Oct 20 (Island) Five more suspects allegedly linked to the killing of Kawantissa, considered SL’s tallest living tusker, and other illegal activities against wildlife have been arrested. The suspects were arrested during a special joint operation conducted by officers of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, the Walana Central Anti-Vice Strike Force and the area police. The arrests followed investigations into the shooting of more..

Oct 20 (Island) Chinese Ambassador Wei Huaxiang held discussions with the Chief Prelates of the Asgiriya and Malwatta Chapters during a visit to Kandy, aimed at strengthening China-Sri Lanka Buddhist and people-to-people ties. The Ambassador met the Most Ven. Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Mahanayake Thera, Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter, and the Most Ven. Thibbotuwawe Sri Sumangala Mahanayake Thera, Chief Prelate of the Malwatta Chapter, more..

Oct 20 (Island) URF leader Champika Ranawaka yesterday alleged that the JVP, which carried out over 560 protests during the 2015-2019 period, was now bent on preventing the Opposition from exercising its democratic right to protest. Recalling the declaration made by the JVP at the height of the violent protest campaign in July 2022 that it would set the Parliament ablaze, the former parliamentarian lashed out at the JVP-led administration for using the police excessively more..

Oct 20 (NW) Nepalese govt has initiated steps to recover land in Colombo that was allegedly sold to private individuals by its former honorary consul without govt authorisation more than three decades ago. Nepal purchased 1.5 acres of land in Rajagiriya, Colombo, on May 18, 1989, for US$ 360,000 to establish an embassy. However, one acre of the property was reportedly sold in two successive transactions, in 1990 and 1994, more..

Oct 20 (NW) DIG in charge of Traffic Control and Road Safety, W.P.J. Senadheera, has revealed further details about the fatal accident in Akurana, confirming that investigators are examining claims of brake failure and possible driver fatigue. The DIG said the cement-laden truck was travelling towards Kandy from Alawathugoda when the driver reportedly lost control while negotiating a left-hand bend near Kurugoda Junction on Monday (19). The truck initially struck a motorcycle and more..

Oct 20 (NW) A total of 19 selected fishermen affected by the Ditwah disaster in Kilinochchi District received boats on a subsidy basis under a programme aimed at restoring their livelihoods and developing the district’s fisheries sector. The programme was held under the leadership of Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar and focused on rebuilding the livelihoods of fishing communities affected by disasters, including those in Thattuvankottai. more..

Oct 20 (Island) Acknowledging that there had been an administrative lapse on the part of the President’s Office in 2019 when Maithripala Sirisena granted presidential pardon to Ven. Gnanasara Thera, Convener of Janathawadi Joint Opposition Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to rectify whatever those shortcomings and release the General Secretary of BBS. Prof. Peiris emphasized that it was not fair to hold Ven. Gnanasara accountable for more..

Oct 20 (NW) State media have reported that a suspect arrested in connection with the shooting of iconic wild tusker Kavantissa is affiliated with the SLPP. Suspect is a member of an SLPP-affiliated cooperative development body. SL Rupavahini Corporation, state television broadcaster, has also reported the suspect’s alleged political affiliation. The reports come as investigations continue into the shooting of Kavantissa, whose death on October 16 sparked widespread public concern. more..

Oct 20 (Island) The staggering sums Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) reportedly splashed out on its former President Shammi Silva have raised eyebrows among stakeholders, with revelations suggesting that the former cricket chief and several members of his Executive Committee enjoyed the high life while SL cricket struggled to keep its head above water. The spotlight has fallen firmly on Shammi Silva, whose expenses during more..

Oct 20 (FT) Board of Investment of SL (BOI) has presented SL's flagship agri-food investment opportunities at the Hand-in-Hand Initiative Investment Forum 2026, convened by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome from 13 to 16 Oct. Chairman Duminda Hulangamuwa led the BOI delegation, accompanied by Director General Dr. Sulakshana Jayawardena. SL’s presentation, Unlocking Premium Export Markets through Value Addition and, more..

