Oct 2 (DM) Recent revelations regarding the murder of former Havelocks Sports Club rugby captain Wasim Thajudeen are both shocking and disturbing. With missing information and various attempts to hide evidence, people were forced to believe that it was a mere accident caused as a result of drunk driving, until former Prez Maithripala Sirisena assumed power by reminding voters that he would do justice to the murders of Sunday Leader Editor-in-Chief Lasantha Wickrematunga, more..

Oct 2 (DM) One year since the election of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the NPP is still on a political honeymoon. The disunited opposition offers little challenge, and whenever Sajith Premadasa opens his mouth, Sri Lankans are reminded of why the NPP is in power. It is probably still premature to assess the foreign policy acumen or lack thereof of the NPP govt. However, if you look back over the past 15 years or so, each of its predecessors had done much to damage, rather than manage, more..

Oct 2 (CT) A notebook and a cell phone is all that remained in a blood-stained car on Attidiya Road, Ratmalana on 8 Jan 2009. The critically injured person driving the vehicle was a high-profile SL journalist, politician, broadcaster, and human rights activist, Lasantha Manilal Wickrematunge. The late Editor-in-Chief of the Sunday Leader newspaper was attacked in broad daylight by assassins on motorcycles who forced Wickrematunge’s more..

Oct 2 (CT) When SL passed the Right to Information Act, No. 12 of 2016, it was hailed as a historic victory for citizens. For decades, journalists, activists and citizens had pressed for a legal tool that would allow them to hold power to account. Act was not merely another piece of legislation, but it rather symbolised a profound shift where the people, not the State, become the ultimate custodians of information, and that public institutions exist to serve, not to conceal. Nine years on, however, more..

Oct 2 (TM) There may be light at the end of the tunnel for those who have been calling for regulation into single-use plastics in Sri Lanka, with the Supreme Court being informed of a gazette notification expected next month, making it mandatory to charge a fee for plastic shopping bags, so they can no longer be given free of charge by traders. While this move will not be the end of Sri Lanka’s single-use plastics crisis, it certainly is a step in the right direction. more..

Oct 1 (NW) The Australian Dept of Home Affairs has announced the revised Evidence Level update for countries and Education Providers concerning the Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF). Accordingly, the September 2025 Evidence Level update is based on Student visa outcome data from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025. Australian Dept of Home Affairs announced that the revised Evidence Level update has taken place, effective for applications lodged on or after 30 Sept 2025. more..

Oct 1 (Island) Attempts are being made in some quarters to revive racism, and everything possible must be done to defeat them, Minister Ramalingam Chandrasegar has said. Chandrasegar was speaking yesterday morning at a ceremony to mark the reopening of Jaffna Special Economic Centre, in Mattuvil. Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe, Northern Province Governor N. Vethanayahan, and Members of Parliament K. Ilangkumar, S. Sri Bavanandarajah, and J. Rajeevan also attended the event. more..

Oct 1 (MB) In 2012, SL’s National Red List delivered a grim verdict on endemic Pini- Beraliya, the towering dipterocarp Doona ovalifolia (syn. Shorea ovalifolia) tree by categorizing it as extinct in the wild. For decades, the species was known mainly from a single cultivated specimen in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya in central SL. That solitary tree, rising above the landscaped grounds, became a living relic of more..

Oct 1 (TM) Sri Lanka will soon develop a national quality infrastructure system that meets high int'l recognition standards, according to Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Chrishantha Abeysena. He made this announcement while attending the inaugural session of a two-day workshop on Regulatory Impact Assessment and the Strengthening and Development of National Quality Infrastructure Systems, organised by Ministry of Science & Technology in collaboration more..

Oct 1 (AD) A teacher at a prominent school in Monaragala has been injured and hospitalised following an assault by a student. The incident occurred this morning (October 1), and it has been reported that the injured teacher is currently receiving inpatient treatment at the Monaragala District General Hospital. According to reports, the Grade 11 student allegedly assaulted the teacher after being questioned about bringing a mobile phone to school. more..

Oct 1 (DM) Since 1991, Int'l Day of Older People has been observed on Oct 1 each year, worldwide. 2025 UN International Day of Older Persons is observed under the theme Older Persons Driving Local and Global Action: Our Aspirations, Our Well-Being and Our Rights. Therefore, the retirement age is an ideal topic to discuss in this context. By the introduction of the Minimum Retirement Age of Workers Act No. 28 of 2021, more..

