Aug 25 (DM) National Water Supply & Drainage Board (NWSDB) said the temporarily suspended water supply will be restored within the next few hours following the resolution of an emergency situation that affected water quality at the Kelani River water intake point. The emergency situation was resolved with the support of the tri-forces, according to the NWSDB. Following recommendations from the DMC, laboratory tests were conducted to assess the quality of more..

Aug 25 (ST) A 70 billion-rupee JICA-financed initiative to expand water supply from the Kalu Ganga has been restarted—one year after Japan resumed development aid to Sri Lanka and nearly 10 years since the project was launched. While the bid submission deadline is now September 16, 2026, the loan agreement for JPY 31,810 million (around Rs 66.14 billion rupees, at the prevailing conversion rate) was first signed in July 2017 under the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration. more..

Aug 25 (FT) Sri Lanka is facing a fresh export competitiveness challenge in the European Union (EU) as the recently concluded EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is expected to give Indian products significant tariff advantages across several labour-intensive sectors, prompting calls for urgent action to protect the country’s market access and strengthen its competitive position. The issue was raised at a meeting between more..

Aug 25 (FT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed officials to accelerate projects being implemented by Provincial Councils using Rs. 102 billion allocated from the Govt’s Rs. 500 billion provision for the Ditwah disaster situation. The directive was issued during a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat on Friday to review the progress of development projects being implemented by PCs under 2026 Budget allocations and preparations for the 2027 Budget, more..

Aug 25 (FT) SriLankan Airlines is making Mission ShakthiSAT possible for SL’s Official Student Representative, Seneesa Goonewardena, and ShakthiSAT (Devi) Ambassador for SL Dr. Sulochana Segera, by sponsoring their travel to India to participate in the groundbreaking project that will bring together young girls from 108 countries to design and build a satellite for the first time collaboratively. Seneesa Goonewardena was selected following a highly competitive more..

Aug 25 (TM) Although university students cannot be dealt with in the same manner as schoolchildren as they are adults, universities have been instructed to take all possible measures to curb drug use among students, Education Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa said. He said that while the Govt is already paying attention to drug use among both school and university students, universities require a different approach as their students are adults and must take responsibility for staying more..

Aug 25 (ST) The annual donation of elephant costumes for the 2026 Kandy Esela Perahera was held at the Ran Awuda Mandapaya of the Sri Dalada Maligawa last Thursday (13), with the guidance of Diyawadana Nilame. The caparisoned elephants and tuskers who take part in the Kandy Esala Perahera showcase traditional motifs that celebrate the cultural splendour of SL. Sri Dalada Maligawa expressed its appreciation to everyone who contributed to prepare the costumes. more..

Aug 25 (TM) Both upcoming cultivation seasons can be successfully managed without difficulty if the Maha season is commenced early and without delay, according to Mahaweli Authority Director, Nilantha Dhanapala. He said starting the Maha season early would help conserve a portion of the available water, allowing the subsequent Yala season to commence by 15 March or in early April. more..

Aug 25 (TM) Colombo Port City has secured $ 2.1 billion in confirmed investments, while the Govt is targeting a further $ 4.1 billion in investments over the next five years, Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe stated. The investment target would be supported by several major development projects currently being implemented within the Port City. These include two large-scale residential projects, a modern hotel and a convention centre. He said that the Colombo Port City was presented as more..

Aug 25 (FT) The new anti-money laundering (AML) regime widens potential criminal liability for bank managers and other financial-sector employees who knowingly handle or facilitate transactions involving illicit funds, Supreme Court Justice A.H.M.D. Nawaz said. The remarks come against the backdrop of an ongoing FCID investigation into nearly $ 1 billion allegedly transferred overseas since 2023 under the guise of imports that did not take place. Four officials attached to four private commercial banks more..

Aug 25 (FT) More than 80% of the nearly Rs. 95 billion allocated for concessionary credit to micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs) and agriculture in 2026 has been utilised, with the amount exceeding Rs. 75 billion by the early part of third quarter. Financing package covers enterprise development, disaster relief, agriculture, and paddy-related lending, with credit schemes implemented principally through State & Pvt banks. more..

Aug 25 (FT) Sri Lanka’s packaging industry is undergoing significant change as businesses face growing demands for sustainability, resource efficiency, innovation, technology and compliance with international market requirements. LANKAPAK 2026, SL’s premier int'l packaging exhibition, will bring together leading industry stakeholder from SL and overseas from 23 to 25 Oct at the BMICH. Organised by SL Institute of Packaging (SLIP) in collaboration with CDC Events, more..

Aug 25 (FT) National Chamber of Exporters of SL (NCE) is inviting exporters, manufacturers, aspiring exporters and other businesses interested in expanding into the Indian market to join an overseas exporters’ delegation to New Delhi and Mumbai from 24 Sept to 1 Oct 2026. India is one of SL’s most important trading partners and presents significant opportunities for expanding SL exports. In 2025, SL’s exports to India increased by 17.2% to approximately $1.04 billion, compared with more..

Aug 25 (DN) SL women cricketers departed to the UAE as they will begin their journey to defend the Women’s T20 Asia Cup title. Eight teams will compete across 15 matches at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium from Aug 28 to Sept 13. The defending champions have been drawn in Group B alongside hosts UAE, Bangladesh and Indonesia. India, Pakistan, Thailand and Hong Kong China are in Group A. SL women’s team once again will be captained by experienced all-rounder more..

Aug 25 (FT) Gamma Interpharm Ltd, has commenced exports of SL-manufactured pharmaceuticals to Cambodia, marking a key milestone in its six-decade journey and strengthening the country’s pharmaceutical manufacturing presence in regional markets. The company launched its first pharmaceutical exports to Cambodia on 14 Aug 2026 at its manufacturing facility, in the presence of stakeholders and employees. more..

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..