Aug 21 (CT) Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali Jayathunga, yesterday, issued a notice directing former Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne, who is evading arrest, to appear in Court on 29 Aug in connection with the controversial sand mining project at the Kirinda Fisheries Harbour. The project, which was handed over to a Korean company, has allegedly caused financial losses exceeding Rs 26 million to the State. Notice was issued under Section 60(1) of the Code of more..

Aug 21 (DM) UN Food & Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) research vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen has arrived at the Port of Colombo as a port of call though not for research purposes, with its operators assuring SL that it will return at the earliest opportunity to carry out a long-awaited marine research survey in local waters. The vessel, which sailed from Port Louis, Mauritius, is scheduled to depart for Bangladesh today or tomorrow, more..

Aug 21 (FT) SL faces the Report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR), and the Resolution expected to be submitted by the UK and Canada at the September session of the UNHRC, in a specific global and historical context. That context is the confusion, fissure, irrationality and extremism in the West, and the resultant toxicity of the West. Most of the Human Rights initiatives, strictures and suggestions we face are from a West which is not merely divided but more..

Aug 21 (FT) Sahasdhanavi power plant has been in the news from April this year due to multiple controversies, from the infamous picture of Dr. Tilak Siyambalapitiya signing the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Deputy Chairman Ravindra Pitigalage. It was soon revealed that Dr. Siyambalapitiya was also the Chairman of LTL Holdings, thus appeared to be in flagrant violation of the CIABOC Act of 2024 provisions on conflicts of interest. Soon it transpired that the cabinet more..

Aug 21 (DM) A 26 year old suspect who had allegedly impersonated film director Somaratne Dissanayake to collect nude photographs of women under the pretense of offering acting roles in films was released on bail with the court directing him to apologise to the director both in court and publicly through the media. Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali Jayathunga granted bail to the suspect, Isuru Madhumal from the Polgahawela area. The case was filed following more..

Aug 21 (EN) Hilton Colombo is holding a food festival in backed by the chefs from their network in Vietnam, as the two countries celebrate 55 years of diplomatic relations, the embassy of the South East Asian nation said. “This is a very meaningful event on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of Viet Nam-SL diplomatic relations (1970-2025),” Ambassador Trinh Thi Tam said. “Through the partnership with Hilton Colombo and Hilton Da Nang, we are thrilled to bring the essence of Viet Nam cuisine more..

Aug 21 (AD) Former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon, who was arrested by the CID, yesterday, has been remanded until Aug 27. The order was issued by Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court Nilupuli Lankapura. The former IGP was arrested by a team of CID officers at his residence yesterday. He was arrested in connection with investigations into the attack carried out on the Aragalaya protest movement on May 9, 2022 more..

Aug 21 (DM) The National Lotteries Board (NLB) has reported a revenue increase of more than 25% in the first six months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, with income rising by Rs. 4.9 billion. NLB’s total revenue for the first half of 2025 stood at Rs. 22 billion, of which Rs. 11 billion was paid out as prize money—exactly half of the income. This marks a 30% increase compared to Rs. 8.9 billion paid in prizes during the first six months of 2024. Payments to Govt Consolidated Fund rose by Rs.536m more..

Aug 21 (NW) The Dept of Meteorology has issued an advisory for warm weather for the Northern, North-central and Eastern provinces and Hambantota and Monaragala districts. According to the department, amber alerts have been issued to 12 districts, effective tomorrow (22). The department states that the Heat index, the temperature felt on the human body, is likely to increase up to Caution level at some places in the districts. The public has been warned that fatigue is possible with more..

Aug 21 (DM) It is common for countries to launch development projects while they achieve economic growth. Such projects bring both benefits and drawbacks. Although various development work has been undertaken in Sri Lanka to minimise these drawbacks, some have still had adverse effects on the population. Maha Ela Project in the North Central Province is one such initiative. Implemented under Ministry of Irrigation, more..

Aug 21 (PMD) A group of students from 14 schools representing the Student Parliament of the Jaffna Education Zone, had the opportunity recently to participate in the Vision programme organized by the Presidential Secretariat. This programme is jointly implemented by the Presidential Secretariat, Ministry of Education and the Dept of Communication of the Parliament for the benefit of schoolchildren. This also marked the first time that representatives of the Jaffna Education Zone Student Parliament more..

Aug 21 (NW) Officials from the Colombo Magistrate’s Court today visited former minister Rajitha Senaratne’s house in Malabe to display the warrant issued for his arrest. Court officials were seen putting up the notice at Senratne’s residence in Thalahena, while announcements were made using a loudspeaker on the charges filed against him. Earlier this month, the Colombo Magistrate’s Court issued a warrant for Senaratne’s arrest following submissions by the Bribery Commission. more..

