Oct 13 (NW) Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL) has ruled that the fundamental rights of six Muslim female healthcare assistants were violated after authorities at the Kalmunai North Base Hospital ordered them to remove their headscarves and other religious attire while on duty. In its findings issued on Oct 12, the Commission concluded that the hospital administration had unlawfully restricted the employees’ religious freedom, discriminated against them and violated their right to engage in more..

Oct 13 (CI) Even counting the win against Bangladesh at the Asian Games SL have lost 12 T20Is to the two they have won since their win against Australia in the 2026 T20 World Cup. There have been significant personnel changes in that period. Captains have changed. There is a new head coach. Various batting orders have been trialled. But on Sunday's evidence, they are deeply outmatched by even this Pakistan side, who themselves are hardly world-beaters at the moment, more..

Oct 13 (ST) Cabinet decision is clear: with the introduction of biometrics into SL’s passport processing system, Dept of Immigration & Emigration (DIE) has started preliminary activities to coincide with the introduction of an electronic passport (ePassport). Identifying it as an essential component of the national digitalization programme, Cabinet said a passport in electronic format will be introduced with an electronic chip containing more..

Oct 13 (FT) Sri Lanka can no longer rely on debt-financed spending, tax concessions or import-intensive consumption to drive growth, and must instead lean on higher productivity, private investment and more competitive exports to turn its post-crisis recovery into durable expansion, Institute of Policy Studies of SL (IPS) said. In its flagship annual report, Sri Lanka: State of the Economy 2026: Policy Choices for Durable Growth, the think tank said the central challenge more..

Oct 13 (ST) National Shoora Council (NSC), comprising 14 Muslim Organisations, has urged Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iranian civilian vessels stranded in the South Galle within SL’s Exclusive Economic Zone. In a letter sent to the President on last Friday, NSC called for official search and rescue operations and medical assistance for the civilian seafarers and workers from Iran, India, Bangladesh and more..

Oct 13 (DN) SL women’s under 19 cricket team continued their winning form as they defeated Pakistan by six wickets in the eighth match of the Tri-Nation T-20 series played at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad yesterday. This is SL’s fourth win at a stretch and they are on top of the table with 8 points. The Lankan team led by Chamudi Praboda has shown a superb all round performance so far. SL lasses chasing a target of 106 and the opener Sanjana Kavindi, the most consistent batter more..

Oct 13 (TM) The prison population in the country has declined by around 6,000 inmates over the past few months due to improvements in the issuance of Govt Analyst (GA) reports, while the Prisons Department expects to ease overcrowding further through the introduction of an electronic monitoring system. Commissioner Senaka Pallethenna said that the inmate population had dropped from around 42,000 to 36,000 as the process of issuing GA reports had become more efficient. more..

Oct 13 (TM) NPP will support Speaker of Parliament Dr Jagath Wickramaratne in the no-confidence motion (NCM) brought against him by the Opposition, but may reconsider its position if investigations produce reports substantiating the allegations, NPP General Secretary Nihal Abeysinghe said. He said institutions were in place to investigate the allegations and that the NPP would discuss its position if their findings more..

Oct 13 (ST) Geopolitical conflicts and unprecedented global fuel costs triggered SL’s overall aircraft movements through the nation’s airport system fell by 5.1 to 9 per cent during the first eight months of 2026. This has been corroborated by the recently released official air transport statistics for the Civil Aviation Authority of SL (CAASL). Based on these figures, there were a total of 40,111 movements at Sri Lankan airports comprising 38,524 scheduled movements and more..

Oct 13 (DM) Sanken Overseas, which has rebranded itself as Sanken Gen after generating project revenue of US$ 900 million across seven countries in the last 5 years, is preparing to expand into Australia, Saudi Arabia and Fiji while lining up luxury resort developments in Ella and down south, its top management announced. Sanken Gen CEO Mevan Gunatilleke identified Australia, Saudi Arabia and Fiji as the company’s next construction markets, where it has already set up local entities. more..

