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Opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa questioned the government's capacity to lead the nation following fresh unrest within the country's penal system.

Speaking at a public gathering in Maligakanda, Borella, the Opposition Leader asserted that a government incapable of maintaining order across Sri Lankan correctional facilities cannot be trusted to uplift the living standards of the island's 22 million citizens.

Political victory marred by Mahara Prison unrest

The criticism follows recent parliamentary developments where the NPP government defeated an Opposition-led no-confidence motion against the Minister of Justice and National Integration.

Premadasa noted that while government parliamentarians celebrated the legislative victory and mocked the Opposition, the breakdown of order at the Mahara Prison occurred just days later.

According to the Opposition Leader, the recurring breakdown of law and order within correctional facilities demonstrates a pattern of administrative failure that threatens national stability.

He said that the current leadership is actively undermining state institutions rather than driving national recovery, adding that a government failing at basic facility management cannot deliver economic or social progress.

The Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources says that 17 empty shipping containers have fallen into the sea from a merchant vessel roughly 17 nautical miles west of the Port of Colombo.

The Department is urging fishermen along the western coast to exercise extreme caution.

The containers went overboard near Latitude 06°54' North and Longitude 079°32' East, according to the Department.

Officials say prevailing sea currents could carry the drifting containers towards the coastline stretching from Beruwala to Puttalam, passing through Negombo along the way.

Given the scale of the debris involved, the Department has advised all multi-day and small-scale fishing vessels operating in the affected waters to remain alert to the risk posed by the floating containers.

The Department has also asked members of the public and fishing crews who spot any of the containers to report the sighting immediately, either to its Radio Communication Centre or to the nearest fisheries harbour authorities, so that the debris can be tracked and addressed swiftly.

A shipping container has washed ashore near Owakanda Junction beach within the Rathgama Police Division this morning (03), police said.

According to Rathgama Police, the container is white in colour and measures approximately 40 feet in length. Authorities suspect that it may have fallen into the sea from a vessel while at sea.

Meanwhile, a similar white-coloured container was found washed ashore yesterday (02) on the beach behind a tourist hotel in the Induruwa area.

Initial reports suggest that the Induruwa container may have been an empty container that fell into the sea from a vessel operating in waters off Colombo two days ago.

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila has called for legal action against CID Director Shani Abeysekara and Ministry of Public Security Secretary Ravi Seneviratne, stating that the recent court verdict against former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former IGP Pujith Jayasundara sets a precedent that should apply equally to the two officials.

He made these remarks at a media briefing held today, in the wake of the ruling holding Fernando and Jayasundara criminally liable over their failure to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

Gammanpila's argument rested on the premise that if Fernando and Jayasundara could be found culpable for failing to act on intelligence warnings ahead of the attacks, then Abeysekara and Seneviratne faced allegations of a similar or even more serious nature.

He alleged that both officials had prior knowledge of investigations connected to Zahran Hashim, the mastermind behind the bombings, and claimed that multiple failures had occurred in the handling of intelligence and investigative processes in the period leading up to the attacks.

He also revealed that an earlier investigation into the conduct of Abeysekara and Seneviratne had been discontinued following a change of government, and called for that inquiry to be reopened without delay.

Gammanpila urged the government to temporarily remove Abeysekara from his position as CID Director and Seneviratne from his role as Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security for the duration of any renewed investigation.

The renewed calls for accountability reflect continuing public pressure over unresolved questions surrounding the Easter Sunday attacks, more than six years after the bombings claimed hundreds of lives. It remains to be seen whether the Government will act on Gammanpila's demand to reopen the stalled investigation or take any steps regarding the two officials named.

The Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters' Association (SLRSMA) has threatened trade union action if authorities fail to urgently resolve unresolved signalling defects that it says are compromising safety on key railway lines.

The warning was issued by Association Chairman Sumedha Somaratne, who said the matter had already been formally communicated in writing to the relevant authorities.

