Oct 26 (DM) Mahanayake Theros of the Three Nikayas have called on Buddhist monks to uphold monastic discipline and harmony and resolve issues in accordance with the Dhamma and Vinaya, warning that certain groups were exploiting ongoing protests demanding a presidential pardon for Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thero to damage the reputation of the Buddhist clergy locally and internationally. Senior Buddhist prelates said more..

Oct 26 (AD) Ulapane Sumangala Thera stated that the satyagraha being held at Viharamahadevi Park for the past 10 days would be temporarily suspended following written assurances from the Chief Prelates of the three Buddhist Chapters that they would take steps to secure the release of Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara Thera through discussions with the govt. On Oct 16, the group initially gathered outside Prez Secretariat before proceeding to Ministry of Buddhasasana, more..

Oct 26 (TM) Twelve people have died, 25 have been injured and one is missing after floods, heavy rain, landslides and strong winds affected 10,311 people from 2,826 families between 18 September and 26 October, with more heavy rain forecast. During the period, 28 houses were completely damaged and 1,807 partially damaged, along with six small and medium-sized enterprises and 23 critical infrastructure facilities. Three safety centres are sheltering 67 people from 23 families. more..

Oct 26 (NW) PM Harini Amarasuriya has defended the govt’s decision to continue Sri Lanka’s IMF programme despite previously criticising it, saying the administration had little choice when it assumed office. Speaking in an interview with CNN, PM acknowledged that her party had opposed the IMF programme due to SL’s previous experiences with the institution. “We had no choice but to follow it,” she said when questioned about the govt’s more..

Oct 26 (Island) Sri Lanka provided humanitarian assistance to 27 Iranian sailors brought ashore after they fell ill aboard vessels outside the country’s territorial waters, in accordance with international maritime law and recognised humanitarian principles. Deputy Health Minister Hansaka Wijemuni said SL’s response was guided by its international obligations and that humanitarian assistance would be provided, irrespective of nationality, religion or country of origin. more..

Oct 26 (NW) Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thero has defended his visit to a five-star hotel in Colombo after a video circulated on social media, accusing govt supporters of attempting to discredit Buddhist monks involved in the ongoing protest demanding the release of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero. Addressing the controversy, the Thero said he had been unwell and that devotees had arranged accommodation and medical assistance for him. He said his fever had risen to around 102F more..

Oct 26 (NW) Construction of a new post office building in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has commenced after 36 years, with an investment of Rs. 32.9 million. The foundation stone was laid on Sunday under the patronage of Minister Nalinda Jayatissa. Construction of the new permanent building is expected to be completed by May 2027, with the Department of Buildings overseeing the project. The new facility is intended to address space limitations at the existing post office more..

Oct 26 (AD) Depression over East-central and adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal has intensified into a Deep Depression, Met Dept said. It is moved westwards and lay centered near Latitude 15.3°N and Longitude 89.7°E. The system is very likely to move nearly westwards, and intensify further into a cyclonic storm over East-central and adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal by today, it stated. Then it is very likely to move west northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over more..

Oct 26 (NW) Sri Lanka has recorded the lowest hunger index score among South Asian countries with available data in the 2026 Global Hunger Index (GHI), reflecting a significant improvement in the country’s hunger situation over the past two decades. According to the report, SL recorded a score of 10.2, placing it 53rd among 122 countries assessed globally. Among South Asian countries, Nepal recorded second-lowest more..

Oct 26 (Island) Former cricket boss Shammi Silva is under scrutiny over allegations that he influenced the approval of millions of rupees in SLC funds for CCC, where he serves as president. Several clubs have received SLC assistance, but stakeholders say the generosity towards CCC has been unusually lavish and are calling for an independent audit. Charity, it seems, begins at home, preferably at the CCC clubhouse. Board minutes record that Silva excused himself when funding for his club came up more..

Oct 26 (DN) After a successful Asian Para Games in Nagoya Japan SL medal winners are scheduled to return home today evening. 21-year-old Janani Dhananjana was the most successful SL Para athlete this time around with the silver medal in T–47 200m and the gold medal with a new games record in T47 long jump. Dhanajana entered the long-jump competition following an impressive performance in the women’s T-47 200m final, where she clocked a personal-best time of 25.80 s to claim silver. more..

