Oct 9 (DN) PM Harini Amarasuriya announced in Parliament that salaries of govt employees will be increased through the 2027 budget. She stated that while appropriate measures are being taken to resolve the salary anomalies of teachers through the Public Service Commission, government employees’ salaries would also be raised via the 2027 budget. She made these remarks yesterday during more..

Oct 9 (NW) Central Crime Investigation Bureau has issued freezing orders on properties valued at more than Rs. 100 million, suspected to have been purchased using proceeds from drug trafficking. Investigations revealed that a suspect from Boralesgamuwa, who was arrested in connection with drug trafficking involving narcotics brought into SL from UAE, had allegedly used illegally obtained funds to purchase properties under the names of his son, father & close associate. more..

Oct 9 (NW) Two elderly sisters, aged 86 and 81, have been found brutally murdered at their residence in the Pitiduwa area of Habaraduwa, according to police. The victims have been identified as two unmarried sisters who were retired schoolteachers. According to Habaraduwa Police, the two women had been living alone in a house situated on a large plot of land in the Pitiduwa area. Their bodies were discovered at two separate locations behind their residence. more..

Oct 9 (FT) Scrutiny of National Development Bank’s (NDB) Board and external auditors intensified as CoPF questioned why no Board member or senior official or auditor had been held responsible for the Rs. 13.6 billion fraud at the bank. Audit regulator’s findings on the auditors are due within two weeks. CoPF Chair Dr. Harsha de Silva said the forensic review by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP did not include more..

Oct 9 (TM) Representatives of Northern Province fishermen’s associations, Annalingam Annarasa and Nagarasa Varnakulasinham, have raised concerns over the activities of foreign fishing vessels in SL waters and the potential impact of sea cucumber farming projects linked to Chinese companies on Northern fishermen and marine ecosystems. Addressing the longstanding India-SL fisheries dispute in Jaffna yesterday, they welcomed recent observations by the Indian Central Govt more..

Oct 9 (TM) Environment Minister Dr Dammika Patabendi yesterday admitted that 17 of the 65 mangrove reserves identified in the Puttalam District are currently under threat due to various activities. He said that while 43 of the 65 mangrove forests in the District had already been declared protected reserves, 17 are facing threats from various activities. “A number of measures are being taken to protect mangrove ecosystems. The main measure is to declare these forests as protected areas,” more..

Oct 9 (Island) British High Commission in Colombo side-stepped The Island query regarding the recent displaying of LTTE flags in London by UK Tamils of SL origin protesting against the removal of Thileepan’s statue from Nallur temple premises on 27 of Sept. Responding to our request for a clarification in respect of displaying flags belonging to an organisation proscribed in the UK, BHC spokesperson said: “The LTTE remains a proscribed organisation in the United Kingdom.” more..

Oct 9 (Island) A USD 57.4 million investment package is set to reshape the economics of electricity for small and medium-sized businesses, while creating a stronger platform for private investment in rooftop solar and other distributed renewable-energy projects. The financing package—comprising a USD 35 million concessional loan from the ADB, a EUR 15.4 mil grant from the EU, equivalent to USD 16.94 million, and a USD 5.5 million grant from the Japan Fund more..

Oct 9 (TM) Electricity Generation Lanka (EGL) Pvt Limited and the National System Operator (NSO) Private Ltd have collectively incurred an estimated loss of Rs 15.765 billion due to substandard coal supplied during 2025 and 2026, while the Lanka Coal Company Pvt Ltd has recovered Rs 16.989 billion from the supplier through performance guarantees and penalties, Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka said. more..

Oct 9 (PMD) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the current Govt’s economic and social development path is not about bringing rural communities to cities, but about creating economic opportunities and providing facilities within villages. He added that the Govt’s objective is to establish a highly developed road network between villages and cities, a good communication system and an efficient and strong public service. Prez made these remarks while attending a ceremony more..

Oct 9 (NW) Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj announced that 2027 will mark a transformative milestone for the early childhood sector, featuring the introduction of national Sri Lanka Standards (SLS) for preschools and early childhood development centres. “2027 will be a transformative year for the early childhood sector,” Minister Paulraj stated while presiding over a ministry review meeting to evaluate 2026 progress and outline strategic targets for the upcoming year. more..

