Oct 9 (TM) There are places in SL where the story of the land and its industry cannot be separated. Gal Oya, in the Eastern Province, is one of them. Here, a 108-kilometre river that begins in the Central Hills and winds its way to the East coast has shaped everything around it, the largest man-made reservoir in the country, some of our most untouched forest reserves, a community whose livelihoods depend on the land, and an industrial history now entering an important new chapter. more..

Oct 9 (Island) Some crucial problems have remained intractable in the public sector because a chronic lack of inter-institutional cooperation has stood in the way of tackling them. COPE has recently addressed one such issue. While examining the affairs of the Coconut Development Authority (CDA), Coconut Research Institute, and Coconut Cultivation Board, COPE raised serious concerns over the food-safety risks posed by reprocessed and adulterated coconut oil entering the local food industry. more..

Oct 9 (CT) Former Cabinet Ministers. A former First Lady. Sons of a former President. Senior public officials. Men and women who once travelled with security escorts, occupied ministerial offices, commanded govt institutions and exercised influence unavailable to ordinary citizens have increasingly found themselves answering questions before investigators, standing before judges or entering remand custody. The allegations are numerous. Many are serious. more..

Oct 9 (DM) As Sri Lanka is steering to become one of the world’s leading tourist destinations and thereby attract foreign incomes to help the economy, the World Toursim Day on Sept 27, 2026 marked the deadline for the enforcement under the European Union’s Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EmpCo), prohibiting unverified green and sustainability claims in the tourism and hotel industry. more..

Oct 9 (GV) A bill intended to strengthen SL’s anti-corruption efforts has instead raised a broader question about the limits of state power. As parliament considers the Bill on Oct 8, it will have to determine how to proceed with the provisions the Supreme Court has flagged on constitutional grounds. SL enacted the Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 of 2023 to strengthen the country’s institutional and legal framework for combating corruption and expand the role and powers of the CIABOC. more..

Oct 9 (TM) The warning issued in Parliament yesterday (7) by Minister Anura Karunathilaka was unambiguous. He cautioned that if private fuel supply companies continue to restrict fuel distribution to retail filling stations, Govt will seek legal advice to take action in accordance with the Petroleum Act and the powers vested in the Ministry. While the State’s frustration with private distributors is understandable, administrative threats alone will not keep filling stations open. more..

Oct 9 (SO) Scarcely any event haunts the collective memory of our motherland quite like the tragic morning of April 21, 2019. Just as communities gathered to celebrate hope and renewal, the sacred altars of St. Sebastian’s in Katuwapitiya, St. Anthony’s in Kochchikade, and Zion Church in Batticaloa paired with simultaneous blasts at premier hotels in Colombo, became sites of unimaginable carnage, taking nearly 270 lives more..

Oct 9 (DM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently stated during a public meeting held in Kahatagasdigiliya that there are absolutely no boundaries or limits when it comes to arresting corrupt individuals. Prez made this statement while responding to a remark made by a former minister who had claimed that this govt has no limits in arresting politicians. Prez also emphasised that when making arrests in connection with corruption, statuses of individuals are irrelevant. more..

Oct 9 (DM) The dream to pursue higher education at a state university has been challenged due to the prevalence of the sadistic rag culture. What began as a practice for socialising purposes with mostly humour and pranks quickly worsened to severe forms of bullying, harassment, sexual and gender-based violence and torture. As a result, some students, or rather victims, became permanently crippled or took their own lives as they couldn’t bear the trauma and humiliation. more..

Oct 8 (DM) A fundamental rights petition has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking an order preventing prison authorities from producing BBS General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera before courts in prison attire when he appears in connection with court cases. The petition was filed by retired Air Force officer Shantha Jayathilaka, naming the Commissioner General of Prisons, the Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General as respondents. more..

Oct 8 (NW) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says the government aims to reduce Value Added Tax (VAT) rates over the next two to three years as part of efforts to provide financial relief to the public. Speaking at a ceremony to present appointment letters to 1,540 new Grama Niladhari officers at Temple Trees on Thursday (8), the President said the government was working towards reducing the tax burden on citizens while managing rising public expenditure. more..

