Oct 8 (CT) Despite recent media buzz suggesting Indian cricketers might participate in the upcoming Lanka Premier League (LPL), sources close to the LPL committee have clarified that no current India players will be part of the tournament. Instead, it is recently retired Indian cricketers who have shown interest in joining the cash-rich league. The 2025 edition of the LPL is set to be the longest in its history, running from 1 to 23 Dec. Matches will be held across three major Sri Lankan cities more..

Oct 8 (AD) The President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Jin Liqun, affirmed AIIB’s commitment to supporting Sri Lanka’s development, particularly in the promotion of the green energy sector. This statement was made during a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (07), where AIIB Head Jin Liqun, accompanied by senior management, met with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, according to the President’s Media Division (PMD). more..

Oct 8 (Island) CEB Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) has issued a stark warning that the govt’s sweeping power sector restructuring, under the SL Electricity Act No. 36 of 2024, could unleash serious economic and operational risks — destabilising the state utility, burdening consumers, and discouraging investor confidence in the long run. CEBEU Executive Comittee Member, Dhanuska Parakramasinghe, said restructuring effort, more..

Oct 8 (FT) Leading industry experts last week underscored the urgency of strategic collaborations to support exporters, particularly Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), to navigate challenges and help them remain competitive in the European market. They emphasised that if SL’s struggling exports are to transform from challenge to opportunity, compliance needs to be tapped as a unique selling proposition (USP). These and other useful insights were shared at a program jointly hosted by more..

Oct 8 (DN) The swimming pool at the Mannar District Sports Complex was officially opened to athletes last Friday under the patronage of Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage. Speaking at the event, Minister said he had visited Mannar in January this year to identify the sporting needs of children in the area, and promised to establish the sports complex within a year.Today, we are fulfilling that promise,” he said. Minister added that previous govts had paid limited attention to the development of more..

Oct 8 (FT) SL will start its third mutual evaluation on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) next year – and officials admit the stakes are high. The exercise is carried out in conjunction with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and its regional affiliate, Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), every 5-10 years. It was initially scheduled to begin in March, but was postponed owing to the two major more..

Oct 8 (FT) Opposition lawmakers yesterday submitted a motion in Parliament calling for the appointment of a Select Committee to investigate the release of 323 containers from the Colombo Port without mandatory physical inspection, a breach of standard Customs procedures that has raised serious concerns over national security and public safety. The motion cites findings from a Committee of Inquiry appointed by the Treasury Secretary on the instructions of Prez Anura Kumara more..

Oct 8 (FT) UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) yesterday raised serious concerns over SL’s limited progress in addressing thousands of unresolved disappearance cases, weak accountability mechanisms, and inadequate forensic capacity in investigating mass graves. In its latest findings released after reviewing SL’s implementation of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, Committee noted that more..

Oct 8 (Island) The JVP-led NPP govt has a proclivity for locking horns with trade unions although it pledged to champion workers’ rights during its Opposition days. It has antagonised state workers in several key sectors to the point of driving them to protest or even strike. Workers have played a pivotal role in unsettling govts and bringing about regime changes in post-Independence Sri Lanka. They were an integral part of the so-called Pancha Maha Balavegaya (Five Great Forces)— more..

Oct 8 (TM) There is much chatter about the level of protection afforded to Presidents and former Heads of State in SL. Most question why SL political leaders need any protection at all. There is no war, so what’s the need? many questions. Sri Lankans often draw parallels to how some leaders of European nations travel and use public transport, seemingly without massive motorcades. What they fail to recognise is that, even in such countries, when protection is deemed necessary, more..

Oct 8 (TM) Environment Ministry has urged the public to come forward with any information regarding past irregularities or acts of corruption within institutions such as Central Environmental Authority (CEA) and Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB). The ministry stated that all credible complaints would be investigated, and that firm action would be taken against those found responsible. Deputy Minister Anton Jayakody more..

