Jul 2 (AD) The govt is hopeful of receiving some form of concession to the reciprocal tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump before July 9, Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has said. He said based on the intervention made by the present govt, they are of the belief, SL and local businesses will be able to receive certain benefits before the increased tariff is scheduled to come into effect. Minister added that Sri Lankan officials have held several rounds of discussions including more..

Jul 2 (FT) A host of top experts will share key insights at SL’s first ever full-day Data Privacy and Protection Summit tomorrow at the Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo under the initiative of the Daily FT and CICRA Holdings Ltd. New regulations relating to data privacy and protection are among the most pressing regulatory challenges facing both public and private sector organisations today. The high-profile Summit will bring together policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, and more..

Jul 2 (AD) Indictments have been served before the Colombo High Court on Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the son of former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa and his grandmother Daisy Forest. Indictments were served before Colombo High Court Judge Pradeep Abeyratne in relation to a case filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Subsequently, Yoshitha Rajapaksa and his grandmother have been released two surety bails of Rs. 1 million each. The judge also ordered that the fingerprints more..

Jul 2 (NW) The Cabinet has approved the construction of 20 sanitary facilities systems in urban areas across SL for a cost of Rs. 525.29 million. The govt says it has decided to construct sanitary facilities, including standard lavatory systems, due to a lack of sufficient facilities that can be used by the public and local and foreign tourists visiting urban areas. According to the urban development plans, appropriate places to establish facilities proposed by the UDA have been identified. more..

Jul 2 (EN) SL does not have capacity to store fuel stock for two months though the island nation was confirmed to have fuel for two months, CPC Chairman Janaka Rajakaruna said. His statement comes after public criticism over fuel price hike for July after some govt ministers said the country has fuel stocks for two months. The CPC increased the price of widely used Octane 92 petrol by 12 rupees to 305 rupees per litre more..

Jul 2 (NW) Sri Lanka currently holds sufficient fuel stocks for the next two months, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. He made these reassurances following comments made by the Energy Minister, claiming that Sri Lanka does not have the means to store sufficient fuel stocks. Responding to journalists at the weekly Cabinet media briefing, Minister Jayatissa clarified that the country does have the capacity to meet fuel demand in the short term, countering earlier remarks. more..

Jul 2 (EN) SL is working on starting e-invoices which will be directly linked to the tax office to digitalize the value added tax payments, Deputy Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando said. “We have to bring the mechanism of VAT collection, calculation and transmission to the govt into technology,” Minister Fernando told parliament. “As a first step, for chosen sectors, especially for high value individuals, this e-invoicing will be introduced. We are taking the required technical assistance more..

Jul 2 (EN) Sri Lanka has revised a budget deficit of 6.7% of GDP for 2025 down to 6.5%, amid a slightly lower-than-expected interest bill and slower capex, a Fiscal Strategy Statement shows. SL is expecting revenues to be in line with the projected 15.1% of GDP but current spending to 0.1% higher and interest expenses 0.1% lower. Capital expenditure and net lending would be 3.7%, slower than the 4% projected by more..

Jul 2 (AD) The list of eligible families selected for the second phase of the Aswesuma welfare benefit allowance has been officially released. The list has been displayed on the notice boards of all Divisional Secretariat offices, as well as on the notice boards of Grama Niladhari officers and in the offices of the relevant field officers in charge of the subject. It has also been published on the official website of the Welfare Benefits Board, Furthermore, applicants who believe there is an error more..

Jul 2 (PMD) Indian entrepreneurs state that they are currently directing their attention towards new investment prospects in SL, particularly in sectors like energy, infrastructure, the digital economy, tourism and agriculture, as well as on enhancing entrepreneurial capacity. A delegation of around 20 Indian entrepreneurs, comprising heads of several prominent Indian companies, is currently engaged in an active programme in SL, coordinated by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), more..

Jul 3 (TM) Every govt likes to have a shiny new piece of legislation or service to hang on their legacy mantle. But for every new one hung, many are shelved in the closet or crumpled into a wastepaper basket and forgotten. There is much celebration in Colombo today about US tech-billionaire and political figure Elon Musk’s satellite internet service Starlink finally being available to Sri Lanka. And rightfully so, the system, enabled by Musk's vast SpaceX satellite constellation, more..

Jul 3 (Island) Communist Party of SL founded on July 3rd 1943, celebrates its 82nd Anniversary today. Though established in 1943, its origin can be traced back to the days of All-Ceylon Youth Movement, anti-imperialist Sooriya Mal Movement and LSSP of 1935, the pioneer of the Left Movement. Dr. S.A. Wickremasinghe of the All-Ceylon Youth Movement and A.E. Gunasinghe of the Ceylon Labour Union were amongst the pioneers who demanded the adult franchises when the privileged class of more..

