Aug 21 (DM) UN Food & Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) research vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen has arrived at the Port of Colombo as a port of call though not for research purposes, with its operators assuring SL that it will return at the earliest opportunity to carry out a long-awaited marine research survey in local waters. The vessel, which sailed from Port Louis, Mauritius, is scheduled to depart for Bangladesh today or tomorrow, more..

Aug 21 (CT) Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali Jayathunga, yesterday, issued a notice directing former Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne, who is evading arrest, to appear in Court on 29 Aug in connection with the controversial sand mining project at the Kirinda Fisheries Harbour. The project, which was handed over to a Korean company, has allegedly caused financial losses exceeding Rs 26 million to the State. Notice was issued under Section 60(1) of the Code of more..

Aug 21 (DN) Govt will not sell any State owned properties and no such decision has been taken by the Board of Directors or the Govt to sell the building and land belonging to National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA) to any other private entity. Minister Sunil Handunnetti responding to a question in Parliament said that the Govt will not accept unsolicited proposals or advice brought forward by any individuals when making decisions on matters of selling state owned land or properties. more..

Aug 21 (DM) The govt considers the import of double cabs for the use of MPs and govt officials in the future, but a final decision has not yet been taken, a Minister said. The current govt, led by the NPP, stopped issuing permits for MPs to import vehicles without customs duty. In the past, MPs either imported expensive luxury vehicles using such permits. Or else, they were used to transfer these permits to third parties for charges more..

Aug 21 (DN) Postmaster General S.R.W.M.R.P. Sathkumara yesterday said that the trade union action initiated by postal employees has not been successful, as many employees were on duty yesterday. The Postmaster General indicated that trade unions are welcome to engage in discussions with the authorities regarding issues that align with Government policies. “Authorities are open to listening to concerns that can be addressed in accordance with Govt policies,” he added. more..

Aug 21 (EN) Sri Lanka’s renewable power, helped by CEB, hydro power and new private renewable power including rooftop solar topped 64.4% in May 2025, sharply up from 48.3% a year ago. Out of a total of 1,531 GigaWatt hours of energy generated in May 2025, 986 GWh came from renewables, data published by the central bank showed. CEB’s hydro generation rose to 575 GWh up 44.7% from a year earlier, helped by good rainfall while fuel oil generation dropped from 208 to 35 GWh. more..

Aug 21 (TM) Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security, and Community Empowerment stated that there is no possibility of extending the timeframes for families receiving benefits under the Aswesuma welfare programme, but assured that a plan is in place to support families in need of help once the existing scheme ends. The Welfare Benefits Board (WBB) had earlier requested an extension for 400,000 families who were scheduled to leave the programme on 31 Dec of last year (2024). more..

Aug 21 (TM) Ministry of Health stated that due to a high volume of staff members taking leave of absence, it has become increasingly difficult to sustain the continuous operation of essential services within the ministry, given the critical nature of its duties. As a result, the ministry has decided to temporarily suspend the approval of leave of absence including for travel overseas for its staff until further notice. This decision was formally announced through a circular issued by more..

Aug 21 (DN) Alleging that cultivation of cannabis will only benefit foreign multinationals, SL Medical Association (SLMA), has urged the NPP govt to reverse this decision. SLMA has said the govt’s justification of cannabis cultivation for medicinal use is misleading, pointing out that approved uses in countries, such as UK and US, are limited to very rare conditions. It added that global demand for cannabis for medical & more..

Aug 21 (ST) Dipped Products (DPL), a member of the Hayleys Group, recently opened a state-of-the-art latex collection and laboratory facility for smallholder rubber farmers in Monaragala. At an investment of over Rs. 50 million, the initiative connects smallholder farmers to expand market reach via improved quality and traceability, the company said. Monaragala is home to a large community of smallholder rubber farmers who have long contributed to SL’s rubber supply. more..

Aug 21 (Island) The govt is going ahead with plans to introduce a new anti-terrorism law in place of the existing Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The NPP, during its presidential and parliamentary election campaigns last year, pledged to do away with the PTA. A committee, headed by Rienzie Arsecularatne, PC, tasked to formulate the proposed new law, met on 14 occasions, with the last meeting held at the Justice Ministry last Monday. A statement issued by the Justice Ministry quoted more..

