<ul><li>Six grenade attacks recorded this year</li></ul>The Police are stepping up efforts to seize hand grenades and other heavy weapons as organised criminal gangs increasingly turn to explosives that are easier to carry than heavier firearms, said Police Spokesman and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) F U Wootler.Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (13), he said stern action would be taken against people found carrying or possessing weapons. "Large teams, including the Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel, have been deployed as part of the crackdown. The Police have also expanded their operations to locate grenades and other weapons left behind from Sri Lanka’s 30-year war that have yet to be recovered." He also rejected claims circulating in the media that hand grenades are easily available on the black market, saying such reports were merely “gossip”. “We have not received any clue as such of grenades being easily available in the black market. We have confronted a 30-year war and now those weapons are circulating in the country. It is a challenge for Sri Lanka. So far, there are many detected and little by little we are in the process of capturing these remaining weapons with the perpetrators,” he said.Six grenade attacks have been carried out by organised criminal gangs in Sri Lanka so far this year. The most recent incident to draw public attention was a hand grenade attack on a home in Dehiwala in which two children were killed. Police have stated the house was allegedly targeted by mistake.

 As Gangs Turn to Explosives: Police to crack down on grenades 

<ul><li>&nbsp;TUs want Railway GM removed, disciplinary letter withdrawn</li></ul>A total of 27 trade unions (TUs) within the Railways Department are set to launch a 48-hour token strike on 17 and 18 September, demanding the removal of Railway General Manager (GM) Ravindra Pathmapriya and the withdrawal of a letter seeking an explanation from Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters’ Union (SLRSMU) General Secretary Kasun Chamara Jayasekara over comments made to the media on issues affecting railway services.Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (13), Jayasekara said the TUs within the Department had not been given an opportunity to discuss their issues with the Railway GM."These TUs include those representing station masters, railway controllers, drivers, cabinmen, shunting staff, Ratmalana railway workshop employees and railway station staff. There are several issues within the Department that affect both employees and passengers. We have been calling on the GM to grant us a meeting to discuss these issues, but he doesn't do it."He further said the TUs also objected to the GM's actions, which he claimed violated the rights of TU representatives guaranteed under the Constitution, the Establishments Code and the Trade Unions Ordinance."The GM has initiated disciplinary action against me as I spoke to the media about train delays, shortages of train engines and compartments, train cancellations, and the need to improve services for passengers. Speaking up when there are issues within the Department is our responsibility as TUs. If the GM doesn't want us to do it, who will be there to speak about them?"Speaking further, Jayasekara said the TUs were therefore demanding the removal of the GM and the withdrawal of the letter issued to him."We are launching a two-day token strike on 17 and 18 September. We want the Government to appoint a new GM and address hundreds of issues within the Department. For the first time in history, even train passenger associations have expressed their support to our planned strike. We are also scheduled to meet the Transport and Highways Ministry Secretary on Monday (14). If the Government fails to listen to us and take proper action, we will soon launch a continuous strike."When contacted by The Daily Morning last evening, Pathmapriya said each of the Department's nine sub-departments has its own chief engineers and senior officers responsible for overseeing operations in their respective areas, and that he does not intend to interfere in their technical work."There are chief engineers for each section of the Department. They have been assigned to look after the work of their respective sections. I am not going to interfere in those matters. For example, there is an engineer at the Ratmalana railway workshop. His responsibility is to repair the locomotives there and prepare them for service. My role as GM is to provide the necessary guidance to them."He said it would not be possible for the GM to personally inspect railway tracks, stations and locomotives one by one."That is why a hierarchy is created in any institution. My responsibility also includes addressing administrative issues such as promotions and recruitment in coordination with the relevant sections, and I am in the process of looking into such issues and providing solutions."Asked about the TUs' demand for his removal, he said such a decision should be taken by the Government."If they say I should be removed, I think the Government should decide that. The Cabinet that appointed me will decide that after looking at the work I have done since I joined the Department," he said.He also responded to the dispute over the letter issued to Jayasekara over comments made to the media."I have not taken disciplinary action against the person concerned yet. What I have said is to give reasons for some of the statements he made. If they go around with that letter and gather the TUs and do this, there is nothing I can do about it. What I said is that very sensitive information in the Railway Department should not be given out. Saying that the Department will collapse tomorrow, that this many trains could stop running in the future, and frightening people is not appropriate. That is why this letter was issued. Now they demand that I withdraw the letter. But why should I withdraw it? I have not done anything wrong."

