Aug 3 (DM) Mahanayake Theras of the three Buddhist chapters have written to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake stating that the proposed constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of judges is inappropriate, President of the Bar Association of SL (BASL) Rajeev Amarasuriya said. He made this revelation while speaking to the media today after meeting the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwathu Chapter. Amarasuriya said the Mahanayake Thera had informed him that more..

Aug 3 (DM) SJB MP Harsha de Silva yesterday scoffed at rumors that were being circulated in the media about a crossover to the govt. “There is a rumour that I am to cross over to the govt. This is far from being the truth. However I am happy that the govt has wanted people such as myself,” Dr. De Silva said in a special statement. “The politics I follow is different. I don’t hesitate to praise good things and to oppose bad ones. As the Chairman of the COPF I always try to maintain it’s dignity. more..

Aug 3 (DM) In a backdrop where the dengue epidemic has claimed over 60 lives, speculation is rife as to whether private medical institutions are forced to use expired diagnostic devices such as dengue NS1 antigen kits due to lack of regulations and standards. Back in 2017, the then govt introduced a price ceiling for full blood count tests at Rs. 250 & dengue NS1 antigen tests at Rs. 1000. In 2020, CAA issued a new maximum retail more..

Aug 3 (Island) Communist Party of SL (CPSL) has called on Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake to take urgent diplomatic and regulatory measures to address the growing crisis facing fishermen in the Jaffna District, warning that illegal bottom trawling, by Indian vessels, is threatening livelihoods, marine ecosystems and national security. In a letter addressed to the Prez, last Friday, CPSL General Secretary G. Weerasinghe said the concerns were raised during discussions with more..

Aug 3 (NW) Ministry of Public Security has opened the 118 Public Security Service Centre to streamline public complaints related to institutions under its purview. Centre was inaugurated at the Ministry premises under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Public Security Sunil Watagala. The new facility allows citizens to lodge complaints via the toll‑free 118 hotline or through the online portal 118.pubsec.gov.lk. Complaints can be submitted regarding institutions more..

Aug 3 (NW) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) has decided that electricity tariffs will remain unchanged for the third quarter of 2026, despite rising generation costs. The PUCSL said the decision follows a review of cost estimates submitted by the National System Operator Company (14500). PUCSL said the increase in supply costs is limited to 0.3% (Rs. 417 mil), making a tariff revision unnecessary. more..

Aug 3 (NW) All govt schools in the Nuwara Eliya District will be closed tomorrow due to prevailing adverse weather conditions. Central Province Education Ministry Secretary had instructed that a holiday be declared for all education zones in the district considering the severe weather conditions affecting the area. Accordingly, schools under the Nuwara Eliya, Hatton, Walapane, Kotmale and Hanguranketha education zones will remain closed tomorrow, more..

Aug 3 (EN) The SL Economic & Investment Summit 2026 (SLEIS 2026), will open with an investment-focused panel discussion, organizers have said, examining the opportunities emerging as the country advances its economic reform agenda. Organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, the event will bring together public and private sector officials. The opening session will explore opportunities across priority sectors, the policy, regulatory and institutional support more..

Aug 3 (DM) Negombo Magistrate Selani Perera ordered the media to refrain from covering any of the evidence given by the Head Jailor of the Negombo Prison who testified at the magisterial inquiry into the recent clashes, since it contained sensitive information that could seriously endanger national security if revealed in public. Head Jailor Wickrema Jayantha Kumara testified before the magistrate for two hours when the magisterial inquiry into the incident was taken up before more..

Aug 3 (DM) Irrigation Department has issued a major flood warning for low-lying areas of the Kelani River Valley, stating that a major flood situation could develop within the next 24 hours due to heavy rainfall in the upper and middle catchment areas of the river basin. Accordingly, residents in low-lying areas within the Dehiowita, Ruwanwella and Yatiyanthota Divisional Secretariat Divisions have been urged to remain highly vigilant and take necessary precautions. more..

Aug 3 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake today met representatives of six Tamil and Muslim political parties at the Presidential Secretariat, where wide‑ranging discussions were held on constitutional reform, Provincial Council elections, and land and housing issues affecting communities in the North, East, and central highlands. Party representatives raised concerns about the need for a complete more..

Aug 3 (AD) Attorney General has decided to file an appeal against a recent Colombo High Court ruling that charges under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) cannot be maintained against five accused persons, including Nadun Chinthaka, alias Harak Kata, who are accused of conspiring to escape while in the custody of the CID. The decision was conveyed to the Colombo High Court today by State Counsel Sajith Bandara, who appeared on behalf of the AG, when the case was taken up more..

Aug 3 (FT) Currency in circulation and reserve money increased during the first half of 2026, reflecting seasonal demand for cash and prevailing monetary conditions, while the Central Bank of SL (CBSL) said changes in currency holdings also reflected public preference for cash amid movements in interest rates. Currency in circulation (CIC) increased by Rs. 72.7 billion during the first six months of 2026, reaching Rs. 1,641.7 billion by end-June from end-2025. more..