Oct 20 (FT) Vidullanka PLC, in partnership with David Pieris Motor Company yesterday inaugurated the 10 MW DPV Solar Power Plant in Ranna, making significant strides in SL’s renewable energy journey. Developed under the joint venture company DPV Solar Energy Ltd, plant was declared open by Energy Deputy Minister Eng. Arkam Ilyas and the SL Sustainable Energy Authority Director General Rohana Randombage. Vidullanka handled the project’s Engineering, Procurement & Construction. more..

Oct 20 (DN) SL’s Mohamed Safran came to the fore yesterday at the Para Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan when he secured the bronze medal in the men’s long jump T47 event producing an impressive final attempt to go on the podium. Safran the 21-year-old athlete achieved 6.37m in his first attempt followed by 6.35m in second attempt. After three foul attempts Safran came back strongly to finish his final attempt with a 6. 55m jump which earned him the bronze medal. This is the first medal for SL more..

Oct 20 (Island) The curtain raiser of the tri-nation series in Pakistan went down to the wire and although Sri Lanka were into their tail, hopes of pulling off an unlikely victory remained alive as Dasun Shanaka threatened to produce something special on his return to ODI cricket. Finding the boundary with remarkable ease, Shanaka had raced to 28 off just 18 balls when he gave charge to Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi, only to perish in his attempt to clear the ropes. more..

Oct 20 (FT) A Parliamentary committee has decided to issue the necessary recommendations on matters relating to the granting of mining rights for 68 grids to State-owned Lanka Mineral Sands Ltd, (LMSL). Company has sought exclusive mining rights over mineral sand deposits along the northeastern coastline. LMSL submitted a request to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Development and Int'l Relations more..

Oct 20 (EN) Companies involved in SL’s hospitality supply chain have showcased local products and capabilities to Maldivian businesses and other industry stakeholders at Hotel Asia 2026 held in the archipelago. This was in collaboration with the Export Development Board (EDB) and the SL-Maldives Business Council (SLMLBC) of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. “The initiative created opportunities for SL businesses to connect with buyers and potential partners, as well as more..

Oct 20 (DM) Despite formulating as many tourism master plans as IMF programmes, Sri Lanka still lacks a cohesive strategy, with ad hoc approvals, inflated state land prices and unplanned development holding back the industry since 2009, according to former BOI Chairman Thilan Wijesinghe, whose concerns were echoed by hoteliers and the World Bank. Speaking at the 4th Tourism, Hotel Investment and Networking Conference (THINC) SL & Maldives, organised by Hotelivate-Savills in Colombo last week, more..

Oct 20 (ST) The death of the majestic tusker Kawanthissa, one of SL’s tallest and largest tuskers, has raised serious questions about wild elephant conservation and protection. Despite repeated calls from conservationists, animal welfare advocates, and wildlife officers to provide special protection for prominent tuskers like Kawanthissa, Dept of Wildlife Conservation paid little heed, maintaining that its policy takes a holistic approach to all more..

Oct 20 (FT) HSBC Electronic Data Processing Lanka Ltd, (HDPL), the bank’s global service centre, will exit Sri Lanka owing to rising costs and an inability to scale. Staff said they had been notified that they would be let go in four batches as operations relocate to other locations, including India, the Middle East, and the Philippines. At an all-hands meeting at HDPL’s offices at Mireka Towers in August, staff were told a decision to exit SL would be made and communicated in October. more..

Oct 20 (Island) The Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) successfully hosted a series of high-level meetings of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), bringing together leading securities regulators and enforcement officials from around the world to discuss emerging regulatory challenges, strengthen international cooperation, and enhance collective efforts to combat cross-border securities market misconduct. The meetings, more..

Oct 20 (ST) CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd and Dept of Town and Country Planning of the Uni of Moratuwa recently have signed a MoU to strengthen collaboration between academia and industry in urban development, urban informatics, research, innovation and talent development. The agreement will create opportunities for students and academics to engage more closely with the development of Port City Colombo and its planning and development process, CHEC said more..

Oct 20 (FT) Proposals to allow existing microfinance institutions to accept limited public deposits under regulatory supervision, simplify their licensing process, and facilitate access to lower-cost funding were put forward at a meeting of a Parliamentary committee, as the panel focused on expediting implementation of the Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Act. Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Development and International Relations, chaired by more..

