A 46-year-old man has been arrested by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) over the alleged dissemination of unverified and false information through social media regarding an LTTE training camp.

The second Kumbal Perahera of the historic Kandy Esala Perahera will parade the streets today (19).

The government has taken steps to expedite compensation payments to farmers whose paddy and other crops have been damaged by the prevailing dry weather conditions, the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board said.

A 19-year-old individual has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) under the provisions of the Money Laundering Act following a raid within the Dam Street Police Division, police stated.

At least three people have been lightly injured and a number of buildings damaged after an earthquake rocked southern Spain.

Vietnam’s low-cost airline Vietjet Air has commenced direct flight operations between Sri Lanka and Vietnam, with its inaugural flight arriving at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) last night (18).

A 22-year-old individual has been arrested with approximately 18.672 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (‘Ice’), during a police raid in Maswila, Bandaragama, police stated.

The August installment of the Aswesuma welfare benefit is scheduled to be credited to beneficiaries’ bank accounts today (19), according to the Welfare Benefits Board.

The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday (Aug 19) accused Iran of firing two ballistic missiles at shipping in the Gulf, an allegation later denied by Tehran.

Several spells of showers are expected in several parts of the country, while mainly dry weather will prevail across the rest of the island, according to the Department of Meteorology.

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India Mahishini Colonne has emphasised the need to deepen Sri Lanka–India relations while safeguarding Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and strategic autonomy.

Land values in the Colombo District increased at a moderate pace during the first half of 2026, with the overall Land Valuation Indicator (LVI) rising 5.9% year-on-year, according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

A total of 113,307 tourists have arrived in Sri Lanka during the first 16 days of August, according to the latest figures released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).

The first Kumbal Perahera of the 2026 Kandy Esala Festival commenced at the auspicious time of 6:52 p.m. today (18), with the historic procession making its way through the streets of Kandy.

A World Health Organization official said on Tuesday (Aug 18) it was still possible to bring under control an Ebola outbreak that is outpacing containment efforts and has become the second-deadliest on record.

Six petitions have been filed before the Supreme Court challenging the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which was presented to Parliament today (18).

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (Aug 18) posted a map on his Truth Social platform showing the Strait of Hormuz as "NEW US Territory", pressing his threat to claim sovereignty over the vital waterway.

The government has secured a US$200 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to support the country’s Trade, Investment and Industry Development Programme.