Aug 17 (ST) Hardly a day goes by without a protest in the North, but in recent weeks, there has been an uptick in protests with white-clothed individuals who claimed to be social activists or civil society personnel joining them, apparently in a bid to gain political mileage. When asked about the new phenomenon, locals say they are potential aspirants to enter Provincial Councils (PC) even though the dates are yet to be fixed for elections. more..

Aug 17 (Island) The govt and its opponents are gearing up for the upcoming no-faith motion against Deputy Minister of Defence Maj. Gen. (retd.) Aruna Jayasekera. It is certainly a bout above the Opposition’s weight class, given the NPP’s mammoth majority in Parliament. Not all Opposition parties are speaking with one voice on the no-faith motion against Jayasekera. Some of them are of the view that the motion will provide the govt with an opportunity to have its MPs vote en bloc more..

Aug 17 (CT) When a senior Police officer sworn to protect the public is accused of taking millions in bribes from drug lords and criminals, the betrayal cuts deeper than any ordinary crime. The arrest of SSP Sathish Gamage is not just another headline in Sri Lanka’s endless cycle of scandals. It is a glaring reminder that corruption has woven itself into the very fabric of our law enforcement system, threatening the foundations of justice, fair play and national progress. more..

Aug 17 (TM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his JVP-led NPP Govt are continuing to suffer from growing pains of governance as they face unending challenges on multiple fronts. Starting from the economic crisis to facing the continuous criticism of the Opposition over certain questionable actions of some members of the Govt as well as talk of disunity among the ruling party, the latest to be added to the list of woes is the country’s more..

Aug 17 (SO) It has been famously said that Sri Lanka is a five-star island with a three-star image. In other words, we are a country blessed with extraordinary natural beauty, rich history, and cultural treasures, yet we fall far short in how we present ourselves to the world. How we treat the very visitors we depend on is an altogether different story, with greed and exploitation becoming the name of the game. From the minute a tourist steps out of the BIA to the moment they leave, they face more..

Aug 17 (SO) The world is now a different place than what it was in 2009, when the war ended in Sri Lanka’s Northern shores. Successive Govts, prior to the end of the war, expanded the Tri Forces and the Special Task Force (STF) of the Police to battle the terrorists over the years. Now, 16 years after the guns went silent in the North, Sri Lanka is saddled with a bloated Tri Forces, not to mention heavy defence expenditure. It is hard to justify both these factors in peacetime. more..

Aug 16 (CT) PM Harini Amarasuriya says that although Sri Lanka has already gained international recognition for gems and jewellery, exports have not grown to the expected level. PM said that the govt is working to establish stable policies to enable the country to capture the international gem and jewellery market. She made these remarks while addressing the opening ceremony of Gem City Ratnapura more..

Aug 16 (DM) A 45-year-old man employed as a security guard at the BIA was arrested on Friday for possessing a large stock of weapons and ammunition. The suspect, a resident of the Minuwangoda area, was arrested during a police raid on a house near the Minuwangoda Hospital, following a tip-off. Police recovered a T-56 firearm with a magazine, 14 rounds of T-56 ammunition, a pistol with a magazine, nine rounds of 2.5mm ammunition, nine 9mm rounds, more..

Aug 16 (DN) A complaint has been filed with the CID against a powerful young activist of the SJB for releasing a defamatory statement edited using Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications using the image of Minister Vijitha Herath on social media. A person posing as Mujahid Haafiz who owns the Facebook account, has released a fake video on social media using the image of Minister Vijitha Herath who is a political leader of the JVP and the background of the JVP. more..

Aug 16 (EN) SL could call for international tenders for wind power plants in the island nation’s Northern Mannar and Pooneryn after India’s Adani Green withdrew early this year due to price difference, Minister Kumara Jayakody said. India’s Adani Group decided to withdraw its wind power deals with SL in Feb this year after the new govt prepared to renegotiate the project for a lower price. Previous govt had agreed for 8.26 cents more..

Aug 16 (CT) Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) has highlighted that although private pharmacies in the country supply around 17,500 different brands of medicines, only about 700 of these are subject to price regulation. Consequently, patients who must purchase medicines from outside face severe financial hardship. MCPA President Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa said that Ministry of Health recently issued a Gazette Notification to regulate prices for more..

