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 tourism landscape, 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 (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, and readers for an evening of ideas, conversation & connection. 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 SL and overseas, including participants from India, Japan, Bahrain, and Taiwan, 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 act on prior intelligence warnings. 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 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 (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 and 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 (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 SL’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 SL has witnessed a growing number of investigations 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. The 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 No TPD/B/MOF/25/FA, issued on June 22 by the Ministry of Finance over Rs. 350 million has been spent since 2022 on maintaining restructuring institutions 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. more..

Aug 6 (NW) Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader and MP Mano Ganesan has reassured India that SL’s ongoing constitutional reform process will not dilute the devolution framework established under the 13th Amendment, while pressing for constitutional recognition of the Non‑Territorial Tamil Community Council (NTTC) to safeguard the democratic aspirations of Indian‑Origin Tamils. Speaking at a meeting with visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Mishri at India House more..

Aug 6 (DN) Sri Lanka has secured market access to export fresh pineapples to Pakistan after successfully meeting the technical and phytosanitary requirements set by Pakistani authorities.Time & Calendars The breakthrough follows the conclusion of years of technical discussions and regulatory procedures between the two countries, paving the way for SL pineapples to enter the Pakistani market. The initiative was carried out through the joint efforts of Consulate General of SL in Karachi, more..

Aug 6 (NW) According to Anti‑Corruption Act, asset and liability declarations of public representatives will be made accessible to the public, while those of non‑public representatives will remain confidential under a new amendment announced in Parliament today. Govt has decided to revise the gazette notification issued last month, which had suspended the publication of asset declarations of public representatives more..

Aug 6 (EN) TM App has engaged, conducted and promoted a prohibited scheme, SL’s central bank has said issuing a public notice on prohibited pyramid schemes. “In terms of Section 83 (C) of the Banking Act, No. 30 of 1988, as amended, Central Bank of SL has conducted an investigation, ascertained and determined that TM App has engaged, conducted and promoted a prohibited scheme.” Companies/apps that have been ascertained and determined as prohibited more..

Aug 6 (AD) Govt schools and govt-approved private schools will close for the August holidays tomorrow (7) and will reopen on Sept 7, according to the Ministry of Education. The Ministry announced that the first phase of the third school term for 2026 will end tomorrow for Sinhala and Tamil medium schools. The first phase of the third term for Muslim schools will end on Wednesday, Sept 2. The second phase of the third school term will commence for all schools on Monday, Sept 7, more..

Aug 6 (Island) Amnesty International has said that Sri Lanka should publicly explain the steps taken to date and set out how they intend to overcome the long-standing obstacles that have prevented justice for 17 aid workers, from the French humanitarian association Action contre la Faim (ACF), killed in Muttur. The AI demanded that Sri Lanka must finally deliver truth, justice and reparations, Amnesty International said. more..

Aug 6 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has underscored that new scientific research must deliver tangible benefits to citizens while strengthening SL’s economy, warning that only nations that harness the transformative power of research and development (R&D) will thrive in the future. Speaking during a review of the Ministry of Science and Technology’s 2026 projects and proposals for the 2027 Budget, Prez said R&D has been the foundation of the world’s most more..

Aug 6 (Island) Minister Ananda Wijepala yesterday said death threats directed at the IGP were an attempt by those linked to drug trafficking networks to derail ongoing investigations, but vowed that the govt would not retreat from its campaign against organised crime. Addressing Parliament during the adjournment debate on the CoPF report into the cyber theft of US$2.5 million earmarked for the repayment of an Australian loan, Minister said the rapid progress of investigations had instilled more..

Aug 6 (DM) Dept of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) has completed a comprehensive coral reef survey within the Kayankerni Marine Sanctuary and the adjacent Pasikuda coastal area to evaluate the current status of coral reef ecosystems and strengthen future conservation and management initiatives. The survey, carried out by the DWC's Marine Unit, assessed the health of coral reefs inside the protected sanctuary as well as in nearby unprotected waters. more..

Aug 6 (NW) Telecom Regulatory Commission of SL (TRCSL) will proceed with issuing directions to implement mobile number portability under the SL Telecom Act and the conditions of operators’ licences by the end of September, Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne told Parliament today. He said the govt will, if necessary, commission mobile number portability first, ahead of fixed services, so that the majority of subscribers are not forced to wait on disputes that do not concern them. more..

Aug 6 (Island) Top NPP official Lal Wijenayake said that his ruling party could still abandon the utterly damaging bid to introduce a constitutional amendment to extend the retirement ages of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges. Member of the NPP’s Leadership Council Wijenayake said so responding to The Island queries regarding his opposition to the govt move. Declaring that he wouldn’t support the move, more..

Aug 6 (DM) A woman who has spent her own money caring for street dogs has received support from the Animal Welfare Coalition (AWC) after an incident involving her while feeding animals in the Malabe area went viral on social media. The woman, who has dedicated her time and personal resources to helping stray dogs, provides food, arranges rabies vaccinations and supports sterilisation programmes aimed at controlling the street dog population, according to the AWC. more..

Aug 6 (AD) An Indian fishing vessel with 11 crew members met with an accident in SL waters, prompting a rescue operation by the island nation’s navy. According to the SL Navy, trawler had reportedly crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line into SL waters and allegedly engaged in bottom trawling before it ran aground. The incident occurred on a coastal reef off Delft Island, also known as Neduntheevu, located in the Palk Strait off the northern coast of mainland SL. more..

Aug 6 (NW) Ministers Nalinda Jayatissa and Harshana Nanayakkara met His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith at the Archbishop’s House in Colombo today for a special discussion on judicial and prison reforms. The meeting aimed to update the Archbishop on the govt’s reform agenda and to clarify facts amid what officials described as the spread of misleading information. The ministers outlined more..

Aug 6 (AD) Minister Dr. Upali Pannila has stated that the govt has allocated Rs. 44 billion for the National Housing Development Programme. The Minister made the announcement while handing over a house built under the A Comfortable House - An Empowered Family Ran Vimana housing scheme to a homeless Aswesuma beneficiary family in the Pelanwatta West Grama Niladhari Division of the Kesbewa Divisional Secretariat Division (DSD) in the Colombo District today. more..

Aug 6 (NW) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said Sri Lanka should transform its long-standing relationship with India into a stronger and more productive economic partnership by expanding cooperation in investment, industry and innovation. He made the remarks while addressing the opening session of India Calling, a business forum organised by the Lanka India Business Association (LIBA) to strengthen SL-India economic relations. The event, held at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo, more..