Jul 3 (DM) Sanjiv Puri, the immediate past President of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Chairman and managing Director of ITC Ltd is in SL leading a delegation of a dozen Indian business leaders for high level engagements. In an interview, Mr. Puri talks about the investment climate in SL, its potential for growth and plans for future investments. ITC Ratnadipa, a Luxury Collection Hotel, is his largest investment in SL. more..

Jul 3 (GV) SL stands at a critical juncture. Emerging from economic turmoil and the long shadow of civil war, the country now confronts an arguably more insidious struggle: the negotiation of its environmental destiny. Govts and corporations alike hail wind farms, solar parks and carbon sequestration projects as the panacea for energy shortfalls and climate vulnerability. Yet beneath the slogans of sustainability lies a fraught terrain where foreign investors, multilateral lenders more..

Jul 3 (DM) Minister Sunil Handunnetthi’s recent speech at the World Economic Forum created much hype on social media. While many blamed him for his proficiency of English, social media users were also concerned about whether he actually understood the questions. Perhaps the same thoughts may have crossed the minds of a considerable section of society who knew about the context of this global event. Handunneththi was questioned about the April 2 tariff more..

Jul 3 (TM) The conflict in the Middle East involving Israel and Iran have raised several concerns over SL’s economic recovery. Despite a ceasefire currently being in effect, potential impacts should the crisis escalate are likely to vary. Releasing a statement to the media, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Arun Hemachandra noted that the ministry continued to closely follow developments across ME, especially in Iran & Israel. more..

Jul 3 (CT) A child’s blue school bag adorned with English letters, a doll, its silent eyes staring into the void. These are the relics of innocence unearthed from the Chemmani mass graves in Jaffna. Beside them lie the bones—small, fragile, and overwhelmingly human—the skeletal remains of children. This is the harrowing evidence our nation must now confront: the unbearable truth that in our long and bloody history of impunity, even the youngest among us were not spared. more..

Jul 3 (ST) SL economy has recently shown higher growth rates than those projected by the IMF and the World Bank. This surge in optimism, even amid a challenging global environment, is noteworthy. However, there is a risk that such optimism could fuel political deception and misdirection, allowing us to overlook harsh realities and delay much-needed reforms. In a world fraught with economic uncertainty, we must remain vigilant and take every possible step to prevent the emergence of more..

Jul 3 (Island) Former Controller General of Immigration and Emigration Harsha Ilukpitiya has pleaded guilty, before the Supreme Court (SC), to the contempt of court charges against him for failing to implement an interim order pertaining to the issuance of e-visas. The SC is scheduled to sentence him on 24 July. What possessed a very senior public official like him to disregard a judicial order and run the risk of facing contempt of court charges is anybody’s guess. more..

Jul 3 (DM) Sri Lanka is an island which has one main law and several customised laws or regulations to suit certain communities and religions. The latter are unofficial, l but have clout in their respective societies. The law must have clout and the ability to drive in fear to the public. This is now happening in this island after a change of regime. In the recent past we saw many politicians being found guilty of crime in a court of law. At least two big fish were caught in Sri Lanka’s legal net more..

Jul 3 (CI) In a matter of 15 minutes, Bangladesh's batting unfurled in an ugly collapse, one of the worst in ODI history, handing SL a 77-run win in the first ODI. Bangladesh slipped from 100 for 1 to 105 for 8 in the space of 20 deliveries. Those were the fewest runs added from the fall of the second wicket to the eighth. Wanindu Hasaranga and Kamindu Mendis engineered the collapse. They are essentially three bowlers in two as Kamindu more..

Jul 3 (ST) Long before women’s cricket in SL found its place in the spotlight, before national contracts, televised matches, or the roar of packed stadiums, young Rosemarie Weerakoon stepped onto the Colombo Oval on April 5, 1958, for what would be her first and last official game of cricket. A teenager at the time, Rosemarie took to the field with courage, backed by the unwavering support of her brothers — Ronnie and Bradman. It was an era when cricket remained firmly within the domain of men, more..

Jul 3 (DM) The ICTA of Sri Lanka has unveiled a duo of forward-thinking draft policy documents that propose a significant shift in the nation’s digital infrastructure strategy. The basis of the proposal is a government-regulated, private-sector-operated sovereign cloud, designed to bolster local innovation while fostering trusted international collaboration. In a move to modernise its digital economy, Sri Lanka is looking to avoid the common pitfalls of fragmented, state-run data centres, more..

