Aug 3 (TM) President of the Committee for Protecting Prisoners' Rights (CPRP), claimed that unequal treatment of inmates was the underlying cause of the unrest that erupted at the Mahara Prison on 1 Aug. He alleged several inmates arrested over drug-related offences maintained close relationships with certain police officers and, as a result, received preferential treatment from prison officials. He claimed those inmates were more..

Aug 3 (DM) Attorney General has granted legal clearance for the draft bill seeking to extend the retirement age of judges by two years, paving the way for the legislation to move to the next stage. According to the AG's Dept, the legal review of the draft bill has been completed and the necessary approval has been formally conveyed to the Ministry of Justice. Following the AG's clearance, Ministry of Justice is expected to finalize the draft legislation before it is published in the Govt Gazette. more..

Aug 3 (Island) The full extent of the destruction caused by inmates during the Mahara Prison unrest has emerged as authorities began assessing the damage, following the violent incident that left one prisoner dead and several others injured. Although security forces brought the situation under complete control, by around 6 am yesterday, the aftermath revealed extensive damage to buildings, equipment and essential facilities, within the prison complex. Unrest, which began around 4.30 pm on Sat, more..

Aug 3 (ST) Govt has gazetted an amendment to the 2023 Anti-Corruption Act introducing a hefty threefold penalty on property—that is, if a convicted person has acquired or converted property as proceeds of corruption, the court is mandated to impose an additional penalty of not less than three times the value of that property. Under the principal 2023 Act, penalty for corruption is rigorous imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10yrs more..

Aug 3 (NW) Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara says prison overcrowding may have contributed to the recent unrest at Mahara Prison, but stressed that authorities are investigating whether there was a more organized effort behind the incident. Minister said the current information indicates that the clashes were primarily between inmates and the prison administration. However, he said the Govt is also looking into whether external parties may have played a role in instigating the violence. more..

Aug 3 (Island) Heavy rainfall in the Kandy District has caused the Mahaweli River to rise rapidly, with floodwaters sweeping away machinery deployed for repairs to the damaged Black Bridge on the Kandy–Peradeniya railway line. The machinery had been brought to the site to carry out restoration work on the bridge, which sustained severe damage during the recent Cyclone Ditwah. As the Mahaweli overflowed, following continuous downpours in the area, several pieces of heavy equipment, more..

Aug 3 (EN) SL’s overall rate of inflation, as measured by the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI), rose to 7.3% in July 2026 from 6.8% in June 2026, past the CB’s upper inflation target rate of 7%, data showed. This reflected the adjustment in housing rent in the non-food category and the base effect in food inflation, CBSL said. SL’s economy witnessed upward price adjustments after the govt raised fuel prices by around 47% following a supply shortage due to Middle East escalation, more..

Aug 3 (FT) SL’s national schools debating team has delivered the finest performance in the country’s history at the World Schools Debating C'ships, largest and most prestigious debating competition for secondary school students in the world. At WSDC 2026, held in Nairobi, Kenya from 14 to 24 July with more than 700 students, coaches, and judges from over 80 countries, SL team won seven of its eight preliminary debates and ranked first overall after the preliminary rounds more..

Aug 3 (FT) Citigroup Director and Economist for India and SL Baqar Zaidi recently described SL’s economic recovery as remarkable and consistent, beating everyone’s expectations. “It has been a remarkable recovery. I don’t remember the last time a country has beaten market expectations so consistently. Striking feature has been not just the fact that we have had upside to our expectations, it is the breadth of surprises; more..

Aug 3 (Island) The rapid decline of Sri Lanka’s tamed elephant population has posed a serious challenge to the continuation of the country’s traditional Perahera festivals, Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela has warned. He said the current population of 93 tame elephants could fall to just 25 within the next decade unless new elephants were added to the existing pool. Dela made these remarks while addressing Alimankada 2026, SL’s first elephant conservation summit, more..

Aug 3 (AD) Minister of Agriculture K.D. Lal Kantha says he will not refrain from highlighting shortcomings in the state sector, even if it results in losing votes. Speaking to media after attending the commencement of renovations to the Ilwatta Anicut built across the Polathumodara River in Welipitiya, Matara, the Minister said addressing such issues was essential to taking the country towards a transformative era. Minister said the govt and the state sector must move forward more..

