Aug 5 (ST) SLC is once again turning to foreign expertise in an attempt to raise the standards of the national team. Following a disappointing 2-1 T20I series defeat to Bangladesh, board has advertised for new batting, fielding, and spin bowling coaches, effectively replacing Thilina Kandamby, Upul Chandana, and Piyal Wijetunga, all former SL internationals. Sri Lanka’s next international assignment is in Zimbabwe, more..

Aug 5 (FT) Telco giant Dialog Axiata together with MAS Holdings, an apparel manufacturing and technology conglomerate, have successfully concluded the third consecutive Dialog MAS Enabler Program, reaffirming their shared commitment to workplace inclusivity and the empowerment of persons with disabilities through targeted exposure to real-world corporate, manufacturing, and service environments. Held from 23 June to 7 July, the two-week program enabled selected u'graduates more..

Aug 5 (Island) Aruna Dharshana regained his form with an impressive sub 46 seconds performance in the 400 metres at the 103rd National Athletics Championship but the 26-year-old may not pursue for a place in the team for the upcoming World Championship. “My target was to produce a far better performance. Now we don’t have much time left to pursue for a World Championship spot,” Dharshana told The Island after retaining the 400 metres title. When the year began, more..

Aug 5 (FT) Ceylon Chamber of Coconut Industries in a statement extended its sincere appreciation to Prez Anura Kumara Disanayake and the negotiating team for securing a reduced 20% reciprocal tariff from the US. “As our largest export market for coconut products, this achievement marks a critical win for the industry, helping SL exporters compete more fairly with key regional players such as Indonesia, Vietnam & Philippines, who currently enjoy a marginal 1% lower rate,” more..

Aug 5 (FT) The Rent-A-Car Association of Sri Lanka has welcomed the timely and progressive initiative by the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) to open a dedicated office at the BIA in Katunayake for the issuance of International Driving Permits (IDPs) to foreign nationals arriving in the country. This new service marks a major step forward in promoting tourist convenience, road safety, and ease of mobility for international visitors who wish to explore Sri Lanka independently. more..

Aug 5 (FT) In a bid to promote cross-border expansion of SL enterprises, Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) has approved updated guidelines on outward investments, raising investment thresholds and simplifying processes for local companies to venture overseas. At the time, the Committee imposed tighter controls on State-owned enterprises (SOEs) borrowing under Public Debt Management Act more..

Aug 5 (FT) National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) Leader Karu Jayasuriya in a statement said that the fact that US President Donald Trump has reduced the export tariff rate on Sri Lanka from 44% to 20% can be considered a form of concession given the challenges the country faced. However, Jayasuriya emphasised the need for Sri Lanka to act collectively and wisely, given the competitive situation arising from Asian countries in the future export of goods from SL to the US. more..

Aug 5 (DM) The local construction industry risks widespread collapse if urgent relief is not extended to the struggling firms, the Chamber of Construction Industry of Sri Lanka (CCISL) warned, citing a growing wave of parate executions by the banks on the mortgaged assets. According to CCISL Secretary General and CEO Nissanka N. Wijeratne (Retd), the banks are presently moving at an unprecedented pace to auction the properties mortgaged by the construction companies as collaterals. more..

Aug 5 (FT) One of Asia’s most widely known commentators and spokespeople, Prof. Kishore Mahbubani last week in Colombo said strategically located SL is at a sweet spot to benefit from the world’s biggest markets at its doorstep, provided there are consistent policies, a collective effort, and smarter geopolitical scaling. A Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Research Institute (ARI), National Uni of Singapore (NUS), Prof. Mahbubani shared more..

Aug 5 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has alleged that the govt approved the controversial Kerawalapitiya Sahasdanavi LNG power plant based on inaccurate and misleading data presented in a Cabinet paper. Speaking at a media briefing today, Premadasa claimed that the Cabinet paper cited a unit cost of Rs. 20.15 per unit of electricity, calculated using outdated figures such as Rs. 110 per litre of diesel and an exchange rate of Rs. 195 per USD. more..

Aug 5 (DN) Ayomal Akalanka the 19-year-old athlete from Ambagamuwa MMV representing Nuwaraeliya DAA and Lakshika Sugandi of SL Army have won the best men and women hurdler awards at the 103rd National Athletic Championship concluded at tDiyagama over the weekend. Akalanka was able to win the gold medal in men’s 400m hurdle with a time of 50.27 seconds won the Duncan White Challenge Trophy. Lakshika Sugandi who was placed first in 100m hurdle with 13.68 seconds won more..