Oct 1 (NW) The son of Anura Vidanagamage, alias Middeniya Kajja, has denied reports claiming that his father was the individual identified in a vehicle that pursued rugby player Wasim Thajudeen before he died in 2012. Police told the media yesterday that Middeniya Kajja was recognized by his widow in connection with the case. However, addressing the media, the underworld figure’s son revealed that during initial interrogations by the CID, his mother had denied that more..

Oct 1 (Island) The Collective of Organisations for the Protection of War Heroes and the SL Unitary State yesterday handed over a letter to the Switzerland Embassy in Colombo seeking an explanation as to why the LTTE rump and Tamil Diaspora are continuously allowed to promote and encourage separatism by organising LTTE activities in Geneva. The group lodged a strong protest against the public display of LTTE insignia and effigies of its leaders in Geneva, in proximity to the UN premises, more..

Oct 1 (Island) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in the inaugural meeting of the SAARC Heritage Forum 2025 for promoting Regional Art, Culture, Heritage Sites, Museums, and Archives organized by the Cultural Center (SCC) with the support of the Govt of SL on Tuesday (Sep 30) at the National Museum, Colombo. The forum which commenced on 30th of Sept will conclude on 2nd Oct. SAARC Heritage Forum 2025 aims to bring together experts, professionals, and scholars more..

Oct 1 (WHO) SL is strengthening its influenza response by focusing on rapid testing, timely treatment, and maternal health integration. With WHO support, the country is developing the evidence base on the burden of influenza and the value of vaccination —advancing a holistic approach to protect vulnerable populations and improve pandemic preparedness. SL is taking a proactive approach to reduce hospitalizations and deaths from seasonal influenza by focusing on more..

Oct 1 (DM) Despite the lapse of nine months since the signing of the MoU, the govt is yet to finalise the proposed US $3.7 billion investment by China’s Sinopec for a refinery facility in Hambantota. Deal was inked during Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to China earlier this year. However, the project’s implementation has stalled, with the company seeking amendments to the original tender terms, including more..

Oct 1 (AD) A stock of weapons including 74 T-56 magazines, 35 LMG drums, 5 MPMG drum boxes, and several unidentified magazines has been discovered in the Kataragama Weheragala Reservoir. Additionally, two boxes suspected to contain explosives and two sacks suspected to contain weapons were also reportedly found at the location. The discovery was made following an investigation based on intelligence received by the military. The cache of military equipment more..

Oct 1 (CT) A programme to pay tribute to Punchage Kalu Menika of Rambewa, who is celebrating her 113th birthday and has become the second oldest person in the country, was held recently. Punchage Kalu Menika, who lives in the Sangili Kanadarawa area, 106 Grama Niladhari Division, Rambewa DS Division, Anuradhapura, was honoured as the second oldest person in a programme paying tribute to the oldest mother and father in the country. This coincides with the International Day of more..

Oct 1 (EN) Revenue collected by SL Customs jumped around 37% in September compared to the monthly target. SL Customs has set a revenue target of 2,115 billion rupees for this year, 36.2% higher than last year’s 1,553 million rupees. The monthly target for September this year was 185 billion rupees, but the govt has achieved 253.2 billion rupees. The Customs has achieved 1,724 billion in revenue during first 9 months more..

Oct 1 (AD) A revised indictment was served before the Colombo High Court today against former Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, his wife, and six other defendants. The charges were filed in relation to the misuse of over Rs. 6.1 million in govt funds from the state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, allegedly spent illegally under the pretext of providing flood relief in Dec 2014. The revised indictment, filed by the Attorney General, was formally submitted before Colombo HC more..

Oct 1 (DM) Crimes like the murder of Wasim Thajudeen were not committed by Siripala or Gnanaratnam in the village, but by rulers who governed the country, Minister Bimal Ratnayake said today. He said that the law will be implemented against those invloved in the crimes acccording to the investigations, whether they are political activists or not. Responding to a question whether action will be taken against the politicians who are said have been involved in the murder of Thajudeen, more..