Aug 21 (PMD) The Environment Pioneer President’s Medal Awarding Ceremony – 2025 was held this morning (21) at the BMICH in Colombo, under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The event, jointly organised annually by the Central Environmental Authority and the Ministry of Education, recognises and appreciates students with exceptional knowledge of environmental conservation and management by presenting them with Presidential Medals. more..

Aug 21 (AD) The Budget Estimate of the National Audit Office for the year 2026 was taken up for consideration at the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) held on Tuesday and was approved to be presented to Parliament with the Committee’s proposals. This consideration was carried out in terms of Section 34 of the Audit Act No. 19 of 2018. Given that the MP Dr. Harsha de Silva, Chair of the CoPF, was overseas, the said Committee met under the chairmanship of the MP Rauff Hakeem, more..

Aug 21 (DN) Skeletal remains belonging to at least 88 people were discovered during excavations of a mass grave inside the Colombo Port complex, officials have confirmed. The third phase of excavations, which had been temporarily halted, has now resumed. The work is being supervised by Colombo Additional Magistrate Kasun Kanchana Dissanayake and guided by Senior Professor of Archaeology Raj Somadeva, more..

Aug 21 (TM) A new report from the WHO reveals that an estimated 1.2 billion children worldwide are subjected to corporal punishment annually. The report highlights that this practice is widespread in both homes and schools, with significant variations by country. For example, parental use of corporal punishment in the past month was reported by 77% of parents in Togo, compared to just 30% in Kazakhstan. In schools, around 70% of children in Africa and Central America more..

Aug 21 (AD) China and Sri Lanka are currently working hand in hand to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, SL’s Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong said. Ambassador was speaking at an event to mark the 80th Anniversary of the “Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War”, held at the BMICH in Colombo yesterday. “This epic new chapter of cooperation is the most vibrant tribute to history, the most solid more..

Aug 21 (CI) Uncapped batter Pavan Rathnayake is in line to make his debut for Sri Lanka after being named in their 16-member squad for the limited-overs tour of Zimbabwe. Sri Lanka also recalled Nuwanidu Fernando, who has been knocking on the national team's door for a while. The 25-year-old made his ODI debut in Jan 2023, but has played only five ODIs and a solitary T20I so far. Nuwanidu's recent performances, though, more..

Aug 21 (DM) A complaint has been lodged with the CID regarding a false social media report alleging that MP Namal Rajapaksa was involved in planning an assassination. The complaint was filed this morning by a group of SLPP members. An SLPP representative said the false claims were being circulated via a YouTube channel. “The channel alleges that MP Namal Rajapaksa is plotting to assassinate an individual currently in remand custody, using underworld links to help more..

Aug 21 (DM) Deakin Week Sri Lanka 2025 (19th to 21st Aug), a biennial event hosted by Deakin University Australia, concluded on a high note recently, welcoming over 300 academic, industry and government leaders. The event functioned as a strategic platform to assert Deakin as a thought leader in Sri Lanka and to strengthen industry partnerships, demonstrate the university’s academic excellence, research innovation, and dedication to educational advancement in the country. more..

Aug 21 (AD) One in every five people in Western Province has diabetes as a consequence of excessive sugar consumption, according to health experts. Specialist Dr. Manilka Sumanatilleke stated that excessive sugar consumption had led to this situation. “Non-communicable diseases are increasing rapidly and now account for 80% of all deaths in the country. Heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes are amongst them. Diabetes is also prevalent among children with obesity” more..

Aug 21 (DN) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa told Parliament that the govt will go ahead with the implementation of the fingerprint machine at the Central Mail Exchange, despite ongoing trade union action. He said several postal trade unions affiliated with opposition parties have resorted to strike action to disrupt the work of the Postal Dept. The Postmaster General has urged all employees to report to duty immediately, assuring that any issues raised could be resolved through discussion. more..

Aug 21 (SM) National carrier – SriLankan Airlines is currently facing allegations of irregularities behind the cancellation of its 2025 Tender for 05 apron buses. This was revealed by convenor of the Civil Intelligence Front (CIF) – Sanjaya Mahawatta during a press briefing in Colombo. On Jan. 23, 2023, Sri Lankan Airlines published an international competitive bid under reference GSE/ICB01/2023 for the procurement of apron buses. more..

Aug 21 (NF) Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court issued an arrest warrant for former MP Diana Gamage, ordering that she be taken into custody and produced before the court. The warrant was issued by Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali after Gamage failed to appear in court for a hearing related to multiple charges under the Immigration and Emigration Act. She is accused of submitting false information to obtain a foreign passport & remaining in SL without a valid visa. more..

