Oct 15 (NW) LOLC Holdings has strongly rejected allegations circulating on social media concerning a banking facility involving People’s Bank, describing the claims as misleading and factually inaccurate. In a clarification submitted to the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) on Oct 14, LOLC said the local-currency borrowing was fully secured against a US dollar deposit maintained with People’s Bank itself. The company stressed that People’s Bank holds the full collateral supporting the facility, more..

Oct 15 (DM) Several roads in Colombo have been flooded following heavy rainfall, while adverse weather conditions are expected to continue across several parts of the country, with the Dept of Meteorology warning of heavy showers, strong lightning and possible temporary strong winds. Heavy rainfall is expected to continue in most parts of the Western and Southern Provinces due to changes in the prevailing wind pattern, dept said. Showers or thundershowers exceeding more..

Oct 15 (Island) The National Shoora Council (NSC) has welcomed an assurance by Minister Vijitha Herath that the govt will take necessary action to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to seafarers stranded aboard Iranian civilian vessels near SL. In a letter dated Oct 13, Herath responded to the NSC’s appeal for humanitarian relief, assuring the council that necessary action will be taken as proposed more..

Oct 15 (NW) Construction of the Kurunegala-Galewela section of the Central Expressway is expected to begin before the end of 2026, Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena said. The project forms the first phase of Section 4 of the Central Expressway (CEP 4), which will eventually extend from Kurunegala to Dambulla. A special meeting chaired by the deputy minister was held on Oct 15 to discuss land acquisition procedures that must be completed before construction begins. more..

Oct 15 (NW) SL’s Arugam Bay has been ranked Asia’s best beach for 2026 in the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards, with four SL beaches securing places among the region’s top 20. Arugam Bay, a popular surfing destination on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast, secured first place, ahead of Railay Beach in Thailand and Coral Beach in Malaysia. Three other SL destinations also featured in the rankings, with Bentota Beach placed ninth, Tangalle Beach 14th & Negombo Beach 19th. more..

Oct 15 (DM) Plans are underway to introduce the Metro Bus service to Kandy and its suburbs, with a special route survey conducted today under the leadership of Deputy Minister Dr. Prasanna Gunasena. The initiative is part of a broader plan to expand the Metro Bus service, currently operating in the Western Province, to other major cities across the country. A trial run was conducted from Kandy to Gampola to more..

Oct 15 (NW) Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe has sought a formal clarification and correction from a private television channel over the alleged use of an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated photograph concerning him during a television discussion programme. An official letter dated Oct 15 has been sent to the television channel, requesting an investigation into the authenticity of the photograph displayed by former Minister Wimal Weerawansa during the programme. more..

Oct 15 (AD) The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has announced that individuals registered for income tax must submit their income tax returns for the 2025/2026 Year of Assessment before Nov 30. In a notice, the department stated that submitting income tax returns before the deadline would help taxpayers avoid potential difficulties. Income tax returns for the 2025/2026 Year of Assessment can be submitted online. IRD further stated that taxpayers requiring additional information or more..

Oct 15 (NW) Petrol-only vehicles have accounted for less than half of global new vehicle sales for the first time on record, marking a significant shift in the global automotive industry as hybrid and electric vehicles continue to gain popularity. According to automotive industry data reported by Japan’s Nikkei newspaper, petrol-only vehicles accounted for approximately 49% of global new vehicle sales during the first half of 2026, down from 52% during the same period in 2025. more..

Oct 15 (NW) Transparency International SL (TISL) has raised serious concerns over the proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill, warning that several provisions could undermine fundamental rights, judicial independence and democratic freedoms. TISL expressed concern over the Bill, gazetted on Sept 22, 2026, which seeks to replace the existing Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The organisation highlighted concerns regarding the Bill’s broad definition of terrorism, more..

Oct 15 (DM) Colombo High Court was informed today that Yoshitha Rajapaksa had received a total of Rs. 5,150,626 in salaries and allowances during his 10 years of service in the SL Navy. The evidence was presented when the trial of a money laundering case filed against Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was taken up before Colombo HC Judge Udesh Ranatunga. Testifying under the questioning more..

