Oct 30 (NW) Western Province SDIG Sajeewa Medawatte says police believe the suspect who died in Homagama Police custody died from assault-related injuries, while acknowledging that officers failed to follow proper procedures when handling the suspect. OIC of the Homagama Police Crimes Division has also been arrested in connection with the custodial death, while several other officers have faced disciplinary action. more..

Oct 30 (NW) Minister Upali Pannilage has dismissed media reports claiming that Aswesuma benefits provided to nearly 1.4 million people have been suspended. The Minister clarified that only 1,206,000 individuals currently receive Aswesuma benefits, making claims that benefits provided to 1.4 million people have been discontinued factually incorrect. Speaking at an awareness programme for Samurdhi officers in Anuradhapura yesterday, Minister Pannilage said the ongoing review of more..

Oct 30 (NW) Air quality levels in several parts of Sri Lanka have reached unhealthy levels for sensitive groups, according to real-time air quality data published by IQAir as of 10.30 a.m. today (30). Jaffna recorded the highest air pollution level in the country, with a US Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 142, followed by Puttalam at 119 and Anuradhapura at 115. Meanwhile, Colombo recorded an AQI reading of 102, placing it fourth among the most polluted cities in Sri Lanka. more..

Oct 30 (EN) SL’s overall rate of inflation, as measured by the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI), rose to more than 3-year high of 8.3% in Oct 2026, up from the previous month’s 8% and breached the CB’s upper inflation target rate of 7% for the fourth month, data showed. CCPI for all items in October rose to 209.9, recording an increase of 0.8 index points or 0.4% compared to 209.1 in September. more..

Oct 30 (DM) PAFFREL has urged the Govt to ensure that national security measures do not undermine fundamental human rights, raising concerns over two proposed laws intended to replace the PTA and address organised crime. In a letter addressed to Prez Dissanayake, PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarchchi called for a thorough review of the proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill and the Prevention of Organised Crime Bill before they are enacted. more..

Oct 30 (NW) A Buddhist monk attending the final rites of the Homagama youth who died while in police custody, has alleged that concerns about misconduct at the Homagama Police Station had been raised with authorities approximately a month before the incident. Addressing mourners at the funeral, the monk said he had attended an event held under the A Nation United Programme at the Homagama Divisional Secretariat, where he had brought concerns regarding the conduct of more..

Oct 30 (FT) For over 30 years, much of my work has involved helping people make sense of where they are in their careers and where they might go next. I have worked with people of different ages, in very different sectors and in different parts of the world. But there is something particularly troubling about what I am seeing amongst young graduates in Sri Lanka today. These are not young people who have failed to try. Many have done exactly what was expected of them. more..

Oct 30 (FT) On 31 Oct, World Cities Day 2026 will focus on Regenerating the City: Adequate Housing for All. For Colombo, the theme raises a central question: has the city merely grown and modernised—or is it actually regenerating? Colombo has more homes, improved services, comparatively stronger infrastructure and increasingly valuable land. Yet these achievements do not automatically make the city more affordable, inclusive, accessible or resilient. more..

Oct 30 (NW) The COPE has instructed authorities to urgently decide whether the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) Hospital should operate under a govt hospital model or a private hospital model. The directive was issued during a recent COPE meeting chaired by MP Dr. Nishantha Samaraweera, where the management of KDU was summoned to examine Auditor General’s reports for 2023 & 2024, more..

Oct 30 (NF) As nations around the world race to secure cleaner and more reliable sources of energy, SL is taking a closer look at a technology that could fundamentally reshape its electricity future: nuclear power. Speaking on the country's long-term energy strategy in South Korea, Minister of Science and Technology Prof. Chrishantha Abeysena said SL is carefully evaluating whether nuclear energy could play a role in meeting future electricity demand while supporting climate commitments and more..

Oct 30 (Island) A loss of Rs. 8,442,091 has been incurred due to the theft of 2,199 metres of copper strips from the lightning protection system of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Uni (KDU) Hospital, the COPE has been told. The Committee, chaired by the Dr. Nishantha Samaraweera, Member of Parliament, met at Parliament recently (21) and summoned the management of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University to examine the Auditor General’s Reports for 2023 and 2024, more..

