Aug 17 (SO) The long-running backlog of vehicle number plates at Dept of Motor Traffic (DMT) is to be cleared soon, following the Cabinet-Appointed Procurement Committee’s review of supplier bids, Commissioner General Kamal Amarasinghe said. Committee formally opened the bids on Friday, with the Ministry of Transport expected to approve the successful supplier shortly. After it is finalised, the DMT will issue official, tamper proof number plates to all vehicles within two to 3 months. more..

Aug 17 (ST) The CIABOC has decided to file action against Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody following corruption complaints over misappropriation of funds while serving at the Fertiliser Corporation in 2015. The action is to be filed in the High Court against the minister and two others over charges of misappropriation of Rs 8 million. Mr Jayakody had served as the head of the tender board that awarded a particular tender that came under scrutiny. Investigations into the tender began after more..

Aug 17 (AD) The leave of all employees of the Department of Posts has been cancelled with effect from today (17). Postmaster General, Mr. Ruwan Sathkumara, has officially informed all heads of the department of this decision in writing. Meanwhile, the Postal and Telecommunications Officers’ Union, together with the United Postal Trade Unions’ Front (UPTUF), has announced that they will commence a strike action from 4.00 p.m. today (17). The strike is being launched based on 19 key demands, more..

Aug 17 (ST) SL Navy has been vested with powers again from August 13 onwards to undertake a maritime security operation project—hitherto provided by Avant Garde Maritime Services (Pvt)—to offer security services to foreign private maritime security companies to ensure the safety of merchant vessels entering SL territorial waters. A gazette notification was issued by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake this week more..

Aug 17 (TM) The Attorney General’s (AG) Department, already struggling under a severe shortage of officers, has been left in limbo as the Public Service Commission (PSC) has failed to respond to a formal request for additional appointments for over four months. Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe, PC, in a written appeal, has requested the PSC to approve 25 more officers to bolster the department, which currently handles criminal cases with only 97 officers. more..

Aug 17 (DM) Govt will reimburse only the refundable deposits placed by the Adani Group for the Mannar Wind Power project, Minister Kumara Jayakody said. He said that the Adani Group had placed deposits with regard to the project at the Sustainable Energy Authority. Minister said this while responding to a question whether Adani Group had demanded initial costs from the govt. He said any project involves refundable and non-refundable deposits and that the govt will reimburse only refundable deposits. more..

Aug 17 (ST) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s intention probably was to put the record straight and distance himself from the rather alarming remarks made by the JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva on the need for one party to stay in power for at least 15 to 20 years, but whatever the reason, the Prez’s statement this week that neither he nor his party planned to stay glued to power and are well aware of the time more..

Aug 18 (Island) Decades of underfunding have left our education system, overall, fractured and in urgent need of rebuilding. The virtual lack of public early childhood education, the years of neglected vocational training, and the scale of problems facing general education (widespread staff shortages, stark disparities in resources, among other things) mean that these subsectors demand immediate attention. Therefore, despite the opaqueness of the consultative process and questions we have more..

Aug 18 (DM) SL’s youth unemployment rate has consistently been higher than the national average. In 2022, for instance, the unemployment rate for those aged 20-29 was 16.2%, significantly above the national rate of 4.7%. This issue is even more acute for young women, with female youth unemployment rates often double those of their male counterparts. A major contributing factor is the disconnect between the traditional, academic-focused education system & demands of a rapidly evolving job market. more..

Aug 18 (TM) Sri Lanka Railways is once again in the national spotlight, this time amid a sudden shake-up at its highest level. Former General Manager Dhammika Jayasundara was removed by Cabinet decision, with Ravindra Pathmapriya stepping into the role the very next day. Yet, while the headlines focus on this dramatic leadership switch, the deeper, more unsettling question lingers: can an institution mired in chronic inefficiency, more..

Aug 18 (TM) The landmark talks between US Prez Donald Trump and Russian Prez Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson – a US military installation on the northern edge of Anchorage, Alaska ended with the old KGB trained spy-turned politician departing, with a smile on his face and seemingly happy with denting his pariah image. The US President had drawn a lot of flack for inviting his Russian counterpart on to US soil for the meeting, and it seems, at least from what we know more..

Aug 18 (CT) Impunity for soldiers like those in Israel Defence Forces (IDF) refers to their exclusion from accountability and punishment for crimes committed, often due to a lack of legal mechanisms or political will. This can take the form of amnesty laws, sovereign immunity, or the failure of domestic legal systems to investigate and prosecute crimes. Amnesty laws promise not to prosecute past violators of human rights or int'l law, but can hinder accountability; perpetuate a cycle of violence. more..