Oct 8 (FT) The inaugural South Asian Bitumen Conference (SABIT 2025) will be held on 13–14 Nov at the Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, Colombo, bringing together decision-makers, policymakers, and industry specialists from across the bitumen value chain themed, Bridging Trade, Infrastructure and Supply Chains Across South Asia and Beyond. Organised by Conference Connection, together Events and Hospitality Partner, Helanka Vacations Colombo, SABIT 2025 marks the expansion more..

Oct 8 (Island) The country’s rightfully proud Army celebrates its 76th anniversary in October this year with some of its illustrious officers placed under a cloud with regard to their conduct during the war by those who cannot stomach their dream victory over the LTTE, achieved despite various attempts made by powerful Western nations to deny us that worthy triumph over the world’s most ruthless terrorist organisation, even acknowledged by the American Federal Bureau of Investigation. more..

Oct 8 (DM) Two great filmmakers emerged from SL and India three-quarters of a century ago – Lester James Peries and Sathyajit Ray. Both had a great deal in common, culturally speaking, and the first features they made, establishing them as masters of cinema, paid homage to rural cultures, folklore and identities, though both came from urban, westernised backgrounds. Sathyajith Ray (1921-1992) was born in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India. Lester James Peiries (1919-2018) was born more..

Oct 8 (CT) Sri Lanka is proud of a healthcare system that punches well above its weight compared to other developing nations – usually. However, the recent shortage of AVF needles critically needed for the care of SL’s many patients in need of regular dialysis treatment adds to the mountain of shortcomings in the State’s administrative system for healthcare which is holding back many struggling families and individuals from receiving the necessary treatment, forcing us to question once again, more..

Oct 8 (TM) At a supermarket in London, a 10 oz bottle of Harmless Harvest coconut water sells for $ 48 per pack of 12. Across the Atlantic, Vita Coco occupies shelf space at Whole Foods and CVS, backed by a market capitalisation of $ 2.27 billion as of September. In 2022, global coconut water market was worth $ 4.3 billion. By 2032, it is projected to reach $ 22.8 billion, according to The Brainy Insights. more..

Oct 8 (CT) The govt is investing its time and money in northern development in a way that no previous govt has in a long while. The topmost leaders of the govt no less, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake, have been spending a great deal of their time and effort in the north. During their visits they meet face to face with persons from different walks of life and launch new development projects that will benefit the people. more..

Oct 8 (DM) In July this year, the parliament took a historic step. It amended the Penal Code, banning all forms of corporal punishment inflicted on children. The govt needs be appreciated for taking this bold step. From ancient times, our country has recognised the criminality of imposing corporal punishment as a form of discipline on children. Our ancient chronicle the Chulavamsa -- dating back to the 13th century -- records a law banning the use of corporal punishment on both more..

Oct 8 (TM) Even as ride-hailing services continue to become an indispensable part of transport in Sri Lanka, the ambiguity of the laws and regulations governing these services has become a cause for concern, especially when it comes to passenger safety. Concerns about personal safety have been a recurring issue with ride-hailing services, with women in particular being vulnerable to potential incidents when more..

Oct 8 (DM) SL was once a nation that was greatly influenced by tradition more than law. The arrival of the British added more customs to our traditions. The biggest complaint, as time passed, was the absence of variety in life. The same complaint was made about our politics. There were just two political parties that called the shots on this island. Even in them, the baton for positions in hierarchy was passed in keeping with family lineage. Maintaining family and cultural traditions became more..

Oct 8 (GV) In 1833 when the Colebrooke-Cameron reforms introduced constitutional governance to Ceylon, they inadvertently triggered a profound social transformation. While governance remained under a powerful governor appointed by the British Crown, it created something revolutionary: the first pathways for people to transcend the rigid caste hierarchies that had defined social possibilities for millennia. For the first time, education and merit could elevate individuals beyond more..

Oct 7 (DM) Seven Grade 7 students from a school in Dambulla were admitted to the Dambulla Hospital due to a chemical exposure today. Five male students and two female students are among those hospitalised. Police said that monkeys had entered the school science lab during the recent school holidays and had rummaged through the apparatus in the lab. The students had tasted some reddish substance scattered on the floor, mistaking it for chilli powder. more..

