Oct 22 (DN) Prof. Priyanga Dunusinghe of the Dept of Economics at the Uni of Colombo stated that the changes currently being implemented at the CEB are a very timely and necessary reform for long-term economic development. Although the changes being made at the Electricity Board may be unpopular and boring in the short term, he said that such decisions should be taken with the expectation of future economic development. He further explained that such decisions should be taken more..

Oct 22 (FT) Cargo volumes at Hambantota International Port (HIP) have surged by 151% year-on-year, with throughput reaching 6,028,493 metric tons by September 2025 compared to 2,397,971 metric tons in the same period last year. This was achieved despite operational challenges triggered by lifting the ban on local vehicle imports. With the lifting of import restrictions, we experienced elevated congestion and clearance delays—straining yard space, equipment, and workflow. more..

Oct 22 (FT) A workshop aimed at raising awareness among Government executive officers on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve public sector productivity and efficiency was held on 17 Oct at the Uni of Ruhuna. The event, titled “AI for Transforming Public Service,” was organised by the Southern Provincial Council in collaboration with the Presidential Secretariat and the Ministry of Digital Economy. Executive-level officers from the Galle, Matara and Hambantota districts attended more..

Oct 23 (ST) At least half a dozen international players are in discussions with the Govt for numerous services, including data centres and cost-saving power solutions, top officials said. Amazon, Microsoft Azure, Oracle Cloud, Huawei and Alibaba are reportedly in discussions with the Ministry of Digital Economy and relevant agencies regarding the establishment of these facilities amongst a host of other solutions. At a recent digital forum, Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratna, more..

Oct 22 (FT) SriLankan Airlines reported a Rs. 2.73 billion loss for the year ending 31 Mar 2025, compared with a profit of Rs. 7.9 billion the previous year, its annual report showed, a reversal representing a decline of about 134.6% year-on-year. Revenue fell 10.8% to Rs. 303 billion from Rs. 339.6 billion, while operating expenditure decreased 11.7% to Rs. 276.3 bil from Rs. 313 bil. Total assets declined 6.1% to Rs. 189.2 bil more..

Oct 23 (ST) Valvettithurai Citizens’ Committee has submitted an appeal to the Office for Reparations, claiming compensation for a 1989 massacre allegedly carried out by the IPKF deployed in the area. The massacre took place in Valvettithurai between Aug 2 and 4, 1989, where 66 civilians were killed and 34 were injured. In addition, homes, shops, fishing boats, vehicles, and industries were destroyed, resulting in the total collapse of livelihoods for hundreds of families, more..

Oct 23 (Island) Cricket, they say, is a funny old game and Monday night’s Women’s World Cup clash between SL and Bangladesh proved just that. Until the last over, Bangladesh had one hand on two points, the other ready to wave goodbye to SL. Then Chamari Athapaththu, ever the lion-hearted skipper, took the ball with nine needed off the final over and five wickets in hand. What followed was pure theatre — four wickets in four balls, two runs conceded, and a 7-run win that sent SL camp into raptures. more..

Oct 22 (TM) Three prominent administrators involved in the domestic football administration in the recent past, stated that they were not unduly alarmed over their names being mentioned in a complaint filed with the Bribery Commission last week. This was linked to corruption allegations at the Football House by civil society activist Dhaniz Ali on behalf of We Are Football – an independent football reform movement, more..

Oct 23 (FT) High net worth investor and media industry fame Rayynor Silva entered Seylan Bank buying the remaining 5% stake of business leader Dhammika Perera for Rs. 1.57 billion. Rayynor paid Rs. 105 per voting share in buying 15 million. As at 30 June 2025, Dhammika Perera held 20 million shares or 6.55% stake but had been selling down recently leading upto the exit yesterday. Overall Seylan saw 16.68 million of its shares change hands via 300 trades for Rs. 1.76 billion. more..

Oct 23 (FT) Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe called for urgent reforms to address widening inequalities in the global economy, speaking at the opening of the 16th UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva on Monday. “From climate impacts and debt burdens to digital and economic divides, the multiple crises we face expose deep inequalities in the global economy,” Samarasinghe said. “Developing nations, especially small and vulnerable countries like Sri Lanka, more..

