Aug 12 (DM) SJB MP Sujeewa Senasinghe on Wednesday made public a letter sent by the Chief Prelates of Sri Lanka’s three Buddhist Chapters to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, urging the Govt not to proceed with the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution to extend the retirement age of superior court judges. Senasinghe said he had obtained a copy of the letter and decided to make its contents public amid recent political discussion surrounding the proposed amendment. more..

Aug 12 (NW) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met with representatives of the Bar Association of SL (BASL) this afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat. During the meeting, which lasted nearly an hour, attention was focused on the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution concerning the extension of the retirement age of judges, with representatives of the BASL presenting their views and recommendations on the matter. more..

Aug 12 (Island) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that all development projects commenced under the approved allocations for 2026 must be completed within the next three months. PM made these remarks while participating in a progress review discussion of the Colombo District Planning Committee held on Tuesay (11) at the Colombo District Secretariat During the discussion, extensive attention was given to the progress of projects implemented by the Colombo District Secretariat, more..

Aug 12 (EN) Sri Lanka Customs exceeded its July target by 35.4%, while the revenue in the first seven months of 2026 jumped around 33.1% compared to the same period last year. Customs’ June revenue target was set at 192.4 billion rupees. However, the revenue-collecting body collected 260.6 billion rupees in the month, exceeding the target by 35.5%, official data showed. It also exceeded the cumulative target in the first seven months by 30.9% to achieve 1, 639.7 billion rupees. more..

Aug 12 (AD) The Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters’ Association (SLRSMA) has stated that authorities have yet to provide proper solutions to several administrative, service and audit-related issues affecting the railway service. In a statement, the association warned that if practical solutions to the relevant demands are not provided within a reasonable period, it will discuss the matter with fellow railway trade unions and take strict trade union action. more..

Aug 12 (AD) Bar Association of SL (BASL) President, President’s Counsel Rajeev Amarasuriya, said the BASL had requested the President to make a decision on the proposed constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of judges only after conducting extensive consultations with legal and other relevant experts. He made the remarks while speaking to the media following a meeting with the Prez at the Presidential Secretariat. more..

Aug 12 (NW) The mother of alleged underworld figure Backhoe Saman has died after being shot in Middeniya, Police said. The woman was initially hospitalised after two assailants travelling on a motorcycle opened fire at her in the Ulahitiyawa area of Middeniya. Police later confirmed that she had succumbed to her injuries. Investigations are underway to identify and arrest the suspects involved in the shooting. The latest incident comes days after a relative of alleged more..

Aug 12 (NW) A suspected poacher was injured and arrested after an exchange of gunfire between wildlife officers and a group of suspected hunters during an operation inside Yala National Park on Tuesday (11). Wildlife officers attached to the Yala National Park headquarters in Thanamalwila had attempted to arrest three men suspected of hunting animals inside the reserve when the shooting broke out, according to reports. Two of the suspects fled during the exchange, while more..

Aug 12 (FT) The age of retirement of judges of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals is specified in Article 107(5) in the section of the 1978 Constitution entitled Independence of the Judiciary. Article 108 states that the salary payable to such judges cannot be reduced after appointment. Is there an analogy that can be drawn? It seems reasonable to conclude that the retirement age cannot be reduced. In both cases, something is being taken away from the judges. more..

Aug 12 (FT) Sri Lanka stands at an important crossroad in its economic journey. Having emerged from its recent economic crisis, the country now has an opportunity to reposition itself as a competitive export and investment hub in the Indian Ocean. To achieve this, we must move beyond traditional thinking and embrace new regional economic partnerships that can connect SL industries to larger markets and global supply chains. One such opportunity is the proposed Japan- SL Economic Corridor more..

Aug 12 (TM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake is scheduled to meet the Bar Association of SL (BASL) at 1 p.m. today to discuss the Govt’s proposal to amend the Constitution to increase the retirement age of judges. Under the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Draft Bill, published in the official Govt Gazette on 7 Aug, mandatory retirement age of Supreme Court Judges would be increased from 65 to 67, while more..

