Aug 27 (ST) Sri Lanka Telecom ((SLT) and its subsidiary, mobile operator Mobitel Ltd is in a discussion on building a unified structure for the company. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eng. Eranga Weeraratne, responding to a question by the Sunday Times Business, at the media briefing on SLT-Mobitel half yearly results, in Colombo recently. He added that the two companies are determining on the best architecture and the best structure for the companies. more..

Aug 27 (FT) Dialog Axiata announced its partnership with Cool Planet, enabling customers to make secure LankaQR payments using Dialog Pay across its network of over 14 outlets. The partnership introduces a more rewarding digital payment experience at one of SL’s leading fashion and lifestyle retailers, giving customers complimentary Dialog data on eligible LankaQR transactions. Customers can now use Dialog Pay to purchase a wide range of fashion apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty products, toys, more..

Aug 27 (DN) This year, Nikini Poya falls today. This Poya marks the anniversary of the First Buddhist Council (Sangayanawa), held after the Buddha’s passing away. On the night before the council, Ven. Ananda Thero attained Arahantship, and Ven. Rahula Thero also became an Arahant. Usually, Nikini Poya falls in August, and this is the second Poya in the Vas season. Many centuries ago, the first Dharma Sangayanawa (convocation) was held at the Saptaparni Cave in Rajagaha Nuwara. more..

Aug 27 (CI) Talent is exciting. Aggression is fun. But on tough Test-match days, resolve tends to win out. Midway through day four of the second Test, SL can sight a sliver of an opening. Teams following-on almost never get close. But for the first time in the series, they are stretching India's resources. Pasindu Sooriyabandara is deep into another impressive innings, his second in successive days, this one more dynamic than day three's effort, more..

Aug 27 (FT) Those living in an abyss will not easily comprehend the true reality of their existence. When the abyss is societal, when that society’s ways and habits are accepted as a norm, when its narration is endlessly self-affirming, comprehension of the human condition therein becomes extremely challenging. The societal abyss entraps its inmates in an endless maze. Knowing no better, they praise it, finding virtues in its permanent atrophy, heavy air, corrosive texture and the deadening sounds. more..

Aug 27 (Island) World is bracing itself for a historic El Niño event, which is very likely to be the strongest ever measured, “breaking records by a considerable and dangerous margin”, experts have warned. World Health Organization (WHO), World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and World Food Programme are urging nations to be prepared for extreme weather conditions and their impact on health, food and energy systems. SL apparently believes in disaster response rather than disaster preparedness. more..

Aug 27 (FT) Those living in an abyss will not easily comprehend the true reality of their existence. When the abyss is societal, when that society’s ways and habits are accepted as a norm, when its narration is endlessly self-affirming, comprehension of the human condition therein becomes extremely challenging. The societal abyss entraps its inmates in an endless maze. Knowing no better, they praise it, finding virtues in its permanent atrophy, heavy air, corrosive texture and the deadening sounds.. more..

Aug 27 (GV) Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day is a day to honor the memory of the victims of 2017 Myanmar’s military led violence, call for justice and ensure support, protection for Rohingyas who survived genocide. Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim ethnic and religious minority from Myanmar’s Arakan (Rakhine) State, are among Myanmar’s indigenous peoples. But Myanmar law excludes them from the list of recognized national races and since the 1982 Citizenship Law, they have been denied citizenship. more..

Aug 27 (TM) There is a strong and significant association between depressive symptoms and gaming addiction among Sri Lankan youth. This finding was made in an original paper on Depressive symptoms as a predictor of addiction to tile-matching games: A cross-sectional study which was authored by V Samaranada and S Perera, K Kanchana, H Thathsarani, and M Chandradasa. Depressive disorder is a recognised mood disorder with significant morbidity. more..

Aug 27 (ST) Philippines has decided to close down a coal-fired power plant. And Singapore has agreed to pay for that. What is going on? Why does the Philippines want to shut down its 246MW coal-fired power plant located in Calaca City, about 70 km from Manila? Why on earth, Singapore has struck a deal in August 2024 to pay for it? This is related to the newest form of growing int'l finance – Carbon Trading. Singapore also wanted to be the first to move in Asia and become more..

