Jul 9 (Island) Prison officers yesterday requested Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara to protect their colleague who opened fire at the Negombo Prison during Monday’s riot. They made that request when the Minister visited the Welikada Prison to pay his last respects to seven officers killed by inmates during the clashes. Soon thereafter, National Hospital reported that another prison officer more..

Jul 9 (NW) Govt has officially re-established the Old Bogambara Prison to help address overcrowding in SL’s prison system. The decision was announced through an Extraordinary Gazette issued on July 8, by the Ministry of Justice and National Integration. Gazette, signed by Minister Harshana Nanayakkara under Section 2 of the Prisons Ordinance (Chapter 54), establishes the Old Bogambara Prison as a prison for the purposes of the Ordinance, with jurisdiction covering the whole of SL. more..

Jul 9 (NW) TNPF leader and Jaffna District MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam has requested Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne to change the parliamentary seating arrangement of MP Archchuna Ramanathan, alleging repeated harassment and intimidation. In a letter dated June 23, Ponnambalam claimed that Ramanathan, who is seated next to him in Parliament, had constantly subjected him to verbal abuse, threatened him with violence and used derogatory language against him during more..

Jul 9 (FT) Investors from the UAE account for 19% of foreign investor interest in Port City Colombo, with Singapore, China, and the UK contributing 13% each, followed by the US (10%) and Australia (9%), according to the project’s latest investor profile. While the figures point to growing confidence from some of the world’s most internationally connected markets, analysts say they also reveal a notable gap. more..

Jul 9 (TM) The Cricket Transformation Committee Chairperson Eran Wickramaratne, has visited Sri Lanka Cricket’s Level 1 Coach Education Programme during an inspection tour of the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium (RDICS), Dambulla. According to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), the four-day programme conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket’s Coach Education Unit, was in progress when Wickramaratne visited the venue as part of his ground inspection tour. more..

Jul 9 (DN) The death toll from the Negombo Prison clash has risen to 28 after another prison officer succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital yesterday. Accordingly, the number of prison officers killed in the incident has increased to eight, while 20 inmates have also lost their lives as a result of the unrest. Following the violent clash, more than 1,000 inmates have been transferred from the Negombo Prison to correctional facilities across the country more..

Jul 9 (NW) Colombo High Court today handed down death sentences to eight accused found guilty of committing murder in a case dating back nearly three decades, it was reported. Delivering judgment after a lengthy trial, HC Judge Buddhika Sri Ragala ruled that the charges had been proven beyond reasonable doubt. Seven of the accused were present in court, while proceedings against one were conducted in absentia. AG had filed the case over the killings of a man and a woman, more..

Jul 9 (DN) After an impressive eight-wicket victory in the second One-Day International, SL U-19 will look to carry their winning momentum into the deciding third and final match against India U-19 today at Hambantota. Batters have dominated the opening two matches, and another run-fest is expected in today’s decider, making it another stern test for the bowlers. SL opener Dimantha Mahavithana is in outstanding form after his unbeaten 155 guided the hosts to a comfortable eight-wicket win more..

Jul 9 (SO) Govt’s draft Protection of the State from Terrorism (PSTA) Bill, which seeks to repeal the long-criticised Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), is in its final form and will be presented to Parliament without further delay, Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said. “The draft legislation will not be redrafted,” he said categorically, insisting that it had already been comprehensively amended to address concerns raised by OHCHR, more..

Jul 9 (Island) The schedule for the 2026 Kandy Esala Maha Perahera, the country’s most historic and prestigious cultural pageant, was finalised following a high level discussion held yesterday at the Sri Dalada Maligawa. The meeting was attended by the Maha Sangha, Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela, and Kandy District Secretary Indika Udawatta. The traditional planting of the Kap at the four main Devalas (shrines) is scheduled to take place at an auspicious time on Aug 13. more..

Jul 9 (DN) More foreign investment and industry growth is envisaged with Sri Lanka life insurance industry poised to adopt the global accounting standard for insurance contracts, IFRS 17, panelist opined at the CT Smith Securities investor forum titled Navigating Growth and Value in Life Insurance, held recently in Colombo. Today’s IFRS 4 focuses on a company’s stock price and gross written premium (GWP), but lacks correlation to its value creation. Profitability in insurance is assessed by more..

