Oct 1 (NW) India secured a place in the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket gold medal match after routing SL by 124 runs in the second semifinal at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. India posted 169 for seven before bowling SL out for just 45. SL won the toss and elected to bowl, and managed to make early inroads. However, Ishan Kishan powered India to a competitive total with an unbeaten 80 off 46 balls, hitting 5 sixes and 4 fours. 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi contributed a quick 38 more..

Oct 1 (EN) SL’s National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) expects to enforce maximum retail prices (MRPs) for roughly 90% of imported medicines over the coming year, NMRA chairman Ananda Wijewickrama said. The regulator is carrying out brand-specific price determinations across more than 6,000 registered formulations as pharmaceutical companies submit applications for their annual import permits. “These 6,000 medicines exist under various brand names. more..

Oct 1 (NW) Sri Lanka will procure all immunisation vaccines required by the country entirely using govt funds in 2027 for the first time in its history, Minister of Health Nalinda Jayatissa has announced. The minister said the govt intends to use 100% state funding for the procurement of vaccines required for the national immunisation programme next year. He made the announcement at an event in Colombo marking the 49th death anniversary of more..

Oct 1 (NW) A group of Swedish schoolchildren was introduced to SL literature and culture through a special programme featuring the Swedish translation of Martin Wickramasinghe’s celebrated children’s novel Madol Duwa, organised by Embassy of SL in Stockholm. Programme aimed to familiarise young Swedish readers with the literary work of Martin Wickramasinghe, widely regarded as the father of modern Sinhala literature, while providing an insight into SL traditions & cultural heritage. more..

Oct 1 (NW) Court of Appeal has issued a writ order preventing the arrest or detention of former Minister Tiran Alles and directors, representatives and employees of Ceylon Newspapers (Pvt) Ltd over a complaint arising from a commercial transaction. The order was issued by a Court of Appeal bench comprising Justices Shashi Mahendran and Pradeep Hettiarachchi following the hearing of a writ petition filed by Ceylon Newspapers, which publishes Mawbima and Ceylon Today newspapers. more..

Oct 1 (TM) The Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) Transformation Committee Chair Eran Wickramaratne states that although they would prefer results on the field from the national team to be positive than at present, they have no concerns of any of those involved in the backroom staff. “Certainly we want to see results, there is no question on that front,” he told reporters, during the Transformation Committee’s media briefing more..

Oct 1 (DM) National Police Commission (NPC) has cancelled, with immediate effect, the transfers of several police officers, including Senior DIG Ranmal Kodituwakku and DIG of the Police Narcotic Bureau Ashoka Dharmasena. NPC took the decision at a meeting held today, following a request from the IGP. Cancelled transfers reportedly include those of the Director of the Police Narcotic Bureau, two Superintendents of Police and several female Police Inspectors, among other officers. more..

Oct 1 (DM) Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva and his delegation from Sri Lanka this morning. A 5-member delegation of JVP had arrived in India for a five-day visit from Sept 27 to Oct 1, as part of JVP-BJP meeting. Following his interaction with the Mr. Silva, Mr. Jaishankar posted on X that it was pleasure to meet him and his Sri Lankan delegation. “Had a good discussion on strengthening our deep bonds of friendship,” he said more..

Oct 1 (NW) SL Customs has uncovered a consignment of metal scrap, including iron, concealed in an export container that had been declared as containing rice, Customs Spokesman Chandana Punchihewa said. The discovery was made during a joint examination conducted by SL Customs and Police today at the TRICO Export Facilitation Centre (EFC), located near the port access road from Ingurukade Junction. According to Punchihewa, container had been prepared more..

Oct 1 (NW) A two-day cultural festival titled Rhythm of Lanka will be held on Dec 19-20, 2026, aimed at reconnecting the younger generations of overseas Sri Lankans with their homeland, cultural identity and heritage. According to the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat, organised by Ranwala Balakaya, national-level initiative will primarily focus on third and fourth-generation Sri Lankans living abroad, particularly those with limited direct cultural and social connections to Sri Lanka. more..