Oct 9 (DN) Opener Sanjana Kavindi produced the best innings of her career, smashing an unbeaten 90 off 59 balls as SL Women’s U-19s recorded a superb six-wicket win over Bangladesh with five balls to spare in their T20 Tri-Nation cricket fixture at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad yesterday. It was SL’s second successive victory over Bangladesh, following their thrilling last-ball win in the previous game. Left-hander Kavindi was again at the forefront, earning the Player of the Match award more..

Oct 9 (ST) More than 100 investors, diplomats, business leaders, property professionals and other stakeholders gathered in London recently for the SL Real Estate Investment Forum: London 2026, convened by the Research Intelligence Unit (RIUNIT) in collaboration with the SL High Commission in London. Held under the theme Unlocking SL’s Real Estate Investment Potential in a Dynamic & Evolving Market, and with Int'l Construction Consortium (ICC) stepping more..

Oct 9 (TM) The availability of hostel facilities remains limited across State universities, with accommodation currently available for only 63,318 of the 150,815 students studying at 22 universities under the UGC, PM Harini Amarasuriya told Parliament. Responding to a question raised by Opposition MP Chamindranee Kiriella on hostel facilities at State universities, PM said only 42% of students at UGC universities could more..

Oct 9 (ST) Sri Lanka’s fuel subsidy, which unfairly favours the wealthy who use the biggest volume of diesel, will be regularised in the next three months, when the present support ends, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said, while reiterating the Govt’s firm commitment to pricing that reflects costs. “There is no mechanism to target the fuel subsidy for select groups such as the low-income bracket," he said. A review will begin in a week and will last about three months. more..

Oct 9 (MoD) As part of the island wide programme to allocate State land to meet the housing needs of Ranaviru beneficiaries, tDeputy Minister of Defence undertook a special inspection visit to the Diyabeduma Parakumgama Ranaviru Village in June. Follow up action was subsequently taken based on the matters discussed during the visit. Accordingly, the pilot project of the programme was successfully launched at the Diyabeduma Parakumgama Ranaviru Village in Elahera more..

Oct 9 (Island) Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) accused the govt of seeking to use the proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA) to suppress popular political activity, claiming that some of its provisions were more repressive than those of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). FSP Education Secretary Pubudu Jayagoda said that the definition of terrorism in the Bill was so broad that it could be used to more..

Oct 9 (Island) Sri Lanka’s Test captain Dhananjaya de Silva has done an Ian Botham. No, not by pulling off a miraculous victory against Australia at Headingley, but by resigning a minute before he was sacked. The writing had been on the wall for DDS after he got his sums horribly wrong during the recent home Test series against India. His defensive approach from day one left Sri Lanka chasing the game rather than dictating terms and the hosts eventually surrendered the series. more..

Oct 9 (EN) Foreign investors bought Sri Lankan rupee bonds for the first time in three weeks in the week ended on Oct 1, amid a stable rupee. With the latest inflows, the island nation has witnessed net foreign buying in 14 weeks in the last 16. Offshore investors bought a net 1,821 million rupees (US$5.5 million) worth of SL rupee bonds. They sold a net Rs.16.5 billion worth of rupee bonds in the last two weeks. The inflows helped boost foreign holdings in govt securities to 196.8 billion rupees. more..

Oct 9 (DM) The global economic threats have moved to the forefront of SL’s financial sector concerns, even as confidence in the country’s financial system has strengthened, according to a Central Bank survey. Second-half 2026 Systemic Risk Survey showed that the global macroeconomic risks accounted for 26% of the identified risks, up sharply from 14% in the previous round, emerging as the largest risk category. CB said the increase largely reflected the heightened concerns more..

Oct 9 (FT) Delmege Building Products, a pivotal cluster of Delmege & Forsyth Co. Ltd, has expanded its portfolio with the launch of Delmege Air Conditioners and a new range of switches and sockets at a ceremony held at The Kingsbury. Latest additions reinforce Delmege Building Products’ ambition to build a comprehensive portfolio of quality products and solutions, strengthening its proposition as a trusted one-stop destination for evolving building and lifestyle needs. more..

