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..

Oct 1 (EN) Central Bank of SL has initiated legal enforcement and frozen bank accounts of six institutions accepting unauthorized deposits under the guise of plantation and forestry cultivation projects, Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said. Under SL law, it is illegal for institutions not registered with the central bank to accept monetary deposits. The regulatory action comes as depositors hold media briefings complaining that companies have stopped returning their funds, even as more..

Oct 1 (AD) SL Police have urged the general public to carefully read and fully understand the terms and conditions imposed by online lending institutions before obtaining instant loans through digital platforms. Police said that taking the time to understand these conditions could help borrowers avoid potential difficulties and prevent financial losses. FCID has launched an investigation into a system through which instant loans are offered online via advertisements posted on more..

Oct 1 (DN) Following discussions with Central Bank officials regarding Foreign Exchange Regulations Nos. 01 and 02 of 2026 and the Order issued under Section 22 of the Foreign Exchange Act, the Committee on Public Finance approved the said Regulations and Order. The matter was considered at a meeting of the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) held in Parliament recently under the chairmanship of MP Dr. Harsha de Silva. more..

Oct 1 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has stressed the present govt’s responsibility to ensure the physical and mental well-being, protection and development of children, saying every child should have equal opportunities to pursue their aspirations. Issuing a message to mark World Children’s Day, Prez said children’s imagination, aspirations and creativity would shape the future of SL and called for an environment where children’s voices are heard and their potential supported. more..

Oct 1 (FT) Bank lending to the private sector is cooling in response to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka’s (CBSL) May rate increase, but remains sufficient to sustain economic growth, CBSL Chief Economist Dr. Lasitha Pathberiya said yesterday. “We still expect this level of credit expansion to be sufficient to support economic activity,” he told reporters at the Monetary Policy Review briefing. The moderation is part of why the CBSL sees no immediate need for further tightening. more..

Oct 1 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasized that a strong public service capable of taking risks, enduring hardship, and maintaining accountability is essential for the country to overcome its current challenges, speaking at the Vishishta Seva Vibhushana medal presentation ceremony today (30). He commended the medal recipients for their exceptional contribution over more than two decades, particularly during complex periods of armed conflict & natural disasters. more..

Oct 1 (NW) SLC Transformation Committee Chairman Eran Wickramaratne has said changes are expected in the organisation’s senior management, with staff to be assessed under stricter performance targets as part of a proposed governance overhaul. Wickramaratne said the new structure would introduce clearer accountability and key performance indicators (KPIs) for employees and senior management. “Changes will happen because you need the changes,” he said, more..

Oct 1 (NW) The Govt Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has urged the govt to introduce further tax relief for doctors and other professionals, warning that the country continues to lose skilled workers due to what it described as an excessive tax burden. In a statement, GMOA said more than 2,500 specialist doctors and other medical officers have left SL since 2021/2022, citing taxation as one of the main factors contributing to migration. more..

Oct 1 (ST) SLC’s Transformation Committee is set to complete the accreditation process for player managers, in a move aimed at ensuring that their role remains focused on the commercial and professional interests of players rather than extending into cricketing and selection matters. The move comes at a time when the rapid growth of T20 franchise leagues globally has made player representation increasingly important. With lucrative opportunities available across the world, more..

Oct 1 (ST) National Implementation Plan (NIP) for the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) 2026-2028 was launched under the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, with support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) as Secretariat and Coordinator to the UN Network on Migration in SL – reinforcing national efforts to advance coordinated, evidence-based, and people-centred migration governance. more..

Oct 1 (ST) SL has taken its solar-energy transition onto a new surface — water. 5 MW Diyajanani Floating Solar Power Plant, built on the Ibbankatuwa Tank in Dambulla, was connected to the national grid on Sept 18. Spread across about 10.5 acres, the plant is expected to generate around 9 GWh of renewable electricity annually, enough to meet the needs of about 7,500 households. It is also projected to save around 2.5 million litres of more..

Oct 1 (PMD) A meeting between Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and key stakeholders in the construction industry was held this afternoon (30). Prez reviewed the current status and future trends of the construction industry and sought the views and proposals of stakeholders on measures that could be taken to strengthen the sector and ensure its sustainable growth. Prez was briefed on several key challenges and issues currently faced by the construction industry. more..

Oct 1 (TM) Football Federation of SL (FFSL) President Jaswar Umar is of the view that if domestic Football Academies are to reach the professional level, then they will need to scour for sponsors on their own. He said due largely to the money-minded agendas of a few past heads of the FFSL, numerous prominent football clubs in the local circuit have become defunct currently, and warned that the same predicament could befall Football Academies as well, if prompt remedial more..

Oct 1 (DN) The second day of the AI Exhibition, held as part of Sri Lanka AI Week 2026, officially commenced today at Monarch Imperial, with the presence of PM Harini Amarasuriya, marking another significant milestone in the week-long initiative pioneered by the Ministry of Digital Economy and SLT-MOBITEL. The occasion was also graced by Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne, Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy Waruna Sri Dhanapala, Chinese Amb. Wei Huaxiang, more..

Oct 1 (FT) Cabinet has approved the signing of a supplementary agreement with Brazil to pave the way for implementing a technical cooperation project aimed at developing SL’s dairy industry, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. He said the initiative builds on a basic Technical Cooperation Agreement signed between SL & Brazil on 16 Sept 2008. Under the agreement, a high-level delegation of Brazilian experts visited SL in 2023 to conduct a comprehensive assessment of technical more..

Oct 1 (Island) Dinal Phillips, PC has defended a key provision in the proposed new constitution for SLC that allows one of the appointed members, rather than an elected representative, to serve as Chairman of the Board. There have been concerns that a former cricketer will not be able to be appointed as Chairman of SLC if the new constitution comes to effect, but Philips said that country needed to move on with times. more..

Oct 1 (Island) Ibrahim Mohamad Naufer, aka Naufer Maulavi, 48, sentenced to 220 years of rigorous imprisonment by the High Court trial-at-Bar on 22 Sept. for his role in the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage, was taken into custody a few days after the incident. It was considered the principal case as there are other cases concluded and in progress. At the time the police apprehended him, following a tip off received from the staff of a small hotel in Dambulla, where he was taking refuge, more..

Oct 1 (GV) I have had two abortions. Both took place after the birth of my son during a period when my first marriage had ended and I was in another relationship. I was 29 or 30 years old. I was already a single mother and the primary financial support for a household of seven people. I did not want the abortions. My partner at the time came from a family and cultural context in which having a child outside marriage could have carried serious consequences for him. more..

Oct 1 (DN) Govt’s move to expand the country’s forest cover is a well thought out move. In this respect, credit should go to our one time British conquerors, who, nevertheless, took all measures to preserve the country’s beauty, which included protecting and preserving our forest cover. Unfortunately, the locals gave scant regard to the importance of protecting the forests but went about on a destruction spree, which has now been checked with the enactment of new laws more..

Oct 1 (Island) Media reports about a Police Headquarters decision to transfer Senior Deputy IGP Ranmal Kodithuwakku, who oversees the Central Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), and several other senior police officers involved in uncovering a massive drug haul recently have raised many an eyebrow. The Police Department is reported to have sought the National Police Commission’s approval for their transfers, citing organisational/service requirements. more..