Oct 20 (FT) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) is advocating a simple, transparent, and cost-based wheeling tariff to facilitate private power trading and support investment in energy-intensive sectors, with discussions on the pricing mechanism still at an early stage. PUCSL CEO Damitha Kumarasinghe said the tariff should be straightforward to understand, affordable enough to encourage investment, and fair to more..

Oct 20 (Island) The govt appears set to overcome the first major challenge to one of its foundational principles. It has faced down demands from sections of the Buddhist clergy and opposition parties to release Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara from his prison sentence for contempt of court. Ven Gnanasara is best known as the general secretary of the BBS, a nationalist Sinhala grouping. Govt seemed unfazed by a protest march organised by Buddhist monks and the opposition parties more..

Oct 20 (FT) The rhetoric of the NPP on the drug issue, prior to being elected, like their position on numerous issues, appeared progressive. It created hope that if elected they might adopt a health and human rights-based approach. After nearly two years in power, similar to their actions regarding other issues, NPP Govt is following in the footsteps of previous governments by enacting repressive laws that increase State power at the expense of the rights of citizens. more..

Oct 20 (DN) Sri Lanka had several mafias, such as the illicit drug mafia, drug (medications) mafia, three-wheel mafia, trade union mafia, trade mafia, etc, and only some mafias, such as the private bus mafia, still exist. Fortunately, the current NPP Govt, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, is treating all those mafias, and the latest mafia to receive some treatment is the private bus mafia. More treatment is required to fully cure this mafia. Therefore, this mafia needs to be eradicated, more..

Oct 20 (Island) A massive wave of youth-led and anti-austerity protests is sweeping across several European countries. It is driven by a host of issues including soaring cost of living, housing unaffordability, discontent with public services, and resentment at govts’ economic policies that are not beneficial to ordinary people. Protests in France, Italy, Belgium, Albania, Portugal and Spain are not part of a single, centrally organised movement, although int'l media often lump them together. more..

Oct 20 (DM) When does, a religion rooted in compassion and wisdom become an instrument of political power? And why does a philosophy as progressive as Buddhism continue to be invoked in defence of old political ideas? These questions have taken on renewed significance amid growing debate over the conduct of certain Buddhist Bhikkhus and their role in public life. Ven. Galkande Dhammananda Thera, former Senior Lecturer more..

Oct 20 (DM) This is undoubtedly a difficult time for elephants. Although wildlife authorities point to an alleged increase in the elephant population over the past decade, citing an unpublished survey report, and highlight that fewer elephants died this year than last year, the grim reality remains unchanged. After the death of SL’s most famous tusker, the question becomes even more urgent: are our conservation policies truly protecting the elephants they are intended to conserve? more..

Oct 20 (ST) The sound of the silent but strident thud that hundreds of Buddhist monks made whilst walking on the long and winding road from the Temple of the Sri Dalada to Colombo – protesting at the defilement of the sanctity of the saffron robe, the Buddha’s flag of enlightenment – may have stilled at the capital gates on Thursday, but the echoes of the reverberations it sent throughout the island nation yet remained. The Buddha Sasana, which has lasted for more than two thousand years in Lanka, more..

Oct 20 (SO) Govt’s anti-corruption campaign risks becoming a tool to eliminate political rivals rather than ensure accountability, SJB MP Dayasiri Jayasekera has alleged, warning that arrests and expedited prosecutions could deprive political opponents of their right to contest elections. Jayasekera questioned the Govt’s handling of corruption investigations and the Parliamentary inquiry into the release of more..

Oct 20 (CT) The Professor sat at the dining table with a cup of Ceylon tea. He had allowed it to steep properly, as a man of Sri Lankan birth and British academic habits considered appropriate. Orwell’s famous 1946 essay, A Nice Cup of Tea, laid down eleven rules for making tea. He was quite particular about the business. So was the Professor. Lady Usha was at home. This was fortunate for the Professor, who had lately discovered that running a household and running a country were two entirely different undertakings, more..

Oct 20 (GV) Tamil politics needs stronger public accountability. Political parties must answer for their decisions but accountability cannot stop at elections or depend on which party people support. People must be able to shape political priorities, question those who claim to represent them and challenge govts when they fail to meet their obligations. Tamil society has repeatedly shown that people can mobilise around shared concerns. The challenge is to turn that collective strength more..