Three motorcycle dealers in Hettipola have been fined after legal action was taken over the failure to display prices and, in two cases, selling motorcycles above the price stipulated by an authorised distributor, the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) said.

The action followed special raids conducted by CAA investigation officers in the Hettipola area on July 27, 2026, amid reports of motorcycles being resold at higher prices due to strong demand and limited supply.

According to the CAA, an authorised motorcycle distributor had informed the authority in writing that stocks of certain popular motorcycles were insufficient to meet demand.

The distributor had therefore introduced a first-come, first-served waiting list to provide consumers with a fair opportunity to purchase available motorcycles.

However, information had emerged that some parties were allegedly obtaining motorcycles using the names of different individuals before reselling them to end consumers at higher prices.

Following the raids, cases were filed before the Hettipola Magistrate’s Court against three dealers.

Maljee Auto City on Kurunegala Road, Hettipola, was charged with failing to display prices and selling a motorcycle for Rs. 850,000 — Rs. 60,000 above the authorised distributor’s price of Rs. 790,000. The dealer was fined Rs. 10,000 over the two charges.

Pradeep Motors on Chilaw Road, Hettipola, was also fined Rs. 10,000 after being charged with failing to display prices and selling a motorcycle for Rs. 845,000, compared with the authorised distributor’s price of Rs. 790,000.

Lucky Enterprises in Hettipola was fined Rs. 5,000 for failing to display the prices of motorcycles offered for sale.

The CAA urged consumers to verify prices before purchasing motorcycles and said complaints regarding traders charging unfairly higher prices or failing to display prices could be reported through its 1977 hotline during office hours. (Newswire)

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A private hospital in Kegalle has been fined Rs. 520,000 after being found guilty of overcharging for a blood test and keeping expired medical chemicals and needles, the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) said.

The CAA’s Kegalle District Investigative Officers had filed three charges before the Kegalle Magistrate’s Court against Candella Hospital (Pvt) Ltd, located on Colombo Road, Kegalle, for violating provisions and directives under the Consumer Affairs Authority Act.

The charges included:

• Charging Rs. 500 for a Full Blood Count (FBC) test, exceeding the controlled price of Rs. 400.
• Keeping 20 packs of expired HCV Rapid Test Cassettes and expired chemicals used with Clinical System Analysers in the hospital laboratory.
• Keeping 23 packs of expired UNOLOK single-use hypodermic needles for sale at the hospital pharmacy.

The violations were detected during a special raid conducted by CAA officers on July 24, 2026.

When the case was taken up before the Kegalle Magistrate’s Court on August 6, the hospital pleaded guilty to all three charges. The court subsequently imposed a total fine of Rs. 520,000.

The CAA urged the public to report private hospitals and laboratories that use expired medicines, chemicals or medical equipment, or charge above controlled prices, by calling its 1977 hotline during office hours. (Newswire)

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The Court of Appeal has issued an interim order preventing a Board of Investment (BOI)-licensed company from removing, exporting, selling or further modifying two luxury vehicles at the centre of a dispute with a Canadian company.

The order was issued on August 7 by a bench comprising Justices R. Gurusinghe and A. Premashankar after the court permitted an urgent application filed by Canada-based Atlantic Auto Performance Ltd. to be heard on exceptional circumstances.

Atlantic Auto, which exports American and other high-end vehicles to international markets, had regularly sent vehicles to Sri Lanka for conversion from left-hand drive to right-hand drive by the BOI-licensed company.

According to the petition, the dispute concerns two 2024 Lincoln Navigator L Black Label vehicles valued at approximately USD 260,000.

Atlantic Auto alleged that the vehicles were shipped to Sri Lanka after an advance payment was made, on the understanding that the balance would be settled before the vehicles were released from the Colombo Port.

However, the petitioner alleged that the vehicles were cleared and subsequently converted without its consent and without payment of the outstanding amount, which it alleged constituted fraud.