Aug 18 (SO) Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF), commonly known as Anthare, once the undisputed voice of student activism in SL, now stands at a historic turning point. Amid widening cracks in its leadership, a new faction—led by Sasindu Perera, President of the Peradeniya University General Students’ Union—has emerged with a bold claim: that the IUSF no longer represents the students it was created to serve. more..

Aug 18 (CT) When doctors warn that only 700 out of 17,500 branded medicines are under price control, it is not a failure of policy. It is a failure of governance. In SL today, medicines are meant to be a social safety net, but for many, they have become a luxury they cannot afford. Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) recently highlighted this appalling reality. Although the Ministry of Health issued a Gazette limiting prices across about 60 categories of drugs, more..

Aug 18 (Island) The Opposition is a kind of space of penance and purification, where politicians ousted due to corruption, abuse of power and incompetence, receive political absolution, which enables them to make comebacks. In the Philippines, Bongbong, the only son of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos, has secured the presidency. In this country, a bunch of politicians, voted out of power in 2015, for corruption, abuse of power and various crimes, more..

Aug 18 (ST) Ganja got the official seal of approval this week when the Govt gave the legal thumbs up to seven foreign investors to grow the banned substance on the SL isle. But the JVP cannot bag the dubious credit alone but must equally share it with former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and the SLPP in the previous Parliament for enacting laws that made it possible for ganja to be legally grown. Special recognition must also be paid to SLPP MP Diana Gamage, who championed ganja as more..

Aug 18 (Island) Giant killers Devapathiraja College Ratgama will encounter unbeaten Mahanama College, Colombo in the final of the U-17 Division I Cricket tournament today. Devapathiraja led by dynamic all-rounder Arosha Sithumina have been enjoying remarkable success this season. They are in their first ever Division I final after having turned tables on some of the powerhouses of schools cricket. Their rivals, Mahanama too have enjoyed similar success but have reached U-17 Div I more..

Aug 18 (FT) Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Senior Prof. Hareendra Dissabandara recently said the necessary groundwork is complete to list State-owned enterprises (SOEs) on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE). Speaking at the Invest Sri Lanka Forum in Singapore last week, he said that the infrastructure is ready and that the Catalyst Board, set up specifically for SOE listings, is in place. more..

Aug 18 (FT) JAT Holdings PLC, a leading SL conglomerate in the manufacturing and coatings industry, announced its financial results for the first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, reflecting a stable and promising start despite external market challenges. Traditionally with the first quarter being the lowest demand quarter for the paint industry due to seasonality and the peak in the fourth quarter, Group still recorded a notable 20% year-on-year (YoY) growth in profit after tax (PAT), more..

Aug 18 (ST) In 2014, SL were crowned T20 World Champions in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Kumar Sangakkara played a match-winning hand, helping the team to lift a trophy that had eluded them in four previous finals. What’s more telling, though, is how they did it. That side didn’t have a lower order stacked with 100-metre hitters or muscle-bound finishers. It thrived on placement, on running hard, on choosing moments to attack. In 2014, you could still win T20 WC that way. In 2025, you can't. more..

Aug 18 (EN) CEB reported profits of 5.31 billion rupees in the June 2025 quarter, down from 34 billion rupees a year earlier, amid two tariff cuts in between. CEB’s June 2025 quarter revenues were down 33% from a year ago to 98 billion rupees, cost of sales were down 16% to 91.6 billion rupees and gross profits were down 81% to 7.0 billion rupees. Compared to March revenues rose from 93 to 98 billion rupees in June while cost of sales fell steeply from 112 to 92 billion rupees, more..

Aug 18 (FT) WEConnect International, in partnership with the US Department of State, hosted the SL Sustainable Trade and Economic Summit 2025 on 7 Aug at Shangri-La, Colombo. This high-level gathering convened over 200 key stakeholders, including women business owners, corporate leaders, Govt officials, and trade experts, to accelerate economic growth through enterprise development and int'l business collaboration. Summit featured policy dialogues, more..

Aug 18 (TM) The independent compensation commission established under the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on the MV X-Press Pearl disaster has yet to commence its work. It is learnt that the commission, to be chaired by retired Supreme Court Justice Gamini Amarasekera, will be tasked with assessing the full scale of damages and disbursing payments to victims. Justice Amarasekera confirmed that more..

