Oct 5 (ST) My dear Sagara, I thought of writing to you as you are frequently being called upon to present the view point of the pohottuwa party despite the many controversies surrounding it. I don’t envy your job. Most of the issues you are being asked to deal with are challenging and you sometimes make a mess of it. A few weeks ago, the pohottuwa was invited to the Green party convention. It was understandable that Mahinda maama didn’t attend. After all, he would have to travel more..

Oct 5 (ST) Prez A.K. Dissanayake’s visit to Japan this week came against the background of a continuing public debate triggered by his own govt on the distinction between what is an official visit and what is a private visit of a Head of State and Govt. It has generated further discussion on what its critics argue is a distinction without a difference. There was much confusion regarding the Japan visit, which oscillated between being publicly referred to in Sri Lanka as a State visit and more..

Oct 5 (Island) The Opposition and some civil society organisations are demanding that the long-delayed Provincial Council (PC) polls be held in 2025 itself. Their representatives met at a conference held by the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ), the other day, to discuss the issue at length and pressure the government to hold the PC elections without further delay. Among those who attended the NMSJ event were former Chairman of the Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya, more..

Oct 5 (Island) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayaka’s recent speech at the UNGA, while outwardly progressive in tone, reveals a troubling lack of structural analysis. His framing of global crises, identifying poverty, narcotics, corruption, war, and technological ethics, leans heavily on moral condemnation and humanitarian concern, but avoids any deeper systemic critique. This omission is not incidental; it reflects a political orientation that sidesteps the material roots more..

Oct 5 (CT) It has now been 13 years since Wasim Thajudeen, an exceptionally-skilled rugby player produced by S. Thomas’ College, was murdered. However, to this day, it has not been revealed who killed Thajudeen or whose orders were behind it. At one time, he served as the vice-captain of the national rugby team and, for several years, was one of the most -popular players in the sport. Representing Havelock more..

Oct 5 (CT) Sri Lanka’s export sector is crippled by poor execution and weak accountability rather than bad strategy, Deputy Minister of Enterprises Chathuranga Abeysinghe has warned, calling for a bold national export ambition. Speaking on 2 October at the inaugural consultation for the National Export Development Plan (NEDP) 2025–2029 at the Export Development Board in Colombo, Abeysinghe said decades of strategic planning had failed to deliver results. more..

Oct 5 (Island) Cricket, they say, is a gentleman’s game. Yet last Sunday, the Asia Cup final descended into a farce that brought the sport into disrepute. The contest itself was riveting, with India grinding out a hard-fought win over Pakistan, but what followed was anything but cricket. You see such antics only in street corner scraps, not in international showpieces. Both sides should hang their heads in shame. Sri Lanka’s late Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, himself a cricketer, once said: more..

Oct 5 (ST) Some batters arrive with a bang, others like the slow unfurling of dawn. Pathum Nissanka, the 28-year-old SL opener, has done both. Since his int'l debut in 2021, he has quietly become the bedrock of the national side across formats. His rise has not been a flash in the pan but a steady progression, insistent, measured, and impossible to ignore. The loudest statement of his career so far came at Pallekele in February last year when he smashed SL’s first-ever double century in more..

Oct 5 (CI) Sri Lanka will probably be the happier team to get a point out of their washout against world champions Australia in Colombo on Saturday. The conditions didn't look as bad a day before the game and even on Saturday when the two teams had walked out before toss time to assess the ground. But the rain picked up quickly, and even though the entire ground was covered, the match had to be abandoned about two and a half hours after the scheduled start time. more..

Oct 5 (TM) Local apparel exporters are anticipating a decline in volumes beginning in early 2026, driven by reduced demand from the US due to reciprocal tariffs and heightened competition in the European market. JAAFSL Secretary General Yohan Lawrence stated that despite the challenging external environment, the apparel export industry expected its performance in 2025 to remain on par with the figures recorded in 2024. more..

Oct 5 (TM) As the Wednesday (8) deadline looms, Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) stands at a historic crossroads. World Rugby (WR) has issued a final warning: if elections are not held by the stipulated date, a two-year suspension will take effect on Thursday (9), severing Sri Lanka’s ties with the global rugby community. The consequences would be catastrophic, halting international participation, cutting off funding, and stalling grassroots development across the island. more..

Oct 5 (TM) SL’s fitness movement recently celebrated a landmark achievement as Yohan Manoj Rathnayake secured a podium finish at the Hyrox Delhi event, bringing the island nation its first Hyrox flag on the international stage. Rathnayake completed the Hyrox men’s 35–39 division in an impressive time of 1:21:26, earning third place and signalling SL’s arrival in the growing global functional fitness community. A fitness entrepreneur-turned-elite athlete, Rathnayake is best known as more..

