Oct 7 (TM) Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara said that less than 1,000 weapons belonging to former paramilitary groups that operated in the Northern and Eastern Provinces during the armed conflict have been handed over to the Govt, with the Security Forces, Police and Intelligence agencies continuing to monitor whether the groups pose any threat to national security. He made the statement in response to a question raised by Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekara more..

Oct 7 (NW) Govt is considering introducing an insurance scheme or suitable compensation mechanism for damage to coconut cultivation, Minister Samantha Vidyaratne has said. He said discussions are currently underway with relevant stakeholders on establishing such a mechanism, as no formal crop compensation scheme is presently in place for damage to coconut cultivation. He made the remarks during the third meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Plantations & Community Infrastructure, more..

Oct 7 (NW) A contempt of court complaint against six individuals, including former MPs Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila and MP Dilith Jayaweera, was taken up before the Court of Appeal today. Complaint had been referred by the Colombo Fort Magistrate, alleging contempt of court by the six individuals. The matter was taken up before a 3-judge Court of Appeal bench comprising President of the Court of Appeal Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya and Justices Chamath Morais and Adithya Patabendige. more..

Oct 7 (AD) Former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been produced before the Hulftsdorp court, a short while ago. Shiranthi Rajapaksa was arrested by officers of the CIABOC this morning. Shiranthi Rajapaksa was arrested at her residence on Poorwarama Road in Kirulapone. According to the Bribery Commission, Rajapaksa was arrested after officers recorded a statement from her for nearly two hours. more..

Oct 7 (NW) PM Harini Amarasuriya said the drafting of a Bill to establish an Education Council is expected to be completed within one year, as part of efforts to strengthen standardisation and professional development in Sri Lanka’s education sector. PM Amarasuriya said the Council is being established based on recommendations made by an expert committee appointed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education. more..

Oct 7 (AD) Former Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, who was arrested by the CIABOC and produced before court, has been remanded by the Colombo High Court. He was ordered to be remanded in custody until the conclusion of the trial. High Court Judge Rashantha Godawela issued the order. The order was made following submissions presented by the Bribery Commission regarding the matter. Bogollagama was arrested by officers of the Bribery Commission this morning based on an open warrant issued by more..

Oct 7 (FT) SL’s unemployment challenge is not merely an education problem. It is an economic, institutional and human-capital challenge and the teacher must be at the center of the solution. For decades, a university degree in SL was regarded as a passport to both domestic employment and to the global labour markets. SL has produced generations of distinguished professionals whose brilliant contributions have extended far beyond their disciplines to delight the body of knowledge with human friendly inventions, more..

Oct 7 (FT) More than two decades ago, I wrote about the importance of conserving Sri Lanka’s remarkable biological diversity and the need to protect not only individual species but also their habitats, genetic variation and ecological relationships. The urgency was already apparent then. Today, it has increased considerably. Habitat destruction, fragmentation, invasive alien species, pollution and climate change have intensified the pressures on our native plants and animals. more..

Oct 7 (FT) World Bank upgraded its outlook for SL, raising its 2026 growth forecast to 4.4% from 3.6% in April, but warned that the recovery remains uneven, with poverty above pre-crisis levels and real wages still about 12% below 2019. Latest in the Bank’s twice-yearly SL Development Update, titled From Recovery to Transformation, projects growth easing to 4.2% in 2027 and 4% in 2028 as the post-crisis rebound fades and growth more..

Oct 7 (DM) SL has imported more than 800,000 vehicles worth around USD 3.8 billion since vehicle import restrictions were lifted in 2024, Deputy Minister Nishantha Jayaweera said. Letters of Credit (LCs) amounting to USD 1.9 billion were opened during 2024 and 2025, while LCs worth USD 1.69 billion had been opened in 2026. More than 79,000 cars, 12,000 commercial vehicles, 3,148 buses and vans, 317,000 motorcycles and 40,000 three-wheelers have been imported so far this year. more..

Oct 7 (Island) BBS General Secretary Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera, who has been ordered by the court to serve the remainder of his prison sentence, is to be assigned to the prison printing work party, prison officials said yesterday. Monk was produced before Colombo HC yesterday by prison officials in connection with a warrant issued by the court. He appeared before the court in civilian attire. Prison sources said arrangements were being finalised for his detention more..

