Aug 3 (EN) SL’s monthly current account recorded a deficit of US$ 149 million in June 2026, the central bank said, as the external sector continued to be impacted by developments in West Asia. This marks the third consecutive monthly deficit. The cumulative deficit for the first half of 2026 was US$ 245 million compared to the surplus recorded in the corresponding period of 2025. “The merchandise trade deficit widened on more..

Aug 3 (FT) CBSL has directed all Licensed Finance Companies (LFCs) to strictly comply with its 2026 Loan-to-Value (LTV) Directions for motor vehicle financing, warning that inflated vehicle valuations and financing structures designed to bypass regulatory limits pose risks to the financial system. In a directive issued to CEOs of all LFCs, CBSL said it had observed instances where valuations provided by motor vehicle valuers and invoices issued by vehicle sellers significantly exceeded more..

Aug 3 (Island) That simple yet profound message echoed throughout the launch of The Curious Naturalist, the latest and, according to its author, perhaps the last solo publication by internationally acclaimed SL naturalist and taxonomist, Dr. Rohan Pethiyagoda, at the BMICH on Thursday. The launch drew an exceptional gathering of scientists, academics, conservationists, senior govt officials, diplomats, tourism leaders, environmentalists, students and wildlife enthusiasts, more..

Aug 3 (FT) The widely publicised so-called phantom transfers of payments made to overseas manufacturers and exporters by SL licensed commercial banks had been made under the Special Import Licence and Payment Regulations No. 1 of 2011, in operation in SL for over 15 years. This was revealed by President’s Counsel M.M. Zuhair in a letter dated 1 Aug, addressed on behalf of his clients AY Investments Impex Ltd, of Bankshall Street, Colombo, to Prez Anura Dissanayake. more..

Aug 3 (FT) Directors should be less concerned about the cost of complying with governance requirements and more focused on ensuring boards discharge their responsibilities properly, Minor International Group CEO and Minor Hotels Thailand CEO Dillip Rajakarier said, arguing that strong governance protects corporate reputation and ultimately financial performance. Speaking during a panel discussion at the recent SL Corporate Director Summit 2026: Future-Ready SL Directors, more..

Aug 3 (DN) Commonwealth Games’ SL gold medalist Rumesh Tharanga was elated after his milestone achievement which ended SL’s 76 years gold medal drought in Commonwealth Games’ athletics. “I am very happy to make history. I should thank everyone who helped me throughout my career. My next target is the Asian Games and ultimately Olympic gold in 2028”, said 23-year-old Commonwealth Games gold more..

Aug 3 (SO) On July 27, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal to raise the retirement age of judges at every level of SL’s Judiciary by two years, Supreme Court Judges from 65 to 67, Court of Appeal Judges from 63 to 65, with corresponding extensions for High Court, District Court and Magistrate Court Judges. Within days, the Bar Association of SL (BASL) had unanimously passed a resolution against the move, the Judicial Service Assoc. (JSA) representing District Judges more..

Aug 3 (ST) An interesting turn is taken in public discussion of Friday’s imposition of the death penalty by a majority of a High Court Trial-at-Bar on SL’s former IGP and a former Secretary to the Ministry of Defence for failing to take steps to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks by homegrown jihadists on churches and hotels in 2019. I was asked two questions by an excited conversationalist soon after the decision was handed down to the wildly hysterical drum beats of the media. more..

Aug 3 (FT) Expenditure on imported motor vehicles declined 27% month-on-month (M-o-M) to $ 182 million, according to CBSL. Cumulative expenditure on motor vehicle imports amounted to $ 1.254 billion during the first half of 2026. CBSL noted that this was lower than the $ 1.572 billion recorded during the second half of 2025. Separately, JB Securities said total vehicle registrations declined to 58,151 units in June from 62,776 in May, with motor car registrations easing to 3,929 from 4,738 more..

Aug 3 (Island) Saturday’s riot at the Mahara prison came as no surprise. It became obvious after the Negombo prison uprising, which claimed the lives of 22 inmates and 10 officers during two days of violence in early July, that there would be copycat riots elsewhere. If the prison authorities had kept an ear to the ground, they would have been able to take preemptive action at the first sign of trouble on Saturday. Was there a lapse on the part of the prison intelligence unit? more..