Oct 5 (TM) The Energy Ministry has instructed the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to implement LKR-denominated tariffs, rather than dollar-pegged rates, for the 49 projects under 10 MW for which energy permits have been issued by the SL Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA). As per the finalised tariffs, solar power projects will receive Rs. 18 per unit, while wind power projects will be paid Rs. 20.30 per unit, it is learnt. more..

Oct 5 (AD) CID has confirmed that Aruna Vidanagamage, also known as Kajja, was travelling in the jeep that followed rugby player Wasim Thajudeen’s car moments before his death. The CID has been conducting investigations into the murder of Thajudeen for the past 13 years. However, investigators have not yet been able to conclusively identify the individual directly responsible for committing the murder. In recent developments, Kajja’s wife had provided a statement to more..

Oct 5 (CI) SL have hired Julian Wood and Rene Ferdinands as batting coach and spin-bowling coach, respectively, of their men's national team. They will replace Thilina Kandamby and Piyal Wijetunge in the roles. Kandamby had been SL's batting coach since Dec 2023, while Wijetunge has been a fixture at SLC having been in the role of spin-bowling coach since Feb 2006. It is understood that the decision to shake up the coaching staff was taken after SL's T20I series defeat to B'desh more..

Oct 5 (EN) SL average coconut prices rose 6.8% at the weekly coconut auction on Thursday, Coconut Development Authority (CDA) data showed. The average price for 1,000 nuts was 138,581.96 rupees on October 2. However, CDA has continued to not declare the highest or lowest price for a nut at the weekly auctions. “Only the average price is there,” CDA officials said. Number of nuts offered climbed to 682,300 from 394,279 a week earlier, while nuts sold moved to 578,265 from 350,130. more..

Oct 5 (AD) Reports circulating on social media claiming that the President’s expenditure allocation for 2026 has been increased threefold has been clarified by the Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando. Accordingly, the Minister points out that the relevant information is incorrect and misleading to the general public. Explaining further in this regard, Minister said: “This comparison is completely wrong. They claim that the President’s expenditure has been increased threefold. more..

Oct 5 (ST) The duty-free vehicle permits issued for public sector senior officials are unlikely to be revived in the upcoming budget. Already permits for some 23,000 officials have been held back, while more officers are becoming eligible for the facility. The govt was considering holding back the facility as part of its measures to achieve the US$7 billion foreign reserve target by the end of the year—a goal set by the IMF. more..

Oct 5 (ST) They mill in their thousands around the BMICH, enjoying the crisp smell of paper in the air. The carnival feel is hard to miss and for many, it’s a whole day’s outing. The Colombo International Book Fair, now in its 26th year will take a bow tomorrow. With more than 500 exhibitors, many book launches, literary events, performances and fringe events, it’s been a great summer of books this year too. Browsers come from far and wide. We spotted Chandima Priyadarshani seated contentedly, more..

Oct 5 (DM) CIABOC is probing several properties, including a hotel and multiple houses connected to public officials, under SL’s new Proceeds of Crime Act, Director General Ranga Dissanayake said. At least four cases are currently being examined under the law, which empowers the state to confiscate assets if owners cannot justify their source. “Unlike conventional criminal trials that require proof beyond a reasonable doubt, this Act allows for confiscation based on the balance of probabilities. more..

Oct 5 (DM) A British woman accused of attempting to smuggle synthetic cannabis, or kush, worth £1.2 million into Sri Lanka, remains in custody at Negombo prison. Prisons spokesman Jagath Weerasinghe confirmed that Charlotte May Lee, 21, is still on remand as her case continues before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court. Lee, a former cabin attendant from South London who has been working as a beautician, was arrested on May 12 at BIA after arriving on a flight from Bangkok. more..

Oct 5 (DM) Fresh investigations into the death of ruggerite Wasim Thajudeen have been launched based on the disclosures made by SLPP local politician Sampath Manamperi, who was remanded over a drug case, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. Sampath Manamperi is being interrogated under a 90-day detention order in connection with the discovery of two containers of chemicals suspected to be used in the manufacture of the drug ICE. Minister told the media that investigations more..

Oct 5 (DM) Twenty foreign companies, including those from China, US and Japan, have expressed interest in investing in the expansion of SL’s Sapugaskanda oil refinery, an official said. Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) recently called for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from potential investors to expand the facility. The deadline for submissions closed last Friday. CPC Chairman D.A. Rajakaruna said that 20 firms more..

