Aug 31 (ST) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) has decided to hold a public inquiry to determine the accuracy of figures quoted by Electricity Generation Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. regarding the cost incurred when generating electricity using fuel. PUCSL’s investigation has been prompted by reports that the state-owned company has been submitting inflated figures regarding the fuel cost incurred in the generation of electricity. Accordingly, representations have been made to the regulator more..

Aug 31 (ST) Well known author and journalist, Vijita Fernando passed away on Thursday, a few months short of her 100th birthday. She was born in Hikkaduwa in 1926 and at the time of her death, she was probably the oldest living graduate of the Uni of Ceylon. She is considered one of the country’s most accomplished literary personalities. Winning numerous State Literary Awards and the Gratiaen Prize in 2002 for her translation of creative Sinhala fiction into English, she has also served as more..

Aug 31 (TM) The professional valuation of the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery’s assets is expected to be completed by the end of October, as CPC moves ahead with preparations linked to the future development of the country’s only oil refinery. CPC Managing Director Mayura Neththikumarage said that professional services firm EY had been engaged to carry out a comprehensive valuation of the refinery’s assets, more..

Aug 31 (FT) The first meeting of the SL-Japan Joint Working Group (JWG) on Export-Oriented Industrial Corridor Development was convened in Colombo last week. Representatives from the Embassy of Japan, Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry (METI), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), as well as officials from more..

Aug 31 (Island) For generations, the Jaffna Peninsula has relied almost entirely on an underground freshwater lens. With no major perennial rivers to lean on, the region has long walked a tightrope between water scarcity, seasonal droughts, and a creeping groundwater salinity that has challenged communities across the North. Today, however, a monumental shift is underway along the windswept Vadamaradchi coast. To understand how Sri Lanka is rewriting its more..

Aug 31 (TM) Govt cannot immediately enforce strict standards on private hospitals as this could result in many hospitals facing difficulties in continuing their operations and even being forced to close, Deputy Minister Dr Hansaka Wijemuni said. He said govt was planning to gradually strengthen the regulatory mechanism for the private health sector, with several regulatory measures expected to be introduced over the next few months. more..

Aug 31 (Island) What happens when readers finally see themselves in the pages of a book? For Amendra Haputhanthri, Director of Sarasavi Bookshop (Pvt) Ltd, the answer is profound: something changes. A place, a culture, a memory and an identity that may have remained invisible suddenly become visible through literature. “Nothing is as exciting for us as finding our own place or our own stories in a book,” Haputhanthri says. It is this conviction that lies behind Fairway Street of more..

Aug 31 (FT) The Tourism Ministry will today (31) launch consultancies for the development of a Global Promotional Campaign Roadmap and the National Tourism Strategic Plan 2026–2030, with support from the World Bank’s Grant Facility for Project Preparation (GFPP). The Ministry is expected to brief the media on the two initiatives, including their objectives and significance for the future development, competitiveness, and int'l promotion of the tourism industry. more..

Aug 31 (FT) National Savings Bank Group (NSB) recorded resilient core banking performance during the first six months of 2026, supported by stronger net interest income, a notable expansion in fee-based earnings and continued growth in loans and advances. The results demonstrate the Bank’s capacity to maintain business momentum while navigating cost pressures and volatility in market-related income. Bank reported total operating income of Rs. 45.8 billion for the period, more..

Aug 31 (DN) Unbeaten Colombo South U-17 emerged champions of the SLC U-17 Sri Lanka Youth League Cricket tournament 2026 conducted by SLC on Saturday. Unbeaten Colombo South U-17 beat Galle U-17 by 198 runs in the final played at Samadhi ground Anuradhapura on Saturday (29). Galle U-17 won the toss and elected to field first. Colombo South U-17 scored 297 runs for 7 wickets in 50 overs. Reshon Solomons scored 87 runs in 90 deliveries with 13 boundaries and a six. more..

Aug 31 (FT) SL’s tourism recovery has lost momentum, with year-to-date (YTD) arrivals falling nearly 2% year-on-year (YoY) despite crossing the 1.5 million milestone, putting renewed pressure on the upwardly revised target of 2.7 million visitors for the year. The country welcomed over 1.51 million visitors as of 27 Aug, compared to 1.54 million during the corresponding period of 2025, reflecting a shortfall of 29,961 visitors, or 1.9% YoY. more..

