Oct 27 (AM) The main train guard of the Jaffna-to-Colombo Yal Devi express train was arrested yesterday (25) at the Anuradhapura Railway Station after he was allegedly found to be intoxicated while on duty. The incident, which occurred at approximately 2:30 PM when the train pulled into the Anuradhapura station, prompted immediate action from railway authorities. A'pura Station Master received a tip-off that the guard in charge of the train was under the influence of alcohol. more..

Oct 27 (NW) A video has surfaced showing the suspects involved in the killing of Weligama PS Chairman Lasantha Wickramasekara revealing information to Police shortly after his arrest. According to the footage, suspect claims that order to carry out the shooting was given from Dubai. He is heard telling Police officers that he was acting on instructions received from an individual based overseas. Suspect was arrested in Maharagama following a special Police operation. more..

Oct 27 (AD) Sri Lanka finished second at the fourth South Asian Senior Athletics Championships held in Ranchi India. Following the conclusion of the three-day event, Sri Lanka had claimed 16 gold medals, 14 silver and 10 bronze medals for a total of 40 medals. Sri Lanka won eight gold medals on the final day of the competition. Sri Lanka won 16 gold medals. SL began Sunday with Dasuni Kaushalya winning the gold medal in more..

Oct 27 (DN) Under the National Cricket Pathway programme, which aims to provide equal opportunities to every cricketer with innate talent to represent the national team, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) recently distributed 22,684 cricket balls and cricket equipment kits to the Under-13 and Under-19 boys and Under-19 girls school cricket teams across the country. It is noteworthy that this equipment was distributed at the same time to all 24 district sports associations, more..

Oct 27 (TOI) The international ferry service between Nagapattinam, India and Kankesanthurai, Sri Lanka has been suspended with the onset of the northeast monsoon. Operations are scheduled to resume in December. Subham Ferry announced the cancellation of voyages scheduled from 26 to 28 October, citing the forecast of adverse weather conditions. The firm had planned to operate until 28 October before beginning the annual suspension of services from November. more..

Oct 27 (ST) SL’s gymnastics community has been shaken by a major selection controversy after the country’s number two ranked male gymnast, Jaydon Attygalle, was dropped from the national team for the 53rd World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta held from October 19 to 25 — despite being officially recommended by the SL National Gymnastics Association (SLNGA). Attygalle, who has represented SL twice internationally this year and consistently outperformed his rivals, more..

Oct 27 (EN) Sri Lanka Navy has rescued 14 crewmen from the MV Integrity Star, which was drifting 100 nautical miles off the coast of the Indian Ocean island, after its main engine failed. The crew was brought ashore to Hambantota Port, the Navy said. The ships engines had failed and MV Integrity Star had also lost electric power after the generators also packed up, Navy spokesman, and the distressed vessel had called for assistance, Commander Buddika Sampath said. more..

Oct 27 (ST) Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs) have agreed to go ahead with the wage increase for estate workers as proposed by Prez Dissanayake subject to certain considerations as the industry faces a declining demand for tea. On Oct 12 at an estate workers’ rally in Bandarawela, Prez promised to increase the daily wage to Rs.1,750. Estate worker wages hike has been a contentious issue more..

Oct 27 (TM) Sri Lanka’s banking sector Earnings Per Share (EPS) are expected to rise by over 5% in 2026 with the removal of the Social Security Contribution Levy (SSCL) from financial services from 1 January, Asia Securities said. Accordingly, from 1 January 2026, financial services will be exempted from SSCL, providing a 2.5% tax relief to the sector, which will boost post-tax profitability across the banking and non-bank financial (NBFI) sectors. more..

Oct 27 (AD) A total of 3,500 metric tons of Ponni Samba rice have been imported into the country, the SL Customs has stated. The decision has been taken to import rice as a solution to the shortage of Keeri Samba rice currently prevailing in the local market. Accordingly, the first consignment of the imported rice arrived in the country on Oct 23. SL Customs noted that further consignments of imported Ponni Samba rice were brought into the country last Friday and Saturday. more..