Aug 5 (DN) Sri Lanka’s badminton star Ranithma Liyanage made a superb display to win the under19 women’s singles title at the Yonex England Junior Badminton Championships 2025, held at the Uni of Birmingham on Sunday. This was great achievement by Ranithma who is from Christ Church College Baddegama. The 18-year promising shuttler seeded second in this tournament is supported by McLarens Holdings and proved her class by cruising through the draw without dropping a single game. more..

Aug 5 (CT) Dr Indrani Malwenna, Regional Director of Health Services for Gampaha, has issued a stark warning about the worsening state of children’s mental health in the district, revealing that 19 child suicides were reported last year alone. Speaking at the Gampaha District Coordination Committee meeting Dr. Malwenna described the situation as deeply alarming and called for urgent reforms to ease the psychological burden on children. “Last yr, 19 children in the district died by suicide. more..

Aug 5 (TM) SL’s tax revenue collection has jumped by about 26% in the first half of 2025 compared to the corresponding period last year, driven by revenue from VAT and excise duties. In their Fiscal Review Report for the first half of the year, the Finance Ministry said that the total revenue increased by 24.8% to Rs. 2,322 billion in the period, where tax revenue amounted to Rs. 2,152 billion, a 25.9% increase year-on-year (y-o-y). more..

Aug 5 (FT) Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has extended the validity of Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) issued to taxpayers, allowing their use until 30 Nov 2025. Extension applies to individuals, partnerships, and corporate taxpayers who are required to submit tax returns for the 2024/2025 year of assessment, revenue authority said in a 31 July statement. PIN serves as a password for accessing the Revenue Administration Management Information System (RAMIS), more..

Aug 5 (FT) The CoPF has been informed that the recent issues surrounding the taxation of e-commerce goods have now been resolved. Officials told the committee that operations are proceeding without disruptions following earlier delays caused by the reintroduction of Harmonised System (HS) code-based taxation, according to a statement from the Parliament’s Dept of Communication. Previously, Customs cleared low-value imports from platforms such as AliExpress & Temu based on weight. more..

Aug 5 (DM) The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) earlier protested against casinos as certain political families struck deals with casino kings such as James Packer by giving them special perks and trying to start casinos even without an Act for regulating it, Deputy Tourism Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe said. He told reporters that they are against locals being attracted to casinos and that the government has restricted locals from entering casinos through the new Act. more..

Aug 5 (AD) A total of 11 Indian nationals have been arrested by the Thalangama Police for allegedly engaging in online gambling activities. Based on a tip-off, a team of officers from the Thalangama Police Station carried out a raid last night in Akuregoda, Thalangama. During the raid, eight males and three females were arrested for engaging in gambling activities using computers and mobile phones. Officers also seized 20 mobile phones, three laptop computers, and a tablet device. more..

Aug 5 (TM) Govt stated that although it may need to seek technical assistance from international experts to examine skeletal remains discovered at mass graves such as Chemmani, there will be no need for any other form of int'l intervention, as it fully supports the ongoing investigation process. Deputy Minister of National Integration Muneer Mulaffer said that while there has long been a call from some groups in north more..

Aug 5 (TM) The Electricity Consumers’ Association (ECA) has informed the Central Bank of SL (CBSL) and CEB to look into an alleged additional charge of 0.84% being imposed when electricity payments are made using electronic bank cards for factories and bulk solar panel accounts. In a written complaint submitted to the CBSL and the CEB, ECA General Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika claimed that the charge violated the CBSL’s regulations and urged an immediate investigation. more..

Aug 5 (DM) The Committee on Public Finance (COPF) has proposed improvements to the Gambling Regulatory Authority Bill, while advocating for the inclusion of the National Lotteries Board and Development Lotteries Board within the regulatory framework of the said authority. The committee emphasised that lotteries constitute gambling. The officials present also stated that concerns pertaining to e-commerce platform taxation has been resolved. They stated that operations are now more..

Aug 5 (AZ) Sri Lanka is set to launch a groundbreaking program that will offer vocational training to inmates while they serve their sentences, a move aimed at rehabilitation and long-term reintegration into society, an official announced. According to spokesperson for the Dept of Prisons, the govt has earmarked 100 million rupees for the program—marking the first time such an initiative will be rolled out nationwide. more..

Aug 5 (FT) Chamber of Construction Industry of Sri Lanka Presently the banks are moving at an unprecedented pace to auction the properties mortgaged by construction companies as collaterals to raise funds for working capital, to buy equipment, to obtain required bonds and guarantees and also to meet expenditure when construction activities were in limbo. Especially when the payments for work done is delayed generally these are funded through bank borrowings. more..