Aug 12 (DM) The Kegalle Fraud Investigation Bureau has arrested the 59-year-old brother-in-law of Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands, and Irrigation, K.D. Lal Kantha in connection with an alleged financial fraud involving a vehicle auction. According to the Police, the suspect is alleged to have defrauded an individual of Rs. 1,145,000 in connection with the vehicle auction. The suspect is scheduled to be produced before the Kegalle Magistrate’s Court tomorrow. more..

Aug 12 (NW) The govt has not increased the salaries of MPs, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. Responding to a question at the Cabinet decisions briefing, Jayatissa said claims that MPs had received a salary increase were linked to changes in the fuel allowance provided to MPs and other govt officials. He said MPs had not received any salary increase of Rs. 50,000, Rs. 60,000, Rs. 100,000 or any other amount. According to the minister, MPs and govt officials are entitled to more..

Aug 12 (TM) Education reforms that were halted following problems with the Grade 6 English language modules are expected to be rolled out from January of next year, with the Education Ministry currently conducting an island-wide survey to assess the impact of reforms already introduced for Grade One. Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa said that the Ministry is now preparing to introduce the reforms for Grades 2 & 6 from Jan 2027. more..

Aug 12 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed officials of the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development to prioritise urgent public needs identified at District Coordinating Committee meetings when implementing rural road development projects. Prez also directed officials to resume all road development projects that were suspended in 2022 due to the country’s economic crisis. The directives were issued during a progress review of projects implemented by more..

Aug 12 (AD) SL Customs has appointed a special committee to find a solution to the ongoing dispute over vehicle imports that were brought into the country through Letters of Credit (LCs) but have been denied final customs clearance. The committee will examine the issues surrounding the affected vehicle imports and submit recommendations on measures that could be taken to reach an appropriate settlement, according to SL Customs. The move comes amid a dispute over more..

Aug 12 (FT) Newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Wei Huaxiang yesterday signalled a push for deeper economic cooperation between the two countries, saying China was ready to strengthen the alignment of development strategies and expand mutually beneficial cooperation. Ambassador Wei, who arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday to assume office, said bilateral relations had entered a new phase following high-level engagements between the two countries in 2025. more..

Aug 12 (DN) CIABOC has filed indictment against former Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne for allegedly committed the offence of corruption by selecting a Korean company to remove sand from the Kirinda Fisheries Harbour and selling it to the market and by influencing the Fisheries Harbour Corporation Chairman while serving as the Fisheries Minister between June 12, 2012 and Aug 6, 2012. Indictment has been filed under five counts against the accused under Sec 70 of Bribery Act. more..

Aug 12 (TM) Public Administration Minister Prof. Chandana Abeyratne has criticised the ongoing trade union (TU) action by Grama Niladhari (GN) officers, saying it is unacceptable as the Govt has already proposed solutions to their concerns, including the fuel allowance. He said that during a recent discussion with the GN TU Alliance, the Govt had expressed its willingness to address their concerns through the upcoming Budget. more..

Aug 12 (TM) A group of parents has lodged a complaint with the Kirindiwela Police, alleging that their children were unfairly disadvantaged due to a delay in receiving question papers at the Grade Five Scholarship Exam held on 9 August. The parents said students from Kirindiwela Bogahawatta Jinānanda Primary School, who sat the Examination at Kirindiwela Central College, were scheduled to receive the question paper at 11.15 a.m., but were given it at around 11.30 a.m. more..

Aug 12 (DN) Sri Lanka Netball team continued their winning form when they thrash India 100-34 in their 14th Asian Netball Championship group fixture played at Kai Tak Arena Hong Kong yesterday. SL team led by Thishala Algama dominated the game from the beginning winning all four quarters without much effort to post 66 points lead in this one sided affair. The victory also paved the way for Sri Lanka to book a place in semi finals with one group match against Maldives to spare. more..

