Oct 24 (FT) Treasury account now holds a surplus approaching Rs. 1 trillion, compared with a deficit of about Rs. 700 billion in 2022, while a Finance Ministry committee is considering closing or amalgamating 34 State-owned enterprises (SOEs) deemed unnecessary or inefficient, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said yesterday. Prez said the Govt had been constantly compelled to print money or borrow from the banking system due to more..

Oct 24 (DN) Sri Lanka para athletes Janani Dhananjana and Pradeep Somasiri won gold medals with new Games records in the women’s T47 long jump and men’s T46 1500m respectively at the 5th Asian Para Games in Nagoya, Japan, yesterday. SL finished the Games with nine medals, comprising 2 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze. Para athletics accounted for seven medals, while para swimming contributed two. SL’s para athletics team manager, Lt Colonel Deepal Herath, said team narrowly missed more..

Oct 24 (DM) Train services between Rambukkana, Peradeniya and Gampola will be temporarily suspended on Oct 24 and 25 due to a landslide near Kadigamuwa Railway Station, the Railways Department said. Superintendent of Railways (Traffic) G.D.A. Samarasinghe said the landslide, triggered by adverse weather conditions, has washed soil onto the railway line between Rambukkana and Peradeniya, creating a safety risk to train operations. more..

Oct 24 (Island) SL has introduced a special Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) application process for nationals of five countries, requiring them to obtain the support of a SL citizen or resident when applying to enter the country. According to updated requirements issued by Dept of Immigration & Emigration, nationals of Ghana, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon & Afghanistan will not be able to use the standard self-service online ETA more..

Oct 24 (Island) Matara Magistrate’s Court has released, on bail, the Chairman of the National People’s Power (NPP)-controlled Kirinda Puhulwella Pradeshiya Sabha, and four others, arrested over allegations of unlawfully detaining and subjecting a retired female teacher and her son to physical and mental harassment. The five suspects, including Pradeshiya Sabha officials, were arrested by Thihagoda Police on Thursday following a complaint made by teacher & her son, an engineer. more..

Oct 24 (DN) Minister Ananda Wijepala told Parliament that shooting incidents connected with organized crime have declined to 18 so far in 2026 in comparison to 29 incidents recorded in 2025. Responding to questions raised by SJB MP Kavinda Jayawardana in the House yesterday during Questions for Oral Answers session, he said that INTERPOL red notices have been issued for 236 Sri Lankans, including 94 individuals identified more..

Oct 24 (NW) Police have frozen properties and a bus worth approximately Rs. 33 mil in two separate investigations into assets suspected to have been acquired using proceeds from drug trafficking. Illegal Assets Investigation Division arrested a 45-year-old resident of Eluwila, Panadura, on Oct 23 in connection with an investigation into alleged drug trafficking. Police subsequently froze a two-story house and 13-perch property in Malamulla, Panadura, valued at approx Rs. 20 mil, more..

Oct 24 (Island) Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa attributed the spread of tuberculosis (TB) in Colombo to the city’s high population density, while noting that reported cases have been on a declining trend since 2023. Jayatissa said 968 TB cases were reported in Colombo city in 2025, down from 1,064 cases in 2024. According to figures presented by the Minister, Colombo city recorded 871 cases in 2019, with the number falling to 736 in 2020 before rising to 796 in 2021. more..

Oct 24 (NW) Dept of Meteorology has warned of increased rainfall in southwestern parts of SL over the next few days as a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm. According to the weather forecast issued at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday (24), the low-pressure area near the North Andaman Islands is likely to develop into a depression during the day. The system is expected to move west-northwestwards, intensifying into a deep depression by Oct 25 more..

Oct 24 (NW) Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has written an emotional letter to his son, MP Namal Rajapaksa, who is currently in remand custody, recalling the advice he gave him when he first entered politics in 2010. In the letter, Mahinda Rajapaksa said Namal had sought his permission to enter politics and that he had warned him to be prepared for imprisonment and hardship. “If you want to enter politics, do so. more..

Oct 24 (Island) Opposition yesterday called for the appointment of a special Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of tusker Kawanthissa, considered a national natural heritage, and determine whether all relevant authorities and individuals had properly discharged their responsibilities. A motion calling on the Speaker to appoint the committee, initiated by SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa, signed by Opposition more..

