Aug 23 (DM) UNP lawyers filed a complaint against Youtuber Sudantha Tilakasiri who uploaded a post saying former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe is to be arrested and was to be remanded for 14 days. Lawyer Nalin Pathirana told the media that there are suspicions that the arrest was pre-planned. “We wonder how this Youtuber got to know about the decision of the courts even before the judgment was delivered," he added. The same suspicion was raised by a few MPs including Opposition more..

Aug 23 (DM) In a development that exposes a grave breach of public trust and accountability, Parliament’s High Posts Committee, for the second time, has halted the nomination of H.M.V.B. Vijitha Herath to a diplomatic position, following a series of severe and well-documented allegations involving falsification of official records, unlawful possession of an Official Passport and misrepresentation of citizenship status. more..

Aug 23 (Island) Police investigations have revealed that a person called Army Asanka, killed in a STF operation at Wewegama, Suriyawewa, was a contract killer with underworld links. The STF launched a raid in the early hours of yesterday following information that a group of underworld criminals was hiding in the Wewegama area. During the operation, two suspects opened fire at STF personnel with a 12-bore shotgun. STF officers returned fire, injuring one of the suspects, more..

Aug 23 (Island) The Board of Investment (BOI) has announced plans to establish seven new investment zones across the country this year, aiming to accelerate regional economic growth, attract foreign direct investment (FDI), and generate thousands of new employment opportunities. BOI Chairman Arjuna Herath said that the zones will be strategically located in the Northern, North Western, Eastern, and Southern Provinces, with a focus on sector-specific development. more..

Aug 23 (CT) The world came close to forging a legally-binding international agreement to end plastic pollution, however, the final round of negotiations for the UN treaty after 10 days of talks, known as INC-5.2, concluded in Geneva on 15 August 2025 without a breakthrough. Despite strong momentum to tackle plastic pollution across its entire lifecycle, deep divisions remained—particularly over production caps and the regulation of toxic chemicals. During the INC-5.2 talks in Geneva, more..

Aug 23 (CT) Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) has accused the Deputy Minister of Health making false claims regarding the availability of an injection used in cardiac surgery. President of the MCPA, Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, said that an essential injection required for heart surgery, previously purchased by the Ministry of Health at a cost of Rs 7,000, had later been procured for Rs 300, according to Deputy Health Minister Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni. more..

Aug 23 (CT) A heated confrontation erupted inside the Central Mail Exchange (CME) in Colombo on Friday between employees and officials while a consignment of postal bags was being transported, prompting the Police to intervene after duties were obstructed. SL Army assisted with the distribution of postal parcels due to the ongoing strike by postal employees. A large number of parcels hoarded at the CME, more..

Aug 23 (FT) Parliament Secretariat said the National Audit (Amendment) Bill scheduled to be debated in Parliament received the approval of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection. Amendment seeks to move audit findings beyond reports into enforceable penalties, sharpening SL’s governance tools at a time of heightened scrutiny over public finances. Parliament Secretariat said in a statement that the Amendment aims to make necessary provisions more..

Aug 23 (DN) Peradeniya Teaching Hospital’s JMO Dr. Palitha Subasinghe emphasised that bus drivers and other motorists should understand that urine tests can detect drug use up to two weeks after consumption. He explained that following a road accident, when a driver is taken into custody and presented to a medical officer, a urine test can reveal drug use even if the driver truthfully claims not to have consumed drugs recently. This is because traces of drugs remain in the body for up to more..

Aug 23 (NF) Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, presenting the suspect former President Ranil Wickremesinghe to court, stated that the suspect had engaged in a private visit on Sept 22 and 23, 2023, using Rs. 16.6 million of public funds. Extraction: “Your Honour, after obtaining statements from approximately 33 witnesses, 8th Executive Prez of this country is being presented to court based on substantial evidence. more..

Aug 24 (TM) For decades, Ranil Wickremesinghe was known by a simple moniker: Mr. Clean. It symbolised the image of a politician untouched by the scandals and excesses that engulfed many of his contemporaries. That image, however, began to crack in 2015 with the infamous Central Bank bond scam. Although the scandal unfolded under his watch as PM, no direct action has ever been instituted against him. Still, the taint lingered, and the nickname slowly faded into memory. more..

Aug 24 (SO) For decades, India-China relationship has oscillated between guarded cooperation and deep hostility. Since the deadly Himalayan clashes in 2020 to the flurry of trade bans, troop build-ups, and cancelled flights, the two Asian giants seemed locked in a cycle of mistrust. Yet this month, there has been a visible improvement in relations. After Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Delhi, both sides announced steps to boost ties that would have been unthinkable just a year ago: more..

