Aug 24 (NW) Sri Lanka has recently experienced temperatures approaching historical highs, with some areas nearing the 40°C mark, meteorologist Malith Fernando of the Met Dept has said. Fernando said SL’s highest recorded temperature stands at 40.1°C, recorded in Vavuniya in April 1983. He noted that Pottuvil recently recorded 39.9°C, just 0.2°C below that record, while temperatures in Polonnaruwa have also climbed above 37°C. “These figures are getting very close to 40°C,” more..

Aug 24 (NW) The govt has allocated Rs. 10 million for the development of mosques in the Gampaha District. The programme is being implemented in conjunction with the 42nd National Milad-un-Nabi celebrations, with the aim of strengthening religious institutions and promoting coexistence. The initiative is being carried out by the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs together with the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs. more..

Aug 24 (ST) Sri Lanka’s upcoming strategy for the Sept 2026 IMF EFF seventh review is no longer about balancing domestic welfare with economic recovery; it is an exercise in total fiscal compliance, several leading economists said. They have openly detailed the structural necessity of transitioning directly into a successor programme once the current EFF expires in 2027. As the IMF staff team arrives next month, more..

Aug 24 (EN) Sri Lanka will announce the launch of its licensing round for oil and gas exploration this year, SL’s state-run Petroleum Development Authority (PDASL) said. “The licensing round is a strategic initiative to invite global energy companies to explore and produce oil and gas offshore SL,” it said. “Exploration work done up to date has confirmed the presence of viable gas accumulations offshore west coast. Timely development of these resources would ensure energy security more..

Aug 24 (AD) Sri Lanka has recorded more than 1.46 million tourist arrivals since the beginning of the year. A total of 1,468,980 tourists arrived in the country between January 1 and August 18, the SLTDA noted. Meanwhile, during the first 18 days of August alone, Sri Lanka welcomed 125,562 tourists. India remained the leading source market in August, accounting for 27,884 arrivals. The UK ranked second with 13,980 tourists, while France was third with 8,776 arrivals. more..

Aug 24 (SO) For generations, aviation has captured the imagination of children. Yet for many who dream of taking to the skies, the ambition often ends at the dream itself, with little understanding of what lies between aspiration and a career in aviation. “Even in the most rural villages, you’ll find children who aspire to a career in aviation. Dream is already there; what many lack is a clear understanding of the pathway to achieving it,” more..

Aug 24 (Island) Foreign diplomatic missions in SL were briefed on upcoming SL Economic & Investment Summit (SLEIS) 2026, providing an opportunity to outline the Summit’s focus and encourage greater int'l engagement with SL’s investment and business agenda. Briefing provided representatives of diplomatic missions an overview of SLEIS 2026, which will be held on 12 and 13 Oct, under the theme Positioning SL in a Changing Global Economy: Resilience, Reform & more..

Aug 24 (ST) Thehan Wijemanne reigned supreme on SL tennis by winning a superb triple crown at the 111th SL National Tennis Championship, taking the Men’s Singles, Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles titles to complete one of the finest campaigns of his career at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association courts in Colombo yesterday. Wijemanne was at his clinical best in the Men’s Singles final, beating Ganuka Fernando 6-3, 6-3 in straight sets to capture his first National crown. more..

Aug 24 (Island) Uber, announced the launch of its mobility services in Kurunegala, making it the third new district Uber has expanded to in 2026, following Kegalle and Ratnapura. Now, residents and visitors in Kurunegala can use the Uber app to book rides across cars, Tuks and motorbikes, bringing greater convenience and choice to everyday journeys around the city. As one of Sri Lanka’s major commercial centres and an important gateway connecting several parts of the island, more..

Aug 24 (DN) SL’s champion women javelin thrower Dilhani Lekamge once again came to the fore wining a silver medal at the World Athletics Continental Tour (Silver level) Championship held in Bhubaneshwar, India over the weekend. 39-year-old Olympian and Asian Games silver medalist still in good form as she won the second place with an achievement of 58.98m while Jucilene Sales Deima won the gold with a 59.13m throw and the third place was won by Indian Uttar Pradesh athlete Annu Rani with more..

