally strong El Niño can have consequences far beyond meteorology. Its effects can extend through agriculture and food prices to business costs, trade, electricity, water resources, inflation, Govt revenue, public expenditure and household purchasing power. For this reason, El Niño should more..

Sep 4 (FT) Sri Lanka can be an over $200 billion economy by 2029. The math works. We crossed $ 100 billion in 2025 after crashing to $ 74 billion in 2022. History shows $ 100 billion is a tipping point — exports, tourism and FDI accelerate exponentially after it. But here's the hard truth: No country brands itself to $ 200 billion on slogans alone. It brands itself on trust, and right now, our share of voice globally is not about growth. It is about scandals. more..

Sep 4 (AD) An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team will visit Sri Lanka from September 10 to 23 to hold discussions with govt authorities on the combined Seventh Review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme and the 2026 Article IV Consultation. The mission will be led by Evan Papageorgiou, IMF Mission Chief for SL, and will assess the country’s progress under the IMF-supported economic reform programme more..

Sep 4 (TM) Govt has ruled out power cuts despite a decline in coal stocks at the Lakvijaya Power Plant in Norochcholai, assuring the public that sufficient hydropower generation is currently available to maintain an uninterrupted electricity supply. Minister Anura Karunathilaka said reduced coal stocks had prompted authorities to limit coal-fired generation at the plant, but stressed that the situation had not affected the overall electricity supply. Two coal shipments are expected to arrive more..

Sep 4 (EN) SL govt’s bilateral and multilateral loans increased in the first six months of this year while commercial debts fell. Bilateral loans led by China rose 1.1% or US$ 119 mil to US$ 10,797 million by the end of June, compared to US$ 10,678 at the end of last year, the data showed. Multilateral loans also increased by 3.4% or US$ 488 million in the first half to US$ 14,802 million. Govt’s commercial debts, however, fell 2.1% or US$262 mil in the first half of this year to US$12,409 mil. more..

Sep 4 (FT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday said that his Govt would not hesitate to introduce Constitutional amendments it considers necessary to combat drug trafficking and crime and build a more peaceful country. Speaking at an event marking the 160th anniversary of the SL Police, the Prez said the Govt had taken steps to strengthen the process of bringing suspects to justice but acknowledged delays between more..

Sep 4 (TM) Bhutan has expressed interest in drawing on Sri Lanka’s experience and expertise to support its future development priorities, during a meeting between PM Dr Harini Amarasuriya and King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck in Thimphu on Wednesday (2). PM had an audience with the King at the Tashichhodzong during her official visit to Bhutan. Discussions focused on Bhutan’s development priorities and opportunities to expand cooperation between the two countries. more..

Sep 4 (TM) Education Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa said that some national school teacher transfer orders are being held back due to practical reasons. Kaluwewa said that around 2,000 transfers had been issued last year, of which, 24 were held back due to practical reasons. He said that some of the reasons given by principals involved practical issues which had to be considered by the Ministry. He said that there are also several opportunities for teachers to appeal against transfer decisions more..

Sep 4 (FT) The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), by filing a motion before the Supreme Court yesterday, informed that it will not be tendering the post-hearing written submissions in connection with its Special Determination applications against the proposed 22nd Amendment, citing circumstances including the Court’s decision to refuse the petitioners an oral right of reply after the Attorney General’s oral submissions during Wednesday’s (2) hearings. more..

Sep 4 (NW) Indian High Commissioner to SL Santosh Jha has met the Most Ven. Mahanayake Theros of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters and sought their blessings for stronger ties between India and SL. Jha said he paid his respects to the Mahanayake Theros and sought their blessings for strengthening the fraternal relationship between the two countries. HC also briefed the senior Buddhist prelates on India’s ongoing support for SL’s development efforts following the cyclone. more..

Sep 4 (Island) Norochcholai coal-fired power plant is now digging into the last dredges of its coal stock, with two operational units forced to slash generation from around 270 MW to just 140 MW on Sunday as the plant ran critically short of fuel, according to independent energy analysts and sources familiar with the National System Operator (NSO). The sudden reduction of approximately 130 MW in coal generation has once again more..

Sep 4 (ST) Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development is gearing to implement a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for employees of entities to be liquidated under the ministry. The staff at SL Cement Corporation, Lanka Cement, Hingurana Sugar Industries Company, Kantale Sugar Industries Ltd, Small and Medium Enterprises Authority, Wood-based Design Centre, Kahatagaha Engineering Services Ltd, Lanka Textile Mills Embilipitiya Ltd will be granted a VRS or compensation, more..

Sep 4 (FT) The Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) yesterday defended co-hosted roadshows saying foreign purchases of Sri Lankan equities from Singapore nearly tripled in the 12 months following the Invest Sri Lanka Forum held in the city-state last year. The SEC said this was evidence of the value of sustained overseas investor engagement. The statement also comes hot on the heels of a roadshow in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia, recently. more..

Sep 4 (DN) SL captain Chamari Athapaththu, who was named Player of the Match after producing record-breaking bowling figures of 7 for 5 against Indonesia, praised Nilakshika Silva for her heroic knock under pressure and was keen to share her award with her teammate at the presentation ceremony following the Asia Cup game at the Dubai Stadium. “I am not a regular bowler, but I play as an all-rounder. I was also surprised by my bowling performance today. I am really happy with more..

Sep 4 (DM) Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake has called for immediate measures to ease the heavy Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) tax burden on the general public, stressing that the current situation requires swift corrective action. Speaking at the 21st Annual General Conference of the Association of Inland Revenue Commissioners in Colombo, Dr. Kumanayake emphasized the need to address the tax pressure faced by the public without delay. more..

Sep 4 (UN) El Niño is strengthening rapidly in the Pacific Ocean, raising the prospect of months of extreme heat, floods, drought, and disruptive weather around the globe. The phenomenon, already firmly established, is expected to become very strong and peak around the end of the year, according to new forecasts from WMO. The likelihood that El Niño will persist through Feb 2027 is now close to 100%. more..

Sep 4 (ST) The manager’s report to the Ministry of Sports (MoS) following Sri Lanka’s disappointing campaign at the 2026 Asian Netball Championship is expected to reveal a series of incidents that undermined the team’s hopes of reclaiming the regional title they lost in 2024. Rather than focusing on reaching the final, a stage SL has featured in 11 of the 14 editions of the Asian Championship, six-time champions and five-time runners-up slipped to third place for only the third time since 2005. more..

Sep 4 (ST) Out of the operating theatres, surgeons from wide and varied fields will gather to brainstorm, share the latest techniques and network to offer the best for patients going under the knife for open surgery, keyhole surgery or robotic-assisted surgery. The august Sri Lanka Surgical Congress 2026 will be held from Sept 2 to 5 in Colombo. Organised by the College of Surgeons of SL (CSSL), the congress is a joint collaboration with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, UK, more..