Oct 31 (SO) Corruption remains a major obstacle to good governance, economic development and public confidence in SL. It weakens democratic institutions, undermines public services, discourages investment and erodes trust in public officials. The Anti-Corruption Act, No. 9 of 2023, established a more comprehensive framework for preventing, investigating and prosecuting corruption. On Oct 8, 2026, Parliament passed Anti-Corruption more..

Oct 31 (GV) SL is considering two new laws to tackle terrorism and organised crime. Both aim to strengthen public safety but they also raise questions about detention, police powers and individual rights. What do these laws mean for the country and its people? While reading Facebook comments about the proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill (PSTA), I noticed something surprising. Some people were saying that the existing PTA was better than the proposed more..

Oct 31 (TM) On Saturday, banks across the country will mark World Thrift Day with the usual round of gift vouchers, children's passbooks and cheerful advertisements. The day has a respectable pedigree. It was declared at the first International Savings Bank Congress in Milan in 1924, when Europe was still counting the cost of war and ordinary families had learnt, painfully, that a little money put aside could separate hardship from ruin. A century later, that lesson has rarely felt more..

Oct 31 (TM) Nearly a year after Cyclone Ditwah tore through the island, the hills of the upcountry still bear its scars. And with the second inter-monsoon season now under way, those living on its slopes are being warned that the danger has not passed. When Ditwah made landfall in late November last year, more than 300 millimetres of rain fell within 24 hours in some areas, setting off landslides across the tea-growing districts of more..

Oct 31 (DM) The Israelis have spoken democratically to reaffirm that they glorify hardliners. They had little choice. There were hardly any candidates with peace credentials. The two main extremist-led blocs that contested the election produced a result in which neither emerged as the overall winner. Although PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud-led right-wing bloc is leading with 53 seats, it remains well short of the 61 seats required to control the 120-seat Knesset and form a govt. more..

Oct 31 (DM) Four decisive elections happening across four continents in a span of ten days could profoundly shape global politics. Already, two have concluded with surprising results for both the contenders and the public. Brazilian president Lula Da Silva won a fourth term in office over his right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro. Despite his victory, analysts note that Lula faces the difficult task of funding his promised social and welfare programmes while reining in rising public debt more..

Oct 30 (NW) Minister Bimal Rathnayake, says the no-confidence motion submitted by the Opposition against Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne will not be taken up for debate in Parliament on Nov 3. According to Minister Rathnayake, the decision follows the Opposition’s failure to amend the motion in accordance with the Standing Orders of Parliament and resubmit it before the Oct 28 deadline. The no-confidence motion against the Speaker had previously been scheduled for more..

Oct 30 (NW) Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe says legal action has been initiated against LAUGFS Gas PLC over allegations of misleading consumers and causing inconvenience to the public by failing to maintain adequate gas supplies. He said the CAA had filed a case against the company yesterday, which is scheduled to be taken up for hearing on Nov 11. Minister alleged that Laugfs Gas had failed to follow proper procurement procedures, resulting in supply disruptions since last month. more..

Oct 30 (DM) Inland Revenue Department has announced that a valid Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) certificate will be mandatory for eight specified transactions from Nov 1, 2026, under amendments to Inland Revenue Act. Requirement has been introduced under the Inland Revenue (Amd) Act, No. 11 of 2026, and will apply to persons specified under Section 102(3) of the Inland Revenue Act, No. 24 of 2017, as amended. more..

Oct 30 (Island) Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) has arrested a former LTTE cadre deported to Sri Lanka from India. The Tiger was arrested by Indian security authorities in 2015 over his alleged involvement in efforts to reorganise the LTTE. Following a trial in an Indian court, he was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison. After completing his prison sentence, arrangements were made to deport him to Sri Lanka. Accordingly, he arrived at the BIA Monday night (26). more..

Oct 30 (DM) The membership of the UNP has been restructured to accommodate two special categories, namely the Millennial UNP and the Gen Z UNP, party chairman Wajira Abeywardena said. The representation of these two generations was confirmed by UNP leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe, at the UNP Working Committee meeting. Millennium UNP generation represents the age group of 35-40 years. Gen Z UNP generation includes young men and women born after the year 2000. more..

