Sep 10 (FT) Sri Lanka is overbanked relative to regional peers and should brace for consolidation, 3A Ventures International Partner and Director – Asia Cyrus Daruwala told delegates at The CIO Confluence 2026: Beyond Digital – The Intelligent Banking Era. Daruwala is a senior financial services leader with more than 25 years’ experience across banking, insurance, and capital markets, including in the Middle East. “SL is overbanked,” he said, more..

Sep 10 (FT) SL and Thailand have agreed to establish a formal framework for bilateral cooperation on labour migration, including an agreement to facilitate the employment of SL workers in Thailand. The Cabinet of Ministers approved the signing of a MoU on Labour Cooperation between the two countries, together with a supplementary agreement governing the employment of SL workers in Thailand. Minister Vijitha Herath said he would travel to Thailand more..

Sep 10 (FT) US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Chairperson Laura DiBella yesterday said SL must urgently seize its current window of opportunity to expand Colombo’s maritime and logistics hub by strengthening competition, reducing investment risks, and allowing businesses to take the lead. Addressing the 8th edition of the Colombo Int'l Maritime and Logistics Conference, she said the strategic importance of Colombo was growing as a significant transshipment point for US cargo more..

Sep 10 (DN) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake sought India’s fullest co-operation in the govt’s effort to combat the illicit drug menace when he met visiting Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday. President briefed the visiting Indian Defence Minister on the national programme recently launched by Sri Lanka to combat drug trafficking. He stated that, as the Indian Ocean has become a hub for drug trafficking, SL expects India’s fullest support in its efforts more..

Sep 10 (FT) George Steuart & Company’s Annual Founder’s Day Service was held on 14 Aug at St. Peter’s Church, Colombo Fort, marking the 191st year of SL’s oldest mercantile establishment. The Church’s association with George Steuart & Company dates back to its founding years, with Captain James Steuart and George Steuart, together with their families, maintaining close ties with the Church. Commemorative plaques honouring their families remain displayed within more..

Sep 10 (CI) Sri Lankan cricket is all too familiar with uncertainty brought about by selection committee shake-ups. And there were a few worrying signs during the first five months of SLC's new selection committee, which was appointed in May. Some notable decisions were the Test recall of Niroshan Dickwella, and the u-turn of Charith Asalanka being dropped from the T20 side before being recalled as vice-captain, and more..

Sep 10 (Island) A small fish that vanished from SL’s scientific records for nearly 90 years has resurfaced in the waters of Jaffna, providing researchers with a remarkable rediscovery and fresh evidence that the Northern Province still holds significant, unexplored aquatic biodiversity. The Yellow-stripe Goby, Mugilogobius chulae (Smith, 1932), was recently found in the Karainagar area of Karaitivu Island during a biodiversity survey, almost nine decades after it was last scientifically more..

Sep 10 (Island) SL politicians are notorious for carrying out personal attacks instead of countering arguments. So, the JVP-NPP govt’s attack on the Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association (CLA) in Parliament on Tuesday came as no surprise. The CLA, whose President Steven Thiru attended the recent Supreme Court (SC) hearing of petitions against the 22nd constitutional amendment (22A) bill, as an observer, has raised concern over several key issues, such as the rejection of a request more..

Sep 10 (TM) On the afternoon of 24 Aug, residents of Heiyanthuduwa saw something that no community should ever see in the water flowing through its paddy fields. It had turned a striking blue. They did not wait for an official inspection. They followed the coloured water for nearly one and a half kilometres and traced it to a drain connected to a private container yard on Samurdhi Mawatha. Watercourse runs through paddy land towards the Kottunna Oya and then, through Raggahawatta, towards more..

Sep 10 (ST) India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is paying his first visit to SL. He was due here in Sept 2023, but it was put off, whatever the reason. So now he is coming to see that we poor neighbours are doing what they promised to do when they signed those several MoUs during Indian PM Narendra Modi’s visit to our part of the world in April last year. It would seem to India that our leaders have been somewhat tardy in not briskly carrying out all those things mentioned in the seven MoUs more..