Oct 30 (Island) Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) said that families of remand prisoners killed in Negombo prison riot hadn’t been paid compensation. Speaking on behalf of the committee attorney-at-law Senaka Perera said that none of the dead inmates were covicts. 21 remand prisoners and ten prison officers were killed in clashes between remand prisoners and convicts. Perera said that HRCSL more..

Oct 30 (DM) Printing of National Identity Cards (NICs) has been disrupted due to a shortage of plastic cards, with around one million identity cards reportedly awaiting issuance. The plastic identity card was introduced in 2017 to replace the traditional national identity card used in SL for decades. It features a 12-digit national identity number, with reducing production costs being one of the key objectives of its introduction. However, the shortage of plastic cards has disrupted more..

Oct 30 (NW) Former SL cricket captain Kumar Sangakkara has provided further details about an alleged incident of discrimination involving Ryanair gate staff at Dublin Airport while travelling with his family. Sangakkara alleged that he was told passengers holding passports like his should expect such treatment. According to Sangakkara, when they questioned the treatment, they were warned that arguing with airline personnel could result in them being considered a threat more..

Oct 30 (Island) In an unvarnished and deeply practical address delivered at the Breast Cancer Symposium at Hemas Hospital Wattala on Oct. 28, Senior Lecturer and Consultant Specialist Dr. Kanchana Wijesinghe confronted a familiar societal paradox: the effortless willingness of individuals to finance luxury food orders, designer attire, and cosmetics, contrasted against sudden hesitation when asked to invest modest resources into routine health screenings. more..

Oct 30 (ST) Thousands of households affected by Cyclone Ditwah are still waiting for compensation,including more than 53,000 households with partially damaged homes yet to receive the second instalment, Parliament was told. Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekara made these remarks on Thursday (22), responding to a question raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on Sept 23. Accordingly, 98,463 partially damaged households were covered by more..

Oct 30 (ST) There are serious regulatory gaps in the response, particularly in Sri Lanka, which has emerged as a hub for Chinese online gambling operators since 2023, and is at risk of becoming a new hub for large-scale cyber scam operations, a new report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC) warns. “SL is at serious risk of becoming a hub for industrial-scale cyber scams, and more..

Oct 30 (FT) President’s Special Envoy for Foreign Direct Investment and Western Province Governor Hanif Yusoof has said Sri Lanka has for far too long failed to connect its talent and ambition with the opportunities they deserve. He set out what the country needs to build an inclusive economy that draws local and international capital. Outlining the Govt’s commitment to inclusive finance and to creating an environment for capital to grow, Yusoof told the Orange Economy Summit more..

Oct 30 (TM) Ex-head of Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) Rizly Illyas in a registered post letter dated 23 Oct and sent to current SLR President Pavithra Fernando and his Ex-Co, has urged them to pay a balance sum of Rs 4.7 million which is owed by the game’s governing body to him and within a two-week period. According to the letter-a copy of which has been obtained by The Daily Morning Sports, Illyas who headed the institution from 2020-23 before resigning, had forked out Rs 9 million to more..

Oct 30 (Island) Dimalsha Chathuranga and Jithma Wijethunga won the 400 metres titles at the 61st SL Army Athletics Championship at Diyagama on Thursday. ‎In two of the most anticipated finals of the meet, both sprinters asserted their authority over the one-lap race. Chathuranga, who has been in outstanding form this season, carried his dominance in the 400m hurdles over to the flat event, winning in 46.77 seconds. He had earlier won the hurdles at this meet in 50.43 seconds, more..

Oct 30 (FT) The Sri Lanka India Media Friendship Association (SLIMFA) held its Third Annual General Meeting on 28 Oct in Colombo, with the participation of the Patron of SLIMFA and High Commissioner of India to SL, Santosh Jha and the members of SLIMFA. The meeting saw the election of the new Executive Committee for the coming year. Nisthar Cassim was re-elected as President, while Shehan Baranage, Kalani Kumarasinghe, Rifthi Ali, Santosh Menon, Dinesh De Alwis, Arosha Fernando, more..

Oct 30 (DM) In a landmark achievement for the nation’s academic landscape, Sri Lanka secured its first-ever Silver Medal at the 67th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) held in Shanghai, China. This historic victory, achieved after 31 years of participation in the prestigious global competition, was spearheaded by Lasitha Jayasinghe of Royal International School, Kurunegala. Following their return, the team was received by PM Harini more..

