Advisory for Severe Lightning: Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre Issued at 01.30 p.m. 06 October 2025 valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 06 October 2025 The post Advisory for Severe Lightning issued for 12 districts appeared first on Newswire.
The Sri Lankan Report
Over 200 hikers were stranded at Mount Everest, trapped by heavy snow after a blizzard, as rescuers raced against time to reach them. Some 350 others have been led to safety by rescuers, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said, and rescuers were in contact with another 200. The hikers were trapped at an elevation of more than 4,900m (16,000ft), according to an earlier report from Jimu News, a Chinese online site. Mount Everest is about 8,850m (29,000ft) tall. Hundreds of rescuers headed up the mountain Sunday to clear paths so that trapped people could come down, the Jimu report said. Mount…
ECONOMYNEXT – Fitch Ratings has assigned Union Bank’s proposed Sri Lanka rupee-denominated Basel III-compliant debentures of up to 3 billion rupees an expected National Long-Term Rating of ‘BB(EXP)(lka)’. “Fitch rates the proposed Basel III Tier 2 notes two notches below the bank’s National Long-Term Rating to reflect Fitch’s baseline notching for loss severity for this type of debt and expectation of poor recoveries,” the ratings agency said. The final rating is subject to the receipt of final documentation conforming to information already received. The full statement is reproduced below: Fitch Assigns Union Bank’s Proposed Basel III Subordinated Debt ‘BB(EXP)(lka)’ Fitch…
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared open the newly constructed two-storey building housing the Archaeological Museum and the International Archaeological Research Institute at the historic Somawathi sacred area in Polonnaruwa today. The two-storey building was constructed under the plans and supervision of the Department of Archaeology, following the guidance of the Chief Incumbent of the historic Somawathi Raja Maha Vihara and Registrar of the Mahavihara Vansika Syamopali Maha Nikaya of the Malwatta Chapter, the Most Venerable Dr. Pahamune Sri Sumangala Nayaka Thera. The project was fully funded through the financial contribution of Deshamanya Mithrapala Lankeshwara, Chairman of the Rathna Group, to…
Sri Lanka is witnessing a dramatic drop in births, with official data showing the number of registered live births fell from about 328,400 in 2018 to 220,761 in 2024, recording nearly a 33% decline. The Department of Census and Statistics reports a fall in new births compared to the period before the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the lowest birth figures in decades. Officials have voiced alarm over the trend. In late 2023, Education Minister Susil Premajayantha cited Health Ministry data showing a steep decrease in annual births and warned of long-term consequences for the country’s schools and workforce. Experts attribute the…
Seven suspects have been arrested along with 5 kilograms and 600 grams of hashish and ICE (crystal methamphetamine) in Matara, Police said. Police initially arrested a 31-year-old suspect during a raid in Harumalgoda, Habaraduwa, on Sunday, where 3 kilograms and 200 grams of hashish were seized, along with 11 grams and 800 milligrams of ICE. Based on information provided by the suspect, officers of the Matara Crime Division arrested one suspect in Koggala with 1 kilogram and 200 grams of hashish. Another suspect was arrested with 1 kilogram of hashish in Baddegama, while a third was arrested with 50 grams…
Three Indian states have banned a cough syrup after at least nine children died allegedly after consuming it, authorities said. The Indian Health Ministry said in a statement that test samples of Coldrif cough syrup, made by Sresan Pharma in Tamil Nadu in southern India, contained diethylene glycol (DEG). DEG is an industrial solvent that is highly toxic if ingested even in small amounts. “The samples are found to contain DEG beyond the permissible limit,” the ministry statement said. “The sale of this syrup has been banned throughout Madhya Pradesh,” said Mohan Yadav, the chief minister of the central Indian state, where…
ECONOMYNEXT – Non-performing loans of Sri Lanka’s banks fell to 12.0 percent of gross loans by the end of the second quarter of 2025 from 12.7 percent in the first quarter, while profits and capital adequacy improved, a central bank analysis shows. In absolute terms gross NPLs were at 1,464 billion rupees by end of 2Q from, down from 1,474 billon rupees at the end of the first quarter. Net interest income was 501.1 billion rupees in the second quarter (up from 251.4 billion in 1Q), profits were 291.2 billion rupees before tax (146.6 billion 1Q) and 187.8 billion rupees…
Heavy rains in Nepal triggered landslides, lightning, and flash floods killing at least 44 people and leaving five missing, officials said on Sunday. Thirty-seven people died after multiple villages were swept away in the eastern Ilam district bordering India, Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said. Six members of one family were crushed when a landslide buried their home overnight, local officials added. Authorities said 114 people had been rescued, Ilam’s assistant administrative officer Bholanath Guragai said, though continued rainfall and blocked roads were hampering relief efforts. Meanwhile, three people were killed by lightning strikes in southern Nepal and one…
Former Minister Johnston Fernando has denied claims that Sampath Manamperi serves as one of his coordinating secretaries, stating that he is prepared to pursue legal action against those spreading false information. Fernando made the remarks during a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) event in Kurunegala, “Now they say that a person named Manamperi is one of my coordinating secretaries. Let me remind you that I appointed coordinating secretaries only from this district,” he said. Fernando said the claim was an attempt to discredit him. (Newswire) The post Johnston denies appointing Sampath Manamperi as a secretary appeared first on Newswire.
