Aug 25 (DM) SL consumers are spending less on branded goods and more on loose, generic products as inflation rises, according to the latest household panel data. Shift comes after a year in which branded spending had been recovering, following a period of deflation that set in after the 2022 economic crisis, when inflation topped 70%. Panel shows branded goods’ share of household spending rose from 38% in July 2025 more..

Aug 25 (Island) It appears that the die has been cast on the 22nd Amendment. Govt appears unshaken in its determination to ensure its passage into law. From the govt’s perspective, the 22nd Amendment and associated legislation, by increasing the tenure of all judges by two years, will give them the extra time to complete their existing cases. This will do away with the need to change judges midstream and have complex legal cases go back to the beginning, which has too often been the case. more..

Aug 25 (ST) Behold the majestic tusker that bears aloft on its back the sacred Sri Dalada and parades it annually on the winding streets of Kandy for ten nights at the Randoli Perahera, which began on August 18 and will reach its climax on Thursday night. Take a good look again at the majestic tuskers and the rest of the caparisoned elephants in the retinue that have become part and parcel of the spectacular pageantry held for over two thousand years on the island. This may, probably, more..

Aug 25 (Island) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake is scheduled to address a series of rallies across the country as part of a JVP/NPP reorganisation drive, according to media reports. A recent public opinion survey has indicated a sharp drop in the govt’s approval rating, and this may have prompted the JVP/NPP to launch a grassroots campaign. The Prez’s nationwide speaking or barnstorming tour, on the cards, can be seen as an indication of the govt limbering up for a possible referendum more..

Aug 25 (TM) In any functioning democracy, the cornerstone of representative governance is the power of the purse. Under constitutional frameworks and public financial management laws, it is Parliament that holds the purse strings. Citizens surrender their hard-earned income to the State on the explicit understanding that the legislature will act as a vigilant trustee. Parliament exists to ensure that every rupee collected from the public is managed with strict legality, spent efficiently, more..

Aug 25 (TM) Speaking in Parliament on 25 June, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake revealed that investigations were underway into nearly $ 1 billion systematically siphoned out of the country through fraudulent trade and banking channels since 2023. Prez told the House that funds generated through organised crime, drug trafficking, and corruption had been laundered overseas via Telegraphic Transfers & advance payments more..

Aug 25 (DM) SL’s Jayewardene era contains a troubling chapter in which constitutional power and State machinery were deployed against rival Sirimavo Bandaranaike. If Jayewardene was determined to remove Bandaranaike from political life, it was not because he regarded her as incapable. On the contrary, he had acknowledged her abilities and achievements. In 1972, while Opposition leader and Deputy Leader of the UNP, he even suggested that he might leave the party more..

Aug 25 (CT) It has only been a few hours since your physical body was cremated, so allow me to write a note for you… Because you decided to go on your final journey in a very modest manner, without any state honors or funeral speeches, today the entire nation is talking about you, because there is so much to say about you… Let me add my part as follows… Starting with your song Ammavarune, I started loving your voice, perspectives, and character ever since I left home to become more..

Aug 25 (SO) Govt says SL’s economy is on the road to recovery, but the Opposition continues to warn of another crisis. Caught between these competing narratives are millions of Sri Lankans still struggling with the cost of living and waiting to feel the benefits of an improving economy. Deputy Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando explains why the Govt believes the economy is stable while responding to warnings of another debt crisis more..

Aug 25 (DM) The much talked of 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was tabled in Parliament on August 18 2026 by the Minister of Justice. According to the govt, the bill itself is designed to roll back the concentration of unchecked executive powers granted under the 20th Amendment (during the presidency of Gotabaya Rajapaksa) and restore key parliamentary checks and balances. The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution speaks of Trimming Executive Presidential Powers. more..

Aug 25 (GV) The recent intervention in parliament by Batticaloa District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam has brought renewed attention to an important humanitarian issue that Sri Lanka can no longer afford to handle through bureaucracy, uncertainty and political promises: the safe and dignified return of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees who have lived in India for decades. Many of these families did not leave Sri Lanka by choice. They fled during years of war, violence, displacement and insecurity. more..

