Oct 23 (FT) My late friend and comrade Kethesh Loganathan, son of a famous banker, a Georgetown alumnus, theoretician of the Marxist-led EPRLF, and finally, Dy Head of Peace Secretariat (SCOPP) who was assassinated by the LTTE when answering his doorbell, named his book Lost Opportunities, because that’s what he saw as the key motif of the SL tragedy. I think of it as Wrong Choices (or turnings) but there isn’t much difference—wrong choices/turnings result in lost opportunities. more..

Oct 23 (NW) A total of 132 awards were presented under nine categories at the Presidential Environment Awards Ceremony 2025, held in Colombo today under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The event is annually organized by the Central Environmental Authority to ensure environmental sustainability in Sri Lanka by recognising industries, government and private institutions, nongovernmental organisations, media institutions, schools dedicated to more..

Oct 23 (AD) The Supreme Court has ruled that the fundamental rights of Neth FM radio presenter Thilina Rajapaksha were violated by officers attached to the Alawwa Police Station, over an incident involving his alleged assault, illegal arrest, and unlawful detention. The judgment, delivered yesterday by a bench comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Priyantha Fernando and Sampath Abayakoon, held that Police Sergeants K.G. Ravindra Kumara, more..

Oct 23 (AD) SL’s export sector has demonstrated resilience and steady growth during the first nine months of 2025, recording total earnings of US$ 12,986.52 million, the EDB stated. This reflects a strong 7% increase compared to the corresponding period in 2024, EDB said in its latest report. In September alone, total exports, comprising both merchandise and services reached US$ 1,469.75 million, reflecting a year-on-year more..

Oct 23 (NW) Minister Ananda Wijepala says 1947 weapons have been seized in 2025 alone, during raids conducted to tackle underworld and drug activities in SL. Minister said that weapons are a key part of the drug and underworld networks. He further said shooting incidents are being reported across the country as certain underworld gangs are still in possession of weapons. Minister Wijepala also revealed that 78 T-56 firearms had been given to underworld gangs from a military camp more..

Oct 23 (CT) The Supreme Court has nullified the University of Peradeniya administration’s decision to award the prestigious Professor E.O.E. Pereira Gold Medal—given annually to the most outstanding engineering student—to A.H.A.D. Abeysekara, an instructor in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, for the year 2015. The ruling follows a Fundamental Rights Petition filed by Ayumi Kalpana Manawadu, an engineering graduate of the Uni of Peradeniya from Moratuwa. more..

Oct 23 (FT) Govt must accelerate reforms in its land, labour, and capital markets, key factor markets that drive investment, while sustaining the slowdown in domestic debt accumulation, Uni of Peradeniya Economics Professor Wasantha Athukorala said, noting that improved fiscal discipline has begun to stabilise the country’s borrowing trajectory. He said the increase in total debt since Jan 2025 has been minimal, more..

Oct 23 (AD) A special security inspection will be conducted at the Parliament complex over three days in November ahead of the 2026 Budget speech. Accordingly, the inspection is scheduled to take place on November 4, 6 & 7. The Speaker also announced that the entire Parliament building, including the Members’ lounge and wardrobes, will be subjected to this security inspection. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is scheduled to deliver the 2026 Budget speech on November 7. more..

Oct 23 (NW) Some opposition MPs were seen wearing black armbands and attire inside the Parliament chamber in protest of the assassination of the Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman, Lasantha Wickramasekara. Addressing the Parliament today, SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman stated that they entered Parliament dressed in black and wearing black armbands to express their opposition to the prevailing culture of assassinations in the country. more..

Oct 23 (EN) SL–Indonesia Business Council (SLIBC) of The CCC said it had discussed potential bilateral collaborations during a recent visit to Indonesia. Concluded a Business Promotion Mission to Indonesia, securing promising links in renewable energy, digital services, and startup collaboration, chamber said in a statement. A team led by Sampath Jayasundara, CEO of hSenid Business Solutions and Executive Committee Member of SLIBC visited Indonesia from Oct 14-18. more..

Oct 23 (EN) Sri Lankans are expected to spend around US$ 1.5 billion in importing vehicles in 2025, which is higher than initially expected, CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said. SL was initially expecting around a billion US dollars to be spent on vehicle imports but pent-up demand had led to higher-than-expected imports. Vehicles are taxed at high levels, and as a result, govt revenues would be better than expected leading a lower than projected deficit for the first time in many years, more..