Sep 10 (DN) Supreme Court last week concluded hearings on petitions filed relating to the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution but the debate surrounding it was overshadowed by the arrest and detention of SLPP National Organiser Namal Rajapaksa. Both events are of great significance. The govt’s determination to enact the 22nd Amendment reflects its wish implement the key campaign promise of making the country’s more..

Sep 10 (DN) The United National Party (UNP) is a foundational institution in SL’s modern political history. For decades, it was a primary engine of governance, shaping the nation’s economic policies, institutional structures, and social frameworks. Established to build a broad national coalition, the party united diverse political factions and led Ceylon to independence from British rule. Over time, however, this dominant force saw its electoral sway decline substantially. more..

Sep 10 (TM) When Rajnath Singh landed in Colombo this week, becoming the first Indian Defence Minister to visit SL since K C Pant did so in 1988, he arrived not merely as a dignitary paying a courtesy call, but as the representative of a relationship that has matured beyond the anxieties of its most difficult decades. As his 3-day visit draws to a close today, SL would do well to recognise what has actually been achieved, and why it matters. The three MOUs signed signed during Singh's more..

Sep 10 (DN) From the colonial era until the advent of the open economy in 1977, one of the reasons people listened to the wireless, or Radio Ceylon, was to find out what time it was. Around noon, the familiar announcement would come: “The time is twelve noon. Here is the news from the police.” Then came the little musical flourish: ting, tong, tong. The radio was not merely a source of news and entertainment; it was, in a sense, more..

Sep 10 (GV) The NPP’s spectacular win at the 2024 parliamentary elections has been seen by many as the political culmination of the aragalaya, which ousted the Rajapaksa dynasty and categorically rejected traditional political parties and their corruption. Still riding the euphoria of the aragalaya, Sri Lankans have high hopes. We expected a lot, especially because it was a rare occasion where the North and the South were visually united on the electoral map in their choice of govt more..

Sep 10 (CT) Namal Rajapaksa’s epilogue may already be taking shape. It is unusual for a politician’s legacy to acquire the atmosphere of a closing chapter before his fiftieth birthday. But dynastic politics accelerates both promotion and decline. The family name that opens every door can eventually become the weight that makes it impossible to walk through one. For the man so often called Namal Baby, the question is becoming uncomfortable: what remains of the heir more..

Sep 9 (NW) SLPP’s Milinda Rajapaksa, representing a civil society organisation, has raised concerns over what he described as growing threats to individual liberty, the rule of law and institutional checks and balances in Sri Lanka during an intervention at the UNHRC. Addressing the Council, Rajapaksa alleged that political victimisation and selective prosecution were evident through arrests of opposition figures, citing the recent arrest of SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa. more..

Sep 9 (AD) Govt has approved the payment of more than Rs. 4.5 billion in outstanding statutory dues to over 10,000 current and retired employees of three state-owned plantation institutions. The payments, which have remained outstanding for more than 20 years, will be made to employees and former employees of the SL State Plantations Corporation, Janatha Estate Development Board and Elkaduwa Plantations Company, institutions under the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure. more..

Sep 9 (AD) Sri Lanka and India have signed three MoUs covering air-defence capability, military education and youth cooperation, further strengthening defence and strategic ties between the two countries. The agreements were signed following talks between Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and visiting Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Colombo, with maritime security & regional stability emerging as key areas more..

Sep 9 (AD) Alleged underworld figure Ranjith Kumara, alias Konda Ranji, who was deported from Dubai to SL, has been taken to the Western Province North Crime Division in Peliyagoda for further investigations. Kumara was initially arrested by the CID shortly after arriving at BIA at around 7.50 a.m. today. Following his arrest, he was handed over to the Western Province North Crime Division, where further investigations are being conducted into his alleged involvement in organised more..

Sep 9 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa met with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Colombo today during the latter’s official visit to SL, with discussions centering on strengthening the longstanding relationship between the two countries. The meeting highlighted the deep historical, cultural, and people‑to‑people ties between SL and India. Premadasa underscored the importance of maintaining close, constructive, and continuous engagement, noting that more..