Aug 5 (FT) SL’s economic crisis has been exacerbated by its reliance on IMF bailout packages, which come with stringent conditions that often undermine long-term growth. One of the most damaging aspects of IMF-imposed austerity is the restriction on tax incentives, including tax holidays for foreign and local investors. By preventing the Govt from offering competitive tax breaks, the IMF effectively discourages investment in export-oriented industries—precisely the sectors SL needs more..

Aug 5 (NW) Officials of the Chinese Communist Party are of the view that a govt must remain in power for at least 15 to 20 in order to implement meaningful reforms in Sri Lanka, according to JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva. Silva made the remarks while discussing the JVP delegation’s recent visit to China in June, undertaken at the invitation of the Communist Party of China (CPC). During the tour, the delegation, led by Silva, held meetings with senior CPC and govt officials. more..

Aug 5 (AD) The Cabinet has granted approval to the proposal to commence the production of the Virtual City Project by SL Telecom, using the funds allocated for the Clean Sri Lanka project. The city of Kandy, which includes the historical Temple of the Tooth Relic, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has been identified to be developed as the Virtual City in Kandy, serving as a pilot project for the creation of a Virtual City. It has been planned to create 58 places identified on a priority basis more..

Aug 5 (AD) Resolution for the removal of Deshabandu Tennakoon from the office of the IGP has been passes in the Parliament. Total of 177 members voted in favour of the motion while there were no votes against it. A single MP had abstained from voting. The vote was taken this evening after the Resolution for the removal of Deshabandu Tennakoon from the office of the IGP, in terms of Section 17 of the Removal of more..

Aug 5 (MoD) People’s Republic of China has donated a consignment of disaster relief equipment worth over Rs. 400 million to Sri Lanka at a formal handover ceremony held today at the Disaster Management Division in Colombo. Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong officially handed over the humanitarian aid to Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampatha Thuyacontha (Retd) at the ceremony held this morning. Defence Secretary, speaking at the ceremony, expressed more..

Aug 5 (CT) State sector doctors are once again up in arms over the annual transfer lists, accusing the Ministry of Health and Mass Media of failing to implement 10,000 approved transfers for medical practitioners. Assistant Secretary of the GMOA, Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe, yesterday, strongly criticised Ministry officials, stating they had failed in their duty to execute annual transfers over the past several years. Of the 23,000 transfers approved, 10,000 remain unimplemented. more..

Aug 5 (DM) Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Anil Jayantha addressed concerns surrounding a large consignment of BYD electric vehicles currently detained by SL Customs over discrepancies in declared motor capacity. Approximately 1,000 BYD vehicles, shipped in several consignments, were held after concerns had been raised that vehicles declared with a 100-kW motor capacity more..

Aug 5 (DM) At least 120 temporary driving licences have been issued to foreign tourists at the on-arrival service counter at BIA in the two days since its launch, Dept of Motor Traffic (DMT) Commissioner General Kamal Amarasinghe said. He said while requests to obtain licences for three-wheelers and heavy vehicles were rejected, tourists are eligible for temporary driving permits based on the validity of their visa and home country licence. These permits are issued within 10 minutes upon arrival. more..

Aug 5 (DM) The Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) has recorded a significant increase in vehicle registrations this year, with a total of 133,678 vehicles registered as of July 2025, Commissioner General Kamal Amarasinghe said. According to the data, motorcycles accounted for the majority with 100,451 registrations, followed by 20,535 motor cars, 3,293 three-wheelers, and 1,995 dual-purpose vehicles. Monthly figures indicate a steady rise in registrations: January – 11,464 vehicles more..

Aug 5 (EN) SL has collected 129 billion rupees from excise duties from vehicles in the first half of 2025, after imports were liberalized, up from 29.6 billion rupees last year. Imported cars also have a 20% duty, which the govt loses if the vehicle is locally assembled as well as VAT. Import VAT and duty also went up. Excise duty from cigarettes fell 17.9% to 44 billion rupees, amid high excise driven price hikes which has promoted smuggling and a shift to beedi which is cheaper but has no filter. more..

Aug 5 (AM) SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa stated in Parliament today that he would abstain from voting — both as an MP and as an individual — on the proposal to remove Acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon, citing the ongoing court proceedings related to the matter. Participating in the parliamentary debate on the proposal to remove Tennakoon, Rajapaksa emphasised that under Standing Order 98F, Parliament cannot take up for debate a matter that is currently before a more..

Aug 5 (TM) In the wake of rising political resistance to the Govt’s move to repeal the Presidents’ Entitlements Act, No. 4 of 1986 and the pension scheme for MPs, Presidential Secretariat stated that any party may follow the established legal procedures and challenge the proposed legislation before the Supreme Court at the appropriate stage. Secretariat’s Director of Legal Affairs, attorney J.M. Wijebandara noted that more..