Aug 24 (TM) The arrest and remanding of former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday will serve as a litmus test for Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his JVP-led NPP Govt on many fronts. It is no secret that the JVP has had an axe to grind with Wickremesinghe since the 1988–’89 insurrection, where he has been accused of maintaining a torture chamber in Batalanda, while a sizeable portion of the general public more..

Aug 24 (ST) It was crystal clear for some time that JVP-NPP Govt was clearing the decks to frame charges on former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe under the Public Property Act, alleging misuse of public funds. The people have long been having conflicting allegiances with the former prez, but not even his most strident critic would deny that he yanked this country out of an acute food, fuel and medicine crisis and a chronic foreign exchange shortage and eventually stabilised economy more..

Aug 24 (ST) My dear Uncle Ranil, I am writing to you at a time of great uncertainty for you. Despite the publicity about you providing a statement to the Police, many reacted with shock when they heard you were remanded – and the lights went out in court too! We can only reflect on what a roller coaster year it has been for you, and what a difference that short period of time makes. Around this time last year, you were the boss, ruling the waves and waiving the rules. more..

Aug 24 (ST) With a wide range of criticisms pouring in on the arrest of former Prez Wickremesinghe, one counter-response came from Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra yesterday, shedding more insight into what is meant by official and personal when one serves in office while stressing that there is no such thing as semi-official or partially official. Deputy Minister wrote on his Facebook page that this is why the recent case of former Prez stands apart. more..

Aug 24 (CT) In what has become the ritualistic report of the UN Human Rights Commissioner to the UNHRC Council of 48-member nations, elected by rotation, incumbent Volker Türk seems to have settled for a credible, independent mechanism to probe SL’s war crimes and other allegations of human rights violations. This is in contrast to the decade-plus-long attempts by the international community (read: West) to impose an independent, international mechanism for the purpose. more..

Aug 24 (CT) He is 75 years old; has reached the evening of his political career. He has been the leader of the UNP since the death of Gamini Dissanayake in 1994. Thirty long years is indeed longer than the usual period of time one could remain as head of a political party without seeking means outside the democratic framework to sustain himself in that post of leadership. Ranil may have not been blessed with many a lordly characteristic a good leader is usually gifted with, but more..

Aug 24 (Island) Postal strike entered the fifth day on Friday, with the protesting workers launching a satyagraha. They have warned that they will intensify their trade union action further unless the govt softens its stand and negotiates with them. At the time of going to press, there were no signs of the govt agreeing to negotiations with the strikers. Instead, it warned that unless they returned to work immediately, their posts would be deemed vacant, & they would not be paid for current month. more..

Aug 24 (Island) Giant-killers Devapathiraja College Rathgama meet formidable St. Joseph’s College, Darley Road in a high stake Under 15 Division I cricket final at Wijerama Mawatha today. Devapathiraja are in uncharted territory when it comes to Division I cricket finals but they have gained a huge morale booster following the historic victory of their Under 17 team, who clinched the Division I title after reaching the final for the first time in history. ‎ more..

Aug 24 (ST) Despite playing much of the game with only 14 men, Royal College fought tooth and nail to clinch a 15-5 victory in the first leg of the 79th Bradby Shield against traditional rivals Trinity College at Pallekele yesterday. In a low-scoring and highly physical clash, Royal completely dismantled Trinity, the reigning Dialog Schools Rugby League champion and ended their winless streak at Pallekele dating back to 2019. more..

Aug 24 (TM) Election Committee (EC) formed to oversee Sri Lanka Rugby’s (SLR) AGM fixed for 9 Sept has put on hold the acceptance of nominations after its deadline lapsed on Tuesday (19). According to informed sources, a technical issue as per the provisions of the new SLR Constitution, on the part of a few clubs that had submitted their nominations, had forced the EC to temporarily put its acceptance on hold. Two former Sri Lanka stars, Pavithra Fernando and Lasitha Gunaratne, more..

Aug 24 (Island) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has recently (13) ordered a one-month suspension of the construction of two wind power plants in Mannar Island in order to review the issues raised primarily by the local communities. It has been reported that the community representatives raised serious concerns over a nine-day long continuous agitation (code named Karunilam – Black soil) against the impacts of environmental destruction, involuntary displacement and violation of more..

Aug 24 (ST) SL’s emerging star M.F. Muhammad produced the swim of his career in the Men’s 50m breaststroke at the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championship held in Otopeni, Romania yesterday. 17-year-old clocked a stunning 29.59 seconds, his personal best, narrowly missing the national record of 29.48 seconds held by Kiran Jayasinghe by just 0.11 seconds. It was a huge improvement for Muhammad, who had previously recorded 29.89 sec as his best timing, set recently in Colombo. more..

