Aug 31 (ST) At the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), several trade unions are on strike protesting against the National Transport Commission’s decision to implement a unified bus timetable for SLTB and private buses. Trade unions affiliated to the ruling NPP and its main constituent party, VP, however, are conspicuous by their absence in this trade union action. This is rather ironic given that they have been at the forefront of opposing more..

Aug 31 (GV) Some truths are not uncovered by force. They rise slowly, persistently, from the ground because the dead cannot remain forgotten forever. In the quiet village of Chemmani, nestled within the war scarred terrain of the Jaffna peninsula, a patch of soil became the unlikely custodian of one of the nation’s most haunting secrets. What lay beneath was not just a series of mass graves but the buried echoes of an entire generation; names never recorded, stories never told, justice never more..

Aug 31 (CT) In Ranil Wickremesinghe’s parlance a cynic would probably describe the former president’s predicament as being the result of an L-Board arrest. Mr. Wickremesinghe himself might have described it as such had he not been weakened and silenced owing to excessive dehydration during and after his police questioning and long court hearing last Friday. As has now been extensively reported, the former president has multiple health issues which given his age would seem to have been concerningly more..

Aug 31 (TM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his JVP-led NPP Govt, after creating history as the administration under whose watch a former Executive Prez was arrested and remanded, is continuing to push its anti-corruption drive targeting members of former govets, resulting in Opposition parties uniting against what it claims to be political victimisation. Main Opposition SJB claims that while it is supportive of action more..

Aug 31 (TM) Recharged and discharged, Ranil Wickremesinghe’s exit from the ICU of the National Hospital of SL last Friday (29) was far less dramatic than the commotion surrounding his hurried admission there just hours after being remanded by the Magistrate’s Court a week earlier. Yet, as always with Wickremesinghe, there was method in the apparent quietude. The master tactician appears to have used those five days in hospital not merely for convalescence, but for recalibration. more..

Aug 31 (SO) Seismic shifts are under way in global politics mainly as a result of the punitive reciprocal tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on friends and foes alike. Although a US Federal Court ruled on Friday that the tariffs are illegal, since only the Congress is empowered to make such decisions, they still remain in place as the legal process will take some time to resolve. Prez Trump also has the advantage of a Conservative supermajority in the US Supreme Court, more..

Aug 30 (DM) In the wake of the arrest of former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe over the alleged misuse of state funds for a foreign trip, the govt said it would probe similar malpractices involving other former Heads of State based on complaints, a Minister said. CID arrested Mr. Wickremesinghe last week and produced him before the Colombo Fort Magistrate. Later, he was remanded. Now he is on bail. more..

Aug 30 (AD) A group of 108 young couples in Jaffna entered into the happy union of marriage at a mass wedding ceremony yesterday at the Selva Sannithi Murugan Temple in Jaffna. They had previously been unable to get married due to economic constraints. However, a couple living in Dubai and currently based in Singapore funded the wedding ceremony and provided them with the opportunity to begin married life. The donors paid for all the jewellery & wedding attire of the 108 couples. more..

Aug 30 (CT) International and local firms competing for SL’s high-profile flood mapping project are facing a major setback after the Govt introduced a last-minute requirement: all Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data must be processed entirely within the country. The condition, which was not included in the original tender, has blindsided bidders, many of whom had planned to rely on internationally reputed laboratories with the expertise to handle large-scale LiDAR datasets. more..

Aug 30 (Island) Dept of Probation and Child Care Services has identified 14,834 children in vulnerable circumstances across the country, its officials disclosed at the Colombo District Secretariat on Thursday during the District Multi-Stakeholder Drug Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Programme. An official from the Dept of Probation and Child Care Services said that Child Rights Promotion Officers were currently more..

Aug 30 (DM) The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), in celebration of its 100th year anniversary, honoured Kasturi Chellaraja with the title of Sri Lankan Iconic Woman 2025. The award recognises her exceptional leadership, resilience, and transformative contributions to business and society. The ceremony, held at the Sapphire Banquet Hall, BMICH, brought together distinguished leaders, innovators, and visionaries to celebrate the nation’s most accomplished women. more..

