Oct 30 (DM) The foundation stone for Sri Lanka’s first Human Repeat Insult Patch Test (HRIPT) laboratory, dedicated to cosmetic product testing, was laid today under the patronage of Minister Sunil Handunneththi. The project is a joint initiative between the Ministry of Industries and Enterprise Development, the Industrial Development Board (IDB), and the Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IBMBB) of the University of Colombo. more..

Oct 30 (SLN) Amidst unfavourable weather conditions, the multiday fishing trawler Keshan Putha I capsized approximately 354 nautical miles (about 655km) off the coast of Hambantota. Responding promptly, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo coordinated the rescue of 04 fishermen from the distressed trawler. Acting on the directives, the Sri Lanka Navy promptly deployed SLNS Sindurala on 30 Oct 25 for the onward rescue mission. more..

Oct 30 (ABC) A senior Buddhist monk has been found guilty of historical sex offences against six girls at a Melbourne temple. A County Court jury on Thursday ruled Naotunne Vijitha, the head monk at the Dhamma Sarana temple in Keysborough, committed the offences between 1994 and 2002. The 70-year-old monk was found guilty of eight charges of sexual penetration of a child under 16 and nine charges of committing more..

Oct 30 (DM) Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanaga S. Bodaragama today commenced the examination of evidence in the case filed by the CID against former State Minister Diana Gamage, who is accused of submitting false information to the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration in order to obtain a passport and remaining in Sri Lanka without a valid visa. When the case was called, the charges were read out to the accused, Diana Gamage, who pleaded not guilty. more..

Oct 30 (AD) Seven suspects, including the gunman arrested in connection with the shooting and killing of Lasantha Wickramasekara, the Chairman of the Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha have been remanded until November 13. Of the nine suspects arrested in connection, seven of them were produced before the Matara Magistrate’s Court today (30). Accordingly, Chief Magistrate of Matara Chathura Dissanayake ordered that the seven suspects be held in remand custody until November 13. more..

Oct 30 (AD) The drug menace must be defeated to ensure social stability in the country and that the steps taken by himself and the govt in this regard will undoubtedly lead to victory, according to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Prez stated that narcotics have turned into a deep deceptive trade that has gripped the nation and that he is taking action to defeat it. Prez further noted that children, the general public and the entire more..

Oct 30 (NW) Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of SL (TRCSL) has introduced a 24-hour hotline in support of the government’s new initiative to eradicate the threat of narcotics, titled United as a Nation – National Drive (රටම එකට – ජාතික මෙහෙයුම). The TRCSL has introduced the hotline ’1818’ for this purpose, based on a request from the United as a Nation National Operations Committee. The hotline enables the public to report accurate information related to more..

Oct 30 (EN) 25 SL export SMEs were given a training on branding, quality compliance and export documentation, in a session organized by the export development board, International Finance Corporation and European Union. The ExpoScaleUp Knowledge Sharing Session for Batch 2 SMEs was organized by the EDB with the IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the EU under its regional initiative Accelerating Climate Smart and Inclusive Infrastructure in South Asia (ACSIIS). more..

Oct 30 (FT) Just like evergreen songs – Sinhala Buddhist nationalism and racism are live topics anytime in this land of compassion. These sentiments are characterised by blind impulsive reactions driven by emotions and prejudice, rather than by caution, rationality and objectivity. Additionally, serve as a convenient whip in the hands of politicians, racists and other several types of opportunists. Circumstances may be aggravated when the saffron clad elite who share more..

Oct 30 (FT) In May 2009, as the guns fell silent over Nandikadal, SL claimed victory not only on the battlefield but also in Geneva. When the UNHRC adopted Resolution S-11/1, Colombo hailed it as a diplomatic triumph — an endorsement of sovereignty, a recognition of humanitarian relief efforts, and a rejection of external interference. Yet 16 years later, the same Council continues to debate SL’s human-rights record, fund an evidence-preservation mechanism, and call for more..

Oct 30 (NW) Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court yesterday heard extensive arguments regarding the health condition of former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and the ongoing investigation into the alleged misuse of over Rs. 16 million in public funds during a visit to UK. Deputy Solicitor General Dilip Peiris told court that six doctors had produced a medical report stating that Wickremesinghe suffered from a blocked artery and was treated more..

