- National Procurement Commission (NPC) officials inform President Anura Kumara Dissanayake that procurement shortcomings are causing major financial losses and enabling corruption within the government: The President stresses the need for an improved procurement plan, addressing transparency issues, delays, and inefficiencies: also highlights expanding the NPC’s authority to better manage unsolicited proposals and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
- SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa urges the public to grant his party a Parliamentary majority, criticising what he described as the NPP’s failure to alleviate public hardships as promised during the Presidential Election: notes President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s unfulfilled pledges to reduce taxes, amend IMF agreements, and tackle debt, warning that without SJB leadership, Sri Lanka faces bankruptcy by 2028.
- Former Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapaksha clarifies he returned his official residence to the Public Administration and Home Affairs Ministry on 1 October, along with cleared payments for rent, electricity, and water: strongly denies media claims that he hadn’t vacated the residence, expressing disappointment over the misleading reports.
- U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung clarifies that the U.S. has not issued a travel ban on Sri Lanka but only advised Americans to avoid Arugam Bay due to a specific security threat: highlights the embassy’s commitment to transparency and cooperation with Sri Lankan authorities and reaffirmed support for Sri Lanka’s safety, tourism stability, and ongoing security collaboration.
- Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake and CHEC Port City Colombo Managing Director Xiong Hongfeng discuss progress on the Colombo Commercial City development and strategies for upcoming economic challenges: CHEC Port City Colombo also pledged Rs. 3 million to support flood victims, demonstrating corporate social responsibility: Assistant Managing Director Xian Nan was also in attendance.
- The Election Commission of Sri Lanka declares digital screen advertising for election campaigns illegal: Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Rathnayake urges the public to report violations to the nearest police station, emphasising that digital ads are akin to posters in public spaces: Past court rulings support this prohibition, and legal action will be pursued as needed.
- The Sri Lanka Railways Station Masters’ Union (SLRSMU) plans to begin trade union action within 72 hours to protest the recruitment of Station Masters outside traditional procedures: This follows Cabinet approval to appoint Station Masters and Railway Controllers every five years based on internal exams, a move the union contests.
- The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) warns WhatsApp users against sharing one-time passwords (OTPs) due to hacking risks: Hackers may send deceptive OTP requests, claiming it’s for a Zoom link, then take control of accounts to defraud contacts: SJB’s Mujibur Rahman reports his hacked account and a related financial scam to the CID’s cybercrimes unit: Users are urged to protect their OTPs.
- Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya says ex-President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s announcement on raising public servant salaries lacked necessary Treasury and Finance Ministry approvals, indicating procedural neglect: criticises the unfulfilled promise as election-period misinformation, emphasising that while a decision was announced, no steps were taken to implement it, misleading the public.
- Junior swimmer Rushalee Dissanayake, 13, from Musaeus College sets a national record in the Women’s Senior National 1500m Freestyle with a time of 18:55.44 at the National and World Aquatic Short Course Selection Trial, breaking the previous 19:17.21 record by Ramudi Samarakoon: Dissanayake outpaced competitors Pamudi Jayaratne and Galina Basnayake from Killer Whale Aquatics.
