Aug 19 (CI) Kusal Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal are out of the second Test against India, in Colombo. Pathum Nissanka is also unlikely to be fit in time for the match, which starts on Sunday. All this means Sri Lanka will be without three first-choice batters, as they attempt to recover from a 1-0 deficit in the two-match series. Mendis has not played any competitive cricket since busting a hamstring in the early rounds of the LPL. He was replaced by Niroshan Dickwella in the Test squad, more..

Aug 19 (NW) The govt plans to establish a coordinated mechanism across all prisons in SL to identify potential problems early and improve responses to emergencies, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said. The mechanism will bring together state agencies to coordinate emergency responses and improve the welfare of inmates, the minister said during a meeting at the Kalutara Prison on Wednesday. Nanayakkara said committees comprising local govt officials more..

Aug 19 (AM) The 24 accused facing 23,270 charges, including conspiracy and aiding and abetting in connection with the Easter Sunday terror attacks, began presenting their defence statements from the dock before the Colombo 3-judge High Court Trial-at-Bar on Monday. The first accused in the case, Mohamed Ibrahim Naufer, alias Naufer Maulavi, delivered his statement from the dock for nearly two hours, denying the allegations more..

Aug 19 (AD) Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has seized a stock of substandard vehicle spare parts and lubricating oil worth nearly Rs. 5 million during a raid on a shop in the Pasal Mawatha area along the Kadawatha-Ganemulla Road. Raid was conducted by officers attached to the Competition Promotion Division of CAA following information received regarding alleged violations, including the sale and storage of lubricating oil and vehicle spare parts in violation of CAA Orders No. 85 & 88, more..

Aug 19 (DM) SL’s High Commissioner to India Mahishini Colonne has stressed the need to protect SL’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and strategic autonomy while further strengthening its strategic partnership with India. Addressing the 66th Course of India’s National Defence College (NDC) in New Delhi on Tuesday, Colonne described the relationship as a partnership between unequal states, but not between unequal interests, while emphasising that both countries share more..

Aug 19 (CI) India displayed the required patience and persistence to seal a 165-run win against a resolute SL middle order on a slow, new-ball pitch. Sonal Dinusha came to within 16 runs of a second hundred in the Test, Dhananjaya de Silva scored a half-century as well, and for long periods India looked content to keep a lid on the scoring so that they could do the job with the second new ball. Once he got Dinusha out in the 76th over, more..

Aug 19 (DM) SL’s Honorary Consul in Guinea, Dr. Anuruddha Shanaka, has hit back at the Foreign Ministry’s response to his proposal to promote tourism and broader economic cooperation with the West African country, arguing that the Ministry’s reliance on the lack of direct air connectivity and tourist arrivals was fundamentally misplaced and irrelevant to the strategic merits of the initiative. In a strongly worded letter, he argued that connectivity is a challenge to be solved more..

Aug 19 (DM) The Head of the Revenue Administration Reform and Modernization Bureau and Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Seevali Arukgoda, commended the contribution of the Information Technology Division of SL Customs towards the successful implementation of the Digital Signature and Paperless Customs Declaration System, which is scheduled to come into operation from October 1. He made these remarks while delivering a special lecture on more..

Aug 19 (FT) It is a Friday afternoon at a bank branch somewhere in Colombo and the queue snakes past the pillars and out toward the door. A man near the front counts out cash for a payment he could have sent from his phone in under ten seconds. He doesn’t do things that way, not because the technology isn't available but rather because he didn't realise it was. That’s the part most people get wrong about SL’s relationship with digital payments. We believe that infrastructure is the issue, more..

Aug 19 (FT) With the introduction of the 70% Loan-to-Value (LTV) limit on gold loans, one has to ask whether the Govt has fully considered the unintended consequences of this policy. The regulated gold-loan industry has provided an important and legitimate source of credit for ordinary people, particularly those at the lower end of the income spectrum. By imposing a 70% LTV limit, the Govt may unintentionally be taking away an avenue that was available to these consumers and more..

Aug 19 (Island) Opposition MPs, led by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, staged a protest in Parliament yesterday against the tabling of the draft 22nd Amendment and the Judicature (Amendment) Bill, with some MPs describing the proposed changes as a threat to democracy. “Today marks the death of democracy in this country,” SJB leader Premadasa said. Protest triggered a heated exchange in the House more..