Atlantic Auto told court that it sought relief from the Court of Appeal because the vehicles were in the possession of a BOI company and that, under the applicable BOI law, courts of first instance are restricted from granting injunctive relief without a hearing.

The company argued that any delay could result in the vehicles being shipped out of Sri Lanka to another country. It also informed court that its CEO and a director had travelled to Sri Lanka and that the threat of the vehicles being removed was imminent.

After considering the petition, evidence and submissions, the Court of Appeal issued notice on the respondents and granted an interim order effective until August 19, 2026.

The order prevents the respondent company and those acting on its behalf from removing, exporting, shipping, transporting, selling, transferring or otherwise parting with possession or control of the two vehicles.

The court also prohibited any further dismantling, conversion, alteration or modification of the vehicles, as well as the disposal of any of their parts or components.

Counsel Nishan Sydney Premathiratne appeared with Sasheen Aresecularatne, Shenali Dias and Sidath Gajanayaka, instructed by Chanuka Ekanayake, for Atlantic Auto. (Newswire)

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The Government is planning to present the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which seeks to increase the retirement ages of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges, to Parliament on August 18, state media reported.

The Judicature (Amendment) Bill, which proposes changes to the retirement ages of High Court judges, District Judges and Magistrates, is also expected to be presented on the same day.

Under the proposed 22nd Amendment, the retirement age of Supreme Court judges will be increased to 67, while Court of Appeal judges will be able to serve until 65. The Chief Justice would retire upon reaching 67 or completing six years in office, whichever comes first.

The amendment also proposes increasing the number of Court of Appeal judges from 19 to 24.

Meanwhile, the proposed Judicature Act amendments would increase the retirement age of High Court judges to 63 and that of District Judges and Magistrates to 62. The number of High Court judges is also proposed to be increased to 120.

The Government says the reforms are aimed at expediting court proceedings, addressing the backlog of cases and making greater use of experienced senior judges.

According to the state media report, the first reading of the two Bills is scheduled for August 18. Following their presentation, citizens and organisations will have 14 days to challenge their constitutionality before the Supreme Court.

The proposed constitutional amendment will require a two-thirds majority in Parliament, subject to the Supreme Court’s determination on its constitutional requirements, while the Judicature (Amendment) Bill can be passed by a simple majority unless otherwise determined. (Newswire)

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The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has raided a canned fish manufacturing facility in Elabadagama, Pannala, which was allegedly operating without a valid licence from the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI).

The raid was carried out by officers of the CAA’s Competition Promotion Division, who seized a stock of canned fish worth nearly Rs. 1.5 million.

According to the CAA, preliminary investigations revealed that the products manufactured at the facility had been supplied to several supermarkets.

Officials also found that the factory was operating without the required SLSI certification and that some canned fish products did not display the date of manufacture. Authorities are also investigating the storage, sale and distribution of the products.

The CAA said legal action will be instituted against those responsible, while the suspects and the seized stock will be produced before court following further investigations.

The authority urged the public to report information on illegal manufacturing, substandard food products or unfair trade practices by calling its 1977 hotline during office hours. (Newswire) 

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Grama Niladharis have decided to report sick leave and refrain from reporting for duty tomorrow (10) and Tuesday (11) over the failure to increase their travel allowance and several other demands.

Speaking at a media briefing in Colombo today (09), Grama Niladhari Trade Union Alliance Chairman Nandana Ranasinghe said the trade union action would be carried out islandwide.

He said the Rs. 600 travel allowance paid to Grama Niladharis has not been increased for the past eight years.

Although Cabinet approval was granted in 2024 to provide an allowance equivalent to the cost of 20 litres of fuel instead of the existing travel allowance, it has not yet been implemented, he said.

Ranasinghe said the two-day trade union action would be launched in protest against the failure to implement the approved allowance and to press for their other demands. (Newswire)

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A Jetstar passenger aircraft and a Qatar Airways plane narrowly avoided a collision at Sydney Airport on Sunday morning, prompting an investigation by Australian aviation safety authorities.

