Oct 19 (TM) Despite reports of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) shortages across Colombo, with consumers struggling to obtain cylinders and dealers reporting supply disruptions for nearly two weeks, Litro Gas Lanka has attributed the situation to a two-day shipment delay. Litro Gas Lanka Chairman Channa Gunawardana said that LPG supplies were expected to return to normal after a two-day shipment delay, dismissing allegations that delays in opening Letters of Credit (LCs) or more..

Oct 19 (NW) SL fashion model Elina Gunawardena made history yesterday by becoming the first Sri Lankan model ever to walk the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Los Angeles. The high-profile event returned to Los Angeles with a star-studded lineup featuring top international supermodels including Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Irina Shayk, Ashley Graham, Anok Yai, Paloma Elsesser, Barbara Palvin, Alex Consani, and Kylie Jenner. more..

Oct 19 (DM) Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) plans to develop a new integrated logistics hub at the Port of Colombo through a Public–Private Partnership (PPP), following the decision to discontinue an earlier joint venture project. The new development will be pursued through a competitive bidding process, subject to the relevant approvals, the SLPA said in a statement issued on Oct 19. The proposed facility will occupy a substantial more..

Oct 19 (NW) The UNP has called on the Govt to provide an immediate clarification over the alleged failure to extend a diplomatic reception and security to Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Suphajee Suthumpun during her recent visit to Sri Lanka. UNP questioned why the Thai Deputy PM had allegedly not been accorded diplomatic protocol or security arrangements during her visit to attend the ceremonial unveiling of the pinnacle of the Mihindu Maha Seya in Mihintale. more..

Oct 19 (FT) Media Services, the publisher of leading business magazine LMD, unveiled the top 20 line-up in its forthcoming LMD 100 annual edition with Hayleys retaining the lead, followed by John Keells Holdings (JKH) and LOLC Holdings. 33rd edition of SL’s pioneering listed company rankings presents an encouraging picture of corporate performance in the financial year 2025/26. The 100 leading listed companies collectively recorded an increase of approximately 20% in revenue, more..

Oct 19 (AD) Isuru Hewakottage, Wildlife Veterinary Surgeon attached to the North-Western Wildlife Zone, has reportedly submitted his letter of resignation from his post to the Director-General of Wildlife Conservation. Hewakottage stated that he made the decision following severe allegations and criticism directed at him on social media over incidents related to the treatment of the recently deceased Kawanthissa tusker. more..

Oct 19 (Island) More than 1,600 students sat this year’s Russian Classical Ballet Examination, the largest number ever to take part in the examination in SL. Exams were held in Colombo from 5, to 18, Oct and in Galle on 10 October. Students aged four and above came from across the island, including Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Negombo, Matara, Kelaniya, Panadura, Wattala, Kiribathgoda, Ratnapura, Kandy, Kurunegala, Bandarawela and Badulla. They are taught by 15 dedicated more..

Oct 19 (TM) Around 4,000 child abuse cases remain pending before courts across SL, according to the NCPA, amid concerns over delays in Police investigations, forensic examinations, and judicial proceedings involving child victims. NCPA Director of Law Enforcement, Attorney-at-Law Sajeewani Abeykoon said that the authority received between 10,000 and 12,000 complaints annually, with cases involving suspected criminal offences referred to the Police for further investigation. more..

Oct 19 (NW) Tusker Agbo has been found safe and in good health in the Nachchaduwa Tank Reserve following a joint search operation conducted by Dept of Wildlife Conservation and the SL Army. According to Ministry of Environment, the elephant was located following an extensive search operation carried out by wildlife officers and Army personnel. Wildlife Range Officer Buddhika, who is in charge of the area, confirmed that Agbo was in good health and physical condition when located. more..

Oct 19 (NF) Four people were killed and four others injured in a devastating multi-vehicle road accident in the Akurana area of Kandy a short while ago, authorities said. The accident occurred near the Kurugoda Seven Mile Post area in Akurana when a cement mixer truck collided with several vehicles travelling along the road. According to a spokesperson for the Akurana Hospital, four people sustained injuries in the crash. Two of the injured, who were in critical condition, more..

