Jul 28 (NW) Police today arrested members of several Kavadi dance groups participating in the annual procession of the Devinuwara Uthpalawanna Sri Vishnu Maha Devalaya, after they were found in possession of narcotics during a special morning operation. Authorities said that around 1,500 security personnel have been deployed to safeguard the procession, with all Kavadi groups scheduled to undergo instant checks. Arrests come against the backdrop of heightened tensions surrounding more..

Jul 28 (NF) Govt has decided to make several Presidential Mansions located across the country available for tourism investment projects. Accordingly, five Presidential Mansions are to be leased out on a long-term basis. Presidential Mansions located in Bentota, Kataragama, Mahiyanganaya, Embilipitiya & A'pura have been identified for long-term leasing to facilitate tourism investment projects. Govt stated that although several Presidential Mansions have been more..

Jul 28 (AD) Badulla High Court today sentenced SJB MP Chaminda Wijesiri to one-and-a-half years’ imprisonment in connection with charges including wrongful restraint, assault, causing injuries, issuing death threats to two police officers, and causing bodily harm in 2019. The case was filed against MP Chaminda Wijesiri, his driver, and an officer attached to the Ministerial Security Division (MSD). more..

Jul 28 (NF) Allegations of external pressure being exerted to alter laboratory reports concerning substandard coal imported into Sri Lanka have been revealed before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Coal Transactions. The revelation was made by Saliya Panditharatne, a member of the Board of Directors of Lanka Coal Generation Private Limited, who testified before the commission. He informed the commission that several suspicious incidents had been reported, including more..

Jul 28 (NW) SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa has vowed not to abandon Badulla District MP Chaminda Wijesiri, stressing that justice will be sought through the appeal process. Premadasa told reporters that while the judiciary must be respected, he believes Wijesiri will ultimately receive justice. “Chaminda Wijesiri is not only a pillar of strength for the Badulla District and the SJB, but also for the people of SL. He has fearlessly raised serious issues on behalf of citizens through his political more..

Jul 28 (EN) Sri Lanka has approved a proposal to designate the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as the official regulator for Virtual Assets and Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs), moving to bring crypto trading and digital asset platforms under formal oversight. Cabinet of Ministers greenlit the decision following a submission by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Digital Economy. more..

Jul 28 (NW) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Transformation Committee has announced a series of cricket development initiatives aimed at improving coaching, umpiring, pitch preparation and player development across the country. Speaking at the committee’s monthly media briefing, Cricket Committee Chairman Sidath Wettimuny said the committee has prioritised three key areas in recent weeks — coaching, curating and umpiring standards. As part of the reforms, SLC has recruited two umpire more..

Jul 28 (EN) Cabinet has approved a proposal to award contracts worth approximately 15 billion rupees to construct the first phase of the Ruwanpura Expressway Project during 2026, minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. Project will be funded through local budgetary allocations already approved for the year 2026. Under this phase, RDA plans to complete the procurement process and select a suitable contractor to build the road stretch connecting Kahathuduwa to Ingiriya. more..

Jul 28 (AD) A SL thug has been jailed for less than three months for smashing a glass bottle over the head of a stranger on a Brisbane train. Saranees Sivakumar, 22, who was allowed to migrate to Australia as a child, and co-offender Baddeley Mawhinney were caught on CCTV carrying out the vicious attack on a city-bound Cleveland line train on April 25. Mawhinney was previously sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment for his role in the attack, and Sivakumar faced Cleveland Magistrates more..

Jul 28 (TM) Australia has strengthened SL's disaster preparedness by donating two rescue inflatable boats to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), with disaster assessment drones set to be provided to National Building Research Institute (NBRI). The equipment, funded by the Australian Govt and procured through UNOPS, forms part of Australia's AUD 7 million humanitarian and recovery assistance package for SL. Rescue boats will help the DMC reach communities cut off by floods and more..

Jul 28 (FT) Total vehicle registrations moderated in June as lower registrations of two- and three-wheelers outweighed continued strength in the SUV segment, while several commercial vehicle categories recorded modest improvements, JB Securities said. Total vehicle registrations declined to 58,151 units in June from 62,776 in May. Despite the overall slowdown, it said passenger vehicle registrations remained resilient. more..

