Oct 11 (TM) The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) investigating the release of 323 shipping containers from the Port of Colombo without mandatory physical inspections has concluded its inquiry and is finalising its report, which is expected to be presented to Parliament within the next few weeks. A committee member said that the investigative phase had concluded, although a date for presenting the report to Parliament had yet to be confirmed. more..

Oct 11 (AD) The first day of the foot march, which began in Kandy this morning (10) in protest against the removal of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero's monastic robes and calling for his release, concluded in Kadugannawa this evening. The Buddhist monks are scheduled to continue the six-day march on foot from Kandy to Colombo. Earlier today, a special blessing ceremony and a Sathya Kriya (Act of Truth) titled Justice for the Robe were held at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy, more..

Oct 11 (DM) The number of daily train services operating on the Northern Railway Line has dropped from 18 to eight following Cyclone Ditwah, causing inconvenience to commuters, SL Railway Station Masters’ Association said. Association Secretary Kasun Chamara Jayasekara said the reduction had significantly limited travel options for passengers, particularly on Wednesdays, when only a limited number of services, including the Intercity Express and Night Mail trains, were available. more..

Oct 11 (CI) During the first T20I against SL on Friday, Pakistan demonstrated that 2026 is not quite like 2019. Back then, they had stumbled in pursuit of three SL totals in succession - two of them lower than the 182 they gunned down with relative ease two days back, while the third was exactly 182. With that series perhaps fresher in SL's mind than it needed to be, Kusal Mendis' side opted, against conventional wisdom, to bat first after winning the toss in Rawalpindi this time, more..

Oct 11 (NW) The Institute of Post Harvest Technology Management has announced plans to construct 10 modern fruit-ripening chambers within this year and make them available to large-scale fruit producers, as part of efforts to promote safer fruit-ripening practices in Sri Lanka. According to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, the initiative aims to encourage the use of modern, scientifically recognised fruit-ripening methods without relying on harmful chemical substances. more..

Oct 11 (DM) The increasing presence of wildlife, including peacocks, monkeys and deer, in urban areas is largely linked to habitat loss, disruptions to natural food chains and the decline of predator populations, according to Hasini Sarathchandra, an official of the Dept of Wildlife Conservation (DWC). Sarathchandra said expanding human settlements, industrialisation and development had reduced natural habitats of wildlife, particularly in the low-country wet zone, more..

Oct 11 (Island) It is not often that a Test captain is replaced midway through a World Test Championship cycle. The fact that Dhananjaya de Silva has made way just days before the squad for the tour of Pakistan is announced is a clear indication that the cricket establishment was far from impressed with his leadership. He may now struggle to retain his place as a specialist batter, particularly if the selectors decide to relieve newly appointed Test captain Kusal Mendis of the wicketkeeping gloves. more..

Oct 11 (TM) Despite having sent its biggest ever sporting contingent (238 in total) to the 20th Asian Games in Japan (Aichi-Nagoya 2026) which concluded last Sunday, SL could only occupy the 28th spot in the medal table. This time around, SL were forced to settle for a solitary Gold medal courtesy of Rumesh Tharanga (men’s javelin throw), Silver in the women’s T20I team event, and Bronze in the men’s T20I. It was also the first time since 2014 that SL was able to clinch a medal more..

Oct 11 (Island) Something curious happens whenever someone proposes keeping cigarettes away from children. The cigarette suddenly acquires defenders. They seldom defend the product. Instead, they defend the country. Its legal system, its economy, its institutions, all of which the proposal will supposedly put at risk. The method, we are told, is too risky, too simple, too likely to backfire, and the wise course is to do something else, later, more slowly. There have been several media articles against more..

Oct 11 (Island) The past few weeks have seen several high-profile arrests, much to the delight of critics of former rulers whose govts were widely associated with abuse of power, the suppression of democracy, political interference in key state institutions and corruption. The arrest and remand of former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa have triggered what may be described as a social media feeding frenzy, with govt propagandists having a field day. more..

Oct 11 (SO) Long-running dispute over Katchatheevu has returned to the spotlight after India’s Supreme Court called for greater awareness among TN fishermen about crossing into SL waters, with one judge praising SL’s civic sense and suggesting that cleaner surroundings could help explain why fish move towards its waters. During a hearing on Oct 6, a bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva heard petitions challenging the 1974 agreement more..

