Aug 12 (Island) Two decades have elapsed since the assassination of Lakshman Kadirgamar, a statesman who adorned the firmament of SL politics. His achievements, which were numerous, in various fields, have been well documented. As SL’s Foreign Minister, he navigated the country’s external relations during turbulent times, and his invaluable service to the nation cost him his dear life; he fell victim to an LTTE sniper on 12 Aug 2005. Yesterday, we published a review of Admiral of the Fleet more..

Aug 12 (DN) The inform left hander Harshitha Samarawickrama hit her second century of the tournament scoring 112 in 135 balls as Navy SC recorded an easy 194 runs win over Colts CC in their Major Club women’s limited over cricket tournament fixture played at Navy grounds Welisara yesterday. Navy SC scored challenging total of 235 for 4 wickets in 50 overs and Harshitha Samarawickrama leading from the front struck 8 fours for her stylish knock of 112 more..

Aug 12 (DM) Ministry of Environment is drafting a comprehensive action plan to address SL’s worsening Human–Elephant Conflict (HEC), with a pilot program to be launched in the Puttalam, Kurunegala, and Anuradhapura districts — areas that record some of the highest numbers of encounters. Deputy Minister Anton Jayakody said the six-month initiative will target the root causes driving elephants into human settlements, more..

Aug 12 (FT) SL Customs recorded its highest-ever monthly revenue in July 2025, collecting Rs. 231 billion, well above the monthly estimate of Rs. 195.05 billion. “The performance marked a 118.4% increase, driven largely by a surge in vehicle imports,” Customs Director-General said. He said that by the end of the first seven months of 2025, SL Customs had collected over Rs. 1.22 trillion in revenue, with more than Rs. 303 billion coming from vehicle import taxes, including excise duty. more..

Aug 12 (FT) Melwa has achieved a significant breakthrough with its first-ever large-scale export of 15,000 metric tons of reinforcement steel to the Canadian construction market. This landmark consignment marks the Melwa brand’s entry into one of the world’s most competitive construction arenas, positioning SL steel on the global stage. Beyond its commercial success, this achievement reflects the country’s growing participation in international infrastructure projects more..

Aug 12 (Island) Rising star Kalhara Idupa ran a remarkable anchor leg to clinch gold in the men’s 4×400 metres relay as SL capped a memorable evening winning two golds, two silvers and a bronze at the World Athletics bronze lable meet in Bhubaneswar India on Sunday. Thrower Rumesh Tharanga was the star of the evening for SL after his record breaking throw. His throw landed on an uncharted territory in the land of the World Champion. Indian star Neraj Chopra was not more..

Aug 12 (DM) SLPP National Organizer MP Namal Rajapaksa has raised concerns over the govt’s proposal to issue driving licences to tourists upon arrival, questioning how such a decision was reached without consulting all relevant stakeholders. In a post on X, Rajapaksa pointed out that the tourism industry is supported by thousands of tour guides and taxi operators whose livelihoods could be at risk if the decision is implemented without proper consultation. more..

Aug 12 (DM) In a landmark judgment that underscores the primacy of environmental governance, SL’s Supreme Court has overruled a 2011 decision by the Court of Appeal that mandated approval of a magnetite mining project by private partnership Uva Magnetite. Judgment highlights not just procedural deficiencies but the systemic necessity of upholding the rule of law in environmental decision-making. more..

Aug 12 (FT) Dialog Axiata announced strong performance in the first half ended 30 June 2025. The Group delivered robust results across its Mobile, Fixed Line, Digital Pay Television, and Tele-infrastructure businesses, achieving 6% year-to-date (YTD) revenue growth to Rs. 87.4 billion in 1H 2025. This was despite the strategic scaling down of low-margin international wholesale business, amounting to approximately Rs. 10 billion. On a quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) basis, revenue increased 2% more..

Aug 12 (Island) Lakshman Kadirgamar befriended me after the death of his friend, my father Mervyn de Silva, in 1999. At some event he had suddenly turned around – he told me – because he heard a laugh just like Mervyn’s. He knew Mervyn had died and he did not know who it was. It happened to be me. So that’s how we got to know each other personally. My father Mervyn, and Lakshman Kadirgamar had been students at university. Dr. Gamani Corea & Mervyn de Silva more..

Aug 12 (DN) The Railways Dept has mandated that tourists and travel agencies must input passport numbers of tourists when they buy train tickets online for all trains, including those favoured by tourists such as the Ella Odyssey, to avert a major scam related to the resale of train tickets at inflated prices to tourists. This measure is in place to curb the practice of reselling tickets at inflated prices and ensure tickets are used more..