Oct 24 (FT) The Govt plans to establish 18 new industrial zones as it seeks to attract investment, expand manufacturing capacity and position itself as a regional hub for trade, technology and industry, Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe said. Abeysinghe said the country was shifting from economic stabilisation towards sustainable growth and called on international investors to participate in its next phase of development. more..

Oct 24 (FT) SL welcomed 119,805 tourists during the first 22 days of October, registering a 5.03% year-on-year (YoY) increase, but cumulative arrivals remained 1.42% below the corresponding period last year as the industry entered its crucial winter season. The latest figures lifted year-to-date (YTD) arrivals to over 1.81 million, compared with over 1.83 million during the same period in 2025, highlighting the challenge facing the sector in closing the gap before the end of the year and more..

Oct 24 (FT) Colombo stock market continued to slide for a fifth straight session to end the week in the red. During the week, ASPI fell 2.48% and S&P SL20 fell 2.18% as intensifying tensions in the Middle East fed into negative investor sentiment. Yesterday, ASPI ended 0.17% or 33.01 points at 19,684.91 and S&P SL20 fell a marginal 0.09% or 4.85 points to 5,613.63. Turnover was low at over Rs. 825 mil on over 31.5 mil shares traded. Foreign investors were net buyers on a net inflow of Rs. 37.6 mil. more..

Oct 24 (FT) Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma has hailed Sri Lanka Customs’ (SLC) contributions to the country’s recovery and development, saying revenue collected by the department enabled the Govt to allocate Rs. 500 billion to respond to the Ditwah disaster and to provide relief on fuel prices driven up by the war in the Middle East. He made the remarks at a ceremony held on Thursday more..

Oct 24 (ST) In recent decades, many countries have made meaningful progress in developing community-based mental health services. Moreover, rights-based approaches have gained traction as people with lived experience increasingly have a voice in shaping mental health policy and services. These developments have shown that people living with mental health conditions can flourish in their communities when given the right support. Yet, around the world, very large numbers of more..

Oct 24 (ST) As the govt prepares to present Budget 2027 on Nov 12, trade unions and representatives from various sectors have called for action to resolve long-standing salary issues, easing of the cost of living and addressing of funding and infrastructure needs. Ceylon Teachers’ Union General Secretary Joseph Stalin said unresolved salary anomalies affecting teachers and principals remain a concern. He said a committee appointed by the previous govt had made recommendations, but more..

Oct 24 (FT) A criminal case concerning the alleged importation, sale, and possession of counterfeit products bearing the Oregon mark is continuing before the Magistrates’ Court of Mawanella, following a raid conducted by officers of the Commercial Crime Investigation Unit 2 (CCIU2) of the CID. The operation was carried out pursuant to a search warrant issued by Mawanella Magistrate on 8 Oct in respect of premises now located at Venas Hall, Hemathagama Road, Mawanella. more..

Oct 24 (FT) SL Export Development Board (EDB) has held talks with the University of Kelaniya on providing language interpretation services for business-to-business (B2B) discussions between visiting foreign delegates and SL export companies at Sri Lanka Expo 2027. The international exhibition will be held at the BMICH from 14 to 17 Jan, 2027. The first three days will be dedicated to international buyers and investors, while the final day will also be open to the general public. more..

Oct 24 (ST) While European markets are expected to grow slowly, promotional efforts focused on Asia and Russia are likely to bring in more tourists during this winter season. About 45,000 tourists are expected from Russia and countries of the former Soviet Union, following a significant decline from these markets during the last winter season, from Nov 2025 to May 2026. However, tourists from India and China more..

Oct 24 (FT) SL Export Development Board (EDB), in collaboration with SL–Maldives Business Council (SLMLBC) of Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, facilitated the participation of SL companies at Hotel Asia 2026 in the Maldives. The initiative created opportunities for SL businesses to connect with buyers and potential partners, as well as engage with Govt representatives in one of the region’s key tourism markets. Participating companies represented a broad cross-section of SL’s more..

