Aug 14 (TM) Despite maintaining 16,966 active files on missing civilians, the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) has so far found and verified only 25 missing persons, with another six believed to be alive but awaiting verification, OMP’s Executive Director Dr Jeganathan Thatparan said. Speaking to the media yesterday ahead of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, more..

Aug 14 (AD) Dept of Examinations has assured that the GCE A/L question papers scheduled for today have not been leaked in any way and that today's exam will proceed as planned. Commissioner General of Examinations, Indika Liyanage, has urged candidates not to panic over false information claiming that A/L exam question papers scheduled for today have been leaked. The dept therefore urged all candidates to sit for the exam as per usual without unnecessary fear or concern. more..

Aug 14 (PMD) A discussion with representatives of the Catholic Church was held at the Presidential Secretariat today (13), co-chaired by Minister of Science and Technology Mr. Chrishantha Abeysena and Secretary to the Prez Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake. The meeting reviewed the administrative issues affecting Catholic schools that were taken over by the Govt, the development of a mechanism for providing teaching staff for Catholic religious studies and the progress made in more..

Aug 14 (FT) Govt is continuing negotiations with the US for better competitive trade terms while strengthening its forced labour import controls, as officials cautioned that the current 10% additional tariff treatment would not by itself provide exporters a lasting advantage over regional competitors. Trade Ministry and Commerce Dept officials told CoPF on 11 August that negotiations remained under a non-disclosure agreement more..

Aug 14 (ST) Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB) conducted an awareness session for coconut cultivators in the Mahakumbukkadawala area in Puttalam recently. They were briefed on irrigating coconut cultivations, the application of fertilizer and harvesting. Most cultivators were provided air rifles at concessionary rates to control rock squirrels and monkeys. CCB provided a 50% discount for the purchase of air rifles. The progamme was conducted by Puttalam District office of the CCB. more..

Aug 14 (FT) Eric Meyer has been officially sworn in as the new US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, marking the start of his tenure as Washington’s envoy to Colombo. Meyer took the oath of office at a ceremony held at the US Department of State in Washington, DC. “On behalf of the entire Embassy team, we warmly congratulate him. We look forward to working under his leadership to deepen the partnership between the US and SL, advancing our shared interests and priorities,” more..

Aug 14 (NF) A 4-year-old child has been rescued after being found abandoned by the roadside in the Mudunegammedda area of Wattegama in an incident that has sparked concern among local residents and prompted a police investigation. Preliminary investigations indicate that the child's mother and a man believed to be her partner had allegedly brought the child to the area before leaving him behind on the roadside. Authorities revealed that the child had reportedly been subjected to more..

Aug 14 (TM) SL’s official poverty line rose to Rs 17,592 in June, marking an increase of Rs 277 from the previous month, according to the latest data. The official poverty line represents the minimum monthly amount considered necessary for a person to meet their basic needs. It is calculated based on the cost of a specified minimum level of food and non-food consumption and is updated monthly to reflect changes in prices. June figures show significant differences between districts. more..

Aug 14 (Island) Joint Opposition requested Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake to hold a referendum on the 22 Amendment. Text of the letter released by former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Office: “We write to convey to you our firm conviction that the amendments to Article 107(5) of the Constitution, proposed by the Govt, require the holding of a referendum in terms of Chapter XIII of the Constitution to ascertain more..

Aug 14 (DN) Sri Lanka are ready to face Singapore in today’s semi-final of the Asian Netball Championships at the Kai Tak Arena in Hong Kong, with the players in a positive frame of mind, said national coach Somitha de Alwis. SL lost 51-62 to Singapore in their group match, but de Alwis said that result would not affect the team’s approach to today’s semi-final. “Our players made a few mistakes in the group match against Singapore, and that was the main reason for the defeat. more..

Aug 14 (NW) All police stations have now been equipped with the facilities required to accept traffic fine payments through GovPay, DIG W.P.J. Senadeera, Director of the Traffic Control and Road Safety Range, said. ‎He said police officers assigned to traffic duties have been provided with sufficient mobile devices to facilitate GovPay payments and are required to carry them when conducting traffic operations. ‎Accordingly, motorists issued traffic fines should be able to make the payment at more..

