News

The Indian Navy ship ‘INS SATPURA’ has arrived at the Colombo Port.

The Navy said the ship reached Sri Lanka yesterday (20) for replenishment and service needs.

It was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy according to naval traditions.

‘INS SATPURA’ is a frigate, 142.5 meters long, with a crew of 403.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) has issued a special announcement stating that applications for the 2025 (2026) G.C.E. Ordinary Level (O/L) Examination will be called online from 18 September to 09 October 2025.

Accordingly, all school candidates are required to submit their applications online through their school principals.

Private candidates must submit their applications in person, following the relevant instructions, it said.

Private candidates should use their National Identity Card (NIC) when applying for the GCE O/L Examination.

Candidates who do not possess a National Identity Card may submit their applications using the NIC of a parent or guardian.

The announcement further emphasizes that all applications must be submitted correctly by visiting the official websites of the Department of Examinations of Sri Lanka: www.doenets.lk or www.onlineexams.gov.lk/eic, and following the instructions provided there.

(adaderana.lk)

A young man has been hacked to death with a sharp weapon in the Balawathgama area under the Hemmathagama Police Division.

Police said the incident took place last night (20).

The victim was a 21-year-old resident of Dewanagala.

Investigations have revealed that the killing was the result of a personal dispute.

The body has been placed at the Hemmathagama Hospital morgue, while a 23-year-old suspect connected to the incident has been arrested.

Hemmathagama Police are conducting further investigations.

During a discussion held today (20) between the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) management and electricity trade unions, union members walked out in protest.

The meeting took place at the CEB headquarters, with the Director of Restructuring also present. Trade union members left the meeting expressing opposition to him.

Around 25 ministry secretaries and three trade union representatives attended the discussion.

Meanwhile, electricity employees have decided to continue their work-to-rule trade union action until the 21st. The unions have also said that a decision on future trade union action will be made on the 24th.

The Meteorology Department says that the current rainy and windy conditions in the country are expected to continue.

The department said that occasional showers may occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces, as well as in the Galle, Matara, Kandy, and Nuwara Eliya districts. Some areas may experience heavy rainfall of around 75 mm.

Several rain showers are also expected in the Northern and North Western provinces.

In the Uva Province and in the districts of Ampara and Madakalpuwa, light or thundery showers are expected after around 2:00 PM.

In the western slopes of the central hills, as well as in the Central, North-Central, and North-Western provinces, and in the Trincomalee and Hambantota districts, strong winds of about 30–40 km/h may occur at times.

The department warns the public to take necessary precautions against possible lightning and temporary strong winds that may accompany thundery showers.

Former Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP for Batticaloa, Thanmanpillai Kanagasabai, passed away yesterday (19) at the age of 86.

He was from Kaluthavalai, Batticaloa, and had earlier served as a government officer. Kanagasabai entered Parliament in 2004 after winning the highest number of preferential votes in the Batticaloa District as a TNA candidate.

The Kaluwanchikudy Police have launched an investigation after receiving a report that a woman was found dead in her home in the Kottekallar area. The deceased, a 57-year-old resident, was living alone in her house, according to initial investigations.

A tragic incident was reported in Batuwatta, within the Dewalegama Police Division, where a man assaulted his wife and son last night (19), resulting in the son’s death. The wife, injured in the attack, was admitted to the Kegalle Hospital.

The deceased, a 35-year-old resident of Helamada, Batuwatta, is believed to have been killed during a family dispute, allegedly struck with a club. The body is to undergo a magistrate’s inquiry, while Dewalegama Police continue investigations.

A total of 1,960 people have died in road accidents so far this year, police said. According to reports, these deaths occurred from January 1 to September 17, across the country. During this period, 1,843 fatal accidents were recorded.

In addition, police said there have been 3,708 serious accidents reported this year.

Incidents of harassment against children with special needs continue to surface, with the latest reported in Anuradhapura. At a special school in the area, serious allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation of students have been raised. The school, run by a private board and supervised by the North Central Provincial Department of Social Services, educates around 69 children.

Police confirmed that the school’s treasurer was arrested and remanded until the 29th over accusations of abusing three male students and exploiting another. Parents, unable to tolerate the mistreatment of their speech- and hearing-impaired children, recently staged a protest against the school’s management.

A fire has reportedly broken out in a shop on the third floor of a building at First Cross Street in Pettah.

The Colombo Fire Brigade said that 12 fire-trucks have been deployed so far to douse the flames and that firefighters are currently attempting to control the fire from spreading.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Fire Service Unit has also deployed two fire trucks to the location to assist in fire fighting operations.

The SLAF Spokesman said that a Bell 212 helicopter has been deployed to assist in extinguishing the fire at First Cross Street in Pettah.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that in order to advance the country economically, it is essential to ensure efficiency and transparency across all sectors. He further noted that the current government’s digitalisation programme is designed to elevate Sri Lanka not only economically but also socially.

The President made these remarks today (19), while participating in the ceremony held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), Colombo, to launch the National Cyber Protection Strategy (2025–2029) and to declare open the National Cyber Security Operations Centre (NCSOC).

The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (Sri Lanka CERT), in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Economy and with the technical support of the World Bank, has introduced the National Cyber Protection Strategy 2025–2029. This initiative aims to establish a secure, reliable and inclusive digital ecosystem as a significant step in the country’s digital economic transformation programme.

