Aug 12 (DM) In a landmark judgment that underscores the primacy of environmental governance, SL’s Supreme Court has overruled a 2011 decision by the Court of Appeal that mandated approval of a magnetite mining project by private partnership Uva Magnetite. Judgment highlights not just procedural deficiencies but the systemic necessity of upholding the rule of law in environmental decision-making. more..

Aug 12 (DM) SLPP National Organizer MP Namal Rajapaksa has raised concerns over the govt’s proposal to issue driving licences to tourists upon arrival, questioning how such a decision was reached without consulting all relevant stakeholders. In a post on X, Rajapaksa pointed out that the tourism industry is supported by thousands of tour guides and taxi operators whose livelihoods could be at risk if the decision is implemented without proper consultation. more..

Aug 12 (Island) Rising star Kalhara Idupa ran a remarkable anchor leg to clinch gold in the men’s 4×400 metres relay as SL capped a memorable evening winning two golds, two silvers and a bronze at the World Athletics bronze lable meet in Bhubaneswar India on Sunday. Thrower Rumesh Tharanga was the star of the evening for SL after his record breaking throw. His throw landed on an uncharted territory in the land of the World Champion. Indian star Neraj Chopra was not more..

Aug 12 (FT) Melwa has achieved a significant breakthrough with its first-ever large-scale export of 15,000 metric tons of reinforcement steel to the Canadian construction market. This landmark consignment marks the Melwa brand’s entry into one of the world’s most competitive construction arenas, positioning SL steel on the global stage. Beyond its commercial success, this achievement reflects the country’s growing participation in international infrastructure projects more..

Aug 12 (FT) SL Customs recorded its highest-ever monthly revenue in July 2025, collecting Rs. 231 billion, well above the monthly estimate of Rs. 195.05 billion. “The performance marked a 118.4% increase, driven largely by a surge in vehicle imports,” Customs Director-General said. He said that by the end of the first seven months of 2025, SL Customs had collected over Rs. 1.22 trillion in revenue, with more than Rs. 303 billion coming from vehicle import taxes, including excise duty. more..

Aug 12 (DM) Ministry of Environment is drafting a comprehensive action plan to address SL’s worsening Human–Elephant Conflict (HEC), with a pilot program to be launched in the Puttalam, Kurunegala, and Anuradhapura districts — areas that record some of the highest numbers of encounters. Deputy Minister Anton Jayakody said the six-month initiative will target the root causes driving elephants into human settlements, more..

Aug 12 (DN) The inform left hander Harshitha Samarawickrama hit her second century of the tournament scoring 112 in 135 balls as Navy SC recorded an easy 194 runs win over Colts CC in their Major Club women’s limited over cricket tournament fixture played at Navy grounds Welisara yesterday. Navy SC scored challenging total of 235 for 4 wickets in 50 overs and Harshitha Samarawickrama leading from the front struck 8 fours for her stylish knock of 112 more..

Aug 12 (Island) Two decades have elapsed since the assassination of Lakshman Kadirgamar, a statesman who adorned the firmament of SL politics. His achievements, which were numerous, in various fields, have been well documented. As SL’s Foreign Minister, he navigated the country’s external relations during turbulent times, and his invaluable service to the nation cost him his dear life; he fell victim to an LTTE sniper on 12 Aug 2005. Yesterday, we published a review of Admiral of the Fleet more..

Aug 12 (GV) October marks 35 years since the forced expulsion of thousands of Muslims by the LTTE in 1990 from the Northern Province. They were forced to abandon their ancestral homes on short notice, stripped of their belongings, their livelihoods and their place in a region they had peacefully inhabited for generations. The exhibition, Women’s Search for Justice – Our Past and Our Future, held in Colombo highlighted the long standing and ongoing struggles of women activists in their more..

Aug 12 (TM) Sri Lanka has seen its share of disasters, both natural and man-made, impact the island time and again. One question left on the lips of SL citizens post-disaster is Why were we not ready for that? The approach of SL’s governance to disasters is characteristic of how it responds to many other issues – reactionary. The State will scramble to cobble together some response and throw State sector first responders into the fray, with the political leadership stepping in much later more..

Aug 12 (TM) The recent tabling of the Presidents’ Entitlements (Repeal) Bill in Parliament marks a significant shift in how the nation views benefits and privileges extended to former heads of State. Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara said the Govt viewed politics as a public service, and as such, a former president did not require entitlements once their tenure ended. “We consider politics as a social service. Moreover, more..

