Jul 26 (ST) As leaders and other senior officials of various opposition political parties started arriving at the Office of the Opposition Leader on Thursday, a throng of media personnel was already waiting. This gathering of parties representing the opposition, convened by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, was billed by many as a key development in the fight against the NPP govt’s plans to introduce a constitutional more..

Jul 26 (ST) Sri Lanka on Friday abstained on a UN General Assembly vote to extend Volker Turk’s term as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Sri Lanka was among just 13 countries out of 167 that abstained from voting. The others were Belarus, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guyana, Iraq, NZ, Paraguay, Peru, Republic of Korea, South Sudan, Suriname and Uganda. There were ten votes against: Argentina, Burkina Faso, Republic of Korea, Israel, Mali, Nicaragua, Niger, Russia, more..

Jul 26 (Island) While still at school, I had the good fortune of captaining the SSC Under-25 side. One day I was told that Sir Garry Sobers was at the ground along with Board President Gamini Dissanayake. Sir Garry was the ultimate hero for every young cricketer of that era. What he had achieved on the cricket field was simply legendary. After stumps, I received the biggest compliment of my career. Sir Garry walked up to me, shook my hand and said, “Hey kid, you reminded me more..

Jul 26 (ST) A difference of opinion between the IMF and the govt has emerged over a proposal to introduce the secondary property tax in the 2027 budget proposals. IMF has proposed that the property tax targeting additional, or secondary, residential properties be introduced in the upcoming budget, but the govt is of the view that the tax was not required as other revenue measures were available and that the revenue targets have more..

Jul 26 (SO) The proposal to extend the retirement age of Justices of Supreme Court (SC) and Court of Appeal (CA) by two years is to be submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers tomorrow. Cabinet Memorandum is also likely to include a proposal to limit the tenure of the Chief Justice to a single term of four years, regardless of his or her age at the time of the original appointment. As at present, Chief Justice, appointed at any given age (generally after 35), can serve in that position until retirement, more..

Jul 26 (AD) Former President of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Upali Dharmadasa, has passed away at the age of 71. Mr. Dharmadasa was also a high-profile Sri Lankan industrialist who made his mark among Sri Lanka’s top business community and possessed decades of experience and expertise in business management. He has immensely contributed to SL’s cricketing arena during his tenure as the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in SL (BCCSL), and as the President of SLC. more..

Jul 26 (NW) The reports published in certain media outlets alleging that outsiders have been accommodated at Presidential Residences are entirely false and misleading. The claim that 3,089 individuals were accommodated at Presidential Residences across the country during 2025 is inaccurate. During the course of 2025, officers attached to the security services, the President’s Media and other official institutions were provided temporary accommodation, on various more..

Jul 26 (ST) Sri Lanka and Qatar of the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Group IV Tennis Tournament, came out victorious in the decision-promotion match played at the SLTA tennis courts in Greenpath, Colombo yesterday, to earn promotion to Group III. Sri Lanka won their match against Kuwait by 2-0, which was decided by the two Singles events that won by Apna Perera and Thehan Wijemanne. SL in the process ended their campaign by ending as the only unbeaten side of the tournament. more..

Jul 26 (TM) The proposal by Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) to introduce a Feed-in Tariff (FIT) for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) has come under scrutiny, with industry experts questioning whether the proposed tariff structure could result in unnecessary costs being passed on to electricity consumers. The concerns follow the commission’s publication of its Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff Review – July 2026, more..

Jul 26 (NW) High Commission of India in Colombo has clarified that there has been no change in the visa fee policy for SL pilgrims travelling to India, stating that eligible pilgrimage groups can obtain visas on a gratis (free) basis. High Commission said it continues to facilitate the timely and smooth issuance of visas to SL citizens, who can also make use of India’s e-visa facility. Sri Lankans who apply through the High Commission are required to submit their online applications more..

Jul 26 (EN) India’s recent amendment to its Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with Sri Lanka is more than a routine treaty update. According to Deloitte SL, it reflects a global shift towards stronger measures to prevent tax avoidance and raises an important question, should Sri Lanka now modernise its own tax treaty framework to keep pace with international developments? The Protocol amending the India–SL DTAA was signed on 16 Dec 2024 and entered into force on 19 June 2026 more..