Oct 9 (FT) Encouraged by the resilience and rebound, as well as the growing acceptance of its expertise, global giant Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is keen to help businesses grow, thereby contributing to nation-building in SL. This vision was shared by BCG Asia Pacific Chairman Yasushi Sasaki and India Head, Managing Director Rahul Jain, who are in SL along with around 600 Managing Directors and Partners for more..

Oct 9 (Island) Thank you, Professor Peiris, for inviting me to speak this evening at an event to announce the endowment that is being made to the University of Colombo and the Sri Lanka Law College as the G. L. Peiris Trust for Legal Education and Research. You and I have walked the corridors of this beautiful building as Vice Chancellors of this university. The walls of the Senate Room carry our portraits, but do not reflect the experiences that we have had in that capacity. more..

Oct 9 (TM) There are places in SL where the story of the land and its industry cannot be separated. Gal Oya, in the Eastern Province, is one of them. Here, a 108-kilometre river that begins in the Central Hills and winds its way to the East coast has shaped everything around it, the largest man-made reservoir in the country, some of our most untouched forest reserves, a community whose livelihoods depend on the land, and an industrial history now entering an important new chapter. more..

Oct 9 (Island) Some crucial problems have remained intractable in the public sector because a chronic lack of inter-institutional cooperation has stood in the way of tackling them. COPE has recently addressed one such issue. While examining the affairs of the Coconut Development Authority (CDA), Coconut Research Institute, and Coconut Cultivation Board, COPE raised serious concerns over the food-safety risks posed by reprocessed and adulterated coconut oil entering the local food industry. more..

Oct 9 (CT) Former Cabinet Ministers. A former First Lady. Sons of a former President. Senior public officials. Men and women who once travelled with security escorts, occupied ministerial offices, commanded govt institutions and exercised influence unavailable to ordinary citizens have increasingly found themselves answering questions before investigators, standing before judges or entering remand custody. The allegations are numerous. Many are serious. more..

Oct 9 (DM) As Sri Lanka is steering to become one of the world’s leading tourist destinations and thereby attract foreign incomes to help the economy, the World Toursim Day on Sept 27, 2026 marked the deadline for the enforcement under the European Union’s Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EmpCo), prohibiting unverified green and sustainability claims in the tourism and hotel industry. more..

Oct 9 (GV) A bill intended to strengthen SL’s anti-corruption efforts has instead raised a broader question about the limits of state power. As parliament considers the Bill on Oct 8, it will have to determine how to proceed with the provisions the Supreme Court has flagged on constitutional grounds. SL enacted the Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 of 2023 to strengthen the country’s institutional and legal framework for combating corruption and expand the role and powers of the CIABOC. more..

Oct 9 (TM) The warning issued in Parliament yesterday (7) by Minister Anura Karunathilaka was unambiguous. He cautioned that if private fuel supply companies continue to restrict fuel distribution to retail filling stations, Govt will seek legal advice to take action in accordance with the Petroleum Act and the powers vested in the Ministry. While the State’s frustration with private distributors is understandable, administrative threats alone will not keep filling stations open. more..

Oct 9 (SO) Scarcely any event haunts the collective memory of our motherland quite like the tragic morning of April 21, 2019. Just as communities gathered to celebrate hope and renewal, the sacred altars of St. Sebastian’s in Katuwapitiya, St. Anthony’s in Kochchikade, and Zion Church in Batticaloa paired with simultaneous blasts at premier hotels in Colombo, became sites of unimaginable carnage, taking nearly 270 lives more..

Oct 9 (DM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently stated during a public meeting held in Kahatagasdigiliya that there are absolutely no boundaries or limits when it comes to arresting corrupt individuals. Prez made this statement while responding to a remark made by a former minister who had claimed that this govt has no limits in arresting politicians. Prez also emphasised that when making arrests in connection with corruption, statuses of individuals are irrelevant. more..

Oct 9 (DM) The dream to pursue higher education at a state university has been challenged due to the prevalence of the sadistic rag culture. What began as a practice for socialising purposes with mostly humour and pranks quickly worsened to severe forms of bullying, harassment, sexual and gender-based violence and torture. As a result, some students, or rather victims, became permanently crippled or took their own lives as they couldn’t bear the trauma and humiliation. more..