Jul 14 (TM) Six political parties representing SL’s Tamil-speaking communities have joined forces to urge the Govt to fulfil key pledges made in its Election manifesto, including the introduction of a new Constitution, conducting the long-delayed Provincial Council (PC) Elections and resolving longstanding land issues affecting minority communities. Representatives of ACMC, CWC, DTNA, ITAK, SLMC and TPA announced more..

Jul 14 (AD) SL has earned int'l recognition after being named among the Top 50 Food Destinations around the World for 2026, according to the latest editorial ranking released by Travel And Tour World (TTW). The annual list recognizes countries that are shaping the future of global culinary tourism. The rankings were curated by TTW’s editorial experts based on a range of factors, including culinary heritage, regional diversity, street food culture, fine dining, locally sourced ingredients, more..

Jul 14 (AD) Two more prison guards have succumbed to their injuries while receiving treatment at the National Hospital in Colombo, raising the death toll from the violent clash at Negombo Prison to 31. The latest fatalities bring the total number of deaths to 31, including 10 prison officers. Police said that the two prison officers succumbed yesterday and in the early hours of today while receiving treatment. The deceased have been identified as two prison officers aged 25 and 39, more..

Jul 14 (FT) Court of Appeal has directed the Attorney General to obtain an explanation from a senior SL Customs official after expressing serious concern over statements made to CoPF regarding ongoing Court proceedings in the high-profile dispute over the detention of more than 1,000 imported vehicles at Port of Colombo. The issue arose when a three-judge bench comprising Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya and Justices Pradeep Hettiarachchi and more..

Jul 14 (NW) Construction of more than 100 rural bridges under the Govt’s Punarudaye Purawara national programme will commence on Tuesday (14) as part of a four-year initiative to improve rural connectivity and transport infrastructure. The project, implemented by the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Govt, forms part of a wider plan to develop 881 rural bridges identified by local authorities across the country. more..

Jul 14 (DN) Left hander Senuja Wekunagoda made a magnificent knock of unbeaten 203 as SL Under 19s scored 344 for 4 wickets for their first innings at close of the first day’s play in the first 4-day game against India under 19s at Galle yesterday. Senuja Wekunagoda anchored the Sri Lanka innings through out the day completing his career best knock of 203 in 227 balls with 31 fours. He associated in two useful combinations to build up SL innings after two openers Dulnith Sigera and more..

Jul 14 (TM) Prison authorities have ordered all prison superintendents to prioritise searches for weapons in the possession of inmates, following the discovery of a large cache of weapons at the Negombo Prison, Prisons Commissioner A C Gajanayake said. He said that prison search operations are routinely carried out as part of normal prison security measures. "However, in the wake of the recent violence at the Negombo Prison, the Acting Commissioner General (CG) more..

Jul 14 (NW) The temporary 50% surcharge imposed on selected vehicle imports should not be extended beyond its three-month period, as doing so could create uncertainty in the market, Advocata Institute CEO Dhananath Fernando said. Govt imposed the temporary surcharge with effect from May 16 under an Extraordinary Gazette. The measure, which applies to selected motor vehicle imports, will remain in force for three months, until 16 Aug, 2026. Fernando said abrupt changes to import taxes could trigger market distortion more..

Jul 14 (Island) Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara, has told Parliament that land within the High Security Zones of the North-East, considered essential for national security, would not be returned to its original owners. He said that 1,661 acres would be permanently acquired for military infrastructure. Jayasekara said the Palaly area had been designated a critical High Security Zone (HSZ) and that legal procedures more..

Jul 14 (DM) A new container cargo ferry service connecting Karaikal in India with Kankesanthurai (KKS) and Trincomalee in SL is scheduled to commence in late August or early Sept 2026, offering regular maritime freight services between the two countries. The service will be operated by Chennai-based Connect Maritime LLP, through its SL agent IndSri Ferry Services Lanka Ltd. The service will provide Full Container Load (FCL) and Less than Container Load (LCL) transport more..

Jul 14 (DM) Delayed marriage and childbearing among young people should be understood as responses to current economic and social conditions rather than a rejection of family life, Professor Manori Kaluthantiri Weeratunga said. Writing ahead of World Population Day 2026, Prof. Weeratunga, President of the Population Association of SL and Professor of Demography at the Uni of Colombo, said SL is undergoing significant demographic changes, including declining fertility, more..

Jul 14 (TM) SL has emerged as one of the fastest-growing international destination wedding markets for Indian couples, according to the Destination Wedding Report 2026 released by Indian wedding planning platform WedMeGood. The report highlights a significant shift in wedding preferences among Indian couples, with destination weddings now accounting for nearly 25% of all weddings in the country. The figure is projected to rise to between 30 and 32% by 2028 as more couples opt for intimate, more..

