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’’.

Over 300,000 driver’s licenses await issuance: Officials revealed

Officials from the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation informed the Ministerial Consultative Committee that over 300,000 driver’s licenses are currently pending issuance. Arrangements have been made to print and distribute these licenses within the next three months.

Child abuse cases rise, warns HRCSL

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has raised alarm over an increase in reports of child rights violations, particularly cases of corporal punishment.

Inland Revenue exceeds tax collection target by September

Sri Lanka’s Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has surpassed its expected tax collection for the first nine months of 2025, recording 102 percent of the target by the end of September, officials informed the Parliamentary Committee on Ways and Means.

Sri Lanka’s former cricketer Warnaweera dies at 64

Sri Lanka’s former cricketer Jayananda Warnaweera passed away today at the age of 64.

My client never sang obscene songs - Counsel denies police claim

The President’s Counsel appearing on behalf of Attorney-at-Law Gunaratne Wanninayake yesterday (15) informed the Court that the police had wrongly accused his client of committing an offence under Section 287 of the Penal Code, alleging that he had sung obscene songs at the Mount Lavinia Court premises.

PM Harini meets Jaishankar

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya began her official visit to India today with a meeting with Indian Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar in New Delhi.

Former State Engineering Corporation director arrested

Former State Engineering Corporation (SEC) Director Nilu Dilhara Wijedasa has been arrested by the Bribery Commission for allegedly misusing state resources to carry out repairs at the United National Party (UNP) headquarters, Sirikotha, in 2019.

Tax failures pushed millions into poverty – HRW report

Sri Lanka’s long-running failures in tax policy have worsened the country’s economic collapse and violated the basic rights of its citizens, particularly the right to education, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Deepika Padukone becomes new voice for Meta AI in India, US, other nations

Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone collaborated with Meta to become the new voice of its AI version across multiple countries.

Attorney Gunaratne Wanninayake appears before Western Province South Crimes Division

Attorney-at-Law Gunaratne Wanninayake, who was granted bail yesterday (15) by the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court, arrived at the Western Province South Crimes Division this morning (16).

UNP forms committee to initiate dialogue with SJB

The United National Party (UNP) has appointed a three-member committee to open talks with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) aimed at reconciliation.

Sri Lanka’s passport drops to 98th in 2025 global ranking

Sri Lanka’s passport has fallen to 98th place in the 2025 Henley Passport Index, down two spots from its previous ranking of 96th.

Ministers, Deputy Ministers obtained MP’s fuel allowance even after assuming duties

Some Ministers and Deputy Ministers have obtained the fuel allowance which they are entitled for as MPs for some period after assuming of duties as cabinet ministers and deputy ministers, it was revealed yesterday.