Oct 11 (TM) Thileepan (Rasaiah Parthipan), who believed in armed struggle and was ready to lay down his life at any moment, is commemorated specifically because he sacrificed his life through a non-violent hunger strike. That stands as an irony in his political life. Thileepan, who served as the Jaffna regional political head of the LTTE, began his hunger strike in front of the Nallur Kandaswamy Temple on 15 Sept 1987, about a month and a half after the signing of the Indo-Lanka Accord, more..

Oct 11 (TM) For decades, Sri Lanka’s public health system has been widely regarded as one of the best in the region for a nation of our economic standing. However, poor governance, economic hardship, the Covid-19 pandemic, and bureaucratic lethargy have left the public health system battered and bruised. The ongoing depletion of baseline medications, ranging from critical anaesthetics to essential cardiac medications and oncology treatments, has laid bare a grim reality: more..

Oct 11 (TM) SL faces an increasingly complex legal, humanitarian, and diplomatic dilemma over Iranian vessels stranded off its southern coast, with questions emerging over whether the Govt’s refusal to provide essential supplies could conflict with int'l maritime obligations, even as authorities maintain that assisting US-sanctioned vessels could expose the country to economic and diplomatic consequences. The situation has brought into focus the competing demands more..

Oct 11 (SO) Last week, Attorney General told Courts that the evidence contained in the Batalanda Commission Report alone was insufficient to file indictments and recommended fresh investigations into the alleged murders. It has been 28 years since the Batalanda Commission, appointed to investigate the establishment and maintenance of unlawful detention centres and torture chambers at the Batalanda Housing Scheme in the Biyagama electorate during the 1987–1989 period, released its report. more..

Oct 11 (SO) Every girl has the right to grow up safely, receive an education and determine the course of her own life. Yet, for many girls, childhood is shaped not only by their hopes and abilities but also by the expectations, prejudices and inequalities imposed upon them by society. On the Int'l Day of the Girl Child, observed today (11), SL must look beyond expressions of solidarity and ask a more uncomfortable question: are we doing enough to protect the rights of our girls? more..

Oct 10 (FT) Discussions are under way on SL’s options after its current IMF program, which is on track to conclude successfully in March 2027, Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando told Parliament. “In parallel, discussions are currently under way regarding the options beyond the current program, reflecting a shift from crisis-driven support towards a more sustainable, long-term, growth-targeted engagement model,” more..

Oct 10 (Island) Chaminda Kularatne, Senior Attorney-at-Law, interdicted Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary-General of the Parliament of SL, recently participated in the UNAM–IPSA RC08 International Workshop, Parliaments in the Global South: Challenges and Transformations, held in Mexico City, on 6–7 Oct 2026, where he presented his research on parliamentary democracy and legislative governance in SL. Kularatne has challenged his interdiction in Court of Appeal. more..

Oct 10 (ST) The CIABOC has opened an investigation into a questionable Colombo 7 land deal that led to the construction of an apartment complex with cabinet approval under a past govt. Two individuals had obtained a bank loan of Rs 154 million to purchase the land, but CIABOC investigations revealed they had no financial capacity to make such a purchase. When they failed to repay the loan, the bank auctioned the land, which was then bought by a politically connected more..

Oct 10 (EN) Central Bank stubbornly defended the 5% inflation target it recommended and signed with the govt for the next three years citing that it was the only optimal solution and rubbished claims that the target is high and erodes the purchasing power of the general public. Economists and monetary policy critics have strongly advocated that Central Bank lower its official inflation target from 5% to 2%, emphasizing more..

Oct 10 (DM) Weak lending decisions can leave borrowers in financial distress and weaken the capacity of financial institutions to fund economic activity, CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe warned yesterday, calling for sound credit assessments as SL seeks to turn wider financial access into productive investment. Delivering the keynote address at the Fin Lit Expo in Colombo, Weerasinghe said expanding access to finance must be accompanied by a realistic assessment more..

