Oct 10 (CT) By not contesting the UNHRC resolution and vote on extending the term, which has become the ritualistic SL Accountability Project (OSLAP) by at least two more years, and at the same time opposing it otherwise, the incumbent Govt of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has done something that its predecessors since 2012 had not thought of doing. Just by ignoring the existence of the UNHRC mechanism, though not the UNHRC mechanism itself, the JVP-NPP dispensation has more..

Oct 10 (TM) When I pass the line rooms (living quarters of the plantation workers), the kids come after me every day and ask: “Teacher, when will our school start?” It is heartbreaking to realise that even in this civilised era, we cannot guarantee preschool education of these plantation kids. I console those kids by saying: “We will start soon.” For how long can I deceive these kids like this? In many estates, the preschools have been closed for many months due to the intervention more..

Oct 10 (TM) Since 2019, male-to-male transmission has become the leading mode of HIV transmission in SL and given that anal sex carries the highest risk for HIV transmission, it is pivotal to direct targeted preventive measures toward men who have sex with men (MSM) within the 15-24-year age group. These concerns were raised and recommendations were made in an editorial on A silent surge of HIV infection among SL’s more..

Oct 10 (CT) Since 1980s when SLMC entered the country’s political arena Muslim politics and Muslim culture began to develop a symbiotic relationship to strengthen the community’s identity politics. The fact that identity politics was the norm and not the exception at that time may be the justification for such an amalgam. Yet, even at that time the pre-SLMC Muslim leaders had the wisdom and foresight to avoid falling into that identity trap and were able to utilize their commercial tool of bargaining more..

Oct 10 (CT) The world observes World Mental Health Day 2025 today, with much emphasis placed on ensuring and prioritising mental health during humanitarian emergencies. As history bears witness, different types of crises can occur at any given time. Emergencies such as natural disasters, wars, and even public health emergencies such as pandemics can not only become a huge burden on the physical health sector but also affect the mental health and psychological well-being of both direct and more..

Oct 10 (SO) In SL currently, 61% of the entire population have access to pipe-borne water of which the majority of them are in the urban areas. A considerable number of those living in rural areas continue to rely on wells for their drinking, culinary, washing, bathing and laundry requirements, while others use water from reservoirs for domestic needs. Water sector faces considerable challenges to meet its target of providing water more..

Oct 10 (TM) The Govt yesterday disclosed that 29 mobile phones have been recovered from multiple wards of the Boossa High-Security Prison following a search operation. The discovery was made during a joint search operation conducted by the Prison Intelligence and the STF. According to reports a mobile phone was also found in the cell of an inmate currently on death row, known by the alias Dematagoda Chaminda. Mobile phones were also discovered in the cells of more..

Oct 10 (DM) In what appears to be an instance that shows policy incoherence and administrative disarray, the govt found itself entangled in controversy over its handling of an LGBTQ+ project. What began as an official endorsement of a tourism project based on LGBTQ+ rights turns into a hasty denial, with Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and others making counter remarks after meeting with the members of the clergy, who protested the move over its impact on the cultural ethos of SL. more..

Oct 9 (DM) The Daily Mirror article under the title Main conspirator behind Easter Sunday attacks identified, Kariapper quotes Ravi Seneviratna came to the limelight in Parliament today. SJB MP Kavinda Jayawardena, while referring to it said that the govt should make a special statement on the issue and clarify the correct situation. The disclosure by MP Nizam Kariyappar on the Easter Sunday bomb attacks triggered an argument in Parliament today where Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekera more..

Oct 9 (N18) SL Navy on Thursday arrested 47 Indian fishermen, accusing them of illegally entering and fishing within SL’s territorial waters. The officials also seized five trawlers off the coast of Talaimannar in the island’s northern waters. Taking note of the situation, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The arrests were made during coordinated patrol operations carried out in the Mannar and Delft sea areas late on Wednesday night. more..

Oct 9 (LeN) When investigators in Singapore first stumbled upon a string of suspicious bank accounts linked to a former SL diplomat, they never imagined it would unravel into one of the largest offshore asset scandals in the island’s history. But that single lead — a dormant account belonging to a former High Commissioner in Malaysia turn into Governor— has now exploded into a dossier containing the names of over more..