The incident occurred at around 7 a.m. when a Jetstar Airbus A320 was taxiing ahead of a scheduled flight to the Gold Coast and encountered a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 being towed across a taxiway.

According to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), both aircraft were brought to an abrupt stop.

A Jetstar cabin crew member was injured during the incident, while no passengers were reported injured. Damage was also reported to the connection between the Qatar Airways aircraft’s nose gear and the tug towing it.

Jetstar said its aircraft had been following air traffic control instructions when the pilots were forced to brake firmly after the other aircraft came into close proximity.

The Jetstar flight was subsequently cancelled, with passengers transferred to later services.

The ATSB has launched an investigation and is expected to interview flight crews, tug operators, air traffic controllers and other witnesses, as well as examine CCTV footage.

The incident comes amid air traffic control staffing shortages that have caused significant delays at Sydney Airport in recent days. It also follows another near-miss involving two Qantas aircraft at the airport on July 27. (Newswire)

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The third “Battle of Golden Queens” between Princess of Wales’ College and Yashodara Vidyalaya ended in controversy on Saturday (08), with the two principals publicly exchanging allegations following a thrilling two-run finish at De Zoysa Stadium, Moratuwa.

The dispute escalated during the post-match proceedings when the Principal of Yashodara Vidyalaya announced that her school would not participate in the annual cricket encounter again, citing concerns over the organisation and officiating of the match.

She raised several issues, including a previous dispute over the appointment of umpires and the match referee. She also questioned the manner in which the toss was conducted and expressed dissatisfaction over an umpiring decision during the match.

Following the narrow two-run defeat, Yashodara players also did not come forward to receive their awards during the presentation ceremony.

The Principal of Princess of Wales’ College subsequently responded publicly to the allegations, acknowledging that an earlier error had occurred concerning correspondence related to match officials but maintaining that the matter had been discussed and resolved ahead of the game.

She also defended the process of appointing match officials, saying the hosting school traditionally selected the officials and that Yashodara had been informed of the appointments before the match without raising an objection.

The public exchange between the two principals, along with the players’ absence from the awards presentation, subsequently drew considerable attention on social media.

Many social media users criticised the scenes, arguing that such conduct following a school sporting event could set a poor example for students, particularly when school sport is expected to promote sportsmanship and the ability to accept both victory and defeat.

Despite the controversy, the match itself produced a thrilling finish, with Princess of Wales’ College securing victory by just two runs. (Newswire)

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SLPP National Organiser and MP Namal Rajapaksa has accused the Government of suppressing opposition political forces, civil organisations, voluntary groups and the Maha Sangha while moving the country towards an authoritarian system.

Addressing a political gathering, Rajapaksa alleged that the Government was increasingly blaming the opposition, particularly himself, for problems facing the country instead of addressing its own failures.

He said changing tax policies were placing severe economic pressure on ordinary workers, daily-income earners and salaried employees, while concessions were being granted to selected groups.

Rajapaksa also criticised the Government’s claims about having trillions of rupees in state accounts, saying its responsibility should be to create entrepreneurs and citizens capable of generating wealth rather than simply highlighting state funds.

Referring to the recent hacking of state funds, he alleged that the public was ultimately being made to bear the cost of such failures through increased taxation.

He also raised concerns over alleged losses linked to coal procurement and criticised increases in electricity costs, which he said were being attributed to the crisis in the Middle East.

Questioning whether action had been taken against those responsible for allegedly importing substandard coal, Rajapaksa accused the Government of focusing on opposition figures instead of investigating alleged wrongdoing within its own administration.

Commenting on proposals to extend the retirement age or tenure of judges, he said such measures would not resolve the underlying pressures facing the judicial system.

He argued that judicial vacancies should be filled, additional courts established and expert reports provided promptly to reduce delays in the justice system.

Rajapaksa also raised concerns over overcrowding in prisons, claiming that around 45,000 inmates were being held in facilities designed to accommodate approximately 11,000 people.

He alleged that successive governments had failed to adequately address prison infrastructure and questioned the Government’s response to the situation.

