Only two out of five people are computer-literate in Sri Lanka in 2024, with 64.1 per cent of Sri Lankans unable to use a computer, according to statistics released by the Department of Census and Statistics.
The Sri Lankan Report
After an Asia Cup dominated by one-sided contests, the final Super Four dead rubber turned into a thriller, as Sri Lanka came agonisingly close to chasing down India’s daunting 202/5. Pathum Nissanka’s sparkling century and Dasun Shanaka’s late blitz carried them to an identical total, forcing the contest into a Super Over.
Sports fans in Sri Lanka are set for a gripping weekend, with English Premier League action on Saturday followed by the grand finale of the Asia Cup 2025 T20 between India and Pakistan on Sunday night in Dubai.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake attended the ceremony organised by the Government of France to mark the accession of 60 countries to the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) held in New York.
A group of 170 police officers, including Chief Inspectors and Inspectors, have filed three fundamental rights petitions before the Supreme Court, seeking a ruling that their basic rights were violated in the recent promotion of 45 officers to the post of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP). According to Ada Derana, the petitions name the Inspector General of Police, the newly promoted ASPs, and members of the National Police Commission as respondents. Filed by Attorney Manjula Balasuriya, the petitions state that 45 officers were promoted to ASP on the 25th following the results of a limited competitive examination. Petitioners allege that…
The real perpetrators behind the release of 323 red labeled containers should be revealed forthwith, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said today.
ECONOMYNEXT – Foreign investors bought Sri Lanka government securities for a fifth straight week in the week ended on September 25 with the offshore holding in local bonds at two-year high, the Central Bank data showed, amid a surge in global investor appetite for government bonds. Foreign investors bought a net 334 million rupee ($1.11 million) worth of government securities in the week ended on September 25, extending the inflows to a net 14,041 million rupee ($46.8 million) in the five weeks. Government bond funds across the world saw a surge in demand as they saw a hefty USD 22.96…
Residents staged protests in Mannar on Friday night as turbines and other equipment for a proposed wind power plant were transported into the town. The protesters called for a halt to bringing wind power machinery into Mannar and demanded that construction of the facility on Mannar Island be stopped. They also reiterated their call to end mineral sand mining in the area. According to police, the Riot Control Unit was deployed to ensure the vehicles carrying the equipment reached the town. Residents claimed police assaulted demonstrators, injuring three people, though police denied using force, saying they only intervened to control…
Egyptian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, H.E. Adel Ibrahim, met Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Sampath Thuyacontha at the Ministry of Defence on Sept. 26. The Defence Secretary welcomed the envoy, and the two held discussions on strengthening bilateral relations with a focus on expanding defence cooperation. Talks highlighted the importance of academic and professional exchanges between defence institutions in both countries. Ambassador Ibrahim reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to enhancing defence ties with Sri Lanka, noting opportunities for knowledge-sharing and joint initiatives. (Newswire) The post Egyptian Ambassador meets Defence Secretary appeared first on Newswire.
India is expected to soon announce a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Oman, its second pact with a Gulf nation after United Arab Emirates (UAE). Moneycontrol explains the bilateral trade patterns between India and Oman, as well as the potential sectoral gains due to the FTA. India-Oman’s $10 billion trade: Details Total trade between India and Oman stood at $10.61 billion in 2024-25, a growth of 18.6 percent on-year. India imported goods worth $6.55 billion from Oman, while exports to the Gulf nation stood at $4.07 billion, leading to a trade deficit of $2.48 billion in the previous financial year.…
India’s first large private gold mine in Andhra Pradesh is likely to start its full-scale production very soon, a top official of Deccan Gold Mines Ltd said on Thursday. The development assumes significance as India currently imports around 1,000 tonnes of gold every year. The country is the largest importer of gold after oil. Deccan Gold Mines Ltd (DGML), the first and only gold exploration company listed on BSE, has a stake in Geomysore Services India Ltd, which is developing the first private sector gold mine at Jonnagiri, in Andhra Pradesh. The Jonnagiri gold project, he said, has received environment…
ECONOMYNEXT – Classic restored films from Sri Lanka, France and India will be shown in Colombo on September 27 and 28, at the National Film Corporation Cinema Hall, the French embassy said. “The festival is dedicated to celebrating restored cinematic classics from Sri Lanka, India and France, and to highlighting the richness of their film heritage,” the embass said in a statement. “It also seeks to raise awareness about the urgency of conservation, restoration and diffusion of these cultural masterpieces.” Organized by the France India Sri Lanka Cine Heritage (FISCH), the film festival stems from an initiative of the embassies…