Aug 18 (FT) SL’s tourism sector continues to demonstrate strong momentum, registering over 100,000 arrivals in the first half of August and surpassing 1.5 million visitors so far in 2025, a milestone reached two months earlier than last year. Tourism stakeholders view the 1.5 million milestone as a confidence booster for the industry, which is targeting 3 million arrivals by the end of 2025. With nearly half of the year’s target already achieved in just over seven months, they insisted that more..

Aug 18 (ST) Tourism authorities are to meet booking.com representatives in Colombo at the end of the month following govt concerns on ensuring room reservation platforms fall in line with the rest of the industry. Deputy Tourism Minister Ruwan Ranasinghe said that by the end of this month he will be meeting with representatives from booking.com. Discussions are expected to centre on how to ensure they are brought into the legal framework of the country as they operate here. more..

Aug 18 (ST) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has sought Cabinet approval to borrow the equivalent of US$500 million in renminbi (RMB) from EXIM Bank of China and to separately disburse US$438 million of SL govt funds to complete the long-delayed first section of the Central Expressway (CEP 1). This means that Sri Lanka, which has no RMB income, will have to convert its US dollar reserves to repay the loan. more..

Aug 18 (FT) High net worth investor of motor trade Indra Silva last week entered the National Development Bank (NDB), further expanding his banking sector portfolio. Silva was the major buyer of the 7.4% stake of NDB, which traded last week for Rs. 4.4 billion. Already, Silva is the single largest individual shareholder in Commercial Bank with 9.98% stake, third largest in Sampath Bank (9.9%), and holds 2.7% in Hatton National Bank (HNB) as the 12th largest. more..

Aug 18 (FT) Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe recently announced that the Ministry will expand its flagship Four-i Program pioneered by the National Productivity Secretariat (NPS) to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the country by 2026. Delivering the keynote address at the Rotary-AMCHAM SME Conclave 2025 organised by Rotary Club and American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) SL, he said the initiative is designed for businesses ready to embrace change. more..

Aug 18 (FT) SLT Group has reported that Profit After Tax (PAT) for the first half of 2025 reached Rs. 4.3 billion, a significant gain from the Rs. 323 million loss a year earlier. At the company level, SLT delivered strong results, with a PAT of Rs. 2.6 billion in 1H, up 873% from Rs. 272 million in the previous year, while Mobitel achieved a significant turnaround with a PAT of Rs. 1.1 billion compared to a loss of Rs. 1.1 billion in 1H 2024, delivering strong financial momentum. more..

Aug 18 (DM) As a response to the recent public discussions and media reports concerning the levelized tariff of the Sahasdhanavi Power Plant, Sahasdhanavi Ltd takes this opportunity to clarify several critical facts that might have been miscommunicated. Following is a release sent by Sahasdhanavi Limited. In light of recent public discussions and media reports concerning the levelized tariff of the Sahasdhanavi Power Plant, Sahasdhanavi Ltd wishes to clarify several more..

Aug 18 (TM) Electricity Consumers’ Association (ECA) alleged that 3 institutions have confirmed that the calculations in the Cabinet paper pertaining to the proposed Sahasdanavi Power Plant are misleading and inaccurate. ECA General Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika said that Secretary to Energy Ministry Prof. Udayanga Hemapala should accept responsibility for misleading the Cabinet & resign immediately. more..

Aug 18 (AM) Former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has reportedly informed the UNP that he will not take legal action against the withdrawal of privileges granted to former presidents. Wickremesinghe has said he sees no need to go to court seeking protection of such entitlements and further noted that if other former presidents decide to pursue legal proceedings, he will not extend his support. He also revealed that legal advice given to former presidents suggested that if cases are filed, more..

Aug 18 (FT) Severe congestion at the BIA has sparked frustration among passengers, with reports of long queues at check-in counters and immigration over the past few days. Travellers complained that overcrowding and delays left many on the brink of missing flights, while others described the departure areas as chaotic and operating beyond capacity. Tourists were also caught up in the bottlenecks, with several voicing disappointment over their final impression of SL after an otherwise positive holiday experience. more..

Aug 18 (TM) Medical activists have urged the Govt to devise a plan for the proper utilisation of funds allocated for the health sector through the budget, noting that the health sector requires a considerable amount of funds to ensure proper services. Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association (MCPA) President Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa said that only around one-third of the funds allocated for the health sector had been used so far. He urged Prez to take this situation into account, more..

Aug 18 (AD) A total of 609 individuals have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in criminal activities and also over illicit liquor and drug-related offenses during a special island-wide operation conducted yesterday (16). As part of the operation, 26,607 people were subjected to inspection. Police have identified 21 individuals directly linked to criminal activities while 439 suspects with outstanding warrants were arrested during the operation, police noted. more..