The SLPP National Organiser also recalled previous statements by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, made while he was in the opposition, calling for governments to be held accountable during similar incidents. (Newswire)

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A 21-year-old Tunisian tourist has died after being swept away while surfing off Weligama.

Police said the tourist was surfing with a group of Tunisian nationals at the Parana Kade beach area in Weligama on Saturday (08) when he was caught in a current amid strong winds and went missing.

Police lifeguards, Coast Guard personnel and private divers launched a search but were unable to locate him.

His body was found washed ashore at the same beach on Sunday (09) morning.

Weligama Police are conducting further investigations. (Newswire)

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A total of 515 coconut growers in the Mullaitivu District have received Rs. 22.7 million in subsidies, along with 3,000 coconut saplings, under the government’s “Northern Coconut Triangle” programme.

The assistance was provided yesterday (08) in Mulliyawala, Mullaitivu, as part of the “Kapturu Sawiya” transformational programme implemented by the Coconut Cultivation Board under the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure.

Of the beneficiaries, 443 growers received subsidy cheques to establish irrigation systems on their coconut lands, while another 72 growers received assistance under a special coconut land rehabilitation subsidy programme.

Around 3,000 coconut saplings were also distributed to growers to further expand coconut cultivation in the Northern Province.

The Northern Coconut Triangle programme covers all five districts of the Northern Province — Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya — connecting Point Pedro, Silavathurai and Kokkilai. Launched last year, the programme aims to expand coconut cultivation, bring abandoned lands back into cultivation, increase growers’ incomes and strengthen the coconut industry’s contribution to Sri Lanka’s export economy.

The programme forms part of the national target of increasing annual coconut production to 4.2 billion nuts and coconut export earnings to US$1.5 billion by 2030.

Plantation and Community Infrastructure Minister Samantha Vidhyaratne, Deputy Minister of Cooperative Development Upali Samarasinghe, Northern Province Governor Nagalingam Vethanayahan, ministry officials, representatives of the Coconut Cultivation Board, Coconut Research Institute and Coconut Development Authority, and beneficiary growers attended the event. (Newswire)

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A man has been arrested for allegedly printing counterfeit currency notes, the police said.

The suspect was arrested during a raid conducted in the Kotte Road area of Mirihana based on information received by officers of the Western Province South Crime Division.

Police recovered seven counterfeit Rs. 5,000 notes, six Rs. 1,000 notes and one Rs. 500 note, along with a computer, scanner and several other items allegedly used to produce the counterfeit currency.

The suspect, a 53-year-old resident of Pitakotte, is due to be produced before the Nugegoda Magistrate’s Court today (09). (Newswire)

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A warning for strong winds and rough seas has been issued for several sea areas around Sri Lanka, with the advisory valid until 7 a.m. tomorrow (10), the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre said.

Sea areas extending from Matara to Pottuvil via Hambantota are expected to be very rough at times, with strong gusty winds exceeding 60 kmph.

Naval and fishing communities have been advised not to venture into these sea areas until further notice.

Meanwhile, sea areas extending from Batticaloa to Chilaw via Trincomalee, Kankesanthurai and Mannar, as well as those from Galle to Matara, are expected to be rough at times, with strong gusty winds of up to 50 kmph.

Naval and fishing communities engaged in activities in these areas have been urged to remain vigilant.

Temporarily strong gusty winds and very rough seas may also occur during thundershowers.

The Department of Meteorology has advised naval and fishing communities to remain attentive to further weather forecasts and warnings. (Newswire)

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Four suspects have been arrested in connection with a grenade attack on a house in the Ratmalana area on August 5, Sri Lanka Police said.

The Mount Lavinia Police had launched an investigation into the incident, which occurred within the Mount Lavinia Police Division.

A team of officers from the Mount Lavinia Police arrested the four suspects in Moratuwa and Ratmalana yesterday evening (08).

The suspects, aged 21, 26, 28 and 30, are residents of Moratuwa and Ratmalana.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the attack was carried out on the instructions of an organised criminal currently overseas, with a dispute between organised criminal groups believed to have led to the attack, police said.