Oct 24 (TM) Tiny plastic particles can damage human organs including the brain, heart, lungs and kidneys, a leading researcher warned. SL’s plastic problem is far more serious than the unsightly heaps of polythene bags, discarded bottles and food packaging that litter roadsides, beaches and public spaces, said Prof Hasintha Wijesekara of the Sabaragamuwa University. He added that beneath the visible rubbish lies a less obvious danger: the gradual breakdown of plastic into tiny more..

Oct 24 (FT) SL’s current controversy surrounding sections of the Buddhist clergy, the imprisonment of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, and demands for his release raises questions that extend far beyond an individual monk. At its heart lies a fundamental issue: How should a democratic society reconcile religious respect, monastic discipline, rule of law and authority of an elected Govt? The controversy is not simply about a robe, a prison sentence or a demonstration. more..

Oct 24 (Island) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has disclosed a govt plan to close down as many as 34 state institutions as part of a strategy to curtail public expenditure and reduce the financial burden on the state. Addressing the annual general meeting of the Govt Surveyors’ Association in Battaramulla recently, the President reportedly said the cost of running those institutions had increased, warranting a review of their performance and usefulness. more..

Oct 24 (FT) I have been aghast at the drama that unfolded over the last several days, both in and outside Parliament, in and outside Buddhist temples, on and off the streets, and in and outside parks - otherwise reserved for the less privileged public who have neither large homes and gardens, nor temples or V8 vehicles to exercise or take shelter in. I was taken aback by the positions taken by representatives of political parties, now in the collective opposition, some sitting in as more..

Oct 24 (DM) The visit of Thai Deputy PM Suphajee Suthumpun to Sri Lanka for the religious ceremony at Mihintale has raised a question that deserves consideration beyond the debate over diplomatic protocol. While the Foreign Ministry has clarified that she visited Sri Lanka in her private capacity to participate in the enshrinement ceremony, the occasion also presented an opportunity to further strengthen the longstanding relationship between the two countries. more..

Oct 24 (SO) The region south of Anuradhapura thrives at present resulting from Mahaweli Water transfers initiated in 1976 under the Mahaweli Development plan which was approved by the Govt in 1968. This invention truly transformed the suffering livelihoods by ensuring water for agriculture, domestic use and commercial usages in the area. In stark contrast, the vast areas north of Anuradhapura spanning the North Central more..

Oct 24 (FT) In a judgment delivered recently, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Janak de Silva, declared that the pardon granted to Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasera Thera on 25 March 2019 by former President Maithripala Sirisena was null and void and was of no force or effect in law. The jurisdiction of the Court had been invoked in two fundamental rights applications filed by Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu and Sandhya Ekneligoda. more..

Oct 24 (DM) It is to the nation’s great relief that the news came out that Anojan Sivarasa is now off the gallows. His death sentence has reportedly been overturned by the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia. It’s a welcome sign of warm and vibrant bilateral relations and a judicious understanding of the situation and its complexities. Nevertheless, questions abound on the actual scope and effect of the SC’s judgement. It appears that when, under its extraordinary or inherent jurisdiction, more..

Oct 24 (DM) Katchatheevu, a barren islet between SL’s Delft Island and India’s Rameswaram, sprouts up in the news on and off whenever the fisheries issue between SL and India, TN to be specific, crops up following arrests of fishermen or any untoward incident involved. Recently, it surfaced in the public domain after the Indian Supreme Court, in an interim, procedural and humanitarian order, cautioned the Union and TN Govts against more..

Oct 24 (TM) The cancellation of the proposed logistics complex project, which was conceived as a major addition to the Colombo Port’s infrastructure under a 50-year build-operate-transfer (BOT) arrangement with the China Merchants Port Holdings (CMPH), through its subsidiary Fortune Centre, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) & Access Engineering PLC has sent shockwaves among local & foreign investors. It is a fact the project failed to progress as originally envisaged. more..

Oct 24 (TM) Nearly eight months after American and Israeli strikes on Iran began, the war has not settled into something less dangerous. Major combat has paused, but the sea lanes are not calm. This week the Revolutionary Guard Navy claimed it had set four vessels ablaze in the northern Gulf and that three more had struck mines west of the Strait of Hormuz. Those claims remain unverified. However, the accompanying warning, that American bases could face a wider response, deserves to be more..