Oct 15 (FT) Walk into your living room and pick up your smartphone. Hidden inside are powerful but invisible minerals called rare earth elements. Step outside and look at a passing electric car, or a towering wind turbine on the coast—again, the same minerals are there. From missiles and medical devices to the batteries in our laptops, these resources are everywhere, even though most of us hardly know they exist. This is the global rare earth race. It is a race SL has so far watched more..

Oct 15 (FT) One year on, the moral march of Anura Kumara Disanayake (AKD)’s Govt echoes Jonathan Chait’s warning: movements that mistake conviction for wisdom risk becoming moral parades rather than governing forces. “The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah… The little one stops to tie his shoe…” Adapted from an old folk rhyme, the song endures because its rhythm carries a warning: unity preserves survival, but unthinking motion breeds futility. When AKD and NPP took office, more..

Oct 15 (DM) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) has decided not to increase electricity tariffs, rejecting a proposal by the CEB to raise rates by 6.8% to cover a revenue deficit of Rs. 7.7 billion in the final quarter of 2025. PUCSL Chairman Prof. K.P.L. Chandralal said the CEB had later revised its proposal, seeking an increase of Rs. 20.8 billion. However, following staff analysis and extensive public consultations more..

Oct 15 (DM) Three police teams have been deployed to arrest attorney-at-law Gunaratne Wanninayake, who was involved in a confrontation with a police constable at the Mount Lavinia Court premises, ASP F.U. Wootler said. He said that further investigations have been launched into the incident and said that the police made submissions to the court under special provisions of the penal code. He said legal action will be taken against the this lawyer soon. more..

Oct 15 (CT) Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga Bodaragama reaffirmed that courts will never hesitate to enforce the law against anyone, regardless of their position or status. He emphasised that the law applies equally to all — whether a judicial officer or an Attorney-at-Law. The case was taken up yesterday (14) before the Colombo Chief Magistrate. Court observed that the actions of the accused lawyer, identified as Kingsly Sanjeewa, were unbecoming of the legal profession. more..

Oct 15 (AD) The exact contents of the 51 packages found floating on seas off the southern coast, which were recovered by the SL Navy and brought to the Tangalle fisheries harbour last evening, have been revealed by the navy. The packages contain a total of 670 kg of ICE, 156 kg of heroin and 12 kg of Hashis. Over 50 floating parcels suspected to contain drugs were found drifting in the sea off southern coast and were brought more..

Oct 15 (FT) The United States has updated its travel advisory for Sri Lanka, urging citizens to exercise increased caution due to the risk of civil unrest, potential terrorist activity, and the presence of landmines in parts of the country. The US Department of State said protests linked to Sri Lanka’s political and economic situation may occur without warning and could turn violent. It noted that police have previously used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds. more..

Oct 15 (FT) Parliament Secretariat said that around 60-70% of SL’s casino-related activity now occurs through online platforms, while the State earns no tax revenue from these operations, according to findings presented to Committee on Public Finance (CoPF). At a meeting chaired by SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva, committee found that that only 30-40% of casino activity takes place in licenced physical establishments, highlighting a growing gap in regulation & revenue collection. more..

Oct 15 (FT) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said the Cabinet has approved the implementation of the National Minimum Wage of Workers (Amd) Act, No. 11 of 2025, which raises the monthly minimum wage for private sector employees from Rs. 17,500 to Rs. 27,000 with effect from 1 April 2025. Under the new law, the minimum wage will rise further to Rs. 30,000 from 1 Jan 2026, aligning with the 2025 Budget proposal to increase private sector pay in parallel with public sector salary adjustments. more..

Oct 15 (DN) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who is on an official visit to China, paid a courtesy call on Chinese PM Li Qiang, in Beijing. During the meeting, PM conveyed SL Govt’s appreciation to China for the invitation to participate in the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women 2025 and for the hospitality extended to the SL delegation. She extended good wishes on the 76th anniversary of the founding of China and noted that her first visit to China as PM provides an opportunity to further strengthen more..

Oct 15 (DM) Govt has taken steps to promote the use of locally produced brown sugar among the general public, aiming to strengthen and sustain the country’s domestic sugar industry. Cabinet approval has been granted to make it mandatory for all state institutions to use brown sugar in food production. The decision is expected to boost demand for the product and support the livelihoods of factory workers, sugarcane more..