Aug 31 (FT) Salesforce will host its first-ever Salesforce Innovation Day Colombo today (31), underscoring the company’s growing investment in Sri Lanka and its confidence in local enterprises as they accelerate Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption. The event will bring together over 200 business leaders, customers, partners, and technology professionals to explore how trusted AI, connected data, and intelligent automation can help SL organisations compete globally more..

Aug 31 (SO) For many decades, Sri Lanka held an enviable position in South Asia, boasting high Human Development Indices (HDI), an educated workforce, and a vibrant manufacturing ecosystem. Yet, today, the island nation faces an insidious, quiet crisis that threatens to undermine its post-restructuring economic recovery: some of the highest energy tariffs in the region. What was once a localised utility headache has transformed into a macroeconomic anchor. more..

Aug 31 (CT) The continuing uncertainty surrounding the development of Jaffna Int'l Airport at Palaly and Kankesanthurai (KKS) Port can no longer be viewed simply as an administrative delay. Recent comments by Minister Bimal Rathnayake, combined with his earlier statements concerning these strategically important Northern gateways, raise a much larger question: what exactly is preventing SL from fully developing Palaly and KKS when India is prepared to provide substantial assistance? more..

Aug 31 (Island) It never rains but it pours. While taking a huge political gamble by trying to amend the Constitution to raise the retirement ages of the judges of the Superior Courts and grappling with numerous problems caused by an unfolding El Niño event, the JVP-NPP govt has another potential issue to contend with; it is likely to come under intense pressure to grant the public sector employees a substantial pay hike and some tangible relief to other salaried workers. more..

Aug 31 (TM) Sri Lanka has embarked on an anti-corruption drive, with the NPP Govt steadfast on cleaning up the nation, with its stated goal of shedding SL’s image of being a nation where corruption is rife. With new legislation introduced – some controversial – Sunday Morning had an interview with anti-corruption watchdog, the CIABOC Director General (DG) Ranga Dissanayake, to discuss the challenges faced by CIABOC in the pursuit more..

Aug 31 (ST) Even if one must hold one’s nose at the sight of certain tarnished political worthies piously opposing the draft 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, it is important not to lose sight of the principle involved. While not touching on the legal question currently before the Court, this principle is that extending – or by that same reasoning – limiting the tenure of sitting members of the Sri Lankan judiciary should not be by way of a casual or ad hoc constitutional amendment. more..

Aug 31 (FT) Farmers could begin land preparation and planting following the first significant rainfall. But if the subsequent rainfall fails, the reservoirs may not contain sufficient water to sustain the crops through their critical growth stages. This could result in widespread crop losses after farmers have already invested heavily in land preparation, seed, fertiliser, labour and other inputs. Delaying Maha cultivation until Nov or Dec should not be seen as a failure to cultivate. more..

Aug 31 (SO) Prominent lawyers advocating the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution came forward in defence of the Chief Justice and questioned the basis of the criticisms brought by the Opposition against the proposal this week, at a press conference in Colombo. Amid strong criticism of the proposal from major Opposition parties and the Bar Association of SL (BASL), Lawyers for Public Mandate (LPM) more..

Aug 31 (DM) The govt is considering to raise the age limit for three-wheeler drivers up to 40 years, according to Deputy Minister Nalin Hewage. It must be reminded that successive govts have mooted this idea several times before on various grounds and abandoned it for various reasons. Yet, the proposal for age restrictions for the trishaw drivers have not been static over the years. In 2016, the then Chairman of the National Council for Road Safety (NCRS) Dr. Sisira Kodagoda had said more..

Aug 31 (DM) Strip away the noise, and what has actually happened over the past three years is fairly simple. Computers have become able to do a particular kind of work that previously required a trained human. Not physical work. Not the arithmetic that calculators have handled for fifty years. The work in between. Reading a stack of documents and telling you what matters in them. Looking at a year of transactions and noticing the pattern. Drafting the contract, checking ledger, building forecast, more..