Aug 12 (Island) A group of youth conducted a protest march in Mannar recently against the proposed ilmenite mineral sand mining by multinational company in the district. Mannar based sources said that the protest was held in the Mannar Bazaar area. Protesters marched through the heart of Mannar town, carrying placards and chanting slogans as they moved from the town circle past the local police station, district hospital road, and public grounds, before returning to their starting point. more..

Aug 12 (DM) In a bid to boost tourism and improve long-distance travel convenience, Railways Dept announced the launch of a special weekend train service, Ella Weekend Express, between Colombo and Badulla. The new service will commence next Saturday (16) with a 5:30 a.m. departure from Colombo Fort. Return journey will depart Badulla on Sunday (17) at 1:45 p.m., arriving back in Colombo Fort the same day. Service is aimed at attracting both local and foreign travelers to one of more..

Aug 12 (SO) The ongoing excavation at the Chemmani mass grave concluded its activities on August 6, having uncovered 147 skeletons. Excavation work was temporarily halted on August 6 and is scheduled to resume on Aug 22. The court case related to the mass grave will be heard at the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court on Aug 14, where a full report of the findings will also be submitted. On Aug 4, significant progress was made at the site. Three Commissioners from Human Rights Comm. more..

Aug 12 (Island) At the grand finale of the DEI Champion Awards 2025, held last week at the City of Dreams in Colombo, the private sector was called upon to play a transformative role in shaping an inclusive, equitable and peaceful SL. Organised by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the SCOPE Programme — co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Foreign Office — the awards recognised pioneering organisations championing diversity, equity more..

Aug 12 (DM) The research unit of Civil Aviation Authority of SL (CAASL) is preparing to recover 19 aircraft said to have been hidden by King Ravana in 25 locations. The unit has confirmed several specific details about the 25 identified locations. Investigations have revealed that these aircraft were allegedly manufactured by King Ravana and flown using mercury and other chemicals. Findings suggest the aircraft more..

Aug 12 (FT) 20th International Society for Twin Studies (ISTS) Conference and the 8th World Congress on Twin Pregnancy kicked off in Colombo yesterday at the Cinnamon Grand. Two-day event is a global landmark, bringing together over 250 delegates from over 30 countries, representing top universities and research institutions across the UK, Europe, Australia, Asia & North America. This conference, which focuses on scientific research, is attended by researchers including doctors more..

Aug 12 (DM) Sri Lanka has been displaced as the world’s third-largest tea exporter, falling to the fourth position, as India expanded its production to capture a larger share of the global market in 2024, according to the latest annual report from Agarapatana Plantations. Shift in global rankings comes despite an increase in SL’s own tea export earnings and volumes, highlighting the intensifying competition and deep-seated domestic challenges facing the island’s iconic Ceylon Tea industry. more..

Aug 12 (DN) The Thalathuoya Police have launched an investigation into an incident yesterday (11) in which former Minister Daya Gamage allegedly stole the auction documents while steps were being made to auction a land he had mortgaged to a bank, to obtain Rs. 225 million, which he had not paid back. Gamage had allegedly mortgaged a 20-acre plot of land in the Haragama Maligatenna area in the Thalathuoya Police Division to the bank and had obtained the funds in 2013. more..

Aug 12 (Island) Amidst continuing controversy over the SupremeSAT satellite with regard to its status and earnings following conflicting statements made by PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and her Cabinet colleagues, SupremeSAT (Pvt) Ltd, issued the following statement yesterday: “We wish to officially clarify that our latest media statement regarding the misinformation circulating around the country was issued soon after the Hon. PM’s statement delivered in Parliament on 6th August 2025. more..

Aug 12 (CT) A petition was filed before the Supreme Court yesterday challenging the constitutionality of the proposed bill that sought to repeal the privileges granted to former Presidents under Act No. 4 of 1986. Renuka Perera, Administrative Secretary of the SLPP, submitted the petition, naming the Attorney General as the respondent. The petitioner stated that the govt had presented the Presidents’ Entitlements (Repeal) Bill to Parliament on more..

Aug 12 (NW) Sri Lanka ranked as the third most expensive country in the world to buy a vehicle in 2021, according to the World Bank’s Vehicle Price Level Index. The index shows SL’s score at 175, meaning vehicle prices are more than 1.75 times the global average benchmark of 100. Only Singapore and the Maldives ranked higher. Advocata Institute said high import duties and restrictive policies have turned vehicle ownership into a luxury for most Sri Lankans, affecting mobility, productivity and more..

