Sep 8 (DM) Africa is rapidly shedding its outdated image of instability to emerge as the world’s next economic powerhouse. Driven by a young, expanding workforce, vast natural wealth, and a firm resolve to shift from raw material exporter to industrial manufacturer, the continent presents unprecedented opportunities. Global giants like China and India recognized this trajectory early and built deep roots. For SL businesses—already tested by pioneering conglomerates in apparel, more..

Sep 8 (FT) Board of Investment of SL (BOI) has stepped up efforts to address operational challenges faced by Japanese investors, with the fifth working-level meeting of the SL–Japan Business Environment Committee providing a platform for companies to raise concerns directly with relevant govt agencies. The quarterly meeting brought together representatives of the Embassy of Japan, Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), more..

Sep 8 (Island) Supreme Court has been petitioned seeking an explanation as to how eight petitions filed against the 22nd Amendment were not listed for hearing. Two of the petitioners, namely Ajith Jayathilaka and Dakum Gunathilaka, have requested an opportunity to examine the official Registry and parliamentary records so that all material facts may be objectively established. They said that their petitions that had been more..

Sep 8 (DM) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will not attend this year’s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), with Sri Lanka to be represented at ministerial level, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said today. Speaking at the Cabinet decisions media briefing, Herath said he would represent Sri Lanka at the UN General Assembly and deliver the country’s address on Sept 28. He said he is scheduled to leave for New York on Sept 26 to attend the annual UN gathering. more..

Sep 8 (NW) India has agreed to continue providing technical and other assistance to Sri Lanka to strengthen efforts to control tuberculosis, following bilateral talks between the two countries’ health ministers. SL Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa met Indian Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on Tuesday on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia in Dili, Timor-Leste. During the meeting, Jayatissa expressed SL’s more..

Sep 8 (DM) Illegal activities allegedly committed by Sri Lankan nationals while using Thailand’s visa-free facility contributed to the decision to end visa-free entry for SL passport holders, Cabinet Spokesman and Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said. Herath said the Thai Govt had conducted a review of its visa arrangements for countries around the world and identified 60 countries, including Sri Lanka, for which visa-free facility would be withdrawn. more..

Sep 8 (AD) Indian Naval Ship (INS) Udaygiri has arrived at the Port of Colombo today on an official visit and was received by the SL Navy in accordance with time-honoured naval traditions. INS Udaygiri is a 149.02m long Frigate, commanded by Captain Vikas Sood. Meanwhile, the Commanding Officer of the visiting ship is scheduled to call on the Commander, Western Naval Area, Rear Admiral Harsha De Silva, at the Western Naval Command Headquarters, according to a statement more..

Sep 8 (EN) Viet Nam budget airline Vietjet is offering Sri Lankan travellers Eco tickets from 90 dollars one-way (inclusive of taxes and fees) and 22% off Deluxe fares on its Colombo–Ho Chi Minh City route. The sale runs from 22:30 on 7 Sept to 21:30 on 10 Sept. The promotional Eco fares are available across Vietnam domestic and international routes, while the Deluxe discount applies to international flights using the promo code SALE99. Travel period is between 10 Sept 2026 and 31 Mar 2027. more..

Sep 8 (FT) The new National Business Facilitation Centre (NBFC) will remove the obstacles that slow our businesses. It can do something far larger. It can become the one place in Sri Lanka where a new concept for earning foreign exchange, one that belongs to no ministry, is received, evaluated, coordinated and launched. On 24 August the Cabinet approved a proposal from the President to establish a National Business Facilitation Centre under the Presidential Secretariat. more..

Sep 8 (FT) five years after the MV X-Press Pearl caught fire and sank off Colombo, spilling plastic pellets and chemicals along SL’s western coastline, the environmental case has largely been settled in the country’s favour. The economic one has not. As compensation proceedings drag on, unresolved and increasingly contested, the dispute has quietly shifted shape, from a question of damages owed for an environmental disaster to a question of whether Colombo can be trusted to run a global more..