Jul 9 (FT) SL’s floriculture industry is poised for a new era of growth following the exclusive partnership between Lassana Agri Innovations Ltd., and Rise N Shine Biotech Ltd, India, creating unprecedented opportunities for entrepreneurs, commercial growers and investors looking to establish successful floriculture businesses. Under the agreement, Lassana Agri Innovations becomes the exclusive sales, marketing and distribution partner for selected floriculture & ornamental more..

Jul 9 (EN) Sri Lanka’s proposed US$540 million deal with Clothespin Management and Development to build a hotel within the Colombo Port City, has expired unsigned in January 2026, the Director General of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission (CPCEC) said. The CPCEC in a Gazette in July last year gave a 25-year tax holiday to Clothespin Management and Development (Pvt) Ltd, which plans to build a twin tower marvel that will have a clock tower bigger than the Big Ben. more..

Jul 9 (NW) 17 years after the end of SL’s armed conflict, large tracts of privately owned civilian lands in the Northern and Eastern Provinces remain under military occupation, Batticaloa District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam told Parliament. MP said the Govt must fulfil its election pledge to expedite the release of occupied lands and enable resettlement. He welcomed the recent release of two military camps in Batticaloa, more..

Jul 9 (Island) The govt has suffered an estimated foreign exchange loss exceeding USD100 million following a delay of more than a year in deciding the fate of over 50,000 metric tonnes of imported salt, raising fresh concerns over policy uncertainty, regulatory inefficiencies and their impact on trade, logistics and food security. According to the Customs House Agents & Traders Association (CHATA), approximately 42,000 metric tonnes of salt imported in around 1,500 containers, more..

Jul 9 (FT) SL Institute of Directors (SLID) will welcome two distinguished global thought leaders at the SL Corporate Director Summit 2026, reinforcing the Summit’s position as the country’s premier forum for corporate governance, board leadership, and future-focused business thinking. Summit on 22 July at the Cinnamon Grand, will feature UK Uni of Leicester President and Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sir Nishan Canagarajah, considered one of the world’s leading higher education figures. more..

Jul 9 (FT) Sri Lanka risks losing ground in the race for foreign direct investment (FDI) because its tax incentive regime is no longer fit for purpose under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Pillar Two global minimum tax framework, KPMG SL Principal and Head of Tax and Regulatory Suresh Perera warned last week. Delivering the keynote address at the CA SL more..

Jul 9 (DM) A senior SL agricultural scientist has challenged some of the most persistent criticisms levelled against oil palm cultivation, arguing that available evidence does not support claims that the crop causes unusual soil degradation, biodiversity loss or water shortages compared with other plantation crops, and urging policymakers to rely on science rather than public perception when shaping agricultural policy. Emeritus Professor of Agriculture at the Uni of Peradeniya Dr. S.P. Nissanka more..

Jul 9 (FT) Sri Lanka’s tourism sector recorded a stronger start to July compared to the previous month, although visitor arrivals remained below the levels achieved during the same period last year, reflecting the industry’s continued struggle to regain growth momentum. Provisional data from the first six days of July showed that Sri Lanka welcomed 34,721 tourists, a 3.6% YoY decline compared to the corresponding period in 2025. Daily average arrivals improved to 5,786 visitors, more..

Jul 9 (ST) Bogawantalawa Tea Estates, said to be the world’s first Climate Positive Tea Company, commemorated World Environment Week 2026 through a comprehensive environmental conservation and climate action campaign. It brought together government institutions, schools, estate communities, employees, and environmental stakeholders in a collective effort to strengthen biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and climate resilience, throughout SL, more..

Jul 9 (DM) SL’s proposed framework to tax digital services could inadvertently raise compliance costs for multinational companies and make the country a more complex market to serve unless authorities provide greater clarity on the new rules, tax experts at EY SL have cautioned. As SL moves to tax digital services provided from overseas, questions are emerging over whether the new framework provides sufficient certainty for multinational businesses operating across multiple jurisdictions. more..