Aug 3 (TM) SL’s criminal justice system is under increasing pressure not only because of mounting court delays but also because there are too few prosecutors to handle an ever-growing caseload. The Attorney General’s Department, which is responsible for prosecuting serious criminal offences, advising the Govt, and representing the State in courts, is operating with hundreds of vacancies, according to AG’s 2024 report. more..

Aug 3 (TM) The violence that erupted at Mahara Prison this weekend is more than another isolated prison disturbance. Rather, it is the latest warning that our prison system is edging closer to a point where unrest is becoming predictable rather than exceptional. One person has lost their life, several others have been injured, and significant damage has been caused to prison property. While the authorities deserve credit for bringing the situation under control before it spiralled into another more..

Aug 3 (DM) Education is often thought of as something found within the four walls of a classroom. Yet some of the most valuable lessons cannot be found in a textbook. On June 9, Sub-Prefects’ Guild of Wesley College visited the School for the Blind, Ratmalana, for a day of fellowship and learning. While the visit included music, games, conversation, and shared laughter, it also offered something far more meaningful: the opportunity to better understand a way of life unfamiliar to more..

Aug 3 (SO) On Friday, SL’s 34th IGP Pujith Senadhi Bandara Jayasundara walked into the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar to hear his fate as the Court prepared to deliver its judgement in the case over the deadly 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. Despite the gravity of the moment, Jayasundara wore his familiar smile as he entered the Courtroom. Minutes earlier, a much more sombre former Defence Secretary more..

Aug 3 (CT) Time and again, countries that have experienced repression and armed conflict have an opportunity to transition to a better future. Yet, only a minority succeeds. The challenges may appear obvious, but the path forward is rarely so. And, as the initial optimism generated by the 2015 elections comes to an end, the SL case is proving no exception. Many Latin American States overcame military dictatorships, but still experience very high levels of violence and inequality. more..

Aug 3 (DM) Sri Lanka’s 17th IMF agreement that ends in March 2027 is no doubt the most consequential international agreement in the history of the country. It has drastically redrawn the workings of public finance and state institutions; from the Central Bank and the financial sector to the State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and welfare programmes. The question before the country now is the post-IMF road ahead. The 2020s marked by the Covid pandemic, tremendous BOP crisis more..

Aug 2 (ST) Tucked in between the Amalgamation of Department of Social Services, the National Secretariat for the Elders and the National Secretariat for Persons with Disabilities and Conducting the Regional Dialogue for East and South Asia Regions of Green Climate Fund in the list of Cabinet decisions issued on Tuesday by the Dept of Govt Info. was Cabinet Decision No. 12. The proposal, presented by Justice Minister more..

Aug 2 (TM) Govt is in the final stages of negotiations with India on the proposed renovation of the Kankesanthurai (KKS) Port, with feasibility studies, design, and other major technical decisions completed. Deputy Minister Janitha Kodithuwakku said that the MOU governing the project was still under negotiation between SL and India. “MOU with India is still at the negotiation stage right now,” he said. Kodithuwakku confirmed that physical construction work on the project had more..

Aug 2 (ST) Visitors from Taiwan travelling to Sri Lanka on tourist and business visas will be required to produce a sponsorship letter from a local sponsor under newly revised visa regulations. Official said that requiring such a sponsorship letter is part of the new upgrades made under the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system. Earlier, visitors from Taiwan were only required to produce a landing endorsement form to obtain a Sri Lankan visa, but under the new regulations, more..

Aug 2 (AD) The state of unrest that that prevailed at the Mahara Prison has now reportedly been brought under control. The incident began yesterday evening (01) following a dispute between inmates and prison officers, resulting in a tense situation within the prison premises. Seven inmates sustained injuries during the unrest and were admitted to Ragama Hospital for treatment. One of the injured inmates later succumbed more..

Aug 2 (DM) Minister Bimal Ratnayake says the govt's Metro bus service will be expanded to Jaffna and Kandy before the end of this year, with a fresh fleet of buses set to enter service in the coming weeks. 121 Metro buses have been acquired from China and several other countries, and are currently undergoing legal procedures, including registration, before being deployed. The buses are expected to be put into public service by the end of August once the necessary documentation is completed. more..

