Mon, Sep 28, 2026
22 headlines
Sri Lanka Daily News Digest — Monday, September 28, 2026
ECONOMY: President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced a Rs. 41 billion fuel subsidy to cover the next three months without passing global price hikes to consumers; the measure goes to Cabinet today. Separately, headline inflation rose to 8.1% in August (from 7.2% in July), and lending rates edged higher over the week ending September 25.
POLITICS: The NMSJ has urged lawmakers to reconsider the proposed 22nd Amendment, warning that extending Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges' terms could force the Court to rule on its own judges' tenure. Separately, URF leader Patali Champika Ranawaka cautioned against Sri Lanka being drawn into regional geopolitical alliances, warning the UAE-India-Sri Lanka MoU should not become a counter-bloc. A five-member JVP delegation led by general secretary Tilvin Silva is visiting India (Sept 27-Oct 1) to meet BJP leaders.
SECURITY: Two people were killed in a shooting in the Halpethota area of the Beddagama Police Division this morning. The Navy seized a Rs. 1.5 billion narcotics shipment off Madagal, Jaffna, arresting one suspect. In Jaffna, police removed a memorial statue of former LTTE political wing leader Thileepan from Nallur.
TOURISM & DIPLOMACY: Sri Lanka ranked among the top 10 fastest-improving countries in the WEF's 2026 Travel and Tourism Development Index. Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath has held talks on Sri Lanka potentially hosting the Miss Universe pageant to boost tourism and global visibility.
TRANSPORT: 104 new Metro buses join seven Western Province routes from September 29, alongside tighter bus-lane enforcement to ease Colombo traffic.
ECONOMY/TRADE: A National Regulatory Conference on Food Safety, organized by the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board, highlighted food security as a national priority. The government's King Coconut Village programme is expected to support its US$36 billion export target by 2030.
SPORTS: At the ongoing athletics championships, Ayomal Akalanka advanced to the men's 400m hurdles final; Rumesh and the relay team also compete in finals today. Sri Lanka's Samaira Fernando and Revaan Amarasinghe won the girls' and boys' singles titles at the ATF Under-14 Colombo tennis tournament, beating Indian and Hong Kong opponents.
WORLD: US President Trump has rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days; Iran maintains only diplomacy can resolve the standoff with the US and Israel. Pakistan carried out air strikes on 10 sites in Afghanistan, alleging they were used to launch drone attacks. Two mass shootings hours apart in South Africa left 27 dead. A powerful nor'easter has triggered flooding and emergency declarations in New York and New Jersey, disrupting travel and power across the northeastern US.