Oct 9 (NW) Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe has defended the participation of SL govt officials in the upcoming World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Policy Review in Geneva, following criticism over the composition of the delegation. WTO’s Trade Policy Review of SL is scheduled to take place from Oct 14 to 17 in Geneva. Representatives from multiple agencies—including the Dept of Commerce, Ministry of Finance, Central Bank, SL Customs, and BOI—are expected to attend, more..

Oct 9 (DM) Minister Samantha Vidyaratna appeared before the Cyber Crimes Division of the CID today to lodge a complaint over online attacks directed at his child. Police sources said the minister’s complaint was linked to social media posts that began circulating following a statement made in Parliament by MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, which allegedly referred to the minister’s child. Minister Vidyaratna has requested the CID to take necessary legal action against more..

Oct 9 (NW) Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath accused previous govts of politicizing national issues and human rights for political gain, defending the govt’s decision to not request for a vote when the latest Human Rights Council Resolution on SL was adopted. Briefing Parliament on his recent visit to Geneva and engagements with the UNHRC, Herath said calling for a vote at the Council, given SL’s record & circumstances, more..

Oct 9 (FS) Aitken Spence Plantation Managements PLC has announced a transformative agricultural initiative in Fiji, marking a new chapter in the island nation’s commercial farming sector. The project, which builds on a successful exploratory mission in 2024, aims to modernise farming practices, introduce sustainable agro-technologies, and strengthen Fiji’s food security and export potential. The initiative represents a strategic partnership between SL’s renowned plantation expertise more..

Oct 9 (CT) SJB MP S.M. Marikkar urged the Govt to reconsider an alleged move to ban aircraft from flying over the Parliamentary Complex, warning that such a decision could negatively impact SL’s tourism industry. MP Marikkar said he had received information that authorities were preparing to impose flight restrictions over the area surrounding Diyawanna Lake, where Parliament is located. “We have heard that there is a move to ban the flying of planes over the Parliamentary Complex. more..

Oct 9 (CT) Material and financial benefits worth Rs 97.6 million have been provided to 535 inactive nurseries under the 25 Million Tea Plantation Special Project, National Audit Office (NAO) has revealed. The National Audit Office said that 535 tea nurseries, which received material and financial benefits under the 25 Million Tea Plantation Special Project, were identified as inactive. The material and financial support, amounting to Rs 97,673,635, provided to these nurseries has more..

Oct 9 (Island) The US Embassy in Colombo has recently congratulated two SL navy officers for completing training programmes in the US underlining deepening military cooperation between the two countries. The US Embassy hailed Lt Commander Kathriarachchige Kathriarachchi of the Navy, who was awarded the Outstanding International Student Award from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, California. The embassy described the recognition as more..

Oct 9 (CT) The Bribery Commission, yesterday, accused former Minister Manusha Nanayakkara, of abusing his official position to ensure agricultural jobs in Israel were given exclusively to his political supporters, bypassing the standard application process. The allegations were detailed during a Court hearing for an anticipatory bail application filed by the former minister. CIABOC informed Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court more..

Oct 9 (NW) The IGP Challenge Trophy National Cadet Camp – 2025, which began on Oct 4 with the participation of 42 Boys’ teams and 21 Girls’ teams from over 500 schools across the country, will conclude tomorrow at the SL Police College Aluvihare Sports Grounds. This year’s National Camp brings together 1,575 cadets — 1,050 boys and 525 girls — along with 40 Senior Non-Commissioned Officers from the Police Cadet Division, showcasing the strength and more..

Oct 9 (AD) Approximately 500 individuals submitted opinions and suggestions during public consultation sessions held in relation to the third electricity tariff revision proposed for this year, the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) stated. The island-wide public consultation process began on Sept 18, starting with the Eastern Province, and was designed to gather feedback from all provinces. The final session took place yesterday at the BMICH, focused on the Western Province, more..

