Sri Lankan AI News Summary.

Sri Lanka Daily News Digest — Monday, October 26, 2026 WEATHER AND DISASTER Cyclonic Storm Arnab is getting stronger in the Bay of Bengal. It is not expected to hit Sri Lanka directly, but the Department of Meteorology has issued a red warning for strong winds and very rough seas in the Bay of Bengal and in all sea areas around the island. Most provinces may get 100-150 mm of rain today and tomorrow. The Disaster Management Centre says more than 10,500 people from 2,736 families in 12 districts have been affected. One person has died and 215 houses are partly damaged. The Irrigation Department has issued a minor flood warning for low-lying areas in the Kelani River valley, which covers Ruwanwella, Seethawaka, Dompe, Dehiowita, Eheliyagoda, Yatiyantota and Bulathkohupitiya. A warning has also been issued for the Attanagalu Oya basin. The Inginimitiya and Thabbowa reservoirs are releasing a combined 7,400 cusecs into the Mee Oya, and people living along the river are asked to stay alert. Police are asking drivers to slow down because road accidents have gone up in the wet weather, especially for motorcyclists and on expressways. DEATH IN POLICE CUSTODY Three officers from the Homagama Police were suspended from October 26 after a suspect died in their custody. Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala has told IGP Priyantha Weerasuriya to carry out a quick, independent investigation. POLITICS AND COURTS The UNP wants an immediate presidential pardon for Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera to end the current crisis. It says the Maha Nayake Theros of the Three Chapters should step in. The Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar sentenced Naufer Moulavi and a co-accused to 12 years' rigorous imprisonment for illegally storing explosives and a firearm. ECONOMY Export earnings for the first nine months of 2026 rose 5.04% from last year to US$13.61 billion. Growth came from both goods and services, with electrical and electronic components among the main contributors. In London, a minister promoted Sri Lanka to British investors as a stable economy that is carrying out reforms, ahead of SL EXPO 2027. The Colombo Stock Exchange closed lower on October 26, its sixth losing session in a row, though some buyers stepped in at lower prices. OTHER LOCAL NEWS A tour guide was trampled to death by a temple tusker at Kande Viharaya in Aluthgama. Ven. Borelle Seeladassana of the Sihanada International Meditation Community sent a message to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praising his support for Buddhism, and India's Culture Minister shared it. SPORTS Sri Lanka play Pakistan today at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium in the fifth match of the ODI series. They come in after a successful run chase against England in Rawalpindi. Opener Pathum Nissanka will miss the two-match Test series against Pakistan because he is still recovering from a left hamstring injury. Table tennis player Taavi Samaraweera, ranked world No. 2 in his age group, won gold at the WTT Youth Contender tournament in Italy. WORLD Brazil's President Lula da Silva won a fourth term by defeating Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, a Trump ally. Serbia's Aleksandar Vucic lost snap parliamentary elections to a student-led movement that had protested against him for almost two years.