27 railway TUs set for strike on Sep 17 and 18

<ul><li>Ministry steps up action with Navy, Coast Guard</li></ul>The Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources has set up a joint mechanism with the Sri Lanka Navy and Coast Guard to track down people using explosives to catch fish, amid a rise in cases involving the illegal practice.The Ministry is also conducting awareness programmes among fishermen and schoolchildren on the environmental damage caused by fishing with explosives.Speaking to The Daily Morning, Ministry Secretary Dr Kolitha Kamal Jinadasa said the joint mechanism had been established because the practice could not be tackled by one institution alone. “This is not an operation we can single-handedly handle. Hence, we have incorporated the Coast Guard and the Navy also to crack down on those engaged in these activities,” he said. He said weekly meetings are held in each district to address such incidents. “In every district, with the District Secretary and the District Assistant Director, a weekly committee is established. In that, there is the Police, Sri Lanka Navy, the Fisheries Ministry, the representatives of the fisheries committees of the district, and they hold weekly committee meetings.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Dr Jinadasa further said the practice is generally carried out using small fishing boats rather than multi-day boats operating from harbours. “Catching fish with explosives is not usually done with the multi-day fishing boats that leave from a harbour. This practice happens with the small boats. One might be carrying the explosives, the other would explode it, and the next would carry the fish with them. When caught, they can say they didn’t use any explosives, but they saw some fish floating on the water and captured them.”&nbsp;&nbsp;He said arrests are therefore often made based on information received from fishermen. “Hence, it is with a tip that we usually capture the perpetrators. But we have started the awareness programme to make people aware. We believe that this is more effective. The areas where explosive fishing occurs vary depending on seasonal fishing patterns. These days it is Mullaitivu and Ambalangoda,” he said.He explained that explosives cause serious damage to fish and marine ecosystems. “The dynamite doesn’t spare for the size. There is an air balloon-like organ of the fish and this explodes due to the shock and they start floating on the water and die. This is an environmental damage if they use explosives near the corals,” he said.Fishing with explosives such as dynamite or gelignite has become an increasing issue in recent weeks, with more than 4,000 kilograms of fish allegedly caught using explosives seized in two incidents.