Oct 13 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said SL was open to entering a fresh IMF program after its current arrangement ends, but stressed that no decision had been taken as the Govt weighs growth ambitions against the need to preserve economic stability. Speaking during a fireside chat at the inauguration of the SL Economic and Investment Summit 2026, Prez said discussions were underway on the possibility of a more..

Oct 13 (Island) NPP govt is going after powerful figures from the past and present who have engaged in corruption, fraud and criminal activity in a way that no previous govt in SL has done. Former ministers, politicians and senior state officials are among those facing investigations and legal proceedings. Govt has placed before Parliament a document listing 50 cases involving corruption, fraud and other crimes. These include not only financial offences but also cases relating to Easter Sunday attacks, more..

Oct 13 (FT) More than a third of SL’s listed non-financial companies failed to earn enough to cover their interest costs in the first half of 2026, as a sharp rise in revenue was eroded by higher costs and borrowing rates, Central Bank of SL (CBSL) said in a new report yesterday. The share of listed non-financial corporates (NFCs) with an interest coverage ratio (ICR), or earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) relative to interest expense, below one rose to 37.7% from 33.8% a year earlier, more..

Oct 13 (TM) SL Sevens rugby coach Fazil Marija says that he has given time for Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR), to withdraw and invalidate the findings of what he calls a purported finding of guilt against him as the coach of the Kandy Tuskers team arising from an inquiry. He stated that if the SLR fails to respond positively to his written submission, he would contemplate punitive action against the sport’s local governing body, over what he deems to have caused him serious reputational injury, more..

Oct 13 (FT) Embassy of SL in Rome hosted a promotional event on SL Expo 2027 under the theme Exploring Partnerships for a Prosperous Tomorrow on 5 Oct 2026 at Circolo degli Esteri, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Club in Rome. The event brought together representatives of the Italian Govt, chambers of commerce, diplomatic corps, and Italian and SL business communities in Italy. The event was organised to promote SL Expo 2027, scheduled to be held from 14 to 17 Jan 2027 in Colombo, more..

Oct 13 (NW) Association of Creators and Publishers of SL (ACPOSL) has announced the temporary suspension of all licensing activities following concerns and criticism raised by stakeholders in the entertainment industry. In a statement issued on Oct 12, ACPOSL said its board had decided to suspend licensing activities until its AGM, scheduled for Nov 2026. The association said the decision followed feedback received more..

Oct 13 (FT) Yaden Laboratories Ltd, a pioneering SL manufacturer of sterile injectable pharmaceutical products, has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first SL pharmaceutical manufacturing company to exhibit at CPHI Europe 2026, held in Milan, Italy, from 6 to 8 Oct. The achievement represents a significant step forward for SL’s pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, highlighting the country’s growing capabilities and ambitions to establish itself within the global more..

Oct 13 (Island) Opposition and the govt engaged in an interesting thrust and parry over secret political deals in Parliament the other day. SJB MP Mujibur Rahman lashed out at the JVP, accusing it of having struck a deal with what he described as the corrupt political forces and helped them rise to power in 2005. He argued that the JVP’s political history was replete with similar deals. PM Harini Amarasuriya promptly stuck her oar in to defend the JVP, arguing that even if the SJB’s points were conceded more..

Oct 13 (TM) Every year, as we get closer to the national budget, excitement builds among different stakeholders. Businesses look for tax concessions, industries expect incentives, Govt institutions seek larger allocations, and the general public hopes for some relief on the cost of living. Budget time has traditionally been about what the Govt is going to give and how much it is going to spend. With the Appropriation Bill for 2027 now presented to Parliament, the conversation is once again more..

Oct 13 (GV) In Aug 2026, journalist Khalidha Naushad exposed Facebook groups where men were sharing intimate images of women and girls, including family members, without their consent, alongside degrading commentary. SL police arrested a 21-year old suspect connected to some of the content. But the arrest is only able to answer who committed the crime and, even that, only partially. It does not answer the even more uncomfortable questions such as how these groups operate more..