Oct 8 (NW) Postal employees have raised serious concerns over alleged irregularities at the Central Mail Exchange, claiming that parcels and goods sent overseas through Express Mail Service (EMS) are not being subjected to Customs inspections, resulting in substantial revenue losses to the govt and the illegal export of valuable national resources. Postal employees alleged that large quantities of prohibited & restricted items more..

Oct 8 (NW) SL students have won 13 medals, including three silver and ten bronze medals, at the International Mathematics and Science Olympiad held in Indonesia. The students, who represented Sri Lanka at the international competition, returned to the island on Wednesday, arriving at the BIA in Katunayake. According to the Ministry of Education, the competition was held in West Java, Indonesia, from Oct 2 to 6, with the participation of representatives from 23 countries. more..

Oct 8 (AI) Saudi Arabia’s authorities must urgently overturn the death sentence issued against a migrant worker on charges of blasphemy, said Amnesty International today. The organization is calling on Saudi authorities to release him immediately and unconditionally given his charges stem entirely from his exercise of his right to freedom of expression. Anojan Sivarasa, a 24-year-old SL national, was arrested on 1 July 2026 after posting a comment on Facebook deemed more..

Oct 8 (ABC) A Buddhist monk who sexually abused six young girls at his Melbourne temple has been jailed for 13 years and two months, with a judge calling his crimes a betrayal of trust. Monk's victims looked on with disgust as the man who violated them smiled and waved at supporters in court shortly after the sentence was handed down. Naotunne Vijitha, 71, was the chief monk at the Dhamma Sarana temple in Melbourne's more..

Oct 8 (NW) Sri Lanka and Lithuania have signed a MoU to establish a formal mechanism for regular political consultations, marking a significant step in strengthening bilateral relations as the two countries celebrate 30 years of diplomatic ties. The agreement was signed during the official visit of Lithuania’s Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vidmantas Verbickas, to Sri Lanka from Oct 4 to 6, at the invitation of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Arun Hemachandra. more..

Oct 8 (CI) Like tandoori prawns at a Japanese dinner, this T20I series is a curious appetiser to the kind of home season that follows for Pakistan. These three T20Is between Pakistan and SL in Rawalpindi are the only confirmed matches in the format this season, to be followed by ODIs and Test matches. Barring the recent Asian Games, these are Pakistan's first meaningful T20Is with a full squad since their lacklustre World Cup campaign in Feb, and set to be their only ones in a while. more..

Oct 8 (TM) Anti-Corruption (Amendment) Bill was passed in Parliament today with amendments and without a vote. Accordingly, the amendments seek to address legal, interpretational, administrative and technical issues identified in the implementation of the Anti-Corruption Act, No. 9 of 2023, discrepancies between the Sinhala and English texts of the Act, issues relating to the investigation and prosecution of corruption offences, administrative matters of the CIABOC, and more..

Oct 8 (AD) A shortage of psychiatrists is currently prevailing in the country, Consultant Psychiatrist, Professor Chathurie Suraweera, said. She said psychiatrists are in high demand in foreign countries, particularly in Australia and the UK. Professor Suraweera said the migration of psychiatrists overseas has become a major reason for the shortage in SL. “There is a certain shortage of psychiatrists. SL psychiatrists have job opportunities in Australia and UK at any given time, more..

Oct 8 (CI) Kusal Mendis has been appointed the new SL Test captain, replacing Dhananjaya de Silva, who stepped down from the position on Thursday morning. The two-Test series in Pakistan in November will be Mendis' first assignment in his new job. De Silva, who led SL in 18 Tests between Feb 2024 & Aug 2026, left the job citing a desire to hand over leadership to the next generation. He, however, remains available for selection. more..

Oct 8 (NW) Bandarawela Rest House, operated by Cluster Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, has been fined Rs. 1 million for selling a bottle of drinking water above the legally prescribed maximum retail price (MRP). Bandarawela Magistrate’s Court imposed the fine on Oct 7 after the company pleaded guilty to charges filed by the CAA. According to the CAA, its officers conducted a raid on Sept 23, and discovered that the establishment had sold a one-liter bottle of drinking water for Rs. 200, despite more..

