Aug 31 (FT) SL’s tourism recovery has lost momentum, with year-to-date (YTD) arrivals falling nearly 2% year-on-year (YoY) despite crossing the 1.5 million milestone, putting renewed pressure on the upwardly revised target of 2.7 million visitors for the year. The country welcomed over 1.51 million visitors as of 27 Aug, compared to 1.54 million during the corresponding period of 2025, reflecting a shortfall of 29,961 visitors, or 1.9% YoY. more..

Aug 31 (Island) What happens when readers finally see themselves in the pages of a book? For Amendra Haputhanthri, Director of Sarasavi Bookshop (Pvt) Ltd, the answer is profound: something changes. A place, a culture, a memory and an identity that may have remained invisible suddenly become visible through literature. “Nothing is as exciting for us as finding our own place or our own stories in a book,” Haputhanthri says. It is this conviction that lies behind Fairway Street of Stories, more..

Aug 31 (Island) It never rains but it pours. While taking a huge political gamble by trying to amend the Constitution to raise the retirement ages of the judges of the Superior Courts and grappling with numerous problems caused by an unfolding El Niño event, the JVP-NPP govt has another potential issue to contend with; it is likely to come under intense pressure to grant the public sector employees a substantial pay hike and some tangible relief to other salaried workers. more..

Aug 31 (FT) Farmers could begin land preparation and planting following the first significant rainfall. But if the subsequent rainfall fails, the reservoirs may not contain sufficient water to sustain the crops through their critical growth stages. This could result in widespread crop losses after farmers have already invested heavily in land preparation, seed, fertiliser, labour and other inputs. Delaying Maha cultivation until Nov or Dec should not be seen as a failure to cultivate. more..

Aug 31 (SO) For many decades, Sri Lanka held an enviable position in South Asia, boasting high Human Development Indices (HDI), an educated workforce, and a vibrant manufacturing ecosystem. Yet, today, the island nation faces an insidious, quiet crisis that threatens to undermine its post-restructuring economic recovery: some of the highest energy tariffs in the region. What was once a localised utility headache has transformed into a macroeconomic anchor. more..

Aug 31 (TM) Sri Lanka has embarked on an anti-corruption drive, with the NPP Govt steadfast on cleaning up the nation, with its stated goal of shedding SL’s image of being a nation where corruption is rife. With new legislation introduced – some controversial – Sunday Morning had an interview with anti-corruption watchdog, the CIABOC Director General (DG) Ranga Dissanayake, to discuss the challenges faced by the CIABOC in the pursuit of combatting corruption and bribery. more..

Aug 31 (ST) Even if one must hold one’s nose at the sight of certain tarnished political worthies piously opposing the draft 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, it is important not to lose sight of the principle involved. While not touching on the legal question currently before the Court, this principle is that extending – or by that same reasoning – limiting the tenure of sitting members of the Sri Lankan judiciary should not be by way of a casual or ad hoc constitutional amendment. more..

Aug 31 (CT) The continuing uncertainty surrounding the development of Jaffna Int'l Airport at Palaly and Kankesanthurai (KKS) Port can no longer be viewed simply as an administrative delay. Recent comments by Minister Bimal Rathnayake, combined with his earlier statements concerning these strategically important Northern gateways, raise a much larger question: what exactly is preventing SL from fully developing Palaly and KKS when India is prepared to provide substantial assistance? more..

Aug 31 (SO) Prominent lawyers advocating the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution came forward in defence of the Chief Justice and questioned the basis of the criticisms brought by the Opposition against the proposal this week, at a press conference in Colombo. Amid strong criticism of the proposal from major Opposition parties and the Bar Association of SL (BASL), Lawyers for Public Mandate (LPM) has stressed the timely need for the Amendment, arguing that more..

Aug 31 (DM) The govt is considering to raise the age limit for three-wheeler drivers up to 40 years, according to Deputy Minister Nalin Hewage. It must be reminded that successive govts have mooted this idea several times before on various grounds and abandoned it for various reasons. Yet, the proposal for age restrictions for the trishaw drivers have not been static over the years. In 2016, the then Chairman of the National Council for Road Safety (NCRS) Dr. Sisira Kodagoda had said more..