Aug 3 (DM) Jaffna Kings booked their place in the Lanka Premier League 2026 playoffs after persistent rain washed out their league-stage clash against Dambulla Sixers at the Pallekele Stadium. The abandoned match saw both teams share a point, ending Dambulla Sixers' playoff hopes while confirming the tournament's final four. Galle Gallants, Jaffna Kings, Colombo Kaps and Kandy Royals will now battle for the LPL 2026 title. Earlier, Dambulla Sixers posted an imposing 203 more..

Aug 3 (FT) Govt has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the economics of software exports, arguing that SL must move beyond selling engineering hours towards products, intellectual property, and higher-value digital services if it is to achieve its target of generating $ 5 billion in digital exports by 2030. Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne said the industry’s traditional business model would need to evolve as AI increases productivity and changes how technology more..

Aug 3 (TM) The Govt is set to expand the range of institutions covered under its GovPay digital payment platform to include schools, Local Govt (LG) authorities, district secretariats, and divisional secretariats across the island. Ministry of Digital Economy Secretary Waruna Sri Dhanapala revealed that plans were underway to link schools to the GovPay digital platform to allow parents to make all relevant payments through the platform. more..

Aug 3 (CI) SL's batters aced their second chase in a row, as 17-year-old debutant Sanjana Kavindi top-scored with 46 off 24 to help Sri Lanka race to a target of 176 against Pakistan. Chamari Athapaththu had lit the thrusters under the innings with 40 off 15 at the top of the order, but although she fell with 55 on the board, SL's improving middle order sent the team rocketing home with 2.2 overs to spare, and six wickets in hand. The win means SL have sealed the T20I series 2-0 with one match to play. more..

Aug 3 (Island) Sri Lanka’s four-wheel-drive community last week appealed to the Govt to introduce a modern regulatory framework for professionally modified 4×4 vehicles, arguing that outdated laws are preventing the country from fully utilising an important national asset in disaster response, tourism and motorsport. Representatives of the community stressed that they were not seeking exemptions from the law but a balanced, evidence-based regulatory system more..

Aug 3 (EN) SL’s monthly current account recorded a deficit of US$ 149 million in June 2026, the central bank said, as the external sector continued to be impacted by developments in West Asia. This marks the third consecutive monthly deficit. The cumulative deficit for the first half of 2026 was US$ 245 million compared to the surplus recorded in the corresponding period of 2025. “The merchandise trade deficit widened on more..

Aug 3 (FT) CBSL has directed all Licensed Finance Companies (LFCs) to strictly comply with its 2026 Loan-to-Value (LTV) Directions for motor vehicle financing, warning that inflated vehicle valuations and financing structures designed to bypass regulatory limits pose risks to the financial system. In a directive issued to CEOs of all LFCs, CBSL said it had observed instances where valuations provided by motor vehicle valuers and invoices issued by vehicle sellers significantly exceeded more..

Aug 3 (Island) That simple yet profound message echoed throughout the launch of The Curious Naturalist, the latest and, according to its author, perhaps the last solo publication by internationally acclaimed SL naturalist and taxonomist, Dr. Rohan Pethiyagoda, at the BMICH on Thursday. The launch drew an exceptional gathering of scientists, academics, conservationists, senior govt officials, diplomats, tourism leaders, environmentalists, students and wildlife enthusiasts, more..

Aug 3 (FT) The widely publicised so-called phantom transfers of payments made to overseas manufacturers and exporters by SL licensed commercial banks had been made under the Special Import Licence and Payment Regulations No. 1 of 2011, in operation in SL for over 15 years. This was revealed by President’s Counsel M.M. Zuhair in a letter dated 1 Aug, addressed on behalf of his clients AY Investments Impex Ltd, of Bankshall Street, Colombo, to Prez Anura Dissanayake. more..

Aug 3 (FT) Directors should be less concerned about the cost of complying with governance requirements and more focused on ensuring boards discharge their responsibilities properly, Minor International Group CEO and Minor Hotels Thailand CEO Dillip Rajakarier said, arguing that strong governance protects corporate reputation and ultimately financial performance. Speaking during a panel discussion at the recent SL Corporate Director Summit 2026: Future-Ready SL Directors, more..

