Jul 1 (FT) SJB MP Mujibur Rahman alleged the Govt was concealing the findings of a critical Customs inquiry, warning that failures to follow mandatory scanning procedures for high-risk cargo could have jeopardised the country’s security, revenue, and public health. He charged that the administration had deliberately withheld the Inquiry Committee’s report from the legislators, prompting him to formally table it on the House floor. more..

Jul 1 (AD) A decision regarding the revision of bus fares, in line with yesterday’s fuel price adjustment, will be made within the next two days, the National Transport Commission (NTC) has announced. Naomi Jayawardena, the Director General of the NTC stated that the National Transport Commission is scheduled to convene and make a final decision on the matter. Although the annual bus fare revision was initially set to be implemented from today (01), Director General Jayawardena noted more..

Jul 1 (CT) Former Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena and former Director General of the BOI, Jayantha Edirisinghe, were yesterday given indictments before Colombo HC Judge Pradeep Hettiarachchi by the CIABOC. The indictments relate to an alleged misuse of over Rs. 1.74 million from the BOI budget in 2014 to publish newspaper advertisements marking the second-term anniversary of then-Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa. The advertisements were published in several more..

Jul 1 (TM) SL’s target to bring its debt-to-GDP ratio below 95% by 2032 - announced yesterday with the unveiling of the govt’s mid-term fiscal strategy - has been described as ambitious by Uni of Peradeniya Economics Prof. Wasantha Athukorala, who cautioned that current debt trends do not point to such rapid improvement. “In terms of public debt-to-GDP being less than 95% of GDP in 2032, this differs from the steady targets more..

Jul 1 (DM) Ceypetco has announced a revision of fuel prices, which will come into effect from midnight today (30). The price of a liter of Lanka White Diesel will go up by Rs. 15, making the new price Rs. 289. The price of Octane 92 petrol will increase by Rs. 12, with the new price set at Rs. 305 per liter. In addition, price of Lanka Kerosene has been raised by Rs. 7, and the new price is Rs. 185 per liter. However, the prices of Octane 95 petrol & Lanka Super Diesel will remain unchanged. more..

Jul 1 (AD) Former Minister and veteran politician Gamini Lokuge has passed away a short while ago at the age of 82, according to family sources. Lokuge commenced his political career in 1960 as a member of the UNP. His first successful national-level campaign came in 1983, when he was elected by a clear majority to represent the Kesbewa Electoral District. He served as Minister of Tourism during the UNP-led govts in 1989 and 2002. In 2006, following personal disagreements with more..

Jul 1 (Island) Excavations at the Chemmani mass grave in Jaffna took a grim turn on Sunday with the discovery of skeletal remains, believed to be that of a child, found alongside a blue school bag, imprinted with the English alphabet, fragments of clothing, and small glass bangles. This marks the first time personal belongings have been unearthed during the current phase of excavations, adding a poignant dimension to the ongoing investigation. The cloth pouch is reported to resemble school bags more..

Jul 7 (FT) Colombo stock market yesterday ended June with a stellar performance, with both indices netting 7% growth whilst the benchmark ASPI crossed the 18,000-points mark. ASPI yesterday gained by 0.86% to close at 18,026 points, and the active S&P SL20 by 1.3%. Turnover was Rs. 6.38 billion involving 257.3 million shares. Turnover was led by LB Finance (Rs. 448 mil), Access Engineering (Rs. 398 mil), JKH (Rs. 392 mil), Central Finance (Rs. 255 mil), Sampath Bank (Rs. 245 mil). more..

Jul 1 (TM) In the wake of allegations by trade unions (TUs) and civil society groups that the current Govt is attempting to revive controversial labour law reforms proposed by the previous administration, Ministry of Labour stated that any labour law reforms will be introduced only after open discussions with TUs, employers, and the general public. Deputy Minister of Labour, Mahinda Jayasinghe said that a Cabinet paper has more..

Jul 7 (FT) Supreme Court has ruled that several clauses of the proposed SL Electricity (Amendment) Bill are inconsistent with the Constitution, requiring either a special Parliamentary majority or approval via a public referendum, unless amended. Deputy Speaker of Parliament Dr. Rizvie Salih announced the determination, delivered to the House yesterday during a special session. According to the SC’s determination, the Supreme Court determined that several clauses would require approval by more..

