A man who had posed as veteran film director Somaratne Dissanayake, promising young women opportunities in cinema and television, and who was found guilty of committing sexual abuse and financial fraud, was today sentenced to eight months’ rigorous imprisonment with hard labour, suspended for ten years, by Chief Magistrate Asanka S. Bodaragama.
The Sri Lankan Report
Sri Lanka today recorded a historic 1–0 victory over the higher-ranked Turkmenistan team in their AFC Asia Cup (Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers) – Group ‘D’ first-leg encounter, played at the Race Course Ground, Colombo.
The Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development has lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over a series of false and defamatory posts circulating on social media against Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe and his public relations officer, Nimodie Wickramasinghe.
A Sub Inspector and a Sergeant attached to the Anuradhapura police were interdicted last morning after a suspect had escaped from the police cell.
Police in India have arrested the owner of a pharmaceutical company that manufactures a cough syrup connected to the deaths of at least 17 children in the country.
The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Working Committee has unanimously approved a proposal to launch a joint political programme with the United National Party (UNP) under the leadership and guidance of the SJB. Announcing the decision, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said both the SJB working Committee and the Management Committee had reached a collective agreement to work together on a common policy framework. He said the initiative aims to deliver practical, democratic, and progressive solutions to issues affecting the country and its people, while ensuring both parties retain their respective identities. SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara said the Working Committee…
A man who is said to be the Kalutara District Organiser of the Ape Jana Bala Pakshaya was rescued by Fire Department personnel after he fell asleep on top of a coconut tree which he had climbed in protest of the current economic difficulties being faced in the country.
Britain said on Oct 9 it had signed a £350 million (S$606 million) contract to supply the Indian army with UK-manufactured lightweight missiles, as part of a deepening weapons and defence partnership between the two countries.
The Daily Mirror article under the title ’Main conspirator behind Easter Sunday attacks identified, Kariapper quotes Ravi Seneviratna’ came to the limelight in Parliament today.
The National Transport Commission (NTC) has announced that buses operating on long-distance routes must undergo a quality inspection every month, with the inspection certificate required to be kept inside the vehicle for verification.
The Ministry of Public Security has strongly rejected social media reports claiming that its Secretary, retired Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne, had stated India was behind the 2019 Easter Sunday bomb attacks.
Information with regard to the investigations into the Easter Sunday bomb attacks should not be disclosed as investigations are still ongoing, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said today.
A total of 29 mobile phones were recovered today from wards A, C and D of the Boossa High-Security Prison, which houses some of Sri Lanka’s most notorious criminals.
Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Samantha Vidyaratna appeared before the Cyber Crimes Division of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) today to lodge a complaint over online attacks directed at his child.
The Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development has lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over the circulation of false and defamatory social media posts targeting Minister W.A. Samarasinghe and his public relations officer, Nimodie Wickramasinghe. In a statement, the ministry said several Facebook pages and websites have been publishing fabricated stories, edited photographs, and misleading content that damage the personal, family, and professional reputations of the minister and his staff, as well as his political character. The complaint, filed under reference number 20039516, requests the CID to investigate the individuals and social media pages…
Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told Parliament today (Oct. 9) that legal action will be taken against a parliamentarian who allegedly released false information regarding remarks that were not made during a recent session of the Parliamentary Committee on High Posts. Minister Herath said that no member of the committee has the ethical right to disclose internal discussions to the media. He warned that spreading unverified information undermines parliamentary procedures and national interests. “A complaint has already been lodged with the Criminal Investigation Department regarding this matter. The law will be strictly enforced against both those who spread the misinformation and…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lankan authorities are in discussion with the Asian Development Bank to establish a venture capital fund to grant cheap finance access for the island nation’s small and medium sector enterprises (SME), a top official said. Manjula Hettiarachchi, Director General of the Department of Development Finance at the country’s Ministry of Finance said, if the discussions succeed, the country will have a venture capital fund from the next year. “Access to the finance for the SME sector has been a real issue with some commercial banks also hesitant to provide loans. We at the Finance Ministry have developed…
ECONOMYNEXT – The International Monetary Fund wants Sri Lanka’s upcoming 2026 budget parameters to be in line with its External Fund Facility (EFF) programme as the prior action before the global lender’s board approving the Staff Level Agreement with the island nation’s authorities, a top official said. IMF staff and the Sri Lankan authorities have reached staff-level agreement on the country’s economic policies to conclude the Fifth Review of Sri Lanka’s reform program supported by the EFF. Once the review is approved by the IMF Executive Board, Sri Lanka will have access to about US$347 million in financing. However, Sri…
Two recent child deaths in swimming pools have raised serious concerns over safety standards and the lack of trained lifeguards at public and private facilities. In the first incident, an 8-year-old boy died after falling into the pool at the Colombo Swimming Club earlier this week. His father has lodged a complaint alleging negligence by the club, claiming that no certified lifeguard or life-duty personnel were on watch when the accident occurred. In a separate case, a 5-year-old preschooler drowned during a swimming lesson at a private school in Mirihana. Police said the child was taking part in a routine…
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) MP Nizam Kariapper said that Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security Ravi Seneviratna has revealed that the main conspirator behind the Easter Sunday bomb attacks has been identified.