Aug 14 (FT) Oman has expressed interest in encouraging SL businesses to explore investment opportunities in the country, as Colombo and Muscat seek to further strengthen their longstanding economic relationship. The matter was discussed at a meeting held yesterday between Omani Ambassador to SL Ahmed Ali Said Alrashidi, Oman’s Adviser for Foreign Trade and Int'l Cooperation Pankej Khimji, and Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando more..

Aug 14 (FT) SL’s premium exhibition for the food processing, packaging, and agriculture sectors, ProFood ProPack and AgBiz 2026, will return to BMICH from 21 to 23 Aug 2026, bringing together local and international industry leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and consumers for knowledge exchange, innovation, and business networking. Organised by the SL Food Processors Association (SLFPA) together with the professional exhibition organiser, Lanka Exhibition and Conference more..

Aug 14 (Island) A USD 328.25 million project aimed at strengthening SL’s electricity transmission network and facilitating the integration of renewable energy got underway yesterday with the commencement of construction of a new 132/33 kV grid substation in Homagama. Minister Anura Karunathilaka, speaking at the launch, said the project would significantly strengthen the reliability and operational stability more..

Aug 14 (Island) India will resume their World Test Championship (WTC) campaign on Saturday when they take on Sri Lanka in Galle, with an injury hit squad facing the twin challenges of a turning track and a home side armed with a battery of spinners. It will be India’s first Test in the WTC this year and they need to get their act together quickly after suffering a shock home series defeat to South Africa last year. The series gets underway on India’s Independence Day and the tourists arrive without more..

Aug 14 (FT) Sampath Bank yesterday said it has delivered a strong financial performance for the six months ended 30 June 2026, reporting Total Operating Income of Rs. 63.3 billion, an increase of 17% compared to the corresponding period last year. In a statement Sampath said the bank’s performance was driven by sustained growth across its core revenue streams, with Net Interest Income increasing by 11% and Net Fee and Commission Income rising by as much as 26%. more..

Aug 14 (CI) Between 2010 and the end of 2017, SL and India men's sides played 26 internationals in SL, nine of which were Tests. This was cause for much haw-hawing back when there were far fewer televised cricket matches than now, but it was more fashionable to turn up your nose and proclaim there was too much cricket on the calendar, as if there could ever be such a thing. But the modern cricket schedule is best understood more..

Aug 14 (FT) The National Chamber of Exporters of SL (NCE) has opened applications for the NCE Export Awards 2026, the country’s premier national awards program dedicated to recognising and honouring the best-performing exporters. In its 34th year, the awards have become a continuous and consistent feature of Sri Lanka’s export calendar, providing national recognition to businesses that have contributed to the country’s export performance and the overall economy. more..

Aug 14 (FT) Commercial Bank of Ceylon said it has reiterated leadership in financial intermediation, becoming the first private sector banking group in Sri Lanka to cross the Rs. 3 trillion threshold in deposits, a new performance benchmark established in the second quarter of the 2026 financial year. Group’s deposits grew by Rs. 315.13 billion in the six months ending 30th June 2026, at a monthly average of Rs 52.52 billion, to end the first half of the year with deposits of Rs. 3.02 trillion. more..

Aug 14 (FT) Navigating a period of economic volatility and inflationary pressures, HNB Group said it posted a Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs. 22.5 billion for the six months ended June 2026, while the bank recorded PAT of Rs. 23.1 billion for the same period. HNB said the performance reflected strong balance sheet growth, with advances increasing by Rs. 224 billion and deposits by Rs. 138 billion during the first half of the year, while maintaining strong asset quality with a Net Stage 3 ratio of 1.17% more..

Aug 14 (FT) DFCC Bank said it entered the second half of 2026 with a larger and increasingly diversified franchise, following sustained growth across lending, deposits, fee income, and total assets during the first six months of the year. Loan and deposit portfolios grew by 9% and 12%, respectively, compared to 31 Dec 2025, while total assets increased by 7% to Rs. 919 bil and total liabilities grew by 8% to Rs. 811 bil. Net fee and commission income rose by 29%, while Net Interest Income increased by 6% more..