 Joint mechanism to curb explosive fishing

The claimants involved in the dispute arising from the X-Press Pearl disaster have urged the Sri Lankan Government to provide security assurances for members of their delegation ahead of an in-person meeting scheduled for 22 and 23 September.The demand has been made by international law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart &amp; Sullivan UK LLP, representing the claimants, in a letter dated 10 September 2026 to the Director General (Acting) of the Ocean Affairs, Environment and Climate Change Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (ref: MFA/OAECC/OA/04/07/02 Vol I)The letter was copied directly to the Attorney General (Parinda Ranasinghe PC), the Secretary to the President, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, Ports, Trade, and Environment, as well as diplomatic missions in London and Singapore.The Singaporean Government has also initiated litigation against the GoSL under a free trade agreement between the two countries. The letter stated that the dispute arises under the Free Trade Agreement between Sri Lanka and Singapore, signed in January 2018 and entered into force in May that year.The lawyers confirmed that the claimants are prepared to exchange position papers on September 15 at 3 p.m. Sri Lanka time. They also confirmed that September 22 and 23 remain acceptable dates for an in-person meeting.However, the claimants rejected the Sri Lankan Government's proposal that the meeting be conducted virtually.The lawyers said some members of the claimants' delegation would attend the meeting physically, while those unable to travel could participate through video link. They nevertheless stressed that they considered this arrangement less than optimal and called on the Government to provide assurances for the "safe passage" of the delegation.The demand for assurances centres on concerns that members of the delegation could potentially face enforcement measures while in Sri Lanka because of their association with the claimants.The lawyers acknowledged that the Government had confirmed in its 7 September correspondence that it was not aware of any complaint, enforcement measure or court order against any member of the proposed delegation.However, they rejected the Government's description of their concerns as "pure conjecture" and unsupported by credible or specific information.The lawyers referred particularly to the Supreme Court's judgment of 24 July 2025, concerning proceedings arising from the X-Press Pearl disaster.According to the letter, the Supreme Court judgment recorded allegations of bribery and corruption raised in Parliament and by Transparency International in relation to the claim for compensation arising from the X-Press Pearl incident. The allegations included claims concerning a payment in the region of US$250 million and the decision to pursue the compensation claim before the Singapore International Commercial Court, as well as alleged delays in commencing proceedings.The Supreme Court, according to the lawyers, described the allegations as "very serious" and directed that they be investigated by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).The Court also directed the Director General of CIABOC to initially call for and consider investigations already conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) into the allegations.Quinn Emanuel argued that the Supreme Court's reference to the CID investigations demonstrated that an investigation into the allegations already existed.The lawyers said the Supreme Court judgment recorded that statements made to the CID and the progress of the related CIABOC complaint had been placed before the Court by the State parties, represented by the Attorney General, and by CIABOC. They therefore argued that the Government could not credibly claim to be unaware of the allegations.The claimants' lawyers also requested that the Government provide them with a copy of the CID's investigation report, saying that relevant investigative material had not previously been provided to them. It said, "GoSL cannot credibly maintain that it is unaware of the specific allegations in question, having itself filed with the Court the material that addresses them. Indeed, the relevant material, including the CID's investigative reports, have never been provided to the Claimants. There can be no proper basis for withholding that material from the Claimants, and we request that a copy of the CID's investigation report now be provided."The lawyers further pointed to what they described as continuing developments surrounding the X-Press Pearl compensation claim.Among the matters cited were a statement made in Parliament by former Justice Minister Dr Wijedasa Rajapakshe; reports of a fresh CIABOC complaint concerning the Marine Environment Protection Authority, the Attorney General's Department and other State institutions; and reports of a separate bribery complaint against three Supreme Court judges in connection with the termination of the Supreme Court proceedings.The letter also referred to media reports concerning enforcement of the Supreme Court judgment and alleged correspondence between the vessel's insurer and the Sri Lankan Head of State.The lawyers further argued that, notwithstanding what they described as the questionable basis of the allegations, the allegations and related claims had continued to escalate. In support of their position, they referred, among other matters, to a statement made in Parliament by then Justice Minister Dr Wijedasa Rajapakshe, as well as reports appearing in the media.They specifically cited a report published by The Morning on September 3, 2026, concerning what it described as a fresh complaint lodged with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) over the conduct of the Marine Environment Protection Authority, the Attorney General’s Department and other State institutions in connection with the X-Press Pearl claim.The lawyers also referred to another local media report of September 1 concerning an alleged bribery complaint against three Supreme Court judges in connection with the order that terminated the Supreme Court proceedings, and another website report of August 23 concerning enforcement of the Supreme Court judgment and alleged correspondence between the vessel’s insurer and the Sri Lankan Head of State.The letter said these developments demonstrated, in the claimants’ view, that the allegations surrounding the X-Press Pearl claim were continuing and should not be characterised as hypothetical.The claimants maintained that these developments demonstrated that the allegations surrounding the X-Press Pearl claim were continuing and should not be dismissed as hypothetical.The lawyers stressed that their concern was not that members of the delegation had already been named in a complaint, enforcement action or court order.Rather, they said they were concerned that enforcement measures could potentially be taken against members of the delegation while they were in Sri Lanka because they were representatives of the claimants and of entities against which allegations had been made.They therefore called on the Sri Lankan Government to provide the requested assurances without further delay.The Government has been asked to respond by September 14, one day before the agreed exchange of position papers, so that the claimants can finalise arrangements for attending the September 22–23 meeting.The letter states that all rights of the claimants are reserved.The correspondence has been copied to the Attorney General, the Presidential Secretariat, several ministries including Foreign Affairs, Justice, Ports and Civil Aviation, Trade and Environment, as well as the Singapore authorities and Sri Lankan diplomatic missions in Singapore and London.The latest exchange comes amid continuing legal, political and investigative controversy surrounding the X-Press Pearl disaster and Sri Lanka's efforts to pursue compensation for the environmental and economic damage caused by the 2021 maritime disaster.

X-Press Pearl Maritime Disaster: Claimants seek security assurances ahead of meeting

<ul><li>Vaccination and breeding controls included</li></ul> The Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government has introduced a new Bill aimed at eliminating rabies and introducing a registration system for dogs.The Bill has been published in the Extraordinary Gazette No. 2455/66 dated 7 September 2026.The proposed legislation seeks to regulate dog vaccination, control the dog population and regulate the commercial breeding of dogs.Under the proposed legislation, every local authority would be required to ensure that all dogs within its administrative area are vaccinated against rabies annually and registered.The owner of a dog aged over six weeks, or any person keeping such a dog in their custody, would be required to have the dog vaccinated against rabies and register it annually with the relevant local authority.Following vaccination and the issuance of a vaccination certificate, the dog would have to be registered with the relevant local authority upon payment of the prescribed fee. A registration certificate would then be issued for the dog.A person who fails to register a dog would be required to pay a fine of Rs. 2,000 in addition to the registration fee.The Bill also requires every local authority to take steps to sterilise or castrate all stray dogs within its administrative area.In addition, anyone operating a dog breeding centre would be required to obtain a licence. The proposed legislation would also prohibit anyone without such a licence from selling puppies.