Aug 27 (TM) As the Nikini full moon rises over the island today, casting a serene radiance across temples from A'pura to Devinuwara, millions of devotees gather in quiet contemplation. Nikini Poya occupies a sacred niche in the Theravada calendar. It marks the commencement of the second retreat period, or Pasa Vas, for Buddhist monks, but more importantly, it commemorates one of the most decisive turning points in Buddhist history: the convening of the First Buddhist Council, or Dhamma Sangayana, more..

Aug 27 (SO) At the height of the Jaffna afternoon, when the northern sun presses hard against the earth and the sand grows hot beneath bare feet, a devotee lowers himself to the ground and begins to roll around the sacred precincts of Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil. Dust gathers on his body. The heat presses against him. Yet he continues. To an unfamiliar eye, the ritual may seem difficult to comprehend. Why willingly subject the body to such hardship? more..

Aug 27 (DM) SL has been through an economic crisis that brought the country to its knees. People stood in queues for fuel, medicines became difficult to find, businesses struggled to survive and families were forced to cut back on even their most basic needs. The wounds of that crisis are still fresh. That is precisely why politicians must understand the enormous responsibility that comes with speaking about the country’s economy. Former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe last week raised concerns about more..

Aug 27 (DM) Talk of reviving the death penalty is back again, and this concerns not just the 800 plus people on death row, with sentences commuted to life imprisonment. It concerns all of us as citizens of a civilised nation. Eight hundred is a high figure if we compare with the US. The US with its population of 343 million has close to 2000 people under death sentence, only two and half times as much, though its population is nearly fifteen times bigger than ours. more..

Aug 26 (FT) Frontier Energy Network will take SL’s newly launched oil and gas licensing round to the international upstream market through a targeted campaign aimed at connecting the country with global operators and investors capable of evaluating and investing in the four offshore blocks on offer. UK-based Frontier Energy Network Founder and CEO Gayle Meikle, speaking virtually yesterday at the launch of more..

Aug 26 (AM) Around 11,000 complaints concerning missing persons remain to be investigated, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said. Minister made the remarks yesterday while visiting families of missing persons in the North ahead of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, observed on 30 August. During a visit to Kanagambikaikulam on Iranamadu Road in Kilinochchi, Nanayakkara presented documents approving a livelihood assistance allowance more..

Aug 26 (AD) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has called on Muslims in SL and around the world to draw inspiration from the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad as they commemorate Milad-un-Nabi, emphasising equality, social justice, compassion and peaceful coexistence. In a message issued to mark Milad-un-Nabi, Prez said the occasion should go beyond a mere celebration and serve as an opportunity for profound spiritual reflection and transformation. more..

Aug 26 (DM) Police today (25) revealed the charges against Lalith Kannangara, alias Bus Lalith, following his repatriation from Dubai, where he had been hiding under Interpol Red Notice, with the suspect wanted in connection with multiple cases of murder, attempted murder, drug trafficking, extortion, arson and serious assault. A team of officers led by the Director of the Central Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) escorted more..

Aug 26 (DM) A light training aircraft Cessna 152 piloted by a trainee pilot was involved in an accident while landing at Ratmalana Airport today (25). The pilot is reported to have escaped unharmed following a hard landing. However, the aircraft sustained damage, and the runway at Ratmalana Airport has been temporarily blocked following the accident. Clearance operations are currently underway to remove the aircraft and restore the runway to normal operations. more..

Aug 26 (AD) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has emphasised that the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad provide important guidance for humanity in confronting the conflicts, divisions, and humanitarian challenges facing the world today. In her message marking Milad-un-Nabi, the Prime Minister highlighted the Prophet’s teachings on peace, equality, compassion, justice, and mutual respect, saying these values continue to hold profound relevance in contemporary society. more..

Aug 26 (TM) Grama Niladhari (GN) officers, who are currently engaged in a limited trade union (TU) action by restricting their participation in meetings and several Govt programmes, have warned that they will step up their action if their demands are not addressed through the upcoming Budget. GN Officers’ TU Alliance (GNOTUA) Convenor Jagath Chandralal said that they had deliberately limited the TU action to activities that would affect the administration rather than the public, more..