Oct 22 (EN) Panasian Power said its 5MW ground-mounted solar project at Deegawapiya, Ampara was connected to Ampara Grid Substation last week. “This project operates through the subsidiary of PAP and starts revenue generation from today,” Panasian Power said. Commissioning adds another 5MWac/ 6.76MWp to the national grid. This is the fifth 5MW ground-mounted solar power plant connected to the national grid of the 7 projects which the company entered into power purchase agreements more..

Oct 22 (FT) LTL Transformers Ltd, has been honoured with the Global Performance Excellence Award (GPEA) under the World-Class Category, presented by the Asia Pacific Quality Organisation (APQO), region’s highest recognition for organisational excellence. The prestigious award was presented during the 30th APQO International Conference, held from 15 to 16 October, at the Beijing International Convention Center, Beijing, China. The event brought together more..

Oct 23 (ST) As UNP and SJB moved closer to working out an alliance, after being separate for more than five years, members of the two parties have reacted. Senior members, party organisers, and ground-level supporters are enthusiastic but note that there are several outstanding issues. Rivalry between UNP and SJB members has been one of the main concerns, but finalising nomination lists for provincial more..

Oct 22 (Island) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has reportedly asked the FUTA to formulate a comprehensive plan to eliminate delays in universities and streamline the higher education sector. He made this request when he met a group of FUTA representatives on Monday. State universities have come to be characterised by various delays, which are multifactorial. The pace at which they operate reminds us of an Aluth Avurudu cycling competition, where the slowest more..

Oct 22 (TM) The oceans are the source of life and the great unifier of our distant civilisations. Civilisations are built on trade and relations, much of which happens via shipping, today. Over the last few centuries, sea trade and Naval power have redefined the global order and landscape. However, as we move further away from the age of sails, the global shipping industry has become one of the biggest polluters of our planet. Many attempts have been made to address this issue; progress more..

Oct 22 (GV) Reports of significant public uprisings from Morocco, a country in North Africa, and Madagascar, an island nation on the African continent, have been consistent in recent days. As usual, youth collectives born between 1997 and 2012 (commonly called Gen Z) are the main recognized rioters responsible for the current situation in both countries. Although the key triggers for the ongoing protests differ, several common factors can be highlighted: mobilization more..

Oct 22 (Island) In 2024 and 2025, the world witnessed something extraordinary: gold, that ancient metal once thought to belong to kings and temples, suddenly became the new obsession of investors, govts, and even central bankers. Prices shattered all records, soaring past US$4,100 per ounce, doubling within a single year. Analysts scrambled to explain what was happening. Was this another bubble? A panic? Or something deeper—perhaps the beginning of a historic financial more..

Oct 22 (TM) Despite being an island nation surrounded by the Indian Ocean, SL has yet to fully capitalise on its fisheries sector, a situation frequently highlighted by local fishermen. The country’s resource base is substantial: an Exclusive Economic Zone of 517,000 sq km, a territorial sea of 21,500 sq km, and thousands of square kilometres of lagoons, estuaries, and man-made reservoirs that can support both more..

Oct 22 (ST) Some years back, just after the famous victory of the Yahapalanaya brigade that brought the Maithripala Sirisena- Ranil Wickremesinghe-led political group into power, strong efforts were made to take action against allegedly-corrupt officials of the past. Many cases were filed and one in particular against two corporate bigwigs for endorsing a move by a state agency – where they served as directors – to finance a religious programme that was perceived as a political stunt, went to court. more..

Oct 22 (DM) SL’s heroes are still waiting to be saved, 16 years on: They face premature death from cardiac issues and cancer, not from combat wounds, but from the psychological toll of war manifesting as heavy smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and maladaptive coping mechanisms. A truly satisfied post-military life requires a holistic approach that addresses both economic development and health, physical and mental. It is essential to create supportive environments where veterans more..

Oct 22 (SO) On Oct 12 Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake was in Bandarawela distributing land deeds and praising the long contribution of the Malaiyaha community to Sri Lanka’s economy, a very different story was unfolding in a small rubber estate called Hemmeliya near Baddegama in the Galle District. Just nine families are remaining on a narrow strip of land where their ancestors have lived and worked for nearly five generations. more..