Aug 24 (SO) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), under its National Pathway Program, distributed cricket equipment to schools, clubs and SLC’s District and Provincial squads in a bid to further strengthen the development of the game across the country. The distribution program was conducted simultaneously across all districts and the main event was held at the Duncan White Auditorium of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs in collaboration with the SL Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) and more..

Aug 24 (TM) Despite the Govt conceding to 17 out of 19 demands, SL’s postal workers remain on an indefinite strike, crippling services nationwide and sparking outrage as unions refuse to compromise on overtime payments and fingerprint attendance rules – a deadlock the Postmaster General warns could permanently drive customers away from the State-run service. The demands encompassed several issues such as more..

Aug 24 (ST) Despite zero tariffs into the UK for Sri Lankan apparel products, Sri Lanka still stands out as the most expensive destination on the world map for manufacturing garments. Under the current scheme countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam have an advantage over Sri Lanka, Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) spokesman Yohan Lawrence said. He noted that what this does is that it allows Sri Lanka to be more competitive alongside other markets. more..

Aug 24 (TM) England have confirmed a white-ball tour of Sri Lanka in the lead-up to the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The two teams will lock horns in three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and as many T20Is, serving as key preparation for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. The venues for the white-ball cricket series will be the R. Premadasa Int'l Cricket Stadium (RPICS), Colombo for the ODIs and the Pallekele Int'l Cricket Stadium (PICS), Kandy for the T20Is. more..

Aug 24 (TM) Dept of Prisons has taken steps to provide former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe with a separate, highly secured ward, specialised for medical care, and permission to bring food from home following his remand in connection with a case of alleged misuse of State funds. He was remanded on Friday (22) night and later admitted to the Prison Hospital. However, by yesterday morning, he had been transferred to a special ward more..

Aug 24 (PMD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake underscored that ambassadors carry the crucial responsibility of strengthening SL’s image on the international stage. He made these remarks this afternoon (22) at the Presidential Secretariat during a meeting with newly appointed Heads of Missions. Congratulating the new heads of missions, the Prez urged them to serve Sri Lankans living abroad fairly and without discrimination, while promptly addressing the issues faced by the expatriate more..

Aug 24 (EN) World Bank representatives and Revenue Administration Reform and Modernization Bureau officials have met to discuss the Sri Lanka Customs Modernisation Programme. The World Bank representatives “expressed their willingness to provide the necessary international institutional support and expert guidance to ensure the success of the programme,” the president’s media division said. The revision of the Customs Ordinance was also discussed the PMD said. more..

Aug 24 (PMD) Sabaragamuwa Provincial Program, implemented by President’s Fund to recognize students who achieved outstanding results at the district level in the 2023/2024 GCE A/L Exam, was held this morning (23) at the Ratnapura District Secretariat Auditorium under the patronage of Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne. A total of 360 students, 10 from each of the six subject streams from the Ratnapura and Kegalle districts, who achieved top results in six subject streams more..

Aug 24 (TM) Senior members of the UNP have rallied behind former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe following his recent arrest, condemning the move as an act of political revenge and questioning the motives of the Govt. UNP leaders praised Wickremesinghe’s contributions, particularly his role in stabilising the country’s economy during its worst-ever crisis. UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene stated that while UNP supported the country’s anti-corruption drive, it stood against any effort to more..

Aug 24 (TM) Amid mounting controversy, Ministry of Energy confirmed that the recently floated long-term coal tender to procure 2.25 million MT of coal for 2025/’26 would not be cancelled and would proceed as planned. The move comes despite allegations from Opposition MP D.V. Chanaka, who last week accused the Govt of preparing the ground to grant unfair advantages to a specific supplier. more..

Aug 24 (AD) The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has issued a notice on former Governor of the Central Bank of SL (CBSL), Arjuna Mahendran, who has been named as a suspect in the 2015 Central Bank bond scam, to appear before court on September 26. The notice was issued by Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali Jayatunga after considering a request made by the CIABOC. Mahendran, who is currently residing in Singapore, was summoned to appear before court. more..

Aug 24 (DM) A 37-year-old has appeared in court accused of murdering of a beautiful woman found in the street in the early morning. Nirodha Niwunhella, 32, died after being seriously injured on a road in Cardiff on Thursday. Paramedics attended the scene on South Morgan Place in Riverside at 7.37am, but despite their best efforts Nirodha was pronounced dead at the scene. Thisara Weragalage, of Pentwyn, 37, was arrested shortly afterwards on Seawall Road in Splott. Police say he was known to her but more..