Somaratne's chief concern centres on the Medawachchiya to Talaimannar Pier section, where he said train operations are currently being run under what is known as the "pilot method."

He explained that this approach is meant to be used only in exceptional situations, such as temporary signal failures, yet it has instead become the standard mode of operation on the single-track line, raising serious questions about the safety of continued services there.

He linked this directly to the resumption of services on the Talaimannar railway line last week, noting that trains had returned to the line despite serious defects in the signalling system that have yet to be properly addressed.

No adequate repair or restoration work has been carried out on the damaged signalling infrastructure since services resumed, he said, leaving the line to operate under conditions he described as unsafe.

Somaratne also pointed to similar unresolved problems in the Maho to Anuradhapura section, where train movements are likewise continuing under temporary signalling arrangements rather than a fully restored system.

He expressed particular concern that railway lines rebuilt at a cost of billions of rupees in public funds are now being allowed to deteriorate due to a lack of proper maintenance and operational upgrades, undermining the value of that investment.

The Association reiterated that it would proceed with trade union action should the authorities fail to deliver effective solutions to the signalling failures and broader operational challenges facing railway stations across these sections.

At least 14 people ​were killed in a suspected suicide bombing outside ‌a police station in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday, a rescue group and a regional police official said, as the country battles widening ​insurgencies.

The explosion took place in the Kabal area ​of Swat, a district in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ⁠province.

A pro-police rally of local residents was taking place ​in the same area on Sunday, but it was not ​immediately clear whether the rally was the intended target.

Fida Hussain, a regional police official, said the victims included five police officers and ​eight civilians. The 14th person was believed to be ​the suicide bomber, he told Reuters.

At least 18 people were wounded, according ‌to ⁠a police statement. It said an operation had been launched to arrest anyone who may have assisted the attack.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militant group in a statement claimed responsibility ​for the attack.

Prime ​Minister Muhammad ⁠Shehbaz Sharif in a statement expressed "deep grief and sorrow over the suicide blast".

Militancy in ​Pakistan's border areas has risen sharply in recent ​months, ⁠targeting mainly the military and police.

The Pakistani government blames the Afghan Taliban for the escalation, accusing it of providing support ⁠to ​the militants. The Taliban government has ​denied the accusations.

Source: Reuters

The Sri Lankan government has launched a fresh push to speed up the implementation of Indian-funded development projects, moving to address delays that have slowed progress across several key sectors.

The initiative followed a high-level review meeting between Labour Minister and Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando and Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha, held at the Presidential Secretariat.

Officials at the meeting examined the obstacles preventing the smooth rollout of India-backed projects spanning multiple ministries, including Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Ports and Civil Aviation, Plantation and Community Infrastructure, Housing, Construction and Water Supply, Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, Science and Technology, and Justice and National Integration.

Discussions centred on clearing administrative and operational bottlenecks, renewing existing agreements, and building stronger mechanisms to keep projects on track going forward.

A significant share of the talks focused on projects financed through India's $450 million loan and grant assistance package for disaster recovery and reconstruction, work considered economically important given its links to rebuilding damaged infrastructure and strengthening resilience in communities affected by natural disasters.

To reinforce oversight going forward, the government has decided to set up a dedicated monitoring unit within the Presidential Secretariat to identify bottlenecks earlier, improve coordination between ministries, and ensure that financial commitments are converted into completed infrastructure and tangible community benefits.

The review carries broader economic weight given India's standing as one of Sri Lanka's most significant development partners, especially across infrastructure, transport, energy, housing, fisheries and community development.

Delays in major projects of this kind tend to push up costs, postpone economic benefits, and blunt the immediate impact of foreign-funded investment on employment and regional development, while faster execution is seen as capable of boosting construction activity, improving connectivity, and drawing further investment into the country.