Aug 19 (NW) Cabinet has approved a proposal to sign a tripartite MoU to expand cardiac and thoracic surgery services at the National Hospital of SL by using facilities at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Univ (KDU) Teaching Hospital. The proposal was submitted by the Minister of Health and Mass Media, with the agreement to be entered into by the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Health and KDU. KDU Teaching Hospital has modern facilities, advanced medical equipment more..

Aug 19 (FT) Sections of the print, electronic and related media, have given extensive coverage to reports of alleged transfer from SL, of substantial payments effected to foreign exporters of goods, alleging further that no goods had come into the country, without any verification by the investigators, either directly or through the banks, of the goods exported to Sri Lanka, in respect of the payments received by them. President’s Counsel M.M. Zuhair in a statement yesterday said more..

Aug 19 (FT) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa yesterday disclosed that a total of Rs. 74 billion has allegedly been transferred overseas through 89 bank accounts in 10,151 transactions as part of an Undiyal money transfer operation involving the suspected illegal movement of around $ 1 billion. He said the transactions were uncovered during an investigation into the alleged illegal transfer of funds out of Sri Lanka. more..

Aug 19 (NF) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa says delays in obtaining legal advice from the Attorney General’s Dept, including in the case involving former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, are largely linked to institutional capacity constraints and a heavy workload within the department. Responding to concerns that the Wickremesinghe case remains pending due to the absence of the AG’s advice, Minister stressed that while the Govt can support institutional reforms, it will not interfere with more..

Aug 19 (NW) Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has warned that Sri Lanka could face another severe economic challenge from the end of 2028 unless the country builds its foreign exchange reserves to around US$15 billion. Speaking at the launch of former minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya’s book Yudha Dekakata Ura Dee in Colombo, Wickremesinghe said Sri Lanka’s next major challenge would begin when debt repayments resume after 2028. more..

Aug 19 (FT) Jaffna is set to get its tallest residential building with Tilko Blue Ocean Holdings Ltd., signing an agreement with the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI) for the development of the 78-unit Yarl Royal Palace. The BOI said the project, located at No. 107, Kandy Road overlooking the historic Old Park, is envisioned to become the tallest residential landmark in Northern Sri Lanka and establish a new benchmark for high-rise residential development in the region. more..

Aug 19 (NW) SL Police has urged passengers using taxi services to take precautions to protect themselves from theft, robbery and intimidation, including verifying vehicle and driver details and sharing their live location with trusted contacts. ASP F.U. Wootler said the advisory was issued amid reports of crimes allegedly involving taxi drivers or individuals assisting passengers through taxi services. He urged passengers to ensure that the vehicle they hire is a properly regulated more..

Aug 19 (FT) Govt’s proposed 22nd Amendment faces an immediate test before the Supreme Court and further resistance in Parliament, after several petitions were filed within hours of its tabling yesterday challenging the extension of retirement ages of superior court judges, including those currently in office. The anticipated legal challenges, including petitions by SJB, BASL office-bearers, Prof. G.L. Peiris & Free Lawyers Movement more..

Aug 19 (FT) Tourism Ministry has appointed Suranjith Wewita as the new Chairman of the SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) with effect from yesterday. Wewita officially received his letter of appointment yesterday from Minister Vijitha Herath. A seasoned professional with extensive experience in the banking and tourism sectors, Wewita brings to the position a broad background in financial management, trade union leadership and tourism entrepreneurship. more..

Aug 19 (FT) SL’s next phase of economic integration with India will require more than another trade agreement: it will demand political champions, stronger negotiating capacity, institutional continuity and a willingness to confront vested interests, according to a high-powered panel at the India Calling forum organised by the Lanka India Business Association (LIBA) recently. The panel brought together former Foreign Secretary Prasad Kariyawasam, former BOI Chief Thilan more..

Aug 19 (FT) The Organisation of Professional Associations (OPA) successfully concluded its 39th Annual Conference, held on 11 and 12 Aug at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo, under the theme Envisioning Sri Lanka: Beyond Recovery. Held under the patronage of OPA President Jayantha Gallehewa, with the leadership and guidance of OPA President-Elect and 39th Annual Conference Chairman Tisara De Silva, Conference brought together leading professionals, academics, more..

