Wild elephant “Kandalame Hedakaraya” receives indigenous treatment

Department of Wildlife has permitted the provision of indigenous treatments to the wild elephant popularly known as “Kandalame Hedakaraya” which has been under treatment of wildlife veterinary surgeons for more than four months.

Shooting incident in Kothalawala leaves one injured

A shooting incident took place today in the Kothalawala area of Kaduwela.

Daily Mirror Brief: Daily News Recap, Top Headlines & Must-Read Stories - 8th August

Daily Mirror Brief is your daily news digest—bringing you the top headlines, key updates, and essential stories you may have missed across politics, tech, culture, and global affairs. Quick, clear, and curated—your trusted news recap, whenever you’re ready.

France on alert after containing worst wildfire in decades amid soaring heat

French authorities and firefighters remain on high alert following the containment of the country’s largest wildfire in decades, as soaring temperatures risk reigniting the blaze that tore through the southern Aude region this week.

Chinese cybercrime suspect arrested and deported

A Chinese man involved in cybercrimes in the Philippines who attempted to enter Sri Lanka was arrested at Bandaranaike International Airport this morning and deported by the Immigration and Emigration officers.

IRD reminds taxpayers of key filing deadlines

The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has reminded taxpayers to submit their Statement of Estimated Tax Payable (SET) for the Year of Assessment 2025/2026 electronically on or before August 15, 2025.

PS member trying to sell gem for Rs. 500 mn, arrested

A Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) member of the Kundasale Pradeshiya Sabha and two others who attmpted to sell a gem for Rs. 500 million without a permit were arrested by the Nuwara Eliiya police.

Deadline to apply for 2025 A/L exams extended

The Education Ministry announced today that the deadline to apply for the 2025 G.C.E. Advanced Level examinations has been extended to midnight on August 12, 2025.

SLAF deploys Bell 412 to fight forest fire

The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) deployed a Bell 412 helicopter today to carry out Bambi Bucket operations, delivering aerial water drops to contain a forest fire in the Raththanagolla–Imbulpe area of Balangoda.

Another injured in Borella shooting dies

Another man who was injured in the shooting incident at the Sahaspura housing complex in Borella sucummbed to his injuries, Deputy Director of the National Hospital, Colombo Dr. Rukshan Bellana said.

Around 20,000 children drop out of schools annually: PM

Around 20,000 children drop out of schools in Sri Lanka every year, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said.

Haider Ali: Pakistan’s cricket sensation arrested over rape allegations

Haider Ali, a Pakistani cricketer who was once touted as the next big thing in the sport, is now facing serious allegations in England.

US offers $50m reward for arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro

The US has doubled a reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50m (£37.2m), accusing him of being ’’one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world’’.

Satellite remains in orbit: SupremeSAT confirms

Amidts the controversy over Chichi’s communication satellite, SupremeSAT confirmed that the satellite remains in orbit at 87.5° East, precisely where it was positioned upon launch.

Wildcard Mboko beats Osaka for maiden WTA title

Wildcard Victoria Mboko won her first WTA title by coming from behind to beat four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the Canadian Open final.

Israel’s security cabinet approves Netanyahu plan to occupy Gaza City

Israel’s political-security cabinet approved a plan to take control of Gaza City early on Friday, hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel intended to take military control of the entire strip despite intensifying criticism at home and abroad over the devastating almost two-year-old war.

Platinum hosts pre-departure session for Ireland-bound students

Platinum Immigration Solutions Pvt Ltd, Sri Lanka’s trusted name in global education consultancy for over 12 years, held its annual Ireland Pre-Departure Session in Colombo.

Govt makes U-turn: Chichi’s rocket goes missing again

Controversy surrounding the satellite released by Supreme SAT in 2012, more popularly known as ‘Chichi’s rocket’ took a bizarre twist in Parliament yesterday when Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe contradicted Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya stating that the Prime Minister had been fed with inaccurate statistics for her answer by the Board of Investment and the rocket was in fact still missing.

Banking sector deposits swell defying lower interest rates

Customer deposits in the licensed commercial banking sector continued to grow at a faster rate from 2024 through the second quarter of 2025 despite the interest rates on deposits slumping in line with the decline in market interest rates.

‘Most aggressive’ APAC cyber threat group has Sri Lanka in its sights – Kaspersky

Sri Lanka has been identified as a key target for SideWinder, dubbed “the most aggressive threat in APAC” by global cybersecurity giant Kaspersky.

Danu warns public of online scam misusing his identity

Talk show host and actor Danu Innasithamby has issued a public warning, saying that his name, image, and videos are being misused by online scammers promoting fraudulent investment and trading schemes.

First 500 meters of Kadawatha-Mirigama expressway section to be completed by September

The first 500 meters of the Kadawatha-Mirigama stretch of the Central Expressway (E04) will be completed within the next two months (September), Deputy Minister of Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Prasanna Gunasena said.

Update: Shooting in Borella: One dead, four injured

A shooting incident occurred today (07) at the Sahaspura housing complex in Borella, resulting in one death and injuries to four others

Mom left child with seven dogs for weeks to party in Vegas

A Florida mother has been accused of leaving her child and seven dogs home alone in “vile” conditions for two weeks as she celebrated her birthday in Las Vegas, cops say.

Three charged with smuggling Sri Lankan national via KLIA

Three individuals, including a woman, appeared in the Sessions Court today over charges of smuggling a Sri Lankan national.

Re-scrutinized A/L 2024 results released online

The Department of Examinations announced that the re-scrutinized results of the 2024 GCE Advanced Level (A/L) Examination have been released online.

New app helps people report wild elephants and stay safe

A new mobile app has been launched to help the public report real-time sightings of wild elephants, aiming to reduce the human-elephant conflict and enhance safety in affected areas.

Online gambling ring: Indian tourists fined, to be deported

Eleven Indian tourists, including two women, were fined Rs. 100,000 each after being produced before Kaduwela Magistrate Bandara Ilangasinghe for operating an illegal online gambling operation in Pelawatta.

Court orders probe into scam to collect funds using Minister Jayatissa’s name

Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali Jayathunga today ordered an immediate investigation into a scam where the name of Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa had been fraudulently used to open bank accounts and collect donations under the pretense of providing a wheelchair to a Buddhist monk.

Daily Mirror Brief: Daily News Recap, Top Headlines & Must-Read Stories - 7th August

Daily Mirror Brief is your daily news digest—bringing you the top headlines, key updates, and essential stories you may have missed across politics, tech, culture, and global affairs. Quick, clear, and curated—your trusted news recap, whenever you’re ready.