Oct 6 (NW) The national ceremony to mark World Habitat Day was held today (05) at the Temple Tress under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Coinciding with the United Nations’ World Habitat Day, the national commemoration was held under the theme A Place to Belong – A Beautiful Life. In line with this, the period from 1st to 5th October was declared Habitat Week, during which a series of related programmes more..

Oct 6 (DM) Large-scale rice supplier Dudley Sirisena said he is not responsible for the current shortage of Keeri Samba rice in the market. Addressing the media, Sirisena said that the price of Nadu rice has fallen from Rs. 270 per kilo to Rs. 170 per kilo. However, Keeri Samba rice is not available at Rs. 260 per kilo, indicating that the shortage stems from production rather than distribution. "Farmers have cultivated more Nadu rice and less Keeri Samba. Due to the shortage, they are unwilling to more..

Oct 6 (DM) Chairman of the CoPF Harsha De Silva raised concerns on the new contract for the construction of the Central Expressway, claiming that negotiations with neither the contractor (MCC) on their claims nor with China EXIM Bank on terms and conditions on the reduced USD 500 million facility have been completed. He said the CoPF reviewed the Rs. 226 billion Central Expressway project driven by delays and mounting interests. He said that "Even though Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake more..

Oct 6 (ST) Between January and June 2025, CBSL Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has sent four requests for intelligence to the UAE, three to Singapore, and two each to India, US, Hong Kong, UK and Thailand. The FIU has also sent one request each to France, Belgium, Finland, Canada, Spain, Indonesia, and Madagascar. Similarly, the FIU has received two requests for intelligence from Bangladesh and one each from NZ, India, more..

Oct 6 (DN) The SL Navy entered into an agreement with a local representative of two foreign Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSCs), at the Navy Headquarters in Colombo on Oct 3. The agreement enables the storage and transportation of firearms, ammunition and related equipment under Navy supervision and protection, with logistical support provided by the respective local representatives. Recognising the imperative of safeguarding national interests, the President, more..

Oct 6 (AD) At least three individuals have died and three others have sustained injuries following a collision involving a lorry and a bus near Narammala town on the Narammala-Kurunegala main road, police stated. According to police, the accident occurred earlier this morning (05). The driver of the lorry, who was travelling from Kurunegala towards Narammala, had lost control of the vehicle causing it to veer off the right side of the road, colliding with a SLTB bus travelling from more..

Oct 6 (CT) Former Minister Wimal Weerawansa has been summoned to appear at the Tangalle Police today over remarks he made regarding Puwakdandawa Sanaa, also known as Beliatta Sanaa, who was recently arrested on drug-related charges. The summons was issued following statements Weerawansa made during a press conference held last Thursday. During the briefing, Weerawansa alleged that Puwakdandawa Sanaa was a member of the JVP and more..

Oct 6 (CT) A recent report by the National Audit Office (NAO) has revealed that salaries, overtime, leave payments, and allowances amounting to Rs 3,395,867,121 were paid in 2024 to 2,335 officers of Sri Lanka Customs without the use of fingerprint machines to verify attendance. According to the audit, all public sector employees are required to record their arrival and departure using fingerprint scanners. However, Customs officials had received salary and overtime payments more..

Oct 6 (DM) Sri Lanka could see the launch of a scheduled domestic airline service using 50-70-seater aircraft within the next six months, a move that could solve a long-standing barrier to tourism growth, according to aviation veteran and former SriLankan Airlines CEO Peter Hill. Hill made these remarks during a panel discussion at International Tourism Leaders Summit 2025, held on Thursday, at the BMICH. more..

Oct 6 (EN) SL’s state-run CEB, had tendered for 100MW/100MWh battery energy systems (BESS), to upgrade its grid to accommodate more intermittent renewables. The BESS facilities will be paid for by an Asian Development Bank credit. ADB had previously given a 150 million dollar credit to augment the grid to accommodate more renewable power. The battery systems will be set up at the Kolonnawa grid substation. The CEB floated tenders of 100MW/100MW with grid augmentation. more..

Oct 6 (TM) A total of 731 individuals have been selected for appointment to the post of Postal Assistant Grade III under the Primary Non-Skilled Service Category of the Department of Posts. The permanent appointment letters for the selected group are scheduled to be issued today (6) at the Temple Trees premises under the patronage of Minister Nalinda Jayatissa. Dept of Posts has not made any permanent recruitment for Postal Assistants since 2021, resulting in 1,982 more..