Oct 27 (DM) Sri Lanka is facing a serious public health crisis, with more than 150,000 individuals engaging in unsafe sexual and drug-related behaviours, health authorities have warned. Experts fear that without immediate intervention, the country could see a sharp rise in HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the coming years. According to Health Ministry, 127,511 high-risk individuals have been identified nationwide. more..

Oct 27 (FT) The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) has arrested a female who has close connections with a SLBFE driver, who has defaulted over Rs. 10 million from job seekers promising jobs in Israel. According to the SLBFE, the SIU had received several complaints regarding a large-scale scam carried out by the driver, who had been working at the SLBFE and had been dismissed, claiming to provide jobs in Israel. more..

Oct 27 (FT) UK-listed Capital Metals PLC recently issued 638,029 ordinary shares to its financial adviser Hannam & Partners as payment for commission and advisory services related to its operations, notably in SL. Capital Metals, listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM Board under the ticker CMET, is developing the Taprobane Minerals Project in SL, located about 220 km east of Colombo. The project contains deposits of industrial minerals such as ilmenite, rutile, zircon, more..

Oct 27 (FT) The Research Intelligence Unit (RIUNIT) together with the High Commission of SL in London will hold the Sri Lanka Real Estate Investment Forum: London 2025 on Thursday (30) at the Sri Lanka High Commission, 13 Hyde Park Gardens, Tyburnia, London W2 2LU. The event will take place from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm (BST), followed by networking and fellowship until 8:30 pm RIUNIT has been organising international real estate forums for many years in cities around the world. more..

Oct 27 (FT) The national program 4i Project developing 1,000 young entrepreneurs was successfully launched last week by the Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry in partnership with the National Productivity Secretariat and other Govt bodies. Minister Sunil Handunneththi said the national program, the 4i Project, is geared towards empowering a new generation of business owners, with a focus on youth and Small and Medium Enterprise (SMEs). more..

Oct 27 (FT) SL’s private sector has come forward to propel the country’s first-ever and self-funded and curated destination marketing campaign to boost tourist arrivals amidst frustration over the delay in initiatives by State agencies. Named Truly Sri Lanka, the digital destination campaign is being championed by The Hotels Association of SL (THASL), the apex body representing the country’s formal hotel sector, and its members, more..

Oct 27 (Island) As time went by, there was a low frequency, Non-Directional Radio Beacon (NDB) placed in the vicinity of the airport (Attidiya) and used with an Automatic Direction Finder (ADF) on board the aircraft. A needle over a compass dial pointed to Attidiya and gave directional guidance to international air traffic. Although it could accommodate an unlimited number of aircraft, when they needed it most, like during thunderstorm activity, there was static interference and more..

Oct 27 (CT) Lady Margaret Thatcher famously made the above statement when she was the first ever female PM of Great Britain in the 1980s. My opinion is that she was right on the money. The business of a govt should never be doing business. Why because such a business cannot continue to flourish without the greed of private ownership the motive of which will be to maximize profits. All over the world, generally speaking, govt have never proved to be good business owners. more..

Oct 27 (Island) Govt is on a campaign to vilify slain Weligama PS Chairman Lasantha Wickremesekera as an underworld figure in a bid to extenuate its failure to ensure his safety inside the PS premises last week. Its propaganda offensive has sparked a media discussion on the politics-crime nexus. Executive Director of PAFFREL Rohana Hettiarachchi has said it is incumbent upon all political parties to conduct thorough background checks on their candidates, and more..

Oct 27 (TM) Education reform is never an easy task. It has an impact not only on the structures and systems of learning but also the daily lives of millions of students, teachers, and parents. Yet, despite the sensitivity and far-reaching impacts of such reforms, SL’s latest announcement of sweeping education reforms has been met with confusion and opposition. Govt’s stated aim of improving education through a new module-based and credit-based learning system & extending school day by 30 minutes more..

Oct 27 (TM) The recent crash of the Lanka Govt Cloud (LGC) has reignited debate about SL’s readiness to embrace the digital economy, as touted by the incumbent Govt. The incident, which crippled several key e-Govt services for nearly a week, has raised pressing questions about the country’s digital infrastructure, technical expertise, and long-delayed cybersecurity framework. The system failure, more..