Aug 12 (CT) Although a small island, SL has several significantly valuable mineral deposits that are ripe for harvesting for economic gain. Among them, ilmenite is among the most sought after. A titanium-oxide mineral, it’s widely used across several industries, from pigments in paints, to plastics, paper, cosmetics, aerospace components and even in chemical industries and alloy production. It goes without saying that even without value-addition, raw ilmenite is a significant resource more..

Aug 12 (ST) History was made at the Tenth Parliament of SL on Tuesday when T.M.W. Deshabandu Tennakoon became the country’s first IGP to be removed by a parliamentary resolution. The resolution to remove Mr. Tennakoon as IGP for misconduct and gross abuse of power, was passed overwhelmingly, with 177 MPs who were present in the chamber voting in favour and none against. Only Jaffna District Independent Group MP Ramanathan Archchuna chose to abstain from voting. more..

Aug 12 (SO) When the 991 brand-new BYD ATTO 3 electric SUVs rolled off a ship in Colombo a few months ago, they were meant to mark the next leap in SL’s long-delayed transition to clean mobility. Instead, these vehicles became the centre of a controversy that has shaken the country’s automotive ecosystem. SL Customs detained the vehicles, saying that the importer, John Keells CG Auto, BYD’s authorised distributor, had more..

Aug 12 (DM) In the wake of the post-pandemic tourism boom, there is also mounting backlash against an excess of tourism in many countries. When too many tourists flock to a destination, exceeding its ability to manage it sustainably, it leads to negative impacts such as overcrowding, environmental degradation, strained infrastructure, reduced quality of life for residents, and a diminished visitor experience. Tourists are loving a destination to death! This is referred to as over tourism more..

Aug 12 (DM) The first thorny issue that the NPP govt encountered was a shortage and price hike of rice. The first news item on the matter was carried in the Daily Mirror barely a week after NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake assumed office as the President on September 22 last year. When the problem dragged on for months with many measures the authorities took to resolve it failing, govt ministers vowed that never in their tenure would they allow another rice crisis to crop up. more..

Aug 11 (DM) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa is ready to form a new govt together with progressive factions of the NPP, SJB MP Sujith Sanjaya Perera said today. “It looks like the NPP govt is shaken by the SupremeSAT drama. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa is ready to form a new govt together with the progressive factions in the govt if the need arises,” the MP said. MP Perera said the effort by Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe may be to put PM Harini Amarasuriya into difficulties and more..

Aug 11 (AD) A protest organized by the Combined Association of Unemployed Graduates was held today opposite the Ministry of Education in Pelawatte. The protesters demonstrated at the location for about half an hour, after which they marched to the headquarters of the JVP located in Pelawatte. A strong police presence was observed in front of the party office during the protest. The demonstrators pointed out that the present government has broken the promises made in its policy statement more..

Aug 11 (EN) SL’s unemployment rate fell to 3.8% in the first quarter of 2025, down from 4.5% a year ago and 4.2% in the December quarter. Total employed population rose to 8.13 million in the first quarter of 2025 from 7.90 last year, indicating the creation of about 237,912 jobs over the past 12 months. SL's unemployment rate rose to 5.2% in the second quarter of 2023, at the height of the island’s stabilization crisis, following the currency crisis and default in 2022. more..

Aug 11 (DM) Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin revealed findings from the 2024 Auditor General’s report, released in May 2025, which stated that 139 vehicles registered under the Education Ministry Secretary’s name are not in the possession of the Ministry. He further noted that the report detailed the Education Ministry’s spending of Rs. 5,219 million during 2020, 2021, and 2022 on education reforms, while the National Institute of Education (NIE) spent Rs. 350 million. more..

Aug 11 (PMD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake chaired a meeting this morning to review projects implemented under the 2025 budget allocations for the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land & Irrigation, and to discuss pre-budget proposals for 2026. Prez held separate discussions with officials on agriculture, livestock, land and irrigation, issuing directives to expedite the resolution of state-owned land issues and to establish a comprehensive sector-wide data system. more..