Oct 6 (EN) Sri Lanka has earned 26 billion rupees from an embarkation levy on those travelling abroad up to June 2025, up from 19 billion rupees last year, as local and foreign int'l travel increased. Sri Lankans travelling abroad has increased as incomes recovered gradually from the collapse of the rupee from rate cuts and inflationary open market operations by macroeconomists to boost potential output. The currency collapse delayed a recovery from a Coronavirus pandemic. more..

Oct 6 (PTI) A 22-year-old merchant navy cadet from India has gone missing off the coast of Sri Lanka while serving aboard an oil tanker, his family confirmed on Saturday. Karandeep Singh Rana disappeared on September 20 during the vessel’s voyage from Iraq to China, with a planned stop near Sri Lanka, according to his father, Narendra Singh Rana. Karandeep had left Dehradun on August 18 and travelled to Singapore, where he boarded the tanker bound for Iraq. more..

Oct 6 (Island) NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa reiterated that Sanath Weerasinghe, aka Puwakkdandawe Sana, who had been arrested recently in connection with the ongoing investigations into the narcotics network, is affiliated with the NPP, an accusation strongly denied by the govt. The former Minister emphasised that regardless of denials, he stood by his original claim that Sanath had been so close to the ruling more..

Oct 6 (ST) Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody has sought permission from the CIABOC to make a representation regarding the allegations against him over the misappropriation of funds while he was serving at the Fertiliser Corporation in 2015, a senior official said. The request had been made through a President’s Counsel. However, Commission has informed Mr Jayakody that if required, he could make his representations in writing. The process of filing action against the minister will likely be more..

Oct 6 (DN) Raigam Group Chairman Dr. Ravi Liyanage said that several new salt manufacturing sites should be established to meet the local salt requirement and to achieve self-sufficiency in salt. He stated that both the private sector and the public sector can intervene to build these new salterns with novel technology. He made these remarks while addressing the media regarding the recent scarcity of salt, at the Banking Institute of Central Bank of SL (CBSL), Rajagiriya. more..

Oct 6 (ST) SL’s recent decision to lift the 4-year ban on vehicle imports has ignited a surge in demand, swelling govt coffers while simultaneously heightening pressure on the country’s fragile foreign exchange reserves. Vehicle imports reached US$ 918 million during the first eight months of 2025, accounting for nearly 7% of total merchandise imports, which stood at $ 13.34 billion. LCs opened for vehicles have exceeded $ 1.2 bil by more..

Oct 6 (Island) Nations Trust Bank (NTB) has successfully facilitated a landmark foreign investment in SL’s apparel industry, reinforcing its position as a trusted financial partner for complex cross-border transactions and structured finance solutions. The transaction, valued at LKR 2.7Bn, saw Q Collection, a Singapore-headquartered apparel firm with operational roots in Bangladesh, acquire two subsidiaries of a local apparel group. This strategic move not only injects new capital more..

Oct 6 (DN) SL para athlete Pradeep Somasiri shattered Asian Record to claim SL’s second medal at the World Para Athletics Championship in New Delhi. Pradeep secured the bronze medal in the Men’s 1500m (T46) event with a time of 3:53.77 which was a great performance by the Lankan who created new Asian Record. The gold medal was won by Independent para athlete Aleksander Laremchuk with a time of 3.53.26 while Antoine Proud of France took silver in 3.53.62 minutes. more..

Oct 6 (DN) Two Kenyan athletes Elias Nyaga Muthoni and Caroline Cherono won men’s and women’s full marathon at the 19th LSR Colombo Marathon yesterday. The event was organised by Lanka Sportrizen after lapse of six years. Last time this event was held in 2018 and this time it was more successful with more than 1200 athletes from 135 countries taking part including 1011 atheletes from SL. Elias Muthoni finished the men’s marathon in a time of 2 hours 25.35 seconds while more..

Oct 6 (DN) The October full moon, Vap Poya, holds extraordinary significance. This day marks the end of the rainy retreat when monks have spent months in meditation and study. Throughout history, this full moon has witnessed remarkable events. Ancient kings offered robes to monks and then began the planting season, linking spiritual practice to community sustenance. The Buddha visited the heavenly realms to teach his deceased mother, helping her achieve awakening. more..