Rabies Control: New Bill proposes annual dog registration

<ul><li>Sajith says major public mobilisation planned in Colombo</li></ul>Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa said a major public mobilisation and peaceful protest against the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution would be held in Colombo on 24 September.He made the statement yesterday (13) at a meeting with Colombo District SJB local government (LG) councillors and electorate organisers held at the Opposition Leader’s Office.Premadasa accused the Government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of attempting to establish one-party rule through the 22nd Amendment by undermining the independence of the Judiciary and the rule of law.He said the Government would not be allowed to destroy the democratic rights of the people even with a two-thirds majority in Parliament, adding that the SJB was the first political party to oppose the 22nd Amendment.Premadasa said he expected the support of all progressive sections of society to defeat the Government’s programme and that the strongest step against the Government’s rule would be taken on 24 September through the planned protest.&nbsp;

SJB to hold protest against 22A  

Blocks 1 and 2 of Yala National Park have been temporarily closed to tourists from today (14) due to prevailing dry weather conditions. The Department of Wildlife Conservation and Forest Conservation stated that the closure will remain in effect until 15 October 2026. Several water sources in the park have dried up, while dry vegetation has caused shortages of food and water for wildlife. Wildlife officers are supplying water to ponds using solar-powered pumps and water bowsers, with around 200,000 litres transported daily.

Blocks 1 & 2 of Yala National Park temporarily closed from today 

<ul><li>August inflows rise to USD 748.6 m</li></ul>Sri Lanka received a total of USD 6.131 billion in remittances from overseas Sri Lankan workers during the eight-month period from January to August this year (2026), the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) stated.The figure represents an increase compared to the same period last year (2025), when total remittances stood at USD 5.116 billion.Of the total received during the first eight months of this year, USD 748.6 million was received in August alone.This was also an increase from the USD 680.8 million received in August 2025, according to the latest CBSL report.

SL receives USD 6.13 b in eight months

<ul><li>MP alleges Speaker blocked privileges matter, violated rights</li></ul> Opposition Parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekara has lodged written complaints with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights over Speaker of Parliament Dr Jagath Wickramaratne’s refusal to allow him to raise a privileges matter in Parliament on 10 September.The privileges matter submitted by Jayasekara concerned alleged corruption and irregularities in the use of State resources and facilities by Speaker Wickramaratne in carrying out his duties as Speaker.Jayasekara has argued that, at a time when the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) is conducting an investigation into alleged corruption and irregularities relating to the use of State resources and facilities by the Speaker, Dr Wickramaratne should not legally or ethically preside over Parliament or the Constitutional Council (CC), or perform the functions of Speaker and Chairman of the CC, in terms of Section 107 of the Anti-Corruption Act and the Code of Ethics for MPs.However, the Speaker said that he needed time to study the privileges matter and did not allow it to be raised in Parliament.Jayasekara subsequently attempted to speak on the matter during the Opposition’s allotted speaking time, but the Speaker interrupted him and stopped him from continuing his speech. The MP, however, tabled the privileges matter in Parliament during his speech.In his complaints to the three international bodies, Jayasekara has alleged that his right to express views under the Parliament (Powers and Privileges) Act was being violated by the Speaker, who is the head of Parliament.He has also argued that the Speaker’s decision to examine a complaint directly involving himself violates the principles of natural justice relating to impartiality and transparency.Jayasekara has further alleged that the Speaker’s conduct constitutes a direct violation of parliamentary democracy, Commonwealth parliamentary principles and the privileges of MPs.He has therefore requested the IPU, CPA and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to conduct a fair, independent and transparent inquiry into the matter.

As Gangs Turn to Explosives: Police to crack down on grenad ...

27 railway TUs set for strike on Sep 17 and 18

27 railway TUs set for strike ...

Joint mechanism to curb explosive fishing

Joint mechanism to curb explo ...

X-Press Pearl Maritime Disaster: Claimants seek security assurances ah ...

X-Press Pearl Maritime Disaste ...

Rabies Control: New Bill proposes annual dog registration

Rabies Control: New Bill propo ...

SJB to hold protest against 22A

SJB to hold protest against 22 ...

Blocks 1 & 2 of Yala National Park temporarily closed from today

Blocks 1 & 2 of Yala National ...

SL receives USD 6.13 b in eight months

SL receives USD 6.13 b in eigh ...

Dayasiri complains to IPU, CPA, UN

Dayasiri complains to IPU, CP ...

27 railway TUs set for strike on Sep 17 and 18

27 railway TUs set for strike ...

Joint mechanism to curb explosive fishing

Joint mechanism to curb explo ...

X-Press Pearl Maritime Disaster: Claimants seek security assurances ah ...

X-Press Pearl Maritime Disaste ...

Rabies Control: New Bill proposes annual dog registration

Rabies Control: New Bill propo ...

SJB to hold protest against 22A

SJB to hold protest against 22 ...

Blocks 1 & 2 of Yala National Park temporarily closed from today

Blocks 1 & 2 of Yala National ...

SL receives USD 6.13 b in eight months

SL receives USD 6.13 b in eigh ...

Dayasiri complains to IPU, CPA, UN

Dayasiri complains to IPU, CP ...

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27 railway TUs set for strike on Sep 17 and 18

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Blocks 1 & 2 of Yala National Park temporarily closed from today

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