Oct 15 (NW) Supreme Court has granted special leave to appeal in a bribery case involving former Deputy Minister Shantha Premaratne, who was sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment for soliciting and accepting a Rs. 50,000 bribe in exchange for promising employment. Premaratne, a former UPFA politician and SLFP organiser in the Ampara District, was convicted by the High Court in 2017. Premaratne had solicited and accepted Rs. 50,000 from a party supporter after promising more..

Oct 15 (NW) Ven. Thiththagalle Anandasiri Thera has responded to allegations by SL Police that he spread false information about an assault during a protest march demanding the release of imprisoned Buddhist monk Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, acknowledging that he had initially assumed the injured man was a supporter of the march. In his initial video, the monk alleged that individuals linked to NPP were responsible for attacking a man who had assisted the protest march from Kandy more..

Oct 15 (DM) Sri Lanka and China have explored opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation and the digital economy, including potential Chinese support for establishing a National Sovereign AI Computing Centre in SL. The discussions took place on 14 Oct at the Ministry of Digital Economy between Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne and Chinese Ambassador to SL more..

Oct 15 (DM) US-based The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has donated oncology drugs worth Rs. 330 million to SL to support cancer patients, while an agreement was also signed to provide 600 specialised wheelchairs for patients with spinal cord injuries. The donation was formally handed over to the Ministry of Health yesterday by Lui Wing Chung Mickey, Asia Area Director, and Apapohn Pinsakol Saengsin, Asia Area Manager, representing Latter-day Saint Charities. more..

Oct 15 (NF) Minister Vijitha Herath held high-level discussions with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev during his visit to Baku, as SL moves to strengthen economic and diplomatic ties with countries across Asia. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), where Minister Herath is leading the SL delegation. Discussions between the two sides focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation more..

Oct 15 (DM) A 21-year-old man has been arrested in the Mawathgama area of Homagama over allegations of defrauding individuals by collecting money to publish online advertisements for vehicles that were never posted. The suspect, a resident of Mawathgama, was arrested by officers of Central Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB). Investigators allege that the suspect used a Facebook account to contact individuals by telephone and offered to advertise vehicles for sale online for more..

Oct 15 (AD) A large consignment of the narcotic substance heroin weighing over 100 kilograms was seized from the Kapparathota Beach in Weligama this morning, following information received by five suspects arrested by the SL Navy. The seizure was made during a coordinated operation involving the SL Navy, Police and other security agencies. STF recovered 120 packets concealed inside six sacks, along with two satellite phones and an internet connectivity device concealed at more..

Oct 15 (NF) IMF has reaffirmed its readiness to continue supporting SL beyond the conclusion of the current IMF-supported program, signaling that a range of assistance options remain available as the country continues its economic recovery. Speaking on SL's progress under the reform program, IMF Deputy Director for the Asia and Pacific Dept Sonali Jain-Chandra said the Fund remains committed to supporting SL in more..

Oct 15 (FT) Commercial High Court of Colombo has upheld an interim order barring the five Directors of Hela Clothing Ltd, from travelling overseas. The Court rejected their argument that a court exercising civil jurisdiction has no power to restrict a person’s movement, in winding-up proceedings where Commercial Bank of Ceylon accuses them of diverting export proceeds owed to it. In an order delivered on Tuesday (13), Commercial High Court Judge Chamath Madanayake held that more..

Oct 15 (NW) A 40-year-old German woman has lodged a complaint with Rathgama Police, alleging that her 29-year-old SL boyfriend assaulted her after she had given him €25,000 to purchase a fishing boat. According to police, the woman developed a romantic relationship with the man, a resident of Pitiwella in Boossa, during an earlier visit to SL. She reportedly provided him with €25,000 to purchase a fishing boat during their relationship. The woman subsequently returned to SL and more..