The U.S. wants to expand energy cooperation with its “awesome ally” India, including in natural gas and coal, nuclear, and clean cooking fuels, where New Delhi has been a “star”, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Wednesday (September 24, 2025). “A lot of my early time when I arrived in my position was dealing with India, the world’s largest democracy, an awesome ally of the United States, a fast growing economy, a truly dynamic society that of course has rapidly growing energy demand because people are increasing their prosperity, their opportunities,” Mr. Wright said in response to a question…
An Omani-Indian fertiliser joint venture plans to list on the Muscat stock exchange as Oman’s government renews its privatisation drive. Oman India Fertiliser Company (Omifco) has sent requests to banks for proposals on its potential listing, Bloomberg reported. State-backed energy company OQ owns 50 percent of the venture, with the rest equally split between Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited and Krishak Bharati Cooperative Limited, according to the Omifco website. Listing plans are at an early stage, the report said. Read more: https://www.agbi.com/markets/2025/09/oman-india-fertiliser-company-plans-float-on-muscat-bourse (AGBI) The post Oman India Fertiliser Company plans float on Muscat bourse appeared first on Newswire.
Apple is rapidly expanding its supply chain in India by not only sourcing components for iPhones but also manufacturing machinery essential to make these devices locally, sources have told Moneycontrol. So far, about 35 companies are building such machinery in India, of which nearly half are now supporting Apple, they said. “There are around 35 companies, which already have capital goods strength, active in the capital machinery ecosystem for multiple sectors. Around 50 percent of the companies have started directly working with Apple in India for capital equipment and tools in the last 20–24 months,” one of the sources cited…
ECONOMYNEXT – A team of 18 Sri Lankan business leaders are set to visit Japan later this month, the Sri Lanka–Japan Business Council (SLJBC) of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said. The delegation is led by Krishan Balendra, chairperson of the chamber and John Keells Holdings, and the visit will coincide with the President Anura Dissanayake’s visit to Japan. A key feature of the visit will be the Business Forum in Tokyo, organised in partnership with the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI),…
The Sri Lankan Ambassador to Israel, Nimal Bandara, says approximately 12 Sri Lankans with mental health issues or substance abuse problems have been repatriated to Sri Lanka from Israel in the recent past. Ambassador Nimal Bandara further said the Sri Lankan Embassy urges the concerned families to refrain from sending individuals with such vulnerabilities for foreign employment. He further revealed that two more Sri Lankans, previously employed in construction work in Israel and who had exhibited inappropriate behaviour, were deported from Israel to Colombo on Thursday (25). In a statement on social media, Ambassador Nimal Bandara said the two Sri…
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has engaged in a cordial conversation with the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, on the sidelines of a special dinner reception hosted by the US President. In a statement, President Dissanayake said he had attended the special dinner reception hosted by President Donald Trump at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel on Tuesday (23). He further said the special dinner reception was held for the heads of state who had arrived in New York to participate in the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. (Newswire) The post President AKD meets…
Mannar has long been a land where beauty and pain coexist. Its pristine beaches and migratory birds tell one story, while its scars of war, displacement and neglect tell another. Now, Mannar has become the frontline of a new battle: a community’s desperate cry to protect its home and livelihood from a development project imposed without their voice. The protests here are not just about wind turbines; they are about dignity, survival and democracy itself. And the violent police crackdown on the people of Mannar on the night of September 26 is a chilling reminder of how fragile justice remains…
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya participated in the transformative exhibition ‘Feminist Futures: Art, Activism, and South Asian Womanhood’, curated by art historian Dr Arshiya Lokhandwala, held at the National Museum of Sri Lanka in Colombo yesterday (26). ‘Feminist Futures’ interrogates systemic violence, gender inequality, and cultural taboos, while also celebrating the resilience, autonomy, and solidarity of women. This exhibition showcases the powerful voices of eleven South Asian artists, including Anita Dube, Anoli Perera, Ashmina Ranjit, Bidhata KC, Mithu Sen, Naiza Khan, Pushpamala N, Sheba Chhachhi, Tayeba Begum Lipi, and Uma Bista, and Priyanthi Anusha from India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka…