Jul 22 (AD) A discussion on the implementation of a comprehensive national program with regulatory and educational solutions to protect children in SL from cyber threats, online violence and negative impacts on their wellbeing was held in Parliament under the patronage of PM Harini Amarasuriya. Special discussion, held on July 21 and organized with the participation of a multidisciplinary working group of the Digital Education Task Force, focused on balancing children’s access to the benefits of more..

Jul 22 (DM) Cruelty has remained the most frequently reported form of child abuse to the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) over the past 15 years, according to official statistics released by the DCS. The data, covering the period from 2010 to 2024, shows that cruelty consistently recorded the highest number of complaints among all categories of child abuse. Reported cases increased from 905 in 2010 to a peak of 2,741 in 2021 before declining to 1,950 in 2024. more..

Jul 22 (NW) Sri Lanka’s total exports surpassed the US$9 billion mark during the first half of 2026, recording sustained growth across both merchandise and services exports. Combined merchandise and services exports reached an estimated US$ 9,012.24 Mn between Jan and June 2026, an 8% increase compared to the same period last year. Merchandise exports rose 8.95% year-on-year to US$ 7,073.31 Mn, while more..

Jul 22 (DM) Addiction to toxic alcohol can disrupt the brain’s natural reward system by triggering excessive releases of dopamine, leading to long-term changes in brain function, Counselor and Psychotherapist Dr. Chaminda Weerasiriwardane said. Dr. Weerasiriwardane explained that dopamine is a chemical in the brain responsible for feelings of satisfaction, motivation and pleasure. It is naturally released in controlled bursts during activities linked to well-being and survival, more..

Jul 22 (Island) Opposition MP Namal Rajapaksa alleged that the NPP govt came to power through endless lies and had failed to deliver the system change and new political culture it promised to the people. Addressing a public gathering, Rajapaksa said that the govt had deceived the younger generation by campaigning on promises of political reform but had instead adopted what he described as an outdated style of governance after assuming office. more..

Jul 22 (TG) Tamil relatives of the forcibly disappeared have called on the European Union to recognise that Tamils were subjected to genocide and to support an int'l investigation, confronting an EU delegation during its visit to the Chemmani mass grave excavation site in Jaffna on Wednesday and describing the delegation's response to their demands as not satisfactory. Families of the disappeared staged more..

Jul 22 (NW) Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage says the govt cannot meet the financial demands made by SL sprinter Yupun Abeykoon, following the athlete’s decision to step away from representing the country. Minister described Abeykoon as a talented athlete who has brought int'l recognition to SL through his achievements. He said Sports Ministry had held several discussions with Abeykoon in recent months, including meetings at ministry & in Parliament, in an effort to resolve the matter. more..

Jul 22 (Island) Valikamam North Pradeshiya Sabha will proceed with action to demolish a military hospital being constructed at Vasavilan, without the local authority’s approval, Former MP M. A. Sumanthiran has said, in the latest turn in a dispute over the military’s construction of permanent installations. Sumanthiran said the military is building the hospital on privately owned land that falls within the jurisdiction of the Valikamam North PS, without obtaining Council’s required permission. more..

Jun 22 (NW) The Free Lawyers Organization (FLO) has opposed reported plans to summon BBC Sinhala journalists before the Parliamentary Privileges Committee, warning that such a move would undermine constitutionally guaranteed rights and revive an outdated parliamentary practice. The organization said reports initially indicated that the summons had been withdrawn, but information circulating on social media later suggested that the committee intended to proceed with calling more..

Jun 22 (Island) Outgoing Chinese Ambassador to SL, Qi Zhenhong, who is scheduled to conclude his tenure on July 31, visited Kandy on July 18 to pay respects and receive blessings from the Mahanayake Theras of the Malwathu and Asgiriya Chapters. During the visit, Most Venerable Thibbotuwawe Sri Sumangala Mahanayake Thera of the Malwathu Chapter and the Most Venerable Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter hailed more..

Jun 22 (Island) The govt declined to disclose the names of the wife and six children of JVP founder Rohana Wijeweera, telling Parliament that doing so would not be morally appropriate. Responding to a question raised by SJB MP Dayasiri Jayasekera, Deputy Minister Aruna Jayasekera said the govt would not reveal the identities of Wijeweera’s widow & children. “Names cannot be disclosed as it is not morally right” more..

