Oct 29 (AD) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed officials of the Ministry of Sports to prepare plans to promote sports with the aim of producing athletes capable of achieving international success, fostering a sporting culture in the country and building a healthier population. President gave these instructions while participating in a discussion on the 2027 Budget proposals for the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, held at the Presidential Secretariat this morning more..

Oct 29 (DM) Film Exhibitors Association has raised concerns over the growing number of private movie rooms operating in cities across the country, warning that they pose a threat to legitimate cinema halls and raise concerns over regulatory compliance and public morality. Association President Anuradha B. Rekawa said these establishments rent out rooms by the hour to couples and groups under the pretext of watching films, allegedly operating without proper regulatory oversight. more..

Oct 29 (DM) SL's indirect taxes are super high and the tax structure needs to change, but the govt has not taken a decision to implement a property tax and will not make any surprise tax moves, Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando said on Tuesday. He explained that the property tax had initially been proposed under the economic recovery programme. The govt, however, had faced obstacles in implementing it and more..

Oct 29 (DM) Govt has planned a series of projects to clean up the Beira Lake, with Rs. 2,500 million allocated to the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), the Urban Development Authority (UDA) and the SL Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRDC). Additional Secretary to the President (Clean SL) S.P.C. Sugeeshwara told a news conference that funds would be released shortly to remove sewage discharge points, solid waste and silt from the lake. more..

Oct 29 (TM) Sri Lankans seeking employment in Israel will be recruited exclusively through govt-to-govt agreements from 2027, according to a new Israeli govt policy. SLBFE stated that the existing recruitment programme through licensed foreign employment agencies will end on 31 Dec 2026. The policy will cover construction, industrial, commercial and service sectors. However, details of the new recruitment process, available jobs and selection procedures have not yet been announced. more..

Oct 29 (Island) Renewable Energy Development Front has claimed that a govt circular issued on Sept 11 to protect large-scale businessmen who supported the incumbent govt during past elections has created serious problems in the solar energy sector. Speaking to the Mahanayake Theras of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters in Kandy, a delegation from the Front said nearly 100,000 people directly or indirectly employed in more..

Oct 29 (NW) The CIABOC has questioned remarks made by President’s Counsel Ali Sabry, who represents remanded MP Namal Rajapaksa, that those acting as oppressors today could become victims tomorrow. According to court reports, the issue was raised during Wednesday’s hearing of Rajapaksa’s bail application in connection with the Krrish transaction investigation. Appearing for the Bribery Commission, Senior Assistant Director Thanuja Bandara questioned whether more..

Oct 29 (DN) A complaint has been lodged with the CID alleging that PHU leader and former MP Udaya Gammanpila made statements intended to create religious tensions over the Anuradhapura Sacred City Development Project. The complaint was filed by Upali Rathnayake, a former national cycling coach and Anuradhapura district activist for the National Intellectual Organisation, and Deepal Thilakarathne, a retired accountant and active member of Rajarata Uni Handa organisation. more..

Oct 29 (DM) Cigarettes valued at over Rs. 677 million, seized by SL Customs officers at BIA between April 22 and July 27, 2026, were destroyed at the Western Power Plant in Kerawalapitiya. The consignment comprised 2,802,960 cigarette sticks, with an estimated commercial value of Rs. 677,069,105. The estimated tax revenue loss associated with the cigarettes amounted to Rs. 439,701,206. The cigarettes were seized by Customs officers at BIA during the specified more..

Oct 29 (AD) Former Minister Johnston Fernando has stated that several media reports concerning the case against him, which was taken up at the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court today (28), are entirely false and misleading. He made these remarks while issuing a special clarification regarding the media reports. Fernando said that only three charges had been filed against him under the Motor Traffic Act in the relevant case. He emphasized that he had not been charged more..

Oct 29 (NW) Sri Lanka and Japan have signed the Exchange of Notes and Grant Agreement for a Japanese grant assistance package worth approximately Rs. 4.56 billion (JPY 2.179 bil) to implement the Project for the Improvement of the Pump Station in Kelani River. According to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, agreements were signed on Wednesday at the Ministry, more..