The strategy envisions the establishment of the necessary legal and administrative framework for cyber security, the creation of a skilled workforce equipped with knowledge and expertise in cyber security and the enhancement of public awareness, including among schoolchildren. It also seeks to improve the preparedness of state institutions, strengthen the capacity of Sri Lanka CERT, protect institutions that manage critical digital infrastructure and foster collaboration with multiple stakeholders to create a secure cyberspace.

The National Cyber Security Operations Centre, inaugurated today, will provide 24-hour monitoring of 37 institutions managing critical digital infrastructure, including the Department of Immigration and Emigration, the Department of Motor Traffic and the Department of Inland Revenue, in order to identify and respond to potential cyber-attacks. Its mandate includes the continuous monitoring of cyber threats, risks and attacks, issuing immediate alerts to relevant parties and protecting government systems and public digital services. The centre will also support both state institutions and the private sector to ensure safe digital operations by strengthening system resilience, providing early warnings, ensuring swift responses to threats and raising awareness. The benefits of the centre include continuity of operations, rapid response, cost-effectiveness, compliance and trust.

The National Cyber Protection Strategy (2025–2029) was formally presented to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who also serves as the Minister of Digital Economy, by the Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, Mr. Eranga Weeraratne.

Addressing the gathering, the President further observed that countries capable of swiftly harnessing advances in science and technology achieve rapid progress. He emphasised that the national cyber security framework will play a crucial role in safeguarding national security, strengthening the economy and protecting citizens’ way of life.

Commenting further, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that today marks the beginning of a significant undertaking. He noted that what has been opened is not merely a building or an office. If Sri Lanka is to pursue a strong path of digitalisation, he stressed, security, resilience and reliability are indispensable. The cyber security system inaugurated today is therefore a vital milestone in Sri Lanka’s digital economic journey.

Whether considering politics or the global economic trajectory, the key factor is that countries able to rapidly absorb technological and scientific advancements move swiftly toward the forefront of development. Conversely, states that fail to adopt these advances are increasingly left behind. This, I believe, is the core of the crisis currently facing Sri Lanka.

We all know that many ideas and concepts were generated in the 16th and 17th centuries, yet most of them only became a reality in the 20th century. Advances in health, the emergence of democratic elections allowing people to choose their leaders in a world once dominated by royal hierarchies and new forms of human interaction all came into practical existence during this period. Similarly, the digitalized world began to assume a major role from the late 20th century onward.

We are faced with two possible paths. The first is to rapidly embrace digitalization and transform it into a practical reality, enabling us to progress in step with advanced nations. The alternative failing to adopt these technological advancements will only widen the gap between us and the rest of the world.

The knowledge, tools and systems enabled by modern technology must be swiftly integrated into our state. For this reason, digitalization has been recognized as a priority programme of the government, with scholars and professionals contributing their expertise and dedication to its advancement.

Our public service has inherited a history of significant decline. Once proud of having a strong and respected public service in the 1970s, we remain trapped in that past glory while burdened with a system in decay. Through digitalization, this failing state machinery must be transformed into one that is efficient and responsive. Most importantly, the services provided to citizens must be streamlined to ensure efficiency and reliability. To deliver a satisfactory and effective public service, new systems must be established, ensuring that the benefits of this efficiency are directly experienced by the people.

Transparency is equally crucial. Our state machinery currently faces a profound crisis in transparency, affecting areas such as procurement, grants, recruitment and policy decisions. Digitalization, therefore, plays a vital role in establishing and ensuring this transparency.

Moreover, digitalization is essential not only for meeting human needs but also for creating new markets and economic opportunities. Through digitalization, businesses can access and capture emerging markets. Recent successes in both public and private institutions demonstrate that such innovations have led to the creation of new markets. Therefore, digitalization holds significant importance for the business sector as well.

For a country to progress economically, social life must be made efficient and this is achieved through the digital economy. Rather than living a constrained life, digitalization provides tools that allow daily needs to be met freely and conveniently. Therefore, whether in public service, the business sector or among ordinary citizens, digitalization should become the central strategy of our economy.

Some express concern that people might become like machines and lose their human emotions. This is not the case. Humans are naturally emotional and socially connected. The path forward lies in creating a robust network to prevent potential risks and this network can be built using technology itself. It must continue to be developed, as the knowledge gained today is generating new knowledge, driving rapid transformation. This is a dynamic process. In the past, threats could be countered by building walls, but cyber-security is not a static wall, it must continuously confront and mitigate threats. Therefore, the national cyber-security system is crucial for safeguarding national security, the economy and the daily lives of citizens. Appreciation is extended to all scholars and professionals who have contributed to this effort and congratulations are offered for advancing these initiatives with even greater strength.

The event was also attended by Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne, Deputy Minister of Defence Major General (Retired) Aruna Jayasekara, Senior Advisor to the President on Digital Economy and Chairman of the Information and Communication Technology Agency Dr. Hans Wijesuriya, Senior Digital Development Specialist at the World Bank Ida S. Mboob, Secretary to the Prime Minister G. Pradeep Saputhanthri, Acting Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy Waruna Sri Dhanapala, Chairman of the SLCERT Thilak Pathirage, along with a group of experts and scholars in the field.

President’s Media Division (PMD)

19.09.2025