Oct 23 (AD) Another 20 self-service check-in kiosks have been installed at the BIA to improve efficiency and passenger experience at the airport. Passenger traffic at the BIA grew 16% to five million in the first half of 2025, with total traffic forecast to reach 14 million by 2027. Accordingly, 20 new self-service kiosks to complement the existing eight, along with a self-bag drop facility, have been added at the BIA. Self-service kiosks aim to more..

Oct 23 (NF) Dept of Meteorology has announced that the prevailing rainy conditions across the island are expected to ease after the 25th of this month, particularly in the southwestern region. The current rainfall affecting the southwestern parts of the country is likely to reduce gradually, bringing temporary relief to affected areas. However, thundershowers are still expected in several provinces including the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central & North-Western Provinces, more..

Oct 23 (AD) Around 672 acres of land controlled by the military in the North and East for several years have been released to its previous owners, Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekara (Retd.) stated. Confirming this in Parliament today, the Deputy Minister stated that the released lands include 86.24 acres of private lands and 586 acres of land that were used by the military. The Deputy Minister also said that 34.58 acres of govt lands have been released in East Province alone. more..

Oct 23 (AD) A common single curriculum framework will be implemented across all preschools island-wide from 2027, PM Harini Amarasuriya has announced. Responding to questions raised by MPs, the PM noted that the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework has now been finalized, and a training program for nearly 19,000 preschool teachers is scheduled to commence on Nov 25, 2025. more..

Oct 23 (NF) Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne declared that no data was compromised during the unexpected collapse of the Lanka Govt Cloud (LGC) on October 14, 2025. “All sensitive citizen and govt data remains fully intact and uncompromised,” Minister stated. “National Cyber Security Operations Centre (NCSOC) monitored the incident in real-time, and no unauthorized access or breach attempts were detected.” Statement came in response to a series of probing questions from MP more..

Oct 23 (AD) A total of 826 individuals are on death row at present, Commissioner of Prisons Jagath Weerasinghe stated. Addressing a ceremony held in Nawalapitiya, he noted that among the 805, there are five school students who have been sentenced to death while 21 women are also on death row, at present. Prison Media Spokesman stated that large-scale drug traffickers should be sentenced to death. He pointed out that drugs are destroying the future generations of the country. more..

Oct 23 (CT) While trade unions in the State health sector recently accused the Govt of conspiring to sell the Thriposha Company, Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) said the Govt should clarify on what basis the Company, previously under the Ministry of Health, had been removed from its control and placed under Ministry of Trade. MCPA President, Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, lamented that the Thriposha Company, which had until recently operated under min. of health more..

Oct 23 (DN) “Road accidents claim more lives each day than the country lost during the war. Through vigilance, many of these tragedies can be prevented,” said Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways, Dr. Prasanna Gunasena. Speaking at a ceremony held today at the Highways Ministry Auditorium in Koswatta, Battaramulla, Dr. Gunasena highlighted the rising number of accidents in the mountainous areas of the Central, Sabaragamuwa, and Uva provinces. more..

Oct 23 (NF) The investigation into the assassination of Weligama PS Chairman Lasantha Wickramasekara is uncovering significant links to organized criminal networks. Police have launched a large-scale operation to identify and apprehend the suspects, with CCTV footage currently under analysis to trace their movements. The gunman fled the scene on a motorcycle accompanied by another individual. more..

Oct 23 (DM) India’s next Chief Justice of India (CJI), Justice Surya Kant, has called for strengthened collaboration between India and Sri Lanka to safeguard the Indian Ocean, emphasising that environmental cooperation is not a matter of charity or diplomacy but a necessity for survival. Addressing an event at the University of Colombo during his three-day visit to Sri Lanka, Justice Kant highlighted the historical significance of the seas between India and Sri Lanka, noting that more..

Oct 23 (Island) President’s Counsel Ali Sabry has told the Court of Appeal that two respondents in a petition filed by Col. Kelum Maddumage to prevent his arrest in connection with the ongoing 2019 Easter Sunday carnage investigation––namely, Public Security Ministry Secretary Ravi Seneviratne (retired SDIG) and retired CID Director Shani Abeysekara–– had previously filed fundamental rights petitions in the Supreme Court to prevent their own arrests over the same attacks. more..

Oct 23 (DM) Commissioner of Prisons and Media Spokesman Jagath Weerasinghe stressed that drug traffickers sentenced to death should be hanged. During the 435th lecture in a programme implemented by him to create public awareness in Nawalapitiya he said that the prisons in the country have accommodation for only 10500 detainees but the number of detainees already in prisons had increased to more than 36000. more..

