Aug 10 (AD) The possibility of imposing the death penalty for drug-related offences was discussed at a meeting of the A Nation United (Ratama Ekata) National Steering Council held at the Presidential Secretariat this morning. The meeting was chaired by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The discussion focused on the growing drug menace and its impact on the country’s economy, tourism industry and social values. The need for stronger laws to combat drug trafficking and more..

Aug 10 (Island) Parliament is moving ahead with plans to establish a Parliamentary Research and Studies Centre, with the Speaker’s official residence being considered for conversion into the proposed institution. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne discussed the next steps for establishing the centre with representatives of the Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law at Parliament on Thursday (6). During the meeting, the Max Planck Foundation, more..

Aug 10 (FT) Sri Lanka ended the first half of 2026 with an overall Budget surplus of Rs. 9.51 billion, reversing a Rs. 405.6 billion deficit a year earlier, although the surplus narrowed sharply from Rs. 197.34 billion at end-May as expenditure accelerated in June. Total revenue and grants increased by 27.1% year-on-year (YoY) to Rs. 2.96 trillion during the January-June period from Rs. 2.33 trillion a year earlier. more..

Aug 10 (FT) A SL diplomat has reached a settlement with European Radio for Belarus, a Warsaw-based publication, following two court-ordered injunctions in defamation proceedings in Poland, resulting in the outlet removing the disputed articles, issuing an expression of regret, and agreeing to bear legal costs, according to case records and a published statement by the outlet. Sanaka Samarasinha, a senior career UN official, brought the action over articles published in 2023 concerning his more..

Aug 10 (NF) The woman alleged to be the principal suspect in the assassination of organized crime figure Ganemulla Sanjeewa has been remanded until August 21 after being produced before the Colombo Aluthkade Magistrate's Court today. The suspect, Ishara Sewwandi, had been under detention orders and questioned by the Colombo Crimes Division for nearly ten months as part of the ongoing investigation into the high-profile killing. Ganemulla Sanjeewa was shot dead on more..

Aug 10 (CI) The newly formed SL Professional Cricketers' Association (SLPCA) was officially launched on Saturday, with men's white-ball captain Kusal Mendis appointed as its inaugural president. Backed heavily by prominent stars like women's captain Chamari Athapaththu and allrounder Wanindu Hasaranga, the association has been established to serve as an independent and collective voice for professional cricketers more..

Aug 10 (NW) Three Sri Lankan suspects arrested in Malaysia, including alleged organized crime figure Dhanushka Kaushalya alias Ratmalana Saima, have been brought back to Sri Lanka under a special security operation. Ratmalana Saima has been identified by police as a key associate of alleged organized crime figure Kanjipani Imran. The three suspects were arrested in Malaysia following a joint operation involving Sri Lankan and Malaysian law enforcement authorities. more..

Aug 10 (NW) SL is expected to begin connecting commercial-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to the national electricity grid in early September, with projects planned near 16 electricity transmission substations nearing completion. Battery systems were brought into the country through the Port of Colombo in three shipments during May and June. Construction of a battery energy storage project being developed by a private company near the A'pura transmission substation is around more..

Aug 10 (FT) SL stands at an important constitutional juncture. The Cabinet’s decision to approve a Constitutional Amendment Bill extending the retirement age of judges—spanning the SC, CA, and the lower courts—has sparked an intense discussion. While framed by the administration as an intervention to address severe case backlogs, the proposed amendment has drawn widespread attention and criticism from the legal fraternity, civil society and religious leaders. more..

Aug 10 (FT) Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been hailed as the next big promise for the prosperity and modernity of the global economy. Today, this groundbreaking technology is rapidly reshaping almost every sphere of human activity. In education, AI acts as an interactive assistant, adapting lessons to individual student needs and making learning more interactive. In healthcare, it analyses complex medical data to help doctors diagnose diseases faster and more accurately than ever before. more..

Aug 10 (AD) 2026 GCE A/L Exam is scheduled to commence today, and will continue until Sept 5. Accordingly, a total of 372,310 candidates are scheduled to sit for this year’s A/L exam, which will be conducted at 2,532 examination centers across the island. All arrangements have been made to ensure the smooth conduct of the A/L exam, with examination centers, supervisory staff and other logistical requirements prepared ahead of more..

