Oct 14 (CT) Operations at the Cardiac Catheterisation Unit (Cath Lab) of the Teaching Hospital, Kalutara have been suspended since early this month, jeopardising the lives of heart patients, Govt Radiological Technologists’ Association (GRTA) said. Prez of GRTA, Chanaka Dharmawickrema, said that the unit was established in October 2021, with patient examinations and treatment procedures commencing thereafter. The 3-year warranty on the machine ended on 3 Oct 2024; more..

Oct 14 (ST) Rumblings of discontent at SL’s premier port, mainly at the two state-run terminals, among exporters and importers over long delays plus frustration among workers over what many see as political transfers, may have forced the government to change the minister in charge of this key institution. On Friday, Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake was relieved of two portfolios (Ports and Civil Aviation) and reappointed as Minister of more..

Oct 14 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Disanayake held discussions yesterday with representatives of plantation companies regarding the proposed increase in estate workers’ daily wage where he said the Govt would support the industry to implement the wage increment. The President’s Media Division said the discussion focused on the proposal to raise the daily wages of plantation workers in line with the salary increases granted to public and private sector employees in the previous Budget. more..

Oct 14 (NW) French Ambassador to SL Rémi Lambert met JVP General Secretary Tilvi Silva n Monday at the party headquarters in Pelawatte, where discussions focuseening bilateral ties and supporting SL’s reform program under the NPP govt. During the meeting, Ambassador Lambert commended Prez Anura Dissanayake and the NPP-led administration for the progress achieved within the first year in office. He expressed satisfaction that the post-election period in SL had remained more..

Oct 14 (DM) A great deal of work remains to be done by SL to retain and expand its export market in the European Union (EU), which currently absorbs more than 24% of the country’s total exports. SL is presently under assessment by EU authorities for the extension of the GSP+ trade facility under the revised criteria to take effect after 2027. As part of the process, SL’s overall performance in implementing 27 int'l more..

Oct 14 (EN) World Health Organization’s (WHO) 78th Regional Committee Session for South and South-East Asia began in Colombo on mainly focusing on Healthy Ageing through strengthened primary health care and combating smokeless tobacco. Three-day programme is hosted by SL and health ministers and senior officials from member states will also discuss expanding the corpus of the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF) and accelerating action against more..

Oct 14 (TM) Ministry of Environment stated that, with due attention, the recent increase in elephant killings and deaths has now been reduced to a satisfactory extent. Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody said that there was a slight increase in elephant deaths and killings in the recent past. “CID carried out an investigation into the incidents. Through coordinated efforts and close monitoring, we have been able to reduce the number of such incidents to a satisfactory extent.” more..

Oct 14 (DN) SL women’ face a big challenge against New Zealand in their must win game to keep hopes alive in the world cup today at the R. Premadasa Stadium commencing at 3pm. SL lasses have already lost to India and England while Australia game was washed out to share one point each and are looking for their their first win. Skipper Chamari Athapaththu said their first task is to reach semi final and now they have big pressure to to reach their target having only a solitary point. more..

Oct 14 (DN) Police reports that Ishara Sewwandi and four suspects believed to be associates of Kehelbaddara Padme, both of whom had been living overseas and were allegedly involved in the crime, have been arrested in Nepal. It is significant that Ishara Sewwandi, identified as the main suspect in the murder of underworld figure Sanjeewa Samararatne, alias Ganemulla Sanjeewa, was apprehended eight months after the killing. Ganemulla Sanjeewa was shot dead inside more..

Oct 14 (CT) The conversation making waves once again is about gold or more precisely, the soaring price of gold sovereign. With global market prices rising from USD 3,700 to USD 4,018 per ounce, driven by Donald Trump’s tariff policies and geopolitical turmoil across multiple fronts, gold has once again become the talk of the town. In SL, an ounce of gold now costs around Rs. 1.2 million. Locally, the price of a sovereign has more..

Oct 14 (DM) A tense situation was reported this afternoon after a trade union representative of the Joint National Freedom Employees Union was removed from the discussion with Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody and trade union leaders of the CEB. A discussion was held between the Energy Minister and CEB trade unions over the issues involving the restructuring of the CEB. Joint National Freedom Employees Union Secretary Chaminda Gamage alleged that he was assaulted more..

Oct 14 (DN) In a historic move to accelerate SL’s transition to a cleaner and smarter energy system, the Govt approved the introduction of a Time-Based Tariff Scheme for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) integrated with Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic (RTSPV) installations. This innovative initiative aims to encourage solar power producers to install battery energy storage systems, allowing them to store surplus electricity generated during the day and release it to the national grid during more..