Oct 9 (CT) Director General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardena, noted that around 10% of the country’s population suffered from various mental health conditions, while approximately another 2% were affected by severe mental health disorders. Addressing the gathering at a commemoration held in view of World Mental Health Day on 10 Oct, DGHS, Dr. Gunawardena said that nearly 37,000 patients had received more..

Oct 9 (AD) Two individuals connected to a large-scale scam involving nearly Rs. 200 million, falsely promising jobs in European countries, have been arrested by officers of the Special Investigations Unit of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE). The arrested suspects include a resident of Mawanella with years of experience in the foreign employment sector and a retired army colonel from Kadawatha. The duo has been arrested in Mawanella and Imbulgoda. more..

Oct 9 (NW) SL pulled off a stunning 1-0 victory over Turkmenistan in the first leg of the AFC Asia Cup 2027 qualifier held at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo on Thursday. Ranked 197th in the FIFA World Rankings, Sri Lanka overcame the 138th-ranked Turkmenistan side in front of an energetic home crowd to gain a crucial advantage ahead of the return leg. The second leg of the tie will take place on Oct 14 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, where SL will look to defend their lead more..

Oct 9 (NW) The National Transport Commission (NTC) announced that all long-distance passenger buses will soon be required to display their official quality certification, allowing passengers to verify service standards before boarding. NTC Chairman P.A. Chandrapala said passengers will have full rights to request and review these quality reports, which outline the vehicle’s condition and compliance with safety standards. He made the remarks during the launch of a pilot project today (09) more..

Oct 9 (AD) A total of 29 mobile phones have been recovered today from wards A, C, and D of the Boossa High-Security Prison, which houses some of Sri Lanka’s most dangerous criminals. The discovery was made during a joint search operation conducted by the Prison Intelligence and the Police Special Task Force (STF). According to Prison Media Spokesman Jagath Weerasinghe, the recovered phones were found in wards where notorious and high-profile criminals are being held. more..

Oct 9 (NW) Opposition MP Harsha de Silva today raised concerns over the alleged moves by the govt to make changes to the 1990 Suwa Seriya free ambulance service. MP de Silva said that instructions have been given to change the logo and colour of the ambulance service. “They have received a directive to remove the name 1990 Suwa Seriya. They have also been instructed to change colour. What is this? Why are you doing this? more..

Oct 9 (AM) A staggering Rs 15 million of public funds was squandered by the Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA) in a legal dispute stemming from the flawed dismissal of a senior official, the COPE has revealed. This was revealed during the yesterday’s COPE session in which the performance report of the CIDA was discussed with the officials present. The controversy centers around the dismissal of CIDA’s former Director of Finance in 2021. According to COPE proceedings, more..

Oct 9 (DM) Ministry of Public Security has strongly rejected social media reports claiming that its Secretary, retired Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne, had stated India was behind the 2019 Easter Sunday bomb attacks. Police said that Seneviratne had appeared before the Parliamentary High Posts Committee on Oct 8, 2025, to respond to several questions but stressed that he had never made any statement suggesting India’s involvement. Seneviratne said the circulating posts more..

Oct 9 (EN) The IMF and SL authorities have reached a staff-level agreement on economic policies to conclude the Fifth Review of SL’s reform program supported by the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility. Once the review is approved by the IMF Executive Board, SL will have access to about US$347 million in financing. The IMF said the economic reforms implemented by the SL authorities have continued to support the recovery, more..

Oct 9 (AD) Minister Dr. Chandana Abayaratne, announced that a significant number of retired public servants whose salaries were not increased in the 2025 Budget will receive due benefits in the 2026 Budget. He made these remarks while participating in the National Pensioners’ Day 2025 celebration organized by the Department of Pensions under the theme A Life Filled with Strength, Good Health, and Courage. Addressing the gathering, Minister Abayaratne said: more..

Oct 9 (DM) A man who is said to be the Kalutara District Organiser of the Ape Jana Bala Pakshaya was rescued by Fire Dept personnel after he fell asleep on top of a coconut tree which he had climbed in protest of the current economic difficulties being faced in the country. The incident took place in the Elagahawatta area of ​​Payagala, when the man, who was reportedly in a drunken state, climbed a coconut tree about forty feet high. A group of his friends were searching for the individual, more..