Oct 30 (PMD) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed retired Judge V.K. Malalgoda as the new Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka. The other members appointed to the Commission are S.Y.M. Gomes, A.L.A. Azeez, Dr S.S.S.B.D.H. Jayawardena and Professor T. Jayasingam. The letters of appointment were presented to them by Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon (30). more..

Oct 30 (NW) President of the Bar Association of SL (BASL), Rajeev Amarasuriya, has raised serious concerns over prison overcrowding in SL, revealing that facilities designed to accommodate approximately 11,000 inmates currently hold nearly 40,000. He further revealed that nearly 30,000 prisoners are being held on remand, while almost two-thirds of the prison population are detained in connection with drug-related offences. Amarasuriya made these remarks today (30), more..

Oct 30 (DM) Colombo HC Judge Lal Bandara Ranasinghe today ordered that three revision applications filed by the CIABOC, seeking to revoke the bail granted to Attorney-at-Law Rakitha Rajapaksa and two other suspects, be taken up for hearing on Feb 9. The applications relate to an alleged incident in which the three suspects are accused of soliciting and obtaining a bribe of Rs. 120 mil from the wife of an organised criminal more..

Oct 30 (NW) Two suspects, including the owner of a pet boarding facility in Katana, have been arrested in connection with the death of a dog that was allegedly beaten to death at the facility on Oct 8. Katana Police arrested the two suspects on Oct 27 following an investigation launched after receiving a complaint about the incident. The other suspect, who had been dismissed from the pet care facility in connection with the incident, had returned to his home in Tangalle, police said. more..

Oct 30 (CI) If there is something slightly disconcerting about this tri-series, which concludes when SL play hosts Pakistan in the final on Saturday, it's that everything seems to have gone as it should. The pitches, across Rawalpindi and Lahore, have varied enough to offer contests of more than just one flavour. The sides have been relatively well-balanced, and relatively full-strength. The weather has played ball. Crowds built up most games, and packed the stadium out by the more..

Oct 30 (NW) SL lost the equivalent of over 120,000 full-time jobs due to rising workplace heat stress in 2023, compared to the average year during the historical period from 1985 to 2014, according to a report by International Labour Organization (ILO). The report, titled Impacts of heat stress on jobs and productivity in SL, revealed that rising temperatures also resulted in an estimated additional economic loss of US$ 6.5 billion in 2023, more..

Oct 30 (AD) A man has been sentenced to a total of 54 years of rigorous imprisonment after being found guilty of raping his own underage daughter, following a case heard before the Gampaha High Court on Oct 2, Police Media Division said. The accused, who is the victim’s father, was found guilty on all three charges brought against him. The presiding High Court Judge imposed a sentence of 18 years of rigorous imprisonment on each charge, amounting to a total of 54 years. more..

Oct 30 (Island) Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that good citizens are essential to building a developed nation and that quality education plays a vital role in shaping responsible citizens. The Prime Minister made these remarks while participating in the ceremony to hand over the newly constructed building at Ihala Puliyankulama Vidya Chakrawarthi Maha Vidyalaya in Puttalam to the students on 29 October, under the Primary School Modernisation Project. more..

Oct 30 (DM) In another major salvo against the govt over the new counter terrorism legislation, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in its report that the Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA) reproduces or expands a number of shortcomings in the Protection of Terrorism Act which is in force and earlier proposed counter-terrorism legislation. The report was circulated to the SL media by more..

Oct 30 (DM) A total of 1,664 murders were reported in Sri Lanka over the past three years, including 48 children among the victims, according to SL Police. A total of 573 murders were reported in 2023, followed by 555 in 2024 and 536 in 2025. The report states that the police have been able to solve approximately 93% of the total murder cases reported during the three-year period. A total of 317 women were among those killed during the same period. more..