Oct 19 (EN) When marching Buddhist monks bearing the banner Nidahase Pada Yathra arrived at the gates of the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on Thursday, it brought a stark confrontation to the doorstep of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s administration. Organized by a small but vocal faction of the clergy, the protest which culminated in a sit-in at Galle Face demanded an immediate presidential pardon for more..

Oct 19 (Island) Police Headquarters has launched a separate investigation into allegations that several police officers maintained close links with a national cricketer’s brother who is being investigated over alleged connections to organised crime and narcotics trafficking. The move comes amid growing questions over the delay in arresting the 37-year-old suspect, despite earlier indications by investigators that arrangements were underway to take him into custody. more..

Oct 19 (FT) Vidullanka has won a $ 1.35 million contract to build a mini hydro power facility in Fiji, its first foray into the Pacific island region’s renewable energy sector. The company received the Letter of Acceptance on 13 Oct from Fiji’s Dept of Energy under the Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport Ministry. A Letter of Acceptance is the formal notice that a bid has been successful, ahead of signing the contract. Vidullanka submitted its bid on 18 Dec 2025. more..

Oct 19 (NW) Former Prez Maithripala Sirisena has claimed that officials at the Presidential Secretariat misled him during the process of granting a presidential pardon to Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, resulting in a technical error that eventually led to the monk’s reimprisonment. Sirisena said he had studied a copy of the relevant court judgment and understood that a technical defect in documents submitted by more..

Oct 19 (NW) Former Minister Udaya Gammanpila has filed a petition before the Supreme Court challenging certain provisions of the Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill presented to Parliament by the Govt. In his petition, Gammanpila has requested the SC to declare that certain provisions of the proposed Bill are inconsistent with the Constitution. The Attorney General has been named as the respondent in the petition. The former Minister claims that several provisions of the proposed more..

Oct 19 (FT) Rotary International will convene its Rotary Institute 2026 in December in Colombo, drawing over 1,000 highnetworth members, including District Governors, past Governors, and senior private sector business personalities from South Asia. Conference will welcome Rotary International World President Yinka Babalola and a galaxy of influential personalities from the hierarchy of the Rotary International team from the US, and other representatives from corporate India, more..

Oct 19 (NW) Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management SL (A-PAD SL) has launched its first activity under the Clean Waterways Initiative Programme, aimed at supporting the restoration of Colombo’s Beira Lake. The programme, held on Oct 8 at the Sri Uttarananda Mawatha Pier, brought together more than 120 participants, including volunteers, govt agencies and representatives of partner organisations. Organised as part of an initiative of Beira Lake restoration task force, more..

Oct 19 (AD) The Speaker of House Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne today endorsed the certificate on the Anti-Corruption (Amendment) Bill, officially enacting it as the Anti-Corruption (Amendment) Act, No. 25 of 2026. The Bill was presented to Parliament for its First Reading on August 19, 2026, by the PM and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education. Second Reading debate was held on October 8, following which the Bill was passed with amendments without a division. more..

Oct 19 (Island) Govt’s ambitious plans to overhaul SL’s school education system and introduce new curricula could face serious implementation difficulties, with teacher unions warning that a longstanding and severe shortage of teachers remains unresolved. The warning came as PM Harini Amarasuriya announced yesterday that new curricula would be introduced for Grades 2 and 6 next year, while also stating that more..

Oct 19 (FT) Two 10-member business delegations from India, representing the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), visited Colombo to participate in the SL Economic and Investment Summit 2026, on 12-13 October. The visits provided an opportunity to explore trade and investment opportunities in SL, strengthen business-to-business (B2B) linkages, and promote greater economic engagement between India and SL. more..

Oct 19 (NW) Dept of Meteorology has issued a Caution level heat advisory for 14 districts across Sri Lanka, valid for tomorrow (20). According to the advisory issued today, the heat index, which indicates the temperature felt on the human body, is expected to rise to Caution level in some areas of the Northern, North-Central, Eastern and North-Western provinces, as well as the Monaragala and Hambantota districts. Met Dept stated that a Caution level heat index, more..