Jun 22 (NW) The govt has decided to allocate the Rs. 5 billion Kuwait Fund exclusively for the social protection and welfare of Sri Lankan migrant workers, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Arun Hemachandra told Parliament. Addressing Parliament, Deputy Minister outlined measures being taken to strengthen the protection of Sri Lankan migrant workers, improve welfare services, and reduce delays in documentation and certification processes. more..

Jun 22 (Island) President of the Bar Association Rajeev Amarasuriya yesterday briefed the media regarding the action taken by them to discourage the NPP govt from increasing the retirement age of superior court judges. Amarasuriya, flanked by BASL Deputy President Rienzie Arsecularatne and Treasurer Pasindu Silva reiterated their strong opposition to the alleged move. The briefing took place at Dr. H.W. Jayawardene QC Auditorium, BASL Secretariat, Mihindu Mawatha. more..

Jun 22 (DM) Even after nearly two years since the Govt came into power, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said yesterday the Govt has still not decided whether to bring in a new Constitution. He said the Govt has ample time to enact a new Constitution within its tenure. The Minister was responding to a question that the Govt promised to abolish the Executive Presidency and bring in a new Constitution and whether the Govt is now more..

Jun 22 (TM) Asia Rugby (AR) President Qais Al Dhalai categorically put to bed suggestions of any possible penalties imposed on Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) by the sport’s continental controlling body, during a live Town Hall session from Dubai on Monday (20). Sri Lanka forfeited its Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Rugby Championship match against South Korea at Incheon on 12 June with the match being officially cancelled as the Tuskers were unable to secure the necessary travel visas. more..

Jun 22 (FT) SL’s consumer inflation accelerated in June, with the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) rising 6.5% year-on-year from 5.4% in May, as higher food prices added to price pressures. Food inflation increased to 3.3% in June from 1.5% a month earlier, while non-food inflation rose to 9.3% from 8.6%. On a monthly basis, the NCPI increased 1.6% to 222.3 points in June from 218.8 points in May. Food items accounted for 1.11 percentage points of the monthly increase, more..

Jul 22 (NW) Colombo Fort Magistrate has expressed dissatisfaction over the progress of investigations into the mobile phone of former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena, who died under suspicious circumstances. The remarks were made when the magisterial inquiry into Chandrasena’s death was taken up before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court today. Police informed court that Govt Analyst reports on unidentified substances recovered from the scene of the death, more..

Jul 22 (NW) Parliamentary Business Committee has decided that the no‑confidence motion against the Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara, will be taken up for debate in Parliament on Friday (24). The decision was reached during the Parliamentary Business Committee’s meeting held earlier today. The Opposition formally handed over a no‑confidence motion against Minister Harshana Nanayakkara to Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne in Parliament yesterday (22). more..

Jul 22 (EN) SL’s foreign exchange reserves has come under scrutiny following a recent drop in official figures, with opposition politicians alleging dollar sales by the central bank to defend the local currency, while monetary authorities attributed the decline to elevated import demand. The gross official reserves dropped from US$ 6.8 billion to US$ 6.4 billion, moving away from the year-end target of US$ 8.9 billion outlined under more..

Jul 22 (AD) A special meeting to review the progress of SL’s national programme to digitalise the school education system and identify future strategic steps was held at the Parliament Complex. The meeting was chaired by PM Harini Amarasuriya and attended by Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne, President’s Chief Advisor on Digital Economy Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Secretary to the PM Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy Waruna Sri Dhanapala more..

Jul 22 (EN) Cabinet has approved a proposal to amend the Title Registration Act No. 21 of 1998 after the national title registration program, known as Bimsaviya, failed to reach its intended targets. Minister Nalinda Jayatissa announced that the govt decided to make legal changes following issues identified during the implementation of the project over the past two decades. “Various problems have been identified in the implementation of the national title registration program Bimsaviya, more..