The Mount Lavinia Police are conducting further investigations. (Newswire)

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WEATHER FORECAST FOR 09 AUGUST 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 09 August 2026.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Sabaragamuwa and Western provinces and in Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts.

Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Uva province and in Batticaloa and Ampara districts after 2.00 p.m.

Several spells of showers may occur in North-western province.

Strong winds of about (40-50) kmph can be expected at times over North-central, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Central and North-western provinces and Trincomalee District.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

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Sri Lanka’s gross official reserves increased to US$ 6.591 billion in July 2026, according to the latest data released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).

Official reserves stood at US$ 6.458 billion in June, indicating an increase of US$ 133 million during July.

This represents an increase of approximately 2.1% compared with the previous month.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s gold reserves also recorded a marginal increase during the month.

Gold reserves rose by US$ 1 million, from US$ 191 million in June to US$ 192 million in July, according to the Central Bank data. (Newswire)

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Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the abuse of a cat seen in a video that recently went viral on social media, Police said.

The arrests were made by Talatu Oya Police after members of the Animal Welfare Coalition (AWC) Sri Lanka lodged a complaint over the incident.

Police said the two suspects, aged 18 and 19, were arrested in the Athulgama area shortly after the complaint was received. Both are residents of the same area.

According to the suspects, the incident had taken place about a month ago.

Police said the suspects will be produced before the Kandy Magistrate’s Court and face charges under Section 411 of the Penal Code, Section 63(a) of the Police Ordinance and laws relating to animal cruelty.

Further investigations are being carried out by Talatu Oya Police. (Newswire)

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SriLankan Airlines has resumed flights between Colombo and Kuwait, with six services per week commencing from August 8, 2026.

According to the national carrier, flight UL229 will depart Colombo for Kuwait at 5.10 p.m. every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, arriving in Kuwait at 8.05 p.m.

The return flight, UL230, will depart Kuwait at 9.10 p.m. on the same days and arrive in Colombo at 5.15 a.m. the following day.

The resumption restores SriLankan Airlines’ regular passenger services between Colombo and Kuwait, with flights operating on all days of the week except Wednesday. (Newswire)

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Jorge Horacio Messi reportedly died while receiving treatment at a hospital in Rosario, Argentina, where he had been battling an undisclosed illness.

His health had been a matter of concern in recent months. In June, while Lionel Messi was competing at the FIFA World Cup, the Messi family confirmed that Jorge was undergoing medical treatment for an undisclosed illness and appealed to the media for privacy and “humanity” amid speculation over his condition.

Jorge played a central role throughout his son’s remarkable football career, serving for many years as his representative and handling much of his off-field affairs and negotiations.

He accompanied Messi’s journey from his early years in Rosario through his rise at Barcelona and later stages of his career, becoming one of the most influential figures behind the Argentine superstar’s career.

Jorge is survived by his wife, Celia Cuccittini, and their four children, Lionel, Rodrigo, Matías and María Sol. (Newswire)

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Opposition MP Mujibur Rahman told Parliament that a former Sri Lankan Member of Parliament was detained and questioned by UK immigration authorities due to alleged quality issues with New Sri Lankan passports.

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP claimed the passport could not be properly read, prompting British immigration officials to suspect that it was fraudulent.

Rahman also alleged that the number of pages in Sri Lankan passports had been reduced from 64 to 48 without any reduction in the Rs. 6,000 issuance fee. He further claimed that the new passports do not include observation or extension pages and that the print quality is substandard.

He said issues such as immigration stamps bleeding through to the opposite page have resulted in some countries rejecting the passports.

Responding to the allegations, Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala rejected claims that there were quality issues with New Sri Lankan passports.

He said reducing the number of pages was in line with international standards and was a practice adopted by several countries.

The Minister added that court proceedings are continuing over the tender to procure five million passports and said the Government is working to resolve issues related to the introduction of the e-passport system. (Newswire)

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