Lifestyle
162nd birth anniversary of Anagarika Dharmapala marked today
The Buddhist revival leader, born on 17 September 1864, is remembered for restoring Buddhist access to sacred sites including Bodh Gaya in India.
Lifestyle
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Lifestyle
Colombo Fashion Week opens Couture + Trousseau 2026 on 'Living Sculpture' theme
The three-day edition running 17–19 September places large-scale sculpture on the runway, with Vision Care returning as official eyewear partner for a 13th year.
Lifestyle
Dengue cases reach 98,249 for the year, with Gampaha worst affected
The National Dengue Control Unit reports 74 deaths so far in 2026. High-risk MOH divisions have fallen to 35, and the seven-province mosquito drive ends Saturday.
Lifestyle
Actor Vishwa Kodikara fined Rs. 5,000 after pleading guilty to cocaine possession
The Mount Lavinia Magistrate reprimanded the actor and warned he would be sent for rehabilitation if he offended again. He was one of five held in a Wellawatta raid.
Lifestyle
Crepe bandage shortage at National Hospital leaves patients buying their own supplies
The GMOF says wound-dressing and orthopaedic supplies have run short at Colombo National Hospital, with patients sent to outside pharmacies.
Lifestyle
Livelihood survey begins as dry-weather toll reaches 163,869 across eight districts
Defence Ministry surveys drought damage: 163,869 affected across eight districts, with Monaragala hardest hit.
Lifestyle
Mattakkuliya collision kills three, 12 treated at Colombo National Hospital
Three killed in the Ferguson Junction crash. The 52-year-old driver has been remanded until September 30 after police confirmed he was under the influence of cannabis.
Lifestyle
Met Department forecasts widespread rain for 10 days, warns of El Niño-driven floods
Meteorology Department says prepare for heavy rain, landslides and floods over 10 days, with October and November heavier under El Niño.
Lifestyle
More than 30,000 families now at landslide risk after Ditwah, NBRO says
The NBRO has identified 16,793 newly at-risk families since Cyclone Ditwah, and warns that ground previously assessed as safe can no longer be treated as safe.
Lifestyle
Irrigation Department says no flood risk, a day after putting two rivers on alert
Rivers remain high but no flood risk. Glencourse recorded 131.7mm rainfall in 24 hours on Tuesday.
Lifestyle
Nuwara Eliya traffic police hand out helmets instead of fines to families riding children to school
Officers listed children seen travelling on motorcycles without head protection, then found a sponsor and gave them helmets at the start of the new school term.
Lifestyle
Academics push back on the idea that arts degrees lead nowhere, as UVPA opens a three-day conference
UVPA staff say misinformation about aesthetic studies steers students away. The university opens PRAXIS 2026 with a career fair to address the issue.
Lifestyle
Wildlife vet injured as snared leopard breaks free and springs at him
Dr. Akalanka Pinideniya was trying to tranquilise a hill-country leopard caught in a wire trap when it tore loose, attacked him and fled into the jungle.
Lifestyle
Landslide warnings for three districts as Met Department flags severe lightning and 100mm falls
NBRO issues landslide warnings for three districts amid severe lightning and heavy rainfall forecasts.
Lifestyle
Vet links dogs to nearly 30% of road accidents, and Rs. 1 billion a year to rabies shots
Dr. Chamith Nanayakkara says dogs are linked to almost 30% of Sri Lanka's road accidents and blames waste management and owner behaviour, not the animals.
Lifestyle
Caroline Jurie acquitted over the Mrs. Sri Lanka crown-snatching case
Colombo's Chief Magistrate held the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Jurie and Chula Padmendra injured Pushpika de Silva in 2021.
Lifestyle
Daya Nellampitiya, who taught Kandyan dance to generations of schoolchildren, dies at 91
The Virindu vocalist and dance instructor taught at leading schools across the island and was the first teacher of many of Sri Lanka's working artists.
Lifestyle
A single mango sells for Rs. 505,000 at a Vavuniya kovil auction
The fruit, offered to Lord Ganesha at the Manickapillaiyar Temple's Mam Palam Thiruwila festival, went to one family at a record price.
Lifestyle
Moneragala family spends nights in a tree as drought drives elephants into villages
NewsFirst reports from Kalugammulla, where 487 of Moneragala's roughly 800 tanks have dried up and a two-acre cowpea crop has failed.
Lifestyle
More national parks could close if heatwave worsens, wildlife officials warn
Yala blocks 1 and 2 closed; more parks at risk if heatwave worsens. Parks earned Rs. 4.28bn from 1.38m visitors in H1 2026.
Lifestyle
Reservoir storage slips to 33.6%, with Ampara at a fifth of capacity
Sri Lanka's 74 major reservoirs held 33.6% of capacity on September 13. The east is worst hit, and the largest reservoir of all is down to 17.6%.
Lifestyle
Yala's two busiest blocks close to visitors until mid-October over dry weather
Blocks 1 and 2 of Yala National Park shut to the public from September 14 to October 15 because of drought conditions. The park's remaining zones stay open.
Lifestyle
Gazetted Bill would fine dog owners Rs. 2,000 for failing to register their animals
Gazetted Bill mandates dog registration and annual rabies vaccination; Rs. 2,000 fine for non-registration.
Lifestyle
Ellegala waterfall runs completely dry as El Niño drought grips Udadumbara
Residents say water sources across Udadumbara in Kandy have dried up, with the Ellegala waterfall at Thalagune left without a drop of water.