Oct 27 (ST) A deeply pervasive argument is being trotted out by some Opposition parliamentarians that the coming together of political parties opposed to the NPP Govt is akin to the Soviet Union, UK, China and US and other nations of the free world uniting to stop the advances of Nazi Germany. This is as laughable as it is a woefully mistaken reading of history. The Allied powers leveraged their combined forces during World War II, despite clear ideological and strategic differences, more..

Oct 27 (CT) The National Food Promotion Board (NFPB) was established under the Freedom from Hunger Act (Act No. 15 of 1973) as Sri Lanka’s response to malnutrition, rural poverty, and agricultural vulnerability. Its mandate was clear and ambitious: to strengthen food self-sufficiency, support rural livelihoods, and safeguard the country against the perennial threat of hunger. For decades, it was expected to function as a linchpin in the national food-security framework. more..

Oct 27 (CT) Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB), operating under the Ministry of Environment and entrusted with the task of regulating excavation, transportation and utilisation of mineral sand for industrial purposes, plans to introduce new regulations aimed at eliminating irregularities and preventing the exploitation of this valuable resource. GSMB Chairman Saman Jayasinghe highlighted the current state of more..

Oct 27 (DM) In the quiet hours before dawn, when communities should be at rest, SL’s residential neighbourhoods are jolted awake by amplified loudspeakers from religious institutions. This relentless noise, presented as devotion, has become a serious public health concern that contradicts the fundamental principles of every tradition it claims to represent. Living in a hamlet surrounded by five Buddhist temples, a Catholic church, and a mosque creates an inescapable soundscape. more..

Oct 27 (DM) The global order established in the aftermath of World War II, characterised for decades by the unipolar dominance of the United States, is exhibiting pronounced signs of stress and transition. Multiple forces—economic, geopolitical, and monetary—are converging to suggest that the world is moving toward a multipolar framework. This shift is not merely academic; it promises to redefine int'l relations, global finance, and security dynamics. While US retains formidable power, more..

Oct 26 (ST) For the assassin, it was all too easy. Wednesday, October 22, was the Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha’s public day—the day on which people can freely enter the premises to meet the council’s chairman for official matters. The assassin, a tall man in a white shirt, spectacles and a black facemask, posed as a member of the public waiting to meet Weligama PS Chairman Lasantha Wickramasekara. He waited for his moment. more..

Oct 26 (SO) Adverse weather has already affected 18,376 people of 546 families across 18 districts, according to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), as the island braces for a possible cyclonic storm forming off its Northeastern coast. A low-pressure area about 850 km Northeast of Batticaloa is expected to intensify into a deep depression by today and further strengthen into a cyclonic storm by tomorrow. Four deaths have been reported so far, while 628 houses have sustained damage. more..

Oct 26 (AD) The Minister of Energy, Kumara Jayakody, has directed the immediate withdrawal of a recent letter concerning the appointment of the Director General of the Power Sector Reforms Secretariat (PSRS). The directive follows a letter dated 15 Oct 2025, which claimed that the Minister had approved the appointment. In a statement, Jayakody clarified that no such approval had been granted, emphasizing that any contrary claim constitutes a serious misrepresentation. more..

Oct 26 (TM) In a new report, the National Audit Office (NAO) has exposed staggering financial mismanagement, bureaucratic negligence, and a collapse of internal control at the Ministry of Health that has cost the State over Rs. 1.27 billion. The NAO’s latest audit has revealed that hundreds of medical officers have quit the public service – many for foreign employment or postgraduate study – leaving behind a trail of more..

Oct 26 (ST) A special audit report on the online visa issuance programme, where the work of the Department of Immigration and Emigration was outsourced to a private company last year, did not bring any revenue to the govt, while tourists who qualified under the visa-fee waiver category ended up paying processing fees, thus not benefiting from the free service. The report compiled by the Auditor General’s Department said that during its short period of operations handling more..

Oct 26 (AD) A Gazette notification has been issued stipulating regulations for the release of vehicles held by SL Customs. Gazette Extraordinary has been issued with the signature of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake as the Minister of Finance, effective from yesterday (24). Although permission was granted for the import of vehicles since February this year, more than a thousand vehicles imported on Cross Border LCs allegedly in violation of Import Export Regulations Gazette of 2013 more..