Oct 15 (AD) The Nidahase Pada Yathra (Freedom March)—initiated under the leadership of the Maha Sangha to demand the release of the incarcerated Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero and to advocate for the religious rights of Buddhist monks—has now reached the vicinity of the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo. The procession began from Kadawatha today, the sixth day of the foot march, and more..

Oct 15 (NW) Construction of the Kurunegala-Galewela section of the Central Expressway is expected to begin before the end of 2026, Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Prasanna Gunasena said. The project forms the first phase of Section 4 of the Central Expressway (CEP 4), which will eventually extend from Kurunegala to Dambulla. A special meeting chaired by the deputy minister was held on Oct 15 to discuss land acquisition procedures that must be completed more..

Oct 15 (FT) Sri Lankans have heard these promises many times: corruption will be defeated, those responsible will be brought before the courts, and money taken from the public will be recovered and many more. It is these promise that resonates strongly, particularly in the minds of the ordinary people. After all, when public money is lost, it is ultimately the public that carries the burden through higher taxes, higher prices, reduced services and increased Govt debt. more..

Oct 15 (AD) Discussions on further strengthening bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and China and expanding cooperation in support of SL’s economic development have been held at the Ministry of Finance. The meeting was held yesterday between Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to SL, Wei Huaxiang and Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, the Ministry of Finance, Planning & Economic Development said more..

Oct 15 (FT) Sri Lanka's tourism industry has much to celebrate. In 2025, the country welcomed a record 2.36 million international visitors, surpassing pre-pandemic arrival levels and reinforcing confidence that tourism has recovered from the combined shocks of the Easter Sunday attacks, COVID-19, and the economic crisis. Yet beneath this success story lies a troubling reality. While SL is attracting more visitors than ever before, the value generated from those visitors is declining. more..

Oct 15 (FT) CoPF is seeking the AG’s opinion on whether Colombo Port City apartments can lawfully be sold on a freehold basis when the underlying land is held on 99-year leases. The committee is also pressing for tighter controls over how developers raise presale proceeds and fund construction. Colombo Port City Economic Commission (CPCEC) Chairman Harsha Amarasekera, told the committee that more..

Oct 15 (NW) The Fort Magistrate’s Court has ordered authorities to take necessary steps to obtain an INTERPOL Red Notice against former Minister Basil Rajapaksa in connection with the alleged misuse of funds belonging to the SL Tourism Promotion Bureau. Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena issued the order today (14), directing that a warrant be issued in both Sinhala and English to facilitate the process of obtaining a Red Notice through INTERPOL. more..

Oct 15 (DM) The dengue vaccine promised by the Ministry of Health has yet to be introduced in Sri Lanka, with Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa questioning the delay in obtaining approval from the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) for its importation. Dr. Sanjeewa, President of the Doctors' Trade Union Alliance for Medical and Civil Rights, said the Ministry of Health had announced plans to introduce a dengue vaccine to protect the public during recent major dengue outbreak. more..

Oct 15 (TM) COPF has questioned why the Director of Commercial Operations of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission (CPCEC), Radika Obeyesekere, also holds the position of Director of Legal Affairs, with the Commission defending its decision not to appoint a dedicated director for legal affairs. The issue was raised by COPF Chairperson Dr Harsha de Silva during a meeting with the CPCEC on 8 Oct, more..

Oct 15 (NW) SL Police have rejected claims that a man was attacked for supporting a protest march from Kandy to Colombo demanding the release of imprisoned Buddhist monk Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera. In a statement, police said the incident occurred on Oct 14 in the Weeragula police area and was the result of a traffic-related dispute rather than an attack connected to the protest march. The clarification follows a video circulating on social media in which Ven. Thiththagalle more..

Oct 15 (FT) Colombo Port City Economic Commission (CPCEC) has issued 14,300 visas thus far for foreign employees of Port City businesses but cannot vouch for all of them, CoPF was told this week. Members questioned whether the regime is being adequately policed amid regional concerns over scam networks and money laundering. The CPCEC monitors visa holders through monthly reports from businesses and random periodic visits by its officials, Commission Chairman more..