Oct 2 (Blicq) Every September, hundreds of thousands of readers navigate the crowded corridors of the BMICH for the Colombo International Book Fair. For most, the routine is intimately familiar: handwritten notes tucked into pockets, tired feet, and the repetitive ritual of asking stall after stall whether a particular title is in stock. This year, however, a digital alternative has quietly gained traction among fairgoers. Rather than navigating the halls by trial and error, thousands of attendees more..

Oct 2 (DM) Nearly 10,000 snakebite cases are reported in SL each year, with hundreds of people losing their lives, as local and international experts gathered in Kandy yesterday for the world’s first international conference dedicated to snakes. The 1st World Congress on Snakes – 2026, held under the theme Snakes, Science, Species Survival & SL, commenced yesterday at The Grand Kandyan Hotel with the participation of more than 400 scholars, researchers, environmentalists more..

Oct 2 (AD) The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development has instructed officials to conduct a formal investigation into the factors that have caused delays in the issuance of number plates and driving licences by Dept of Motor Traffic. Accordingly, the committee directed officials to submit a comprehensive report within 45 days, detailing how the delays originated, the administrative more..

Oct 2 (NW) The introduction of a new OMR/OCR system to expedite the release of examination results and the establishment of a dedicated evaluation centre were among the key matters discussed at a recent meeting of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA). The meeting, chaired by COPA Chairman MP Kabir Hashim, focused on reviewing the progress made by the Dept of Examinations in implementing recommendations previously issued by the Committee. more..

Oct 2 (NW) Colombo Magistrate’s Court has issued notices on 10 doctors who served on the medical panel examining former State Intelligence Service Director Suresh Salley, ordering them to appear before court on Oct 6. Colombo Magistrate Pasan Amarasena issued the notices after considering submissions made by the CID through a motion. Salley, who was arrested in connection with investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks, is currently receiving treatment at more..

Oct 2 (EN) SL’s inflation target for the next three years through Oct 2029 will be maintained at 5% and the agreement was signed between the govt and Central Bank, monetary authority said. New Monetary Policy Framework Agreement (MPFA) in terms of the latest Central Bank of SL Act was signed between Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and CB Governor Nandalal more..

Oct 2 (NW) Two wards damaged by the recent explosion at the Polonnaruwa National Kidney Hospital could be reopened within the next two days, while the operating theatre complex and an ICU are also expected to resume operations expeditiously, according to Secretary to the Ministry of Health, Dr. Anil Jasinghe. He made these remarks following an inspection of the China–SL Friendship National Nephrology Specialized Hospital in Polonnaruwa on Thursday, to assess the damage caused by more..

Oct 2 (AD) Registrar of the Minuwangoda District Court, who was arrested today by the CIABOC, has been remanded in custody until Oct 6. TRegistrar was arrested for allegedly aiding and abetting the offering of a Rs. 50,000 bribe to a staff member of the Colombo High Court, in an attempt to obtain a favourable verdict in a case involving former Deputy Minister Sarana Gunawardena. Accordingly, the Colombo Magistrate’s Court ordered that the registrar be remanded in custody until Oct 6. more..

Oct 2 (AM) Narahenpita Police have launched an investigation following a complaint that cash and valuable items were stolen from the residence of former cricketer Ramith Rambukwella, son of former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella. The theft occurred after an unidentified person or group allegedly broke into an apartment in a residential complex in Narahenpita, where Rambukwella is said to have been residing. Stolen items reportedly included USD 4,275, Rs. 1.4 million in SL currency, more..

Oct 2 (DM) More than 187 acres of State-owned land in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, have been formally released by the Security Forces for future civilian use, paving the way for potential investment and development activities in the area. A total of 187.56 acres belonging to the State Cement Corporation, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) DS Division, had been utilised by the SL Army since 1997. more..

Oct 2 (NW) The govt plans to introduce a simplified tax system from 2027, including the gradual removal of additional taxes imposed alongside Customs Duty, Deputy Minister Nishantha Jayaweera has announced. Speaking at the official launch of the digital signature and paperless Customs declaration system, Deputy Minister stated that the proposed reforms aim to make SL’s taxation framework simpler and more convenient. more..

