Neesham & Binura Seal Rajshahi’s Spot in BPL Final

Rajshahi Warriors booked their place in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) final with a thrilling 12-run win over Sylhet Titans in the Qualifier 2 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Wednesday.

England re-hire 2005 Ashes pace coach Cooley

England have made a further addition to their backroom staff by re-hiring Troy Cooley as national pace-bowling lead.

ICC Board decides to uphold published match schedule for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today confirmed that the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will proceed as scheduled with Bangladesh’s matches to be played in India.

McIlroy challenges Hatton and Rahm to pay Tour fines

Rory McIlroy has challenged Tyrrell Hatton and Jon Rahm to ’’prove’’ their commitment to Europe’s Ryder Cup team by settling their multi-million pound fines from the DP World Tour.

34% of Central Highland forests damaged due to Cyclone Ditwah: Minister

The Committee appointed to assess environment damage due to the Ditwah cyclone has revealed in its preliminary report that 34 percent of the country’s central highland natural forests have been damaged by the Ditwah cyclone, Environment Minister Dhammika Patabedi said today.

Two suspects granted bail in Hapugastenna Plantation land forgery case

A female attorney and a director of a private company, who were arrested in connection with an alleged incident of preparing forged deeds relating to a five-acre land belonging to the Hapugastenna Plantation Company that had been leased to a private company on a 53-year lease basis, were released on bail by Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama today.

Turkey pledges support for cyclone-affected schools and water projects in Sri Lanka

In a move aimed at bolstering disaster relief and community development, the Ambassador of Turkey to Sri Lanka, Dr. Semih Lütfü Turgut, met with Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government, Professor A.H.M.H. Abayarathne, at the Parliament complex in Sri Jayawardenepura. The discussions centered on Turkish support for rebuilding schools in Puttalam District that were severely damaged by Cyclone Ditwah.

‘I am not above the law’ - Attorney General responds to social media attacks

Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe (Jnr) PC, today stated that he is not above the law and that any decision taken by him is open to challenge before court if it is wrong.

ICC rejects Bangladesh's plea to play T20 World Cup matches outside India

Cricket’s governing body said Wednesday it had rejected Bangladesh’s request to shift their T20 World Cup matches out of India, casting doubt on the team’s participation in next month’s tournament.

Wellness centres roll out across 21 districts

The second phase of Sri Lanka’s nationwide initiative to establish 1,000 wellness centres will see the opening of 42 new facilities across 21 districts on January 24, the Ministry of Health said.

Brook apologises, admits nightclub fracas ’not the right thing to do’

England white-ball captain Harry Brook on Wednesday admitted it was ’’not the right thing to do’’ to get into an altercation with a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand, but insisted ’’I’ve learnt from my mistakes’’.

Mayes hits England record score in U19s World Cup

Hampshire’s Mayes, 18, hammered 191 - falling one short of the overall record tournament score of 192, set by Sri Lanka’s Viran Chamuditha against Japan four days ago.

Education reforms could deepen rural–urban divide: FUTA

Concerns that ongoing education reforms could widen disparities between rural and urban schools were raised during a high-level discussion between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday.

Fifteen-year-old girl missing from Bandaragama

Bandaragama Police have sought public assistance to trace a 15-year-old girl reported missing from the Gangamuwa area in Bandaragama since December last year.

Ravi flags tourism forex leakages despite record arrivals

UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake raised serious concerns in Parliament over what he described as a growing disconnect between Sri Lanka’s record tourist arrivals and the weak flow of foreign exchange into the country’s official financial system.

SLAF deploys 11th contingent to MINUSCA

The 11th Sri Lanka Air Force Aviation Contingent assigned to the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) departed Sri Lanka this morning (21 January 2026). The Contingent consists of 22 officers, including two lady officers and 88 airmen, including five airwomen, and is commanded by Group Captain Asiri Pathirage.

Election Commission recognises five new political parties

The National Election Commission has officially recognised five new political parties as registered political parties during the year 2025.

Constitutional Council declines to reveal details on Auditor General nomination

The Constitutional Council (CC) has refused to disclose certain information sought under the Right to Information Act, No. 12 of 2016, regarding its decision on the President’s nominee for the post of Auditor General.

Seat belt law to be enforced 100% on highways: Police

Police have stepped up enforcement of seat belt laws, citing a 2011 Gazette notification that requires all drivers and passengers, including those in rear seats, in vehicles with English number plates to wear seat belts.

Air quality turns unhealthy in several cities

Sri Lanka’s air quality has deteriorated to slightly unhealthy levels in several parts of the country over the past 24 hours, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) said.

Emergency drug testing for bus drivers conducted in Colombo Fort

The National Transport Commission (NTC), National Transport Medical Institute (NTMI), and Sri Lanka Police conducted urgent on-site drug and alcohol tests for bus drivers today at Colombo Fort.

1,282 new Leprosy cases reported in 2025, including 123 children under 15

A total of 1,282 new leprosy cases were reported in Sri Lanka in 2025, with nearly 10 per cent of the patients being children under the age of 15, health authorities said today.

Government trying to intimidate judiciary: Namal

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National Organiser and Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa yesterday accused the government of attempting to intimidate the Attorney General’s Department and the judiciary in order to achieve its political objectives.

Vehicle owners seek assistance to recover vehicles buried by Rendapola landslide

Vehicle owners affected by a landslide in the Rendapola settlement in Nuwara Eliya have appealed to the relevant authorities for assistance to recover several vehicles buried under mud following Cyclone Ditva.

The 3i show with Stefan de Alwis wins Asia’s Best Emerging Podcast Award 2025–2026

Sri Lanka’s presence in Asia’s digital media and thought leadership arena gained significant regional recognition as The 3i Show with Stefan de Alwis was named Asia’s Best Emerging Podcast Show of the Year 2025–2026 at the prestigious Asia Awards.

Sri Lanka announce ODI squad for England series

The Sri Lanka Cricket Selection Panel has announced the squad for the upcoming three-match One Day International (ODI) series against England. The matches are scheduled to be played on January 22, 24, and 27, at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium (RPICS) in Colombo.

Government reveals data on Ditwah relief payments

The government has paid the initial relief payment of Rs. 25,000 to 4,220,047 individuals, while the Rs. 50,000 grant allocated for the purchase of kitchen equipment has been disbursed to 100,946 beneficiaries. In addition, the Rs. 15,000 allowance provided to students for the purchase of stationery has been paid to 136,828 students.

Gold zooms past $4,800 for the first time as Greenland tensions simmer

Gold prices were boosted to a record high above $4,800 ‌per ounce on Wednesday, as investors looked to the metal as a safe haven after a broad selloff in U.S. assets on heightened tensions between the U.S. and NATO over Greenland.

NMRA raises red flag over costly Indian cancer drugs in pharmacies

The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) has gone on alert amid concerns that Indian cancer drugs are being sold at exorbitant prices in private pharmacies.

Ex-Japanese Prime Minister Abe’s killer sentenced to life

A Japanese court has sentenced the killer of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to life in prison.