Oct 13 (ST) A former UN Human Rights High Commissioner, Navi Pillay, whose infamous run-ins with the Govt of Mahinda Rajapaksa are well documented, was announced as the winner of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. The then govt accused her of bias towards the LTTE, sidetracking the terror group’s atrocities due to her ethnicity. She visited Sri Lanka in Aug 2013 and visited the North amidst hostility from some supporters of the govt. more..

Oct 13 (ST) Arguments over who supports corruption and who is more committed towards eradicating it dominated proceedings when the Anti-Corruption (Amd) Bill was passed in Parliament on Thursday with amendments and without a vote. Thursday’s debate was noteworthy for the list that minister Bimal Rathnayake tabled in Parliament containing the names of 50 politicians, former govt officials and other prominent figures who have corruption and other criminal court cases against them. more..

Oct 13 (DM) Prez did not come to power promising to be just another Prez. He came promising to be different. That was the bargain he struck with a country exhausted by corruption, political privilege, economic disaster and broken promises. Voters gave JVP-led NPP a mandate for change. Two years into that experiment, AKD deserves credit for one important development: his govt has shown a willingness to pursue former rulers and officials accused of corruption and abuse of power. more..

Oct 13 (TM) The national conversation surrounding the newly proposed Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) (Registration and Supervision) Bill has largely locked horns over a false dichotomy. On one side, critics argue that the Legislation introduces bureaucratic overreach and constricts civic freedom. On the other, proponents defend it as a necessary tool for State regulation and compliance. more..

Oct 13 (DM) In recent weeks, SL has witnessed a series of arrests and remand orders involving members of the Rajapaksa family, former ministers and former MPs over allegations of fraud and corruption. The developments have attracted considerable public attention, with journalists and television crews gathering outside courts almost daily. For a country that has suffered enormously from corruption, abuse of power and the misuse of public funds, these investigations matter. more..

Oct 13 (TM) Minister Ananda Wijepala said that 574,000 people linked to drug activity have been arrested over the past two years. Any Govt has a duty to go after traffickers who poison communities, and the public wants to see that effort. But an arrest count measures activity, not results. The question that matters is the one the figure leaves unanswered: what happens to these people next? The honest answer is uncomfortable. Early this year, more than 27,000 of roughly 37,000 inmates more..

Oct 12 (EN) Nearly one in every four rupees lent by Sri Lanka’s banks and finance companies is now secured against a vehicle or gold, the central bank said, warning that the growing concentration has left lenders exposed to falling collateral values. The combined share of motor vehicle credit and gold-backed loans in total financial sector credit rose to 24.9% by end-June 2026 from 19.6% at end-2024, the Central Bank of SL (CBSL) said in its Financial Stability Review 2026. more..

Oct 12 (NW) A new fully equipped hospital complex costing Rs. 12 billion is planned for Dambulla to address overcrowding and space shortages at the Dambulla Base Hospital. Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa inspected the proposed site on October 10. The project will be developed on approximately five acres of land in Pohoranwewa, within the Dambulla Divisional Secretariat Division. The land has been allocated by the Rangiri Dambulla Raja Maha Viharaya. During the inspection, more..

Oct 12 (DM) SL’s youth unemployment rate stood at 17.8% in the second quarter of 2026, rising to 22.4% among young women, highlighting the challenges faced by youth in securing employment. Labour Force Survey for April to June 2026 estimated that 150,684 people aged 15 to 24 were unemployed. Unemployment rate among young men was 15.5%, compared with 22.4% among young women, indicating a more..

Oct 12 (AD) Charith Sandakelum, alias Ran Malli, a major drug trafficker linked to several organised criminal activities, including the trafficking of approximately 345 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (Ice) recently recovered from the Kirinda Beach, has been arrested in Bulgaria. Bulgarian security authorities arrested the suspect based on Red Notices issued by INTERPOL and information available through border security databases. more..

Oct 12 (NW) A coalition of six SL media organisations has strongly condemned what it described as a campaign of hate speech, insults and incitement to violence targeting Sandya Ekneligoda following the reimprisonment of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera. In a joint statement, organisations warned that the campaign could endanger Ekneligoda’s safety and further fuel a culture of hatred in the country. The organisations said Ekneligoda had been seeking truth and more..