Oct 9 (ST) SL fisheries exports will be prohibited from entering the US from Jan 1 onwards since the govt failed to ensure steps are taken for conservation of marine mammals as per the US legislation of Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), a US agency announced. According to the report of Comparability Finding Determinations For Harvesting nations, published by National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of US, more..

Oct 9 (ST) The Court of Appeal has dissolved an interim injunction preventing the removal of B.R.P.M.A. Devendra from the position of minister from Sri Lanka’s Counsel General office in Melbourne, Australia. Mr Devendra obtained an injunction against the implementation of a Foreign Ministry directive issued on August 15. The interim injunction was dissolved after Senior Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawadana, PC, made submissions to court. more..

Oct 9 (CT) Amidst speculation following comments by Ministry Appeal Advisory Committee that both candidates contesting for the presidency were ineligible, former SL and Ceylonese Rugby and Football Club captain Pavithra Fernando has been elected uncontested as the new President of Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR). Speaking after his election, Fernando emphasised that “rugby has to go on without facing another suspension, which would be detrimental to the players and more..

Oct 9 (DN) At just 15 years old, Jayden de Silva, SL’s fastest 200m Butterfly swimmer, has become the youngest male athlete to be selected for the country’s new national swimming squad, announced recently by the National Sports Selection Committee (NSSC) headed by Olympian Sriyani Kulawansa. Stafford Int'l School student, who has trained in the Elite Squad at Killer Whale Aquatics (KWA) since 2017, is part of SL’s 36-member men’s squad and is competing in senior category for the 1st time. more..

Oct 9 (Island) Mahanama College and Royal College reached the semi-finals of the Under 19 Division I Tier A cricket tournament with convincing victories in the quarter-final matches played on Wednesday. ‎While the two Colombo schools beat their opponents from Moratuwa by big margins in the Tier A tournament, Devapathiraja put up a combined effort to pull off an exciting three runs victory against Dharmaraja in one of the three Tier B quarter-finals played on Wednesday. more..

Oct 9 (FT) Organisation of Professional Associations (OPA) has submitted a comprehensive set of proposals for the 2026 National Budget, outlining measures to strengthen fiscal stability, revive growth, and ensure equitable development. The recommendations, representing the views of 52 professional bodies and over 60,000 members, were presented to Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma following more..

Oct 9 (TM) SL led by veteran goalkeeper Sujan Perera will look to record a maiden triumph over Turkmenistan, when both nations clash in their 2027 Men’s AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers encounter at Racecourse Grounds, Colombo this afternoon. The Golden Army as the hosts are fondly called by their faithful here and the 138th-ranked Turkmenistan, have met 6 times in int'l competitions to date, but the former is yet to break through for a first-ever victory over their rivals from Central Asia. more..

Oct 9 (DN) SL’s left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya was named CEAT Men’s Test Bowler of the Year at the CEAT Cricket Awards held in Mumbai. His precision, patience, and game-changing spells earned him this prestigious honour. The 33-year-old orthodox spinner, who has been instrumental in SL’s Test success over the past year, was recognised for his outstanding performances throughout the season. Since making his debut in July 2022 against Aus, Jayasuriya has featured in 22 Tests, more..

Oct 9 (TM) Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL) stated that investigative agencies, instead of waiting for courts to issue orders to conduct excavations related to suspected mass graves, must carry out investigations and seek the necessary court orders based on their findings. HRCSL Commissioner Nimal Punchihewa said that although a court order is required to conduct any excavation, such as in cases involving more..

Oct 9 (NW) Cabinet has approved the establishment of a special Wildlife Department office at the Mattala Rajapaksa Int'l Airport (MRIA) in Hambantota to address the growing problem of wild elephants and other animals trespassing into the airport premises. According to the govt, the frequent movement of wild jumbos and other fauna into the airport area and across its access roads has become a serious concern, threatening the safety of passengers, airport staff, and infrastructure. more..

Oct 9 (ST) The govt’s decision to move forward with the divestiture of the long-delayed Grand Hyatt Colombo project, reappointing Deloitte as the transaction adviser, has revived hopes for completion but also deepened uncertainty among investors, state institutions, and apartment buyers still waiting for answers more than a decade after construction began. Under the new administration’s directive, Deloitte will prepare an Information Memorandum (IM) detailing more..

Oct 9 (FT) Global hotel operator Minor International Group yesterday emphasised Sri Lanka’s recovery depends on brand building, better service, and a clean break from discount-led tourism. Minor International Group CEO Dillip Rajakarier used his keynote at CA Sri Lanka’s 46th National Conference to explain his own journey at Minor, the company’s near-failure during COVID-19, and how it rebounded, then mapped the country’s opportunity and the friction points holding industry back. more..