Aug 24 (DM) Sri Lanka’s major reservoirs are showing worrying variations in water storage, with several tanks recording critically low effective storage levels amid continuing concerns over water availability. According to latest reservoir data for Aug 23, the 74 major reservoirs covered in the report hold only 35.8% of their effective storage capacity. The situation is particularly concerning in several areas. Manankattiya Reservoir in Anuradhapura has just 1.5% effective storage, more..

Aug 24 (DM) A 63-year-old professor at the University of Cambridge has been arrested after a car he was driving allegedly ran over the toes of a police sergeant who was directing traffic during the Kandy Esala Perahera. The incident occurred on the evening of August 22 near the Peradeniya bus stand on Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe Mawatha in Kandy, police said. The injured officer, Police Sergeant Kumara, was admitted to the Kandy National Hospital for treatment. more..

Aug 24 (CI) Dhruv Jurel struck a 177-ball 115 as India piled on the runs on a rain-truncated second day's play in Colombo to take total control of proceedings. Having declared on 503 for 9, India had already picked up two SL scalps when play was called off for the day due to bad light. At the crease was Kamil Mishara on debut, as he watched helplessly from the non-striker's end as his opening partner Lahiru Udara, and then nightwatcher more..

Aug 24 (DM) SJB MP Chaminda Wijesiri, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison for threatening and assaulting two police officers, has been granted bail by the Badulla High Court pending his appeal. The court sentenced Wijesiri on July 28 after finding him guilty of charges including wrongful restraint, assault, causing injuries, issuing death threats and causing bodily harm to two police officers in 2019. The case was filed against Wijesiri, his driver Bandula Rathnayake and a police officer more..

Aug 24 (TM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake is set to lead a series of public rallies of the NPP covering all districts from 5 Sept, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. Jayatissa said the rallies would be accompanied by a programme to reorganise electoral committees at the Grama Niladhari Division level. He also challenged opposition groups to take to the streets and hold public meetings to demonstrate their support, instead of engaging in what he described as nightly conspiracies more..

Aug 24 (Island) Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) MP S. Shritharan has criticised Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara for what he describes as double-standards regarding the mass killings in the country. The Minister referred to the Sooriyande massacre in the South but failed to recognise the Chemmani incident as a mass killing. MP was speaking to the media after visiting the Chemmani mass grave site in Jaffna recently. more..

Aug 24 (DM) A suspect who allegedly stole a passenger’s bag at the Pettah bus stand was swiftly arrested with the assistance of CCTV surveillance, SL Air Force personnel said. The theft occurred yesterday and was detected through the CCTV monitoring system at the newly established operations room at the upgraded Pettah bus stand. Air Force personnel on duty immediately identified the suspect and handed him over to the Police. The CCTV surveillance system, established under more..

Aug 24 (Island) Pubudu Jayagoda, Education Secretary of the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) has alleged that the govt is bent on securing the passage of the 22nd Constitutional Amendment to remove obstacles to its neoliberal programme. Stressing that there was absolutely no basis for govt claims the 22nd Amendment was needed to clear the current case backlog, Jayagoda said that corruption and fraud cases were heard in the High Courts and Magistrates’ Courts. more..

Aug 24 (PMD) A high‑level discussion was held this morning at the Presidential Secretariat between a World Bank delegation led by Gevorg Sargsyan, Country Manager for SL and the Maldives, and Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Chief of Staff to the Prez, on the project to develop Colombo Fort as a tourist zone under World Bank loans and assistance. The talks also reviewed matters raised during a previous meeting chaired by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, which focused on developing more..

Aug 24 (Island) Vinivida Foundation has sought 3 documents, namely the affidavit filed by the Attorney General, dated 22nd Sept 2025, the motion dated 18th Sept 2025, and the motion dated 13th Jan 2026, pertaining to USD 1 bn compensation awarded by the Supreme Court in the X-Press Pearl case. The General Secretary of Vinivida Foundation Nagananda Kodituwakku, on 22 Aug, requested documents from CJ Preethi Padman Surasena, in terms of Article 14A of the Constitution more..

