Sep 11 (NF) Supreme Court ordered today to call the appeal petition filed by former CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal, on Oct 9. He has requested to be acquitted from the case filed by the Bribery Commission regarding the 2012 Greek bonds case. This case was filed before the Trial-at-Bar of the High Court over causing a loss to the govt by investing Rs. 1.8 billion in Greek bonds. The appeal petition challenging this was called today before a Supreme Court judge bench more..

Sep 11 (AD) Telecom Regulatory Commission of SL (TRCSL) has reported an increase in illegal activities committed using mobile phone SIM cards obtained through informal methods. TRCSL Director General Bandula Herath stated that regulations governing the issuance of SIM cards are therefore being revised. “We have updated the regulations governing the issuance of SIM cards following a request from law enforcement agencies, including the police, which reported a significant increase in illegal activities more..

Sep 11 (FT) Brandix Lanka CEO Ashroff Omar called for a system of Customs pre-clearance directly from manufacturing plants to eliminate waiting time in the supply chain, warning that SL’s current tariff advantage over regional competitors is not guaranteed to last and that infrastructure, logistics costs, and efficiency remain the areas within the country’s control. Omar said rapidly changing customer expectations were reshaping the apparel and logistics industries, more..

Sep 11 (TM) Around 300 hectares (ha) of forest have been damaged by wildfires amid the dry weather conditions caused by El Niño, with authorities also reporting an increase in wild elephants entering villages in search of food and water, Environment Minister Dr Dammika Patabendi said. Making a statement in Parliament yesterday, he said around 90 to 100 forest fire incidents had been reported during the drought, prompting intervention by the Forest Conservation Department. more..

Sep 11 (NF) Former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa has arrived at the FCID. He was summoned to record a statement regarding an investigation into alleged financial irregularities surrounding the procurement of MiG fighter aircraft for the SL Air Force. Yesterday, former Air Force Commander, Marshal of Air Force Roshan Goonetileke, also recorded a statement with the FCID for over five hours regarding this matter. In 2006, a transaction was carried out involving the purchase and refurbishment more..

Sep 11 (TMZ) Ne-Yo’s team is firing back at the lawsuit over a canceled concert in Sri Lanka … denying a promoter’s claims that it shelled out $300K and got no show in return. A spokesperson for Ne-Yo tells TMZ, “The claims made by Brown Boy Presents are categorically fraudulent and misleading. Brown Boy Presents isn’t owed money by NE-YO—the promoter owes NE-YO answers regarding its misconduct.” more..

Sep 11 (AD) Minister Anura Karunathilaka stated that there are no plans to request an increase in electricity tariffs for the upcoming quarter. Speaking in Parliament, Minister said that higher-than-expected rainfall in recent times had enabled the authorities to manage electricity generation costs to a certain extent. He stated that an increase in electricity tariffs is therefore not necessary for the upcoming quarter and that there are no plans to submit a request for a tariff increase. more..

Sep 11 (NW) The weight of schoolchildren’s bags is expected to be significantly reduced under SL’s new education reforms, with a module-based learning system set to be introduced for Grade 6 from 2027, PM Harini Amarasuriya said. Responding to a question in Parliament on measures being taken to reduce the weight of school bags, the PM said the activity-based learning process introduced under the reforms would reduce the number of books students need to carry between home and school. more..

Sep 11 (EN) Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs had called for applications to fill 500 vacancies in 25 state institutions under it and received 17,000 applications, Minister Hiniduma Sunil Senevi told Parliament. The public sector recruitment drive was to resolve labour shortages across the state institutions, he said, including the Central Cultural Fund and the Dept of Archaeology. “All 25 institutions under my ministry, including the Fund and more..

Sep 11 (PMD) A meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and representatives of the SL Scout Association was held at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon (10). Prez was briefed on the 11th National Scout Jamboree, scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka in Jan 2027, as well as the current status and progress of its organisational arrangements. The official logo of the National Scout Jamboree was also presented to the President and officially unveiled on the occasion. more..