Oct 6 (DM) Shifana* from Puttalam and Kavya* from Batticaloa have spent years navigating SL’s family law system, facing domestic violence, slow courts, and unequal legal protections. Their struggles highlight the urgent need for reform and underscore the call for the Women’s Declaration on Family Law & Practice in SL—push for a justice system that protects women and children, listens to survivors and delivers timely fair outcomes. more..

Oct 6 (Island) The air is crisp and thin atop Horton Plains, the morning mist curling like breath over the rolling patanas. Then, as the rising sun pierces the haze, the landscape begins to shimmer—waves of mauve and violet unfurl across the slopes, as though the earth itself has exhaled after a dozen years of silence. Bees hum in the stillness. A sambar deer lifts its head, framed by the purple blaze. After 12 long years, the Nilu has returned. This is 2025, and SL’s highlands are once again transformed more..

Oct 6 (GV) After what seems to have been an eternity, it was refreshing to hear a prime minister who knew what they were talking about and who they were talking to. Harini Amarasuriya was the chief guest at the Sri Lanka premiere of the 4K restoration of Gehenu Lamayi. Reflecting on the film, Amarasuriya noted its director Sumitra Peries as a trendsetter and a trailblazer, saying she was more than a director, arguing that she broadened our understanding of feminism in South Asia. more..

Oct 6 (Island) Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has returned his official bulletproof vehicle in compliance with a govt directive, according to the Opposition. There has been no response from the govt to the Opposition’s claim. When it came under fire for reducing security provided to the former Presidents, on a previous occasion, the NPP claimed that the levels of security for all political leaders were determined on the basis of threat assessments. more..

Oct 6 (CT) On 1 Oct 2025, the South Asian Women in Media, SL Chapter, (SAWM-SL) convened in Colombo under the theme Amplifying the Voices of Women. The event brought together activists, leaders, storytellers, and advocates to explore both the challenges and opportunities in creating spaces where women’s voices are heard and respected. The keynote address by Ambika Satkunanathan, a human rights lawyer, activist, and former Commissioner of Human Rights Commission, more..

Oct 6 (TM) Delays in critical power projects continue to exacerbate the country’s electricity cost crisis and cast a shadow over the island’s energy security as economic recovery gains traction. The latest disruption came last week when Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake ordered a temporary suspension of two wind power projects in Mannar — a 20 MW facility and a 50 MW extension — despite tenders being called and contracts already more..

Oct 6 (DM) India, long known for its cultural diversity, is now carving a place for itself as an emerging LGBTQ+ tourism destination. With legal reforms, shifting public attitudes, and a growing number of businesses catering specifically to LGBTQ+ travellers, the country is steadily positioning itself as a safe and rewarding holiday choice for Queer visitors. India’s struggle with LGBTQ rights has been one of the most dramatic legal and social transformations of the past two decades. more..

Oct 6 (DM) It is becoming increasingly clear that President Dissanayake is following the missteps of late former President J.R. Jayewardene in his approach to international relations. Former President JRJ, always suspicious of Indian interests, attempted to hitch his govt’s policy to those of the US, in the belief the US and the West would stand by him in the event of relations breaking down with our giant neighbour. JRJ forgot that markets determine big power support. more..

Oct 6 (SO) The story of coffee begins in the highlands of Ethiopia more than a thousand years ago. Local legend recounts a story of a goat herder named Kaldi, who observed his animals becoming restless and full of energy after consuming the red cherries of a wild shrub. Curious, he tasted them himself and felt the same surge of alertness. Bhikkhus in nearby monasteries soon discovered that these beans, when steeped in hot water, more..

Oct 6 (ST) If the NPP party learns just three lessons as it passes the one year high water mark in holding the reins of power, it would do well to be a little more self-critical, a tad less arrogant and certainly more accountable in governance. Absent this learning exercise, its worst enemies will inevitably emerge from within as a matter of rude political force – which we witness already – rather than from the Opposition. In fact, the combined Opposition is possibly the weakest that we have had more..

Oct 6 (TM) The recent ramblings by the newly-styled US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth before hundreds of senior US military leaders, was viewed globally as a clear departure from the way the United States has been engaging with its military juggernaut in recent past. Many observers found Hegseth’s posturing and lecturing a political spectacle and a desperate action of a man whose military credentials has been questionable, trying to appease the collective egos of the Trump administration. more..