An explosion inside a coal mine in southwest Pakistan killed at least 32 miners Thursday and trapped 10 others underground in what officials believed to be life-threatening conditions as rescuers raced to reach them.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is set to deploy $450 million to protect poor households and strengthen the economies of Cambodia and Sri Lanka as the conflict in the Middle East drives up costs and deepens uncertainty across Asia and the Pacific.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised that physical development alone is insufficient to build a nation, stressing that sustainable progress must be rooted in a deep and intrinsic connection with the country's culture, values and historical heritage.

Showers will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in the Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts today (31), the Department of Meteorology stated.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday his so-called "Board of Peace" ​reached an agreement for the complete disarmament ‌of Palestinian Hamas militants and other armed groups in Gaza.

The US military on Thursday denied reports from Iranian media that a missile attack destroyed several American aircraft, including F-35 stealth fighters.

A woman has been arrested by the Sri Lanka Police in connection with the recent attempted murder of an individual at a residence on Temple Road, Mount Lavinia.

The annual Theva duties for the Sacred Tooth Relic were formally handed over from the Malwathu Chapter to the Asgiri Chapter today (30) at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa) in Kandy.

Iran vowed to “punish” the United States on Thursday after the American military said it had completed a “heavy wave of strikes” overnight, the latest retaliation for an attack by Tehran on U.S. forces in the Middle East.

The Church of Ceylon (Anglican Church in Sri Lanka) has expressed concern and disappointment over the Cabinet decision to proceed with a proposed constitutional amendment to raise the retirement age of judges of the appellate courts.

The Chief Jailor who was serving at the Negombo Prison at the time of the recent fatal clash has given evidence before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court today (30) regarding the violent incident that resulted in the deaths of 10 prison officers and 22 inmates.

The death toll from an overnight deadly militant attack on a police post in northwestern Pakistan rose to 11 early Thursday, police and a government official said.

Sri Lankan national javelin champion Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage has qualified for the Men’s Javelin Throw final at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Scotland today (30).

The Colombo High Court has ruled that charges filed under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) cannot be maintained against five accused, including Nadun Chinthaka Wickramaratne alias “Harak Kata,” over an alleged conspiracy to escape while in custody of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID)

The Welfare Benefits Board says that arrangements have been made to credit the payments for the month of July 2026 under the ‘Aswesuma’ welfare benefit scheme for senior citizens aged over 70 to beneficiaries’ bank accounts tomorrow (31).

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has announced that strict legal action will be taken against the manufacture, import, distribution, storage, display or sale of substandard motorcycle helmets.

Former Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Horana electorate organiser Charith Abeysinghe, who remained in remand custody after initially failing to meet his bail conditions, was released from prison today (30) following the fulfilment of the required conditions.

Showers will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-Western provinces and in Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts tomorrow (31), the Department of Meteorology stated.