Oct 30 (DM) Ryanair has responded to SL cricket legend Kumar Sangakkara, who accused the airline, following an incident involving the airline’s gate staff at Dublin Airport. According to the Daily Mail, Ryanair said Sangakkara had refused to provide the required visa documentation when requested by a gate agent conducting mandatory immigration checks. In a statement to Daily Mail Sport, the airline said the passenger had declined to provide the necessary documentation when requested. more..

Oct 30 (NW) Industrial Development Board (IDB), operating under the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, has opened applications for the i5 | FIVE Industry Excellence Journey & Awards 2026 to recognize and promote excellence in SL’s manufacturing sector. The initiative aims to boost productivity, innovation, competitiveness, and sustainability among local manufacturers, helping enterprises prepare for the Industry 5.0 era by combining technological more..

Oct 30 (DM) The Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities has proposed introducing a separate budget line for persons with disabilities in the estimates of every ministry to ensure that their needs and concerns receive adequate attention. The proposal was discussed at a special meeting of the Caucus held recently at Parliament under the chairmanship of MP Sugath Wasantha de Silva. Australian High Commissioner Matthew John Duckworth and a group of officials, more..

Oct 30 (NW) Western Province SDIG Sajeewa Medawatte says police believe the suspect who died in Homagama Police custody died from assault-related injuries, while acknowledging that officers failed to follow proper procedures when handling the suspect. OIC of the Homagama Police Crimes Division has also been arrested in connection with the custodial death, while several other officers have faced disciplinary action. more..

Oct 30 (NW) Minister Upali Pannilage has dismissed media reports claiming that Aswesuma benefits provided to nearly 1.4 million people have been suspended. The Minister clarified that only 1,206,000 individuals currently receive Aswesuma benefits, making claims that benefits provided to 1.4 million people have been discontinued factually incorrect. Speaking at an awareness programme for Samurdhi officers in Anuradhapura yesterday, Minister Pannilage said the ongoing review of more..

Oct 30 (NW) Air quality levels in several parts of Sri Lanka have reached unhealthy levels for sensitive groups, according to real-time air quality data published by IQAir as of 10.30 a.m. today (30). Jaffna recorded the highest air pollution level in the country, with a US Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 142, followed by Puttalam at 119 and Anuradhapura at 115. Meanwhile, Colombo recorded an AQI reading of 102, placing it fourth among the most polluted cities in Sri Lanka. more..

Oct 30 (EN) SL’s overall rate of inflation, as measured by the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI), rose to more than 3-year high of 8.3% in Oct 2026, up from the previous month’s 8% and breached the CB’s upper inflation target rate of 7% for the fourth month, data showed. CCPI for all items in October rose to 209.9, recording an increase of 0.8 index points or 0.4% compared to 209.1 in September. more..

Oct 30 (DM) PAFFREL has urged the Govt to ensure that national security measures do not undermine fundamental human rights, raising concerns over two proposed laws intended to replace the PTA and address organised crime. In a letter addressed to Prez Dissanayake, PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarchchi called for a thorough review of the proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill and the Prevention of Organised Crime Bill before they are enacted. more..

Oct 30 (NW) A Buddhist monk attending the final rites of the Homagama youth who died while in police custody, has alleged that concerns about misconduct at the Homagama Police Station had been raised with authorities approximately a month before the incident. Addressing mourners at the funeral, the monk said he had attended an event held under the A Nation United Programme at the Homagama Divisional Secretariat, where he had brought concerns regarding the conduct of more..

Oct 30 (FT) For over 30 years, much of my work has involved helping people make sense of where they are in their careers and where they might go next. I have worked with people of different ages, in very different sectors and in different parts of the world. But there is something particularly troubling about what I am seeing amongst young graduates in Sri Lanka today. These are not young people who have failed to try. Many have done exactly what was expected of them. more..

Oct 30 (FT) On 31 Oct, World Cities Day 2026 will focus on Regenerating the City: Adequate Housing for All. For Colombo, the theme raises a central question: has the city merely grown and modernised—or is it actually regenerating? Colombo has more homes, improved services, comparatively stronger infrastructure and increasingly valuable land. Yet these achievements do not automatically make the city more affordable, inclusive, accessible or resilient. more..