Aug 30 (ST) The developer of the govt’s e-procurement portal has been issued a strict Oct 2025 deadline by the Cabinet of Ministers – its second extension – to expand the platform to accommodate large-scale international and national competitive bidding (ICB and NCB) projects. Promise.lk, electronic govt procurement (e-GP) system, is a major IMF structural benchmark aimed at improving transparency, accountability and efficiency. But the platform continues to more..

Aug 30 (ST) Sri Lanka’s fiscal position improved distinctly in the first half of 2025, with resilient revenues and a shrinking budget deficit pointing towards progress in financial consolidation. According to the Ministry of Finance’s Fiscal Review Report for January–June 2025, government revenue ascended nearly 24.7% year-on-year to Rs. 2.3 trillion while the deficit narrowed by 32.3% to Rs. 405.6 billion, compared with Rs. 598.9 billion in the same period of 2024. more..

Aug 30 (FT) NDB Bank, in partnership with NewsFirst, celebrated the Grand Finale of the SL Vanithabhimana Awards on 20 Aug, honouring extraordinary women across the island and marking a milestone season that advanced beyond recognition to long-term empowerment through the program’s five-year sustainability model. This year built on the initiative’s expanded structure, including the introduction of the Digital Entrepreneur and Foreign Employment categories, while more..

Aug 30 (FT) United Petroleum, the Australian energy giant that made a high-profile entry into Sri Lanka’s fuel retail market in August 2024, has fully withdrawn from the country, marking a major setback for the Govt’s strategy to diversify the sector. CPC Managing Director Dr. Mayura Neththikumarage confirmed the development, stating that United Petroleum had formally notified its decision to exit three months ago. more..

Aug 30 (FT) Fourth Public Policy Dialogue Forum organised by the NEXUS Research Group brought a full house to the Governor’s Hall of the 80 Club on Thursday, centring debate on a blunt question: After two years of macro-stabilisation, where is SL’s economic growth? Opening the forum, NEXUS Chairman Prof. Charitha Herath acknowledged gains achieved with IMF support: debt restructuring traction, easing inflation, and steadier currency management. “Stability is only the first step” more..

Aug 30 (ST) More than 300 traffic fines are paid daily only in the Western Province by the newly launched Gov Pay platform, top officials said. Channa de Silva, CEO LankaPay, said that with the launch of this payment system on August 4, there was an increasing trend in traffic fine payments in the Western Province. “It started with about 60 traffic fines, went on to 200 and now about 300,” he said. Noting that manual payments are still more than the Gov Pay payments, more..

Aug 30 (Island) Sri Lanka’s tea export sector demonstrated robust growth in the first seven months of 2025, with a pivotal shift towards value-added products, which now constitute 58% of all shipments, according to the latest report from Forbes & Walker. This marks a significant jump from the 52% share recorded in the same period in 2024, indicating a successful industry pivot towards exporting higher-margin products like tea bags and instant tea instead of bulk tea. more..

Aug 30 (NW) A new Immigration and Emigration Office is set to open in Jaffna on September 1, according to Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala. The initiative aims to improve access to passport services for residents of the Northern Province. This expansion follows the successful establishment of immigration offices in Vavuniya, Matara, and Kurunegala, as part of the govt’s broader effort to decentralize essential public services and enhance regional accessibility. more..

Aug 30 (CT) Ministry of Education has announced that preparations are underway to conduct the GCE O/L and A/L exams in 2026 on schedule. This marks a significant return to normalcy for the national examination calendar, which faced major disruptions in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the national economic crisis. The announcement came during the 2026 pre-budget discussion for the Ministry of Education, more..

Aug 30 (FT) In celebration of World Photography Day (19), long-haul travel specialists Travelbag have released a global study revealing the most Instagrammable lakes around the world, ideal for photo enthusiasts and nature lovers. The study analysed over 50 of the world’s most iconic lakes, ranking them based on Instagram hashtags and TikTok posts to identify the top destinations for breathtaking scenery. It also highlighted SL’s most photogenic lakes, especially timely during more..