Sep 8 (TM) Govt plans to establish 1,000 new Arogya Health and Wellness Centres over the next three years as part of a wider effort to introduce a family doctor-based primary healthcare system across the country and reduce the growing burden on major hospitals, Consultant Medical Administrator, Dr Sarathchandra Kumarawansa, said. He said the Govt’s health policy envisages providing a medical team, more..

Sep 8 (EN) Sri Lanka’s Central Bank bought a net US$ 579 million in August, official data showed, amid a stabilizing local currency that touched a four-year low in the May this year. It was the highest highest net absorption by the Central Bank from the domestic foreign exchange market since March 2024, the official data showed. The Central Bank did not sell any dollars in August, after selling more than US$211 million in May on a net basis for the first time in 22 months. more..

Sep 8 (AD) Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka today on an official visit. Accordingly, he is scheduled to undertake his official visit from today until Sept 10. The visit is aimed at further strengthening defence cooperation between India and SL. During his visit, the Indian Defence Minister is expected to meet Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, PM Harini Amarasuriya, Defence Ministry Secretary Sampath Thuyacontha, and several other officials. more..

Sep 8 (FT) SL’s macroeconomic foundations are stronger than they have been in years, though the recovery remains incomplete and structural reforms must be deepened rather than merely maintained, Capital Alliance Holdings PLC (CAL) said. “Macroeconomic foundations are stronger than it has been in years,” CAL said in its 2025/26 Annual Report released last week, pointing to rebuilt reserves, anchored inflation, more..

Sep 8 (TM) Agriculture Dept has advised farmers to cultivate paddy only in the most productive areas and shift to field crops in other areas, as the country prepares for the predicted dry conditions associated with El Niño. Deputy Director of Agriculture (Research) Dr H Shyamalee said that although there are paddy varieties capable of withstanding water shortages, the Department was encouraging farmers to turn more towards field crops in light of the impending El Niño conditions. more..

Sep 8 (DN) SL’s state universities have been urged to move beyond being users of imported technologies and play a leading role in developing local digital solutions as the country accelerates its transition towards a digital economy. The call was made at a special dialogue on Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation in Higher Education, held at the Uni of Colombo on Sept 4 in conjunction with Conference of Dy Vice-Chancellors & Councils of Vice-Chancellors Conference more..

Sep 8 (AD) The first parliamentary week of September is scheduled to commence today. Accordingly, Parliament is scheduled to sit from today until September 11, the Parliamentary Secretariat said. The Parliament is scheduled to convene at 9:30 a.m. today under the chairmanship of Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne. Two orders issued under the Motor Traffic Act and published in Extraordinary Gazettes No. 2489/22 and 2493/19 are scheduled to be taken up for debate more..

Sep 8 (DN) Player of the Match Harshitha Samarawickrama was elated that she could contributed in a big way for SL’s victory against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup T20 tourney at the Dubai Stadium. “I played my normal game according to the situation which turned up to be a match winning knock. Our skipper Chamari Athapaththu got out early in this game and we were under big pressure. But all other batters did a decent job,” said number five batter of the team Harshitha. more..

Sep 8 (TM) Around 27% of SL’s petroleum product sales during FY2025, roughly 1.4 million MT, were sold outside the four licensed suppliers recognised by the Govt (CPC, LIOC, Sinopec & R M Parks) as a vast majority of it consisted of bunkering fuel utilised by the maritime sector, SenFin Finance’s recently released Fuel Imports & Consumption report said. Referring to the period between Apr 2024 and Mar 2025, more..

Sep 8 (TM) More than 3.2 tonnes of marine debris have been removed from coral reefs in Trincomalee Bay during a two-week underwater cleanup operation carried out in response to damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah. A report released by The Biodiversity Project stated the operation was coordinated by The Biodiversity Project, Earthlanka Youth Network and Kalpitiya Diving Centre SL, with support from World Vision Lanka, the Marine Environment Protection Authority, more..

Sep 8 (TM) Education Ministry stressed that while schools may seek Police assistance to deal with drug-related incidents in exceptional circumstances, this does not mean that Police officers should routinely enter schools and conduct searches. Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa said that narcotics-related matters were not ordinary disciplinary issues and that the Police had a role to play in certain situations, particularly when schools required assistance that could not be more..

