Oct 20 (NW) The govt is treating the death of Kavanthissa, the tusker fatally injured in a shooting, with due concern, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. Responding to questions from journalists about the handling of the elephant’s treatment by the Dept of Wildlife Conservation, Jayatissa said investigations were underway to determine whether there had been delays, lapses or negligence in its treatment, as well as to identify those responsible for the shooting. more..

Oct 20 (DM) Cabinet has approved a proposal to submit the Imports and Exports (Control) Regulations No. 08 of 2026 to Parliament for approval, introducing new standards for specified imported products used in motor vehicles and three-wheelers. Regulations aim to ensure fair competition for local manufacturers, protect consumer safety and establish inspection procedures for the relevant imported products, based on recommendations from the Ministry of Industry & Entrepreneurship Development. more..

Oct 20 (NW) Cabinet has approved a revised three-year plan valued at Rs. 15,077.82 million (Rs. 15.07Bn) to resume and complete the remaining work on the Kolonnawa Stormwater Drainage and Environment Improvement Project. Originally launched in 2019, project experienced severe delays due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic recession. To address these setbacks, Minister of Transport, Highways & Urban Development submitted a newly restructured plan and more..

Oct 20 (DM) Govt has dismissed opposition allegations that substandard coal was responsible for the technical failure at the Norochcholai Lakvijaya Power Plant, following the nationwide blackout on Oct 17, minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. Speaking to journalists, Jayatissa said Generator Unit 1 remained out of service due to the technical failure but rejected claims linking the incident to the quality of coal used at the power plant. He said the unit had been shut down for maintenance for 62 days, more..

Oct 20 (NW) Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe is leading an official SL delegation in London for a two day promotional programme on October 21 and 22, 2026, aimed at showcasing the upcoming SL Expo 2027 and attracting British business leaders. Organized by the SL EDB in collaboration with the High Commission of SL in the UK, the initiative features a business and investment forum and networking session on Oct 21, followed by bilateral business to business meetings on Oct 22. more..

Oct 20 (TM) The National System Operator (NSO) Private Limited’s probe into Saturday’s island-wide blackout is unlikely to produce meaningful results, as the Company failed to implement Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) recommendations made after a similar outage in February 2025, Electricity Consumers’ Association (ECA) claimed. ECA General Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika said the PUCSL had held a public consultation in August 2025 after the February outage and more..

Oct 20 (NW) Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval for the SL Police to purchase 200 imported single-cab vehicles from the local market to support and enhance official police operations across the island. The approval follows a decision made during the Cabinet meeting held on February 23, 2026. To execute the procurement, tenders were called under the national competitive bidding procedure, attracting a total of seven bids from local suppliers, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. more..

Oct 20 (FT) HDDES Extracts Ltd, an exporter of value-added, export-oriented spices, oleoresins, essential oils, and related products, and Board of Investment (BOI), last week signed a supplementary agreement with coordination facilitated by the National Initiative for Research and Development Commercialisation (NIRDC). Through the active intervention of the NIRDC unit established at the Presidential Secretariat, and in collaboration with the BOI, the company was able to resolve more..

Oct 20 (NW) Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara has rejected claims that Sri Lanka’s proposed Organized Crime Prevention Bill would allow individuals to be arrested simply for having tattoos, long hair or particular clothing styles. Addressing Parliament, minister said misleading interpretations of the proposed legislation were circulating on social media, creating unnecessary fear among the public. The bill was presented to Parliament for its first reading, more..

Oct 20 (DM) A police constable attached to the Ahungalla Police Station was admitted to the Balapitiya Base Hospital after being bitten by a cobra hiding under the seat of an official police motorcycle, it was reported. The constable, who was serving in the Traffic Division of the Ahungalla Police Station, was performing traffic duties in Ahungalla town on October 16. While returning to the police station, he was bitten by the cobra, which was hiding under the motorcycle seat. more..

Oct 20 (NW) The term of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to investigate possible irregularities or illegal activities in coal imports and electricity generation has been extended until Dec. 16, 2026. The extension was made through a Gazette notification issued by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The commission’s term was scheduled to end on Oct. 16, 2026. The extension grants the commission a further two months to carry out its work. more..

