News

A young woman has reportedly taken her own life by jumping into the Attanagalu Oya at Asgiriya, along the Gampaha–Minuwangoda Road.

According to police, preliminary investigations have revealed that the woman had leapt from the Attanagalu Oya bridge.

The deceased has been identified as a 21-year-old resident of Udugampola, Doranagoda.

The cause of the suicide has not yet been determined.

Police stated that search operations to recover the missing woman’s body are being carried out jointly by the police, the Navy, and local residents.

Showers are expected at times in the Western and Sabaragamuwa Provinces, as well as in the Galle, Matara, Kandy, and Nuwara Eliya districts.

The Department of Meteorology reports that light showers may occur in the North Western Province. In the Uva Province, as well as in the Ampara and Madakalapuwa districts, light showers or thunderstorms may occur after 2.00 p.m.

Occasional strong winds reaching 30–40 km/h are expected in the western slopes of the central hills, in the Central, Northern, North-Central, and North Western Provinces, and in the Trincomalee and Hambantota districts.

The Department of Meteorology urges the public to take necessary precautions to minimize risks associated with lightning during thunderstorms and possible damage caused by temporary strong winds.

Sri Lanka’s export sector has continued to demonstrate resilience and steady growth during the first eight months of 2025, recording total earnings of US$ 11,554.32 million.

This reflects a strong 6.61% increase compared to the corresponding period in 2024, the Export Development Board (EDB) said in its latest report.

In August 2025 alone, total exports, comprising both merchandise and services reached to US$ 1,607.58 million, recording a 2.57 % year-on-year growth over August 2024. This performance highlights the strength of Sri Lanka’s export sector and the effectiveness of strategies implemented to broaden market access and enhance global competitiveness, the EDB said.

Commenting on the positive results, Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Export Development Board (EDB), stated:

“This encouraging growth highlights Sri Lanka’s increasing integration into global trade and the success of our continued efforts to strengthen export competitiveness while diversifying market opportunities. Our exporters have once again demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability in navigating evolving global challenges.

Exports exceeded US$ 1.6 billion in August alone, with cumulative earnings to over US$ 11.6 billion during the first eight months of 2025. These results reflect the strength, determination, and innovation of our exporters despite global uncertainties.

While we celebrate this progress, we remain mindful of the challenges ahead. With sustained efforts to enhance competitiveness and expand market opportunities, we are confident of reaching the export target set for 2025.”

In August 2025 alone, merchandise exports grew by 5.13 % year-on-year, reaching US$ 1,294.83 million, according to provisional data of Sri Lanka Customs including the estimates for Gems & Jewellery and Petroleum Products. For the period January to August 2025, merchandise exports totaled US$ 9,092.85 million, reflecting 6.89 % increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Meanwhile, services exports have emerged as a key driver of overall export growth. In August 2025, earnings from services exports estimated to be US$ 312.75 million. Over the first eight months of the year, services exports are estimated to have increased by 5.57 %, totaling US$ 2,461.46 million.

This trend highlights the rising importance of Sri Lanka’s knowledge-based economy and its growing contribution to national export earnings, the report said.

The services export sector, comprising ICT/BPM, Construction, Financial services, and Transport & Logistics, continues to diversify Sri Lanka’s export portfolio and create high-value employment opportunities across the Island, it added.

(adaderana.lk)

Actor Nalin Pradeep Uduwela passed away at around 5.45 a.m. today (23).He was receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of the Apeksha Hospital in Maharagama at the time of his death. He was 56 years old. Nalin Pradeep Uduwela was a talented artist who showcased his acting skills on stage, in cinema, and in teledramas, leaving a lasting mark on Sri Lankan audiences.

The Sri Lankan government has signed a major grant agreement with the European Union (EU) to launch a new project aimed at strengthening sustainable economic recovery through improved biodiversity and solid waste management.

On behalf of Sri Lanka, the agreement was signed today (23) by Dr. Harsha Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization, and National Policies, and on behalf of the EU by Carmen Moreno, the EU Ambassador to Sri Lanka.

The project, jointly designed by the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, the Ministry of Environment, and the EU, will be funded with a grant of EUR 8 million from the EU, according to the Department of External Resources.

It will support biodiversity conservation by restoring degraded ecosystems, introducing targeted conservation strategies, and promoting sustainable land use practices.

At the same time, it will address the growing need for solid waste management systems, contributing to environmental protection and better public health.

This project is also in line with the government’s national policy statement “A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life”, which highlights the urgent need to balance economic development with environmental sustainability.

The partnership with the EU marks an important milestone in strengthening efforts to build a greener, more balanced economy for Sri Lanka.

All leave for employees of the Ceylon Electricity Board has been cancelled with immediate effect until further notice. The Board’s General Manager has officially informed staff of this decision in writing.