Oct 2 (NW) PM Harini Amarasuriya stated that ensuring children’s emotional security, mental well-being and self-confidence is important in the face of the modern social and technological challenges confronting childhood, and that the Govt has accorded priority to this area. PM made these remarks today (1) while participating in the National Children’s Day Celebration organised by Dept of Probation and Child Care Services under the guidance of Ministry of Women & more..

Oct 2 (DM) Former Minister Bandula Gunawardena appeared before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) today in response to a summons issued by the commission. Gunawardena was summoned to provide a statement regarding a Cabinet paper submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers in 2007. Following the summons, the former minister appeared before CIABOC and provided information requested by investigators in connection more..

Oct 2 (NW) Minister of Agriculture K.D. Lal Kantha has slammed two private media institutions, alleging that they deliberately focus on distorting statements made by govt representatives rather than accurately reporting national-level policy decisions. Minister criticised the conduct of the two media institutions, likening their approach to thuggish behaviour and accusing them of repeatedly misrepresenting his remarks. more..

Oct 2 (DM) Mahanayake Theros of the Ramanna Maha Nikaya and Amarapura Maha Nikaya have urged the Govt to intervene to secure the release of SL national Sivarasa Anojan, who has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia. A memorandum seeking necessary State intervention was submitted to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Sept 30. The memorandum issued by Most Venerable Makulwe Wimalabuddhi Thero, Mahanayake Thero of the SL Ramanna Maha Nikaya, and more..

Oct 2 (NW) Lanka Metro Transit (Pvt) Ltd has officially denied claims that its Metro buses will be made available for private hire, contradicting an earlier statement made by an official who had been widely interviewed by state media as a project manager attached to the Metro Bus project. In an official notice, Lanka Metro Transit said information circulating that Metro buses could be booked for private purposes was incorrect. “Metro buses are not available for hire or reservation more..

Oct 2 (AD) Train services on the Upcountry Railway Line resumed today, with services operating from Colombo Fort to Peradeniya and Gampola, following an approximately 10-month suspension caused by the impact of Cyclone Ditwah. Following Cyclone Ditwah, train services on the Upcountry Line between Rambukkana, Kandy and Badulla had been completely suspended. Accordingly, the Railway Department took steps to extend train services to Peradeniya and Gampola from today, more..

Oct 2 (DM) India’s leading low-cost carrier IndiGo has resumed daily flights on key routes between India and SL, strengthening air connectivity between the two neighbouring countries and supporting tourism, trade and business travel. The airline resumed services on three important routes from Oct 1, including New Delhi-Colombo, Bengaluru-Colombo and Tiruchirappalli (Trichy)-Jaffna. The resumption of daily flights between New Delhi and Colombo, as well as Bengaluru and Colombo, more..

Oct 2 (TM) Govt is planning to increase agricultural export production as much as possible ahead of January and April of next year (2027), in an effort to recover potential losses caused by El Nińo-related changes in weather conditions and increase export earnings before those impacts are felt, according to the Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development Ministry. more..

Oct 2 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has highlighted the potential for France, including through its development agency, French Development Agency (AFD), to support renewable energy projects in Sri Lanka and encourage greater investment in the sector. Premadasa made these remarks during a meeting with French Ambassador to SL Rémi Lambert and representatives of the renewable energy industry at the Opposition Leader’s Office, where discussions focused more..

Oct 2 (Island) Internet Media Action (IMA) has strongly condemned the govt’s attempt, through the gazette Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill (PSTA) (22 Sept 2026), to restrict citizens’ freedom of expression (FOE), media freedom and digital rights in an extremely repressive manner. IMA’s convener Sampath Samarakoon, issued the following statement: “Under local and international pressure, the govt has moved to amend certain provisions of the original draft, more..