Oct 19 (NW) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) has granted approval to implement one-hour power cuts across the country for three consecutive days, from today until Wednesday. Accordingly, the country has been divided into four groups, with each group scheduled to experience a one-hour power interruption daily between 4.30 p.m. and 9 p.m. The approved demand management schedules more..

Oct 19 (DM) SL think tank Verité Research has taken part in high-level discussions on global debt, inequality and governance at the 2026 Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group in Bangkok. The meetings, held from Oct 12 to 18, brought together policymakers, investors and other stakeholders to discuss economic and development issues. Verité Research delegation included Executive Director Dr. Nishan de Mel, Executive Vice President Inoshini Perera and more..

Oct 19 (AD) The govt is deeply saddened by the death of the Tusker Kavanthissa, a national treasure who sustained severe injuries from gunshot wounds, PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated. PM that environmental laws would be strictly enforced against those responsible for environmental crimes, without discrimination or favouritism. PM made these remarks while addressing the Presidential Environmental Awards 2026, organised for the 11th time by the Central Environmental Authority more..

Oct 19 (FT) It appears that some in our Govt have become acolytes of Steve Bannon, Prez Trump’s Rasputin. Bannon famously said: "The real opposition is the media. And the way to deal with them is to flood the zone with shit.” The idea is to overwhelm your critics (not limited to media in the SL context) with multiple initiatives at the same time so that they are compelled to let some pass. First, it was the 22nd Amendment. Then it was the Protection of PSTA. more..

Oct 19 (FT) Ajantha Dharmasiri, a senior professor at the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM) and a regular columnist for the Daily FT, has released his newest book titled Management Musings. It contains 30 newspaper articles he had penned from 2021 to 2023 on numerous management issues. This is his 17th publication overall. Dharmasiri has long been an active writer, public lecturer, and human resource expert. Having served as the Director of PIM for more..

Oct 19 (DM) SL is preparing to launch what it says will be South Asia’s first passenger-carrying drone service, with the first aircraft already arriving at the BIA, CAASL Director General Daminda Rambukwella siad. The first flight is expected to take place on Oct 30 or 31, or during the first week of November, with Colombo Port City identified as the launch point. The destination would be decided following discussions with more..

Oct 19 (NW) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has effectively ruled out granting a presidential pardon to Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, stressing that his government will respect Supreme Court decisions and will not interfere with the judicial process. Addressing the National People’s Power (NPP) women’s rally in Badulla on Sunday, the Prez said the govt would accept the final decisions of the judiciary and warned that no one should expect the executive to overturn them. more..

Oct 19 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has accused two television channels of contributing to what he described as artificial unrest against the govt’s crackdown on corruption, drug trafficking and organised crime, while referring to a past drug-related allegation involving a relative of the owner of one channel. Prez alleged that individuals who had previously benefited from corruption, drug trafficking and organised criminal networks were becoming increasingly concerned about more..

Oct 19 (TM) CPC has made daily stock reporting through its designated software mandatory for fuel dealers to qualify for revised commission adjustments and sales and quality incentives, while providing for deductions from incentives where dealers are found responsible for fuel shortages or dispensing less fuel than indicated by station meters. The requirement is set out in Marketing Bureau Circular No. 1126, dated 8 May 2026, more..

Oct 19 (Island) The Norochcholai coal power plant will remain disconnected from the national grid for several days following Saturday’s countrywide power failure, as authorities continue to follow safety procedures after the incident. The National System Operator (NSO) said the 810-megawatt plant had been shut down as a precaution after the sudden power outage on Oct 17 and would not be reconnected to the grid until the necessary safety measures were completed. more..

Oct 19 (Island) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday said a businessman, arrested with a caches of firearms, ammunition and hand grenades, had links to a politician, as authorities continued investigations into the seizure. Addressing a public gathering in Badulla, the President said the suspect was among those being investigated in connection with operations targeting organised crime and that authorities were aware of his political connections. more..