Aug 7 (DM) Colombo District Court permitted former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former IGP Pujith Jayasundara to be removed as defendants from a civil lawsuit filed by an Attorney-at-Law who was injured in the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide bombing at the Shangri-La Hotel. The plaintiff, Moditha Ekanayake, had instituted the action seeking Rs. 500 million in compensation for the severe injuries, permanent disabilities more..

Aug 7 (AD) A tense situation has been reported at the Magazine Prison in Borella. SL Police said that security forces have been placed on alert. The unrest reportedly began at around 10.20 p.m. when a group of inmates detained in the 'E' ward of the prison suddenly behaved in a disorderly manner after exiting the ward. It is also reported that the cause of this tense situation was a conflict over drugs. However, in order to control the situation, the Police, Police Riot Control Unit and STF more..

Aug 7 (ST) The two-dose TAK-003 vaccine regimen provides sustained protection against dengue, a clinical trial conducted in multiple countries, including SL, has found, it is learnt. These data, including an exploratory analysis of a booster dose, confirm the favourable benefit and risk profile of TAK-003 and its efficacy in preventing Virologically Confirmed Dengue (VCD), said Dr Eduardo Bittencourt de Gomensoro, explaining that VCD is usually tested through PCR more..

Aug 7 (FT) SJB MP S.M. Marikkar yesterday alleged in Parliament that five coconut oil importing companies had evaded Rs. 9.7 billion in taxes over the past two and a half years, raising questions over why only a handful of companies continued to avoid paying taxes. Marikkar said he had raised the question with the PM, twice with Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe, twice with Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, and again yesterday, more..

Aug 7 (Island) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday met a group of youth seeking employment in Israel, during a peaceful protest at the Polduwa Junction, expressing concern over what he described as irregularities in the overseas recruitment process. Premadasa said thousands of SL youth aspired to secure employment overseas to earn a stable income and support their families, adding that migrant workers make a significant contribution to the country’s foreign exchange more..

Aug 7 (DN) BRC and Bloomfield were declared joint champions after their Under-23 Inter Club cricket final ended in a draw at the CCC Grounds yesterday. Bloomfield finished the match on 250 for 7 wickets at the close of play, after BRC had declared their first innings at 402 for 8 wickets. BRC resumed the second day on 340 for 5 wickets and added a further 62 runs before declaring before lunch. Bloomfield reached 37 without loss at lunch and had only two sessions to bat on the final day. more..

Aug 7 (FT) PickMe on Wednesday launched Colombo Connect, the first city-wide destination to be introduced under its newly unveiled PickMe Explore platform, a national digital ecosystem designed to connect attractions, experiences, events and communities through a single technology platform. The initiative was launched at Colombo Lotus Tower, with Western Province Governor Hanif Yusoof attending as Chief Guest. Also in attendance were Digital Economy Ministry Secretary more..

Aug 7 (FT) Prez’s Special Envoy for Foreign Investment Hanif Yusoof yesterday said that SL’s economic relationship with India has outgrown the existing Free Trade Agreement (FTA), calling for a modern framework that reflects the realities of today’s global economy. Addressing India Calling forum, Yusoof noted that the Indo-SL FTA, signed 25 years ago, had played a significant role in expanding bilateral trade, particularly SL exports to India, but said it was designed for a different era. more..

Aug 7 (FT) Govt will introduce new competition regulations for dominant telecom operators, tighten broadband service quality monitoring, and impose a September deadline for the rollout of mobile number portability (MNP), Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne told Parliament. He said Govt was developing a long-term national telecom competition strategy that would identify operators with significant market power more..

Aug 7 (AD) A special discussion on the future plans of the Pivithuru Purawara National Waste Management Programme (2026–2029) was held this morning (6) at the Presidential Secretariat. The programme, initiated under the vision of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and coordinated by the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat, aims to provide a sustainable, long-term solution to SL's waste management challenges. The discussion focused on adopting int'l best practices in waste management, more..

Aug 7 (DN) Sri Lanka has taken a major step towards strengthening business confidence with the introduction of a modern commercial mediation framework aimed at providing businesses with a faster, confidential and internationally aligned mechanism to resolve disputes while preserving valuable commercial relationships. The milestone was marked by the inaugural Corporate Mediation Pledge Ceremony organised by the International Alternative Dispute Resolution Center, SL more..