Aug 30 (FT) Colombo stock marketclosed August with ASPI gaining 7% in the month to 20,997.36, with investor sentiment buoyant for the fourth straight session. ASPI closed 197.10 points higher yesterday, up 0.95% while S&P SL20 gained 0.51% during the day, up 31.02 points to end the month at 6,076.79. Turnover was Rs. 7.38 billion yesterday, down from Rs. 7.46 billion the previous day. CSE closed the week with strong upward momentum as market optimism sustained for a fourth more..

Aug 30 (CI) A spectacular Dilshan Madushanka hat-trick derailed a scintillating Zimbabwe chase in the final over, which Sikandar Raza had valiantly revived through the middle overs. Raza had brought Zimbabwe to the cusp of what would have been a famous victory. They needed ten off the last over, he himself was on strike and batting beautifully on 92 off 86 balls, and at the other end was Tony Munyonga, with whom he'd shared a 128-run more..

Aug 30 (DM) On the 27th of this month, two school children and the driver of the school van they were traveling in were killed. Over twelve others injured, many seriously, when their vehicle was hit by a tipper truck travelling at a high speed. The loaded tipper truck, according to sources, was apparently driven by an unlicensed driver. Photo coverage of the scene of the accident brought to mind some of the atrocities being committed by Israel in the ongoing war in Gaza more..

Aug 30 (DN) Neshara Dhakshitha of Northern Province set a new meet record in the women’s pole vault, clearing 3.52m at the National Sports Festival athletics event held at Dadalla Sports Complex, Galle yesterday. Dhakshitha surpassed her own previous record of 3.51m set at last year’s festival. K.C.K. Kodituwakku of Central Province finished second with 3.10m. Meanwhile, Rasara Wijesuriya of Eastern Province retained her title in the women’s 10,000m, finishing in 35 min 32.99 sec. more..

Aug 30 (CT) Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) has expressed concern over the growing popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) among students in leading schools, with reports that a single puff is being sold for as little as Rs 20 within school premises. MCPA President Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa alleged, that senior students were bringing the devices into schools and passing them on to younger pupils, charging between Rs 20 and upwards for each puff. more..

Aug 30 (DM) The Sri Lanka Tourism authorities have stepped up efforts to rebrand the island nation as a leading purpose-driven travel destination in the UK, spotlighting its biodiversity and sustainability credentials through a wildlife tourism festival in London. The three-day Sri Lanka Wildlife Tourism Promotion Festival, held at the High Commission recently, brought together conservationists, travel strategists and industry leaders to showcase the island’s natural heritage. more..

Aug 30 (CT) Ministry of Education has announced that preparations are underway to conduct the GCE O/L and A/L exams in 2026 on schedule. This markvive. more..

Aug 30 (Island) A gazette notification is scheduled to be issued soon, making it mandatory for all passengers travelling in expressways buses to wear seat belts. This is something long overdue, given the sheer number of accidents on expressways. Seat belts are known to prevent deaths, and serious injuries including permanent disabilities. Some bus drivers initially protested against the seat belt law, but they have come to terms with reality; non-compliance results in fines. more..

Aug 30 (DM) In recent SL political history, there were watershed moments that changed the directions of govts. The past govts sometimes experienced such defining moments when they were at the peak of popularity. The immediate impact of them was minimal, rather invisible. Nevertheless, it started becoming visible in the long run changing the course of govt and ensuring its downfall in the end. Such defining events only sowed seeds to be sprouted up later when conditions develop in favour. more..

Aug 30 (CT) Sri Lankans realised that Britain was at the height of imperialism by the 19th Century, however, it was also a time when they pushed Sinhala Buddhism to the bottom of society. A very shameful attempt was made to eradicate the two thousand years of Buddhist heritage at the hands of foreigners, led by the British. This period, when the Christian Missionary Movement was spreading very subtly and strongly in this country, had become a very unfortunate period for Buddhist people. more..

Aug 30 (TM) One of the most powerful things about SL is that it is filled with talent and expertise. Young people often dream about being leaders in their chosen professions at a young age. However, a challenging economy and dreams of a better future have often led to several people leaving or planning to leave the country. While this has always been the case to an extent, the turbulence of the last five years has seen more and more young professionals leave our shores in search of greener more..