MR’s former security officer further remanded

Neville Wanni Arachchi, the former security officer of ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was further remanded till October 31 by Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama today.

BIA extendes check-in for departures

Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited (AASL) announced today that passengers departing from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) will be allowed to check in four hours before their scheduled departure.

Bears kill seven people in Japan this year as attacks hit record high

The number of people killed by bears in Japan this year has reached a record high, the country’s environment ministry has said.

Local gold prices soar amid global rise

The price of gold in Sri Lanka has risen sharply, following increases in the global market.

Death penalty sought for Bangladesh’s ex-leader Sheikh Hasina

Prosecutors in Bangladesh have demanded that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina be put to death over a deadly crackdown on student-led protests last year that ousted her from power.

Man killed, daughter injured in Wennappuwa accident

A tragic accident occurred this morning near Gorak Gas Handiya on the Wennappuwa New Road when a van carrying schoolchildren collided with a motorcycle, killing the motorcyclist.

Last surviving member of first team to scale Everest dies aged 92

Kanchha Sherpa, the last surviving member of the first expedition to successfully scale the summit of Mount Everest, has died in the Nepali capital Kathmandu, aged 92.

National Action Plan to curb human-elephant conflict: AG

The Attorney General yesterday informed the Court of Appeal that a National Action Plan is currently being prepared by the authorities for the mitigation of the human-elephant conflict in the country.

Courts allowed to work on holidays to clear pending court items by year-end

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has instructed all High Court judges and judicial officers that pending court production items must be cleared by December 31, 2025, as per Circular No. 422 A.

Around 25,000 people disabled due to road accidents

Nearly 25,000 people suffer severe, long-term injuries each year as a result of road accidents, health officials have pointed out.

Engineer abandoned Port Access Elevated Highway project to drag 2 more years

Delays to the completion of the Port Access Elevated Highway (PAEH) which would link Colombo City Centre and Katunayake Expressway (CKE) via the port has faced further delays with the Engineer Representative abandoning the project.

Sewwandi hid for three months in Matugama and Middeniya under female bodyguard protection

Ishara Sewwandi, the suspect accused of disguising herself as a lawyer and supplying the revolver used in the courtroom assassination of underworld figure “Ganemulla Sanjeewa”, had spent three months in hiding in Matugama and Middeniya under the protection of female bodyguards, before she left for Nepal, police investigations have revealed.

Birds to decide on Renewable Projects previously offered to Adani

Ahead of fresh tenders to be called for the two renewable energy projects previously offered to India’s Adani company, the Central Environment Authority (CEA) has sought to undertake a bird collision avoidance study, an official said.

Trump says he will meet Putin in Hungary for Ukraine talks after ’very productive’ call

US President Donald Trump says ’’great progress’’ was made during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, with the pair agreeing to face-to-face talks in Hungary.

Several Coast Guard ships remain inactive for years, Audit finds

An audit report has revealed that several Sri Lanka Coast Guard vessels remain inactive for years, while others await costly repairs or disposal.

India sees rupee bonds as next step in deepening Lanka ties

In a significant signal of deepening economic ties, India is actively considering pathways to enable Sri Lankan entities, including the government and commercial businesses, to issue bonds denominated in

Economic activity strengthens ahead of year-end demand

The continuous growth in economic activities was seen further from the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) data for September which showed persistent expansion in both manufacturing and services sectors which

Drug addicts to get jobs after rehabilitation: Watagala

The government has planned to introduce a mechanism to recruit drug addicts for employment in government and private sectors after giving them vocational training on completion of the rehabilitation programme, Deputy Minister of Public Security Sunil Watagala said today.

COPE slams CIDA for harassing staff, spending Rs. 15Mn on Court Case

The Committee on Public Enterprise (COPE) has found fault with the Construction Industries Development Authority (CIDA) for harassing workers on personal grounds and for incurring exorbitant expenses for lawyers appearing in a court case filed against an employee attached to the institution.

UAE claim final T20 World Cup 2026 ticket in Oman

United Arab Emirates have claimed a ticket to next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, securing a top-three spot at the Asia/East Asia-Pacific Qualifier in Oman.

India casts doubt on Trump’s claim Modi will stop buying Russian oil

India’s foreign ministry has said it is ’’not aware’’ of a phone call in which US President Donald Trump claimed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to stop purchasing Russian oil.

CMC declares emergency disaster response period from October 16 to 18

The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has declared an emergency disaster response period from October 16 to 18, 2025.

LGC services partially disrupted but data secure: ICTA

The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) of Sri Lanka announced that partial disruptions to the Lanka Government Cloud (LGC) services continue, though critical systems remain secure and no data loss or security breaches have occurred.

CSE posts strong turnover driven by Banking and Capital Goods sectors

Eroding the previous day’s losses, the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) generated a significant turnover of LKR 8.87 billion today. Both the All Share Price Index (ASPI) and the S&P SL20 maintained a steady rally throughout the session, with minor fluctuations, reflecting sustained investor optimism. Market volatility remained elevated, with the ASPI moving within the 22,300 to 22,450 range.

Three arrested for defrauding money using photos of children in Cancer Hospital

Three individuals belonging to an organised gang were arrested for defrauding millions of money by posting on Facebook the photos fraudulently taken of children who are receiving treatment at the Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama.

Sri Lanka Customs records highest-ever daily revenue

Sri Lanka Customs achieved its highest-ever daily revenue collection yesterday (15), marking a historic milestone in the institution’s history.

Public warned to exercise caution when obtaining online, mobile loans

Police warned the public to exercise caution when obtaining loans via the Internet or mobile phones, following an increase in complaints related to deceptive lending practices.

All female MPs to wear pink to support cancer awareness

All female parliamentarians and parliamentary staff have decided to wear pink on a selected day in the next parliamentary week to support Breast Cancer Awareness.

Special bus services for Diwali long weekend

The National Transport Commission (NTC) has announced special bus services to accommodate the increased passenger demand during the Diwali long weekend starting tomorrow (17).

S Korea tycoon escapes paying $1bn in ’divorce of the century’

South Korea’s Supreme Court has struck down a lower court’s order for billionaire Chey Tae-won to pay his ex-wife a 1.38tn won ($1bn; £788m) settlement, in a case dubbed by local media as the ’’divorce of the century’’.