Oct 8 (NW) The Opposition has signed a no-confidence motion against Speaker of Parliament Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne today. The signing took place at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, under the leadership of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa. Several MPs representing Opposition parties participated in the signing of the motion. The move marks an effort by the Opposition to challenge the Speaker’s position through a parliamentary no-confidence motion. more..

Oct 8 (NW) Minister Bimal Rathnayake tabled a list of 50 corruption, fraud and criminal cases involving former ministers, politicians, members of the Rajapaksa family and senior state officials in Parliament, rejecting allegations that the govt was pursuing political revenge against its opponents. Rathnayake said the cases currently being investigated or pursued were not newly initiated by the present administration but more..

Oct 8 (DN) A new CT scanner installed at a cost of Rs. 177 million and a renovated Eye Clinic were opened at the Negombo District General Hospital yesterday, further strengthening diagnostic and treatment services at the hospital. CT scanner was installed under funding from the ADB and was officially handed over to the hospital under the patronage of Minister Nalinda Jayatissa. The new facility is expected to provide faster and more efficient diagnostic services to patients from more..

Oct 8 (NW) The Dept of Prisons has decided not to transfer former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, who is currently in remand custody, to a private hospital in Colombo today. Commissioner of Prisons Senaka Palletanna said Rajapaksa was examined by a specialist doctor at the Prison Hospital today. Following the examination, the specialist recommended that she be taken to the National Eye Hospital in Colombo tomorrow for further specialist consultation. more..

Oct 8 (AD) Janathawadi Joint Opposition has stated that it does not condone the removal of Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero’s saffron robes under any circumstances. The position was outlined in a special statement issued by the political group, led by former minister G.L. Peiris, to clarify its stance on the matter. Statement emphasizes that action concerning Buddhist monks should be taken in accordance with the traditions and disciplinary rules established within the Buddha Sasana. more..

Oct 8 (DN) Montana Governor Greg Gianforte and a delegation from the US state of Montana, will visit SL tomorrow to strengthen agricultural trade and defence cooperation between the two countries. Visit is expected to create new opportunities for US agricultural exports to SL while further strengthening security cooperation through the Montana National Guard’s State Partnership Program. Montana is a leading US producer of pulses, including chickpeas, lentils and dry peas. more..

Oct 8 (TM) SL Cricket Transformation Committee Chair Eran Wickramaratne says that the then Govt should not have allowed the International Cricket Council (ICC) to suspend SL’s membership over the dissolution of the Ex-Co of SLC in 2023. He said no international sports governing body has a right to interfere arbitrarily with the laws of a free and sovereign nation, and maintained that therefore he does not more..

Oct 8 (AD) Due to the prevailing heavy rainfall, Irrigation Engineer’s Office in charge of the Deduru Oya Reservoir took measures to open two spill gates of the reservoir by one foot each last night. The decision was taken after the water level of the reservoir rose to its spill level following heavy rainfall in the upper and central catchment areas of the reservoir over the past few days. With the opening of the spill gates, approximately 1,400 cubic feet of water per second more..

Oct 8 (NW) Colombo High Court has rejected the preliminary objections raised by former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa and two other defendants seeking the dismissal of a corruption case filed against them by the CIABOC. Colombo HC Judge Ravindra Premaratne accordingly ordered that the case proceed under the existing indictments. The case relates to allegations that the defendants used their official influence to obtain Rs. 8.85 million in compensation for property damaged more..

Oct 8 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed the appointment of a committee to review existing laws governing the treatment of Buddhist monks while in prison and when they are taken outside prison, and to propose amendments, new standing orders and regulations. Committee will comprise representatives from Attorney General’s Dept, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Public Admin, Ministry of Buddhasasana, more..

Oct 8 (EN) Sri Lankans’ confidence in the stability of the financial system had improved in both the short and medium terms in H2 of 2026, a Systemic Risk Survey (SRS) conducted by CB found, despite perceived global macroeconomic risks and heightened concerns over geopolitical tensions. Survey respondents perceived global macroeconomic risks as the most prominent source of risk to financial system stability in H2 2026, with their share increasing notably from more..