Oct 1 (AD) Supreme Court has been informed that a gazette notification is expected to be issued by Nov 1, making it mandatory to charge a fee for plastic shopping bags, so they can no longer be given free of charge by traders. Announcement by Minister of Environment and other respondents during the hearing of a fundamental rights petition filed by Centre for Environmental Justice, which requested a court order to implement a program to reduce the use of polythene due to the environmental more..

Oct 1 (EN) Sri Lanka gross forex earnings from exports, remittances and services totalled US$ 1,521 million in August 2025, central bank data show, exceeding imports by US$ 824 million. Export earnings were US$ 1,282 million, remittances (labour exports) were US$ 680.3 million and gross services income was US$ 557 million. Of that US$ 258 million were estimated to have come from tourism, and US$ 71.8 million from computer and IT services. Travel abroad was US$ 75.3 million. more..

Oct 1 (TM) Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage said that he has temporarily suspended 10 sports federations as those helming those associations had been unable to govern their institutions, in keeping with the provisions of their respective constitutions. Minister stated that there has been a welter of allegations levelled at 10 sports federations prompting his immediate intervention. “There have been a litany of allegations more..

Oct 1 (CT) Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga Bodaragama, yesterday, ordered that two suspects, who functioned as directors of Singha Finance and Nation Lanka Finance, be further remanded until 14 October in connection with a massive financial fraud involving over Rs 9 billion collected from more than 1,000 depositors. FCID, submitting a further report, revealed that Rs 8 billion belonging to depositors of Nation Lanka Finance had been transferred to Singha Capital without the consent of more..

Oct 1 (NW) A new 3-storey medical ward complex built at a cost of Rs. 1 billion was declared open at the Darga Town District Hospital under the patronage of Minister Nalinda Jayatissa. The project was implemented under Chinese govt assistance to upgrade 13 selected hospitals. The new facility consists of a 96-bed maternal and pediatric ward, a four-bed intensive care unit, general wards, and an outpatient department. Health Ministry has also allocated Rs. 50 million to provide essential more..

Oct 1 (DM) The father of an eight-year-old boy has lodged a complaint against the Colombo Swimming Club, alleging negligence after his son fell into the pool and suffered brain damage. The father, Prasad Panagoda, told the Daily Mirror that the club had failed to provide any details regarding the incident. “The doctors asked us for information such as how long it took to provide oxygen to my son and when the ambulance arrived. more..

Oct 1 (NW) SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa has called for an unbiased investigation into the death of the late ruggerite Wasim Thajudeen. MP Namal Rajapaksa urged the authorities to find information on all related details. Commenting on the identification of an individual by his widow in connection with the case, MP Rajapaksa said the authorities must ascertain where he was residing and with whom, and those he had associated with. “Without attempting to create a buzz in their more..

Oct 1 (PMD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake returned to Sri Lanka this morning after successfully completing a three-day official visit to Japan, undertaken at the invitation of the Japanese Govt. Prez commenced his visit on Sept 27 and served as the Chief Guest at the Sri Lanka Day celebrations held at the Expo 2025 exhibition in Osaka. During the visit, Prez Dissanayake engaged in a series of high-level bilateral discussions aimed at further strengthening the longstanding friendship more..

Oct 1 (FT) The varied public response to recent incidents ranging from the arrest of Ranil Wickremesinghe, former president and prominent politician of Sri Lanka to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, American right-wing political activist, evidence that our assessment of, and response to, events are primarily based on our like or dislike of the individual, or individuals, involved rather than on an objective and unemotional interpretation of the underlying facts. When we base our opinions more..

Oct 1 (FT) Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former President of SL, son of D.A. Rajapaksa, was born in June 1949, Palatuwa in Matara district as the fifth of nine siblings. He was brought up in Weeraketiya in Hambantota district. Hailing from a well-known political family, his father a prominent politician, MP and Cabinet Minister of Agriculture and Land in Wijayananda Dahanayake govt and Mahinda Rajapaksa his elder brother. He was educated at Ananda College, Colombo & joined SL Army. more..

Oct 1 (TM) Court of Appeal (CA) yesterday ordered the Customs to investigate and report to Court by 10 October as to whether the vehicles currently being detained by the Customs can be released on a corporate or personal bond. This directive was issued during the hearing of approximately 15 writ petitions filed by vehicle importers seeking an order to release vehicles currently held by the Customs. more..