Aug 31 (DM) Strip away the noise, and what has actually happened over the past three years is fairly simple. Computers have become able to do a particular kind of work that previously required a trained human. Not physical work. Not the arithmetic that calculators have handled for fifty years. The work in between. Reading a stack of documents and telling you what matters in them. Looking at a year of transactions and noticing the pattern. Drafting the contract, checking the ledger, building the forecast, writing the report. more..

Aug 30 (ST) As he nears the end of his second year in office in September, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake is set to spearhead attempts by the NPP govt to regain some of its lost popularity by going back to the villages to rally the party faithful. Starting from next month, the Prez will address a series of public rallies organised by the ruling party at the district level. Party sources said the presidential rallies are part of a more..

Aug 30 (ST) Electricity consumers are likely to face another price hike after the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) hiked naphtha and heavy fuel oil (HFO) prices by around 20 per cent and stopped selling fuel to the power sector at a subsidised rate. The CPC notified the National System Operator (NSO)—one of the CEB's successor companies—this week that an agreement reached on April 18, 2026, to provide fixed-price fuel for three months to stabilise electricity prices has ended. more..

Aug 30 (ST) SL has placed military personnel from all 3 armed forces on standby to assist Nepal with rescue and clearance operations following devastating flash floods that caused loss of life and damaged parts of the Tibet-Nepal border, the Ministry of Defence said. However, no SL military contingent has been ordered to be deployed in Nepal as the country has not yet received an invitation from the Nepalese Govt or instructions specifying the number of personnel or more..

Aug 30 (TM) The National System Operator (NSO) is unable to immediately implement the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) directive to establish Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity for solar energy by next year due to a lack of detailed implementation agreements and documents, NSO Chairman Dr. Pradeep Perera said. He made the remarks in response to an inquiry about a directive issued by PUCSL this week more..

Aug 30 (NW) Further details have emerged over the police shooting in Narahenpita reported earlier, with investigations revealing that the incident was linked to a love affair involving a young woman who was allegedly abducted from a graduation ceremony in Colombo. As previously reported, Police opened fire at a car in Narahenpita after its driver allegedly ignored repeated orders to stop at a police roadblock. Police investigations have now revealed that the young woman inside the vehicle more..

Aug 30 (TM) More than 84,500 people affected by the ongoing dry spell are currently facing water shortages, with over 75,000 people receiving drinking water through emergency distribution arrangements, as authorities rely on a combined fleet of bowsers operated by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, Disaster Management Centre (DMC), and local authorities to meet the demand. 84,545 people belonging to 26,457 families across seven districts and more..

Aug 30 (AD) A decision has been taken to gazette 1,500 hectares of land associated with key water sources and watershed mountain areas belonging to the Dept of Forest Conservation in Nuwara Eliya as protected areas. The decision was reached at a special District Coordinating Committee meeting held yesterday (28) at the Nuwara Eliya District Secretariat, with the aim of promoting environmental conservation, sustainable tourism, and the protection of watershed areas in the district. more..

Aug 30 (Island) Authorities are examining available legal avenues to bring former CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran back to Sri Lanka after efforts to extradite him from Singapore encountered a legal barrier, Minister Ananda Wijepala has said. He said Mahendran, who is now a Singapore citizen, was residing in Singapore and had changed his name. “There is a legal barrier in extraditing him to this country,” the Minister said, adding that authorities were exploring other available legal avenues. more..

Aug 30 (TM) SL is hopeful of commencing its first commercial oil and gas production within the next three to five years if exploration under the newly launched offshore licensing round proves successful, according to CPC Managing Director Dr. Mayura Neththikumarage. The Govt last week formally opened the SL Licensing Round 2026 (SL2026-01), offering four offshore exploration blocks covering nearly more..

Aug 30 (TM) Cabinet-appointed committee tasked with reviewing the effectiveness of SL’s existing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and the structure of future FTAs to be negotiated has submitted its report to the Cabinet Office. The report, submitted the week before last, is scheduled to be taken up by the Cabinet in the coming days. Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Co-operative Development Secretary K.A. Vimalenthirarajah, who chaired the committee, said more..