Aug 24 (CI) Devdutt Padikkal struck a century for a second consecutive Test as India wrangled up 300 for 5 on the opening day of the second Test at the SSC. At the crease at stumps were debutant Saransh Jain and Dhruv Jurel on 4 and 7, respectively. Padikkal's 117 came across three separate stands, the most prominent being 120 with Shubman Gill and 74 with Ravindra Jadeja. SL's bowlers toiled on a hot and humid day, more..

Aug 24 (Island) When a much-treasured cultural monument of indescribable value falls, the silence that follows is not merely quietness personified; it is heavy, even resonant, and fraught with the weight of spent history. With the passing of Visharada Dr Nanda Malini on Aug 20, at the age of 82, SL lost far more than an iconic vocalist. It lost its moral conscience set to melody, its nightingale of socio-political conscience, and the defining voice of its modern aesthetic identity. more..

Aug 24 (GV) Nurit Peled-Elhanan is a Jewish-Israeli philologist. In 1997, her 13-year-old daughter Smardar was killed in a Palestinian suicide attack. Dr Peled-Elhanan could have embraced hate and vengeance; instead she chose to work for a just peace, joining a group of Palestinian and Jewish parents who lost their children to violence resulting from Israeli occupation of Palestine. Rabbi Shneur Zalman, Alter Rebbe, was founder & first leader (Rebbe) of Chabad-Lubavitch Movement. more..

Aug 24 (SO) There are singers whose voices become part of a nation’s entertainment. There are others whose voices become part of its memory. And then there are those rare artists whose voices become part of a nation’s conscience. Nanda Malini belonged to the third kind. Her death at the age of 82 has left Sri Lanka not merely mourning an extraordinary singer, but listening again to a body of music that has accompanied the country through some of its most painful decades. more..

Aug 24 (SO) Last week, a man used social media and a televised media briefing to claim that the LTTE was operating a training camp in Kilinochchi in the North. This false claim was designed to spread panic and revive the familiar political message that National Security collapses whenever the Rajapaksas are out of power. In response, the TID arrested a 46-year-old man who had claimed that an LTTE training camp was operating inside the Pallai Forest Reserve in Kilinochchi. more..

Aug 24 (TM) It was the year 1956. The Borella YMBA Hall was packed with people enjoying a poetry-singing competition. Several contestants had delivered magnificent performances. Now, everyone was waiting to see who the winner would be. Suddenly, the announcer called out the name in a loud voice. Amid thunderous applause, a girl of about 13 stepped onto the stage. She was the one who had won gold medal more..

Aug 24 (TM) The recently release of the 15th Population and Housing Census by the DCS discloses a stark revelation that the total fertility rate (TFR) has dropped to an alarming decline and an unprecedented downward trend of 1.3, falling far below the vital replacement level of 2.1. The demographers attributed this sharp decline to a multiplicity of factors such as postponed marriages, rising living costs, and urban economic environments, with symptoms showing up more..

Aug 24 (ST) The publication of the JVP led NPP Govt’s draft Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA) in the gazette is awaited by Sri Lankans with bated breath. We were told this week that the Cabinet of Ministers has approved its contents. The public was assured by the Cabinet spokesman that the revised draft rectifies strong criticisms of the way that the offence of terrorism has been defined in its earlier version. Even so, the official release still continues to refer more..

Aug 24 (ST) In responding to the criticism by the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Margaret Satterthwaite, on the proposed 22nd Amendment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has cited recommendations made by her predecessor to defend the govt’s position. In a recent letter to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Ms Satterthwaite raised concerns over the proposed more..

Aug 24 (TM) For nearly half a century, the 1978 Constitution of SL has cast a long shadow over the island's democracy. By vesting sweeping powers in the Executive President, the Constitution created an office capable of overreaching both the Legislature and the Judiciary. Nowhere has this structural flaw been more starkly exposed than in the exercise of Article 34. Designed as a humane safety valve to grant presidential pardons, this provision has instead been repeatedly weaponised as more..

Aug 24 (Island) There is no end in sight to chronic delays that characterise SL’s state universities. The FUTA has warned that university admissions based on the 2025 GCE A/L results could be delayed by one to two years until the enrollment of two previous batches. State universities in this country are bursting at the seams and facing severe resource constraints. In 2025, FUTA has pointed out that the annual student intake had steeply increased from around 25,000 in 2015/2016 to about 45,000, more..

