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 (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 (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 (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 (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 (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) 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 (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 (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 (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 (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 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 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 (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 (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 (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 (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 (ST) My dear Harini sahodariya, I thought of writing to you because you are in the news after a long time, although not exactly for the best reasons. People are questioning your wisdom, political maturity and what not, after you answered those questions regarding Chi Chi baby’s rocket in Parliament. Some even want you to resign! You are learning quickly that politics is a beastly sport, far removed from the genteel world of academia that you were used to. more..

Aug 17 (GV) Every day we witness the same troubling pattern: companies fire workers to boost stock prices, forests are cleared for short term profits and public services are cut to balance budgets. Meanwhile, the crises keep mounting – climate change, inequality, financial instability and social breakdown. What if these are not separate problems but symptoms of a single, fundamental error in how we organize our economy? The problem is what I call capital inversion – we have our more..

Aug 17 (Island) In the universe of human rights, SL has become notable for two dubious records. For disappearances of people stretching over several decades, SL is in the top tier of countries. It is easily a world leader when it comes to commissions of inquiry that successive govts have appointed to investigate various instances of human rights violations, including commissions that are appointed to summarize the work of preceding commissions. Nothing conclusive has flowed out of more..

Aug 17 (SO) Trinity College will have the edge when they take on their traditional rivals Royal College in the first-leg of the 79th Bradby Shield Inter-School rugby encounter at the Trinity College Rugby Stadium in Pallekele, Kandy on August 23. Trinity will take the field as the reigning League champions for 2025 having just completed a successful season where they finished on top of the points table with nine victories and only a solitary defeat. The Trinitians also had the satisfaction of more..

Aug 17 (SO) Over 2,000 Sri Lankans marched in Colombo on Friday, calling for an end to the ongoing war in Gaza and against the aggression of Israel towards Palestine. March concluded with what many say was the largest pro-Palestine rally held in SL in recent times. Civil society members and politicians from both Govt & Opposition called on the Govt to take action against Israel and to show support to the freedom of Palestine. more..

Aug 17 (ST) The ruling party that fanned a trade union strike culture when in opposition is now getting hoist on its own petard while in power and place. The Govt is facing a string of strikes and general agitation among different sectors. The latest comes from a group calling themselves tourism taxi service personnel, many self-employed, protesting against the latest move to grant foreigners driving licences (DLs) on arrival. These service providers have threatened to bring the entire more..

Aug 17 (TM) SL Test Captain Dhananjaya de Silva says that although his players have been reduced to mere spectators as per the ongoing Future Tours Programme (FTP) for his country, they are continuing to maintain physical fitness by turning out for regular practice sessions. He said that despite his team being starved of Tests for the foreseeable future, they were not prepared to use it as an excuse to twiddle their thumbs, but rather intended to use the ongoing break to sharpen more..

Aug 17 (Island) Dharmapala College, Pannipitiya hurdler Pawan Bimsara and Lyceum International sprinter Jithma Wijetunga won the best athlete awards at the Western Province Schools Games Athletics Championship held at Diyagama. The outstanding 13.9 seconds feat to win the Under 18 boys’ 110m hurdles title earned Bimsara the coveted award. Jithma was the winner of both the 200metres and the 400metres. From the time she clocked 54.5 seconds to win the Under 20 girls’ 400 metres more..

Aug 17 (EN) SL has conducted a workshop for govt officers on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to transform the public service into a productive and efficient service. The AI for Transforming Public Service program was attended by executive officers from 10 ministries, including the Prime Minister’s Office and the Cabinet Office. “The objective of the workshop was to raise awareness and prepare govt officials as an initial step in the state’s digital transformation agenda and more..

Aug 17 (ST) The national selectors have rung the changes once again, signalling SL’s urgency to shape a settled Twenty20 line-up ahead of the Asia Cup next month. The shake-up follows the heartbreak of a 2-1 home series defeat to Bangladesh, a loss that exposed glaring weaknesses and demanded firm action. Both the ODI and T20 squads have therefore been reshuffled for the upcoming series against Zimbabwe, more..

Aug 17 (SO) SLC Greens clinched the SLC T20 League when they defeated SLC Greys by 23 runs in the final played at the SSC Grounds yesterday. The SLC Greys, chasing a victory target of 189 runs managed to post only 166 for eight in their 20 overs with Dushmantha Chameera (2/26), Kamindu Mendis (2/25) and Chamika Karunaratne (3/24) sharing the wickets. The SLC Greys, of course, got off to a flying start as their openers Dinesh Chandimal and Niroshan Dickwella put on 70 more..

Aug 17 (Island) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in partnership with Moose Clothing Company, Official Cricket Clothing Partner of SLC on Friday unveiled the newly designed team jerseys across all formats. Crafted using advanced, newly developed fabrics, the jerseys feature refined design elements to enhance player comfort, optimize breathability, and enable greater mobility during high-intensity matches. The ODI and T20I kits will make their official on-field debut during more..

Aug 17 (TM) The no-confidence motion against Deputy Minister of Defence Maj. Gen. (Retd) Aruna Jayasekara, which was handed over to Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne by the Opposition led by the SJB last week, has not been officially filed and has not been subject to parliamentary procedure yet. This was confirmed by Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera. more..

Aug 17 (NF) USS Santa Barbara, an Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship and part of the U.S. 7th Fleet, docked at the Port of Colombo this morning for its first-ever port call. The 7th Fleet commands the world’s largest forward-deployed fleet, tasked with operational control and planning in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans, while promoting regional stability and maritime security through engagements with allies and partners. Christened on Oct 16, 2021, the visit of USS Santa Barbara to SL, more..

Aug 17 (SO) Gross official reserves (GOR) have been maintained above US$ 6 billion, while meeting the debt servicing requirements, a spokesman for the CB said. GOR had remained at above US $ 6 billion during the first four months of this year reaching US$ 6.3 billion by end April 2025, amid debt servicing. Continuing the growth momentum observed thus far in 2025 and as reflected in leading economic indicators, near-term growth is likely to persist along the observed trajectory going more..

Aug 17 (DM) Sri Lanka should enhance trade facilitation and create a more conducive business environment by reducing non-tariff barriers, US Ambassador Julie Chung said. She urged SL to "seize this window of opportunity by enhancing trade facilitation and creating a more conducive environment, including reducing non-tariff barriers, enhancing openness, and improving competitiveness." The US envoy made this comment when she met CCC officials more..

Aug 17 (DM) The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has interdicted another District Court judge on charges of misconduct, bringing the total number of judicial officers interdicted this month to 10. Following a separate inquiry, a Civil Appellate High Court judge serving in Gampaha has been directed to retire over allegations of inefficient performance. It has been reported that the JSC has already dispatched his retirement papers. Meanwhile, both the District Judge and more..

Aug 17 (ST) Sri Lanka is estimated to have recorded a sharp rise in foreign and joint-venture (JV) company registrations in the first half of 2025, reflecting the country’s rebound in investment inflows and project approvals, despite the absence of official confirmation from the Dept of the Registrar of Companies (ROC). Efforts to obtain precise data from the ROC—including formal requests, contacting high officials and more..

Aug 17 (NW) SL Customs recorded its highest-ever monthly revenue in July, collecting 235 billion rupees, Director General Sunil Nonis said. July revenue marked a historic milestone for the institution. “In 2023, surpassing 100 billion rupees in a month was considered a major achievement. Today, we have reached 235 billion rupees,” he said. The new system was designed to improve convenience for importers and exporters, aiming to further strengthen the dept’s performance. more..