Aug 7 (FT) Nearly 29% minority stake of Commercial Credit & Finance traded yesterday for a staggering Rs. 9 billion. The seller was Group Lease Holdings Pte Ltd, (in liquidation), which, as at 30 June 2026, held 95.4 million shares or 29.99% stake. Group Lease Holdings is a Singapore-registered investment and holding company and a subsidiary of Thailand-based Group Lease PCL. The company was ordered into compulsory liquidation by a Singapore court on 4 March 2024 following more..

Aug 7 (NW) Two female officers attached to the Norwood Divisional Secretariat have been arrested by the Hatton Division Special Crimes Investigation Unit over allegations of misappropriating millions of rupees from the Aswesuma benefit allowance meant for families facing economic hardship, it was reported. The suspects, aged 30 and 33, had diverted allowance payments intended for genuine beneficiaries into the bank accounts of their relatives and friends since 2024. more..

Aug 7 (FT) SL has largely restored macroeconomic stability, but sustaining the country’s recovery will depend on whether it can build domestic consensus for politically difficult structural reforms, attract stronger private investment, and maintain policy continuity beyond election cycles, according to former Planning Commission of India Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Drawing repeatedly on India’s own reform experience more..

Aug 7 (CI) India might have landed in SL just Tuesday, but they have already managed to fit in two three-hour-long practice sessions ahead of their only tour match, a three-day affair against SLC XI starting on Friday at the Nondescript Cricket Club (NCC). The NCC is one of three tightly clustered grounds surrounding Maitland Place, with the Colombo Cricket Club (CCC) opposite and the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) sharing a border. Sri Lanka Cricket HQ is just a brief walk away. more..

Aug 7 (DN) Colombo Kaps, led by Kamindu Mendis, recorded a 68-run victory over Kandy Royals in their LPL Eliminator game at the R. Premadasa Stadium, earning a place in Qualifier 2 against Galle Gallants today at the same venue at 7.30 p.m. Two teams will battle for a place in the final against defending champions Jaffna Kings, with a keen contest expected in today’s crucial encounter. Kaps skipper Kamindu Mendis praised his team’s performance on their journey to Qualifier 2. more..

Aug 7 (ST) Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) is running with an ageing fleet, of which only about 5,016 buses are currently in operation, a COPE meeting was told. This means that of its total bus fleet of 7130, more than 2100 buses are not in daily operation due to mechanical issues and a shortage of drivers and conductors. The shortage of drivers and conductors has grounded between 300 and 400 buses more..

Aug 7 (DM) Calling Colombo the most happening city in the world today, renowned British travel writer and journalist Juliet Coombe declared that Sri Lanka’s commercial capital is undergoing an extraordinary transformation, outshining global hubs with its rich biodiversity, historical secrets, and urban charm. Speaking as a special guest at an event held at the Colombo Lotus Tower, Coombe’s glowing endorsement comes as the Western Province unveils ambitious plans to overhaul its more..

Aug 7 (FT) Pick a Book Ltd, will hold the second Readers’ Summit on 29 August, an evening built around a simple idea — that in an age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the human edge begins with reading. Running from 4 pm to 7 pm at Cinnamon Grand under the theme The Human Edge Begins with Reading, Summit brings together business leaders, chief executives, entrepreneurs, authors, publishers, educators, content creators & readers for an evening of ideas, conversation, more..

Aug 7 (FT) Hemas Holdings has managed to sustain revenue in the first quarter ended 30 June 2026 but suffered a dip in earnings. Group recorded revenue of Rs. 28.77 billion, an increase of 0.9% year-on-year (YoY), while gross profit margin improved by 0.2 percentage points to 30.4%. However, Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation (EBITDA) declined by 14.1% to Rs. 2.26 billion and Group earnings attributable to equity holders declined by 21.4% to Rs. 937 million. more..