Oct 30 (DN) Several bank accounts belonging to Rakitha Rajapakshe, the son of former Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, have been suspended by the CIABOC. The action has been taken under the provisions of the law relating to proceeds derived from criminal activity of the Proceeds of Crime Act, No. 5 of 2025, in connection with an ongoing probe that is being conducted by the CIABOC. These assets have been frozen as part of that investigation into more..

Oct 30 (EN) Distilleries Company of SL (DCSL) said that its wholly owned subsidiary, DCSL Breweries Lanka Ltd, has transferred its brewing, packaging and distribution activities to DCSL with effect from October 28. “Accordingly, DCSL PLC will undertake the brewing, packaging and distribution of beer in addition to its existing activities of distilling, bottling and distributing hard liquor,” the company said in a market filing. The company said it had obtained the approval of Excise Department for more..

Oct 30 (FT) Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Senior Prof. Hareendra Dissabandara has called on Govt to make capital market development part of its growth strategy in the forthcoming Budget. He warned that Sri Lanka cannot reach higher growth by leaning excessively on Govt borrowing and bank credit. He was speaking on Tuesday at an institutional investors forum organised jointly by SEC & CSE more..

Oct 30 (FT) Alliance Finance Company (AFC) said its Board of Directors had approved raising up to Rs. 1 billion through an Orange Bond issue, set to be the first Orange Bond listed in SL. Board resolved on 27 Oct, to issue up to 10 million listed, rated, unsecured, redeemable three-year Bonds at a par value of Rs. 100 each, the company said. The pricing of the Bonds will be announced later. Proceeds are intended for eligible social project categories, including MSME Value Chain more..

Oct 30 (FT) Officers of the Narcotics Control Unit (NCU) of SL Customs carried out the largest-ever pill seizure in SL at Katunayake, arresting a 46-year-old Indian national at BIA on Wednesday (28), after finding cocaine and ecstasy with an estimated street value of Rs. 454 million in his luggage. The suspect, an engineer by profession, had arrived in Sri Lanka from Paris via Doha on Qatar Airways flight QR 654. NCU officers stopped him at the airport for further examination. more..

Oct 30 (FT) This Christmas, Sri Lankans have an opportunity to be enthralled by a world class performance in Colombo by a first ever Australian production. That is the promise of Once Upon a Christmas – The Greatest Xmas Show, an ambitious new production set to bring an international dimension to SL’s Christmas celebrations from 10-12 Dec at The Podium, Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, Colombo. Brought to SL by Ceilao Enterprises, the event represents more..

Oct 30 (FT) SL’s corporate Bond market, at about 1% of GDP, is too shallow to finance the private sector-led growth the country needs to sustain about 7% annual expansion to 2030, according to new research by the Impact Investment Exchange (IIX). Presenting the report, Financing SL’s Inclusive Growth, at the Orange Economy Summit 2026 in Colombo, IIX Senior Director Priyank Tiwari said the 7% target was almost double the current growth rate, alongside an ambition to double exports. more..

Oct 30 (CI) A week after the run-fest in Rawalpindi, England and SL played out another high-scorer, in Lahore. This time England's 386 for 5 prevailed, as SL were dismissed for 331 in the 45th over. Ben Duckett scorched his way to a career-best 167 off 132 balls to lead England to their second successive mammoth total against SL. Pavan Rathnayake then marshalled the chase, hitting 118 off 77, having also struck more..

Oct 30 (Island) Buddhism was first introduced to SL in Anuradhapura in 3rd century BCE by Arahant Mahinda, son of the Indian Emperor Asoka. For nearly 1500 years, Anuradhapura remained the capital of SL and the intellectual and spiritual centre of Theravada Buddhism in Asia. The A'pura civilisation achieved unmatched advances in architecture, engineering and urban planning, still evident in its monumental stupas, monasteries, palaces and sophisticated hydraulic and more..

Oct 30 (DM) SL’s diplomatic presence across the world is insufficient. Budgetary constraints triggered by the 2022 economic crisis have been a prominent reason for this. In addition, abrupt policy alterations with changes of govt have led to differences in foreign policy focus from time to time. SL was a leader in advocating the rights of the Global South, or developing countries, particularly in the 1950s, 1960s and the 1970s. Since then, the country has gradually lost its ability to more..