Sep 11 (Island) PM Harini Amarasuriya stated that SL is now creating a common dream as a nation and that the Govt’s objective is to make public transport the convenient choice for the people. PM made these remarks while participating in the ceremony held to open the renovated Bambalapitiya Railway Station under the Dream Destination project. The renovated Bambalapitiya Railway Station was opened to the public on 10 Sept under the Dream Destination project, more..

Sep 11 (AD) The father of Shiran Basik, a suspected major drug trafficker who was recently brought back to Sri Lanka from Dubai, has been arrested by the Central Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) in connection with an investigation into a property worth approximately Rs. 30 million. Accordingly, Abdul Razak Mohomed Basik has been arrested on charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. According to reports, investigations have revealed that Shiran Basik had purchased an apartment more..

Sep 11 (DM) Leaders of several public service trade unions today lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL), calling for an investigation into alleged human rights violations involving the General Manager of Railways, Ravindra Pathmapriya. Unions alleged that the General Secretary of Railway Station Masters’ Association had been questioned by Railway General Manager regarding alleged human rights violations and subsequently issued an apology to the media. more..

Sep 11 (DM) Former Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya, through his lawyer, raised a preliminary objection before the Colombo Chief Magistrate, arguing that insufficient evidence had been disclosed in the B Report and subsequent reports to proceed with charges against him over allegations that he fabricated official documents to falsely claim that inmates had received Presidential pardons. more..

Sep 11 (NW) Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) Bethany Poulos Morrison met with a group of SL MPs in Washington, D.C. this week. According to the SCA, they engaged in discussions on economic policy, governance, and the US–SL partnership. The MPs’ visit will continue to Baltimore, Raleigh, and Tulsa, where they are scheduled to study American innovation and best practices in maritime security and artificial intelligence policy. more..

Sep 11 (DM) The recruitment process for academic and non-academic staff at state universities should be made more efficient, PM Harini Amarasuriya instructed officials. PM made the remarks when the Subcommittee on the Higher Education Sector met on September 10 at the Parliament premises. Officials of the University Grants Commission (UGC) presented a report on the progress of recruiting academic and non-academic staff to universities during 2025 and 2026. more..

Sep 11 (TM) The numbers released this week by European climate scientists indicate that August has tied with July 2023 as the hottest month ever measured, with the planet's average temperature pushing past 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for only the second time since the Paris Agreement was signed. Oceans recorded their joint-highest surface temperatures on record. Roads melted and train lines buckled in Europe. Landslides tore through Nepal and Tibet, killing hundreds. more..

Sep 11 (FT) A friend of mine, Lal, once told me that his family’s ancestral land of 10 acres was acquired for a hotel project in the early 1980s. A case was filed to determine the compensation. Lal’s father attended every court hearing until his death. Thereafter, his mother continued attending court. Still, there was no verdict before she too passed away. Lal eventually attended himself courts hearing. The court decided some 30 years later. The judgement was in his favour. more..

Sep 11 (NW) The Supreme Court has ruled that the presidential pardon granted to Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero by former Prez Maithripala Sirisena was arbitrary and unlawful, finding that the former President had effectively approved a recommendation without demonstrating that he independently considered the relevant material before exercising his constitutional power. In a unanimous judgment delivered Thursday more..

Sep 11 (NW) Families and beneficiaries of registered SL migrant workers who die while employed overseas will receive up to Rs. 2 million in death compensation under a new programme introduced by SL Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE). Under the existing insurance scheme, eligible beneficiaries receive Rs. 600,000 from the insurance provider. The SLBFE will provide an additional Rs. 1.4 m through its Migrant Workers’ Welfare Fund, bringing the total compensation to Rs. 2 m. more..

Sep 11 (TM) An IMF staff mission arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday for discussions with authorities as the country faces a key assessment of its economic reform programme and broader economic outlook. The IMF team, led by SL Mission Chief Evan Papageorgiou is scheduled to remain in the country until 23 Sept for discussions on the combined Seventh Review under the EFF programme and the 2026 Article IV Consultation. The mission will assess SL’s progress in implementing reforms under more..