Aug 11 (CT) A large-scale illegal mining operation extracting ilmenite and other minerals without proper authorisation has been uncovered within the highly sensitive Aruwakkalu ecosystem, located along the boundary of Wilpattu National Park. According to the Valana Anti-Vice Unit that carried out the raid, mining operation — valued at over Rs 2,000 million — involved heavy machinery and covered more than 20 acres of State-owned land more..

Aug 11 (Island) A plot to kill notorious underworld figure Harak Kata has been foiled by the police. Investigations revealed a plan to kill him inside a courtroom, using a contract killer disguised as a journalist. The Peliyagoda Crimes Division sources said that the notorious gang, led by Kehelbaddara Padme, had masterminded the abortive plot. Gampaha Pas Deva, another criminal, under interrogation, divulged information about the plan. In view of the plot, more..

Aug 11 (CT) Commissioner General of Examinations Indika Liyanage appealed to parents to refrain from mentally distressing their children about how they answered question papers following the conclusion of this year’s Grade Five Scholarship Exam. The 2025 Grade 5 Scholarship Exam was held yesterday at 2,787 centres, with 307,951 candidates participating. Among them were 901 students with special needs, including 12 candidates who answered the question paper using Braille scripts. more..

Aug 11 (DM) Ports trade union leader Shyamal Sumanaratne today filed a complaint with the Commission to Investigate Bribery or Corruption, alleging that the govt is wasting over Rs. 50 million by altering the gate and access road system of Colombo Port’s Eastern Terminal. The original gate and access road system was developed at a cost exceeding Rs. 50 million and completed in 2014. However, in 2021, a decision was made to change this system, and after the current govt took office, more..

Aug 11 (EN) Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said he had discussed visa issues with Ambassador of Finland Kimmo Lahdevirta in a recent meeting. “We also discussed exploring a long-term solution to streamline the Finnish visa process for Sri Lankan students and workers,” Herath said on X. Discussions also focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, tourism, health, education, and people-to-people exchanges, he said. more..

Aug 11 (Island) CoPF has said the proposed Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) law will not be adequate to meet the challenging task of overseeing the thriving casino industry. In spite of discussions held since Nov, 2022 when the CoPF formally called for the establishment of dedicated GRA, the relevant stakeholders hadn’t been able to reach a consensus, political sources said. When The Island sought a clarification from CoPF Chairman Dr. Harsha de Silva, more..

Aug 11 (DM) Despite photos of empty railway compartments circulating on social media, SL Railways Dept has denied incurring any losses from reserved seats. A senior dept official said that the railway accounts continue to show a profit at the end of each month. Social media posts alleged that passengers were avoiding seat reservations due to black market ticket sellers. However, the official said all tickets for the compartments in question had been sold, even though only a handful of passengers traveled. more..

Aug 11 (NW) SL Railways has launched a mandatory identification verification system for train ticket reservations. Per the new system, all SL passengers must provide their National Identity Card (NIC) number and foreign nationals must provide their passport number when booking train seats online or at counters. Locals and foreigners are required to provide original documents for verification during boarding and ticket checks. The policy applies exclusively to reserved seats on intercity, more..

Aug 11 (TM) Govt is to introduce a new mechanism to reissue firearm licences, aiming for ensured accurate records and enhanced security. Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekara highlighted the need for a new mechanism in issuing renewed licences to firearm holders. “A new methodology for firearm licence reissuing has not been finalised yet and will be publicised once it has been devised,” he said. In early 2019, the then Ministry of Defence acknowledged more..

Aug 11 (AD) The potentially fatal leptospirosis (rat fever) disease is currently on the rise, according to Dr. Deepal Perera, a pediatric specialist at the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital in Colombo. Dr. Perera noted that leptospirosis is most often contracted through exposure to contaminated and muddy water. He revealed this during a media briefing held in Colombo today. Dr. Deepal Perera stated that this period coincides with school holidays, during which children often visit more..

Aug 11 (FT) Commercial Bank’s Rs. 15 billion Green Bond issue has drawn 160 applications worth Rs. 21.3 billion. Green Bond issue comprised of an initial issue of 100 million Basel III compliant Tier 2 Listed, Rated, Unsecured, Subordinated, Redeemable, Green Bonds with a non-viability conversion feature at the par value of Rs. 100 each, to raise a sum of Rs. 10 billion; and an option to issue up to a further 50 million Green Bonds at the discretion of the bank, in the event of an more..