Aug 9 (CT) Hemasiri Fernando, the former Secretary to the Ministry of Defence (and not Defence Secretary), and Pujith Jayasundera, the former Inspector General of Police, both indicted over alleged crimes of negligence in not trying to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, were acquitted in 2022 by a trial-at-bar court of three judges. They have now been sentenced to death by another trial-at-bar court of different three judges. The acquittals were unanimous. more..

Aug 9 (SO) Motorcycles and to a lesser extent, three wheelers are the main modes of transport for thousands across SL, mainly because most people cannot afford to buy even the cheapest car, which costs around Rs.5 million. On the other hand, one can purchase a good quality brand new motorcycle for less than Rs.700,000 and a three wheeler for less than Rs.2 million. Around 30,000 motorcycles are registered per month in SL, which far exceeds the number of motor cars and even three wheelers that enter the roads per month. more..

Aug 9 (CT) From decisions by the Cabinet to offer the green light for the publication of the draft 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill and the Judicature Amendment Bill to strengthen the independence of the Judiciary by improving the Court system through increased efficiency with reducing the backlog of cases already pending in the system, to a seeming breakdown of the Govt’s administrative arms especially in the prison systems, the week proved a serious hurdle to the NPP. more..

Aug 9 (ST) My dear Pujith and Hemasiri, I am writing to you at a time when I am not even certain that you will be able to read this, being as you are, in custody. The decision to send you to the gallows last week came as a shock to most people, even though it is well-known that it will not be carried out. Still, it could lead to a life behind bars. Please don’t get me wrong, this is not being critical of the verdict itself. Those who sit in judgment base decisions on the facts presented to them, more..

Aug 9 (ST) The govt’s insistence on hurrying through a constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of judges with a deadline in mind, notwithstanding snowballing opposition to the move, seems to have got mired in a related issue – prison riots. Both issues coupled have catapulted the country’s legal system into the forefront of the national discourse. Recent prison riots in Negombo and Mahara spread this week to Welikada, Kuruwita and Pallansena, prompting Prez to summon emergency meetings. more..

Aug 9 (TM) Nearly two years into office, President AKD and his JVP-led NPP Govt are confronting what could become the defining constitutional battle of their administration. What began as a judicial reform initiative intended to strengthen the independence of the Judiciary and tackle a backlog of more than one million pending court cases has instead evolved into a fierce debate over constitutional propriety, judicial independence, and political intent. more..

Aug 9 (TM) There is a saying – a modern take on an old Roman complaint – that the closer an empire drifts towards collapse, the more deranged its laws become. The line is often mistaken for a direct quotation from Tacitus, but its root is real: in the Annals, the historian observed that the more corrupt the republic, the more numerous its laws. He was not being poetic; he was describing a mechanism. Functioning states govern through a handful of durable principles. more..

Aug 9 (CT) The death of three inmates and 25 injured in the riots that swept across the Magazine, Kuruwita and Pallansena prisons over the week calls for immediate government intervention to ensure that the situation is not allowed to continue to disrupt the prison system and ensure the safety of those within. The Govt reports that, according to its preliminary investigations, the disturbances were linked to underworld connections and narcotics-related activities. more..

Aug 8 (FT) A prisoners’ rights group has appealed to the United Nations to intervene over a wave of unrest in the country’s prisons, alleging human rights violations and calling for independent investigations, while the Govt said it was taking action against those behind what it suspects is a coordinated conspiracy. The Committee for Protecting the Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) wrote to UN Resident Coordinator in SL more..

Aug 8 (FT) SL Export Development Board (EDB) is stepping up efforts to unlock the country’s vast graphite potential by promoting value addition, expanding international market access, and strengthening partnerships with leading industry players. As part of this initiative, EDB officials recently undertook a field visit to witness the complete graphite mining and processing operations of Bogala Graphite Lanka, one of the world’s leading producers of premium natural vein graphite. more..

Aug 8 (FT) Parliament’s Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development on Wednesday ordered a comprehensive assessment of losses caused by 19 shipments of substandard coal supplied to SL between Jan and July, widening the scope of an earlier estimate that put losses from nine shipments at Rs.8.5 billion. Committee Chairman SJB MP S.M. Marrikkar this week said all 19 shipments received from the same South African supplier during more..