Oct 30 (AD) CID has obtained a 72-hour detention order to detain and interrogate the female lawyer who allegedly provided a copy of the Penal Code to Ishara Sewwandi, a suspect in the murder of Ganemulla Sanjeewa, police said. The female lawyer allegedly involved in the Ganemulla Sanjeewa murder case was arrested last night (28) in the Kadawatha area. The infamous gang leader known as Ganemulla Sanjeewa was fatally shot by a gunman disguised as a lawyer in more..

Oct 30 (FT) The newly established National Commission on Women (NCW), which is an independent commission, will commence its functions soon to safeguard and promote the rights and protection of women in the country. The NCW, which was established under the Women’s Empowerment Act No. 37 of 2024, will look into the complaints regarding issues, harassment, and injustices experienced in both Govt and private sector workplaces. more..

Oct 30 (Island) Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih said that he wouldn’t forgo the fuel allowance granted to MPs from now on. NPP MP said so when queried whether he continued to receive two fuel allowances-one as an MP and the other as Chairman of Committees. He said that he had informed Parliament of his decision. Salih, as the Chairman of Committees, is among three persons––Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne and more..

Oct 30 (TM) Deputy Minister Muneer Mulaffer said that all preliminary work for the upcoming national programme, the Sri Lankan Day, has now commenced. He said that the necessary initial steps have already been taken, with responsibilities distributed among the relevant Ministries to ensure the programme's success. “The work to be carried out by each Ministry has been identified by now. The relevant parties will perform their role, and we are hopeful of a successful event." more..

Oct 30 (DN) SL’s tax revenue had increased by more than 32 percent by the end of the third quarter of this year (Jan 1 to Sept 30) compared to the same period of the previous year. The increase in tax revenue has been mainly due to the increase in VAT collected on imports of vehicles from abroad, an increase in excise revenue and an increase in tax revenue collected by Customs. Accordingly, by the end of September this year, tax revenue has increased by 32.5% compared to previous yr more..

Oct 30 (DN) Two men from Kalpitiya area have died after drinking a liquid from a bottle that was floating in the sea. They had fallen ill after drinking the liquid and had been taken to the Puttalam hospital in critical condition, but both had died while under treatment. The deceased were two 28-year-olds residing in Narakkaliya, Kalpitiya. The two men were part of a group of four who were consuming liquor at a place close to the Norochcholai power plant, Police said. more..

Oct 30 (DM) Health authorities have raised concerns over a possible resurgence of malaria in Sri Lanka, as imported cases among returning travellers continue to rise. The Anti-Malaria Campaign confirmed that 35 individuals have tested positive for malaria this year, most of whom were Sri Lankans infected while overseas. Officials warned that the increase in imported cases could lead to local transmission if preventive measures are not strictly followed. more..

Oct 30 (TM) In the wake of the Ministry of Education reiterating there will be no change to the decision to extend school hours until 2 p.m. from January of next year (2026), the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) stated they will under no circumstance agree to the proposed move. CTU President Priyantha Fernando said that when schools reopen after GCE A/L Examination, teachers would go on a one-day strike in protest. more..

Oct 30 (Island) Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka are in the process of setting up a Saudi-SL Business Council. Foreign Ministry said that SL Ambassador in Ameer Ajwad recently met the members of the proposed Saudi – Sri Lanka Business Council to finalise arrangements in this regard. Ambassador and the members of the Council nominated by the Federation of Saudi Chambers (FSC) held extensive discussions on the procedures for the establishment of the Saudi–SL Business Council, more..

Oct 30 (Island) Colombo Colts Cricket Club hosted a grand felicitation ceremony to honour one of its most illustrious members and a proud ambassador of SL cricket —Angelo Mathews. Mathews’ extraordinary contribution to SL cricket and his long-standing loyalty to the Colombo Colts Cricket Club — the only club he has represented throughout his professional career – were recognised during the ceremony. The event was graced by a distinguished gathering of SL’s cricketing legends including more..

Oct 30 (Island) Colombo Colts Cricket Club hosted a grand felicitation ceremony to honour one of its most illustrious members and a proud ambassador of SL cricket —Angelo Mathews. Mathews’ extraordinary contribution to SL cricket and his long-standing loyalty to the Colombo Colts Cricket Club — the only club he has represented throughout his professional career – were recognised during the ceremony. The event was graced by a distinguished gathering of SL’s cricketing leg;්බේ මගේ පුතා...more..

