Sri Lanka news from verified sources, updated every hour.https://lankanewz.com/enhttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-agriculture-food-security-el-nino-plan/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-agriculture-food-security-el-nino-plan/Deputy Minister Namal Karunaratne says a cultivation plan and water-management measures are in place to prevent a food shortage as El Niño conditions persist.Sun, 16 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-australian-investors-fdi-clyde-north/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-australian-investors-fdi-clyde-north/A delegation led by Industry Minister Sunil Handunnetti secured commitments in Victoria covering a 2,000-head dairy farm, apparel-sector recycling and a recycled-plastic 3D printing plant at Ekala.Sun, 16 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-bia-cigarettes-arrest-10800-sticks/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-bia-cigarettes-arrest-10800-sticks/Police Narcotics Bureau officers at Bandaranaike International Airport seized 54 cartons holding 10,800 sticks of foreign cigarettes.Sun, 16 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-big-onion-50-percent-yala-target/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-big-onion-50-percent-yala-target/The Department of Agriculture wants the Yala harvest to cover half of the 320,000 tonnes of big onions Sri Lanka consumes each year.Sun, 16 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-bus-drivers-drug-tests-10-percent-positive/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-bus-drivers-drug-tests-10-percent-positive/National Transport Medical Institute Chairman Professor Clifford Perera says screening across four provinces found close to one in ten drivers and conductors had used drugs.Sun, 16 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-kaduwela-diya-kapima-perahera-traffic-plan/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-kaduwela-diya-kapima-perahera-traffic-plan/Police will run a special traffic plan on the 143 Avissawella-Colombo road from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the Sri Rankadu Paththini Devalaya procession.Sun, 16 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTLifestylehttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-met-forecast-showers-western-sabaragamuwa/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-met-forecast-showers-western-sabaragamuwa/The Met Department expects several spells of showers over the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-Western provinces, with 30-40 kmph winds elsewhere.Sun, 16 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTLifestylehttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-ncpa-child-abuse-complaints-june-july-surge/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-ncpa-child-abuse-complaints-june-july-surge/The National Child Protection Authority says monthly complaints rose above 1,000 in June and July, up from a usual 600 to 800, driven mainly by child abandonment.Sun, 16 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-oluvil-port-pirate-threats-fishermen/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-16-oluvil-port-pirate-threats-fishermen/Ramalingam Chandrasekar told the Ampara district fisheries committee that Oluvil Port will also be developed with local and foreign investors.Sun, 16 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-audit-709-prison-escapees-at-large/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-audit-709-prison-escapees-at-large/A National Audit Office report says 1,181 inmates escaped over six years and 709 were never re-arrested. Officers seized 5,083 phones from 22 prisons in 2025.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-basl-complete-recording-president-meeting/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-basl-complete-recording-president-meeting/The Bar Association says it is still waiting for the complete video recordings of its August 12 meeting with President Dissanayake on the 22nd Amendment.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-dengue-91692-cases-monsoon-warning/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-dengue-91692-cases-monsoon-warning/The National Dengue Control Unit reports 91,692 cases so far in 2026 and warns numbers could climb again with the North East monsoon.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTLifestylehttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-divulapitiya-viral-sword-threat-arrests/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-divulapitiya-viral-sword-threat-arrests/Police have arrested three people over an August 11 incident in Divulapitiya in which a bus and a main road were blocked and a man was threatened with a sword.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-earthslip-hatton-colombo-road-kuyilwatte/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-earthslip-hatton-colombo-road-kuyilwatte/A mound of earth blocked the Hatton-Colombo main road at Kuyilwatte at 1 a.m.; one lane has since been cleared, with police warning of further earthslip risk.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTLifestylehttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-el-nino-review-meeting-august-17/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-el-nino-review-meeting-august-17/Water Supply Minister Susil Ranasinghe says stakeholders will meet Monday, as the Met Department forecasts El Niño conditions persisting until next April.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTLifestylehttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-foreign-investors-rupee-bonds-nine-weeks/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-foreign-investors-rupee-bonds-nine-weeks/Foreign investors bought a net Rs 1.35bn of Sri Lanka rupee bonds in the week to August 14, lifting holdings to a data-series high of Rs 194.2bn.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-forensic-reports-backlog-wijepala-pallansena/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-forensic-reports-backlog-wijepala-pallansena/Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala says arrangements are complete to clear 9,000 backlogged Government Analyst reports and send them to courts this month.