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Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Member of Parliament Dayasiri Jayasekera has formally requested clarification from Speaker Dr Jagath Wickremaratne regarding a series of allegations directed against Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena.

In a letter dated 31 August, the opposition legislator inquired whether the Speaker had received supporting documentary evidence from any members of parliament and what action had been taken to refer the matter to authorized asset-investigating agencies.

The inquiry follows public controversy surrounding the high-profile X-Press Pearl litigation, which recently generated widespread national interest.

The Kurunegala District lawmaker questioned whether official channels had engaged statutory bodies empowered to probe the financial assets and declarations of the head of the judiciary and his immediate family.

The specific matters raised in the correspondence included allegations regarding the acquisition of valuable real estate in Colombo by the Chief Justice's son and the circumstances surrounding that transaction.

The letter requested clarification on reports concerning the birth and marriage certificates of the Chief Justice as well as the birth records of his children.

Jayasekera also sought to clarify whether the Speaker was contemplating legal or administrative remedies to safeguard the dignity and reputation of the judiciary in the event that the allegations were established to be false.

A request has been made before the Court of Appeal to refer to the Supreme Court a petition seeking an order to invalidate the parliamentary seat of MP Ramanathan Archchuna.

The request was made today (31) by Attorney-at-Law Senany Dayaratne, who appeared on behalf of MP Archchuna, when the petition was taken up before the Court of Appeal.

However, the Court of Appeal stated that an order on the request would be issued at an appropriate time.

Sri Lanka recorded a significant widening of its merchandise trade deficit to USD 6.5 billion during the first seven months of 2026, driven by a surge in motor vehicle and fuel import costs.

Official economic data for the period ending July 2026 underscores how sharp increases in import expenditure alongside lower export revenues have strained the national trade balance.

Fuel imports remained a major contributor to the growing trade gap, with cumulative spending rising 59.9 percent year on year to reach USD 3.622 billion between January and July 2026.

Monthly fuel import costs stood at USD 453 million in July, representing a 68 percent jump compared to July 2025 due to higher crude oil purchases, despite a slight decline from the USD 465 million recorded in June.

Motor vehicle imports for both commercial and personal use reached USD 241 million in July, bringing the seven-month total for vehicle imports to USD 1.495 billion.

The widened trade deficit of USD 6.5 billion contrasts sharply with the USD 3.9 billion reported during the same period in 2025.

Despite these import pressures, gross official reserves reached USD 6.6 billion by the end of July 2026, supported by Central Bank foreign exchange purchases and an ongoing swap facility with the People's Bank of China.

Financial markets reflected this volatility as the Sri Lankan rupee depreciated 5.5 percent against the US dollar by late August 2026, though recent monetary, fiscal, and macroprudential measures have prompted a slight rebound in currency values.

The price of a loaf of bread will be increased by Rs. 10 from midnight today, according to the Bakery Owners’ Association.

The association announced the price revision, which will come into effect from midnight.

Sri Lanka is losing vast amounts of potential state revenue as up to 70 percent of the nation's gambling activity has migrated to online platforms operating largely outside the domestic tax net, according to tax and policy experts.

Tax expert Suresh Perera of KPMG Sri Lanka and Dr. Sudaraka Ariyarathne, a Research Fellow at the Advocata Institute, highlighted critical enforcement loopholes within the island's regulatory and fiscal frameworks.

The warnings come in the wake of recent state action on 5 August 2026, when authorities initially blocked 24 unlicensed gambling websites including major international platforms such as Stake, bet365, Betway, and 1xBet under the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act No. 17 of 2025, before expanding the ban to cover 122 platforms.

The revenue leakage stems primarily from foreign operators lacking a physical footprint in Sri Lanka, which allows them to evade the 45 percent corporate income tax and the betting and gaming levy despite serving local customers.

Suresh Perera stated that the state effectively collects zero revenue from the fastest-growing segment of the gaming industry because offshore operators simply ignore local levy requirements and fall outside traditional tax jurisdiction.

He noted that the government should focus on capturing these uncollected revenues from foreign operators rather than imposing additional tax burdens on lower and middle-income citizens, suggesting that Sri Lanka adopt modern tax concepts such as India's significant economic presence rule to tax non-resident digital entities.

Meanwhile, Dr. Sudaraka Ariyarathne pointed out that domestic and foreign digital platforms aggressively target young sports fans from lower socio-economic backgrounds with promises of easy wins that frequently lead to financial distress.