Oct 15 (DM) Plantation companies pushed back against Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s bid to raise estate worker wages, warning the move has no firm economic logic and would saddle the sector with an additional Rs. 13 billion burden per year. Prez said the govt would ensure plantation workers receive a minimum daily wage of Rs. 1,750 within this year. He made these remarks on Sunday while participating in the eventto distribute house ownership deeds to Malayagam community. more..

Oct 15 (TM) Hayleys Fentons Limited announced the launch of Hayleys Mobility, a new venture delivering cutting-edge new-energy vehicle solutions and infrastructure, supporting the country’s transition towards sustainable mobility. This initiative comes in response to the growing demand for cleaner, smarter, and more energy efficient transportation options among Sri Lankan consumers and businesses. Through exclusive partnerships with world-renowned automotive brands, more..

Oct 15 (CI) Nilakshika Silva struck the fastest fifty at this World Cup to boost a flagging SL innings, after it looked like they were in danger of squandering their best start with the bat all tournament. It proved to be in vain, as rain washed out the game after the completion of the first innings. The result leaves them and New Zealand sharing one point apiece. Silva's knock perfectly complemented a half-century from Chamari Athapaththu and meant that, having opted to bat first in Colombo, more..

Oct 15 (ST) YouTuber Sudaththa Thilakasiri has been directed to appear in court on Oct 28 by Mount Lavinia Magistrate Pasan Amarasekara in relation to a claim of harassment of a woman by linking her name in a programme relating to the death of ruggerite Wasim Thajudeen. Court also directed that the YouTube channel and the TikTok account run by Mr Thilakasiri stop telecasting any material related to the case. Magistrate’s directive came after considering submissions made on behalf of more..

Oct 15 (TM) SJB MP, and Suwa Seriya ambulance service Founder Dr. Harsha de Silva opined that implementing the changes proposed by the Govt to the Suwa Seriya will set a bad precedent, and go against the original purpose of the service. He made these remarks with regard to the recent changes suggested by the Govt, which include changing the name, logo and colours of the logo of the Suwa Seriya service. more..

Oct 15 (Island) Hurdler Ayomal Akalanka of Ambagamuwa MMV delivered a truly markable performance on the final day of the All Island Schools Games at Diyagama on Tuesday bringing the curtain down on his memorable schools career as he became the first Sri Lankan in more than two decades to run the 400 metres hurdles under 50 seconds. ‎The athlete blazed the track with a feat of 49.90 seconds to win the Under 20 boys’ 400 metres hurdles in a new national junior record more..

Oct 15 (DM) SLBFE announced that 2,927 Sri Lankans have left for employment opportunities in South Korea so far this year. According to the Bureau, among this group are 100 young women. Of the total, 2,197 have found jobs in the manufacturing sector, 680 in the fisheries sector, 23 in the construction sector, and two in the agricultural sector. Meanwhile, SLBFE said arrangements are underway to send nearly 200 more Sri Lankans, who have already secured jobs in South Korea, more..

Oct 15 (ST) Melco Resorts & Entertainment, which opened the City of Dreams Sri Lanka casino in August, has invested Rs 30.2 billion in equity and loan capital in keeping with its undertaking of committing a minimum US$100 million, the company has reported in its financial filings. The casino developer, owner and operator describes City of Dreams Sri Lanka as a capital light project, lowering its risks. more..

Oct 15 (FT) Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) crossed a major milestone yesterday as total market capitalisation exceeded Rs. 8 trillion for the first time, marking a 40.48% gain so far this year. The stock market has delivered exceptional real returns over the past two years. The inflation-adjusted All Share Total Return Index (ASTRI) posted an average real gain of 65.1% up to August 2025, compared with 24.8% in 2024 and a negative 5.8% in 2023. Central Bank said the performance was driven by more..

Oct 15 (DN) Ayomal Akalanka of Ambagamuwa Central College and Jithma Wijethunga of Lyceum Int'l Wattala were adjudged Best boys’ and girls’ Athletes at the All Island Schools Athletic C'ships concluded at Diyagama yesterday. Ayomal Akalanka set up new record of boys’ under 20, 400m hurdles with a time of 49.90 seconds. The 19-year-old athlete Akalanka, coached by Anura Bandara became the first Sri Lankan in 23 years to run this event under 50 seconds. more..