Aug 16 (DM) SL Police has launched a dedicated WhatsApp number to enable the public and police officers to report crimes and other concerns directly to the IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya. The initiative, which came into effect on August 13, aims to strengthen communication between the public and law enforcement, and to improve responsiveness and transparency within the police service. Police said the move was introduced in response to a growing need to protect public rights by more..

Aug 16 (CT) SL unite for Palestine movement staged a large-scale protest march and rally in Colombo on Friday, calling for an immediate end to Israel’s attacks on Palestine. Demonstration drew hundreds of participants from across the country, representing various communities, civil society groups, and political figures. Several govt MPs joined the protest, including Deputy Speaker of Parliament Dr. Rizvie Salih, MPs Najith Indika and Lakmali Hemachandra, and Deputy Minister Muneer Mulaffer. more..

Aug 16 (EN) Sri Lanka will host its international marine summit, Voyage Sri Lanka 2025, in October, with a focus on boosting the island nation’s blue economy, its Export Development Board (EDB) said. This year’s event will have a sharper focus on turning Sri Lanka’s blue economy potential into tangible outcomes, EDB said. The keynote address will focus on the nation’s marine future, EDB said, with three panel discussions exploring the opportunities for SL’s marine economy: more..

Aug 16 (DM) Sri Lanka’s surfing paradise, Arugambay attracts many local and foreign visitors during its peak season from July to October. Over the recent few years, this stretch of land has gained much attention, mainly due to the presence of Israeli tourists as claimed in media reports. A popular Australian DJ, who recently visited Arugambay, published a video claiming whether Arugambay is becoming Sri Lanka's Tel Aviv. more..

Aug 16 (FT) The Colombo stock market yesterday ended the week on the up, while the positive sentiment drove the ASPI past 20,000 to a new all-time high. The benchmark ASPI gained by 289.69 points or 1.45%, whilst the active S&P SL20 gained by over 114.26 points or 1.98%. Turnover was Rs. 9.54 billion involving 332.35 million shares. During the week the ASPI and the S&P SL20 gained 2% and 1.2% respectively, whilst recording an average daily turnover of Rs. 6.36 billion. more..

Aug 16 (Island) A female employee who lodged complaints of sexual harassment and ill-treatment within Parliament’s Department of Information Systems and Management was questioned for more than five hours on Monday by a special investigative committee. 3-member panel, chaired by retired HC Judge Sujatha Alahapperuma opened its proceedings by recording the complainant’s detailed statement, during which she is said to have presented extensive evidence of alleged more..

Aug 16 (DM) A field trial of a novel small-sized loop, designed for implantation into the uterus of female monkeys to effectively prevent pregnancy, will commence in September at the TJC mango plantation in Kalawewa, Peradeniya Uni Veterinary Faculty Senior Professor Ashoka Dangolla said. Following the initial announcement about the first loop type for implantation in female monkeys, a different loop type was tested experimentally, achieving a success rate of 60%. more..

Aug 16 (EN) Three Acre Farms, a top poultry company said revenues dropped 27% to 1,231 million rupees in the June 2025 quarter as farmers reduced purchases of day old chicks as prices dropped. “The group’s revenue during the quarter under review declined compared to the same quarter last year, primarily due to reduced demand for both broiler and layer day-old chicks,” CEO Cheng Kwong said. “The decline was mainly caused by reduced inputs by farmers at the beginning of the more..

Aug 16 (ST) In Sathkunanathan v. Attorney General and related cases, Supreme Court (Fernando CJ and Kodagoda J) held that the Proclamation of Emergency issued on July 17, 2022, by me as Acting President infringed the petitioners’ Fundamental Rights. Concurrently, Obeyesekere J held that the fundamental rights of the petitioners guaranteed by Article 12(1) of the Constitution have not been impugned by more..

Aug 16 (DN) Harshitha Samarawickrama continued her fine batting form with 91 runs off 111 balls as Navy SC defeated Chilaw Marian CC 91 runs, maintaining their unbeaten record in the Women’s Major Clubs Limited Overs Tournament at Navy Grounds, Welisara yesterday. The left-handed number three, Harshitha, struck seven fours but missed out on her third century of the tournament, bowled by off-spinner Dewmi Vihanga. Skipper Hansima Karunaratne remained unbeaten on more..