Aug 26 (Island) Thehan Wijemanne produced an outstanding performance at the National Tennis Championship, completing a remarkable triple crown by winning the Men’s Open Singles, Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles titles. His achievement capped a dominant season in which he has also claimed the SSC Open and Colombo Championship singles crowns. Thehan registered a commanding 6-3, 6-3 victory over Ganuka Fernando in the Men’s Open Singles final. more..

Aug 26 (TM) All-Island Three-Wheeler Drivers' Association called on the Govt to enforce the minimum age limit of 23 years for engaging in public transportation, All-Island Three-Wheeler Drivers' Association called on the Govt to enforce the minimum age limit of 23 years for engaging in public transportation, rather than imposing a minimum age specifically for three-wheeler drivers. Association’s President Lalith Dharmasekara said that more..

Aug 26 (NW) Wellness centres are being established in urban housing complexes to improve the health and well-being of residents under the Metro Uplift programme implemented by the Urban Development Authority (UDA) under the Ministry of Transport, Highways & Urban Development. The first wellness centre was officially opened at the Sirimuthu Sevana housing complex in Bloemendhal, Colombo 14, on Monday, under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Urban Development Eranga Gunasekara. more..

Aug 26 (Island) The next wave of blue growth will depend not merely on recognising the value of the ocean, but on turning conservation, business and finance into a pipeline of credible, investable projects, UNDP Country Economist Dr. Vagisha Gunasekara said. Addressing the 11th Annual Technical Sessions of the Biodiversity Action Forum 2026 at Shangri-La Colombo yesterday, Dr. Gunasekara challenged the private sector to move beyond broad commitments to ocean more..

Aug 26 (TM) The prevailing weather conditions under El Nino – the climate pattern characterised by the warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean – could have a significant impact on Sri Lanka’s economy, as it affects agriculture and other key sectors, Economic analyst Dhananath Fernando said. He said that a drought could particularly affect hydropower generation. He explained that if electricity has to be generated using more..

Aug 26 (FT) PM Harini Amarasuriya signalled a more rigorous approach to SL’s infrastructure investments, saying projects must be subjected to stronger evidence-based assessment and demonstrate long-term economic and social value as the country operates under significant fiscal constraints. She said infrastructure decisions should be guided by national priorities and reliable evidence, with the Govt moving away from treating projects merely as individual construction more..

Aug 26 (FT) SL’s tea exports fell sharply in the first seven months of 2026, with Middle East shipping disruptions compounding weaker shipments to several key markets and contributing to a $ 67 million decline in export earnings. Tea exports during January-July dropped 4.9% to 143.51 million kg, from 150.85 million kilograms (Mn/Kg) in the corresponding period last year, according to data from Forbes and Walker Research and more..

Aug 26 (FT) Chandana Guniyangoda assumed duties as the new Chairman of People’s Bank yesterday at a ceremony held at the bank’s head office. The occasion was attended by the former Chairman Prof. Narada Fernando, Board members, General Manager/CEO and members of the bank’s corporate management. The bank said Guniyangoda’s appointment marks a significant milestone in SL’s State-owned banking sector. He becomes the first Chairman of more..

Aug 26 (FT) SL’s iconic global brand Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company plans to invest more than $1 million initially to establish a premium tea lounge network in India, as it seeks to tap growing demand for non-alcoholic beverages among younger consumers in the subcontinent. The company plans to open close to 10 luxury tea outlets in India by 2030 under its Urban Estate concept, with the first flagship outlet expected next year. Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi are among the cities being considered for more..

Aug 26 (FT) Bar Association of SL (BASL) has raised the question of whether the proposed extension of the tenure and related benefits of sitting superior court judges under the 22nd Amendment could amount to a gratification within the meaning of the Anti-Corruption Act. The concern was raised in a Special Determination petition filed before the Supreme Court by BASL President Rajeev Amarasuriya & Secy Nalin De Silva more..

Aug 26 (DM) SL property market could enter its next major growth phase following the govt's approval to commence the procurement process for the first phase of the Ruwanpura Expressway Project. Phase 1 of the project, which will connect Kahathuduwa to Ingiriya and will include the construction of a new bridge interchange at Kahathuduwa, is expected to significantly improve connectivity between Colombo and Sabaragamuwa Province. While the expressway is primarily a transport infrastructure project, more..