Oct 10 (FT) Consumer sentiment recorded its fourth consecutive monthly increase in Sept 2026, rising to 85 from 81 in August according to Prosoft Research and Insights. “The continued improvement suggests that, following the fluctuations observed towards the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026, consumer sentiment has entered a period of relative stabilisation over the past few months,” it added. This broader stabilisation is also reflected in consumer purchase behaviour, more..

Oct 10 (DN) Minister Ananda Wijepala told Parliament that the Govt will not tolerate any type of racist and sectarian conspiracies in the future and has defeated such attempts made by politicians to come into power and protect and maintain their power. Responding to a question raised in the House by SLMC Batticaloa District MP M.L.A.M. Hizbullah over instances of organized activities carried out by certain groups against the Muslim Community in the country by publishing more..

Oct 10 (DN) DTNA Vanni District MP Selvam Adaikalanathan moving a private member’s motion in Parliament, urged the govt to appoint a Presidential Commission of Inquiry to ascertain the truth regarding the ethnic violence that occurred during Black July in 1983, assess the resulting damage, and formulate recommendations to prevent the recurrence of such ethnic violence. MP Adaikalanathan emphasized the need for appropriate action to be taken in this regard. more..

Oct 10 (FT) Batticaloa District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam called on the Govt to disclose the revenue, tax liabilities and outstanding arrears of hotels in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. He told Parliament that local councils were being deprived of revenue legally due to them while large operators profited from land in the regions. Rasamanickam said comprehensive information on major hotels, their revenues, tax liabilities and more..

Oct 10 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called on the govt to introduce a practical relief programme for Sri Lankans struggling with microfinance debt, claiming that more than two million people have fallen into debt traps. Premadasa said data from 2023 indicated that over two million people had been affected by exploitative microfinance lending practices, with women among the most vulnerable borrowers. He said the microfinance concept, originally introduced by more..

Oct 10 (NW) Former MP Wimal Weerawansa is facing possible contempt of court proceedings over remarks he made at a political rally in A'pura in September, police said. Police have decided to initiate legal steps to file a case against Weerawansa before the Court of Appeal over comments allegedly criticizing a Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court order issued on Sept 4. The remarks concerned a court decision to remand the fourth suspect in a case heard before Colombo Magistrate’s Court more..

Oct 10 (NF) Former CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal today personally withdrew the petition he had filed challenging the case brought against him by the Bribery Commission regarding the 2012 Greek bond incident. In the petition, the petitioner stated that a case had been filed against him before the Colombo High Court regarding a govt loss incurred by investing Rs. 1.8 billion in Greek bonds. The petitioner further stated that the CIABOC subsequently withdrew that indictment more..

Oct 10 (Island) Dialog Axiata joins the Institution of Engineers, SL (IESL) to launch the IESL National Startup Challenge, creating a national pathway for aspiring entrepreneurs to transform innovative ideas into commercially viable, investment-ready startups. The initiative reflects a shared commitment to strengthening SL’s entrepreneurship ecosystem through structured development, expert mentorship and practical support that enables promising ideas to progress towards market readiness & scale. more..

Oct 10 (FT) Colombo-centric condominium market is shrinking and getting pricier, with sales falling and buyers concentrating in higher-priced apartments. Most buyers financed their purchases with their own funds, with bank loans accounting for about a quarter, a pattern broadly unchanged from a year earlier. CBSL Price Index for New Condominiums in Colombo District rose 3.2% YoY to 280.6 in April-June quarter. more..

Oct 10 (ST) Environmental activists are calling on the Dept of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) as well as the Ministry of Environment to be proactive in ensuring the safety of elephants, especially tuskers. They called for improving the security of wild animals and action against those who harm elephants, following the shooting of the tusker Kavantissa. Wildlife veterinarians said the tusker’s front leg had sustained a gunshot injury. The wound was cleaned and treated with antibiotics. more..

Oct 10 (DM) Otherland Galle, a 66-key lifestyle hotel crowned by what its promoters describe as the largest rooftop club in the city, will open on Oct 12 as the first venture of Bengaluru-based Otherland Hotels, which is betting on music, food and surf culture to draw experience-seeking holidaymakers down south. Set on Matara Road, about 400 metres from Dewata Beach and 2.8 km from Galle Fort, the property blurs the line between hotel, poshtel and surf club, with 24 ocean-view rooms, more..