Sep 9 (NW) SLC Chairman of Selectors Kapila Wijeygunawardena says the selection committee is working towards building a settled squad for the next World Cup, while defending several recent changes involving captaincy, senior players and emerging cricketers. Wijeygunawardena said Charith Asalanka was appointed vice-captain for the England white-ball tour after returning to both ODI and T20I squads, citing his seniority more..

Sep 9 (NW) Underweight bread has been detected at 54 establishments during a special islandwide inspection programme conducted by Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA). The CAA said 118 establishments, including retail outlets and bakeries, were inspected from Sept 1 to 3 as part of efforts to ensure consumers receive bread at the prescribed weight. Underweight bread was detected at 54 establishments where clear weight information was available. more..

Sep 9 (NW) Police have arrested the alleged mastermind and driver behind the Rs. 800 million robbery at a tourism and foreign employment agency in Thalawathugoda, where masked men stormed the premises, forced employees to kneel, and escaped with cash and gold jewellery. It is reported that the suspect was apprehended in Mulleriyawa during a raid by the Western Province Southern Crime Division. Officers recovered Rs. 15.5 million from the stolen money, the vehicle used in the crime, more..

Sep 9 (NW) Sri Lanka is taking part in the 11th Belt and Road Summit 2026 in Hong Kong, with Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe representing the country at the high‑level state diplomatic and commercial conference. The summit, jointly organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Govt of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, began today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) and will continue until September 10. more..

Sep 9 (AD) PM Harini Amarasuriya met with Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence of India, at Parliament today, during his visit to Sri Lanka. During the meeting, PM expressed appreciation for the continued support extended by the Govt of India to SL, particularly during times of national difficulty. She conveyed her gratitude for India’s assistance following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah and welcomed the launch of Operation Sagar Bandhu by the Govt of India as part of its more..

Sep 9 (NW) Importers affected by the continuing dispute over vehicles brought into SL through cross-border LCs have called for a fair and timely resolution, saying nearly 1,000 vehicles have remained uncleared at ports for more than a year. Thabith Naja of Providence Auto said the prolonged detention of the vehicles was resulting in mounting demurrage, storage, financing and depreciation costs while also delaying the collection of more..

Sep 9 (DM) Opposition MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake said that controversial businessman Nimal Perera, whose evidence was cited in the arrest of MP Namal Rajapaksa, should also be arrested. “CIABOC should know that giving a bribe is also an offence,” he said. Dassanayake alleged that Perera had fled the country after being involved in several scams in SL. He also said the arrest of Namal Rajapaksa would make the SLPP rally in A'pura a resounding success. more..

Sep 9 (EN) As global shipping navigates complex geopolitical shifts and choke-point vulnerabilities, SL officially launched the 8th edition of the Colombo International Maritime and Logistics Conference (CIMC), focusing on pushing the island nation’s shipping business. The 3-day conference brings together over 500 delegates, regional policymakers, global port operators, and shipping titans to reshape the future of Indian Ocean trade. Centered on the theme Building a world around us, more..

Sep 9 (ST) In one of the most significant coordinated maritime drug-busting operations in the region, Sri Lankan, Pakistani and US anti-narcotics authorities joined forces last week to disrupt a major international drug trafficking network. The operation resulted in the seizure of 471 kg of high purity crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as Ice, with an estimated street value of more than Rs. seven billion (approx. USD 21 m). more..

Sep 9 (NW) Vipul Misra has been appointed Acting CEO of SriLankan Airlines with effect from Sept. 9, the national carrier announced. Misra brings more than two decades of experience in aircraft engineering and aviation leadership, having worked with several major commercial airlines, including Air India, Vistara, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Kingfisher Airlines and Air Deccan. SriLankan Airlines said his experience across legacy, full-service and low-cost carriers is expected to provide more..

Sep 9 (Island) Supreme Court has determined that three clauses of the Bill, titled the Chartered Institute of Media Professionals of SL, are inconsistent with the Constitution, Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne told Parliament. The determination was made in response to a constitutional challenge under Article 121(1). Court held that Clause 3(1) is vague and inconsistent with Articles 12(1) and 14(1)(g) of the Constitution. It can therefore be passed only with the special majority required more..