Oct 31 (DM) SJB MP Jagath Vithana said IGP Priyantha Weerasuriya expressed regret over the statement he had made in Kandy. He told reporters after the meeting held in Parliament over the opposition MPs security, attended by the IGP and the Speaker. MP said Speaker Jagath Wickramarante and the IGP agreed to provide security to all MPs who request for security. MP Vithana said IGP informed that he had threats from several groups and assured to pay special more..

Oct 31 (TM) SL women’s cricket team has still not made the cut to feature in Tests according to SLC CEO Ashley de Silva. He made this comment when sought his views as to why SL has still not featured in the red-ball version of the game, in comparison to their exploits in the short formats. “To date we (SL) are not yet up to scratch to feature in Tests in women’s cricket,” de Silva explained. “At this moment we are yet to take that leap to play more..

Oct 31 (DM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Western Province Governor Hanif Yusoof as the President’s Special Envoy for Foreign Investment. The appointment has been made in accordance with the powers vested in the President under Article 41(1) of the Constitution. It recognises Yusoof’s experience in global investment partnerships and his long-term contribution to the development of SL’s private sector, as well as his ability to assist in Govt’s economic revival more..

Oct 31 (AD) 2025 Lanka Premier League (LPL), the sixth edition of the Twenty20 franchise cricket tournament is likely to be played in July-August 2026, according to sources. Although the 2025 edition of the LPL was slated to be held in December this year, SLC decided to postpone the tournament to facilitate the preparation of grounds for the T20 World Cup 2026. Meanwhile, the next season of the LPL will have five teams. Colombo, Dambulla, Galle, Jaffna & Kandy will battle it out for the trophy. more..

Oct 31 (DM) SL’s education system faces a critical test as the govt prepares its upcoming budget, with experts warning that funding decisions could determine whether children finally gain access to schools with much resources or continue to bear the cost themselves. HRW emphasises that the upcoming budget is a crucial moment, since reducing allocations for education could directly affect children’s ability to pursue a solid edu. more..

Oct 31 (NW) The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today granted bail to the wife of underworld figure ‘Backoe Saman’, who has been held in remand custody under the Money Laundering Act. Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama today (31) ordered Sadhika Lakshani to be released on a cash bail of Rs. 50,000 and three personal sureties of Rs. 2 million each. The court also issued an order prohibiting the suspect from travelling abroad, imposing an overseas travel ban. more..

Oct 31 (TM) Malaysian National Women’s Cricket Team will embark on a tour of Sri Lanka from late October to mid-November. The team arrived in SL on Wednesday (29), ahead of a five-match T20 series against the Sri Lanka U19 National Team. This bilateral series forms part of SLC's ongoing drive to promote and strengthen women’s cricket among ICC Associate Member Nations, fostering international relations on the sporting sphere and competitive opportunities for emerging teams. more..

Oct 31 (EN) Six Sri Lanka supermarket operators have said they will start charging customers for disposable bags provided when purchasing goods at their outlets from November 1. “In line with govt efforts to reduce single-use plastic, we are required to charge for shopping bags,” they said in a joint statement. Softlogic Glomark, Spar, Cargills Food City, Laugfs, Arpico and Keells said the following charges will now apply: Medium handle bag – Rs. 3; Large handle bag – Rs. 5. more..

Oct 31 (NW) A special training programme on Artificial Intelligence (AI) was conducted at the Northern Provincial Chief Secretary’s Office this week (27) to promote the use of AI among public officials. The training program titled AI for Transforming Public Service was conducted by the Presidential Secretariat, in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Economy. The program seeks to foster innovation and reform within the public sector through digitalization and AI technology, more..

Oct 31 (DM) SL is the second most expensive SAARC country to live with cost of living for an individual being $506 or Rs. 153,899 excluding rent to live a comfortable life according to Numbeo, a user-generated cost-of-living statistics website. For a family of four living in the city of Colombo, the monthly costs are Rs. 570,997 excluding rent to live comfortably. This includes the cost of childcare, groceries, outings, dining, school fees, more..

Oct 31 (DM) SL Navy received a set of firearms for Onboard Security Teams (OBST), as part of its maritime security operations project to provide services and facilities to foreign Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSCs). The formal handover took place at the OBST Armoury Complex in Galle, where the Navy accepted firearms, ammunition, and associated equipment, in accordance with Gazette Extraordinary dated 13 Aug 2025. Under agreements with local PMSC representatives, more..

Oct 31 (DM) MP Ravi Karunanayake has alleged that the govt is preparing to purchase 1,775 new double-cab vehicles while bypassing the standard international tender procedure. He claimed that a previous proposal to import 2,000 double cabs for Members of Parliament, which was earlier shelved, has now re-emerged in a different form. “There was a proposal from the government to bring in 2,000 double cabs for MPs. At that time, I said MPs don’t need vehicles. But if you want to give these more..

Oct 31 (TTW) As of today, int'l travelers do not need any more to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization or ETA for SL ETA applications prior to embarking on a journey to SL. The order comes just a few weeks after the order dated Oct 15th went into effect. Ever since then, Directorate General of SL Immigration and Emigration has instituted the policy which clearly highlights the reason for travel does not need more..

Oct 31 (NW) Ambassador Cup 2025 International Uni Badminton Championship commenced today at the Uni of Colombo Indoor Stadium, with a friendly exhibition match between Deputy Minister Anil Jayantha and Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong marking the ceremonial opening. The match, played in a spirit of camaraderie and goodwill, symbolized the strengthening of sporting and diplomatic ties between SL and China. The opening ceremony was held under the patronage of Deputy Minister more..

Oct 31 (NW) Former chairman of the SL State Trading Corporation (STC), Hussein Ahamed Bhaila, has been arrested by the Bribery Commission for allegedly causing a loss of Rs. 99,679,799.70 to the govt in 2015. According to the Bribery Commission, he is accused of having imported 50 temporary warehouses without any need during his tenure, causing a loss to the govt and a gain equivalent to that amount to external parties. Ahmed Bahila was arrested by the Bribery Commission today more..