Oct 1 (FT) Port City Colombo hosted an exclusive investor forum at The St. Regis Abu Dhabi on 25 Sept, bringing together senior UAE business leaders, investors, and institutional stakeholders for a focused morning of dialogue on SL’s investment proposition and the opportunities available within Port City Colombo’s Special Economic Zone. The forum formed the centrepiece of a structured seven-day Gulf roadshow more..

Oct 1 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa says Sri Lankans who once dreamed of purchasing a Toyota Vitz for Rs. 1.2 million are now struggling to settle their vehicle leasing installments, with some allegedly facing intimidation and physical assault at the hands of vehicle repossession agents, commonly known as seizers. Speaking during a meeting with representatives of the Association of Leasing and Loan Instalment Payers at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition more..

Oct 1 (DM) Govt will provide Rs. 70 per litre of diesel as part of a Rs. 41 billion fuel subsidy approved by the Cabinet to cushion consumers and fuel distributors from the impact of surging global oil prices, Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka said. The subsidy is intended to prevent the full impact of rising international fuel prices from being passed on to consumers. Karunathilaka said fuel distribution companies have reported varying levels of losses under the current pricing structure more..

Oct 1 (NW) Tusker Kawanthissa, who sustained a gunshot injury to his front right leg after falling victim to a trap gun in the Siyambalangamuwa area, has shown significant signs of recovery and rejoined a herd of approximately 15 wild elephants following continuous treatment by wildlife veterinarians. Tusker’s condition has gradually improved after receiving antibiotics and other necessary medication over several days, more..

Oct 1 (PMD) A discussion on the Anuradhapura Sacred City Development Plan was held yesterday afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat, under the leadership of Chief of Presidential Staff Prabath Chandrakeerthi and First Secretary of the High Commission of India Roshini Thomson. During Indian PM Narendra Modi’s official visit to SL, he had expressed his agreement to provide assistance for a Sacred City development project when he visited the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura. more..

Oct 1 (NF) The first day of Digital Summit Asia Sri Lanka 2026 was inaugurated in Colombo today, bringing together leading voices in digital marketing, technology, creativity and business from Sri Lanka and across Asia. Organized by the Digital Marketers Association of SL, the two-day summit is being held at Water’s Edge, Colombo, under the theme The Epicentre. Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne attended the opening ceremony as the Chief Guest. more..

Oct 1 (DM) Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court No. 5 has imposed a Rs. 1 million fine on a Bambalapitiya restaurant for selling a 500 ml bottle of drinking water above the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) prescribed by the CAA. The case was filed against restaurant. Company pleaded guilty to the charge before court, following which the fine was imposed. Order No. 96 published in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2492/29 fixes the MRP for bottled drinking water in the 500 ml to 999 ml category at Rs. 80. more..

Oct 1 (NW) The Court of Appeal has dismissed, without taking it up for hearing, a writ petition filed by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa seeking an order preventing his arrest and detention under the PTA in connection with investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. Rajapaksa had sought an order preventing the CID from arresting or detaining him as part of the ongoing investigation into the attacks. The petition had cited the IGP, CID Director Shani Abeysekera, more..

Oct 1 (EN) SL recorded a US$ 133 million surplus in its current account in Aug 2026, following four months of deficits. The surplus was supported by the lower trade deficit compared to recent months, reflecting lower import expenditure, the central bank said. The current account recorded a deficit of US$ 291 million during Jan-Aug 2026, due to pressures on the external sector from the escalation of the conflict in West Asia. more..

Oct 1 (NW) A cameraman attached to a private media organisation has been arrested over an alleged assault on a security officer of former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe outside the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court. Cameraman was arrested today after arriving at the Kompannavidiya Police Station to provide a statement regarding the incident, following a summons issued yesterday. The cameraman had reportedly arrived at the police station accompanied by a lawyer. more..

Oct 1 (NW) Sri Lankan jurist and human rights activist Basil Fernando, a former leader of the Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission, has died at 81. Born in Sri Lanka in 1944, Fernando was a lawyer, author and poet who worked for decades on human rights and rule-of-law issues across Asia. Fernando was an Appeals Counsel for Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong as part of a project sponsored by the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), from 1989 to 1992. more..