Jul 26 (ST) Trinity College completed a remarkable unbeaten season by overpowering traditional rivals Royal College by 39-10 to regain the Bradby Shield for the 41st time, sealing the 80th Bradby Shield series with a convincing 72-20 aggregate victory at the Pallekele Rugby Stadium yesterday. Trinity Lions finished the campaign with a rare clean sweep, lifting the Dialog President’s Trophy Knockout title, Dialog League crown and the Bradby Shield, with an epic unbeaten record for the first time since 1987. more..

Jul 26 (FT) Uni of Leicester President and Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nishan Canagarajah on Wednesday said boards must evolve beyond their traditional oversight role and become faster, more agile, and globally minded if organisations are to remain competitive in an increasingly uncertain world. Delivering a keynote address on Future-Ready SL Boards: Leading Through Innovation, Talent, Technology and Global Competitiveness at the SL Corporate Director Summit 2026, more..

Jul 26 (TM) The future of the Krrish Square project remains in limbo while its developer, Krrish Transworks Colombo Ltd, undergoes liquidation before the Commercial High Court of Colombo, with the leasehold right to the project land expected to be sold to a new investor through the liquidation process. A high-ranking source from the UDA, on condition of anonymity, revealed that the future of the Krrish project remained in limbo more..

Jul 26 (ST) Kandy Royals and Colombo Kaps registered identical wins on the seventh day of LPL 2026 in the two games played at Dambulla yesterday. Both sides who won the toss elected to field and loss their quest to emerge victorious as Kandy Royals defeated Galle Titans by 11 runs in the evening game. In the night game that followed, Colombo Kaps recorded a 21-run win against Dambulla Sixers as both sides who were put into bat, defended their modest totals. more..

Jul 26 (CT) SL’s fastest sprinter, Yupun Abeykoon, has strongly rejected the claim that he demanded USD300,000 from the Govt as a condition for continuing his international career, saying his decision to retire was instead driven by years of frustration over unresolved financial commitments, inadequate support and poor sporting facilities. Abeykoon’s retirement became one of the biggest talking points in SL sport this week after Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage’s comments more..

Jul 26 (TM) Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage has said that the Govt cannot meet the financial demands made by now-retired sprinter Yupun Abeykoon following the star athlete’s stunning decision to step away from the track on Tuesday. He explained that the ministry provided financial assistance to athletes purely based on performance through its Mission Olympics 2028 programme, adding that payments were more..

Jul 26 (ST) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has distanced itself from the controversy surrounding the now-terminated Jaffna Kings franchise following the arrest of its co-owner on corruption charges, stating that the Lanka Premier League (LPL) rights holder Innovative Production Group FZ LLC (IPG) will take responsibility for all obligations of the franchise. “In accordance with the LPL Event Rights Agreement, IPG will assume responsibility for all obligations of the Jaffna Franchise, more..

Jul 26 (CI) Sri Lanka aced their third-highest chase in women's ODIs in emphatic fashion with centuries from Vishmi Gunaratne and Harshitha Samarawickrama to level the three-match series 1-1. For Pakistan, Sidra Amin's unbeaten 100 in the first innings went in vain as Pakistan could take only two wickets while trying to defend their score of 273. Sri Lanka's chase was sealed with 19 balls to spare, scripted largely by the 2nd-wicket stand of 205 runs between Gunaratne & Samarawickrama. more..

Jul 26 (Island) That warfare is a continuation of politics by other means has been an overused quote in Sri Lanka. In the present context, we might modify it to say that lawfare is also an extension of politics but by mostly the same means. The context for the current lawfare episode has been set up by the Writ Application filed by Retired Major General Suresh Sallay before the Court of Appeal, challenging his arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). more..

Jul 26 (SO) India hosted Bharat Tex 2026, a global textile expo from July 14-17. It showcased India’s rich textile heritage, modern innovations and to set the stage for global textile leadership. As the world’s youngest and largest global textile show, it emerged as a platform for forging partnerships and driving economic growth. On the invitation of the Govt of India, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Sunil Handunneththi visited New Delhi from July 15–16 to attend Bharat Tex 2026. more..