Aug 30 (ST) SL’s primary industry-specific promotional reserves, specifically the Tea Promotion and Marketing Fund and the Tourism Promotion Fund are at operational crossroads as a result of the state fiscal consolidation initiatives. The Finance Ministry is compelled to absorb independent, industry-financed reserves to meet its strict 2.3 per cent primary budget surplus target and comply with the transitioning Treasury single account framework. The govt’s primary strategy focuses on more..

Aug 30 (ST) Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development is gearing to implement a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for employees of entities to be liquidated under the ministry. The staff at SL Cement Corporation, Lanka Cement, Hingurana Sugar Industries Company, Kantale Sugar Industries, Small and Medium Enterprises Authority, Wood-based Design Centre, Kahatagaha Engineering Services, Lanka Textile Mills Embilipitiya will be granted a VRS more..

Aug 30 (Island) Sonal Dinusha, Sri Lanka’s number six batter, played the innings of a lifetime when he batted throughout the fifth day of the second Test against India to earn his side a hard-fought draw. At the start of the final day, Sri Lanka were six wickets down and held a lead of just 16 runs. It was not a pretty picture. Few in their right mind would have given SL much chance of surviving even until the lunch break, with India seemingly poised to complete a comprehensive victory. more..

Aug 30 (ST) Sri Lanka has lost the hosting rights for the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy after the International Cricket Council (ICC) decided it could not proceed with the country while Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) remains under a govt-appointed interim administration. The six-team tournament was scheduled to be played in SL from Feb 14 to 28, 2027, but the event has now been taken away from the country, an SLC official confirmed. more..

Aug 30 (DM) Police said that a person who was protesting in front of the Sri Dalada Maligawa while displaying a banner containing insulting remarks about the Diyawadana Nilame of the Sri Dalada Maligawa and the Senior DIG in charge of the Central Province was attacked with paint containing an unpleasant smell. Police said that he had been engaged in an unlawful protest yesterday morning, on the day of the Dahawal Perahera (The Day Procession). While he was engaged in the more..

Aug 30 (ST) Former SL white-ball captains Charith Asalanka and Dasun Shanaka are set to return to the national white-ball squads for the forthcoming series against England. SL will play three T20 internationals followed by three ODIs against England, with the series beginning on Sept 15 and concluding with the final ODI on Sept 27. Asalanka, who lost the captaincy following last year’s series against Pakistan, was left out of the WI T20 series in June after a prolonged dip in form. more..

Aug 30 (TM) The mandatory introduction of SL Customs’ paperless Customs Declaration (CusDec) process, currently scheduled for 1 October this year, may be extended amidst lobbying by the trader community for more time to adapt to the requirement. SL Customs Spokesman Chandana Punchihewa said that traders were currently lobbying for an extension, citing difficulties faced in adopting digital signatures. more..

Aug 30 (Island) Mass graves across SL are tragic and enduring evidence of the failures of successive states, Minister Bimal Rathnayake said, describing the Chemmani site as a historic symbol of a failed state. He said the Govt had ensured that excavations at the Chemmani mass grave were conducted through a transparent, scientific and lawful process, backed by the necessary funding and judicial and medical resources. “When we came to power, only skeletal remains recovered more..

Aug 30 (NW) Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has rejected as false a social media post claiming that the prices of milk powder, cultured milk drinks and yoghurt have been increased. CAA said a post designed as a Breaking News alert was circulating on social media claiming that the price of a kilogram of milk powder had been increased by Rs. 260, a bottle of cultured milk drink by Rs. 40 and a yoghurt by Rs. 20. Authority said the information regarding these purported price increases more..

Aug 30 (Island) In the history of Test cricket, we have witnessed some epic rearguard actions that have saved the day. Our coach Gary Kirsten himself once batted for 14 and half hours after England enforced the follow on in Durban. Sir Garfield Sobers did something similar when he occupied the crease for many hours to save the Lord’s Test of 1963. Then, again at Lord’s, Mahela Jayawardene led from the front in 2006. SL were forced to follow on after conceding a first innings deficit of 359 runs, more..

Aug 30 (ST) My dear Mangala, I thought of writing to you because it is 5 years since you left us suddenly, becoming an unexpected victim of the Covid pandemic. You are hardly remembered today, despite the lasting impact of what you did while at the height of your powers. Surely, there is a lesson in that for present day politicians. You are often hailed as a political genius, especially while you were in the opposition. You are credited with being the mastermind behind the moves that more..