Jul 3 (FT) The highly acclaimed Entrepreneur Business and Investment Summit, organised by Lanka Business TV in collaboration with Lankadeepa FT, was held with great success at the Royal Kandyan Hotel in Kandy, attracting approximately 250 entrepreneurs. The event, which took place recently, was marked by enthusiastic participation and significant engagement from the business community. Speaking at the summit, Lanka Business TV CEO Jayantha Kovilagodage highlighted more..

Jul 3 (CT) The sixth day of the second phase of excavations at the Chemmani-Sinthubathi area suspected mass grave site was carried out yesterday (2). A human skeleton, believed to be that of a child, was fully exhumed. Attorney-at-Law Ranitha Gnanarajah, who is overseeing the excavation process on behalf of the affected families, previously identified by the presence of a school bag (UNICEF), was completely excavated on 1 July. During the process, a child’s sandal more..

Jul 3 (FT) A CEOs delegation of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), led by CII Immediate Past President and ITC Ltd. Chairman Sanjiv Puri, visited Colombo from 29 June to 2 July. The visit followed an invitation extended by the Prez of SL during his State visit to India. The delegation comprised over 15 prominent Indian business leaders representing diverse sectors including hospitality, manufacturing, energy, healthcare, textiles & tourism, more..

Jul 3 (FT) SL Export Development Board (EDB), in partnership with the Australian High Commission, Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), and Dept of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT), hosted a high-level seminar titled Leveraging Australian Best Practices in Export Promotion on 30 June in Colombo. The event, held under the framework of the Australia-SL Trade & Investment Framework Arrangement (TIFA), brought together key stakeholders from govt, trade, more..

Jul 3 (FT) TWC Capital, a leading corporate finance advisory firm under TWC Holdings, successfully served as the sole financial adviser to Hela Apparel Holdings PLC on its divestment of two running garment factories in Mawathagama and Narammala including a freehold property with a warehouse in Uhumeeya to Q Collection Ltd, a Singapore-based investor backed by Bangladeshi interests. TWC Capital successfully managed the structuring of this transaction, considering the complex financial more..

Jul 3 (ST) Local authorities have begun insurance discussions to pay for cleanups of the plastic pellets along Sri Lankan shores from the shipwrecks off the coast of Kerala. “We have begun Protection and Indemnity Club meetings with North Standard, the insurer, who has agreed to compensate us for the direct preventive and cleanup costs by way of incurred expense claims,” noted Jagath Gunasekara, general manager at more..

Jul 3 (Island) St. Aloysius’ College, Ratnapura athlete Lahiru Achintha is likely to be joined by eight others including javelin thrower Chathura Dulanjana for individual events in the boys’ category for the upcoming Asian Youth Games. Achintha emerged as the front runner for the Bahrain event after establishing meet records in both the 1500m and the 3,000m at the recently held Junior National Athletics Championship. He was among very few athletes born in 2009 to have turned tables on more..

Jul 3 (ST) More than 730 locations on main roads across the country have been identified as dangerous for motorists and prone to accidents, according to a study conducted by the Police Traffic Division with assistance from police stations across the country. SSP Manoj Ranagala said they had already alerted RDA to take remedial action on the 732 hazardous spots, while the respective police stations have been directed to inform the Traffic Police HQ about the progress of such action. more..

Jul 3 (NW) Minister of Education, Higher Education & Vocational Training, PM Harini Amarasuriya, has instructed officials to investigate not only ragging but also all forms of violence taking place within the university system and other higher education institutions across SL. Speaking during a meeting held today (2) at the Ministry of Education, with members of the National Task Force on the Elimination of Ragging and Campus Violence, PM Amarasuriya emphasized need to develop more..

Jul 3 (DM) Wildlife Conservation Officers’ Association (WCOU) announced that they will start trade union action on July 9 if the govt does not increase their risk allowance and meet other demands. Four associations, including Wildlife Veterinary Officers’ Association and SL Wildlife Rangers’ Association, will join this protest. Veterinary officer Suhada Jayawardena, a member of the Wildlife Veterinary Officers’ Association, said the current risk allowance of Rs. 11,500 is too low more..

Jul 3 (Island) In a major boost to SL’s power sector, a high-level delegation of top Indian energy investors and industry leaders met with Power and Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody recently, signaling growing Indian Interest in investing in Sri Lanka’s energy landscape – especially in renewable energy and clean energy technologies. The meeting, held at the Ministry of Power and Energy, included prominent figures from India’s energy industry more..

Jul 3 (DM) Sri Lanka will face defending champions Malaysia today in the semifinal of the 13th Asian Youth Netball Championship. This tournament, featuring 11 countries from across Asia, is being held in South Korea and will continue until July 4. Based on the group stage matches held so far, Singapore has already qualified undefeated for the final as champions of Group ‘A’. Under the new rules of the tournament, Netball Asia states that Malaysia, the runners-up of Group ‘A’, more..