Jul 22 (NW) CID has told Parliament that an investigation into fraudulent import transactions has uncovered the illegal transfer of approximately US$715 million overseas through 105 companies between January 2023 and March 2026. Senior DIG Asanka Karawita, who heads the CID, revealed the details before the COPF, stating that the funds had been remitted via around 24,300 telegraphic transfers (TTs) without the corresponding more..

Jul 22 (CBC) A doctor at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children has been charged with possessing and accessing child sexual abuse and exploitation material, police say. Dilan Dissanayake, 44, of Toronto, was arrested and charged Tuesday, Toronto police said in a news release. Police said in the release that its internet child exploitation unit launched an investigation after a person allegedly used an electronic device to access and download child sexual abuse and exploitation material. more..

Jul 22 (DM) Sri Lanka’s passport has improved its position to 94th place in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, recording its highest ranking in recent years. According to the latest ranking, SL moved up from 96th place in both 2025 and 2024. The country’s passport was ranked 107th in 2021, 102nd in 2022, and 100th in 2023. The Henley Passport Index ranks passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without obtaining a prior visa. Singapore passport retained the top position more..

Jul 22 (FT) There are occasions when a judicial decision transcends the immediate dispute before the Court and assumes a wider constitutional significance. Such judgments not only determine the rights of the parties but also reaffirm the enduring principles upon which democratic governance depends. In my respectful view, the recent Supreme Court judgment delivered on 30 March 2026 in the Seagull Property Developers case is one such landmark. The two petitioners in this case more..

Jul 22 (FT) I have long believed that the strength of a nation's economy is measured not by the size of its largest corporations, but by the opportunities available to its smallest enterprises. Countries that create pathways for entrepreneurs to compete internationally build resilience that no subsidy can provide. It is from this conviction, not from a preference for one economic model over another, that I write today. For decades, SL has described SMEs as the backbone of our economy. more..

Jul 22 (TM) President and Finance Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake has agreed to allocate Treasury funds to expand the country's electricity transmission network to enable renewable energy generated in Mannar, Hambantota and other areas to be absorbed into the national grid, while also planning to construct four additional transmission lines, Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka told Parliament. more..

Jul 22 (TM) Successive Govts have spent an estimated sum of Rs 26 million on the maintenance and protection of the family of the slain JVP founder Rohana Wijeweera from 1992 to date, with the current Govt continuing to spend Rs 153,220.25 per month on the two remaining family members under State care, it is learnt. Deputy Minister Aruna Jayasekara said in Parliament that Wijeweera's widow Srimathi Fernando and their six children initially remained under State protection more..

Jul 22 (AD) The preliminary feasibility study for SL’s first Canal-Top Solar power project has commenced along the Viyana Canal in Mahiyanganaya. The project has been planned to install solar panels over the canal, with authorities identifying the Viyana Canal as a suitable location due to its extensive length of more than 20 km and its potential to contribute a significant renewable energy capacity to the national power grid. Officials said the project would not only generate clean electricity more..

Jul 22 (Island) Public interest litigation activist Nagananda Kodituwakku has said he will initiate appropriate proceedings against Director General of Customs, Wimal S.K. Liyanagama, in terms of the Anti-Corruption Act No 9 of 2023, unless the Customs carries out a revenue fraud inquiry to recover approximately Rs 16 bn in lost govt revenue. General Secretary of Vinivida Foundation, and former Customs officer, Kodituwakku said more..

Jul 22 (NW) More details have emerged in the factory fire at the Katuwana Industrial Estate in Homagama that claimed five lives on Tuesday. The fire erupted at around 9.45 a.m. and spread rapidly through a three-storey factory building, according to the Chief Fire Officer of the Kotte Fire Brigade. Firefighters initially believed three people had been trapped in the blaze. However, search operations later uncovered the bodies of five victims, three of whom were burnt beyond recognition. more..

Jul 22 (DM) Son of former State Minister Shantha Bandara has been arrested by the Colpetty Police in connection with the alleged robbery of Rs. 20 million belonging to a Chinese national. Police said the 21-year-old suspect was taken into custody as part of an ongoing investigation into the incident, which allegedly took place on July 13. Police said the robbery occurred while the Chinese national was transporting the cash in a vehicle. Police have already arrested four other suspects more..