Sri Lankan AI News Summary

DAILY NEWS DIGEST - Sri Lanka - Thursday, August 27, 2026 NEPAL FLOOD DISASTER, SRI LANKA OFFERS SOLIDARITY A catastrophic flash flood struck Nepal's northern Rasuwa district on the Tibet border on Wednesday, after a wall of mud and rock collapsed into a river. Over 400 people are missing and at least 95 deaths have been confirmed, with homes, vehicles, bridges and infrastructure project sites washed away. Hundreds of tourists are among the missing, and 133 Indians are reported unaccounted for. Indian authorities have placed Bihar and Uttar Pradesh border districts on alert as floodwaters move downstream. Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said Sri Lanka stands in full solidarity with the government and people of Nepal, expressing deep sadness at the devastation. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL POLLS NOT BEING DELAYED, SAYS CABINET SPOKESMAN Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said the Government intends to hold Provincial Council elections at the earliest possible opportunity, once the necessary legislation is approved by Parliament, rejecting suggestions of deliberate delay. RAILWAYS UNDER PRESSURE FROM UNIONS ON TWO FRONTS The Joint Development Officers' Union has called on the General Manager of Sri Lanka Railways to withdraw its decision to initiate legal action against the Chief Secretary of the Sri Lanka Railways Station Masters' Union, who had publicly criticised shortcomings in departmental administration. Separately, railway unions said that for the first time in history no special trains have been scheduled for the current school holidays, and that no discussions have been held on maintenance work due during the holiday period. WEATHER: HIGH SEAS WARNING FOR SOUTHERN COAST The Meteorological Department has warned of sea wave heights of 2.0 to 3.0 metres in sea areas from Colombo to Pottuvil via Galle, Matara and Hambantota. Fishing and naval communities in these areas are advised to exercise caution. YALA BLOCKS 1 AND 2 TO CLOSE FOR A MONTH The Wildlife Department announced that Blocks 1 and 2 of Yala National Park will be closed to the public from September 14 to October 15. Visitors and tour operators should plan around the annual closure period. JETSTAR OPENS DIRECT MELBOURNE-COLOMBO ROUTE Australian carrier Jetstar has launched direct flights between Melbourne and Colombo, strengthening air links between Sri Lanka and Australia and adding capacity on a route significant for tourism and the diaspora. GLORIOUS CHURCH REGISTERS WITH UK CHARITY COMMISSION Jerome Fernando's The Glorious Church has become the first Sri Lankan church to register with the UK Charity Commission, according to a statement from his office, as the ministry formalises operations across its four British branches. INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS Pakistan: A fire in the maternity ward of a major government hospital in Islamabad killed at least 14 newborn babies early Wednesday, hospital officials and the government said. Brazil: Data protection authority ANPD has fined TikTok owner ByteDance 153.8 million reais (about 29.81 million US dollars) for allegedly unlawfully processing teenagers' data in violation of the country's General Data Protection Law, per a decision published in the official gazette on Tuesday. END OF DIGEST