Aug 10 (TM) The main parliamentary opposition SJB is holding discussions on possible legal action against the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which seeks, among other changes, to increase the retirement age of Supreme Court (SC) and Court of Appeal (CA) judges. The move follows the publication of the Constitutional Amendment Draft Bill in the Government Gazette, amid continued opposition to the proposal from various parties, including the BASL. more..

Aug 10 (Island) SL Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) has uncovered a large-scale organised extortion racket targeting social media users through Facebook, Messenger, Instagram & WhatsApp, with scammers allegedly operating from India. SLCERT said the scammers initially infiltrate victims’ social media networks by adding their relatives and friends, including siblings, as contacts, to create the impression that the fraudulent account belongs to a mutual acquaintance. more..

Aug 10 (TM) Govt is firmly committed to protecting the rights and culture of the Indigenous Vedda community, PM Harini Amarasuriya said. She said the long-awaited Indigenous Rights Bill, which had been requested by the Vedda community for many years, had now been submitted to the Cabinet, adding that the Govt would expedite the next steps after consulting Indigenous representatives & other relevant institutions. more..

Aug 10 (FT) The Govt has called for expressions of interest (EOIs) to unlock the value of several State-owned heritage bungalows in Colombo 5. The Finance, Planning and Economic Development Ministry is inviting visionary investors to participate in an exciting Government initiative to unlock the economic value of a portfolio of prestigious State-owned bungalows situated in the highly sought-after Colombo 5 neighbourhood. Through a transparent National Competitive Selection Process, more..

Aug 10 (TM) National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) clarified the decline in fish resources currently being experienced by fishermen in SL is part of a global trend, saying it is too early to conclude that El Niño is the cause. Following the Fisheries Ministry’s request for NARA to prepare a report on the reasons behind the decline, the agency is conducting research using three approaches to determine the causes. NARA Chairperson Prof Sanath Hettiarachchi said more..

Aug 10 (ST) Director General of the CIABOC will be vested with the power not to charge or prosecute an accomplice facing bribery allegations on condition of making a full or true disclosure of the circumstances within his knowledge relating to the offence, according to the proposed amendment to the Anti-Corruption Act. Amendment to Anti-Corruption Act, No. 9 of 2023, was published pursuant to an order issued by Prez, along with changes regarding the legal effect of certain clauses. more..

Aug 10 (NW) Jason Sanjay, the son of actor and politician Vijay, has spoken about his SL family roots and his connection to Jaffna. Jason said his mother is from Jaffna in northern SL and grew up there before the family later settled overseas. “My mom is from Jaffna, so she’s from northern SL. She was born there and grew up there, and then they settled abroad,” he said. Jason said that when he visits SL, one of his grandfather’s properties remains an important connection to his family’s past. more..

Aug 10 (FT) Workers’ remittances climbed to a record high in July, marking one of the strongest seven-month performances in the country’s history, despite economic uncertainty stemming from the ongoing Middle East conflict, a region that hosts a large share of SL migrant workers. Inflows rose 11.51% YoY to $ 777.6 million. July marked the seventh consecutive month of exceptionally strong remittance inflows, highlighting more..

Aug 10 (FT) Central Bank of SL’s (CBSL) net US dollar purchases from the domestic market to build reserves topped $ 905 million during the first seven months of 2026 According to data released by the CBSL on Friday, it was a net purchaser of foreign exchange in July 2026 amounting to $ 348.6 million, a sharp increase from $ 70.5 million in June and reversing May’s net sale of more than $ 211 million, when it became a net seller of foreign exchange for the first time in 22 months. more..

Aug 10 (FT) Verité Research has launched the second edition of its pioneering Budget Proposal Hub (BPH), inviting citizens, residents, and organisations to submit proposals for the Govt’s consideration ahead of the 2027 National Budget. The initiative follows the successful debut of the BPH last year ahead of Budget 2026, where the proposals ranged from establishing a national-level program to manufacture pharmaceutical ingredients from Ceylon Cinnamon to constructing toilets more..

