Jul 27 (FT) SL Customs will move to dispose of more than 1,000 imported vehicles that remain uncleared at Hambantota Port, with authorities set to auction or sell them through a tender process in accordance with the Customs Ordinance. Around 1,025 vehicles imported into the country remain at the Port without being cleared by their importers. Of these, around 625 vehicles have been at the Port for more than six months since their arrival. more..

Jul 27 (Island) Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara will meet a delegation from the Bar Association of SL (BASL) this week to discuss the govt’s hotly disputed decision to introduce a constitutional amendment to increase the retirement ages of judges of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal. Both the Justice and National Integration Ministry and BASL confirmed the scheduled meeting. BASL, in a letter dated 16 July, 2026, addressed to Minister Nanayakkara, more..

Jul 27 (AD) Veteran actor Mahendra Perera and actor Priyantha Sirikumara returned to Sri Lanka this afternoon (26) after winning awards at the Malaysia Golden Global Awards (MGGA). The awards were presented at the ninth Malaysia Golden Global Awards, where Mahendra Perera was named Best Actor for his performance in the film Riverston. Priyantha Sirikumara received the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in the same film. The two actors arrived at the BIA, more..

Jul 27 (TM) IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya has, following multiple intelligence assessments, recommended that the Devinuwara Sri Vishnu Devalaya remove the traditional Kavadi dance from this year's Esala Perahera over serious security concerns. ASP F U Wootler said that the recommendation had been made by the IGP after considering intelligence assessments submitted by the Chief of National Intelligence, more..

Jul 27 (TM) Govt has gazetted a new Animal Welfare Bill aimed at strengthening legal protections for animals and preventing acts of cruelty. Published in the Extraordinary Gazette of 17 July 2026, the draft legislation seeks to promote compassion towards animals while safeguarding their welfare and wellbeing. The Bill prohibits acts including assaulting animals, causing unnecessary suffering, overworking them, using unfit animals for labour, deliberately depriving them of food, water or shelter, more..

Jul 27 (TM) Labour Ministry has appointed a committee, following discussions with the Industry Ministry, to explore establishing additional fire-fighting units in industrial zones and areas with large concentrations of factories. Ministry Secretary S M Piyatissa said that the move follows concerns that existing fire brigades are largely limited to Municipal Council areas, resulting in longer response times during emergencies. "Now, we have appointed a committee to come up with solutions, more..

Jul 27 (NW) Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association has criticised the Govt’s reported plan to introduce 600 new buses to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), calling the move a national crime that could further hurt the private bus industry. Association President Gemunu Wijeratne said private bus operators had no objection to the SLTB receiving even 6,000 buses, but questioned whether simply adding buses would resolve the state-run transport service’s financial and operational problems. more..

Jul 27 (TM) Fixed-income investors are urged to exercise caution in 2H2026E and favour short- to medium-term yields, as short tenors are expected to adjust downwards and converge with First Capital Research's projected targets, according to the firm's Mid-Year Outlook for 2026. "Looking ahead, with medium- and long-term tenors already trading within our target bands, we believe there is further scope for short-term yields to decline and converge towards our projected ranges during more..

Jul 27 (ST) All state employees and schoolchildren are required to take an Integrity Oath at their respective institutions under the govt’s ambitious Clean Sri Lanka National Programme, an initiative approved by the Cabinet to promote integrity‑driven public service. All public sector employees must take the oath tomorrow with the launch of National Integrity Week 2026, to be observed from July 27 to 31, more..

Jul 27 (ST) Bankers say that July to Sept will bring challenges for foreign exchange inflows from remittances and exposure to West Asian disruptions, prompting the financial sector to aid affected groups with short-term cash flow and to push for higher export volumes. Migrant remittances increased to $815 mil in March 2026, with notable cumulative growth in Q1 of 2026. But they dropped to a 7-month low of $695 mil in June, despite representing a 9.3% increase compared to June last year. more..

Jul 27 (DM) The Court of Appeal has acquitted a 19-year-old boy who had been convicted and sentenced to 10 years jail term by the Tangalle High Court for raping a 14-year-old girl, holding that the prosecution had failed to establish the charge beyond reasonable doubt due to contradictions in evidence and that it was unsafe to sustain the conviction on the available evidence. The accused was acquitted following a Court of Appeal judgement after serving nearly one year in jail. more..