Oct 30 (FT) Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando called for renewed global commitment to openness in trade, investment, and knowledge exchange, warning that rising protectionism threatens decades of economic progress. Addressing the Global Dialogue on Innovation, Openness & Shared Development organised by China Media Group, Dr. Fernando said global finance and trade cannot thrive behind walls, and urged nations to resist the drift towards more..

Oct 30 (DN) Former skipper Dasun Shanaka is tipped to be named Sri Lanka’s vice captain for the upcoming T20 Tri-Series in Pakistan. Chairth Asalanka remains as skipper of the T-20 team. Sri Lanka did not have a designated vice captain during their recent international tours, and selectors are now considering reinstating a deputy role to support Asalanka’s leadership to focus on the next T-20 World Cup. The 34-year-old Shanaka, one of the team’s most experienced T20 players, more..

Oct 30 (FT) SL’s property tax system is delivering negligible revenue and will not support the Govt’s plan to introduce a new property tax by 2027 unless the valuation method is modernised, according to a new study published by Verité Research. Paper, Property Taxes in SL: Proposal for a More Effective Valuation Method, authored by Verité Research SL Economic Policy Group Member Prof. Mick Moore, argues that SL should more..

Oct 30 (FT) Digital Mobility Solutions Lanka, owner of PickMe, announced its results for the second quarter and first half of FY2025/26, marking the company’s strongest performance to date, with revenue in Q2 increasing 51% year-on-year (YoY) to Rs. 2.1 billion. The company said this performance was underpinned by record-high engagement from users and third-party drivers on the platform, resulting in a 53% YoY increase in platform movements and a 23% jump compared to more..

Oct 30 (NF) A prisoner from the Colombo Magazine Prison has been arrested for allegedly stealing a firearm from the evidence storage room of the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court during a routine visit for cleaning operations. The suspect managed to take a Czechoslovakian-made 9mm pistol and its magazine from the court’s evidence locker before boarding the prison transport bus. The incident occurred when three inmates from the Magazine Prison were brought to the court for cleaning operations. more..

Oct 30 (DM) German Ambassador Dr. Felix Neumann, asserting that around 300 German brands are currently present in SL, said more investments could flow from his country if bureaucracy acts faster, the corruption-free policy continues, and investments are properly protected. Delivering remarks at the monthly Ambassadors’ Roundtable Discussion, Dr. Neumann said this was the feedback he had received from more..

Oct 30 (FT) A powerhouse roster of int'l and regional experts will headline the SL Economic and Investment Summit 2025, setting the stage for a world-class dialogue on reform, resilience, and investment-led growth. Organised by CCC, the two-day summit will take place on 2 and 3 Dec at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo. Registrations close on 31 Oct, and participants are encouraged to secure their place early to engage with this exclusive gathering of policymakers, investors & more..

Oct 30 (Island) There were many outstanding performances by SL athletes at the just concluded South Asian Athletics Championship in Ranchi India. Many consider Shafiya Yamick’s hattrick of golds on top of every other accomplishment. Undoubtedly, it was a remarkable achievement. There were also other feats that went unnoticed as the spotlight fell mainly on multiple medal winners. Dasuni Kaushalya’s gold winning feat in the women’s 400 metres hurdles was one such. more..

Oct 30 (FT) The Sri Lanka Association of Printers (SLAP), in collaboration with the Federation of European Screen Printers Associations (FESPA), has successfully organised another insightful seminar and business forum on the future of the printing industry. The full-day workshop was held at the Hotel Grand Guardian, Ratnapura, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the participation of 95 professionals from Kuruwita, Balangoda, and Embilipitiya in the Ratnapura region. more..

=Oct 30 (FT) LAUGFS Power, a subsidiary of the diversified LAUGFS Group, has launched its first AI-enabled Annual Report in collaboration with Futurity Ltd. Initiative marks a milestone for SL’s energy sector, positioning LAUGFS Power among the earliest renewable energy companies in the country to adopt artificial intelligence for shareholder communications. The deployment integrates Futurity’s flagship platform, Omni, into the Investor Relations section of LAUGFS Power website. more..