Sri Lankan AI News Summary.

Sri Lanka Daily News Digest — Friday, November 6, 2026 Heavy rain in Colombo: Colombo received 129mm of rain in a few hours, flooding several roads and causing heavy traffic congestion, police said. More rain is expected. Forecasters also warned of fairly heavy showers above 75mm in parts of the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-Western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya districts. Drugs: The Navy seized about 189 kg of crystal methamphetamine (ice) and 246 g of heroin from a multi-day trawler south of Sri Lanka. The street value is Rs 4.2 bn and five people were taken into custody. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake urged religious leaders to take an active role in the national fight against illicit drugs. Underworld figure Kaiwaru Muthu was detained under a 72-hour detention order. Courts and policing: Chief Inspector Varuni Bogahawatta and four others were remanded until November 20 by the Matara Chief Magistrate. Gampaha Magistrate Bandula Gunaratne, who sought contempt proceedings against the IGP, was transferred to the Judges' Training Institute. Kosala Senadheera was appointed Gampaha Chief Magistrate by the Judicial Service Commission. Politics and law: The Election Commission told SLFP factions that the party cannot currently be considered a recognised political party. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said the Catholic Church is studying the government's proposed anti-terrorism law before stating its position. Economy: The National System Operator dropped its request for an electricity tariff hike for October–December, citing better reservoir storage. PUCSL will make its final decision within six days. The government postponed mandatory TIN submission for eight transaction types to April 1, 2027. The National Single Window for Trade went live this week with two export sectors. The Free Lawyers Association alleges the government plans to replace the ITMIS treasury system. Trade and labour: Thailand approved a plan to recruit 10,000 Sri Lankan workers amid labour shortages. Hayleys Retail Holdings selected Blue Yonder to build its supermarket operations. HIPG and Al-Futtaim Logistics discussed closer cooperation on Gulf vehicle supply chains. Shipping and Hormuz: Iran authorised a vessel carrying fertiliser for Sri Lanka to transit the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has also exempted Indian, Chinese, Iraqi and Qatari ships from its passage restrictions. Tourism and other: Nearly 550 Polish tourists arrived on three charter flights at Bandaranaike International Airport, opening the 2026/27 European winter season. The Navy evacuated a critically ill fisherman from the eastern seas off Trincomalee. The Sixth Bay of Bengal maritime dialogue focused on regional cooperation. World: A Kenyan court sentenced cult leader Paul Mackenzie to 200 years in prison for the murders of 190 children starved on his orders, among about 500 suspected victims. Israeli President Isaac Herzog will name a candidate to form the next government by Sunday, after lawmakers backed opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot over Prime Minister Netanyahu. At least 21 aircraft and several European airports received bomb threats, the second such wave this week; the UK called them a malicious hoax. A school bus crash in France killed 2 and injured 16. A UK court found comedian Russell Brand guilty of rape and sexual assault. Thomas Markle Sr. has reportedly been arrested by the FBI on child pornography charges, according to the Daily Mail. North Korea denied responsibility for the record $6.3bn Binance hack. India introduced new passport and visa rules for foreigners, affecting select Pakistani citizens and minority refugees, including Sri Lankan Tamils. Business and tech: Sony's quarterly profit jumped on Spider-Man and PlayStation. Apple AI tools arrive in China after a two-year delay. Google turned off AI for schoolchildren by default. LIV Golf will wind down after backers withdrew support. Sport and entertainment: Cristiano Ronaldo retired from international football. Harry Kane extended his Bayern contract to 2029. Harshitha Samarawickrama will lead Sri Lanka in the Emerging Nations Trophy. Vijay Sethupathi became the first Indian presenter at the 54th International Emmy Awards.