Jul 28 (EN) SL has approved the disposal of accumulated scrap metal belonging to the state-run SLTB for a total value of 195.89 million rupees, issuing procurement awards to six industrial bidders. Cabinet of Ministers greenlit the proposal to finalize the sales based on recommendations by the High-Level Procurement Committee. “The proposal to award the procurements for the disposal of the said scrap metal to the substantially responsive highest price bidders was approved by the Cabinet” more..

Jul 28 (DM) It is regrettable that some patients who require medical treatment and special attention as inpatients are returning home without being admitted to hospitals due to the current overcrowding, which has become a contributing factor in the increase in dengue-related deaths, Specialist Dr Chamal Sanjeewa said. He said hospitals are under severe pressure due to the rising number of dengue patients, with both govt and private hospitals exceeding their capacity to admit patients. more..

Jul 28 (DM) Five leading Presidents’ Counsel, including a member of the NPP Leadership Council and the Executive Council Lal Wijenayake, protested the govt’s move to extend the retirement age of judges by two years. Mr Wijenayake, flanked by four others, told a media briefing that the NPP leadership asked him to be silent about the move. “NPP as a party has not made any decision to extend the retirement age of judges. more..

Jul 28 (NW) Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath undertook an inspection tour of the PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate in the Philippines to assess the progress of Sri Lankan investments established there. Two leading Sri Lankan companies, Haycarb PLC and Jaindi Exports, have invested in projects within the PHIVIDEC zone, reflecting the growing confidence of Sri Lanka’s business sector in the Philippines’ investment‑friendly environment. Minister noted that the opportunities more..

Jul 28 (AD) Court today (28) directed the CIABOC to complete its investigation into former SriLankan Airlines Chairman Nishantha Wickramasinghe, who is facing multiple corruption-related allegations, and report its findings to the court. The case was taken up before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama today. Officials representing the Bribery Commission requested additional time to conclude the investigation and submit a progress report. Magistrate subsequently postponed more..

Jul 28 (FT) SL Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Rubber Products (SLAMERP) has welcomed the decision by the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) to place SL among the countries subject to a 10% tariff under the recently concluded Section 301 investigations, describing the outcome as a significant boost to the country’s rubber products export sector. The decision ensures SL remains on par with several key competitor nations, helping preserve competitiveness more..

Jul 28 (AD) PM Harini Amarasuriya has highlighted the power of art to unite people beyond ethnic, religious and linguistic differences, saying that the true language of great art is humanity and unity. PM made the remarks while attending the Dr. Sujatha Attanayake Pranama felicitation ceremony held at Kumaratunga Munidasa Studio in honour of the veteran songstress. The event recognised Dr. Sujatha Attanayake’s more than 7-decade contribution to SL music and broadcasting. more..

Jul 28 (AD) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa has stated that there is no requirement to hold a referendum to implement the govt's decision to extend the retirement age of judges. He said the Constitution does not stipulate any requirement for such a referendum. He made the remarks in response to questions regarding the govt's proposal to extend the retirement age of judges. Meanwhile, Cabinet has approved a proposal more..

Jul 28 (AD) The Cabinet has approved an additional foreign exchange adjustment allowance of up to Rs. 2.5 million per year for students selected under the govt’s overseas scholarship programme, following the recent depreciation of the SL Rupee against major global currencies. The allowance will be provided to ensure that students pursuing undergraduate studies at internationally ranked foreign universities are able to meet increased costs arising from exchange rate fluctuations. more..

Jul 28 (CI) Fifties from Harshitha Samarawickrama, Chamari Athapaththu and Hasini Perera steered SL's comfortable chase, as they cantered to an eight-wicket win over Pakistan in the series decider in Hambantota. The win saw them take the ODI series 2-1, with the T20I leg of the tour set to start on Friday. Having bowled the visitors out for 187, SL's top order made sure there would be no hiccups in running down the target. Vishmi Gunaratne, fresh off a century in the second ODI, more..