Oct 2 (DM) The country's fuel distribution network could face a major disruption from tomorrow as Ceylon Petroleum Private Tanker Owners Association (CPPTOA) warned that private fuel bowsers may halt deliveries unless a long-pending revision of fuel transportation commission charges is resolved today. CPPTOA Chairman A.M.H. Adhikari said that today's discussions with CPC Chairman, two professors from Uni more..

Oct 2 (NW) Kusal Mendis has been named captain of Sri Lanka’s 15-member team for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Pakistan. SLC announced the team on Friday, with Dushmantha Chameera included subject to fitness. The team features Kamil Mishara, Sineth Jayawardena, Lahiru Udara, Sahan Arachchige, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Chamindu Wickramasinghe and Dunith Wellalage. Maheesh Theekshana and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth are the specialist spin options, more..

Oct 2 (NW) Lanka Metro Transit is planning to introduce a new service allowing members of the public to hire metro buses for private trips on Saturdays and Sundays, once the metro bus service becomes fully operational. According to Sanjaya Dayaratne, an official attached to the project, the proposed initiative aims to make better use of metro buses during weekends, when regular passenger demand is generally lower as many commuters travel to their hometowns. more..

Oct 2 (FT) The DCS recently announced that SL’s economy has grown by 4.2% in the second quarter of 2026. Whilst this may be below the desired 5% GDP growth mark, SL's economic recovery since the crisis of 2022 is one of the most significant turnarounds in the country's recent history. In 2026, we see that Inflation is at a moderate eight percent, foreign reserves have strengthened at seven billion dollars, remittances have picked up depicting a 20% growth tourism has rebounded but more..

Oct 2 (FT) Across the country, children will be on stages, in classrooms, at events, in photographs and on social media. There will be art exhibitions, concerts, celebrations, gifts, ice cream, special offers, colourful campaigns and beautiful messages about children. And there is nothing wrong with celebrating children. Children deserve joy. They deserve celebration. They deserve to laugh, play, sing and simply be children. But child protection is something very different. more..

Oct 2 (TM) An internal investigation by the Police Special Investigation Unit has found that Senior DIG Ranmal Kodithuwakku and several other officers allegedly failed to take appropriate action after receiving information about a consignment of narcotics inside containers at the Colombo Port. The findings were revealed following an internal inquiry conducted on the orders of the IGP into the seizure of a large consignment of more..

Oct 2 (TM) Amid reports that the number of schools has fallen by about 200 since the NPP Govt came to power, Education Ministry stated that school closures are part of a general process carried out under Provincial structural circulars and are not being implemented under any special programme. Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa said that there are provisions in the structural circulars for schools to be closed for various reasons, including a decline in student numbers and the failure to enroll more..

Oct 2 (EN) Sri Lanka’s economic growth is likely to slow down this year compared to the last two years amid Middle Eastern escalation dragging down the island nation’s economic activities with high fuel prices. Sri Lanka, recovering from an unprecedented economic crisis in 2022, expanded by 5% in both 2023 and 2024 after a contraction in the previous year. However, it is expected to slow down this year weighed down by the impact of the Middle Eastern crisis. more..

Oct 2 (AD) Around 20 Iranian and Iran-linked oil tankers are reportedly stranded approximately 15 miles off SL’s southwestern coast, with some vessels facing shortages of food, fuel and fresh water. The vessels are part of a wider group of Iranian-linked tankers that had been involved in transporting sanctioned Iranian crude, primarily to China. US govt has intensified pressure on countries and companies that provide services to more..

Oct 2 (FT) Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $ 100 million results-based loan to help Sri Lanka transform its technical and vocational education and training (TVET) system, equip more young people with industry-relevant skills, and strengthen the country’s competitiveness and inclusive growth. Skills Development System Transformation Program will support the Govt’s efforts in improving the quality and relevance of skills training, strengthening links more..

Oct 2 (DM) Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said 17,506 Govt Analyst reports related to drug cases had been issued during August and September as part of measures to reduce overcrowding in prisons. Speaking today (1) at the establishment of an integrated mechanism at the Kuruwita Prison, Minister said 9,061 drug-related reports were issued in August and a further 8,445 in September. He said steps had been taken to expedite the issuance of Govt Analyst reports and amend more..