Jul 1 (DM) The new food labelling and advertising regulations coming into force today risk turning the sweet gains sour for the local food and beverage (F&B) sector, the industry stakeholders said, describing the rules as impractical and a potential disruptor for the manufacturers across the board. The rules, enforced by both the Health Ministry and Consumer Affairs Authority, mandate a wide range of product declarations, including nutritional details, allergen warnings and more..

Jul 7 (ST) The deadline for the operationalisation of the Sri Lanka Electricity Act 26 of 2024 lapsed on Friday with none of the preconditions for its coming into effect having been met to date. The delay is a setback to the long-overdue process to reform and restructure the sector in order to offer the public better efficiency, competitiveness and cost-reduction in electricity supply. The law was enacted on June 27, 2024, and states that it “shall come into operation immediately upon more..

Jul 7 (DN) Lahiru Udara will lead the Sri Lanka ‘A’ one-day team while Pasindu Sooriyabandara will captain the SL ‘A’ four-day team on their Australia tour which will commence on July 4. Lahiru Udara who got his test cap recently having good records in SL A team has been first time appointed as the SL ‘A’ one-day captain while Sooriyabandara once again gets the chance to lead the four-day team after successful leadership stint against South Africa, Pakistan and Afghanistan in UAE. more..

Jul 7 (FT) Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Ministry, in collaboration with the Clean SL program and with the support of the private sector, has launched a PPP project titled Dream Destination to renovate 100 railway stations across the country. The aim of this project is to create a clean, attractive railway station network that ensures the safety and comfort of all passengers, including those with special needs. more..

Jul 7 (DN) SL wrestler Nethmi Ahinsa once again came to the limelight when she won the bronze medal in women’s 57kg weight category at the under 23 Asian Wrestling Championships in Vietnam recently. She has become the first Sri Lankan to win a medal at this prestigious meet. Nethmi delivered a superb performance to outclass Kazakhstan’s Nilufar Raimova with a decisive 12–4 victory in the bronze medal match. Nethmi first captured national attention after claiming bronze more..

Jul 7 (Island) Once giants of the white-ball game, Sri Lanka were dealt a harsh reality check when they failed to qualify for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy — a bitter pill to swallow for a nation that once redefined the one-day format with audacity and flair. Their ninth-place finish at the 2023 World Cup saw them miss the cut, triggering alarm bells across the island’s cricketing corridors. But from the rubble of that disappointment has emerged a rejuvenated side, rising phoenix-like under more..

Jul 7 (ST) Health Ministry has sought Cabinet approval for its criteria for securing urgent medication from several countries on a govt-to-govt (G2G) basis, a senior official said, adding that the plan was in progress. All major pharmaceutical unions have opposed the scheme. In a letter to the Health Minister sent earlier in May, SL Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry (SLCPI), National Chamber of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers of SL more..

Jul 1 (Island) Australia’s deepening commitment to SL’s education and agribusiness sectors was on full display at the Festival of Australia held at Cinnamon Life in Colombo on Sunday. The event, which attracted over a thousand participants, showcased the strength of bilateral ties in two of the most strategic areas for both countries: higher education and food and beverage trade. Vik Singh, Australia’s Trade & Investment Commissioner for South Asia, who was in Colombo for the event, more..

Jul 1 (FT) As the US marks its 249th Independence Day this Friday, US Ambassador to SL Julie Chung underscored the depth and resilience of ties between Washington and Colombo, celebrating a journey of mutual respect and shared challenges and goals stretching back over seven decades. Speaking at the Embassy’s Independence Day reception hosted last week at Cinnamon Life, under the banner Great American Road Trip, she attempted bringing the same spirit right here more..

Jul 1 (Island) Pathum Nissanka has been ticking all the right boxes, and the SL opener now has his sights set on something truly special – a place among the ICC’s top ten batters across all three formats. Already perched at number seven in T20Is, the 27-year-old has made a compelling case in the longer formats too, with a string of towering performances that have turned heads and tilted matches in SL’s favour. Last year, Nissanka carved his name into history books, more..

Jul 1 (CT) Although essential for daily life, for many Sri Lankans, access to clean and safe water is still a privilege rather than the right that it is. This sad reminder was given to us through a report from WB Group, which identified that a further investment of USD 7 billion would be necessary to provide adequate infrastructure to reach an 80% coverage of the island’s population. And even with that mammoth sum, it would still take years, half a decade or more to be able to reach such a goal. more..