Aug 14 (ST) A fresh debate has sparked among animal rights advocates with the gazetting of the Animal Welfare Bill. The long-awaited bill, which would replace the archaic Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance enacted in 1907, has created division of opinions among animal welfare groups and activists, as some call for immediate enactment while others call for amendments. Despite the bill proposing more..

Aug 14 (Island) SL is living through one of the most complex periods in its postindependence history. It has endured political upheaval, economic collapse, social fragmentation, environmental stress, and the lingering emotional debris of a three decade civil war. These crises have not occurred in isolation; they overlap, reinforce, and reshape one another. Yet, in the midst of this turbulence, the national conversation remains dominated by economists, technocrats, political strategists, legal more..

Aug 14 (Island) A meeting between Bar Association of SL (BASL) and Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake ended inconclusively on Wednesday. The govt is determined to proceed with the draft 22nd constitutional amendment (22A) to increase the mandatory retirement ages of the judges of the Supreme Court (SC) and the Court of Appeal (CA). The campaigners against 22A are left with no alternative but to adopt countermeasures besides taking the issue to the court of public opinion. more..

Aug 14 (DN) Every single person was important in this journey. It could only have been true love for the gentle giant that is the elephant! The Every Elephant Matters Special Supplement to mark World Elephant Day was launched on Wednesday at Lake House. According to statistics, the wild elephant population in Sri Lanka is officially around 7500. This is actually nothing to be proud of. In Sri Lanka every year due to the human elephant conflict 300- 400 elephants die. In Sri Lanka, because of more..

Aug 14 (DN) The govt displayed its determination to go ahead with its proposal to enact judicial reforms this week despite protests from opposition political parties as well as the BASL, gazetting the relevant legislation and inviting public discussion regarding the issue. The Bill for the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was gazetted by Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara last Friday. It proposes to repeal Article 107(05) of the Constitution, more..

Aug 14 (SO) Thousands of years before Govts introduced adoption laws, before passports and immigration records existed, one of South Asia’s greatest epics told the story of a mother who spent her life carrying a secret. Kunti placed her newborn son inside a basket and set him afloat on a river. She did not abandon him out of lack of love. She let him go because the society around her gave her little choice. Child grew up in another more..

Aug 14 (ST) Expired food items are normally considered unsafe for human consumption and should be discarded. This rule applies to expired sugar as well. Yet, unlike milk or meat, sugar does not spoil in the same way. It may clump, discolor, or absorb moisture, but chemically it remains fermentable. That means even when it looks unfit for the table, the sucrose inside still provides the fuel yeast needs to convert sugar into alcohol. This peculiar property has made expired sugar an attractive input for illicit liquor brewing. more..

Aug 14 (GV) 22nd Amendment to the constitution gazetted on Aug 7 under the auspices of Minister of Justice. This amendment aims to strengthen institutional efficiency and formality within the judiciary. The bill introduces major revisions to the retirement ages of superior court judges while expanding the bench capacity of the Court of Appeal. A separate Judicial Act Amendment Bill would make corresponding changes to the retirement ages of judges in the lower courts. more..

Aug 14 (SO) The tender to procure coal for the Lakvijaya Power Plant in Norochcholai is among the largest procurement contracts in Sri Lanka. While State institutions generally have their own procurement divisions, a separate entity, Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd. was established specifically to handle the procurement of coal for the Lakvijaya Power Plant. The company is wholly owned by several State institutions. more..

Aug 14 (DM) Taking the legal position first, SL maintains one of the most restrictive abortion laws in South Asia. Abortion is permissible only in the gravest of circumstances to save the life of the mother. It is punishable with imprisonment ranging from three to twenty years with or without a fine. Legal restrictions are further reinforced by a medical protocol that requires the concurrence of 3 doctors before pregnancy can be medically terminated. This has become a thorny problem. more..

Aug 14 (DM) In politics, there are victories, but not all of them carry positive consequences in the long run. In contrast, victories entail disastrous consequences to the winner. It means victory carries the bitter taste of defeat. The govt’s arrogance in pushing forward with constitutional amendments to extend the mandatory retirement age of superior court judges—raising Supreme Court tenure to 67 and the Court of Appeal to 65—falls squarely into the latter category. more..