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..

Aug 13 (ANI) Amid the arrest of nine fishermen from Rameswaram by the SL Navy, Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister Srinath on Thursday said that he will visit Delhi next week to take up the issue with the Union Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar, and the Union Minister of Fisheries, Rajiv Ranjan Singh. Speaking to reporters, he stated that talks regarding the Tamil Nadu fishermen's issue are ongoing and that he has discussed the matter with the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. more..

Aug 13 (FT) Amăna Bank in collaboration with the Philatelic Bureau of the Department of Posts of Sri Lanka launched a special commemorative cover and stamp in celebration of the bank’s 15th Anniversary. The ceremonial launch was held yesterday to honour and mark Amăna Bank’s contribution to Sri Lanka’s financial services landscape and its distinctive role as the country’s first and only licensed commercial bank operating entirely on the non-interest based banking model. more..

Aug 13 (NF) Bar Association of SL (BASL) has vowed to take all possible measures within its mandate to oppose the Govt's proposal to extend the retirement age of judges, warning that the move could undermine public confidence in the country's judiciary and raise serious concerns about judicial independence. The remarks were made by BASL President Rajeev Amarasuriya after meeting representatives of more..

Aug 13 (AM) An illegal gambling operation based on winning numbers drawn by the National Lotteries Board (NLB) and Development Lotteries Board (DLB) has developed into a serious social crisis, NLB Chairman Cyril Anthony Perera has warned. He made the remarks when officials of the two lottery boards appeared before a subcommittee of Parliament’s COPE. Perera described the situation as extremely destructive, claiming its social impact was second only to drug abuse. more..

Aug 13 (NW) PM Harini Amarasuriya met with Shohei Hara, Senior Vice President of the Japan Int'l Cooperation Agency (JICA), and his delegation at Temple Trees to discuss SL’s development priorities and future cooperation with Japan. The meeting also brought together Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Treasury and Ministry of Finance, Planning & Economic Development, as both sides exchanged views on strengthening bilateral ties and expanding economic collaboration. more..

Aug 13 (TM) SL has directed its officials to explore further enhancement of its legal framework to tighten barriers to forced labour imports, in addition to the Gazette on the prevention of forced labour under the Imports and Exports Control Act in July, Ministry of Trade Secretary K A Vimalenthirarajah said, speaking to the COPF. Acknowledging other countries’ efforts to enforce regulations against forced labour imports more..

Aug 13 (DM) SLC has announced a 15-member squad for the Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026, which will be held in the UAE from Aug 28 to Sept 13. Experienced all-rounder Chamari Athapaththu will lead the SL side, with Harshitha Samarawickrama named vice-captain. The 15-member squad: Chamari Athapaththu (Captain), Imesha Dulani, Sanjana Kavindi, Vishmi Gunarathne, Harshitha Samarawickrama (Vice Captain), Kaveesha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Hasini Perera, more..

Aug 13 (Island) The Police Mounted Division in Pettah is prepared to relocate its horses to Nuwara Eliya, or Kandy, if the prevailing high temperatures intensify, police have said. All 18 horses, currently attached to the Division, are in good health, despite the rising heat. Police have taken additional measures to protect the animals from the high temperatures, including installing electric fans in the stables to improve ventilation and reduce heat stress. more..

Aug 13 (FT) Prime Lands Residencies, has commenced FY2027 with a strong financial performance, recording significant year-on-year growth across key profitability indicators for the 3 months ended 30 June 2026. Company reported revenue of Rs. 4.59 billion for the quarter, representing a 98% increase compared to Rs. 2.32 billion recorded during the corresponding period of the previous year. Gross profit increased by 76% year-on-year to Rs. 1.21 billion, while more..

Aug 13 (NW) State‑owned dairy company Milco (Pvt) Ltd achieved a historic financial turnaround last year, recording its highest‑ever net profit of Rs.1.49 billion by late 2025, according to Deputy Minister Namal Karunaratne. He told Parliament last week that the recovery enabled the company to halt privatization plans, clear debts, and extend unprecedented financial benefits. On Dec 31, 2025, Milco disbursed a performance bonus of Rs.75,000 each to all 1,228 employees. more..

Aug 13 (FT) Sri Lanka has reduced near-term external refinancing pressure and lengthened its overall debt maturity profile following debt restructuring, but a concentration of shorter-term domestic maturities remains a key sovereign risk, according to the first Annual Report of the Public Debt Management Office (PDMO). At end-2025, 24.3% of domestic debt was due to mature within 1 year, compared with 1.5% of external debt more..

Aug 13 (Island) Dept of Wildlife Conservation has begun supplying water to animals in several national parks using bowsers as a severe dry spell causes water sources to dry up. The programme has been launched in the Yala, Wilpattu, Kumana and Bundala National Parks, where water bodies have been severely affected by the prevailing drought conditions. Director General of the Dept of Wildlife Conservation Ranjan Marasinghe said a special programme was being implemented to more..

Aug 13 (NW) The Clean Sri Lanka Presidential Task Force, chaired by Secretary to the President Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, met yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat to review the current progress of the programme and outline future plans. The meeting placed strong emphasis on the new waste management programme being rolled out through local authorities across the island. Members also discussed the establishment of a Project Management Unit within the Prez Secretariat more..

Aug 13 (ABC) Dineth Fernando has only been in Australia for less than a year and has already brought home a world youth title for his country. The 14-year-old took out the World Youth Scrabble Championship in Nairobi this week, beating out 140 competitors from across the world. Dineth, who originally hails from Sri Lanka, credits the win to a steady diet of practising 200 words a day from the board game's official dictionary. more..

Aug 13 (NW) Director of the Walana Anti‑Corruption Unit, ASP Rohan Olugala, has defended the recent operation to apprehend underworld figure Kanjipani Imran, describing it as a success despite challenges of operating in a foreign jurisdiction. Responding to questions, Olugala said that while local officers are familiar with their own surroundings, conducting a sting in another country requires strict adherence to that nation’s laws and careful preparation. “I will not say it was unsuccessful. more..

Aug 13 (TM) Former Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara says he is not overly surprised that SLC had been forced to fork out a sum of Rs 54 million (USD 164,000) to ex-head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe in an out-of-court settlement early this year. The payment of the said sum to the ex-coach has come to light, following the release of Sri Lanka Cricket’s statements connected to the previous financial year. Hathurusinghe, 57, had been appointed as the national team head coach more..

Aug 13 (Island) An amulet, bearing the number 516, and a one-rupee coin, have been recovered, alongside a human skeleton excavated from the alleged Chemmani mass grave in Jaffna on Tuesday (11). Officials overseeing the excavation said the items were found with one of the human skeletons unearthed from the mass grave, located near the Chemmani Siththupatha cemetery. The excavation of the alleged Chemmani mass grave has now continued for 103 days, with a total of 539 more..