He noted that simple domain blocking remains ineffective because users bypass restrictions using virtual private networks, emphasizing instead the need to strictly regulate financial payment intermediaries and control digital marketing practices.

Member of Parliament Ravi Karunanayake has been arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

The arrest was made by CIABOC officials, although further details regarding the allegations or circumstances surrounding the arrest have not yet been released.

Sri Lanka recorded a 20.07 percent year-on-year surge in services export earnings for July 2026, reaching USD 351.92 million, according to data released by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board.

The official statistics published by the state export agency highlight performance metrics across key commercial sectors during the seventh month of the year, alongside cumulative trade figures for the first seven months of 2026.

The sub-sector breakdown reveals that transport and logistics drove the monthly expansion, generating USD 193.53 million in July, which represents a robust 40.02 percent increase compared to the corresponding period in 2025.

Construction exports experienced strong growth as well, expanding by 30.88 percent year-on-year to reach USD 13.09 million.

Information and Communication Technology together with Business Process Management recorded a modest uptick of 2.32 percent to achieve USD 143.24 million.

Financial services registered a sharp contraction of 57.25 percent during the month, falling to USD 2.10 million.

Commenting on the performance, Export Development Board (EDB) Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe said that the priority of the board is to sustain this positive growth momentum by enhancing the competitive edge of established sectors while simultaneously driving the creation of new products, services, and export destinations.

The sustained momentum across services exports underpins Sri Lanka's ongoing efforts to diversify its foreign exchange revenue streams, with total combined exports of goods and services reaching USD 1,637.26 million in July 2026 as export authorities focus on expanding into new international markets

Sri Lanka faces a heightened threat of dual natural disasters due to severe weather patterns triggered by predicted El Niño conditions, according to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, who accused the government of failing to prepare adequate contingency plans.

Premadasa issued the warning in a post on X following a joint assessment by United Nations agencies, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the World Meteorological Organization.

The UN report identified Sri Lanka as a country of elevated concern as the island approaches the upcoming Maha cultivation season.

The UN assessment indicates that above-average rainfall could hit the island starting from October with the arrival of the Second Inter-Monsoon.

While increased precipitation can replenish depleted reservoirs, excessive rain during the crucial planting phase risks causing severe flooding, waterlogging, and significant delays to agricultural activities.

This threat comes alongside earlier forecasts of prolonged dry spells before the rains set in, creating a double risk of drought followed by floods and landslides.

Premadasa criticized the government for what he termed absolute negligence, noting that the lack of protective measures for lives and property is indefensible in light of clear scientific warnings.

The situation is further complicated by rising living costs, which could compound the burden on vulnerable farming communities across the country.

The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) has restricted water supply in parts of the Batticaloa District to four hours a day due to declining water levels at the Unnichchai Reservoir amid prevailing dry weather conditions.

NWSDB Chairman A.M.P.C.T. Bandara said the water supply is suspended daily from around 11.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. as the reservoir’s water level continues to fall.

However, Bandara said NWSDB-operated water treatment plants across the country continue to function as usual.

He said arrangements have been made to produce and distribute water at maximum capacity from the treatment plants to maintain supplies.

According to the NWSDB Chairman, Sri Lanka produces approximately 2.8 million cubic metres of water each day. Around 23% to 24% of this supply comes from major reservoirs, while nearly 65% is sourced from rivers and streams.

The Kelani River alone provides close to 600,000 cubic metres of water daily, accounting for nearly one-third of the country’s total water supply.

Bandara said the effects of the prevailing dry weather have so far been limited to the Batticaloa and Monaragala districts.

Water supply is also being managed in the Bibile and Medagama areas of Monaragala due to shortages in available water sources, he added.

Sri Lanka’s expressway network generated a record revenue of more than Rs. 355 million during the five-day holiday period last week, according to Road Development Authority (RDA) Director General Anuradha Hettiarachchi.

The revenue figure marks the highest amount recorded from expressway operations during a five-day holiday period, reflecting increased use of the road network during the break.

RDA Director General Anuradha Hettiarachchi confirmed the record revenue generated across the country’s expressways during the holiday period.

The latest figure highlights the significant level of traffic on Sri Lanka’s expressways during the five-day holiday, with motorists contributing more than Rs. 355 million in toll revenue.