Aug 10 (CT) CID has initiated investigations and law enforcement action against local facilitators allegedly linked to a human trafficking network following the rescue of three Sri Lankan nationals in Ethiopia. The three nationals were safely repatriated to Sri Lanka after being rescued from the trafficking network and completing the necessary judicial and consular procedures, the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Addis Ababa said. They departed Addis Ababa for Sri Lanka on 30 July 2026. more..

Aug 10 (FT) Sri Lanka's economic future will increasingly be determined not by its proximity to India but by its ability to make itself competitive enough to participate in India's rise, according to an emerging consensus among Govt, business leaders, diplomats and strategic thinkers at the Lanka India Business Association's India Calling forum yesterday. Although approaching the issue from different perspectives, speakers repeatedly returned to the same proposition: more..

Aug 10 (ST) In just four months, Sri Lanka’s substandard Trident Chemphar coal deal cost Electricity Generation Lanka (Pvt) Ltd (EGL) Rs. 5.68bn in estimated direct financial losses, not including those arising from meeting the energy shortfall from burning low-quality coal through other power generation sources. EGL—the successor company to the CEB—calculated the losses based on operational data recorded more..

Aug 10 (Island) In a significant move for SL’s cultural landscape, Cinnamon Box Office (CBO) has officially launched its Destination Event Calendar, signaling Colombo’s ambition to become a premier regional hub for entertainment & creativity. Announcement was made at a launch event held on 6 Aug at the City of Dreams Sri Lanka, marking a pivotal moment for the nation’s evolving creative economy. The centerpiece of this new initiative is the introduction of This Is Michael – Relive the Legend, more..

Aug 10 (CI) Shubman Gill shrugged off a finger injury and made a breezy 44, Yashasvi Jaiswal an authoritative fifty and Mohammed Siraj a fun-filled 32 not out as India chased down 207 to beat SL Cricket XI in their tour match in Colombo. Much of the focus on the final day's play was on the India captain, who did not bat in the first innings. Gill had taken a knock to his hand in the lead-up to this tour game but whatever effect that may have had on his well-being seems to have passed. more..

Aug 10 (FT) SL’s private sector must ensure the country’s new beneficial ownership regime is effectively implemented as it prepares for a crucial int'l anti-money laundering (AML) review, Central Bank Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) Director General Dr. Subhani Keerthiratne said. SL is currently undertaking a high-level national review and preparation process for its Third Mutual Evaluation on Anti-Money Laundering and more..

Aug 10 (FT) A Sri Lankan business delegation will be in Australia from 17 to 21 August to participate in two business forums. These will be held from August 17 to 21 in Sydney and from August 24 to 27 in Melbourne. The event is organised by the Sri Lanka-Australia-New Zealand Business Council (SLANZBC) of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. SLANZBC President Chandana Amaradasa said that a SL business delegation is visiting Australia after a lapse of more than 15 years. more..

Aug 10 (FT) A total of 25 leading companies last week took the Corporate Mediation Pledge under a ground breaking initiative of the International ADR Centre (IADRC) boosting the alternate resolution mechanism in the country. The pledge to consider mediation as their preferred method of resolving disputes was made at a ceremony at the Port City Colombo which reflected a growing movement away from the traditional adversarial nature of litigation and towards a more collaborative approach more..

Aug 10 (Island) The International Masters Cricket Over-60s tournament got underway in Toronto, Canada, yesterday, with a strong Sri Lankan side hoping to make its mark against some of the best Masters teams in the world. Sri Lanka have been drawn in Group ‘A’ alongside defending champions Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, Wales and hosts Canada. Group ‘B’ comprises England, NZ, India, USA, Zimbabwe, West Indies and Scotland. Teams in each group will play every opponent once, more..

Aug 10 (Island) The proposed constitutional amendment to effect a blanket extension of judges’ retirement ages is a textbook example of pretextual legislation or constitutional camouflage. It is a fig leaf for the govt’s original objective of retaining one particular judge who is nearing the mandatory retirement age. Legal experts are of the considered opinion that the proposed amendment will undermine the independence of the judiciary, and it needs to be approved by the people more..