Oct 14 (CT) A Police Constable who had been remanded in connection with an alleged assault on an attorney-at-law within the Mount Lavinia Court premises, was released on bail yesterday by Mount Lavinia Magistrate Pasan Amarasinghe, who also ordered the case to be referred to a Mediation Board for resolution. The suspect, Police Constable Tharindu Dilhara, was released on 2 personal bails of Rs 100,000 more..

Oct 14 (FT) Here’s a note of caution to all fellow motorists driving on A6 towards Dambulla. There’s a permanent Police Post located between Melsiripura and Beligamuwa. Yours truly was driving from Kurunegala on A6 targeting Dambulla for breakfast on Friday (3) when a long line of slow-moving traffic mostly consisting of heavy vehicles such as container-trucks and buses were observed. Using commonsensical safety techniques of 100% clear visibility both front and rear were deployed more..

Oct 14 (NW) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa dismissed claims linking the recent Cabinet reshuffle to ongoing investigations into the controversial release of 323 containers by Sri Lanka Customs earlier this year. He was responding to questions on the change of Minister Bimal Rathnayake’s portfolio. He clarified that the probe into the container release, along with 14 similar past incidents, is proceeding independently and is unrelated to recent ministerial changes. more..

Oct 14 (TM) The sun rises over the Jaffna Peninsula, painting the sky in soft pinks and golds. Out at sea, scattered dots of land break the horizon as Delft (Neduntheevu), Nainathivu (Nagadeepa), Analaithivu, Eluvathivu, Punkuduthivu, Karainagar, Paraithivu, Kachchathivu, and Kayts. For too many Sri Lankans, these islands are idyllic images of untouched nature with wild horses grazing on Delft’s dusty plains, the ancient Nainathivu Nagapooshani Amman and Nagadeepa Temples standing more..

Oct 14 (DM) The Govt has agreed to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to probe the clearance of 323 red labelled containers from the port. SJB MP Mujibur Rahman said that a positive response has been received for the request made by the Opposition last week. “We asked for the appointment of a PSC as per the mandate given by the people to eradicate corruption which is rampant in the country. Therefore, we in the Opposition have decided to work in accordance with more..

Oct 14 (AD) Ishara Sewwandi, who is wanted as a main suspect in the murder of organized crime gang member Sanjeewa Kumara Samararatne also known as Ganemulla Sanjeewa, was arrested in Nepal following a special police operation carried out in that country, under diplomatic assistance, SL Police stated. ASP FU Wootler made this statement during a special media briefing held today. more..

Oct 14 (CT) Independent media agency Third Shift Media, together with the Uni of Moratuwa, has received international recognition after presenting four research papers at the ISBM World Conference, Bangkok, Thailand September 2025. The studies explored how artificial intelligence and decision science can be applied to improve the way media planning is done. Since its founding in 2017, Third Shift has believed that media planners should do more than just number-crunching. more..

Oct 14 (NF) SL Police have seized and deactivated assets worth Rs. 730 million so far in 2025, according to ASP F.U. Wootler. The confiscated assets include 354 pounds of gold, 72 vehicles, 35 houses, 37 acres of land, and Rs. 670 million in illicit cash. These assets, believed to have been acquired through illegal means, are now in the process of being transferred to state custody. ASP F.U. Wootler emphasized that this year’s operations are part of a broader, long-term strategy to dismantle more..

Oct 14 (DM) Several key online govt services were hit by a sudden technical failure in the Lanka Govt Cloud (LGC), raising alarm over a possible data breach that may have exposed sensitive citizen and official information. The disruption crippled major online systems, including the Birth, Marriage, and Death (BMD) Certificate System, e-Revenue Licence System (eRL 2.0) used by Provincial Depts of Motor Traffic more..

Oct 14 (CT) A significant cache of ammunition, including T-56 and other high-calibre rounds, was recovered from the shallow bed of the Moragahakanda Reservoir over the weekend, according to the Naula Police. The discovery was made following a tip-off from a local fisherman, who had noticed the ammunition, while engaged in fishing activities in the reservoir. Due to the prolonged dry weather, water levels had receded, exposing previously submerged areas. more..

Oct 14 (AD) Former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa states that certain media outlets have incorrectly reported that a building constructed by another individual near the Menik Ganga in Kataragama belongs to him. He made this assertion in a post on his official Facebook page. Facebook post as follows: It has been observed that a news item previously published in the media has incorrectly stated that a building constructed by another person near the Menik Ganga in Kataragama more..