Aug 16 (FT) The Central Bank of SL (CBSL) on Friday said it projected SL’s economy to grow 4.5% in 2025, with the deflationary period to end in the third quarter this year and inflation expected to return to the 5% target by mid-2026. Deflation that began in Sept 2024 is expected to end by the third quarter of 2025, the CBSL said, announcing the release of its second Monetary Policy Report for 2025. The first was issued in February. Released under Central Bank of SL Act of 2023, more..

Aug 16 (FT) Association for Ceylon Cinnamon Protected Geographical Indication (ACCPGI) Secretary Christopher Fernando said the global market for Ceylon Cinnamon is experiencing a period of robust growth, driven by increasing consumer demand for natural health-enhancing ingredients and premium quality spices. “Amid shifting global preferences, Ceylon Cinnamon continues to distinguish itself, more..

Aug 16 (NW) Three SL Test series have been ranked among the 15 greatest of the 21st century by Wisden. The list features SL’s thrilling 1-0 win over England in 2014, the 1-1 drawn series in the West Indies in 2018, and Australia’s 3-0 sweep in SL in 2004 – dubbed the closest clean sweep in Test history. The 2014 series saw both matches decided in the final over, with Angelo Mathews’ men clinching a dramatic victory at Headingley. The 2018 tour of the Caribbean was marked by high drama, more..

Aug 16 (FT) Japanese Ambassador Akio Isomata has called for a more transparent, predictable and non-discriminatory business environment for Japanese companies operating in SL. Addressing the kick-off to the first Japan-SL Committee on Business Environment meeting, the Japanese Envoy pointed to three basic elements for a good business environment: transparency, predictability, and non-discriminatory treatment. “Transparency means the relevant laws, regulations, and policies more..

Aug 16 (ST) In a historic moment for SL motorsport, 18-year-old racing prodigy Yevan David has been confirmed as the first driver from the island nation to compete in the prestigious FIA Formula 3 Championship. German outfit AIX Racing announced the signing this week, making David their first confirmed driver for the 2026 season. For a country better known for its heroics in cricket pitches, this is an unprecedented leap into the world of elite single-seater racing. more..

Aug 16 (ST) A top trade union this week urged PM and Education Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya to include labour laws and rights as a subject in the new school curriculum being prepared under new education reforms. The request has been made by the Ceylon Mercantile, Industrial and General Workers’ Union (CMU), in a recent letter to the PM who is overseeing the new education reforms. The letter said that the education system should be changed in such a way that the creativity and more..

Aug 16 (CT) U.S. Prez Donald Trump’s new tariffs on India have landed SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva in hot water over a social media post. The controversy began last week when Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake appeared in Parliament and made a statement during the adjournment debate on the country’s current economic situation. On previous occasions, it has been common for light-hearted exchanges to occur more..

Aug 16 (FT) This week was something special, celestially speaking. First there was the spectacular Perseid shower in the bewitching midnight watch and some hours after. Then there was a scintillating conjunction of Jupiter and Venus in the early morning midweek days that followed. And now there is the ongoing spectacle of political shooting stars of the past and present disporting themselves as if they’d never heard of the principle of entropy. That all things must run down. more..

Aug 16 (CT) Educational reform stands as one of the cornerstone commitments in the NPP‘s election manifesto. Entrusted with this critical responsibility, the PM, who also serves as the Minister of Education, is at the forefront of implementing reforms that will shape the future of SL's younger generations. However, it appears that the discourse surrounding the proposed education bill has so far been poorly articulated in Parliament. PM and several senior ministers have not clearly communicated more..

Aug 16 (Island) The NPP govt has been concocting various theories to save face since the backfiring of its propaganda claim that the Mahinda Rajapaksa govt invested state funds to the tune of USD 320 million in a failed satellite project. PM Dr. Harini Amarasuirya’s recent statement in Parliament that no such investment had been made, but some financial benefits had accrued from the project to Sri Lanka has exasperated the JVP members of the NPP govt beyond measure. more..

Aug 16 (Island) Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a household buzzword of late thanks to advancements in a range of Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and DeepSeek. However, AI was an academic and industrial pursuit for longer than that. Warren McCulloch and Walter Pitts wrote the first paper on artificial neural networks in 1943. The British mathematician Alan Turing created the most famous framework for artificial intelligence. Until recently, the main obstacle to achieving more..