Sep 11 (FT) CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe yesterday cautioned that reserves cannot be accumulated at any cost, warning that excessive intervention can distort market signals, excessive monetary expansion can stoke inflation, and excessive reliance on external borrowing simply creates future debt-service obligations. He said such measures undermine the very macroeconomic stability that reserves are meant to safeguard. more..

Sep 11 (NW) SL migrant workers will be able to obtain housing loans ranging from Rs. 500,000 to Rs. 10 million under the newly launched Ethera Diriya housing loan scheme. SL Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) signed agreements with DFCC Bank and Union Bank on Thursday to implement the scheme. Agreements were signed under the patronage of Ministers Vijitha Herath and Susil Ranasinghe. SLBFE plans to enter into similar agreements with nine more banks, bringing more..

Sep 11 (AD) Two children have been killed in a hand grenade attack on a house along Sirisangabo Road in Kawdana, Dehiwala early this morning (11), police said. The children’s father and their two brothers were seriously injured in the explosion and admitted to the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital for treatment. The 10-year-old boy was pronounced dead upon admission to the hospital, while his 14-year-old brother died while receiving treatment, according to a hospital spokesperson. more..

Sep 11 (TM) SL’s Govt should consider reducing the current 18% Value Added Tax (VAT) in the upcoming Budget to provide short-term relief to households struggling with the high cost of living, Uni of Colombo Department of Economics Prof Priyanga Dunusinghe said. Prof Dunusinghe said: “The most important measure the country should implement with regard to reducing the cost of living, as I see, is to lower taxes, specifically, the current 18% high-level VAT must be reduced. more..

Sep 11 (FT) Advocata Institute presented the institute’s inaugural Freedom Award to Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, recognising his tireless efforts to further freedom and civic life of SL citizens. Dr. Saravanamuttu’s journey, which commenced from strong moral roots to academic excellence at the London School of Economics, has consistently guided the nation toward transparency, accountability, and pluralistic liberal democracy. The award was presented by Advocata Institute more..

Sep 11 (Island) Sri Lanka could soon face a new electricity-grid challenge—not from too little power, but from having too much solar generation in the wrong places and at the wrong times, a former CEB General Manager said. Former CEB GM who insisted not to be named warned that the rapid growth of rooftop and utility-scale solar could place increasing pressure on CEB and LECO distribution feeders, substations and the national grid more..

Sep 11 (NW) ‎President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised that one of the Govt’s foremost objectives is to create an environment in which no community feels insecure or fearful in society because of its cultural identity, while ensuring their psychological security. Prez also pointed out that it is the responsibility of everyone to properly understand the nature of politically driven ethnic currents and internal conflicts and to prevent the recurrence of ethnic conflict. more..

Sep 11 (PMD) A meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Catholic religious leaders, led by His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, was held at the Presidential Secretariat today (10). Special attention was given to the Govt’s programme to strengthen coexistence, peace and reconciliation among all communities in the country and to ensure national unity by preventing any form of racist or religiously motivated hate activity. more..

Sep 11 (GLN) Colombo Chief Magistrate Mr. Asanga Bodaragama has issued an order preventing four individuals, including famous motor racing champion Dilantha Malagamuwa, who are accused of being involved in a racket of preparing fraudulent documents and selling a land located in Barnes Place, Colombo, valued at over 250 million rupees, from traveling abroad. Foreign travel has been banned for Dilantha Malagamuwa, Shantha Vithana Gamage, Desmond Amarasinghe, and more..

Sep 11 (TM) Court of Appeal yesterday directed that further hearing of a writ petition filed by Sarvajana Balaya leader and MP Dilith Jayaweera, challenging a reference made by the Colombo Fort Magistrate over an alleged contempt of court statement, be taken up on 14 Sept. Petition was heard before a two-judge bench comprising Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysooriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando. Appearing for MP Jayaweera, President’s Counsel Ali Sabry told Court that more..