Oct 29 (AD) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Professor H.M.J.C. Pitawala as the new Vice-Chancellor of Uva Wellassa University. The letter of appointment was presented to Professor Pitawala by the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, this afternoon. This appointment is effective from Nov 2, 2026. Prior to this appointment, Professor H.M.J.C. Pitawala served as a professor in the Faculty of Applied Sciences at Uva Wellassa University. more..

Oct 29 (NW) A suspect allegedly involved in several thefts has died after being hospitalised while in the custody of the Kobeigane Police, following his apprehension by a group of villagers. The suspect was apprehended by residents of the Beddegama area in Kobeigane on October 25 and handed over to the Kobeigane Police. The suspect had reportedly remained in police custody for two days before being admitted to the Nikaweratiya Hospital on October 27, where he subsequently died. more..

Oct 29 (Island) A delegation, led by the ITAK MP Sivagnanam Shritharan, has urged Canada to pressure SL over accountability for alleged atrocities during the war. The accountability issue was taken up during talks with senior Canadian Foreign Ministry officials in Ottawa that covered the Chemmani mass grave and the continued military occupation of land in the North and East. The delegation met Weldon Epp, more..

Oct 29 (AD) The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) has decided to launch a one-day strike tomorrow over several demands. FUTA General Secretary Senior Lecturer Charudaththe Illangasinghe said the strike would be carried out across the entire state university system. The action comes amid several concerns, including a shortage of academic staff at state universities, excessive workloads on existing staff and inadequate physical facilities. more..

Oct 29 (DM) The suspension of dried chilli imports from India has driven up prices in the local market, with a kilogramme now selling for as much as Rs. 1,300, association president S. Vinayaga Sundaram said. Sundaram quoting Customs Media Spokesperson Chandana Punchihewa said more than 100 containers of imported dried chillies were being held at SL Customs after failing to meet the required standards. The consignments, rejected by SL Standards Institution & food inspectors, more..

Oct 29 (EN) Six individuals have been arrested by Kalutara North Police in connection with the assault on the driver and conductor of a luxury bus after being intercepted by individuals travelling on motorcycles in the Nagas Junction area along the Kalutara-Colombo main road. Two motorcycles allegedly used by the suspects during the assault have also been taken into police custody. The arrested suspects are residents of Wadduwa and Moronthuduwa. more..

Oct 29 (EN) Sri Lanka’s private sector trade body has submitted its observations on the proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism (PST) bill, it said, and is finalising its views on the proposed Prevention of Organised Crime bill. Ceylon Chamber of Commerce called for a careful review of recent draft legislation to ensure that it provides clear definitions, appropriate judicial oversight, and adequate due process safeguards. “Such measures are essential to maintaining more..

Oct 29 (NW) An islandwide special national programme to promote early detection of breast cancer and raise public awareness will be held on November 2, under the leadership of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus and the Ministry of Health. According to a statement from Parliament, the decision was taken at a recent meeting of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, chaired by its Chairperson, Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj. more..

Oct 29 (NW) Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board has introduced a new insurance scheme for tea plant nurseries and tea cultivations, offering coverage of up to Rs. 1 million per acre against natural disasters and other risks. The Board, operating under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands & Irrigation, said the initiative aims to protect tea cultivators from financial losses and encourage the development of the tea industry. The insurance scheme covers damage caused by more..

Oct 29 (CI) Lasith Malinga, Paras Mhambrey and Carl Hopkinson will not be part of the Mumbai Indians men's coaching staff any longer in the IPL, the franchise announced on Thursday. Malinga and Mhambrey were the team's bowling coaches while Hopkinson was the fielding coach. MI have not announced their replacements yet. The move is part of a larger revamp of the franchise's coaching staff: MI had replaced their head coach Mahela Jayawardene with Kieron Pollard earlier in more..