The renewal of project agreements between the two countries is also expected to provide greater certainty for initiatives already under way, with clear agreements and effective oversight seen as essential to keeping development aligned with national priorities while sustaining investor confidence.

Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage has won Sri Lanka's first ever Commonwealth Games gold medal in men's javelin, throwing 89.75m to top the podium at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow on Friday (31).

The victory came in a stacked field that included some of the biggest names in world javelin, cementing Pathirage's arrival as a genuine force in the event.

Pathirage's winning throw was enough to hold off Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra of India, who settled for silver with 85.83m, while his compatriot Yash Vir Singh claimed bronze with a throw of 85.41m.

Paris 2024 bronze medallist Anderson Peters of Grenada narrowly missed out on the podium, finishing fourth with 83.88m.

The anticipated clash with reigning Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan never materialised as a genuine contest for gold, with Nadeem finishing well down the field in ninth place on 77.41m.

The win carries historical weight for Sri Lanka, marking the country's first Commonwealth Games gold since weightlifter Chinthana Vidanage's triumph at the 2006 Melbourne Games.

Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone afterwards, Pathirage said he was incredibly happy to have delivered Sri Lanka's first javelin gold, adding that the achievement meant everything to him and that hearing the national anthem played as he stood on the podium was a moment of immense pride.

Reflecting on the conditions inside the windy Scotstoun Stadium, he admitted the weather had made things difficult for all the throwers, but said he had focused on producing his own best distance rather than trying to match his rivals.

The result also extends a recent pattern of South Asian dominance in Commonwealth Games javelin, with Chopra having won gold at Gold Coast 2018 and Nadeem doing likewise at Birmingham 2022, both athletes going on to become Olympic champions at the following Games.

Pathirage, a former fast bowler and current Olympic Solidarity scholarship holder, will now see his sights turn towards the possibility of Olympic qualification, with attention already shifting to how his form develops ahead of LA 2028.

Three spill gates of the Upper Kotmale Reservoir opened automatically early this morning (03) following heavy rainfall in the reservoir's catchment areas, according to engineers overseeing the reservoir.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) has urged residents living along both banks of the Kotmale Oya downstream of the reservoir dam to remain alert, warning that the remaining spill gates could also open automatically if heavy rainfall continues in the Upper Kotmale catchment areas.

The heavy rains have also led to a significant increase in the water flow of St. Clair's Falls and Devon Falls, with both waterfalls experiencing stronger flows due to the prevailing weather conditions.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has accused the government of exceeding its electoral mandate by seeking to alter the retirement age of judges, stating that the move amounts to turning the judiciary into an instrument of the executive.

Speaking to the media, he said that the mandate secured by the JVP-led government was to abolish the executive presidential system, not to compromise judicial independence.

Premadasa contended that the government, having been entrusted with a mandate to reform the system of governance and strengthen democracy, was instead pursuing measures that risked entrenching dictatorship, authoritarianism and single-party rule, including a constitutional amendment introduced for this purpose.

He said that the President's mandate extended only to reforming the presidential system through constitutional means, and not to altering judges' retirement age or enabling the executive to exert pressure on the judiciary.

Expanding on the constitutional principles at stake, the Opposition Leader said democracy rested on three pillars, the legislature, the executive and the judiciary, bound together by a system of separation of powers and checks and balances.

He noted that those unfamiliar with this framework consult Montesquieu's Spirit of the Laws for clarity.

He also warned that political authorities in many countries had, at various points, attempted to interfere with the judiciary and the legislature, and urged the Government not to overlook recent developments in India in this regard.

Citing the Indian example, the Opposition Leader recalled that when the country's unemployed youth were disparagingly referred to as cockroaches, millions of young people mobilised in major cities and pressured the government into holding a minister accountable for a leaked examination paper scandal, ultimately forcing his resignation.

He added that ongoing reforms within India's education system were themselves a product of sustained youth pressure, and that Indian youth had responded to the insult not with silence but by building a mass movement demanding accountability.