Aug 21 (Island) In a transformative move for the nation’s plantation economy, four of SL’s leading agricultural companies recently signed landmark agreements in Colombo to adopt regenerative farming practices. The partnerships with Solidaridad Network Asia and its local partner, Nucleus Foundation, will position SL’s crucial tea sector to access valuable carbon markets and meet stringent new EU import regulations. Hayleys Plantations, Aitken Spence’s Elpitiya Plantations, more..

Aug 21 (DN) SL champion athlete Nadeesha Ramanayake once again stole the spotlight when she clocked 52.86 seconds to set a new meet record in the women’s 400m at the 60th Army Athletics Championship held at Diyagama, yesterday. Record-breaking feats continued when Asitha Rathnasena set a new meet record of 51.36 seconds in the men’s 400m hurdles, while Olympian Aruna Dharshana dominated the men’s 400m, winning gold with a time of 45.79 seconds. more..

Aug 21 (DM) SL’s private sector credit-to-GDP ratio has been rising from around the middle of 2024, with the credit-to-GDP gap or the credit gap widening, reflecting the expansionary credit cycle. Credit-to-GDP or the gross domestic product is a measure of total outstanding credit to the private sector as a share of the size of the economy and is a key indicator of the overall economic health and a bellwether of risks building up in the banking more..

Aug 21 (DN) SL’s national diving coach, Chanaka Wickramasinghe, made history when he won the country’s first-ever gold medal in masters diving at the World Aquatics Masters Diving Championships, which concluded in Singapore yesterday. Wickramasinghe, competing in the men’s platform event of the 40–44 age category, scored 209.75 points to secure the top spot. France’s Olympian Jedraoui Mhedi took the silver with 181.00 points, while Sweden’s F Dinamarca claimed bronze. more..

Aug 21 (FT) The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Tuesday launched Sri Lanka’s first Livestock Insurance Scheme in collaboration with the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) and LOLC Insurance, under the guidance of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), to compensate farmers for animals lost to leopard attacks and reduce retaliatory killings of the endangered species. UNDP SL Resident Representative Azusa Kubota said more..

Aug 21 (FT) Film importers and exhibitors are ramping up pressure for sweeping reforms, warning that decades-old restrictions imposed by the National Film Corporation (NFC) are crippling the Rs. 10 billion industry. Industry leaders opined rigid annual quotas, capped at just 65 English films, 25 Hindi, 70 Tamil, and 25 other-language, such as Japanese, were introduced over 25 years ago to safeguard the local industry, but have since more..

Aug 21 (FT) Colombo stock market sustained its high level yesterday amidst healthy turnover fuelled by bullish investor sentiments. ASPI surged past the 20,700 mark for the first time, setting a fresh record and reinforcing confidence in the market in the wake of the UK’s upgraded trade reforms. ASPI gained 143.73 points or 0.70%, pushing it above the 20,700 milestone to close at 20,714.80, while the active S&P SL20 gained by 49.08 points or 0.8%. First Capital said continuing its positive more..

Aug 21 (FT) Ceylon Chamber of Commerce yesterday welcomed the UK Govt’s liberalisation of rules of origin under its Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), set to take effect in early 2026. “This important step reflects the UK’s continued commitment to greater trade openness and flexibility, offering SL exporters enhanced access to one of their key markets,” The Chamber said. The reforms, which allow SL apparel manufacturers to source up to 100% of inputs more..

Aug 21 (FT) The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) recently hosted Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Sri Lanka Ihab I.M. Khalil for a courtesy call that aimed at strengthening stronger trade ties and exploring new avenues for bilateral cooperation. The meeting, held at the EDB premises, facilitated a productive discussion on expanding market access for Sri Lankan products in Palestine and encouraging greater collaboration between the two nations. more..

Aug 21 (ST) Attorney General’s Dept is drafting a response to the UN Human Rights High Commissioner, who in his latest report on SL has described the AG’s office as a key obstacle to justice while emphasising the need for an independent prosecutorial authority. The response is being drafted in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an AG’s Dept official said. It will be part of the Govt response to the observations of Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk in his report, more..