Oct 29 (EN) Sri Lanka may see higher inflation if global oil prices remain expensive for a long period, CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said. Inflation remained at a 40-month high of 8.1% in September measured by the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI), mainly driven by market-reflected fuel prices and their spillover effect on the overall economy. The state-owned CPC has raised fuel prices around 50% since more..

Oct 29 (NW) Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today ordered that the case filed against MP Namal Rajapaksa and three others over alleged money laundering involving Rs. 15 million be recalled on Feb 11, 2027. Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama issued the order after the FCID informed the court that extracts of the investigation had been forwarded to the Attorney General for legal advice. The CID requested a further date to obtain instructions from the Attorney General. more..

Oct 29 (AD) SL and Thailand have focused on further strengthening bilateral cooperation to promote development in the health, education, technology and economic sectors. This was discussed during a special bilateral meeting between Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa and Thailand’s Deputy PM and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Prof. Yodchanan Wongsawat. Meeting was held yesterday on the sidelines of more..

Oct 29 (FT) Efficient transport is fundamental to Sri Lanka’s economic growth. Shorter commuting times, reliable public transport and better connections between residential areas, commercial centres and regional economies can improve productivity and create lasting economic value. The Govt’s on-going commitment to infrastructure development, including the planned modernisation of Colombo’s suburban railway network, provides a strong foundation for further progress. more..

Oct 29 (FT) SL has spent decades expanding the powers of the state without necessarily improving its capacity to deliver justice. From emergency regulations to counterterrorism legislation, successive govts have responded to threats against public security through exceptional legal authority, often without sufficiently addressing the institutional weaknesses that undermine investigations and prosecutions. The threats have frequently been genuine, but the assumption that greater more..

Oct 29 (ST) State institutions will have to wait a while longer for their new pickup trucks in view of the multi-trillion rupee cost of fuel imports, crude oil soaring above US$ 116 a barrel in global energy markets, and modest external buffers. Underlining the need to achieve greater economic resilience to external shocks, Prez, said this week the Govt will put on hold the buying of 1,750 pick-up trucks for the moment. more..

Oct 29 (Island) One of the Iranian vessels that had been stranded in SL’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) with a considerable number of Indian crew members had moved away, sources familiar with the issue said. That had been made possible by SL allowing that particular vessel to receive fuel and whatever other requirements following consultations with the relevant stakeholders. There are altogether about 20 Iranian ships stranded outside SL’s territorial waters for a couple of months more..

Oct 29 (FT) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has questioned whether the death of a young man in the custody of the Homagama Police marks another step towards Sri Lanka becoming a police State. In a special statement, Premadasa called for an independent and transparent investigation into the death of Ishara Harshana. He said relatives who visited the police station on 25 October to inquire about Harshana had reportedly observed injuries on his body. more..

Oct 29 (HRW) SL govt’s Prevention of Organised Crimes Bill, submitted to parliament on Oct 20, risks enabling arbitrary detention, torture, and other rights violations, Human Rights Watch said. The proposed law, alongside the Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill submitted on Oct 6, reproduces abusive provisions in existing counterterrorism laws that would allow continuing abuses that the govt had pledged to end. more..

Oct 29 (Island) Prasakthi Energy has launched its 3.5 MW biomass dendro power project in Wilachchiya, Anuradhapura, adding to SL’s efforts to diversify electricity generation and strengthen the role of locally sourced renewable energy in the national power supply. The project uses woody biomass to generate electricity and marks a further development in a sector that has long been promoted as a means of reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels while creating more..

Oct 29 (Island) Communist Party of SL (CPSL) warned that Israel and other foreign powers were planning to establish a spaceport on SL’s East Coast and the NPP govt was getting involved in US space domain activities. The text of the CPSL statement issued by its General Secretary Dr. G. Weerasinghe: “CPSL expresses its deep perturbation at the further expansion of SL’s military co-operation with the US and its allies, and especially at the emerging involvement of SL armed forces in more..