Oct 15 (TM) Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe is to attend the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) Trade Policy Review (TPR) of SL, as well as the 16th session of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XVI). The sessions will be held from 15-23 Oct in Geneva, Switzerland, with the Minister accompanied by a SL delegation. This will be the first Trade Policy Review conducted since the new govt assumed office, and it forms part of the WTO’s regular process to evaluate and more..

Oct 15 (FT) eChannelling has launched eMindCare, a first-of-its-kind holistic mental wellbeing platform designed to make expert mental health and psychosocial wellbeing services more accessible, inclusive, and stigma-free. With psychosocial challenges and mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression on the rise in Sri Lanka, eMindCare addresses a critical gap by combining professional care with holistic practices and mental health education. more..

Oct 15 (FT) Central Bank remained a net purchaser of foreign exchange from the domestic forex market during the first eight months of 2025, continuing the positive trend seen in 2023 and 2024, according to the Financial Stability Review 2025. From Jan to Aug 2025, Central Bank absorbed $ 1.3 billion from the domestic forex market and injected $ 63.3 million, resulting in a net absorption of $ 1.24 billion. more..

Oct 15 (Island) SL stands at a critical juncture. After decades of ambitious infrastructure projects, expanding public sector employment, and rising debt burdens, SL’s 2022 economic crisis exposed fundamental weaknesses in how public resources are managed. As SL implements IMF-supported reforms, a crucial question emerges: Can SL achieve robust growth not by spending more, but by spending smarter? Recent IMF research analysing 174 economies offers compelling insights. more..

Oct 15 (GV) More than a year has passed since the NPP govt came into office yet many of Sri Lanka’s long standing political and constitutional issues remain unresolved. Election Commissioner recently stated that there is currently no legal framework to conduct the long overdue Provincial Council elections. If this is accurate, it raises serious concerns that the NPP govt is using the situation to deliberately delay the elections possibly due to falling popularity, declining public confidence more..

Oct 15 (Island) Former Navy Commander Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenna was granted bail by the Kurunegala High Court (HC) yesterday. He had been held on remand for more than two months over the disappearance of a man from Pothuhera and denied bail several times. The Kurunegala HC was reportedly critical of the manner in which the CID had arrested the former Navy Chief. The Opposition has said the CID arrested Ulugetenna solely on the basis of a statement made by a former LTTE more..

Oct 15 (TM) The label artificial implies something fake or detached, but, artificial intelligence (AI) is anything but detached from human reality. From Siri on smartphones to ChatGenerative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) in classrooms, AI is embedded in daily life. It is not an alien intelligence operating in isolation but a direct extension of human design, logic, and culture. Consider Google Translate: while it appears to know dozens of languages, its outputs depend entirely on millions of human more..

Oct 15 (CT) The death penalty handed down by the Tangalle High Court to Geeganagamage Amarasiri, also known as Julampitiye Amare, who was involved in underworld activities while enjoying political patronage/protection, was also affirmed by the Supreme Court last week. Tangalle High Court had sentenced him to death in the case related to the incident where, on the afternoon of 15 June 2012, an armed gang stormed a regional more..

Oct 15 (ST) Well, it must get something balanced, shouldn’t it? After all, if everything is ship-shape, as our comrades seem to think and say now and then at the end of a first year at the helm, there could still be a thing or two that must have escaped their eagle eyes. It is not that one is casting aspersions at the one-time Marx for missing some marks here and there in his enthusiasm to stand everything on its head amidst his busy travels, circling the globe and shaking paws with the aspiring leader more..

Oct 15 (DM) Women in rural areas make a huge contribution to the economy, but their contributions often go unnoticed. Hence, since today (15) is Int'l Day of Rural Women, let’s focus on rural women and their work. If we take the world at large, European women, both in the cities and rural areas, are recognised for their efforts. But it is not the case in Asian countries. Women in Asian need more opportunities to work. Do they get equal work opportunities compared to Asian men? more..

Oct 15 (SO) A glimmer of change has arrived on SL’s congested roads. The Lanka Metro Transit Company (Pvt) Ltd officially commenced its administrative work this week, signalling the start of a pilot project that aims to redefine urban public transportation, beginning with the Western Province. Established as a private company operating under the umbrella of the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), this venture is set to introduce a fleet of high-tech, more..