Aug 19 (AD) The govt has launched a programme to purchase quality paddy from farmers through small and medium-scale rice mill owners and cooperative societies as part of the 2026 Yala season paddy purchasing programme. The initiative is aimed at ensuring farmers receive a fair price for their harvest under the govt’s guaranteed price policy, while making rice available to consumers at affordable prices and strengthening the small and medium-scale rice milling sector. more..

Aug 19 (FT) Colombo District land values rose by 5.9% year-on-year (YoY) in the first half of 2026, extending their post-crisis increase but at a markedly slower pace than during the height of SL’s economic crisis in 2022-23. The CB Land Valuation Indicator (LVI) increased to 271.6 in 1H 2026 from 256.4 a year earlier, with all three categories recording what the Central Bank described as moderate YoY increases. more..

Aug 19 (FT) HSBC will scale up its Clean Waterways project, a public -private partnership launched in Jan 2026 to help restore Beira Lake, a key urban waterway in the heart of Colombo. The expansion will be delivered through a series of programs aimed at reducing incorrect waste disposal at source, supported by community -based education and a youth empowerment initiative. The expanded program will introduce two connected components: a Nature Literacy and a Green Enterprise more..

Aug 19 (SM) Organised crime figure Kankanamage Dimuthu Chathuranga Perera, alias Samithapura Chathu and Modara Chathu, has been brought back to SL from Oman this morning (18). He was brought from Muscat, Oman, to Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), after being arrested in Oman by a team of CID officers. The individual, who was wanted under an Interpol Red Notice, has been handed over to the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) under tight security for further investigations. more..

Aug 19 (NW) Sri Lanka is moving closer to testing electric flying taxi technology, with Civil Aviation Authority of SL (CAASL) adopting a fast-track programme aimed at establishing the country’s first electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) regulatory sandbox. CAASL said it has adopted proposals presented by EHang Intelligent under the company’s Global Fast-Track Programme, with a target of achieving initial more..

Aug 19 (EN) SL signed a US$ 200 million loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to implement a five-year post-Cyclone Ditwah reconstruction and livelihood support project. This financial assistance will also support to finance the rehabilitation and reconstruction of roads damaged by the cyclone with enhanced climate resilience within the period of 2026-2030. The loan agreements were signed at the Treasury in Colombo on Tuesday by Harshana Suriyapperuma, more..

Aug 19 (FT) SL’s banking sector recorded a slower increase in willingness to lend during the second quarter of 2026 amid tighter monetary conditions following the policy tightening in May, CB’s latest Credit Supply Survey showed. The survey, covering Licensed Commercial Banks and Licensed Specialised Banks, found that banks’ willingness to lend increased across the retail, corporate, small and medium enterprise (SME) and State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) sectors during the quarter, more..

Aug 19 (FT) JAT Holdings recorded Group revenue of Rs. 3.04 billion for the quarter ended 30 June 2026, representing a 34% year-on-year increase, supported by growth across both its SL and international operations. Local revenue increased by 8% to Rs. 1.83 billion, while revenue from foreign operations increased by 110% to Rs. 1.21 billion. Gross profit increased by 29% to Rs. 1.07 billion, while gross profit margin moderated from 37% to 35%, reflecting higher input costs more..

Aug 19 (FT) Cabinet of Ministers approved entering into a revised agreement with Maga Engineering Ltd, for Rs. 25.58 billion (including value of completed work and payable amounts, but excluding contingencies, taxes, and daywork) for the completion of remaining construction work of Sethsiripaya Stage III. Urban Development Authority (UDA) initiated the Sethsiripaya Stage III project to meet the growing demand for administrative office space in the Govt and semi-Govt sectors. more..

Aug 19 (CI) The top order as a whole has never come close to producing the kinds of runs Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, and TM Dilshan used to bring to the table. It has been more than ten years since they retired. SL's opening partnership stats have suffered substantially since the exit of Dimuth Karunaratne, the last SL Test cricketer to reliably make the annual ICC XI. And on the spin front, SL are weaker than more..