Oct 23 (FT) The death of Kavantissa on 16 Oct was a profound loss for SL. One of the country’s most magnificent wild tuskers, he was estimated to be around 45 years old when he died, following several weeks of veterinary treatment for a reported gunshot injury. His death has prompted widespread grief, raised questions about the medical care he received and renewed calls for better protection of SL’s remaining wild tuskers. It has also exposed a disagreement about what conservation should mean in practice. more..

Oct 23 (FT) In Aug 2018, SL’s Court of Appeal sentenced Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, the controversial general secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena, to six years’ imprisonment for contempt of court. Nine months later, former Prez Maithripala Sirisena exercised his constitutional authority to pardon him, bringing his imprisonment to an end. For more than seven years, Gnanasara remained free under the apparent legal protection of that presidential decision. Then, on 10 Sept 2026, the Supreme Court declared the pardon unlawful, and in October, more..

Oct 23 (DN) Former MP Ashok Abeysinghe, a seasoned political figure from the Kurunegala District, has come under the political spotlight following his resignation from several positions within the SJB. Having served in Parliament for 15 years and held various political responsibilities, Abeysinghe was also among those instrumental in building the SJB. His departure from party positions has raised questions about internal party dynamics, more..

Oct 23 (GV) The findings from the Chemmani excavations have renewed a painful question for families in the North: who are the people buried there, how did they die and why were they buried in this place? The report by Professor Raj Somadeva and archaeologist Anusha Wanninayake is an important contribution to the investigation but it does not settle those questions. Its evidence must be read carefully without turning a possible explanation into a proven fact or treating uncertainty as proof that more..

Oct 23 (CT) The comic opera Colombo’s Green Heart Vihara Mahadevi Park is a stark pointer to the bizarre and dangerous cultural crossroads at which we have arrived. Ven. Kotapola Rahula Thero, a senior prelate of the Kotte Sangha Sabha, was an early participant. He initially described this saffron shindig as a righteous Satyagraha for the protection of the robe. As I write this missive, it has degenerated into a sacrilegious theater—a Saffron Circus orchestrated by more..

Oct 23 (SO) Eleven children aged between eight and 14 were among 9,105 children and young people arrested in connection with drug-related offences across SL during the past year, according to figures disclosed by SL Police. Figures expose a disturbing dimension of the country’s drug problem: children who have not even reached their teenage years are now appearing in police statistics connected to narcotics. 9,105 arrests involved children and young people aged between eight and 21. more..

Oct 23 (DM) The Supreme Court on Tuesday started considering 22 petitions challenging the Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill, which was recently tabled in Parliament. This is one of three repressive bills published in the gazette by the govt within a week, starting from Sept 30. The three bills are: The Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill (PSTB), the Prevention of Foreign Terrorist Fighters Bill and the Prevention of Organised Crime Bill. more..

Oct 23 (DM) Sri Lankans experienced a nostalgic feeling on October 17 following the islandwide blackout. But this time it hadn’t been a monkey that caused the chaos. The blackout lasted for over three hours impacting water treatment plants, mobile connectivity, and other essential services. The suspected cause according to Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka is a failure at the Upper Kotmale hydropower station combined with grid instability. This reportedly forced all three units at more..

Oct 22 (DM) IMF has said it is yet to discuss with SL authorities the govt's claim that around US$ 1 billion has been siphoned out of the country under the guise of import payments for which no goods were delivered. However, responding to a query from the Daily Mirror, an IMF spokesman stressed the importance of SL continuing to advance its governance and anti-corruption agenda. "We have not discussed this matter with the authorities. Overall, it is important for SL to continue more..

Oct 22 (NW) Dept of Motor Traffic (DMT) is planning to introduce mandatory roadworthiness tests for vehicles in SL from early 2027, in addition to the existing vehicle emission tests. Commissioner General of Motor Traffic, Thushara Fernando, said the proposed system is currently under discussion and has been referred to the department’s legal division. Fernando said the initiative is being developed under the guidance of the Transport Minister to improve vehicle safety. more..