Oct 1 (TM) A shortage of more than 50,000 teachers could hit the country’s national and Provincial schools by the end of this year (2026) as around 10,000 teachers are expected to retire after receiving the third installment of the salary increase granted through this year’s Budget, CTU President Priyantha Fernando said, warning that the Govt’s claim that 23,000 teachers would be recruited through recently-held competitive exam more..

Oct 1 (NW) The SL Air Force has granted a special promotion to Dulith Dassanayake, who secured a gold medal and established a new world record at the 13th World Strength Lifting Championship held in Kyrgyzstan. In recognition of his outstanding international sporting achievement, Commander of the SL Air Force, Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe, has approved Dassanayake’s promotion from the rank of Corporal to Sergeant. Dassanayake represented SL in the Under 95 kg weight category more..

Oct 1 (AD) NPP MP Asitha Niroshana, and Mayor of the Kaduwela MC, Ranjan Jayalal, have been summoned to the Athurugiriya Police Station over a complaint filed alleging the unauthorized use of land belonging to the Millennium City housing complex as a Metro bus stand in Athurugiriya. Two public representatives were summoned following a complaint lodged by the management of the housing complex, alleging that approximately 100 perches of land belonging to the company had been more..

Oct 1 (FT) Every month, thousands of salaried employees experience taxation before they fully experience their salary. The payslip arrives, the gross salary appears at the top, deductions follow, and only then does the employee see what is actually available to take home. There is no separate decision about when to pay and little room to postpone the payment. From an administrative point of view, this is efficient; from the employee’s point of view, the impact is immediate. more..

Oct 1 (FT) In January, I argued in these pages that SL's reopened vehicle market was entering a phase of correction rather than expansion. Nine months later, the data confirm that the correction has arrived, but its main driver has changed. Today's problem is less about too many vehicles and more about too few buyers who can afford them. When imports reopened in 2025, years of pent-up demand were released almost overnight. According to the CB Governor, country spent close to $2 billion. more..

Oct 1 (NW) Addressing concerns over the prioritization of corruption inquiries, Director General of the CIABOC, Ranga Dissanayake, clarified that a massive backlog of legacy files primarily dating back to 2015 has required dedicated focus. Speaking before the COPF, chaired by MP Harsha de Silva, Dissanayake responded to questions about the commission’s prioritisation of past cases and whether this could delay more..

Oct 1 (NF) Security around Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena has been strengthened following the receipt of a letter containing an alleged death threat. The letter in question was received on Aug 11. An investigation has since been launched on the instructions of the IGP. Meanwhile, police stated that the CID has also recorded a statement from Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena in connection with the incident. A complaint regarding the threatening letter has also been lodged more..

Oct 1 (Island) The National Police Commission (NPC) is expected to take up Police Headquarters recommendation to transfer a group of police officers responsible for a major Ice bust at the Colombo port recently. NPC sources told The Island that recommendation in respect of transfers was received last week. Sources said that though the NPC was scheduled to meet today, whether IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya’s recommendation would be discussed and decided today was not known. more..

Oct 1 (FT) Sri Lanka will keep its inflation target at 5%, with a band of 2 percentage points on either side, for the next three years, CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said yesterday. The Govt has accepted the CB’s recommendation. Speaking at the media briefing to announce the latest monetary policy decision, Dr. Weerasinghe said the Govt would soon announce the decision through a Gazette Notification. more..

Oct 1 (AD) Revised fuel prices announced by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) came into effect today, with increases recorded for Auto Diesel, Super Diesel and Petrol 92 Octane. CPC announced yesterday that the price of Super Diesel has increased by Rs. 50 to Rs. 528 per litre, marking the largest increase among the revised fuel prices. The price of Auto Diesel has been increased by Rs. 10 to Rs. 392 per litre, while Petrol 92 Octane has risen by Rs. 15 to Rs. 414 per litre. more..

Oct 1 (AD) World Children’s Day is being celebrated today, October 1, under the theme Strengthened Minds – Enriched Children. To mark World Children’s Day, the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs declared a National Children’s Day Week from Sept 25, with a series of programmes organized for children. The final programme of the week is scheduled to be held this morning at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura under the patronage of PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. more..