Oct 5 (TM) The $ 500 million loan from China’s Export-Import (Exim) Bank for Section 1 of the Central Expressway Project (CEP-1) is under review by the COPF, even though the Cabinet has already approved the project. Deputy Secretary to the Treasury Ajith Abeysekera said that the final decision would consider both Cabinet approval and COPF recommendations. Abeysekera stated: “The entire debt finalisation process is guided by the COPF as a standard procedure. more..

Oct 5 (AM) The official inventory (assets register) of the Wijerama residence previously occupied by former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa has not been properly maintained. As a result, officials are reportedly unable to verify the complete list of movable and immovable items belonging to the state that were present at the premises, Ceylon Today reported. A senior spokesperson from the Presidential Secretariat confirmed that officials had visited the residence with inventory records. more..

Oct 5 (ST) The saying uneasy lies the head that wears the crown is not without merit, as Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake is learning fast. After his return on Thursday from a weeklong overseas visit that took him to the UNGA in New York and then Japan, Prez had to rush to Kandy on Friday to appease the Maha Nayakas of the Asgiriya and Malwatte chapters to clarify the govt position with regard to a SL Tourism Promotion Bureau more..

Oct 6 (TM) The recent ramblings by the newly-styled US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth before hundreds of senior US military leaders, was viewed globally as a clear departure from the way the United States has been engaging with its military juggernaut in recent past. Many observers found Hegseth’s posturing and lecturing a political spectacle and a desperate action of a man whose military credentials has been questionable, trying to appease the collective egos of the Trump administration. more..

Oct 6 (ST) If the NPP party learns just three lessons as it passes the one year high water mark in holding the reins of power, it would do well to be a little more self-critical, a tad less arrogant and certainly more accountable in governance. Absent this learning exercise, its worst enemies will inevitably emerge from within as a matter of rude political force – which we witness already – rather than from the Opposition. In fact, the combined Opposition is possibly the weakest that we have had more..

Oct 6 (SO) The story of coffee begins in the highlands of Ethiopia more than a thousand years ago. Local legend recounts a story of a goat herder named Kaldi, who observed his animals becoming restless and full of energy after consuming the red cherries of a wild shrub. Curious, he tasted them himself and felt the same surge of alertness. Bhikkhus in nearby monasteries soon discovered that these beans, when steeped in hot water, more..

Oct 6 (DM) It is becoming increasingly clear that President Dissanayake is following the missteps of late former President J.R. Jayewardene in his approach to international relations. Former President JRJ, always suspicious of Indian interests, attempted to hitch his govt’s policy to those of the US, in the belief the US and the West would stand by him in the event of relations breaking down with our giant neighbour. JRJ forgot that markets determine big power support. more..

Oct 6 (DM) India, long known for its cultural diversity, is now carving a place for itself as an emerging LGBTQ+ tourism destination. With legal reforms, shifting public attitudes, and a growing number of businesses catering specifically to LGBTQ+ travellers, the country is steadily positioning itself as a safe and rewarding holiday choice for Queer visitors. India’s struggle with LGBTQ rights has been one of the most dramatic legal and social transformations of the past two decades. more..

Oct 6 (TM) Delays in critical power projects continue to exacerbate the country’s electricity cost crisis and cast a shadow over the island’s energy security as economic recovery gains traction. The latest disruption came last week when Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake ordered a temporary suspension of two wind power projects in Mannar — a 20 MW facility and a 50 MW extension — despite tenders being called and contracts already more..

Oct 6 (CT) On 1 Oct 2025, the South Asian Women in Media, SL Chapter, (SAWM-SL) convened in Colombo under the theme Amplifying the Voices of Women. The event brought together activists, leaders, storytellers, and advocates to explore both the challenges and opportunities in creating spaces where women’s voices are heard and respected. The keynote address by Ambika Satkunanathan, a human rights lawyer, activist, and former Commissioner of Human Rights Commission, more..

Oct 6 (Island) Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has returned his official bulletproof vehicle in compliance with a govt directive, according to the Opposition. There has been no response from the govt to the Opposition’s claim. When it came under fire for reducing security provided to the former Presidents, on a previous occasion, the NPP claimed that the levels of security for all political leaders were determined on the basis of threat assessments. more..

Oct 6 (GV) After what seems to have been an eternity, it was refreshing to hear a prime minister who knew what they were talking about and who they were talking to. Harini Amarasuriya was the chief guest at the Sri Lanka premiere of the 4K restoration of Gehenu Lamayi. Reflecting on the film, Amarasuriya noted its director Sumitra Peries as a trendsetter and a trailblazer, saying she was more than a director, arguing that she broadened our understanding of feminism in South Asia. more..