Aug 8 (Island) Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala told Parliament that the recent unrest, reported at several prisons across SL, appeared to be organised acts of sabotage and part of a possible conspiracy, based on the pattern and timing of the incidents. Minister said disturbances had recently been reported at Negombo, Mahara, Magazine, Kuruwita and Pallansena prisons, with preliminary investigations indicating that more..

Aug 8 (DM) Galle Gallants stormed into the LPL 2026 final with a six-wicket victory over Colombo Kaps in Qualifier 2 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday. Chasing 177, Galle reached 177/4 in 18.4 overs, with Sam Harper leading the chase with a superb 77 off 51 balls. Charith Asalanka added 59 off 42 deliveries, with the pair sharing a match-winning 126-run partnership for the second wicket. Earlier, Colombo Kaps recovered from a difficult start to post 176 in 18.5 overs. more..

Aug 8 (NW) SSP Shani Abeysekara was officially promoted to the rank of DIG on Friday, following an order issued by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) in May. Promotion was granted with retrospective effect from Aug 25, 2020, in accordance with the AAT’s ruling. Tribunal had directed National Police Commission to promote Abeysekara after concluding an inquiry into an appeal he had filed several years ago. The ruling instructed that the promotion be granted more..

Aug 8 (Island) A Parliamentary Select Committee, tasked with reviewing election-related laws, has appointed an expert panel to examine proposals for electoral reforms, submitted by individuals and organisations. The decision was taken at a recent Committee meeting held at Parliament, under the chairmanship of Minister Prof. A.H.M.H. Abayarathna. Committee is mandated to review laws relating to elections, excluding those governing Provincial Council elections, and more..

Aug 8 (Island) A leopard seriously injured after being caught in a wire snare at Stoneycliff Estate, in Kotagala, has been rescued in a painstaking overnight operation and is responding well to treatment at the Randenigala Wildlife Office, wildlife sources said. Opposition Leader Sajith Premada said that the the animal, believed to have struggled for hours after being trapped, was safely rescued through the coordinated efforts of officers of Dept of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), more..

Aug 8 (Island) More than 34,000 members of Sri Lanka’s Tri-Forces had resigned under two general amnesty programmes introduced over the past five years, Parliament was told on Wednesday. Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, responding on behalf of the Minister of Defence to questions raised by NDF MP Chamara Sampath, disclosed the current strength of the armed forces and the number of personnel who left service more..

Aug 8 (FT) Consumer sentiment lifted, though marginally, for a second consecutive month in July, offering an early indication of stabilisation after fluctuations during the first half of 2026, according to Prosoft Research and Insights. Consumer Sentiment Index rose to 80 in July from 79 in June, marking its second successive monthly increase since May and the first gradual stabilisation over two consecutive months since January. Prosoft said the movement was aligned with the CCPI, more..

Aug 8 (Island) Professor Wimal Dissanayake, SL’s first professor of mass communication and a pioneering scholar in Asian communication theory, has died in Hawaii, at the age of 86. Born on Sept 6, 1939, in Kurunegala, Dissanayake was an alumnus of Trinity College, Kandy. He completed his undergraduate studies at Uni of Peradeniya before pursuing postgraduate studies at Uni of Pennsylvania and Uni of Cambridge. Leading figure in development of mass comm. studies more..

Aug 8 (FT) SL’s high-value manufacturing and export sector received a significant boost yesterday with the official opening of the $ 20.4 million state-of-the-art manufacturing facility of Asahi Dyes and Chemicals SL Ltd at the Biyagama Export Processing Zone (BEPZ). Developed through a strategic partnership between Asahi Dyes and Chemicals Co, Ltd, of Japan and Asons Ltd, of SL, the project represents a $ 20.4 million foreign direct investment, creating 281 direct employment opportunities more..

Aug 8 (FT) Govt has moved to block access to 122 unauthorised online gambling and betting websites with immediate effect, widening regulatory action against unlicensed operators targeting users in SL. This is a sharp increase from 24 blocked earlier this week. Gambling Regulatory Authority, which operates under the Finance, Planning and Economic Development Ministry, has taken action under the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act, No. 17 of 2025 against the 122 websites for providing more..

Aug 8 (NF) Recent disturbances within SL’s prison system appear to be linked to growing resistance against the govt’s intensified campaign against drug trafficking and organized crime, according to Minister Harshana Nanayakkara. Speaking on the escalating tensions inside prisons, Minister said the pattern emerging from recent incidents suggests a backlash against operations being carried out against more..