Oct 9 (ST) Sri Lankan companies are increasingly looking beyond the island’s shores for major expansions through mergers and acquisitions amid favourable macroeconomic environment, while there is renewed interest from foreign investors in the island’s different business sectors, officials said. One such company looking outward is Browns Investments PLC (BIL). The company is seriously looking at acquisitions locally and globally in the plantations, top officials said. more..

Oct 9 (DM) All talk, no action as SL becomes the breeding ground for doping scenario among athletes. In what may be another alltalk and no action or more talk and less action scenario, Deputy Sports Minister Sugath Tillekaratne revealed that 67 top-level sportsmen and women from 11 sports have been involved in using banned performance-enhancing substances. He listed the period from 2011 to 2025 when the doping was rampant more..

Oct 9 (FT) A Buddhist monk from Rathupaswala, Ven. Theripahala Siridhamma Thero, began a hunger strike in Tangalle yesterday to protest the Govt’s decision to withdraw the security detail of former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa. The protest started around 1 p.m. near the D.S. Senanayake statue, opposite Carlton House in Tangalle, according to local reports. The monk is demanding the reinstatement of security for Rajapaksa and other former presidents, arguing that removing more..

Oct 9 (FT) Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Govt of SL have signed a loan agreement for the Kerawalapitiya–Port L Second Transmission Line Project, under which AIIB will provide $ 52 million in sovereign-backed financing to help SL unlock its renewable energy potential and advance sustainable development. Project involves the design, supply, constructing, testing, and commissioning of a 220kV single-circuit underground cable system linking more..

Oct 9 (EN) Sri Lanka has witnessed US$ 787 million inflows as foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first nine months of this year including foreign loans by companies registered under the Board of Investment (BOI). Sri Lanka had attracted US$ 121.8 million from new projects, and 665.2 million from companies already in Sri Lanka under BOI registration. Total amount also includes foreign equity, invested retained earnings, foreign intra-company loans, and foreign commercial loans. more..

Oct 9 (DM) Sri Lanka’s tourism sector has logged a successful entry into the final quarter of the year, with tourist arrivals from Oct 1-6 reaching 34,046. This six-day period shows a growth of 31.12%, compared to the 25,965 arrivals recorded during the same period in 2024. This strong performance has propelled the year-to-date (YTD) total to 1,759,540, officially surpassing the 1.75 million milestone and locking in a robust YTD growth of approximately 16.2% compared to 2024. more..

Oct 9 (Island) Parliament is scheduled to debate today what the Opposition describes as a move to transfer the powers of the National Police Commission to the IGP. An agreement was reached by the Opposition and the ruling party to hold the debate. A motion was presented by Opposition MP Sujeewa Senasinghe on Tuesday, seeking Parliament to intervene in safeguarding the powers of the National Police Commission. more..

Oct 9 (AD) A 5-year-old child tragically drowned in a swimming pool in Nugegoda last evening. According to preliminary investigations, the child had been participating in a group training activity conducted by an instructor, when he drowned. The body of the deceased has been placed at the morgue of the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital for further examination. The deceased child was a resident of Thalapathpitiya, Nugegoda. Mirihana Police have launched an investigation more..

Oct 9 (CT) Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga Bodaragama, yesterday, ordered the release of Sepalika Saman Kumari, Additional Secretary of Ministry of Justice on strict bail conditions. She was arrested by CIABOC in connection with an incident where she is alleged to have committed the offence of corruption by inducing officials to illegally provide compensation for a building constructed by former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa on land belonging to SL Mahaweli Dev. Authority, more..

Oct 9 (FT) Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has urged those questioning about the legality of the appointment of Ranga Dissanayake as Director General (DG) of the CIABOC to seek redress from the Supreme Court. He said that if the selection made by the Constitutional Council was flawed, irregular, and unconstitutional, former Minister Udaya Gammanpila or any other concerned party could go through a legal process to more..

Oct 9 (FT) The latest Human Rights Council Resolution on Sri Lanka (60/L-1/Rev-1) was adopted without a vote in Geneva on the 6th of October 2025, despite Sri Lanka’s strongly stated rejection of it. What happened there and why was it adopted without a vote? At its simplest, it was adopted that way because a call for a vote on the resolution was consciously passed up by Sri Lanka, which could have requested a member state such as China, to call for it. more..

Oct 9 (FT) SL GDP growth rate needs to rise above 8% over 10 years to achieve a GDP of $ 200 million and a GDP per capita of $ 9,000 to qualify as an upper middle-class status. A high-income status requires a per capita of $ 13,846 or more. Can SL achieve these targets? It is noteworthy that Singapore GDP in 2024 was $ 547.4 billion and per capita $ 90,674.07 while SL’s GDP was $ 98.96 billion with a per capita of $ 4,515.57. Singapore’s projected GDP will be $ 900 b in 10 yearrs 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..

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 (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 (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 (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 (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 (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) 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 (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 (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 (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..