Oct 7 (TM) Govt has moved to prevent further fuel shortages by instructing private fuel distributors to maintain uninterrupted supplies and minimum fuel stocks, as reduced deliveries by three companies have triggered queues at filling stations across the country. Minister Anura Karunathilaka said Ministry Secretary was expected to issue a written notification to the relevant companies yesterday, directing them to ensure more..

Oct 7 (FT) The Govt had spent only 16.7% of its 2026 capital Budget and about 8% of the Rs. 500 billion allocated for Cyclone Ditwah reconstruction by mid-year, World Bank said yesterday. It attributed the shortfall to weak public investment management rather than a lack of funds. In its Sri Lanka Development Update, the Bank said the under-execution reflects weaknesses in project selection, procurement and implementation capacity, rather than financing constraints. more..

Oct 7 (FT) Poverty in SL is recovering but remains above pre-crisis levels, the World Bank said. It projected a gradual decline to 14% by 2028, which would still leave the rate above 2019, and warned that the recovery is uneven across the country. In its October SL Development Update, the Bank estimated poverty at 16.9% in 2025, measured at the $ 4.20-a-day line for lower middle-income countries. That is down from a crisis peak of 20.7% in 2023 but above the 11.5% of 2019. more..

Oct 7 (NW) Prisons Commissioner Senaka Pallathtenna says any person sentenced to more than three years in prison must be produced before court wearing clothing issued by the Dept of Prisons, in accordance with prison regulations. He made the clarification amid various views circulating on social media regarding the clothing worn by prisoners being produced before courts. Pallathtenna said that under prison regulations, a Buddhist monk sentenced to simple imprisonment more..

Oct 7 (FT) As part of World Investor Week (WIW) 2026, Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) and Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) joined stock exchanges around the world in ringing the market opening bell for financial literacy on 5 Oct, under the patronage of PM Harini Amarasuriya. World Investor Week is an annual global campaign led by the Int'l Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) to raise awareness of the importance of investor education and investor protection. more..

Oct 7 (TM) Fuel prices are likely to remain unchanged for the next three months, with the CPC assuring that adequate stocks and additional imports are in place to prevent a major disruption to supplies. CPC Chairperson D J Rajakaruna said that fuel prices would remain at their current levels until the end of this month, with no immediate increase expected. He said the country should be able to maintain the current fuel prices and more..

Oct 7 (DN) SL Para Athletes are confident of performing well at the 5th Asian Para Games Archi- Nagoya, Japan which will be worked off from October 18 to 24. Manager of the SL Para Athletic team Deepal Herath who was the former National Paralympic Committee President said; “we have brought 11 medals at the last Asian Para Games in Hangzhou China in 2023 and this time we are focused to improve our number of medals in Japan. As usual we are expecting more medals more..

Oct 7 (NW) The Cabinet has approved new regulations aimed at establishing a formal mechanism to regulate livelihood activities of indigenous communities in designated areas while protecting their rights recognised under law, custom, usage and traditional practices. The Wildlife and Flora (Regulation of Activities of Indigenous Peoples in Designated Areas) Regulations have been formulated under the Wildlife and Flora Protection Ordinance (Chapter 469). more..

Oct 7 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has raised concerns over jailed BBS General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera being brought before court in civilian clothes, calling on the govt to respect religious traditions and the dignity of the Buddhist robe. Premadasa said courts operate within a legal framework and cannot go beyond those limits, but argued that govts must also act sensitively towards social traditions, conventions & cultural identities. more..

Oct 7 (NW) PM Harini Amarasuriya, reaffirmed the govt’s commitment to safeguarding the dignity, welfare and professional rights of teachers, announcing plans to recruit over 23,000 new graduates into the national teaching service. Addressing the Guru Pratibha Prabha – 2026 National Teacher & Principal Commendation Ceremony at Ananda College, Colombo, to mark World Teachers’ Day on Oct 6, PM outlined key state initiatives aimed at resolving long standing more..