Aug 21 (SM) An investigation has been initiated into the heads of Melwa Group and RS Steel over allegations that they had attempted to procure around 6,000 MT of scrap metal, including retired train carriages, from Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) while bypassing proper Tender procedures. Probe was launched based on a complaint lodged with CIABOC by a senior official from a state institution. Noting that the procurement and evaluation committees responsible for selling the scrap metal more..

Aug 21 (AD) SL govt does not print money, and the entire matter is under the control of the central bank, Deputy Economic Development Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando said in response to concerns raised about recent monetary expansion. “Under the current environment the govt has no ability to print money,” Minister said. “So we have not done that. There is no legal room to do that.” He was responding to concerns raised that more..

Aug 21 (AD) Former Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa and five others have been served indictments by the Attorney General today before the Colombo High Court, on charges including the misuse of govt funds by illegally spending over Rs. 6.1 million from the CPC under the pretext of providing flood relief in Dec 2014. The indictments were served before Colombo High Court Judge Manjula Thilakaratne. Subsequently, the judge ordered that each accused be released on cash bail of Rs. 100,000 more..

Aug 21 (AD) A meeting was held on Wednesday at the Presidential Secretariat between His Eminence Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of SL (CBCSL) and Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. During the meeting, Cardinal briefed the President on the matters discussed at the tri-annual meeting of the Catholic Bishops. The Cardinal and Bishops also conveyed to the Prez, the views and proposals currently emerging within Catholic Church. more..

Aug 22 (DM) As much as religion or faith can grant you liberation, both these can land you in big trouble. History gives us enough examples of the latter happening. When thinking deep on these above mentioned two topics, it is heartening to know that today (22) is International Day of Commemorating the Victims of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. History has taught us that over 5000 wars in the world have been fought due to religion. And when we take a peep into world history, more..

Aug 22 (DM) Asian elephants are the quiet giants of the forest, but their most powerful tool is invisible. They have the strongest sense of smell of any land animal, far beyond that of dogs or humans. This super sense helps them find food and water, recognise friends and rivals, detect danger, and even make choices that require a kind of abstract thinking. Scientists are now beginning to uncover just how extraordinary this ability is. What they are finding reveals not only the hidden lives of more..

Aug 22 (DM) Fulfilling promises made to voters after an election is a central part of maintaining electoral integrity. This is especially important when a party has pledged to act quickly on matters that do not require lengthy procedures or major resources. When such promises remain unaddressed for extended periods, it raises questions about how seriously elected leaders regard commitments that they made during more..

Aug 22 (TM) Sri Lanka has a looming crisis which has been left largely unaddressed at national level and is not getting the focus it should. Over the last few decades Sri Lanka has seen a growth in non-communicable disease (NCD). This trend is mirrored internationally. Diabetes is significantly on the rise globally. Some reports have indicated that the number of people living with diabetes has more than quadrupled over the past 40 years. This increase is driven by factors more..

Aug 22 (CT) The decision to allow tourists to obtain driving licences on arrival at the BIA was met with mixed reaction. Moreover, the developments that followed, drawing approval from some groups and criticism from others, did have reasonable arguments, at least most of them. Given how the tourism sector saw a welcoming boom following the economic crisis and how the revenue generated from the industry contributes significantly to the economy, it is the duty of any govt to take more..

Aug 22 (SO) In Sri Lanka, where diverse religious and ethnic communities have coexisted for centuries, religious harmony is not merely a social ideal. It is a fundamental pillar of national security. With Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity being the predominant religions, the country’s peace and progress are deeply influenced by how these faiths coexist and interact within the broader social fabric. more..

Aug 22 (CT) The name mullah is of Persian origin crept through the Arabic world maula and denotes to a theologian and interpreter of the sacred laws or sharia in Islam. The name is also popularly used in Afghanistan. It also found a place within the Jewish communities in those countries and in Bukhara in Uzbekistan where it referred to a community leader. However, after the 12th century when Islamic scholarship and rationalist interpretation of Islam started waning, and more..

Aug 22 (ST) It was that time of the day when Aldoris, the choon-paan karaya, would come down the lane in his tuk-tuk giving us a taste of his loudspeaker music before a taste of his maalu paan! Well this time, the trio was waiting at the gate, as I had also shown interest in a maalu paan while writing my column. “Ah Aldoris, ada apata monawada thiyenney (Well Aldoris, what do you have for us today),” asked Kussi Amma Sera. “Aluth biththara pastry thiyenawa (I got some new egg pastries),” he said. more..