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-galle-test-india-opt-bat-nuwantha-debut/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-galle-test-india-opt-bat-nuwantha-debut/Devdutt Padikkal made an unbeaten 131 on his return as India closed day one of the first Test at 288 for 2, with KL Rahul retired hurt on 77.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTSportshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-grama-niladhari-saturday-duties-withdrawal/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-grama-niladhari-saturday-duties-withdrawal/The Sri Lanka Grama Niladhari Union says officers will stop working Saturdays from today, after a two-day sick-leave campaign drew no government response.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-herath-independence-day-greetings-india-pakistan/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-herath-independence-day-greetings-india-pakistan/Vijitha Herath congratulated counterparts S. Jaishankar and Mohammad Ishaq Dar in separate posts on X, citing friendship with both South Asian neighbours.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTWorldhttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-igp-red-notices-73-suspects-extradition/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-igp-red-notices-73-suspects-extradition/IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya says international support has been secured to extradite wanted suspects, and that he has received no threats over the drug crackdown.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-indonesia-earthquake-no-tsunami-threat-sri-lanka/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-indonesia-earthquake-no-tsunami-threat-sri-lanka/The Met Department says coastal areas are safe after a 7.7-magnitude quake struck off Flores Island early Saturday. Indonesia's death toll has since risen to at least 47.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTWorldhttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-iranawila-fishing-vessel-washed-ashore/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-iranawila-fishing-vessel-washed-ashore/The Navy has deployed security personnel at Iranawila in Chilaw after a fishing vessel believed to be Indian washed ashore on Saturday morning.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-justice-minister-livestream-video-factcheck/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-justice-minister-livestream-video-factcheck/Footage circulated as showing Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara livestreaming while driving in 2026 was recorded in August 2023, a fact-check found.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-madhu-feast-mannar-assumption/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-madhu-feast-mannar-assumption/Holy Mass began at 6 a.m. at the Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu in Mannar, where the August 15 feast is seen as a symbol of reconciliation.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTLifestylehttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-mannar-basin-petroleum-bids-four-blocks/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-mannar-basin-petroleum-bids-four-blocks/Bids for oil and gas exploration in four Mannar Basin blocks will be called this month after legal obstacles cleared, the Daily Mirror reports.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-ministry-report-wattegama-child-abandonment/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-ministry-report-wattegama-child-abandonment/Deputy Minister Namal Sudarshana says the NCPA and the Probation Department are acting to secure the future welfare of the girl found abandoned at Wattegama.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-moratuwa-fuel-station-pipe-explosion/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-moratuwa-fuel-station-pipe-explosion/Two workers were admitted to Panadura Hospital after a pipe exploded during maintenance work at a fuel station on New Galle Road in Egodauyana, Moratuwa.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTLifestylehttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-mount-lavinia-shooting-huludagoda-death/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-mount-lavinia-shooting-huludagoda-death/A man shot by an unidentified gunman on Huludagoda Road in Mount Lavinia on Saturday night has died of his injuries at Kalubowila hospital, police say.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-navy-dvora-accident-angulana-rescue/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-navy-dvora-accident-angulana-rescue/A Sri Lanka Navy Dvora fast attack craft ran into distress off Angulana on Saturday. Eleven of the twelve aboard were rescued; a search continues for one missing sailor.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-nawala-restaurant-clash-death/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-nawala-restaurant-clash-death/A 27-year-old Rajagiriya resident died after a clash between two groups at a Nawala restaurant. Welikada Police say no arrests have been made so far.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-paediatrician-children-weather-health-hydration/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-paediatrician-children-weather-health-hydration/Dr. Deepal Perera says extreme heat in some areas and heavy rain in others is spreading pathogens, and urges parents to watch hydration and food hygiene.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTLifestylehttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-senior-counsel-death-penalty-safeguards/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-senior-counsel-death-penalty-safeguards/Criminal defence lawyer Darshana Kuruppu says Sri Lanka must fix investigation and evidence failings before reintroducing the death penalty.