Aug 2 (DM) In the wake of former IGP Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando being sentenced to death for failing to prevent the Easter Sunday bomb attacks, PHU leader Udaya Gammanpila claimed that similar or even stronger charges could be brought against Public Security Ministry Secretary Ravi Seneviratne and CID Director Shani Abeysekara. Gammanpila said that while the two convicted officials did not have the earliest opportunity to learn of more..

Aug 2 (Island) Eight suspects have been identified in connection with the abduction, assault and murder of a Chinese national following a clash between two groups at the Colombo Port City, police said. Three of the suspects had fled the country shortly after the incident, while three others believed to be in SL were evading arrest. Overseas travel bans have been imposed on the suspects. Two suspects have been arrested at the BIA, and legal proceedings have already been initiated against them. more..

Aug 2 (FT) Colombo Port has handled 4,444,034 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) during the first six months of 2026, representing an 11.9% increase compared to 3,972,053 TEUs handled during the corresponding period in 2025. Transshipment continued to be Port’s main business, accounting for 84.7% of total container throughput. Transshipment volumes increased by 12.6% over the corresponding period of the previous year, while domestic container volumes recorded a healthy growth of 8.3%. more..

Aug 2 (ST) Sri Lanka is executing a sweeping, structurally aggressive overhaul of its Public Investment Management (PIM) framework, on the eve of the 2027 Budget, representing a structural pivot from economic stabilisation to aggressive growth. Anchored by the strict enforcement of the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act, the administration has shifted its approach from post-crisis economic stabilisation toward more..

Aug 2 (Island) A newly constructed Colombo Port Health Office, aimed at strengthening SL’s public health infrastructure and emergency preparedness, was inaugurated on July 28 at the Port of Colombo. The facility, designed by Design Consortium International (DCIL), was constructed through a grant from the Government of Japan and implemented by International Organization for Migration (IOM), a UN agency. Officials said the new facility marks an important step in enhancing more..

Aug 2 (CT) A total of 80 officers attached to the Attorney General’s Department have resigned from service between 2016 and 2026, according to reports. The highest number of resignations was recorded in 2022, when 17 officers left the department. The figures show that four officers resigned in 2016, five in 2017, nine in 2018, three in 2019, five in 2020, two in 2021, 17 in 2022, 15 in 2023, 13 in 2024, and six in 2025. One officer has resigned so far this year. more..

Aug 2 (Island) Kandy Royals cricket team captain Angelo Mathews and members of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) franchise participated in a series of events organised by their primary sponsors, Kelun Lifescience and Celogen, including the foundation stone-laying ceremony for a new manufacturing complex for cancer treatment drugs. The Kandy Royals team, one of the prominent franchises in the LPL, visited the pharmaceutical manufacturing facility located at Pallekele Export Processing more..

Aug 2 (TM) Sri Lanka currently has sufficient rice stocks, with paddy production already exceeding the country’s annual requirements, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Namal Karunaratne claims. This, despite growing concerns over the potential impact of El Niño-related weather conditions on cultivation. “We generally require around 2.4 million MT of rice annually. A production that exceeds that requirement is already available in the country,” Karunaratne said. more..

Aug 2 (TM) Sri Lanka is expected to face an electricity shortfall of around 450 MW by Jan 2027 as prolonged dry weather linked to the anticipated El Niño event reduces hydropower generation, prompting authorities to fast-track Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) through a proposed Feed-in Tariff (FIT) mechanism instead of the lengthier competitive procurement process. National System Operator (NSO) Chairman Pradeep Perera more..

Aug 2 (FT) Govt is preparing tax, regulatory and procurement reforms, including changes to venture capital taxation, capital mobility and public procurement, as it seeks to support a target of generating $ 5 billion in digital exports by 2030. Speaking at the national validation workshop on SL’s proposed digital export roadmap yesterday, Digital Economy Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne and GovTech SL Chairman and Chief Adviser to Prez on Digital Economy Hans Wijayasuriya outlined more..

Aug 2 (FT) Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of SL (FCCISL), under the leadership of its President, Dr. Rohitha Silva, together with the Board of Directors and FCCISL State Affairs Committee Chairman Ruwan De Silva extended its warmest congratulations to SL Export Development Board Chairman and CEO Mangala Wijesinghe, and the entire EDB team on the significant achievement of Sri Lanka’s total exports surpassing $ 9 billion during the first half of 2026. more..