Aug 30 (ST) As he nears the end of his second year in office in September, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake is set to spearhead attempts by the NPP govt to regain some of its lost popularity by going back to the villages to rally the party faithful. Starting from next month, the Prez will address a series of public rallies organised by the ruling party at the district level. Party sources said the presidential rallies are part of a more..

Aug 30 (ST) Electricity consumers are likely to face another price hike after the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) hiked naphtha and heavy fuel oil (HFO) prices by around 20 per cent and stopped selling fuel to the power sector at a subsidised rate. The CPC notified the National System Operator (NSO)—one of the CEB's successor companies—this week that an agreement reached on April 18, 2026, to provide fixed-price fuel for three months to stabilise electricity prices has ended. more..

Aug 30 (ST) SL has placed military personnel from all 3 armed forces on standby to assist Nepal with rescue and clearance operations following devastating flash floods that caused loss of life and damaged parts of the Tibet-Nepal border, the Ministry of Defence said. However, no SL military contingent has been ordered to be deployed in Nepal as the country has not yet received an invitation from the Nepalese Govt or instructions specifying the number of personnel or more..

Aug 30 (TM) The National System Operator (NSO) is unable to immediately implement the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) directive to establish Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity for solar energy by next year due to a lack of detailed implementation agreements and documents, NSO Chairman Dr. Pradeep Perera said. He made the remarks in response to an inquiry about a directive issued by PUCSL this week more..

Aug 30 (NW) Further details have emerged over the police shooting in Narahenpita reported earlier, with investigations revealing that the incident was linked to a love affair involving a young woman who was allegedly abducted from a graduation ceremony in Colombo. As previously reported, Police opened fire at a car in Narahenpita after its driver allegedly ignored repeated orders to stop at a police roadblock. Police investigations have now revealed that the young woman inside the vehicle more..

Aug 30 (TM) More than 84,500 people affected by the ongoing dry spell are currently facing water shortages, with over 75,000 people receiving drinking water through emergency distribution arrangements, as authorities rely on a combined fleet of bowsers operated by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, Disaster Management Centre (DMC), and local authorities to meet the demand. 84,545 people belonging to 26,457 families across seven districts and more..

Aug 30 (AD) A decision has been taken to gazette 1,500 hectares of land associated with key water sources and watershed mountain areas belonging to the Dept of Forest Conservation in Nuwara Eliya as protected areas. The decision was reached at a special District Coordinating Committee meeting held yesterday (28) at the Nuwara Eliya District Secretariat, with the aim of promoting environmental conservation, sustainable tourism, and the protection of watershed areas in the district. more..

Aug 30 (Island) Authorities are examining available legal avenues to bring former CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran back to Sri Lanka after efforts to extradite him from Singapore encountered a legal barrier, Minister Ananda Wijepala has said. He said Mahendran, who is now a Singapore citizen, was residing in Singapore and had changed his name. “There is a legal barrier in extraditing him to this country,” the Minister said, adding that authorities were exploring other available legal avenues. more..

Aug 30 (TM) SL is hopeful of commencing its first commercial oil and gas production within the next three to five years if exploration under the newly launched offshore licensing round proves successful, according to CPC Managing Director Dr. Mayura Neththikumarage. The Govt last week formally opened the SL Licensing Round 2026 (SL2026-01), offering four offshore exploration blocks covering nearly more..

Aug 30 (TM) Cabinet-appointed committee tasked with reviewing the effectiveness of SL’s existing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and the structure of future FTAs to be negotiated has submitted its report to the Cabinet Office. The report, submitted the week before last, is scheduled to be taken up by the Cabinet in the coming days. Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Co-operative Development Secretary K.A. Vimalenthirarajah, who chaired the committee, said more..

Aug 30 (ST) SL’s primary industry-specific promotional reserves, specifically the Tea Promotion and Marketing Fund and the Tourism Promotion Fund are at operational crossroads as a result of the state fiscal consolidation initiatives. The Finance Ministry is compelled to absorb independent, industry-financed reserves to meet its strict 2.3 per cent primary budget surplus target and comply with the transitioning Treasury single account framework. The govt’s primary strategy focuses on more..