Aug 3 (DN) Commonwealth Games’ SL gold medalist Rumesh Tharanga was elated after his milestone achievement which ended SL’s 76 years gold medal drought in Commonwealth Games’ athletics. “I am very happy to make history. I should thank everyone who helped me throughout my career. My next target is the Asian Games and ultimately Olympic gold in 2028”, said 23-year-old Commonwealth Games gold more..

Aug 3 (SO) On July 27, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal to raise the retirement age of judges at every level of SL’s Judiciary by two years, Supreme Court Judges from 65 to 67, Court of Appeal Judges from 63 to 65, with corresponding extensions for High Court, District Court and Magistrate Court Judges. Within days, the Bar Association of SL (BASL) had unanimously passed a resolution against the move, the Judicial Service Assoc. (JSA) representing District Judges more..

Aug 3 (ST) An interesting turn is taken in public discussion of Friday’s imposition of the death penalty by a majority of a High Court Trial-at-Bar on SL’s former IGP and a former Secretary to the Ministry of Defence for failing to take steps to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks by homegrown jihadists on churches and hotels in 2019. I was asked two questions by an excited conversationalist soon after the decision was handed down to the wildly hysterical drum beats of the media. more..

Aug 3 (FT) Expenditure on imported motor vehicles declined 27% month-on-month (M-o-M) to $ 182 million, according to CBSL. Cumulative expenditure on motor vehicle imports amounted to $ 1.254 billion during the first half of 2026. CBSL noted that this was lower than the $ 1.572 billion recorded during the second half of 2025. Separately, JB Securities said total vehicle registrations declined to 58,151 units in June from 62,776 in May, with motor car registrations easing to 3,929 from 4,738 more..

Aug 3 (Island) Saturday’s riot at the Mahara prison came as no surprise. It became obvious after the Negombo prison uprising, which claimed the lives of 22 inmates and 10 officers during two days of violence in early July, that there would be copycat riots elsewhere. If the prison authorities had kept an ear to the ground, they would have been able to take preemptive action at the first sign of trouble on Saturday. Was there a lapse on the part of the prison intelligence unit? more..

Aug 3 (TM) SL’s criminal justice system is under increasing pressure not only because of mounting court delays but also because there are too few prosecutors to handle an ever-growing caseload. The Attorney General’s Department, which is responsible for prosecuting serious criminal offences, advising the Govt, and representing the State in courts, is operating with hundreds of vacancies, according to AG’s 2024 report. more..

Aug 3 (TM) The violence that erupted at Mahara Prison this weekend is more than another isolated prison disturbance. Rather, it is the latest warning that our prison system is edging closer to a point where unrest is becoming predictable rather than exceptional. One person has lost their life, several others have been injured, and significant damage has been caused to prison property. While the authorities deserve credit for bringing the situation under control before it spiralled into another more..

Aug 3 (DM) Education is often thought of as something found within the four walls of a classroom. Yet some of the most valuable lessons cannot be found in a textbook. On June 9, Sub-Prefects’ Guild of Wesley College visited the School for the Blind, Ratmalana, for a day of fellowship and learning. While the visit included music, games, conversation, and shared laughter, it also offered something far more meaningful: the opportunity to better understand a way of life unfamiliar to more..

Aug 3 (SO) On Friday, SL’s 34th IGP Pujith Senadhi Bandara Jayasundara walked into the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar to hear his fate as the Court prepared to deliver its judgement in the case over the deadly 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. Despite the gravity of the moment, Jayasundara wore his familiar smile as he entered the Courtroom. Minutes earlier, a much more sombre former Defence Secretary more..

Aug 3 (CT) Time and again, countries that have experienced repression and armed conflict have an opportunity to transition to a better future. Yet, only a minority succeeds. The challenges may appear obvious, but the path forward is rarely so. And, as the initial optimism generated by the 2015 elections comes to an end, the SL case is proving no exception. Many Latin American States overcame military dictatorships, but still experience very high levels of violence and inequality. more..

Aug 3 (DM) Sri Lanka’s 17th IMF agreement that ends in March 2027 is no doubt the most consequential international agreement in the history of the country. It has drastically redrawn the workings of public finance and state institutions; from the Central Bank and the financial sector to the State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and welfare programmes. The question before the country now is the post-IMF road ahead. The 2020s marked by the Covid pandemic, tremendous BOP crisis more..