Aug 24 (Island) Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) said that the Justice and National Integration Ministry was yet to respond to their request for adequate compensation for the 22 suspects who died during the Negombo Prison riot on 5 and 6 July. Executive Director of CPRP Senaka Perera said that on behalf of the families of the victims he had made a formal request in writing to Justice Minister more..

Aug 24 (Island) PM Harini Amarasuriya participated in a special & blessing ceremony held in conjunction with the annual festival of the historic Munneswaram Sivan Temple in Chilaw on Sunday. The annual festival of the historic Munneswaram Temple, located in the Puttalam District of the North Western Province, is celebrated over a period of four weeks during August and Sept, centred around the Nikini month. In addition to the ceremonial hoisting of the Kap, Ganesh Puja and more..

Aug 24 (DM) SLPP National Organiser and MP Namal Rajapaksa said the party would strengthen its grassroots engagement by visiting communities across the country as it prepares for future elections. Speaking to journalists at the SLPP headquarters on Nelum Mawatha today, Namal said the party had contributed to bringing the President closer to the people and would continue to focus on engaging directly with communities. “We have to go from village to village for the presidency today. more..

Aug 24 (TM) The report of a committee appointed to formulate a systematic mechanism for granting presidential pardons to prisoners sentenced to death and life imprisonment is to be submitted to the Cabinet soon, according to Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara. A committee chaired by retired SC Justice S. Thurairaja was appointed in 2025 to formulate a proper mechanism for granting presidential pardons to more..

Aug 24 (DM) The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection has decided to obtain the views and proposals of the Police Department on measures that could be taken to reduce overcrowding in prisons. The matter was discussed at a recent meeting of the committee held at Parliament under the chairmanship of MP Najith Indika. The discussions focused particularly on the Police Dept’s procedures from the arrest of suspects in connection with drug-related more..

Aug 24 (DM) The Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation has launched a new initiative to introduce an Air Cargo Community System (ACCS) aimed at making SL’s air cargo operations faster, more efficient and transparent. An earlier attempt to implement the system in 2023 did not progress due to a lack of coordination and consensus among the relevant stakeholders. The initiative has now been revived with the participation of key govt agencies, industry bodies and other institutions. more..

Aug 24 (DM) An alleged $1 billion money-laundering scheme executed through phantom imports has shattered confidence in Sri Lanka’s banking sector. With 13 banks under investigation for processing thousands of fraudulent transactions, the scandal exposes severe breakdowns in basic Know Your Customer protocols and real-time Customs integration. Uncovering this vast network of shell companies proves that compliance cannot remain a mere paper-pushing exercise. more..

Aug 24 (TM) The ITAK has called for a public referendum to be held to enact the proposed 22nd Amendment. The decision was reportedly taken at a recent meeting of the party’s Political Committee. The ITAK said the proposed amendment concerns the sovereignty of the people and, therefore, requires approval through a referendum. The 22nd Amendment Bill seeks to increase the retirement age of SC judges from 65 to 67 and that of CA judges from 63 to 65. more..

Aug 24 (DM) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) has introduced higher feed-in tariffs for renewable energy projects equipped with battery storage, as the authorities seek to add at least 450MW of solar PV and battery energy storage capacity to the national electricity system by March next year. Revised tariffs, which come into effect tomorrow, will remain valid until Feb 24, 2027, covering renewable energy plants, rooftop more..

Aug 24 (EN) Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange revenue from tourism fell 10.4% in July this year from a year ago to US$ 285.5 million, the central bank said. The fall comes two months after the govt-owned tourism promotion body revised its daily average spending per tourist and the duration of the tourist stay. The island nation recorded its lowest revenue in 32 months last month. Tourism revenue has been falling year-on-year since the U.S./Israel bombing on Iran started on Feb 28. more..

Aug 24 (ICC) India batter Yashasvi Jaiswal and SL bowler Asitha Fernando have been sanctioned by the ICC following their incident on the opening day of the second ICC World Test Championship fixture in Colombo. Both players were found to have breached Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person more..