- Parliamentary proceedings suspended for 10 minutes due to MPs’ protests that the Finance Ministry is delaying to respond to a question asked by SLPP MP Gevindu Kumaratunga as to the rate of the interest paid by the Monetary Board on the EPF Members’ balances and the CBSL Provident Fund Members’ balances for the year 2022: previously, MP Kumaratunga had stated that the CBSL Provident Fund had paid a staggering 29% while the EPF paid only 9%.
- SLPP MP Chandima Weerakkody raises a Privilege issue in Parliament that he had been threatened by the Defence Secretary and Army Commander on 5th October inside the Parliamentary premises after he raised matters about the abuse of vehicles by high ranking Army officers: also says the Defence Secretary had responded affirmatively when asked whether he was threatening the MP.
- A massive tree falls on a Deniyaya-bound bus at Duplication Road, Kollupitiya, killing 5 persons
- Supreme Court determines that the decision taken by the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress to remove Minister Naseer Ahamed from the SLMC, is valid.
- Police arrest Astrologer Indika Thotawaththa for making defamatory remarks on a particular religion: Maligakanda Magistrate remands Thotawatta until October 20.
- Disaster Management Centre issues Landslide Warning Level 3-Evacuation (Red) for the following areas: Elpitiya & Nagoda in the Galle District, Ingiriya, Walallawita & Mathugama in the Kalutara District, Pitabeddara in the Matara District, and Kuruwita in the Ratnapura District.
- Colombo Stock Market plunges 3% in the week, amidst lacklustre investor interest fuelled by concerns over the macro situation: ASPI loses 348 points (-3.07%): market turnover drops and averages a dismal Rs.740mn per day, from Rs.962mn, the previous week.
- Cumulative trade deficit for the first 8 months of 2023 upto August’23 narrows to USD 2,964 mn from USD 3,889 mn in 2022, mainly due to a large decline in imports.
- Prasad Samarawickrema, the Project Director of “Digiecon-23” says SL’s Information and Communication Technology sector is facing a dearth of skilled workforce with most having already left the country: also says the ICT workforce should be at least 175,000 this year and 300,000 by 2025, but only 75,000 are available at the moment.
- Sri Lanka Cricket Team’s Head Coach Chris Silverwood says SL will be without Maheesh Theekshana for the World Cup opener against South Africa, as he has not yet fully recovered from the hamstring tear he suffered in the Asia Cup.