Aug 8 (DN) SL sport entered a new era with the official launch of the Lanka Rowing League (LRL), SL’s first-ever franchise-based rowing competition. Unveiled at a press conference at the Colombo Rowing Club, the new league will transform one of the country’s most historic sports into a fast-paced, city-based championship built around elite competition, team identity and passionate rivalry. Inaugural LRL will feature six franchises representing Kandy, Sigiriya, Mirissa, Trinco, more..

Aug 8 (NW) Railway Dept is moving ahead with several major infrastructure projects, including the proposed extension of the Kelani Valley (KV) railway line to Ratnapura, suburban railway electrification and the procurement of new train sets, Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena said. Feasibility study for extending KV line from Avissawella to Ratnapura is currently underway and is expected to be completed by Dec. Detailed designs & procurement will follow once study is finalised. more..

Aug 8 (FT) SriLankan Airlines has decided to explore Africa as a new market, and there is low-hanging fruit, the carrier’s head says, while noting excess staff and the need for a quick decision on a uniform, wide-body fleet for operating agility. Dimal Arandara, confirmed as chairman in early June, also reported a group loss of Rs 13.676 billion in the financial year 2025-2026, when legacy loans, bonds, finance costs & exchange losses more..

Aug 8 (FT) Colombo stock market yesterday ended the week on the up on improving sentiment from easing tensions in the Middle East and subdued movement in oil prices. During the week, ASPI gained 1.14% and S&P 20 was up 0.81%. Yesterday, ASPI ended up 0.47% or 100.42 points at 21,370.09 and S&P SL20 gained 0.28% or 16.66 points to 5,988.16. Market turnover was nearly Rs. 1.9 billion on over 122.2 million shares traded. Foreign investors were net sellers on a net outflow more..

Aug 8 (FT) The National Chamber of Exporters of SL (NCE) recently undertook a regional visit to the Northern Province as part of its ongoing efforts to connect member exporters with regional enterprises and support export-related business opportunities across the country. The visit brought together an NCE delegation consisting of 20 member exporters and service providers for a series of business meetings and knowledge-sharing sessions held in Trincomalee and Jaffna. more..

Aug 8 (FT) The Board of Investment of SL (BOI) marked Environment Day with an awareness and action program held at the BOI auditorium, where Director General Dr. Sulakshana Jayawardena called on BOI staff to treat environmental protection as a daily discipline rather than a once-a-year observance. Addressing officials, Dr. Jayawardena said environmental and production challenges could not be resolved overnight, and that lasting progress depended on sustained, incremental effort. more..

Aug 8 (Island) In the misty highlands of Nuwara Eliya, where generations of estate workers have bent over tea bushes from dawn to dusk, a quiet revolution is taking root. A single machine, placed in the hands of a tea plucker, is rewriting decades old rules about what a day’s labour can earn, and who gets to earn it. Berendina Development Services (Guarantee) Limited (BDS) is a Sri Lanka based non profit, community development organization dedicated to poverty alleviation, more..

Aug 8 (FT) India still has considerable catching up to do with SL on per capita income despite its rise as an economic power, Geopolitics Expert Prof. C. Raja Mohan said, pointing to the two countries’ sharply different income levels. “We talk about rising India, but we have a long way to go. In fact, we might have a long way to go catching up with SL. SL has a $ 5,000 per capita. India is still at $ 2,800.” Speaking at Lanka India Business more..

Aug 8 (SO) The trial over the alleged abduction of journalist, political cartoonist and columnist Prageeth Eknaligoda in Aug 2009 resumed at the Homagama High Court on Tuesday (July 28), with a key prosecution witness identifying several accused before Court. Sumathipala Suresh Kumara alias Thavendran, also known as Murali, the fourth prosecution witness in the case, testified before the High Court amid tight police and STF security. The trial before the Homagama HC involves more..

Aug 8 (Island) Ever Since the body blow received in 2022, when the consumer tariff was raised by 225 % , at the demand of the IMF, SLelectricity consumers have been waiting for any hope of the continually increasing trend of consumer tariff to ease. In spite of some minor reductions at the periodic reviews, their sorry plight has been that of overall increase as shown below . In recent months there has been two such increases in quick succession, blamed on the war in the Middle east as shown below. more..