President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has emphasised the need for scientific research and development (R&D) to directly contribute towards improving the lives of citizens and strengthening the national economy.

The government has decided to amend the draft bill issued last month through a Gazette notification to revise the Anti-Corruption Act No. 09 of 2023, the Leader of the House, Bimal Rathnayake said.

Malaysia will not send 5,000 refugees back to Myanmar if authorities conclude their lives would be at risk, a government spokesman said Wednesday (Aug 5), while preparations continued for the potential repatriation.

The Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) has purchased 19,592 metric tons of paddy since July as part of its ongoing purchasing programme for the Yala cultivation season, PMB Chairman Manjula Pinnalanda said.

The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has warned of a possible reactivation of landslide-prone areas affected by Cyclone Ditwah due to the heavy rainfall experienced over the past several days.

More than 50 students of a school in Trincomalee have been admitted to hospital after being attacked by wasps, police said.

A section of the route leading to the Sri Pada sacred site has been blocked after soil and parts of plants growing on a rock face near the summit collapsed onto the pathway due to heavy rainfall.

A red warning has been issued by the Department of Meteorology for strong winds and very rough seas affecting parts of the country, warning of hazardous conditions and urging fishing and naval communities to avoid venturing into the affected sea areas.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has opened online registration for students selected for admission to state universities under the normal intake based on the 2025 G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination results.

A section of the Hatton–Colombo main road at Rozella in Watawala has been placed under close observation after heavy rainfall triggered a risk of road subsidence, officials said.

The Sri Lanka Navy has launched a special rescue operation after an Indian fishing vessel that allegedly entered Sri Lankan waters illegally met with an accident off the coast of Delft Island.

The National Building Research Institute (NBRI) has extended Level 2 (Amber) landslide warnings for several areas in four districts due to the prevailing adverse weather conditions.

Javelin champion Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage has reached the number one position in the world rankings for the men’s javelin throw event, marking a historic achievement for Sri Lankan athletics.

Sri Lanka has recorded 88,088 dengue cases so far in 2026, with 63 deaths reported due to the disease, according to the latest statistics released by the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU).

Russia fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Kyiv and the surrounding region on Wednesday, killing at least 17 people and ‌destroying warehouses and logistics centres of major retailers, Ukrainian officials said, as a shortage of air defence missiles leaves Ukraine vulnerable.

Approximately 7,000 premature deaths are recorded in Sri Lanka annually due to the effects of air pollution, the Ministry of Health has revealed.

One person has been killed in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon, the country's health ministry says, after the Israeli military said it was responding to a "blatant violation of the ceasefire" by the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.

Major General U.K.D.D.P. Udugama of the Gajaba Regiment has assumed duties as the 70th Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army, the second most senior appointment in the Army, at the Army Headquarters.