Oct 22 (CT) Namal Rajapaksa’s recent announcement that all SLPP candidates will be required to submit a Police report, confirming no links to organised crime or drug networks has stirred quite a conversation. It sounds like a good move, one that should have come long ago. Yet, as with most things in our political landscape, it is questionable whether it is born of good intention or merely another attempt at image cleansing. Although such doubts are valid, the core idea more..

Oct 22 (DM) When you earn a daily wage you simply plan your life around the concept one day at a time. Thinking long-term for them would mean getting through the 30 days of the month. That’s how the plantation sector workers in SL have lived their lives. And they have lived their lives in this manner for over 200 years. What they have done is not impossible, but unthinkable. Just the other day, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, at an event in Bandarawela, promised estate sector workers more..

Oct 21 (Island) CIABOC has said that measures implemented in terms of the Anti-Corruption Act 2023 (No. 9), particularly Articles 36–39(1)(2) fortified the integrity of SL Railways’ online ticketing system. It said that the operation was spearheaded by CIABOC’s Corruption Prevention Unit. CIABOC’s comprehensive 45-page investigative report on SL Railways’ Online Ticket System has been prepared after examining over one million entries—including ID numbers, phone numbers, and more..

Oct 21 (EN) Sri Lanka’s aviation industry has shown steady growth since 2021 but is still struggling to reach its performance in the year before the 2019 Easter Sunday attack, the latest govt data showed. In 2018, the industry handled 10.88 million international passengers, 67,351 international aircrafts, and 279,559 metric tons of air cargo. These numbers fell slightly after the Easter Sunday attack in 2019 before plummeting in the next two years due to Covid-19 global pandemic. more..

Oct 21 (Island) Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, Deputy Speaker Dr. Rizvie Salih, who is also Chairman of Committees, and Deputy Chairperson of Committees Hemali Weerasekara, continue to receive fuel allowances as MPs, in addition to 900 litres of fuel, on par with members of the Cabinet and deputy ministers, sources familiar with the arrangement told The Island. The Speaker holds Cabinet rank while Deputy Speaker more..

Oct 21 (TM) SL delegation, led by Governor of CB Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, actively participated in a series of high-level bilateral and multilateral meetings during the 2025 WB/IMF Annual Meetings in Washington, DC, during 13-18 Oct. Discussions with multilateral and bilateral partners focused on advancing development cooperation in infrastructure, energy, and digital transformation, with particular interest in securing new financing & technical assistance on capacity building. more..

Oct 21 (DN) GMOA has urged those affected by the ongoing disaster situation to seek medical help by calling the 24-hour hotline: 0774506602. GMOA Media Spokesperson Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said doctors across all affected districts are prepared to respond to emergencies and provide necessary healthcare support. Dr. Wijesinghe warned that SL’s health system is at serious risk of collapse due to persistent shortcomings, including a shortage of doctors, difficulties in doctor placement, more..

Oct 21 (DM) Claiming that some major scams including CB Bond scam are in the hands of the CID and FCID, Minister Ananda Wijepala said yesterday the newly established Proceeds of Crime Investigation Division would facilitate and expedite investigations into such major financial crimes. Speaking at the opening of the new division, the Minister said the unit would be instrumental in recovering illegally acquired assets. more..

Oct 21 (EN) SL Customs has achieved 90% of its revenue target by Oct 20 after exceeding the monthly targets every month. SL Customs has set a revenue target of 2,115 billion rupees for this year, 36.2% higher than last year’s 1,553 million rupees. The revenue collection body of the govt has collected 1,906 billion rupees as of Oct 20 to achieve over 90% of this year’s target, the data showed. The Customs collected record monthly revenue of 253.2 billion rupees in September this year more..

Oct 21 (DM) Sukirthan Thangrasha, of New Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, also denied a charge of common assault at Portsmouth Crown Court today, but did plead guilty to a count of assault by beating. The court heard that the defendant, who attended the hearing with the help of a Tamil interpreter, is accused of arriving in the UK without leave to do so in October 2021. Thangrasha also faces a charge of indecent exposure, which was alleged to have taken place in Southampton on Aug 15 this year, more..