A 65-year-old man from Akmeemana has been sentenced to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually abusing a 1-year-and-8-month-old girl. The Galle High Court handed down the sentence after the convict was found guilty on two charges. The first charge carried a three-year sentence, while the second resulted in 12 years of rigorous imprisonment. During the trial, it was revealed that in 2018, the suspect forcibly took the toddler from a neighboring house where she was with her mother, under the pretext of taking her somewhere, and sexually abused her. In addition to the prison term, the judge ordered the…
The Sri Lankan Report
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya arrived in Beijing, China, on 12 October for an official visit to attend the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women 2025, upon the invitation of the Government of the People’s Republic of China. On her arrival, she was welcomed by Ms. Cao Shumin, Minister of the National Radio and Television Administration. During the first day’s programme, the Prime Minister visited the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China. The Forbidden City (Palace Museum), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, showcases imperial architecture and nationally curated collections. The Great Wall, also a UNESCO site, stands as a…
Airport officials confirmed that Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasooriya departed from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) last night (11) to attend an international women’s conference being held in China.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says the daily wage of estate workers will be increased to Rs. 1,750 within this year. He made this announcement while attending a ceremony in Bandarawela to present housing ownership deeds to 2,000 beneficiaries of the Hill Country Malayaga community. The event was held this morning (12) under the fourth phase of a project to build 10,000 houses with Indian assistance. The President symbolically handed over the ownership deeds to the 2,000 beneficiaries during the ceremony. Addressing the gathering, President Dissanayake said the Malayaga community has made a significant contribution to the country and has lived…
The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) has disclosed that over Rs. 4 billion in assessment tax arrears remain outstanding within the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) area. This was revealed when CMC officials appeared before the committee recently. COPA Chairman MP Kabir Hashim noted that despite earlier recommendations, tax recovery had shown little progress, with only Rs. 53 million collected by June from Rs. 610 million owed in the Fort Division alone. Deputy Municipal Treasurer Nandana Rajapaksha said recovery efforts were ongoing under the Municipal Council Ordinance, including property seizure actions against defaulters. Out of 3,747 defaulting properties in the Fort…
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in Sri Lanka today (12). He is visiting the country to attend the 78th Session of the WHO South-East Asia Regional Committee as the chief guest. The conference, organized by the WHO, will be held in Colombo from tomorrow (13) to the 15th. Health ministers from countries in the South-East Asia region are also expected to arrive in Sri Lanka to take part in the event. Dr. Ghebreyesus arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport at 9.40 a.m. from Doha on Qatar Airways flight QR 660. He was received by Health…
Batters Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Dhananjaya de Silva have been named in Sri Lanka’s preliminary squad for next month’s tour of Pakistan, as selectors look to strengthen the team’s batting depth ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 to be played in Sri Lanka. The tour, starting on November 11, will feature a three-match ODI series followed by a T20 tri-series involving hosts Pakistan and Afghanistan. Chief selector Upul Tharanga confirmed that both players have been included in a 22-member preliminary squad for the T20Is that will begin preparations shortly. “They are both being included. We have a squad of…
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 12 OCTOBER 2025 Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 12 October 2025 Showers or thunder showers will occur at several places in most provinces after 1.00 p.m. Fairly heavy falls above 50 mm are likely at some places in Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces. Showers may occur in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara and Puttalam districts in the morning too. Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces during the morning. The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning and temporary…
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya left for China today to attend the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women 2025, following an invitation extended by the Government of the People’s Republic of China. The high-level summit, which will be held in Beijing under the theme “One Shared Future: New & Accelerated Process for Women’s All-round Development,” is jointly organized by the Chinese Government and UN Women. During her visit, Prime Minister Amarasuriya is scheduled to deliver a keynote address highlighting Sri Lanka’s progress in gender equality, women’s empowerment, and inclusive policy reforms. She is also expected to hold bilateral discussions with Chinese…
A Gazette Extraordinary dated October 11, 2025, has been issued formalizing the ministerial changes announced on Friday (10). According to the Gazette, Minister Bimal Niroshan Rathnayake has been appointed as Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, while Minister Anura Karunathilaka has been named Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation. The Gazette also confirms the appointment of Susil Ranasingha as Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply. In addition, several new Deputy Ministers were appointed under the same Gazette, including Anil Jayantha Fernando (Finance and Planning), Tikiri Bandalage Sarath (Housing, Construction and Water Supply), Eranga Gunasekara (Urban Development), and Kaushalya…
A 23-member U.S. delegation comprising senior representatives from leading American think tanks and private sector enterprises paid a courtesy call on the Chairman of the Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka, Arjuna Herath. The delegation included prominent members from the Hudson Institute, the American Enterprise Institute, and executives representing technology and human capital development sectors. The high-level meeting, presided over by BOI Chairman Herath, brought together senior Sri Lankan government officials and the distinguished U.S. delegation led by Professor Walter Russell Mead of the Hudson Institute. Discussions centered on strengthening economic ties, expanding investment opportunities, and Sri Lanka’s strategic…
Opposition MP Jeewan Thondaman has accused the government of misleading the public about the housing handover event scheduled to be held in Bandarawela on Sunday (12) under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. In a statement, MP Thondaman said that contrary to government claims, no houses will actually be handed over during the event. Instead, families will receive a paper naming them as “future beneficiaries” — a document with no legal weight or ownership status. He explained that this has been the standard practice since the beginning of the housing program, but it is the first time such an…
Photo courtesy of BBC For two consecutive years, the Gaza Strip has endured a sustained and systematic campaign of destruction that has left the territory unrecognizable. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, the vast majority of them women and children. At least 17,000 children have been orphaned. Over two thirds of the population have been forcibly displaced into overcrowded shelters described by UN officials as spaces of inevitable death rather than refuge (UNRWA, 2024). The scale and intensity of this destruction reveal a deliberate strategy rather than the chaotic consequences of war. Homes have been…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s government has deposited 1.1 trillion rupees in state banks by end of the second quarter of 2025, a Financial Stability Report issued by the central bank has revealed. “Of this, a significant share of 80.7 percent was concentrated in term deposits maturing within one year, while the remainder was maintained as on-demand,” the central bank said. “The absence of deposits with maturities beyond one year highlights the short term nature of these balances. “Although such deposits provide a substantial funding base for the banks, their maturity profile highlights potential liquidity risk in the event of sudden…
Nat Sciver-Brunt produced a captain’s knock of the highest order as her record-breaking fifth ICC Women’s World Cup hundred was the catalyst for England’s 89-run win over Sri Lanka.
Police have launched an investigation into an incident at the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court premises in which a lawyer was allegedly assaulted by a police officer.
Four people have been killed and 12 others injured, four critically, after a mass shooting in the US state of Mississippi.
The tournament co-hosts had to contend with skipper Chamari Athapaththu being forced off the pitch against England in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.
An injury-hit Novak Djokovic suffered a shock defeat by Monegasque qualifier Valentin Vacherot in the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters.
Venezuela’s opposition leader María Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.