Oct 22 (NW) The govt has taken measures to expedite the issuance of Govt Analyst’s reports to address delays that have contributed to prison overcrowding, Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara said. Minister revealed that 1,506 Govt Analysts’ reports had been issued during August and September alone, following measures to strengthen the department’s workforce and fill existing vacancies. more..

Oct 22 (NW) A group of representatives from SL’s film industry has submitted a series of proposals aimed at addressing challenges facing the local cinema sector to Minister Sunil Handunnetti. The proposals, prepared by the Independent Collective of SL Cinema Professionals, were officially handed over to the Minister at Parliament on Oct 21. According to Minister Handunnetti, the meeting brought together representatives of leading professional associations and institutions more..

Oct 22 (Island) Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) has declared its readiness to bring Tamil parties together to press for a political solution. TELO spokesman Suren Kurusamy has alleged that the NPP govt has not delivered anything it promised the Tamils, at the 2024 national elections. He said so addressing the media following a central committee meeting at the party’s head office at Vairavapuliyankulam in Vavuniya last weekend. TELO Spokesman has said that the govt more..

Oct 22 (NW) Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thera, who is continuing a protest at Colombo’s Viharamahadevi Park demanding the release of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, has called on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to either resign or grant a presidential pardon to the imprisoned monk. Speaking during the ongoing satyagraha despite heavy rain, Kassapa Thera also alleged that two individuals carrying weapons more..

Oct 22 (Island) Sri Lanka clinched its first-ever Silver Medal at the 67th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in Shanghai, China. This historic milestone, marking 31 years of consistent participation, was led by Lasitha Jayasinghe of Royal International School, Kurunegala. Following the team’s return, PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya met the delegation at the Ministry of Education to celebrate their achievements and discuss their experiences on the world stage. more..

Oct 22 (DM) Govt has paid special attention on attempts to incite racial and religious tensions among communities through fake social media accounts, Minister Ananda Wijepala told Parliament yesterday. He said the CID and intelligence units had launched investigations into such incidents. Minister said the CID and the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) had investigated six complaints relating to hate speech over the past 10 years. With social media usage growing in Sri Lanka, more..

Oct 22 (NW) A complaint has been filed seeking an investigation into the alleged expenditure of approximately Rs. 450,000 in public funds to bring a witness from Germany to SL to testify in a case involving former Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka. The complaint was submitted by Senior Attorney-at-Law Shiral Lakthilaka on behalf of Ranawaka’s legal team, raising concerns over the alleged misuse of provisions under Assistance to & Protection of Victims of Crime & Witnesses Act. more..

Oct 22 (NW) Global oil prices surged to their highest levels since May on Thursday (22), as escalating tensions in the Middle East and renewed attacks on Saudi Arabia raised fears of further disruptions to international oil supplies. Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, rose 3.08% to USD 112.17 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude climbed to USD 99.83 per barrel, according to Reuters. The sharp increase followed a series of attacks by Yemen’s more..

Oct 22 (DM) Director General of Department of Wildlife Conservation, Ranjan Marasinghe, also commented on the matter: “If you look at the videos on Facebook and YouTube, it appears that elephants are dying every day. However, according to the data less than 100 elephants have died compared to previous years. Less than 16 people have died. A group of people claiming to be environmentalists are using old and more..

Oct 22 (DM) National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection (NMCRP) has alleged that certain Finance Ministry officials are attempting to remove restrictions on palm oil imports by misleading the Prez and the Cabinet. NMCRP President Ranjith Withanage urged the Prez to intervene and prevent the move, stressing the need to protect consumer health and ensure food safety. Withanage said restrictions on palm oil imports were imposed in 2021 following a decision by an expert more..

Oct 22 (NW) Minister Bimal Rathnayake has rejected a claim made by opposition MP Harsha de Silva that Duminda Hulangamuwa, the current economic adviser to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, had previously served as an economic adviser to former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. Responding to remarks made by de Silva in Parliament on Wednesday (21), Rathnayake said the claim was completely false and called on the opposition MP to correct his statement. more..