Jul 26 (TM) Policy decisions taken to curb the excessive outflow of foreign exchange through the financing of vehicle imports have proved effective. The Govt had introduced a 50% Customs Import Duty (CID) surcharge on vehicle imports, while the Central Bank of SL had taken steps to limit Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratios for motor vehicles in a bid to discourage the unnecessary outflow of foreign currency. more..

Jul 26 (Island) Youth-led protests are spreading across India. Cockroaches have emerged far too strong to be crushed under hobnailed boots. What began as a satirical cockroach hashtag campaign, following a judge’s disparaging remark about the Indian youth, has meteorically morphed into a youth-led mass protest movement. Young Indians, led by the online political initiative, Cockroach Janatha Party, have taken to the streets in defiance of the mighty BJP-led govt. more..

Jul 26 (SO) SL exporters welcomed the decision by the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday to reduce the proposed additional tariff on imports from Sri Lanka to 10% from the previously proposed 12.5%. They said the authorities must remain vigilant in addressing rising uncertainties in global trade through prudent bilateral relationships. “This tariff relief is a major relief for SL exporters, particularly the apparel sector, which relies heavily on US market,” Secretary General of JAAF, more..

Jul 26 (TM) There are times when the greatest test of political power is not whether a govt can force something through Parliament, but whether it has the wisdom to recognise when it should not. SL may soon be approaching such a decisive moment. NPP Govt’s proposal to increase the retirement age of judges of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal has unleashed a political and institutional storm that should concern every citizen who cares about the future of this yet-democratic Republic. more..

Jul 26 (ST) My dear Anura sahodaraya, I am writing to you after hearing that a recent survey among citizens in Paradise has found that your popularity is sky high and that around three fourths of people still have confidence in you. After being in office for two months shy of two years, that must surely make you proud and very happy. On the contrary, less than a third of people are happy with the way Sajith is doing his job, leading the opposition. Those who did the survey didn’t ask about Namal baby. more..

Jul 26 (ST) During public events and official engagements, the Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha never missed a chance to highlight the cultural and religious ties, particularly Buddhism, between the two countries. On Friday, addressing a Colombo symposium, which focused on Strengthening Pali Language Studies in SL: A Strategic Roadmap for Revival and Global Engagement, HC struck a personal chord too. more..

Jul 26 (ST) Sri Lanka’s grand constitutional experiment in the form of a Constitutional Council (CC) and independent commissions, meant to fetter the exercise of executive power, is running into serious headwinds, it seems. This newspaper reported last week that the CC has been compelled to re-advertise for the positions of chair and members of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) due to it being unable to select from the few applicants who had shown interest. more..

Jul 26 (SO) Sri Lankan politicians, their friends and families got used to easy money for decades. From 1977, successive Govts expanded an informal economy built around access to Ministers, Police officers, State corporations and public contracts. Politicians, their relatives, and friends learnt that they could convert a telephone call, or an introduction into cash. It would be false to claim that the economy of access disappeared completely after the NPP came to office in Sept 2024. more..

Jul 26 (TM) Just as Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his JVP-led NPP Govt seek to persuade voters that SL has turned the corner on its economic crisis, fresh warning signs are beginning to emerge. Inflation has resumed its upward march for a second consecutive month, raising uncomfortable questions about whether the hard-won stability of the past two years can withstand a new wave of external shocks. more..

Jul 26 (CT) No-Confidence Motion moved against the Minister of Justice was on Friday defeated by a strong 152 votes against and 36 for, raising concerns for the Opposition about the challenge that lay ahead in attempting to move any steps against the NPP Govt in the House. It was a very powerful Govt that joined the debate on the motion brought in by the Opposition as a response to the tragic death of 30 inmates and jailors and 100 injured following a clash between rival gangs more..

Jul 26 (SO) When all else fails, justice or the Court system is often the last recourse. But those who expect swift verdicts are often disappointed, because justice is usually inordinately delayed. As the saying goes, Justice Delayed is Justice Denied. This issue is back in focus as the Govt has proposed to raise the retirement age of Justices of the Supreme Court (SC) and the Court of Appeal (CA). According to Govt sources, this move is aimed at retaining senior Judges’ knowledge more..