Oct 7 (DM) The State Debt Management Office has informed the CoPF that Sri Lanka has still to repay foreign loans amounting to USD 37 billion and domestic loans totalling Rs. 19.6 trillion. Officials the from the State Debt Management Office revealed this after they were summoned before the CoPF to discuss the current amounts of foreign and domestic loans obtained by SL. Committee Chair Dr. Harsha De Silva inquired about the amount of loan installments payable this year, but more..

Oct 7 (AD) Despite Sri Lanka’s strong economic performance in recent times, the recovery remains incomplete, with growth still below pre-crisis levels and poverty significantly elevated, World Bank said. The World Bank noted that strengthening the recovery will require continued macroeconomic stability, urgent structural reforms and more efficient, better-targeted public spending. Latest SL Development Update, more..

Oct 7 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake reaffirmed that the IMF remains a vital partner in Sri Lanka’s accelerated journey from crisis to recovery, emphasizing that the govt regards IMF support not merely as external assistance, but as an integral element of its comprehensive strategy for sustainable economic progress. Speaking at the fifth mid-point review meeting held today at the Presidential Secretariat with an IMF delegation, the Prez stressed that the govt’s reform agenda more..

Oct 7 (DM) Doctors in the Eastern Province have called off their strike following the release of recommendations by the Health Ministry Secretary, which confirmed that the transfers at the center of the dispute were carried out legally. The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) announced that the industrial action, which began in the Ampara District and was set to expand to all hospitals in the Eastern Province next week, has now been suspended. more..

Oct 7 (NW) Sri Lanka is witnessing a dramatic drop in births, with official data showing the number of registered live births fell from about 328,400 in 2018 to 220,761 in 2024, recording nearly a 33% decline. The DCS reports a fall in new births compared to the period before the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the lowest birth figures in decades. Officials have voiced alarm over the trend. In late 2023, Minister Susil Premajayantha more..

Oct 7 (CT) A severe shortage of AVF needles—used for blood filtration during dialysis—has hit Sri Lanka’s State hospitals, leaving kidney patients in distress. The scarcity has also driven private pharmacy prices up from around Rs 100 to between Rs 700 and Rs 1,200 per needle, depending on the area. Patients report that only a few pharmacies still have stocks available, with some in remote areas selling the needles for as high as Rs 1,200 each. According to Health and Media Minister more..

Oct 7 (Island) Sri Lanka’s national mental health helpline has received 19,000 calls recorded during the past nine months alone, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) says. This was revealed during a media tour of the Angoda-based facility, where officials disclosed that the toll-free 1926 helpline had received 19,164 calls from across the country. Since its launch seven years ago, the 1926 service has fielded a total of 162,975 calls, according to NIMH spokespersons. more..

Oct 7 (AM) UNP Leader and former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has sharply criticised the govt, accusing it of exhibiting Hitler-like tendencies out of fear over the growing strength and unity of opposition parties, Virakesari newspaper reported. He stated that while political disagreements with the opposition are natural, they should be expressed within SL’s domestic political platforms — not taken abroad to criticise the country or its political situation before international audiences. more..

Oct 7 (AD) A total of 719 individuals have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in criminal activities and also over illicit liquor and drug-related offenses during a special island-wide operation conducted yesterday (06). As part of the operation, 28,476 people were subjected to inspection. Police have identified 13 individuals directly linked to criminal activities while 409 suspects with outstanding warrants were arrested during the operation, police noted. more..

Oct 7 (EN) SL follows India and Bangladesh in highest absolute number of child displacements linked to weather-related disasters, a UN Children’s Fund – South Asia report showed. “India, given its large population, experienced the highest absolute number of child displacements linked to weather-related disasters during this period, totaling 6.9 million across all hazards,” according to the report. “Bangladesh recorded the highest more..