Jul 9 (CT) UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT), which visited SL and conducted unannounced inspections of several detention facilities, including prisons, Police stations and other places where people are deprived of their liberty, has called on the country to strengthen its National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) and take concrete action to address persistent risks faced by detainees. In an official statement issued more..

Jul 9 (TM) Sri Lanka has become the first country in the world to establish a dedicated National Legal Aid Day. SL’s achievement is historic, and there is a compelling case for the Govt to advocate for the UN to declare an International Legal Aid Day. In a pioneering move that cements its status as a global leader in judicial reform, SL, on Monday (6), marked its inaugural National Legal Aid Day. With this historic declaration, SL has become the first country in the world to establish a dedicated, more..

Jul 9 (GV) On July 5, Sri Lanka witnessed the return of all too familiar violence. Rival factions of inmates, believed to be from rival drug gangs held within the same facility at Negombo Prison, allegedly seized weapons from the prison armoury and fought each other for control of it. By the time Minister Harshana Nanayakkara acknowledged responsibility for an institution under his purview, the death toll had risen to 26 (seven prison officers and 19 inmates) and over 100 were wounded. more..

Jul 9 (Island) Sri Lanka was officially declared an Upper-Middle Income country by the World Bank in July 2026, regaining the classification it had in 2019. On the 30th of June, the IMF delegation meeting the President at the Prez Secretariat praised the govt: “…IMF praised the govt’s economic programme and noted that SL has made greater progress than many other countries implementing IMF-supported programmes. The delegation commended the govt for maintaining macroeconomic stability more..

Jul 9 (SO) The political strength of a society does not depend solely on its population, historical experiences or political demands. It also depends on its ability to produce new leaders, adapt to changing realities and develop a vision for the future. For decades, Tamil politics has centred on rights, power sharing, security, justice and a political settlement. These remain important and unresolved issues. Yet, one of the most significant challenges facing Tamil politics today, more..

Jul 9 (SO) As Govts worldwide move to regulate children’s access to digital platforms, SL has entered the debate with a proposed legal framework that could reshape how young people engage with social media. Social Media Minimum Age Bill was recently handed over to the Secretary General of Parliament by MP Faiszer Musthapha, proposing restrictions on social media access for children under 16. Private Member’s Bill aims to protect children from more..

Jul 9 (Island) The latest episode of prison violence has come to an end, after claiming 28 lives and leaving more than 100 others injured. But political battles are still raging over it. The govt and the Opposition continue to clash; they traded allegations and insults in Parliament on Tuesday and Wednesday. Opposition is all out to lay the blame for the prison violence squarely on the govt. It is demanding the resignation of Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara. more..

Jul 9 (DM) Moral injury refers to the deep psychological, behavioural, and spiritual turmoil that arises when an individual either engages in, witnesses, or fails to avert actions that contradict their core moral convictions. The term moral injury was coined by Dr. Jonathan Shay, a clinical psychiatrist, in the 1990s, while working with Vietnam War veterans, and he connected their deep psychological trauma not to fear, but to a profound sense of institutional betrayal. more..

Jul 9 (TM) Methamphetamine is a powerful synthetic stimulant that affects the central nervous system and has a high risk of addiction. In its crystal form, it is commonly known as ice because it often appears as clear or bluish-white crystals resembling pieces of glass or ice. The drug can create a short-lived feeling of energy, confidence, and alertness, it can also cause serious harm to the brain, body, behaviour, and mental health. more..

Jul 9 (TM) Govt’s recent announcement the Aswesuma welfare programme will be entirely phased out by 2030 marks a dramatic and highly controversial pivot in our social security policy. According to Deputy Minister Wasantha Piyathissa, the Govt aims to lift all current beneficiaries out of poverty within the next four years through a combination of targeted cash transfers and livelihood empowerment initiatives. While the pursuit of a self-reliant populace is a noble ideological goal, more..

Jul 9 (CT) The deaths that have occurred over the past three days inside Negombo Prison have made headlines around the world. The exact number of those killed remains uncertain; as of this morning, reports suggest over 20 fatalities, with hundreds more injured. This statement does not aim to examine the incident in detail, as the facts have not yet fully emerged. Instead, we address one of Sri Lanka’s most fundamental and long-standing issues: the protection of prisons and prisoners. more..