Jul 1 (FT) In a landmark move to build a more citizen-focused tax system, Int'l Chamber of Commerce SL (ICCSL) has released the country’s first national survey on public awareness of the Taxpayer Charter, and the findings are eye-opening. Conducted by the ICCSL Committee on Research, Knowledge Mobilisation and Taxation, the survey set out to understand how well ordinary Sri Lankans know their rights and obligations as taxpayers. more..

Jul 1 (FT) Embassy of SL in Bangkok successfully facilitated a recent visit by a high-level delegation from Maliban Biscuit Manufactories Ltd. to Thailand. The visit aimed to explore investment opportunities and establish strategic partnerships within the Thai market, marking a significant step in Maliban’s global expansion strategy. To support Maliban’s mission, Embassy organised several high-level engagements. A key highlight was a meeting with senior officials of the Thailand BOI, more..

Jul 1 (Island) Interesting news has emanated from the hill country. While the NPP and the SJB are at each other’s jugular, fighting for control of the non-majority local government institutions, their councillors in the Norwood Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) closed ranks and secured the posts of chairperson (NPP) and deputy chairperson (SJB), on Friday (27). It is unthinkable that they would have done so unbeknownst to their parties. However, the SJB reacted belatedly, more..

Jul 1 (TM) The NPP Govt was given a landslide victory at the Presidential and Parliamentary General Elections – a powerful mandate which the State is yet to exercise effectively. One of the key problems which the JVP-led NPP Govt is plagued with, is the lack of governance experience. This is to be expected from a Govt with almost 150 new faces in Parliament. However, its impact can be devastating for the Govt and the country. The JVP has never weathered criticism well, more..

Jul 1 (ST) It was only in the early school days, learning harsh foreign phrases and throwing them at an enemy as I did the other day; Il macabro would have sounded gruesome enough to hurl at a foreign enemy of yesterday. But to think of a phrase even worse of an enemy seemed callous and definitely unpardonable, though I speak of some from the years past which so many of you will not know. So though I apologise to you today, my long-felt grievances against those who would hurt more..

Jul 1 (SO) As global geopolitics increasingly impact energy markets, SL faces serious concern over fuel security, renewable energy ambitions, and energy sovereignty. Minister of Energy Kumara Jayakody spoke about the Middle East conflict, the future of renewables, the climate commitments, and whether SL will fall under external energy influence. Q: With the ongoing conflict in the ME, how will fuel supply to SL be affected? more..

Jul 1 (Island) The govt’s openness to the international human rights community as witnessed in its welcome to UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk, and willingness to receive advice from him, perhaps reflects its sense of confidence in its sincerity of purpose to uplift the country politically economically and in terms of the people’s enjoyment of human rights. The government appears to be living Tagore’s dream: “Where the mind is without fear and more..

Jul 1 (GV) Some truths are not uncovered by force. They rise slowly, persistently, from the ground because the dead cannot remain forgotten forever. In the quiet village of Chemmani, nestled within the war scarred terrain of the Jaffna peninsula, a patch of soil became the unlikely custodian of one of the nation’s most haunting secrets. What lay beneath was not just a series of mass graves but the buried echoes of an entire generation – names never recorded, stories never told, justice never more..

Jul 1 (TM) SL’s latest gambling reforms promise modernisation and economic gains, but concerns have been raised that the new Gambling Regulatory Authority Bill of 2025 falls short on crucial fronts. While aiming to replace outdated laws and unify oversight, the bill leaves operational controls vague and enforcement mechanisms weak, raising fears it may open the door to unchecked online gambling & risky junket operations. more..

Jul 1 (DN) Last week, happy news was received by all SL bus and train passengers: the reduction of bus fares and the addition of 200 new super-luxury buses for expressway operation. After suffering for seven and a half long decades at the hands of ignorant leaders and their govts, at least now SL passengers deserve a decent bus and train trip. They deserve it. They will enjoy it in the near future, thanks to the current govt. According to one of the crucial Cabinet decisions made last week, more..

Jul 1 (DM) Against the backdrop of National Transport Commission (NTC) having announced that it will be mandatory for bus drivers to wear seat belts starting from today, July 1, Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) has urged the Govt to provide standard seat belts to private buses at concessional prices before enforcing the regulation that makes seat belts mandatory for bus drivers. LPBOA President Gemunu Wijeratne had told the media that the govt must provide more..