Oct 26 (Island) SL Tennis Association (SLTA) marked a significant milestone in the development of the sport with the ceremonial opening of three newly renovated tennis courts on Oct 22, paving the way for improved training and competition facilities for the country’s emerging players. ‎The renovation project, supported by the SL Tennis Premier League (SLTPL), represents the realisation of a long-standing ambition to provide international-standard facilities for Sri Lankan tennis. more..

Oct 26 (NW) A 29-year-old man arrested in connection with a drug-related investigation has died after being held at Homagama Police Station, with his family alleging that he was assaulted by police officers. The deceased has been identified as Ishara Harsha Kumara, a resident of Kiriwaththuduwa. According to his relatives, the suspect was arrested and detained at the Homagama Police Station. Family members alleged that they learned he had been assaulted when they visited police more..

Oct 26 (TM) Negombo Magistrate Shilani Perera formally declared on Friday that a crime occurred in the killing of 10 Police Emergency Tactical Force officers and several inmates inside the Negombo Prison. She ordered the CID to conduct all necessary investigations, take action against those responsible, and report to court on Thursday. The order was issued after the Magistrate concluded the inquest proceedings, having considered more..

Oct 26 (ST) SL’s ambitious infrastructure drive stands at a decisive crossroads as the govt moves away from public funding towards an aggressive mobilisation of private capital for massive projects in the pipeline and rewriting the rules for operational ventures. Macroeconomic focus has fundamentally shifted, as highlighted by Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, who noted this week that the state is actively aiming to attract private capital into public investments to address deep fiscal realities. more..

Oct 26 (FT) SL Export Development Board (EDB), in collaboration with the Embassy of SL in Rome and the Consulate General of SL in Milan, facilitated an exposure visit for SL pharmaceutical manufacturers to the 37th edition of CPHI Worldwide 2026, held from 6 to 8 Oct 2026 at Fiera Milano, Milan, Italy. Program also included dedicated business networking sessions in Milan for the pharmaceutical sector. A 5-member business delegation representing five SL companies participated more..

Oct 26 (TM) Illegal structures on coastal land have been identified, cases have been filed, and notices to remove them have been issued, while the removal of fisher families from occupied beach lands requires a humane approach, including alternative housing, according to Environment Minister Dr. Dammika Patabendi. Minister said that action against illegal structures on the coast was already under way. more..

Oct 26 (TM) Twelve children were injured when a train collided with a bus at a railway crossing in Koggala, within the Habaraduwa Police Division, yesterday (25), with nine receiving treatment at Karapitiya Teaching Hospital. When contacted by The Daily Morning, the Division stated three of the injured children had since been discharged from Hospital, while the remaining nine were receiving treatment. The train, travelling from Beliatta to Maradana, struck the rear of the bus. more..

Oct 26 (FT) Sri Lanka must diversify its markets, build trusted digital trade institutions, and balance between competing powers while keeping its ties with the US strong if it is to turn its post-crisis recovery into lasting prosperity in a fragmenting world order, three international experts said. Int'l Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Global Honorary Chair Maria Fernanda Garza, Switzerland-based political consultant, campaign strategist, and political scientist Dr. Louis Perron, more..

Oct 26 (FT) SL can revive stalled negotiations on the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India by first concluding a standalone Digital Economy Agreement that builds on the momentum of recent bilateral digital cooperation, Centre for a Smart Future (CSF) Co-Founder Anushka Wijesinha said. Wijesinha noted that the ETCA negotiations had dragged through 14 rounds over many years and multiple govts, with momentum slowing significantly on SL side. more..

Oct 26 (FT) British Airways on Saturday marked a significant milestone with the arrival of its first flight into Colombo, reconnecting SL with the UK for the first time in over 11 years. The inaugural flight, operated by SL crew, was welcomed by traditional dancers and drummers on arrival to commemorate the occasion. The new route strengthens links between the two countries, supporting tourism, trade, and business travel. The thrice-weekly service will be operated by British Airways’ more..

Oct 26 (FT) Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has set out a 10-point plan for Sri Lanka to secure a place in an emerging world order, with rapid technological modernisation, membership of BRICS, and a stronger maritime role at its core. “If we do not do this, we will have no place in the new world order,” Wickremesinghe said, delivering the keynote at the 50th webinar organised by the Daily FT, more..