Oct 20 (FT) The Personal Income Taxation of Sri Lanka has adversely impacted the economy and affected the livelihood of the working-class and young professionals who are the backbone of our economy. Having the highest tax rate of 36% is not an issue, however all citizens should be entitled to have a reasonable tax-free income with sustainable tax rates and slabs. Taxing very low-income earners costs more in administrative collection efforts than it yields in actual revenue. more..

Oct 20 (FT) For many people, the words tax return bring one thought to mind: another task to complete. It means gathering documents, checking bank statements, reviewing income and, sometimes, asking an accountant for help. But an annual tax return can be more than a compliance requirement. It is also an opportunity to understand our financial position and keep our tax affairs in order. As SL’s tax system becomes more digital, knowing a few key terms and how they work can help taxpayers more..

Oct 20 (Island) Five more suspects allegedly linked to the killing of Kawantissa, considered SL’s tallest living tusker, and other illegal activities against wildlife have been arrested. The suspects were arrested during a special joint operation conducted by officers of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, the Walana Central Anti-Vice Strike Force and the area police. The arrests followed investigations into the shooting of more..

Oct 20 (Island) Chinese Ambassador Wei Huaxiang held discussions with the Chief Prelates of the Asgiriya and Malwatta Chapters during a visit to Kandy, aimed at strengthening China-Sri Lanka Buddhist and people-to-people ties. The Ambassador met the Most Ven. Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Mahanayake Thera, Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter, and the Most Ven. Thibbotuwawe Sri Sumangala Mahanayake Thera, Chief Prelate of the Malwatta Chapter, more..

Oct 20 (Island) URF leader Champika Ranawaka yesterday alleged that the JVP, which carried out over 560 protests during the 2015-2019 period, was now bent on preventing the Opposition from exercising its democratic right to protest. Recalling the declaration made by the JVP at the height of the violent protest campaign in July 2022 that it would set the Parliament ablaze, the former parliamentarian lashed out at the JVP-led administration for using the police excessively more..

Oct 20 (NW) Nepalese govt has initiated steps to recover land in Colombo that was allegedly sold to private individuals by its former honorary consul without govt authorisation more than three decades ago. Nepal purchased 1.5 acres of land in Rajagiriya, Colombo, on May 18, 1989, for US$ 360,000 to establish an embassy. However, one acre of the property was reportedly sold in two successive transactions, in 1990 and 1994, more..

Oct 20 (NW) DIG in charge of Traffic Control and Road Safety, W.P.J. Senadheera, has revealed further details about the fatal accident in Akurana, confirming that investigators are examining claims of brake failure and possible driver fatigue. The DIG said the cement-laden truck was travelling towards Kandy from Alawathugoda when the driver reportedly lost control while negotiating a left-hand bend near Kurugoda Junction on Monday (19). The truck initially struck a motorcycle and more..

Oct 20 (NW) A total of 19 selected fishermen affected by the Ditwah disaster in Kilinochchi District received boats on a subsidy basis under a programme aimed at restoring their livelihoods and developing the district’s fisheries sector. The programme was held under the leadership of Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar and focused on rebuilding the livelihoods of fishing communities affected by disasters, including those in Thattuvankottai. more..

Oct 20 (Island) Acknowledging that there had been an administrative lapse on the part of the President’s Office in 2019 when Maithripala Sirisena granted presidential pardon to Ven. Gnanasara Thera, Convener of Janathawadi Joint Opposition Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to rectify whatever those shortcomings and release the General Secretary of BBS. Prof. Peiris emphasized that it was not fair to hold Ven. Gnanasara accountable for more..

Oct 20 (NW) State media have reported that a suspect arrested in connection with the shooting of iconic wild tusker Kavantissa is affiliated with the SLPP. Suspect is a member of an SLPP-affiliated cooperative development body. SL Rupavahini Corporation, state television broadcaster, has also reported the suspect’s alleged political affiliation. The reports come as investigations continue into the shooting of Kavantissa, whose death on October 16 sparked widespread public concern. more..

Oct 20 (Island) The staggering sums Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) reportedly splashed out on its former President Shammi Silva have raised eyebrows among stakeholders, with revelations suggesting that the former cricket chief and several members of his Executive Committee enjoyed the high life while SL cricket struggled to keep its head above water. The spotlight has fallen firmly on Shammi Silva, whose expenses during more..