Jul 27 (DN) SL’s Yevan David produced a fighting recovery to finish 11th in the Sprint Race at Round Seven of the 2026 FIA Formula 3 Championship in Hungary, narrowly missing out on championship points, before enduring a difficult Feature Race weekend with AIX Racing at the Hungaroring. David continued his promising 2026 campaign with AIX Racing as the championship entered its closing stages. SL driver impressed in qualifying by securing 16th place on the starting grid for both races. more..

Jul 27 (DN) Jaffna Kings recorded an easy 93 runs win over against Kandy Royals in a one sided affair yesterday in their LPL match at the Dambulla International Cricket Stadium. Jaffna openers Avishka Fernando and Kamil Mishara hit half centuries to come on top guiding them to their third victory of the series. Jaffna’s massive victory which is the highest margin victory so far in this series. Kandy Royals chasing a target of 200 runs were never able to pose a threat from the start more..

Jul 27 (DM) The govt is on high alert over an increasing number of crimes involving foreign nationals across Sri Lanka, following a recent abduction and murder of a Chinese national linked to a suspected rivalry between Chinese groups in Colombo. Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala said that authorities are paying special attention to recent incidents involving foreign nationals and that strict actions are being taken under existing laws. more..

Jul 27 (NW) Any proposal to extend the tenure of Supreme Court judges should be decided by the people through a referendum, SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa said. He claimed the govt had lost the people’s trust by failing to fulfil its election promises and by imposing an unfair tax burden amid the rising cost of living. He alleged that farmers, fishermen, students, businesses and investors were struggling due to fertiliser shortages, increasing food prices, high taxes & rising utility costs. more..

Jul 27 (FT) SL companies and Govt institutions continue to underinvest in cybersecurity because boards struggle to justify spending against risks that have yet to materialise, Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) Group CEO Riyaaz Rasheed warned, arguing that the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) is making that approach increasingly untenable. Speaking at the National Management Accounting Conference 2026, Rasheed said cybersecurity had become one of the telecom sector’s more..

Jul 27 (FT) Sri Lanka has emerged as one of the fastest-improving emerging market sovereigns for investor relations and debt transparency, with the Institute of International Finance (IIF) ranking the country fourth among the largest improvers in its 2026 assessment, as the Govt seeks to rebuild investor confidence following its debt restructuring. IIF’s Investor Relations and Debt Transparency Report 2026: more..

Jul 27 (FT) Pelwatte Dairy Industries has broken ground on its Greenfield Liquid Milk Manufacturing Facility in Kurunegala, at a ceremony held to mark the commencement of construction, marking a major expansion of its dairy operations. Set to open in July 2027, the facility represents Pelwatte’s transition from its longstanding leadership in full cream milk powder into liquid dairy products, strengthening access to fresh, locally manufactured dairy products for Sri Lankan consumers. more..

Jul 27 (FT) National Chamber of Commerce of SL (NCCSL) will host the National Business Excellence Awards (NBEA) 2026 tomorrow at the Shangri-La Colombo, commencing at 5 p.m. Celebrating its 21st consecutive year, the NBEA recognises and rewards outstanding business achievements. Over the years, the awards have honored companies that demonstrate excellence in business and organisational performance across a wide range of sectors. This year’s milestone event more..

Jul 27 (NW) Today’s Sunday Observer reports that the Ministry of Justice will place a proposal before the Cabinet of Ministers to amend SL’s Constitution to extend the retirement age of superior court judges by two years and also to extend the retirement age of other judges by two years. Although this measure has been touted by its supporters as a simple measure to keep experienced judges in office in order to clear the backlog of cases, it is an ill considered more..

Jul 27 (SO) As Sri Lanka enters the next phase of its digital payments journey, the quality of the online checkout experience has become critical to building consumer trust and driving business growth. In this interview, Country Manager for SL and Maldives at Visa, Avanthi Colombage outlines how Click to Pay is transforming online payments by making checkout faster, simpler and more secure, while helping strengthen confidence across the country’s digital commerce ecosystem. more..