On September 21, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake issued a special gazette declaring all electricity supply services as essential. This was done under powers vested in the President by Section 2 of the Essential Public Services Act, No. 61 of 1979.The gazette was issued considering that electricity services are vital for daily life and that any disruption could cause serious difficulties.

The Cabinet has approved the development of a “Government SuperApp”, a single digital application that will allow the public to access government services easily through one platform.

Currently, citizens face significant difficulties because different government services operate on separate systems, require multiple authentications, and often need the same data to be entered repeatedly. This fragmented approach also causes an estimated annual economic loss of over Rs. 500 million.

The SuperApp aims to streamline all government services into a user-friendly mobile and web application, enabling Sri Lanka’s 14 million adults and 2 million annual users to access services seamlessly through a single interface.

Under Phase 2 of the project, the SuperApp will be fully implemented during 2025–2026 at a total cost of Rs. 500 million, with the President’s approval.

This initiative is a strategic priority aligned with Sri Lanka’s digital economy plan, ensuring citizens can efficiently access government services from one convenient platform.

Parliament sessions have now begun, presided over by Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne.

The Office of the Secretary-General of Parliament announced that sittings will be held from today (23) until the 26th.

Today’s agenda includes the second reading debate on the National Building Research Institute Bill.

Tomorrow, the second reading of the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill will be debated, while the day after, discussions will be held on approving regulations under the Imports and Exports Control Act.

On Friday, Parliament will take up the adjournment debate on the fourth report of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE).

The police have taken two sons of a man who died after being hospitalized in Tangalle into custody today (23).

The action follows the discovery of three lorries containing narcotics at a house in Seenimodara, Tangalle, with an estimated total value of Rs. 988.8 million. The seized drugs included 705.91 kg in total, consisting of 284.94 kg of heroin and 420.976 kg of crystal meth (“ice”).

In addition, police recovered five unlicensed pistols and a T-56 rifle from one of the lorries.

Investigations revealed that the seized drugs belonged to a foreign-based criminal named Unakuuruwe Shantha, and the three men who mysteriously died at the house were also involved in his drug network.

The man who died in the hospital was identified as Unakuuruwe Thusitha, a key operator of Shantha’s local drug operations.

In total, six people, including Unakuuruwe Thusitha’s two sons, as well as the registered owners and a driver of the lorries, have been taken into custody.

The suspects are scheduled to be produced before the Tangalle Magistrate’s Court, and the Tangalle Police, together with the narcotics destruction unit, continue to investigate the case.

The Supreme Court has sentenced Harsha Ilukpitiya, the Director of Immigration and Emigration, to two years in prison on charges of contempt of court.

The verdict was delivered by Supreme Court Judge Yasantha Kodagoda, with the agreement of judges Janak De Silva and Arjuna Obeysekera. The ruling noted that Ilukpitiya had shown gross disrespect toward the judiciary through his actions.

The case stems from a decision during the previous government to outsource electronic visa issuance to two private companies. The Supreme Court had issued an interim injunction to prevent this decision from being implemented, effectively restoring the old visa issuance system.

Harsha Ilukpitiya, by deliberately circumventing this court order and proceeding with the outsourced system, was found to have contemptuously defied the Supreme Court, leading to the charges and subsequent prison sentence.

This case highlights the judiciary’s firm stance that no public official is above the law, reinforcing the authority of court orders in safeguarding legal and procedural integrity.

The Department of Meteorology has issued a warning about strong winds and rough seas. The notice is effective from 9.30 a.m. today (23) for the next 24 hours. People are advised to be cautious in sea areas from Galle to Matara, Hambantota, and Potuvil. Along the coast from Halawatha to Mannar and Kankasanturai, winds may reach 50–60 km/h, and seas may become rough at times.

Off the coast from Negombo to Galle, Matara, Hambantota, and Potuvil, waves could rise to 2.5–3 meters.

There is a possibility that these waves may reach the shore in these areas, and the public is advised to stay alert.

All trade unions affiliated to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) have decided to continue their ongoing work-to-rule trade union action until Wednesday (24).

This was announced today (22) at a media briefing by Prabath Priyantha, the General Secretary of the CEB Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya.

He stated that if authorities fail to provide satisfactory solutions to their demands, a decision on the next phase of the trade union action will be taken on September 24.

“On the 24th of September, representatives from 25 trade unions will meet again. If no constructive discussions take place within the next two days, we will be compelled to move to the final stage of trade union action. Whether it will be a one-day strike, a token strike, or an indefinite strike — we will clearly announce our decision on Wednesday,” he said.

CEB unions have emphasized that continued inaction or lack of engagement from authorities will result in an escalation of their trade union efforts.