Aug 3 (Island) Central Environmental Authority (CEA) and SL Police will join hands to launch a countrywide crackdown on the open burning of plastic and polythene waste under a new joint enforcement mechanism, backed by tougher penalties introduced through amendments to the National Environmental Act. The move comes amid continuing reports of plastic and polythene being openly burned in residential areas more..

Aug 3 (CT) SL pilgrims travelling to India, including to Buddhist religious sites, will continue to receive visas without any visa fee, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said, while clarifying that applicants are required to pay a service fee of LKR 1,855 to the Indian Consular Application Centres (ICAC) for processing services. HC said visa facilities for SL pilgrims are being provided swiftly and that, wherever possible, visas are issued on a gratis basis or groups of 10 or more pilgrims more..

Aug 3 (FT) SL Purchasing Managers’ Index for Construction (PMI–Construction), as reflected in the Total Activity Index, increased to 60 in June from 59.1 in May, indicating an expansion in construction activities. Its compiler, Central Bank of SL said most survey respondents attributed this increase to the ongoing execution of construction projects awarded in preceding months. Employment Index increased further to 61.4 in June from 56.1 in May, as firms continued to ramp up staff recruitment. more..

Aug 3 (Island) PM Harini Amarasuriya attended the opening of the 19th Century Views of Ceylon exhibition, jointly organised by George Keyt Foundation and British High Commission in Colombo, held at Westminster House, the official residence of the British High Commissioner, on July 30. The exhibition marks a historic milestone as the first public art exhibition to be hosted at Westminster House. It features a rare collection of 19th-century artworks depicting Ceylon more..

Aug 3 (Island) Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) has sought the intervention of US and European govts to pressure the ruling NPP govt into establishing an independent mechanism for the protection of ex-Negombo Prison inmates and allow them free access to their lawyers, as well as to independent monitors. Sources familiar with the work undertaken by the CPRP revealed that the US, British, German, French, NZ, Canadian and Switzerland missions in Colombo had been more..

Aug 3 (AD) The CIABOC has filed indictments before the Colombo High Court against Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa, and former Navy Commander, Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda over alleged corruption. According to the indictments, former Navy Commander, Wasantha Karannagoda is accused of causing a loss to the state by allegedly facilitating Yoshitha Rajapaksa's participation more..

Aug 3 (TM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Saturday extended his congratulations to Sri Lankan athletics star Rumesh Tharanga, who won the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. In a message, Prez stated: “Your gold medal at the Commonwealth Games brings our nation's golden dream into reality. Congratulations, Rumesh Tharanga!” Rumesh Tharanga secured the gold medal with an outstanding throw of 89.75 metres more..

Aug 3 (Island) Uni of Peradeniya has issued a fresh warning to students and staff to remain on high alert following increased leopard movement within the university premises and the killing of a calf in a recent attack. Uni administration said the latest advisory was prompted by an incident in the early hours of July 30, when a leopard killed a calf at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine farm. According to the Uni, leopards, inhabiting the nearby Hantana Forest Reserve, occasionally stray onto the campus, more..

Aug 3 (DM) Ceylon Automobile Importers Association is pushing for a comprehensive overhaul of SL’s vehicle taxation system in the upcoming Budget 2027, proposing a unified fee structure designed to make cars affordable again for SL’s middle class. The proposal, which aims to address the severe supply constraints and skyrocketing prices that have locked young professionals out of the automobile market, more..

Aug 3 (CT) Uni Services Appeals Board has dismissed a complaint filed by Professor R. Kabilan of the Department of Botany at the University of Jaffna against former Vice-Chancellor Professor C. Sriskandarajah and the former University Council. Professor Kabilan had sought an order declaring that the decision by the then University Council to remove him from the post of Head of the Department of Botany was unlawful. He had claimed that he was removed after publicly alleging in 2022, more..

Aug 3 (DM) Court of Appeal today fixed Sept 22 to deliver its order on the writ petition filed by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, seeking an order preventing his arrest in connection with ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks. Accordingly, the court will rule on Sept 22 whether to proceed with the petition or dismiss it at the threshold. Counsel for both the petitioner and the respondents concluded their oral submissions when the petition was taken up more..

Aug 3 (FT) Airports, ports, logistics zones, and industrial clusters should no longer be viewed as isolated projects. Instead, they should be developed as interconnected components of a wider regional connectivity network capable of generating long-term economic value. The future of Hambantota Port represents one of SL's most important opportunities to transform strategic infrastructure into a commercially successful regional hub. When Mattala Rajapaksa Int'l Airport was inaugurated, more..

Aug 3 (FT) Two years ago, Dr. Raja de Silva, Sri Lanka’s most prominent archaeologist, celebrated 100 years of life. That itself was a remarkable milestone in a country where the average life expectancy for a male is just about 72 years. Since then, he has passed away. Had he still been with us today, he would have celebrated his 102nd birthday. To mark his historic 100th birthday, the well-known journalist Uvindu Kurukulasuriya compiled a special publication titled Raja the 100. more..

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..