Oct 7 (FT) SJB MP Harsha de Silva yesterday urged the Govt to buy back part of SL’s Macro-Linked Bonds (MLBs) before markets reprice them, claiming proactive action could save the country $ 300 million to $ 400 million over the next decade. MLBs, issued under the 2024 sovereign debt restructuring, tie repayments to economic performance, so that bondholders recover more if GDP growth exceeds the IMF baseline. more..

Oct 7 (NW) Police have provided further details regarding a video circulating on social media showing officers from the Walipenna Police Station searching a house in the area. According to Police, the search was carried out following several complaints received on October 3, 2026, concerning an alleged incident in which two individuals and several others had allegedly assaulted people at another residence while displaying sharp weapons and issuing death threats. more..

Oct 7 (NW) A bank officer accused of helping BBS General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera evade arrest while warrants had been issued against him by three courts has been remanded until Oct 9. Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama issued the order after the bank officer, a resident of the Kelaniya area, was arrested and produced before court by Colombo Crimes Division (CCD). CCD told court that the suspect had allegedly transported Thera in his vehicle more..

Oct 7 (ST) The implementation of SL’s 2026 Budget proposals reflects a period focused on transitioning from post-crisis stability toward infrastructure revival, though it faces a slower pace of development spending. This process under the Ministry of Finance has been strictly bound by the fiscal rules of the Public Finance Management Act No. 44 of 2024, aiming for a primary surplus of 2.3-2.5% of GDP. Secretary to the Treasury and Ministry of Finance, Harshana Suriyapperuma, has stated that more..

Oct 7 (ST) Dept of Immigration and Emigration will procure another 500,000 ordinary machine-readable passports to tide it over until the govt finally introduces e-passports. Last month, the department floated a tender for a national e-passport public key infrastructure (PKI) solution. Tender included passport personalisation, whereby personal details are entered into the data page, and integration with Int'l Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) public key directory (PKD). more..

Oct 7 (ST) Sports Minister will no longer have the power to directly appoint SL’s national cricket selectors under the proposed new Sri Lanka Cricket Bill, with that responsibility being transferred to the SLC Board. The Bill, gazetted this week, provides for the SLC Board to appoint both the National Men’s Selection Committee and National Women’s Selection Committee. This marks a major change from the system that has more..

Oct 7 (FT) National Co-operative Exports Limited (NCEL), India, and the Sri Lanka Consumer Co-operative Societies Federation Ltd (COOPFED) have signed a MoU in Colombo today to strengthen cooperation in the supply of essential commodities, food security and cooperative development. The MoU was signed by NCEL Managing Director Unupom Kausik and COOPFED Chairman Dr. Shantha Jayarathne in the presence of Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe and Indian HC more..

Oct 7 (FT) SL Export Development Board (EDB), operating under the Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry, conducted a SME Awareness Creation Forum at the Trincomalee District Secretariat on 1 Oct 2026. Forum aimed to support and develop regional small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs with export potential in the Trincomalee District of Eastern Province. Program comprised three main components; an awareness creation seminar, a mini exhibition more..

Oct 7 (HRW) SL govt’s latest attempt to replace its abusive PTA retains numerous provisions that have enabled serious human rights violations, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said. Proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill (PSTB), which will be sent to Parliament on Oct 6, includes an overbroad definition of terrorism, inadequate judicial oversight, sweeping powers of search and arrest for the armed forces, more..

Oct 7 (Island) The membership-based electoral structure should provide representation without becoming a substitute for executive management. The seven Elected Directors would bring the perspectives of the SLC membership into the Board, while the seven Independent Directors would provide additional professional expertise and independence. The model’s effectiveness will, therefore, depend on whether the Board can integrate these perspectives into coherent more..

Oct 7 (Island) Fuel queues have returned, with long lines of vehicles reported at filling stations in many parts of the country. Foreign companies engaged in fuel trade have reportedly curtailed supplies, claiming that they are incurring substantial losses as fuel prices determined by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) are not sufficient to cover their costs despite a 70-rupee diesel subsidy. The govt appears to be watching helplessly while fuel queues are lengthening. more..