Aug 23 (ST) Amid vehement protests by opposition MPs, who held up placards likening the legislation being tabled in Parliament to the death of democracy, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara presented the first reading of the controversial 22nd Amendment to the Constitution on Tuesday morning. The bill aims to extend the retirement age of judges of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal while also increasing the number of CA judges to 24. more..

Aug 23 (ST) Thirteen fundamental rights petitions have so far been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution. The proposed amendment seeks to raise the retirement age of SC and CA judges by two years and to increase the number of Court of Appeal judges to 24. The amendment came in for fierce opposition from some political parties and civil society groups, and they were among the first to file petitions more..

Aug 23 (DM) Ensuring equal rights and equal opportunities for all citizens, without leaving anyone behind, is a fundamental policy of the Govt, PM Harini Amarasuriya said. PM made these remarks today (22) while attending the Sarasavi Diriya Abhiman ceremony organised by the President’s Fund at the Jaffna District Secretariat Auditorium to recognise university students with disabilities. At the event, 75 uni students with disabilities from the Northern Province were presented more..

Aug 23 (ST) Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who will visit SL in the first week of next month, is expected to push for implementation of the MoU on defence cooperation signed between the two countries in April last year. During his first visit in his capacity as defence minister, Mr Singh will have discussions with Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who holds the defence portfolio; PM Harini Amarasuriya; and Defence Secretary more..

Aug 23 (ST) The recent incidents of prison unrest are among several issues UNHRC has raised with the govt to be addressed during the council’s 63rd session, which gets underway in Geneva next month. The delay in repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) will also figure during the session, where the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) will present a written update on the progress in reconciliation, accountability and human rights in SL. more..

Aug 23 (NW) Sri Lanka has held a special workshop on using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the legislative drafting process, with the technology proposed to be piloted in drafting legislation governing Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs). The workshop, themed Better Tools for Better Lawmaking, was held at the Legal Draftsman’s Department on Aug. 21 and was jointly organized by the Ministry of Digital Economy and GovTech Sri Lanka. The session, chaired by Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne, more..

Aug 23 (TM) Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) is set to introduce Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification for the local tea industry from 2027 as part of its five-year action plan. SLTB Chairman Rajpal Obeyesekere said that the board had commenced the process to introduce GAP and GMP certification for the local tea industry, adding that it expected to commence the certification process by next year. “All the formalities have been completed, more..

Aug 23 (Island) The Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) has sought Opposition Leader and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa’s support for its campaign to pressure the Govt to hold the long-delayed Provincial Council elections. CaFFE Executive Director Manas Makeen and Director of Administration Surangi Ariyawansha met Premadasa at his office last Monday (17) as part of a campaign to rally political parties behind the demand for the elections to be held without further delay. more..

Aug 23 (TM) SL entities that offer services to US-sanctioned vessels and banks which enable such activities may run the risk of backlash by the global power, with SL yet to warn local entities about the risks, while Ministry of Ports and Shipping awaits notification about sanctions from the US authorities. This, as over a dozen – 16 by our last count – Iranian-flagged Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) tankers idle at the edge of SL more..

Aug 23 (PTI) The UN on Saturday welcomed SL’s decision to simplify immigration procedures to expedite the voluntary return of refugees from India who left the country without valid documents during its decades-long war. SL govt earlier this month made special arrangements for the initiative aimed at streamlining the process to facilitate the return of refugees from India. SL refugees began arriving in Tamil Nadu in large numbers after ethnic violence in the island nation that started in 1983, more..

Aug 23 (NF) Two organized criminals arrested in Dubai, Bus Lalith alias Lalith Kannangara and Wanathe Chathu, are scheduled to be brought back to SL on Monday (24) night. Police said that a team led by SSP Kamal Ariyawansa, Director of the Central Crime Investigation Bureau, along with officers from the State Intelligence Service and the CID, has already travelled to Dubai for this purpose on the instructions of the IGP. Bus Lalith was arrested in Dubai in November 2025. more..