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-showers-forecast-sabaragamuwa-kandy-nuwara-eliya/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-showers-forecast-sabaragamuwa-kandy-nuwara-eliya/The Met Department expects showers in Sabaragamuwa and the Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Galle and Matara districts, with winds of 30-40 kmph over several provinces.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTLifestylehttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-sumatra-earthquake-no-tsunami-threat/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-sumatra-earthquake-no-tsunami-threat/The Met Department says Sri Lanka's coastline is safe after a 6.8-magnitude quake struck northern Sumatra, hours after a deadly 7.7 quake off Flores island.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTWorldhttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-trump-hormuz-us-territory-iran-defiance/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-trump-hormuz-us-territory-iran-defiance/Trump told a New York rally he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory and urged Americans to accept higher fuel prices. Tehran was defiant.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTWorldhttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-warm-weather-advisory-seven-districts/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-15-warm-weather-advisory-seven-districts/The Met Department has issued a warm weather advisory for Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, Polonnaruwa, Batticaloa, Ampara and Monaragala for Sunday daytime.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTLifestylehttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-adnoc-vessels-attacked-strait-hormuz/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-adnoc-vessels-attacked-strait-hormuz/Abu Dhabi says two ships linked to its state oil company were attacked on Thursday evening. No injuries were reported and Iran has not commented.Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTWorldhttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-amber-advisory-strong-winds-rough-seas/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-amber-advisory-strong-winds-rough-seas/The Met Department has issued a new Amber advisory for two stretches of sea, with gusts now forecast at 55-60 kmph — up from 50 kmph earlier this week.Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTLifestylehttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-anamaduwa-nude-photos-arrest/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-anamaduwa-nude-photos-arrest/A 34-year-old from Mampuriya was arrested by the Wariyapola Computer Crime Investigation Division after the woman complained to the unit.Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-ayagama-ratnapura-ravine-body-recovered/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-ayagama-ratnapura-ravine-body-recovered/Police say the man had fallen about five days before his body was spotted in Ellahena, Ayagama, with the Army called in to help with the recovery.Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-backhoe-saman-refuses-final-respects-mother/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-backhoe-saman-refuses-final-respects-mother/Prison sources say 'Backhoe Saman' declined to attend funeral of his mother, shot dead in Middeniya on August 12.Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-bia-second-terminal-japan-jica-november/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-bia-second-terminal-japan-jica-november/JICA delegation tells Ports Minister Anura Karunathilaka that work on the long-stalled Terminal 2 at Katunayake will begin before November.Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-bia-woman-cigarettes-sharjah-customs/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-bia-woman-cigarettes-sharjah-customs/Customs officers found 176 cartons hidden in four bags after the 45-year-old passed through the Green Channel at Katunayake.Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-cbsl-inflation-above-target-monetary-policy-report/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-cbsl-inflation-above-target-monetary-policy-report/CBSL's August Monetary Policy Report says headline inflation has accelerated sharply on energy costs and will remain above the 5% target before moderating.Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-chabad-house-hiriketiya-protest/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-chabad-house-hiriketiya-protest/Residents of the southern coastal village say the recently opened facility lacks the necessary approvals and want authorities to investigate.Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-climate-caucus-anticipatory-governance-el-nino/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-climate-caucus-anticipatory-governance-el-nino/Caucus co-chaired by Sajith Premadasa hears expert reports on El Niño resilience and human-elephant conflict, citing Odisha's cyclone evacuation model.Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPoliticshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-commercial-bank-june-quarter-profit-17-49bn/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-commercial-bank-june-quarter-profit-17-49bn/Commercial Bank of Ceylon posted Rs17.49bn for the June quarter and became the first private banking group in Sri Lanka to cross Rs3 trillion in deposits.Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTBusinesshttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-crocodile-battaramulla-hotel-banquet-hall/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-crocodile-battaramulla-hotel-banquet-hall/Staff at a popular Battaramulla hotel alerted authorities after a crocodile entered a banquet hall. It was removed with no injuries or damage reported.Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTLifestylehttps://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-cse-aspi-21644-melstacorp-banks-ctc/https://lankanewz.com/article/2026-08-14-cse-aspi-21644-melstacorp-banks-ctc/The All Share Price Index rose 0.49% on Friday, lifted by Melstacorp, Sampath Bank, Dialog Axiata and Ceylon Tobacco. Turnover reached Rs2.24bn.Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTBusiness