Jul 10 (DM) Post-mortem examinations into the deaths of prison officers killed during the recent violence at Negombo Prison have revealed that they were subjected to brutal physical assaults. According to the post-mortem reports, the officers died from severe head injuries caused by blunt force trauma. A five-member panel of senior Judicial Medical Officers, chaired by Dr. Sujeewa Wickramasinghe, carried out autopsies on 24 of the 28 bodies transferred to Negombo Hospital. more..

Jul 10 (DN) Eventhough, SL Rupee (LKR) remains the only recognized legal tender under the Central Bank of SL Act, No. 16 of 2023, Cryptocurrency earnings in Sri Lanka are now officially subject to taxation as other income by the Inland Revenue Department, Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando told Parliament yesterday. Cryptocurrencies cannot be used to execute standard commercial payments or financial system settlements in SL. more..

Jul 10 (FT) Bar Association of SL (BASL) has called for an independent, transparent, and expeditious investigation into the recent violence at Negombo Prison, while urging the Government to use the tragedy as a catalyst for long-overdue reforms to the country’s prison and criminal justice systems. BASL expressed profound concern over the incidents at Negombo Prison between 5 and 7 July, which reportedly claimed 27 lives, including seven prison officers, and left more than 100 people injured. more..

Jul 10 (Island) The wife of Suresh Sallay has lodged a further complaint with the Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL), alleging that her husband’s fundamental rights continue to be violated as CID officers prevent him from having confidential consultations with his lawyer while he is under detention at the National Hospital. In a letter addressed to the HRCSL Chairman on Thursday, Mrs. S.B.M.S.B. Sallay has said the latest complaint was filed in relation to an earlier complaint more..

Jul 10 (NW) Ministry of Transport and Highways has announced plans to expand the mobile drug testing program for drivers and conductors across the island, as part of efforts to strengthen public transport safety. Chairman of the National Transport Medical Institute, Professor Clifford Perera said the initiative, launched in November last year, has already tested 5,242 drivers and conductors in the Western Province, with 239 confirmed to have used narcotics and referred for legal action. more..

Jul 10 (NW) United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Parliament of SL have formalised a new partnership to strengthen the use of population data in policymaking, signing a MoU that underscores their shared commitment to ensuring demographic trends are reflected in future legislation and national development priorities. The agreement, signed by Parliament Secretary‑General Kushani Anusha Rohanadeera and UNFPA SL Representative a.i. Phuntsho Wangyel, marks a milestone in efforts to more..

Jul 10 (DM) A landmark surgery that successfully separated five-year-old conjoined twins has been hailed as a major achievement in SL’s medical history, while also reigniting debate over the capabilities and challenges of the country’s public healthcare system. A team of doctors from the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital, Sirimavo Bandaranaike Specialist Children's Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine, Uni of Peradeniya successfully separated conjoined twins Linuli Tharulya and Lithuli Manulya more..

Jul 10 (FT) Sri Lanka has revised down its ambitious 2026 tourism targets, with Tourism Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe yesterday attributing the downgrade to the fallout from the Middle East conflict, which disrupted air connectivity and dampened visitor arrivals. The Govt now expects to attract 2.5 million tourist arrivals and generate $ 3.5 billion in tourism earnings by the end of 2026, down from the original targets of 3 million visitors and $ 4 billion in revenue. more..

Jul 10 (DM) Asian Development Bank (ADB) has lowered Sri Lanka’s economic growth forecast for 2027 and sharply raised its inflation projections, warning that prolonged disruptions to global energy markets are likely to weigh on the country’s recovery over the medium term. In its July 2026 Asian Development Outlook update, the Manila-based lender maintained SL’s growth forecast for 2026 at 4% but cut the 2027 projection to 4% from the 4.2% forecast issued in April. more..

Jul 10 (DN) There has been a dramatic improvement in the fiscal output outcome and in April the primary balance in one month is equivalent to 0.8% of GDP Economist Murtaza Jafferjee told the SL-Australia-NZ Business Council 31st AGM held in Colombo on July 8. He said that economic growth has to come on the back of productivity improvements and productivity improvements are predicated on competition and the country needs to increase competition in the economy and tradable sectors, and more..

Jul 10 (TM) With harvesting for this year’s (2026) Yala season now underway, the President’s Secretary Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake has instructed officials of the Agriculture Ministry to commence paddy procurement without delay. He also directed that existing paddy stocks in warehouses be cleared and that preparations be made, in coordination with Sathosa, to receive the new harvest. He issued these instructions during a discussion on paddy procurement for the Yala season held on Tuesday (7). more..

Jul 10 (DN) All-rounder Chamika Heenatigala played a match-winning unbeaten knock of 84 as SL Under-19 secured a thrilling one-wicket victory over India Under-19 off the final ball to clinch the three-match ODI series 2-1 at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Int'l Cricket Stadium yesterday. Heenatigala produced a remarkable innings under immense pressure after Sri Lanka lost six top-order wickets while chasing a challenging target of 291. With 11 runs required from the final over more..

Jul 10 (NW) SL Police has called on the public to report individuals who have suddenly acquired significant assets or are living luxurious lifestyles without any apparent lawful source of income. Police said the CID and other law enforcement authorities are closely monitoring such cases as part of ongoing investigations into illegally acquired wealth. The investigations primarily target assets believed to have been obtained through drug trafficking and other unlawful activities, with more..

Jul 10 (DM) Several world’s leading container shipping lines — including Maersk, CMA CGM, MSC and COSCO — have shown interest in acquiring a stake in SL’s East Container Terminal (ECT) or Hambantota Int'l Port. The interest follows a report by the US trade publication Journal of Commerce (JOC), which said MSC was in advanced talks with China Merchants Port Holdings (CMPort) and SL authorities to acquire a significant stake in Hambantota International Port. more..

Jul 10 (DN) A money laundering case filed against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s second son Yoshitha Rajapaksa was yesterday fixed for further trial on July 17 by the Colombo High Court. When the case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Udesh Ranathunga, former CSN Channel head Yasara Abeynayake testified before the Court. During her testimony, Abeynayake stated that she had been in a romantic relationship with Yoshitha Rajapaksa, who was serving as a Navy officer at the time. more..

Jul 10 (FT) Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) is in discussions to acquire a significant stake in Hambantota International Port as part of a broader strategy to expand its port presence across the Indian Ocean region. This is according to a report by the Journal of Commerce, citing multiple local industry sources familiar with the matter. The proposed investment forms part of what sources described as a wider recalibration of MSC’s hub activities across the region, with Hambantota emerging as the focus of the discussions. more..

Jul 10 (TM) A total of 64,663 acres of land in the Northern and Eastern Provinces occupied by the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force have been released since the end of the conflict in 2009, the Deputy Defence Minister, Major General (Retired) Aruna Jayasekara told Parliament yesterday. Responding to a question raised by Jaffna District Opposition MP Dr Ramanathan Archchuna, he said: "A total extent of 64,663 acres of land has been released from 2009 to date. more..

Jul 10 (TM) Sri Lanka is to introduce its Public Private Partnership Act in Q3 this year, having previously been slated to be introduced in the first quarter of the year, Board of Investments SL Director General Sulakshana Jayawardena said at the Research Intelligence Unit (RIU) Infracon conference held recently (3). “When it comes to the public private partnerships, again there is no proper legal framework to implement public-private partnerships in SL. Govt has recognised this requirement. more..

Jul 10 (DM) SL’s economic recovery could face fresh challenges from rising oil and food prices as the IMF warned that energy-importing economies remain vulnerable to renewed inflation and external sector pressures stemming from the Middle East conflict. In its latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) Update released on Wednesday, the IMF projected global growth to slow to 3% in 2026 from 3.5% in 2025, as the economic fallout from the conflict offsets gains from a technology-led investment boom. more..

Jul 10 (FT) The 14th World Construction Symposium and the Sustainability Awards Scheme 2026, organised by the Ceylon Institute of Builders (CIOB), will be held at the Hilton Colombo, Sri Lanka on 10 and 11 July, bringing together the nation's and the region's leading minds in the built environment. Jointly organised with the Uni of Moratuwa, the World Construction Symposium has become SL's premier international forum where research, professional practice and industry converge. more..

Jul 10 (FT) Connect to Care (CTC) Consulting announced a significant step in its institutional evolution, with its official registration as a Voluntary Social Services/NGO under the Voluntary Social Services Organisations Act No. 31 of 1980, as amended. Registration marks a major milestone for Connect to Care Consulting as it strengthens its mandate, governance and institutional capacity to support SL’s development priorities through practical implementation, cross-sector collaboration and measurable impact. more..

Jul 10 (FT) SL’s efforts to strengthen its anti-money laundering framework sparked a broader constitutional debate in Parliament yesterday, with Opposition lawmakers warning that provisions in three key financial crime Bills could expand executive and administrative powers beyond what is required under international standards. Bills, which amend the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, the Financial Transactions Reporting Act, and more..

Jul 10 (Island) Recent tragedy at Negombo Prison has forced SL to confront an uncomfortable reality. While public attention has understandably focused on the deaths that occurred, the incident has also exposed something far more fundamental: the appalling conditions under which thousands of prisoners are compelled to live every day. Reports indicate that a prison designed to accommodate about 900 inmates was holding nearly 2,400. Such overcrowding is not merely an administrative inconvenience. more..

Jul 10 (Island) The latest bout of prison violence has brought the appalling conditions of Sri Lanka’s prisons to light once again. Whenever riots erupt in prisons and lives are lost, issues such as prison congestion, squalor, etc., attract the attention of legislators and other policymakers, but hardly any remedial action is taken, and no wonder the status quo remains. Govts only pay lip service to prison reforms, which have become mere political slogans. more..

Jul 10 (SO) Sri Lanka has officially been reclassified from a Lower Middle Income Country (LMIC) to an Upper Middle Income Country (UMIC). Vietnam and the Philippines too received this upgrade, while neighbouring India remains in the LMIC category. For a country that only four years ago was crushed under the ignominy of its first-ever Sovereign Debt Default, the announcement by the World Bank carries an undeniable psychological weight. It is a formal, mathematical declaration more..

Jul 10 (TM) The fatal clashes that recently erupted inside the Negombo Prison have delivered a grim and bloody reminder of a crisis that successive Govts have chosen to ignore for decades. This was not a random breakdown of discipline. It was the detonation of a human pressure cooker, a catastrophe born directly from institutional failure and neglect, and a prison system that has long been stretched past its absolute breaking point. For years, policy makers have treated prison overcrowding more..

Jul 10 (TM) Every year, when the rains arrive, SL seems to enter the same familiar cycle. Drains overflow. Discarded cups, tins, coconut shells and plastic containers collect water. School compounds and construction sites are inspected. Public health inspectors move from house to house. Fogging machines begin to echo through lanes and neighbourhoods. Then come the numbers: dengue cases rising, hospital wards filling, children missing school, parents missing work more..

Jul 10 (ST) The IMF concluded its mission with a press release, before the forthcoming 7th Review of the EFF arrangement in SL. The following quotation summarises its message: “Sustaining reform momentum remains critical to navigating the shock while preserving fiscal and external sustainability and continuing efforts toward building resilience and delivering strong, durable, and inclusive growth.” As per the statement, reforms are on track. Fiscal targets are being met, sometimes exceeded. more..

Jul 10 (GV) Contemporary nation-states face an unprecedented challenge: maintaining social cohesion when ethnic and religious identities assert themselves with renewed vigor. SL, a nation of 22 million where Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity coexist among Sinhalese, Tamil and Moor populations, exemplifies both the promise and peril of diversity. After three decades of civil war, the Easter Sunday attacks of 2019 and the economic collapse of 2022, the nation stands at a crossroads. more..

Jul 10 (CT) Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Levan Dzhagaryan, has been in Sri Lanka since 2021. A career diplomat with decades of service in the Russian Foreign Ministry, he has worked across several regions, including the Middle East and Asia. He was posted as the Ambassador to Iran for 11 years. In SL, he has been a key voice shaping Moscow’s engagement on political, economic, defence, and cultural cooperation, more..

Jul 10 (DM) Two days of deadly violence in the Negombo prison have laid bare the persistent decay in the SL prison system, and by and large, the entire criminal justice apparatus. The violent riots cost at least 27 lives, including 8 prison officers’ and 19 inmates’, and injured over a hundred. The inmates clubbed to death several prison officers before waging running battles with the prison guards and Police Special Task Force commandos. Violence first erupted on Sunday between two prison gangs, more..

Jul 10 (DM) SL’s labour market is undergoing a gradual but significant shift. Generative AI is becoming embedded in everyday work. Unlike earlier rounds of automation, which focused mainly on manual and manufacturing sectors, generative AI now reaches white-collar roles. Professional and clerical positions, once considered stable, are increasingly affected. Generative AI creates new content—text, images, audio, video, or code—based on patterns learned from massive datasets. more..