Aug 21 (ST) Members of an internal CEB Power Sector Reform Integration Committee (PSRIC) have written to the utility’s chairman seeking assurance that employees will retain their many benefits even after the institution is restructured. These include a sprawling list of allowance benefits approved by Cabinet in 2008 and granted to all CEB employees for a range of duties that fit their job descriptions – such as an incentive allowance more..

Aug 21 (Island) Published below are extracts of a presentation titled Three Questions on Conflict Resolution by Sir Adam Roberts, Emeritus Professor of Int'l Relations at Balliol College, Uni of Oxford, to commemorate the 20th death anniversary of former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. The three questions are: Quoting from the extract: “Calls for ceasefire agreements (CFA) have become an almost standard response of the international community to ongoing armed conflicts …. more..

Aug 21 (Island) Postal workers’ strike entered the third day yesterday, with the govt refusing to negotiate with the strikers until they call off their trade union action and agree to talk on its terms. The govt has said in no uncertain terms that the postal workers will have to use the biometric attendance system, and there will be no revision of their overtime. In other words, it has told the strikers that heads it wins and tails they lose. Time was when the JVP tore into govts for more..

Aug 21 (DM) Like a tiger on its prey, ITAK pounced upon the tragic death of a young man in Mullaitivu and turned it into grand political theatre. Yet the mass hartal it organised in the North-East in protest, at best received a mixed response from its own constituency. The govt offices and schools remained open throughout the North-East, while Shops were closed in Vavuniya, Batticaloa and some parts of Mullaitivu. Local merchants confronted ITAK party heavyweights who visited the scene; more..

Aug 21 (DM) Digitalisation maybe an alien concept for a country that has deep-rooted colonial structures. For a people who have graduated from a colonial, archaic education system, it may be a challenge unto themselves. This is why digitalisation efforts in state institutions have taken years to be considered successful. Despite numerous trainings, workshops, meetings and conferences in lavish hotels and exorbitant expenditure, public sector employees are struggling to adjust to more..

Aug 21 (TM) In the turbulent wake of the Sept 2024 Prez Election, SL’s political landscape has undergone a profound transformation. A new Govt, led by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the NPP coalition, has taken the reins, inheriting a host of complex issues, none more fraught with controversy than the Online Safety Act (OSA). This piece of legislation, passed into law by the previous administration amidst fierce criticism, more..

Aug 21 (DM) As Sri Lanka continues to grapple with the growing frequency and severity of natural hazards—from landslides in the central highlands to floods in the south and droughts in the north—a hard truth persists. Despite policy dialogue and institutional effort, our disaster management systems fall short in protecting the most vulnerable. The issue is not a lack of intent. National frameworks have evolved, and coordination mechanisms have improved. But critical gaps persist. more..

Aug 21 (ST) That was a bold move. Anura Kumara Dissanayake and his faithful Tonto had picked up their passports again, this time to head for the UN, though this time round a much less united body. Not that it would hurt AKD, as he has come to be commonly known, for a few twists here and a few turns there, and it is not going to disturb his more than Hamletian ways. But surely there are quite significant segments of our own population which must have their eyes turned sky-high at more..

Aug 21 (DM) SL’s tourism industry is undoubtedly thriving, with social media—particularly TikTok—overflowing with videos of foreign visitors exploring every corner of the island. Yet, beneath the surface, concerns are mounting over what wildlife photographer and hotelier Srilal Miththapala has termed overtourism. Added to this are the growing tensions and confusion between registered & unregistered tourism businesses more..

Aug 21 (CT) The announcement that Sri Lankans with disabilities will now be able to obtain driving licences marks a decisive step towards a more inclusive society. After decades of exclusion, MP Sugath de Silva’s statement at the Dept of Govt Information offered long-overdue recognition for over 1.6 million citizens living with disabilities. At its heart, this change is about dignity, independence, and equal rights. For too long, disability has been treated not as a variation of human experience but more..

Aug 21 (TM) The national social protection mechanisms are struggling to keep pace, as the island continues to grapple with high poverty rates. SL has legacy welfare programmes, and more recent ones, both of which has had questionable efficacy and has been plagued with allegations of misuse, corruption, politicisation and mismanagement. Since 2022, SL’s poverty line has been on a steep upward trend, standing at Rs. 13,777 in Dec 2022 & reaching Rs. 15,970 more..