Oct 23 (EN) SL’s widening credit gap in the private sector signals potential systemic risks that require close monitoring, Central Bank said in its 2025 Financial Stability Review. The private sector credit has grown significantly amid a strong economic recovery after the 2022 unprecedented debt crisis with sovereign debt default. CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said there is no concern over the private sector credit growth, given the decline in public sector credit has led to increase more..

Oct 23 (LBO) The High Commission of Canada in SL, in collaboration with The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, is pleased to announce the visit of a Canadian Agricultural Mission to SL from Oct 27–31. The five-day mission aims to deepen bilateral cooperation in agriculture, agri-food, and agri-tech. Focusing on agricultural policy, productivity, smart agriculture, and climate resilience, the mission will bring together industry representatives, policymakers, academics & govt officials. more..

Oct 24 (DM) The daylight murder of the Welgama PS Chairman sent shockwaves across the country, not merely because a local politician was slain, but because it revealed — once again — the frightening extent to which the rule of law has eroded in SL. It was not just a criminal act; it was a public execution that symbolised the growing collapse of order in our society. The Chairman, despite facing various allegations and being the subject of sustained social media criticism, more..

Oct 24 (TM) The fatal shooting of Weligama PS Chairperson Lasantha Wickramasekara inside his own office by two unidentified gunmen is far more than just another underworld-style killing. It is a reminder that violence and institutional complacency continue to affect Sri Lanka’s governance structure. Many feel the Govt’s response to the killing was questionable. Minister Ananda Wijepala stated in Parliament that the murder was the result of a conflict among criminals. more..

Oct 24 (TM) “If we embrace digitalisation and make it a practical reality, we can progress alongside developed nations. If not, we will be pushed further down,” President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said in September, emphasising this Govt’s intentions of a digitised Sri Lanka. However, less than a month later, a host of key Govt websites and portals abruptly went offline, leaving thousands stranded unable to obtain critical e-services. more..

Oct 24 (DM) The divide between the rich and the poor has always been there in the United States, but it has become pronounced in recent months, say Ben Casselman and Colby Smith in a recent piece in The New York Times. “Wealthier Americans, buoyed by a stock market that keeps setting records, have continued to spend freely. Lower-income households — stung by persistent inflation and navigating a labour market that is losing momentum — are pulling back,” they say. more..

Oct 24 (CT) Democracy is not a spectator sport. It is hard work: Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said as much, addressing students at her alma mater, Hindu College, New Delhi, during her maiden visit to India after assuming office two years back. In a way, it was an acknowledgement of the democratisation of her ruling NPP’s main JVP partner’s wholesale transformation from being a much-feared militant / terror group before her time. It was also Amarasuriya’s possible attestation of the more..

Oct 24 (CT) As Sri Lanka prepares for the next round of the European Union’s GSP+ review, key developments in trade, human rights, and governance are coming into sharp focus. Since 2017, GSP+ framework has been crucial in granting SL preferential access to the European market, particularly for textiles, rubber, spices, tea, and shrimp. This access, which reduces tariffs and enhances competitiveness, has supported more..

Oct 24 (CT) Cabinet has given the nod to the proposal to hold a Sri Lankan Day in December. Accordingly, a three-day programme will be held to promote unity and harmony among communities and the celebrations will see the participation and inclusion of all ethnicities, religions and regions of the country. Although the celebrations ring a bell of ethnicities and religions, supported further by the selection of the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious & Cultural Affairs to organise the event, more..

Oct 24 (Island) We have come a long way as a nation. Once, the person regarded as the Father of the Nation D.S. Senanayake in 1944, stated that one critical measure of development must be the larder of the poorest of our households. Today, the measure has changed, now it is the buffet tables of the grand hotels that signify our state of development. Time of transition from social wealth passed onto capital wealth as a national goal, was rapid, it was brought about by changing more..

Oct 24 (SO) Sri Lankans are not strangers to medical misinformation. Over the years, a number of shamans, indigenous doctors and Western physicians have come up with various products and therapies for diseases ranging from Covid-19 to cancer. A common feature of such individuals is that their product is plant based and for many Sri Lankans plant based is equivalent to safety and less harmful side effects. In recent weeks, wide publicity has been given to a nutraceutical product more..

Oct 24 (Island) A deceptive lull in underworld killings prompted the govt to brag that the ongoing crime-busting ops had yielded the desired results, and the Opposition, which kept a daily tab on shootings across the country, had been left red-faced. But it was shattered by a high-profile killing on Wednesday. Chairman of the Weligama PS Lasantha Wickremesekera (SJB) was shot dead inside his office in the PS building itself. The unidentified killer and his accomplice more..