Aug 12 (Island) City of Dreams SL has completed its first year of operations with its leadership expressing confidence that the landmark integrated resort can help position Colombo and Sri Lanka as a destination for high-end tourism, entertainment and int'l business. The first anniversary was marked with a special celebration bringing together customers, business partners, vendors and other stakeholders who supported the project through its development and first 12 months of operations. more..

Aug 12 (ST) Twenty20 cricket has transformed the role of spin bowlers, demanding far more than wicket-taking ability. According to legendary left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, the most effective spinners are those who can build pressure by combining attacking intent with control. “Spinners have a crucial role to play in T20 cricket. A spinner may be called upon to bowl in the powerplay, the middle overs, or at the death, so understanding the demands of each phase is essential,” Herath said more..

Aug 12 (ST) SL is setting in motion the most far-reaching transformation of its urban public transport in several decades with the launch in Colombo of 7 new metropolitan routes next month, served by 121 low-floor, wheel-chair accessible, and air-conditioned buses. Since a trial run in April, demand for the spacious, 32-seater, nearly 39-foot buses with audio-visual displays, and picture windows offering panoramic views of the city more..

Aug 12 (FT) China Communications Construction Company Ltd., (CCCC) is exploring further investments in Sri Lanka spanning renewable energy, trade and logistics, and digital services, alongside existing and proposed projects centred on Colombo Port City. The President’s Office said yesterday the investment plans were discussed during a meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and a senior CCCC delegation led by President Zhang Bingnan in Colombo. more..

Aug 12 (EN) 99x, a global product engineering company rooted in SL, has partnered in an initiative to rebuild IT laboratories in schools that lost them during the Cyclone Ditwah disaster. 99x teams worked with the PM’s Office, SLASSCOM and school communities, selecting 3 schools in Mahiyanganaya to establish IT laboratories. Volunteers from 99x travelled to Mahiyanganaya to complete the restoration of IT laboratories at Hebarawa Maha Vidyalaya, more..

Aug 12 (FT) Govt yesterday urged over a million Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to scale up to go global especially via exports to better harness growth opportunities. The call came from Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe during his remarks at the National SME Forum Scale Up 2.0 organised by The CCC’s Centre for SMEs at the Taj Samudra, Colombo. Under the theme Connected. Competitive. Ready to Grow the forum more..

Aug 12 (Island) The Cricket Transformation Committee headed by Eran Wickramaratne has received much praise for the manner in which it has gone about its business since being put in charge earlier this year. While bringing transparency and accountability to the affairs of Sri Lanka Cricket, an institution criticised for years over corruption and waste, the committee has also kept its eye on its primary task: drafting a new constitution for the administration of the game. more..

Aug 12 (TM) Ministry of Finance is in the process of lowering its long-end yield rates, as the performance of short-term T-bills extended its decline at the last auction, and the Ministry is compelled to accept bids for securities at a lesser rate, NSB Fund Management Chief Dealer Surendran Edwatd said, speaking during a COPE meeting held last wee. “Now, today itself the market has come down. At the last auction, even the T-bills, the short turners all dipped because the Ministry of Finance more..

Aug 12 (SO) The Ministry of Digital Economy and SLT-Mobitel, have launched Sri Lanka AI Week 2026 on the theme AI Amplified. The initiative aims to transform Sri Lanka’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) ambitions into measurable outcomes through thought-provoking discussions, showcasing of cutting-edge AI innovations, and collaboration among policymakers, businesses, researchers, start-ups and students to accelerate the development of a thriving AI ecosystem. more..

Aug 12 (SO) Sri Lanka must build a stronger startup ecosystem, improve policy consistency, attract global technology investment and develop a larger skilled workforce if it is to achieve its ambitious target of creating a US$5 billion information technology (IT) industry by 2030, GovTech SL, Board Member Chandima Cooray said recently. At an industry workshop, Cooray said Sri Lanka’s current growth trajectory alone would not be sufficient to triple the industry’s value, stressing that more..