A 60-year-old man was arrested Monday in Australia after police said he fired up to 100 bullets at passersby, injuring 20 people in the country’s most populous city. New South Wales police said they were called on Sunday evening to a street in Sydney’s Inner West, where the alleged gunman was firing at random cars and police. One man with a gunshot wound transported himself to the hospital following the incident, police said. He is in a “serious” condition. Another 19 people were treated for shrapnel or shattered glass injuries, with several taken to the hospital, authorities said. Acting New…
Two individuals have died in separate train accidents reported on Sunday (Oct 5) in the Mannar and Kadugannawa police divisions. Police said a 32-year-old resident of Pudukudiyiruppu was killed early morning when a train travelling from Talaimannar to Colombo Fort struck him near the Pudukudiyiruppu area in the Mannar division. The body was handed over to relatives following the post-mortem examination. In a separate evening incident, a 27-year-old man from Kanaththota, Akuressa, died after being hit by a train operating from Kandy to Polgahawela near the Kadugannawa Railway Station. His body has been placed at the Peradeniya Hospital mortuary for…
The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Central Bank has initiated a mandatory survey to gather information on individuals and entities involved in Virtual Asset Service Providing (VASP) activities. The move comes ahead of the country’s third evaluation of its Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework. Entities are classified as VASPs if they engage in activities such as exchanging virtual assets and fiat currencies, transferring virtual assets, safekeeping digital assets, or providing financial services related to virtual asset offerings. The survey is part of a public consultation process to identify those currently offering these services as…
The Department of Meteorology has forecast showers or thundershowers across most parts of the island after 1 p.m. today. Atmospheric conditions are favourable for evening thunderstorms, and the public is advised to take precautions against strong winds and severe lightning. Fairly heavy rainfall exceeding 50 mm is likely in parts of the Northern, North-Central, Eastern, Central, and Uva provinces. Light morning showers may occur in the Western and North-Western provinces, as well as in Galle and Matara districts. Showers or thundershowers are expected in several sea areas around the island. Winds will be southwesterly or variable, with speeds ranging from…
ECONOMYNEXT – Children in Sri Lanka along with the Vietnamese community celebrated the Vietnam mid-autumn festival at the Truc Lam Monastry in Digana, Kandy, experiencing a centuries-old tradition dedicated to children and families. The event backed the Vietnam embassy in Colombo was also attended by Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih and the Governor of the Central Province Sarath Abeykoon. “This is a tradition practiced for many years in Vietnam. The mid-autumn festival is mainly for children,” explains Vietnam’s ambassador to Sri Lanka, Trinh Thi Tam. “It’s a time for family members, especially parents, elder people to show their affection, their love…
Photo courtesy of Diakonia “The West won the world not by the superiority of its ideas or values or religion… but rather by its superiority in applying organized violence. Westerners often forget this fact; non-Westerners never do.” (Samuel P. Huntington). President Donald Trump’s 20 point peace plan with an ultimatum to Hamas to accept it within four days or face “hell” is the result of a one to one dialogue between him and Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of one of the two parties in the conflict over Palestine with Gaza as primary theatre. Earlier, having shown the green light for…
ECONOMYNEXT – The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of Sri Lanka’s central bank is conducting a mandatory survey to obtain information on persons and entities engaged in Virtual Asset Service Providing activities (VASPs), ahead of the country’s third evaluation on its Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework. “You are considered a VASP if you are engaged in one or more of the following: – Exchange between virtual assets and fiat currencies – Exchange between one or more forms of virtual assets – Transfer of virtual assets – Safekeeping and/or administration of virtual assets or instruments enabling control…
Wesley College won the All Island Under-16 Elite Rugby Tens 2025, edging out Science College 5-3 in a thriller at the St. Peter’s College ground in Bambalapitiya.
Sri Lankan para middle-distance runner Pradeep Somasiri brought pride to the nation by winning a bronze medal at the 12th World Para Athletics Championship 2025, held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, India.
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to wade back into the nation’s culture wars during its new nine-month term that begins on Monday with a series of contentious cases on issues including transgender athletes, gay conversion therapy, guns and race.