Jul 28 (NW) The proposed new constitution for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) will establish a 14-member governing board comprising seven elected members and seven independently appointed members, SLC Transformation Committee said. Transformation Committee Chairman Eran Wickramaratne and Cricket Committee Chairman Sidath Wettimuny said the reforms are aimed at creating a more independent, professional more..

Jul 28 (DM) National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) has said there are no plans as yet to impose water supply restrictions in any part of the country despite the prevailing El Niño-related climate conditions. According to NWSDB Chairman Chandana Bandara, the board is continuing operations at maximum water production capacity as no restrictions have been imposed on water extraction from major reservoirs by Department of Irrigation or the Mahaweli Authority of SL. more..

Jul 28 (NW) U.S. Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan is leading a Congressional Delegation (CODEL) to SL from July 27-30, aimed at strengthening the bilateral partnership and advancing shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific region. Houlahan and the delegation will hold high-level meetings with govt, military and political leaders, including Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekara, Deputy Speaker Dr. Rizvie Salih, and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa. more..

Jul 28 (FT) Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is one of the strongest indicators of investor confidence in an economy. While many Asian economies continue to attract billions of dollars annually, SL's FDI inflows remain modest despite its enviable location at the centre of the Indian Ocean. Geography has undoubtedly blessed Sri Lanka with strategic importance, but geography alone is no longer sufficient to attract global capital. Investors today choose efficiency over promises, more..

Jul 28 (FT) The draft law to register and supervise NGOs, circulated in July 2026, evokes a sense of déjà vu. Why? Because the NPP Govt is recycling the law drafted by the Ministry of Public Security headed by Tiran Alles during the Ranil Wickremesinghe Govt. Why should you care about it? Because it applies to a wide range of organisations- microfinance NGOs, trusts, companies limited by guarantee, associations, councils, community hostels, foundations, more..

Jul 28 (TM) Judicial Service Association (JSA) called on the Govt to abandon its proposed constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of judges serving on the country's Superior Courts, warning that the move could undermine the independence and stability of the Judiciary. In a letter addressed to Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, Association said that extending the retirement age of Judges of more..

Jul 28 (NW) Police have revealed further details surrounding the murder of a Chinese national following a clash between two groups of Chinese nationals at the Colombo Port City on July 23. The incident occurred at around 3 a.m. when a confrontation broke out between the two groups. One individual was allegedly abducted following the clash, and his body was later recovered from the Eheliyagoda area. Investigations subsequently established that the deceased had been more..

Jul 28 (Island) An awareness workshop to launch the national initiative A Culture of Integrity – A Clean SL aimed at fostering a more ethical and accountable public service was held on Monday at Temple Trees, with the participation of the Secretary to the PM, Pradeep Saputhanthri. The programme aims to strengthen ethics and values within the public service in alignment with the national Clean SL programme, contributing to the Govt’s key objective of enhancing the quality, efficiency, and more..

Jul 28 (TG) Commemorations were held across Jaffna over the weekend to mark 43 years since the Black July pogrom, honouring thousands of Tamils killed in the anti-Tamil violence of July 1983 and the Tamil political prisoners massacred while in state custody. At the Thanthai Selva Auditorium in Jaffna, a common flame of remembrance was lit on Saturday, and candles were lit in memory of Tamil prisoners killed in detention. more..

Jul 28 (AD) High Commission of India in Colombo has issued a clarification regarding visa processes and fees for SL pilgrims travelling to India. The diplomatic mission reaffirmed its standing policy of facilitating the smooth and timely issuance of visas for all Sri Lankans, noting that while e-visas remain available, those applying through the High Commission must submit their applications online and present them at ICACs in Colombo, Kandy, Jaffna, Hambantota or Batticaloa. more..

Jul 28 (NW) Police have warned motorists of possible traffic congestion in several parts of Colombo due to the 152nd annual Vel Festival procession of the New Kathiresan Kovils in Pettah and Bambalapitiya. The silver chariot procession will begin from the Kathiresan Kovil on Sea Street, Pettah, at 7.30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 28, and is expected to reach the New Kathiresan Kovil in Bambalapitiya by 8.30 p.m. The procession will travel through Sea Street, Gas Works more..