Oct 22 (Island) Chairman of the CoPF Harsha de Silva, MP, said that the people would have to bear the loss of USD 2.5 mn fraudulently transferred from the Treasury to various parties outside the country. SJB MP said so when The Island asked him how the govt intended to recover the loss suffered at the onset of the NPP administration. He said that it seemed that the entire amount would have to be borne by the people, in addition to their more..

Oct 22 (AD) A total of 14 major reservoirs and 11 medium-sized reservoirs across Sri Lanka have reached spill level due to the prevailing heavy rainfall, according to the Department of Irrigation. Irrigation Dept said spill gates of five major reservoirs had been opened to release excess water. Accordingly, two spill gates of the Deduru Oya Reservoir, have been opened by five feet each, four gates by four feet each, and another two gates by three feet each. more..

Oct 22 (NW) Approximately 6.97 acres of land previously used by security forces in Keppapilavu, Mullaitivu District, have been released for public use, SL Army announced. The land was officially handed over on Wednesday by officers of the SL Army’s 59th Division to the Divisional Secretary of Maritimepattu. The handover took place in the presence of Mullaitivu District Secretary and Govt Agent A. Umamaheswaran. The Army stated that the initiative is in line with the Govt’s policy of gradually more..

Oct 22 (DM) Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism clarified that the visit of Indian religious leader Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Giri Ji to SL, which has recently been reported on social media, took place on Feb 23, 2026, and was not a recent visit. Ministry said the SL Tourism Promotion Bureau invited the religious leader and his delegation to SL. During their visit, the delegation toured several religious & historical sites across the country, including prominent Shiva temples. more..

Oct 22 (AD) Daily power cuts will not be enforced from today, following the restoration of the Norochcholai Lakvijaya Power Station Unit 02 to its full generating capacity of 270 megawatts (MW), National System Operator (NSO) has announced. Accordingly, the NSO said it no longer requires electricity demand management measures. NSO confirmed that the unit returned to its full load capacity at 1:31 p.m., allowing the suspension of demand management measures more..

Oct 22 (FT) Sri Lanka has expanded tertiary education without a clear strategy. Growth has concentrated at first-degree level, while the technicians, associate professionals and postgraduates that a productivity-led economy needs remain in short supply, the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) said. IPS Research Director Dr. Nisha Arunatilake presented the findings at a roundtable on Tuesday, on the IPS flagship report, more..

Oct 22 (FT) SL Export Development Board (EDB), in collaboration with the SL High Commission in the UK, held a promotional program in London on 21–22 Oct to promote the upcoming SL Expo 2027 and attract a strong delegation of UK-based businesses to the event. The program is scheduled to comprise a Business and Investment Forum, followed by a networking session with British buyers, investors, representatives of trade chambers and relevant business and trade promotion organisations more..

Oct 22 (NW) Sri Lanka CERT has issued a critical cybersecurity alert urging public and private sector organizations and website developers to address security vulnerabilities affecting systems built using PHP. In a statement dated Oct 21, CERT warned that the vulnerabilities could expose affected systems to unauthorized access, data theft and disruption of operations. PHP is widely used to develop websites and web applications. CERT urged organizations to identify all systems using more..

Oct 22 (TM) Fishermen’s Associations in Jaffna have threatened to launch large-scale protests in collaboration with fishing communities and representatives from the South, accusing the Govt of failing to address their longstanding grievances and protect the country’s marine resources. The warning was issued at a media briefing held in Jaffna yesterday by the Federation of Fishermen’s Associations and more..

Oct 22 (DM) Foreign specialist doctors are performing free, complex heart surgeries on 15 SL children at the National Hospital in Karapitiya, Galle, under a programme organised by the Take Heart Mercy Mission. The surgeries, which are difficult to perform in SL due to their complexity, are being carried out at the hospital’s Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit in collaboration with local medical professionals. Deputy Minister Hansaka Wijemuni visited the hospital today more..

Oct 22 (AD) Dept of Motor Traffic (DMT) has warned that motorcycles with an engine capacity of 48cc must be registered before being used on public roads, despite claims by some sellers that registration is not required. Director General of DMT said that riders using unregistered motorcycles on public roads could face fines if apprehended by police. Warning comes amid observations that some motorcycle sellers are informing customers that 48cc motorcycles are exempt from more..