Aug 7 (CT) At the Hilton Colombo on 3 July, news reports indicate China’s Ambassador Qi Zhenhong commended the book titled Xi Jinping: The Governance of China (Volume V) to an audience that included Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne and Deputy Minister Madhura Senevirathne, alongside visiting officials from the Central Office of Cultural and Ethical Progress and the China International Communications Group. The book, he said, offers an intellectual key to understanding China and more..

Aug 7 (DM) More than seven years after the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks that claimed over 260 lives, the long-running criminal trial against former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former IGP Pujith Jayasundara reached its conclusion with a historic split verdict. In a landmark majority decision, the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar found both accused guilty of murder-related charges arising from their alleged failure to more..

Aug 7 (Island) This essay examines the critical need to revive linguistics education at the University of Peradeniya, an institution once widely recognised for its scholarly contributions to the field. Linguistics was first introduced to the university in the 1960s by Dr. Sugathapala de Silva during his tenure as a lecturer in the Department of Sinhala. Over time, however, the discipline gradually faded, largely due to a lack of interest among faculty and scholars, as well as a failure to incorporate it more..

Aug 7 (FT) Business leaders urged entrepreneurs to embrace collaboration, resilience, and disciplined adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) as BNI Sri Lanka unveiled plans to expand its membership beyond 5,000 to strengthen support for the country’s micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) sector at the BNI SL National Conference 2026. Addressing more than 400 delegates from Sri Lanka and overseas, including participants from India, Japan, Bahrain, and Taiwan, more..

Aug 7 (DM) There is a strange habit adults have when speaking about the younger generation. They almost speak about them as though they are incomplete people; as though innovation, intelligence and creativity are things that only arrive with age. We tell students to wait until they grow up before they can change the world. And yet, every now and then, an event comes along that completely destroys that illusion. Innovators ’26, organised by the ICT Society of Wesley College Colombo more..

Aug 7 (Island) Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, during his brief Colombo visit, has urged the SL govt to hold the long-delayed Provincial Council (PC) elections at the earliest, which is a courteous, professional stand-in for soon in diplomatese, if you like. Thus, India has begun to crank up pressure on the Dissanayake govt to hold the PC elections. India has given a fillip to a campaign by some Tamil-speaking political parties to pressure the govt to hold PC elections held soon. more..

Aug 7 (CT) The abduction and killing of a Chinese national on 22 July, allegedly by fellow Chinese nationals, has done more than trigger a murder investigation. It has exposed a disturbing question that Sri Lanka’s security establishment cannot ignore: The nation has become a new destination for transnational organised crime networks shifting operations across Asia! The killing comes at a time when more..

Aug 7 (SO) The week in politics reflected a Govt attempting to project an image of discipline, long-term planning and institutional reform, while also facing questions over transparency and governance. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s meeting with the Cricket Transformation Committee highlighted the administration’s approach to problem-solving, listening first and deciding later. The meeting, held to discuss the future of Sri Lankan cricket, saw members including more..

Aug 7 (TM) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) represents the total value of the final goods and services produced in a country. But modern economies are heavily financialised. Hence, a large part of GDP, national income, and national production is not production at all; rather, it is a transfer payment. For example, interest charged by financial institutions, late fees, and other charges are considered service income. Theory is that interest and other related charges are a service. more..

Aug 7 (SO) More than 3 years after former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Govt launched an ambitious program to overhaul loss-making State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), Auditor General has revealed that hundreds of millions of rupees in public funds have been spent with little to show for it. According to AG’s Summary Report issued on June 22 by Ministry of Finance over Rs. 350 mil has been spent since 2022 on maintaining more..

Aug 7 (GV) The recent meeting between Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and representatives of the newly formed council of six Tamil and Muslim political parties should have represented a turning point in SL’s efforts to resolve long standing constitutional and governance issues. Instead, it has reinforced a growing public perception that political dialogue continues to substitute for political decision making. The representatives placed before the president a comprehensive list of concerns more..

Aug 7 (DM) The govt is apparently determined to proceed with the constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges despite objections from relevant quarters including the legal fraternity. It is a test of the govt’s politeness, judicial independence and its understanding of the delicate balance of power that underpins a democratic state. Whether the extension is by two years or more is not the central issue. The real concern is whether more..