Aug 12 (NW) Minister Bimal Ratnayake says IT experts from the Digital Ministry and other agencies have helped temporarily curb the widely discussed online train ticket scam, as SL Railways launches a new mandatory identification verification system. The minister said the ticket booking platform still requires further upgrades to make it more secure and that steps are being taken to prosecute those involved in the scam. Under the new policy, Sri Lankan passengers must provide their more..

Aug 12 (FT) The Govt has agreed on restructuring terms with more than 98% of its external creditors and has completed over 90% of its public external debt restructuring, according to a Treasury statement issued after an investment call hosted jointly by the Finance, Planning and Economic Development Ministry and the Central Bank of SL (CBSL) on 31 July. Bilateral debt negotiations have concluded with the China EXIM Bank, more..

Aug 12 (FT) Everything on this earth is a creation of nature. As humans, we have no right to destroy what nature has created. The decision to sustain or eliminate any species or element of the environment lies with nature itself. For instance, dinosaurs once roamed the earth, but their extinction was a natural process, not a human decision. Historically, people coexisted with animals in their natural environments without causing significant harm. SL, once known as the Peradiga Dhanyagaraya (Eastern Granary), more..

Aug 12 (FT) After a spectacular 69.69% year-on-year rally that has catapulted the Colombo Stock Exchange ASPI to 19,532 points, SL’s stock market has emerged as one of the world’s most compelling investment destinations for international investors. While developed markets struggle with compressed returns and high valuations, SL offers the rare combination of recovery momentum, attractive valuations, and genuine growth potential that sophisticated global investors continuously seek. more..

Aug 12 (NW) Cabinet has approved plans to begin developing floating solar power projects as part of the country’s renewable energy expansion. Under the Renewable Energy Resources Development Plan 2026–2030, several reservoirs have been identified as suitable for generating an estimated 3,000 megawatts of power using floating solar panels, based on 10% median surface utilization. The initiative supports SL’s target of producing 70% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 more..

Aug 12 (EN) Sri Lanka will geo-locate rubber lands of small estate owners across the country and create a detailed database using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. This is in response to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) that must be complied with when exporting rubber and rubber-related products to the bloc, a major market for SL rubber, he said. “SL will also have to comply with the new regulations after Dec 31, 2025 more..

Aug 12 (AD) The Constitutional Council has approved President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recommendation to appoint Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya as the 37th Inspector General of Police of the country. This decision was made when the Constitutional Council met today (12) under the chairmanship of Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne. The position of IGP became vacant following the removal of former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon through a resolution in Parliament. more..

Aug 12 (DM) Former Homagama PS member Shantha Mudunkotuwa, who was injured in a shooting in Meegoda earlier today, has died after being admitted to the hospital, police said. The victim was riding a motorcycle along Attygalle Road when he was shot by unidentified gunmen traveling in a car. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Police have launched an investigation to identify and apprehend the suspects more..

Aug 12 (AD) The largest meteor shower of 2025 will be visible from midnight today (12) and into early hours of tomorrow, according to Astrophysicist Gihan Weerasekera. He explained that this meteor shower, known as the Perseids, is named after the Perseus constellation in which it appears. The phenomenon will be best observed from the northern sky at around 5 a.m. tomorrow, according to experts. “The special feature of this meteor shower is that around 100 meteors can be seen in an hour, more..

Aug 12 (DM) There is no satellite registered under the name of SL in the records of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN agency responsible for global coordination of information and communication technologies, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. Minister explained that the ITU’s standard procedure for launching a satellite involves three stages — submitting technical details of the planned satellite network, coordinating with other member states more..

Aug 12 (AD) A no-confidence motion against Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd) has been handed over to Speaker of House Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne by the Opposition today. SJB MP Kavinda Jayawardena stated that during the period leading up to the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks, Aruna Jayasekara was serving as the Security Forces Eastern Province Commander, and therefore, his current role as Deputy Minister of Defence is ethically inappropriate, more..

Aug 12 (DM) The 12th edition of the annual India-SL bilateral maritime exercise SLINEX-2025 is scheduled to be held in Colombo from 14 to 18 August 2025. The exercise will be conducted in two phases: a Harbour Phase from 14 to 16 August, followed by a Sea Phase from 17 to 18 Aug off the coast of Colombo. The Indian Navy will be represented by INS Jyoti, a fleet tanker, and INS Rana, a guided-missile destroyer. The SL Navy will deploy SLNS Vijayabahu, an advanced offshore patrol vessel more..