Oct 14 (AD) Three MRI scanners at the Colombo National Hospital are currently non-operational, Govt Radiological Technologists’ Association (GRTA) has stated. President of the Association Chanaka Dharmawickrama claimed that only one MRI scanner is currently functioning at the hospital. He noted that this situation has caused serious disruptions to patient care services. A machine used to break kidney stones, which was purchased a year ago for the Kandy National Hospital, more..

Oct 14 (FT) Eco Team Group, the pioneer of canoeing and kayaking in Samanalawewa, has welcomed a recent Court of Appeal ruling reinforcing fair and transparent access to the lake for all tourism operators. In a statement, the company said the decision marks a significant milestone for SL’s tourism industry, safeguarding equitable access to public natural resources while setting an important precedent for the sector. Eco Team Group has been active in the Belihuloya area for years, more..

Oct 14 (FT) United Petroleum Lanka Ltd. said it has initiated formal dispute resolution proceedings against the Govt of SL, citing failure to honour key commitments under an exit agreement signed in April 2025. The company said despite repeated extensions and follow-ups, Govt’s inaction has delayed its withdrawal from the local fuel market, forcing it to terminate the agreement. In a statement the company said that more..

Oct 14 (NW) Former Navy Commander Nishantha Ulugetenne, who was under remand custody in relation to a disappearance case, has been released on bail by the Kurunegala Magistrate’s Court. Ulugetenne was arrested in July in connection with the disappearance of a youth from Pothuhera, reportedly during his tenure as Director of Naval Intelligence. Meanwhile, former Navy Intelligence Director Rear Admiral (Retd) Sarath Mohotti was also arrested by CID on Sept 18, on charges more..

Oct 14 (CT) A 34-year-old man was hacked to death with a sword by his own brother in the Kudalgamuwa area of the Kurunegala District on Sunday evening, Police said. According to initial investigations, the victim had been consuming liquor with friends at his residence when a verbal altercation broke out between the two brothers. The argument escalated into a physical confrontation, during which the suspect reportedly attacked the victim with a sword, inflicting critical injuries. more..

Oct 14 (NW) Colombo Magistrate’s Court has granted bail to former state minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa, who was arrested and remanded in connection with the case filed on corruption and the misuse of a property belonging to the SL Mahaweli Authority. He has been released on two sureties of Rs. 02 million each and a cash bail of Rs. 50,000. The court has also imposed an overseas travel ban on Shasheendra Rajapaksa. The former state minister was arrested in August this year more..

Oct 14 (ABC) A senior SL Buddhist monk has denied sexually assaulting six girls at a Melbourne temple and has pleaded not guilty at his County Court trial. The complainants, who are now in their 30s, allege Naotunne Vijitha targeted them when they attended the Dhamma Sarana temple in Melbourne's south-east between 1994 and 2002. Reverend Vijitha, who was the head monk at the temple, has pleaded not guilty to 9 charges of more..

Oct 14 (PTI) Indian High Commissioner to SL Santosh Jha met the ruling JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva to discuss recent developments in bilateral partnership and the potential of closer economic ties. High Commissioner Santosh Jha met JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva and discussed the recent developments in #IndiaSriLanka partnership, the Indian High Commission in Colombo posted on social media on Monday. The duo exchanged views on the limitless potential of more..

Oct 14 (NW) A total of 5.7 million persons have been inspected from 1st January to 13th Oct 2025, SL Police said. ASP F.U. Wootler said that inspections, including body checks and interrogations, were conducted during this period. He further said that 4802 wanted suspects were arrested during raids and special operations conducted daily, and that steps are being taken to initiate legal action against them. Police Spokesman further revealed that assets worth Rs. 730 million more..

Oct 14 (AD) The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has dismissed the anticipatory bail application filed by former Minister Manusha Nanayakkara, seeking release prior to a possible arrest by the Bribery Commission. Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama delivered the order, said Ada Derana reporter. Counsel appearing for Nanayakkara informed the court that the former minister will appear before the Bribery Commission tomorrow (15) to record a statement. more..

Oct 14 (AD) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who is in Beijing for the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women, met with Chinese Prez Xi Jinping on Tuesday. The meeting was held at the Great Hall in Beijing. Discussions between the two leaders focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation, advancing development partnerships under the Belt and Road Initiative, and deepening collaboration across multiple sectors. more..

Oct 14 (EN) Cabinet has approved the sale of foreign currency denominated bonds to local market. A survey had found that there was an appetite for around 100 million US dollars of bonds of less than 1 year to 3 years, he said. SL should structure longer term syndicated loans after appointing lead managers who will negotiate with other to structure a long term instrument to help settle some of the maturing debt, and make use to dollar savings in banks, analysts have said. more..