Oct 20 (FT) Board of Investment of SL (BOI) has presented SL's flagship agri-food investment opportunities at the Hand-in-Hand Initiative Investment Forum 2026, convened by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome from 13 to 16 Oct. Chairman Duminda Hulangamuwa led the BOI delegation, accompanied by Director General Dr. Sulakshana Jayawardena. SL’s presentation, Unlocking Premium Export Markets through Value Addition and, more..

Oct 20 (FT) Vidullanka PLC, in partnership with David Pieris Motor Company yesterday inaugurated the 10 MW DPV Solar Power Plant in Ranna, making significant strides in SL’s renewable energy journey. Developed under the joint venture company DPV Solar Energy Ltd, plant was declared open by Energy Deputy Minister Eng. Arkam Ilyas and the SL Sustainable Energy Authority Director General Rohana Randombage. Vidullanka handled the project’s Engineering, Procurement & Construction. more..

Oct 20 (DN) SL’s Mohamed Safran came to the fore yesterday at the Para Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan when he secured the bronze medal in the men’s long jump T47 event producing an impressive final attempt to go on the podium. Safran the 21-year-old athlete achieved 6.37m in his first attempt followed by 6.35m in second attempt. After three foul attempts Safran came back strongly to finish his final attempt with a 6. 55m jump which earned him the bronze medal. This is the first medal for SL more..

Oct 20 (Island) The curtain raiser of the tri-nation series in Pakistan went down to the wire and although Sri Lanka were into their tail, hopes of pulling off an unlikely victory remained alive as Dasun Shanaka threatened to produce something special on his return to ODI cricket. Finding the boundary with remarkable ease, Shanaka had raced to 28 off just 18 balls when he gave charge to Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi, only to perish in his attempt to clear the ropes. more..

Oct 20 (FT) A Parliamentary committee has decided to issue the necessary recommendations on matters relating to the granting of mining rights for 68 grids to State-owned Lanka Mineral Sands Ltd, (LMSL). Company has sought exclusive mining rights over mineral sand deposits along the northeastern coastline. LMSL submitted a request to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Development and Int'l Relations more..

Oct 20 (EN) Companies involved in SL’s hospitality supply chain have showcased local products and capabilities to Maldivian businesses and other industry stakeholders at Hotel Asia 2026 held in the archipelago. This was in collaboration with the Export Development Board (EDB) and the SL-Maldives Business Council (SLMLBC) of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. “The initiative created opportunities for SL businesses to connect with buyers and potential partners, as well as more..

Oct 20 (DM) Despite formulating as many tourism master plans as IMF programmes, Sri Lanka still lacks a cohesive strategy, with ad hoc approvals, inflated state land prices and unplanned development holding back the industry since 2009, according to former BOI Chairman Thilan Wijesinghe, whose concerns were echoed by hoteliers and the World Bank. Speaking at the 4th Tourism, Hotel Investment and Networking Conference (THINC) SL & Maldives, organised by Hotelivate-Savills in Colombo last week, more..

Oct 20 (ST) The death of the majestic tusker Kawanthissa, one of SL’s tallest and largest tuskers, has raised serious questions about wild elephant conservation and protection. Despite repeated calls from conservationists, animal welfare advocates, and wildlife officers to provide special protection for prominent tuskers like Kawanthissa, Dept of Wildlife Conservation paid little heed, maintaining that its policy takes a holistic approach to all more..

Oct 20 (FT) HSBC Electronic Data Processing Lanka Ltd, (HDPL), the bank’s global service centre, will exit Sri Lanka owing to rising costs and an inability to scale. Staff said they had been notified that they would be let go in four batches as operations relocate to other locations, including India, the Middle East, and the Philippines. At an all-hands meeting at HDPL’s offices at Mireka Towers in August, staff were told a decision to exit SL would be made and communicated in October. more..

Oct 20 (Island) The Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) successfully hosted a series of high-level meetings of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), bringing together leading securities regulators and enforcement officials from around the world to discuss emerging regulatory challenges, strengthen international cooperation, and enhance collective efforts to combat cross-border securities market misconduct. The meetings, more..