Jul 27 (ST) Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has concurred with the selection of Japan’s Taisei Corporation to build a second terminal at BIA after the only other bidder, the Sojitz-L&T Consortium, was found to be technically unresponsive, the Sunday Times learns. However, a final decision—along with a restart date for the stalled project—is yet to be announced. While Taisei’s financial bid has been opened, more..

Jul 27 (Island) The rapid expansion of the annual Kataragama Pada Yatra is placing unprecedented pressure on SL’s most sensitive protected ecosystems, with conservationists warning that the centuries-old spiritual pilgrimage is increasingly being transformed into a large-scale public event at the expense of wildlife and biodiversity. Conservationist and researcher Supun Lahiru Prakash has urged the Govt and the Dept of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) to introduce urgent more..

Jul 27 (CT) “Jaffna hasn’t changed a bit since I first experienced it in the 1980s and I don’t mean the buildings or the landscape,” my professor said after a visit about eight years ago. He wasn’t commenting on how Jaffna looks to the outside world. Rather, he was reflecting on the peninsula’s political thinking, his remarks capturing how societies understand themselves and how memories shape political identities. For a community that has experienced unspeakable violence, systematic more..

Jul 27 (Island) JVP-NPP govt has met its match in the Bar Association of SL (BASL), which has vehemently rejected an allegation recently made by NPP MP Asitha Niroshana in Parliament that BASL President Rajeev Amarasuriya has struck a secret deal with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa to become the Chief Minister of the Western Province. The BASL has stated that the utterly false and baseless allegation has been made with malicious intent. It has expressed deep dismay over more..

Jul 27 (ST) When an exuberantly young supporter of the satirically termed India’s Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) holds up a placard telling the Narendra Modi Govt and state institutions including the Supreme Court of India, We are tired of studying your failures, she might as well speak for the rest of South Asia, old and young. Certainly there is no age limit in regard to the public frustration, anger and disillusionment, in greater or lesser measure, with which much of this region’s citizenry more..

Jul 27 (TM) In the rapidly evolving landscape of SL’s digital economy, an unchecked surge in online gambling and cyber-enabled scams is quietly brewing into a major socio-economic crisis. Driven by widespread smartphone adoption, aggressive sports-betting marketing, and a complete absence of an updated legal and regulatory framework, concerns are growing that thousands of Sri Lankans are becoming vulnerable to more..

Jul 27 (DM) As SL marks Integrity Week from 27 July, the occasion offers more than an opportunity for symbolic reflection. It provides a timely moment to assess whether the country’s recent anti-corruption reforms are beginning to reshape public services in a meaningful and sustainable manner. Following years of economic turmoil, declining public confidence & increasing demands for accountability, SL has embarked on its most ambitious anti-corruption reform agenda more..

Jul 27 (DM) I was privileged to be among a distinguished gathering of judges, lawyers, academics and constitutional scholars at the launch of Dr. Jayampathi Wickramaratne’s latest work titled Constitutional Conversations held a few days ago. The occasion marked not merely the publication of another book, but the culmination of decades of dedicated engagement with SL’s constitutional evolution by one of the country’s foremost constitutional lawyers, scholars & reformers. more..

Jul 27 (SO) As SL navigates an increasingly uncertain global economic and geopolitical landscape, MP Ravi Karunanayake highlights that the country must adopt pragmatic policies to remain competitive while safeguarding its economic interests. He questioned the basis of recent US claims linking SL to forced labour, called for the repeal of the Online Safety Act (OSA) while advocating lower taxes to spur investment, more..

Jul 27 (GV) A few days ago, Black July was commemorated by people in Sri Lanka. It was the day that the 26 year civil war began. To find the roots of this conflict, we go back most often to the Sinhala Only legislation that was made into law in 1956. The Sinhala Only Act empowered Sinhala Buddhist nationalism and attempted to decolonise the country from England by making Sinhala the national language and decentring the other two recognised languages, English and Tamil. more..

Jul 27 (TM) SL is no stranger to weather extremes. Floods and droughts have long been part of our climate cycle. Yet the dry conditions now unfolding under the influence of El Niño serve as a reminder that climate events are becoming more severe, more unpredictable and more damaging. The prolonged absence of rain is not just an environmental concern anymore. It is rapidly becoming an economic, social and public health crisis that demands urgent action from both the Govt and the public. more..