Sep 8 (FT) Australia and SL have taken another step forward in their longstanding partnership, with the Australian Electoral Commission and the Election Commission of SL signing a MoU in Colombo on 2 Sept. Strong, trusted election systems are fundamental to vibrant and well-functioning democracies. They ensure democratic institutions reflect their communities, respond to the needs of their people, and maintain public confidence. As Indian Ocean neighbours and two of more..

Sep 8 (DM) Central Bank bought a net US$ 579 million from the domestic foreign exchange market in August, its largest monthly purchase in 29 months, taking net buying for the year to close to US$ 1.5 billion as an IMF mission arriving this week, as per CB data. Central Bank purchased a further US$ 579 million on a net basis from the market in August, following net purchases of US$ 349 million in July, bringing total net foreign exchange purchases during Jan-Aug to close to US$ 1.5 billion. more..

Sep 8 (FT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said Sri Lanka will next year begin construction on three major expressways using only Treasury funds, without any foreign borrowing, describing it as the first time this has happened in the country’s history. Speaking at a public event in Bulathsinhala, Prez said work will start on expressways linking Galagedara to Rambukkana, Ingiriya to Padukka, and Kurunegala more..

Sep 8 (Island) Serendib Flour Mills continued its longstanding commitment to rural communities through the fifth edition of Serendib Uththama Dalada, more than 100 elderly mothers and fathers from remote farming communities to experience the sacred Sri Dalada Perahera in Kandy. Held on 26 Aug, the initiative brought together elderly parents from Mahalakotuwa, Elahera and Attanakadawala, many of whom have spent a lifetime engaged in agriculture and contributing towards more..

Sep 8 (Island) National Transmission Network Service Provider (Pvt) Ltd. (NTNSP), has secured third place in SL’s fiercely contested 160 MW/640 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) tender, beating a number of established private-sector energy players in a major competitive procurement exercise just six months after the restructuring of the CEB. The result marks a significant early indication that a newly restructured CEB successor company can compete on more..

Sep 8 (FT) Renowned philanthropist and business leader Nahil Wijesuriya has donated the complete range of modern medical equipment required for the newly established National Kidney Stone Referral Centre in Meerigama, marking a significant advancement in SL’s capacity to provide specialised urological care through the public healthcare system. The contribution adds to Wijesuriya’s longstanding record of supporting nationally significant more..

Sep 8 (DM) SL is set for its heaviest Russian winter since 2024/25, with charter and scheduled capacity from eight Russian cities converging on Mattala and Colombo between Oct and Apr. According to SLTDA Chairman, pick-up already showing in forward bookings. He noted that the southern resort belt will capture most of the volume, given Mattala’s proximity to the beaches, while the east is expected to draw a share as operators extend itineraries beyond the established south-west circuit. more..

Sep 8 (NW) SL passport holders will no longer be eligible for Thailand’s visa-exemption scheme from Sept 15, under revised visa measures announced by the Thai govt. Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the revised visa exemption and Visa on Arrival schemes were published in the Royal Gazette on Aug 31 and will take effect from Sept 15. The changes follow a review approved by the Thai Cabinet in May, which included abolishing the existing 60-day visa-exemption scheme and more..

Sep 8 (Island) The arrest of SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa on corruption charges related to the massive Airbus purchase scandal of 2013 has captured the centre stage of public attention. He was arrested by the CIABOC on Sept 4 and remanded until Sept 18. The allegations concern an alleged payment of US$800,000 connected to the procurement of Airbus aircraft by SriLankan Airlines. Opposition political parties working together with the SLPP have condemned the arrest as more..

Sep 8 (ST) Sri Lanka has lost the hosting rights for the inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy, and the decision should leave one person in particular asking some uncomfortable questions: the Minister of Sports. As exclusively reported by the Sunday Times last week, the International Cricket Council (ICC) this week formally confirmed India as the host of the six-team tournament in 2027 which was originally scheduled to be played in Colombo. The tournament has gone. more..