Oct 26 (ST) Sniggering in some quarters notwithstanding, the citation of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for contempt of court by an enterprising Sri Lankan magistrate this week has a tall tale behind it. The citation points us towards understanding all too well, the perils of two Bills put forward by the JVP led NPP Govt. These are the preposterously named draft Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA) and the Prevention of Organised Crimes Bill (OCB). more..

Oct 26 (TM) Police Media Division has once again urged the public to be wary of strangers who come calling through dating applications and social media. Its latest warning, issued on Saturday, describes a now familiar pattern. A fraudster poses as a would-be friend, lover or even prospective spouse, spends days or weeks winning the victim's trust, and then persuades him or her to install an application presented as a dating platform. In reality, that application is malicious software, more..

Oct 26 (Island) Parts of Europe are in turmoil. In several European countries, protests against high cost of living, housing unaffordability, welfare cuts and deteriorating public services have escalated into riots, arson, looting and violent clashes between police and protesters. Police have used force to disperse protesters in France, Italy, Belgium and Albania. Videos of unruly mobs looting shops and police crackdowns have gone viral. Out of sheer desperation to stem rising wave of protests, more..

Oct 26 (Island) Do you know what happened to Anuttara Indunil, the schoolgirl killed by a wild elephant in Hasalaka in August 2022 while carrying alms for her deceased brother’s remembrance? Do you know about Hewage Kinuli, the seven-year-old girl killed in an elephant attack while accompanying her father to their cultivation land in Hambantota in August 2025? Do you know about Thanuja Samarawickrema, 25, and her father, Ananda Samarawickrema, 57, who were killed by more..

Oct 26 (TM) A third interim report on the forensic archaeological excavation in Chemmani in Jaffna, submitted to the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court on 19 Oct, recorded a minimum of 574 individuals. By its own preliminary estimate, 41% of the dead were children and 22% were infants. The report also recorded 51 separate accumulations of disarticulated bones, meaning bones that were no longer joined together in their original more..

Oct 26 (DM) The NPP govt is probably facing the biggest challenge since it was elected to power in 2023. The present imbroglio over the disrobing of a convicted monk (Gnanasara Thero) led by political opportunists and sections of the Buddhist clergy shows no sign of disappearing. The challenge posed by the backers of Gnanasara is serious. Their slogan Free Gnanasara immediately, or go home is a threat, a direct challenge aimed at President Dissanayake. Their demand is non-negotiable and more..

Oct 26 (DM) Sri Lanka has two faces – the sunny, smiling face of welcome so highly valued by foreign visitors, and the grim, unsmiling one feared by the country’s own citizens. Thilina Weerasinghe’s Maranaya Asala Nisalawa mirrors that dark side with unflinching honesty. Maranaya Asala Nisalawa can be translated as Deathly Still in Face of Death or Unflinching Besides Death. But I don’t know if either of these translations captures the sombre mood of the original. more..

Oct 26 (SO) For years, SL’s prisons have been bursting at the seams, with prison officers having been struggling with staff shortages, and suspects languishing in remand awaiting forensic reports. These are hardly new discoveries. Yet, when two Opposition MPs, both currently in remand custody over bribery charges, took to Parliament on Thursday to detail the prison system’s woes, the debate offered an unusual spectacle: more..

Oct 26 (CT) It is with sadness and incredulity that I peeped into the morning newspapers from above. Since I will not be able to meet you deep down below anytime, I need to ask you to hark back to January 8th, 2009. Recall my epitaph? Well then, I consider it pretty rich coming from you, if the article published in The Morning of 24th Oct 2026 is true. I quote, Former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa has urged his son, SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa, to trust the judiciary and refrain from political revenge, more..

Oct 26 (GV) From the NPP govt’s draconian Protection from Organised Crime Bill to the preventable death of the magnificent tusker Kawantissa, so much has been overshadowed by the spectacle at the Vihara Maha Devi Park demanding instant freedom for Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara. A piece of news about a series of WhatsApp messages threatening Buddhist places of worship too was among the momentous developments lost in monk-led brouhaha. more..