Jul 14 (Island) Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) in collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) hosted the first of a new series of country-wide investor forums on the iconic CSE trading floor on 25th June and 9th July in Sinhala and English respectively. Investor forums collectively attracted over 180 participants, with many first-time investors taking the opportunity to speak to members of the SEC, CSE, Unit Trust Associations and Stockbrokers from 5 PM onwards. more..

Jul 14 (DM) SJB MP Harsha de Silva said that Sri Lanka’s economy is stabilised because AKD’s govt is following previous govt’s stringent economic policies. He further stated that Sri Lanka needs to build bridges with other countries without being isolated. De Silva also stated that he is strongly opposed to govt’s anti-democratic practices such as going after politicians who are politically opposed in the guise of fighting corruption. more..

Jul 14 (FT) Outside of those directly engaged in the science, climate change has typically been spoken of in the future tense — as mitigation against risks still appears to be over the horizon. Yet after Cyclone Ditwah became our nation’s deadliest and most economically devastating weather event in living memory, it’s now clear that mitigation can no longer be our first priority. More than 640 lives were lost, with an estimated 10% of the population impacted across every district. more..

Jul 14 (FT) SL Export Development Board (EDB), in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the European Union (EU), successfully conducted the 7th Provincial ExpoNavigator Program under SL Export Excellence Initiative (SLEEI) 2026 on 9–10 June 2026 in Batticaloa. Implemented under the EU’s regional program Accelerating Climate Smart and Inclusive Infrastructure in South Asia (ACSIIS), the initiative aims to enhance the export readiness more..

Jul 14 (DM) SL’s economic comeback has won praise from the creditors, multilaterals and investors. Yet, beneath the headline numbers is hidden a more uncomfortable question: Can the island nation create enough jobs, attract enough investment and remain competitive in an increasingly uncertain world? In an exclusive interview, World Bank Group Country Manager for SL Gevorg Sargsyan offered a frank assessment of the opportunities more..

Jul 14 (DM) SL’s tourism strategy is shifting from a focus on raw arrival numbers towards prioritising high-yield markets, as data shows regional Asian and Middle Eastern visitors consistently outspending traditional European travellers. SLTDA Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam last week emphasised that striking a balance between high-volume baseline markets and premium niche segments is critical to meeting national tourism revenue targets. Long-haul travellers often record longer stays but more..

Jul 14 (TM) Colombo Stock Exchange's ASPI is to move flat within the range of 20,500 to 22,500 for the rest of 2026, before gaining bullish momentum in 2027 – when current levels of inflation and OPR are relaxed, alongside an earnings rebound and improved turnover, First Capital Research's (FCR) mid-year outlook for 2026 shows. "Ceasefire uncertainty, elevated oil prices, moderating earnings, and a tighter OPR should keep ASPI sideways within 20,500-22,500 for the balance of 2026E. more..

Jul 14 (EN) Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan have signed an agreement establishing a formal framework for regular bilateral dialogue and enhanced cooperation between the two countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. “The MoU reflects the shared commitment of both countries to further deepen engagement and strengthen institutional linkages across areas of mutual interest.” The two foreign ministries held political consultations in Tashkent, Uzbekistan last week. more..

Jul 14 (ST) The newly launched Sinhalese version of Arab News is making global and regional developments more accessible to SL migrant workers in the Middle East, their representatives say, as for many, language has until now been the main barrier to obtaining news. The Sinhalese are the largest ethno-linguistic group in SL, constituting about 75% of the multi-ethnic island nation’s population. Arab News launched its Sinhalese version as part of the AI-powered feature more..

Jul 14 (ST) The Prevention of Mosquito Breeding Act, No. 11 of 2007 is set to be amended to facilitate the control of mosquito-borne diseases. Accordingly, the proposed amendments have now been referred to the Attorney General for necessary legal advice, Dr. Prashila Samaraweera, Consultant Community Physician, said. She pointed out that attention has been focused on amending the Act mainly to more..

Jul 14 (ST) By the time Parliament met for its first sitting week of July on Tuesday (7), the enormity of the tragedy at the Negombo Prison had become plain to the entire country. The riot had already claimed at least 27 lives at that point, including seven prison officers. Given the seriousness of the situation, House decided to hold an urgent adjournment debate on the unrest at the prison. The motion, moved by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, raised uncomfortable questions more..

Jul 14 (GV) The tragic events at Negombo Prison have once again exposed deep structural weaknesses within SL’s correctional and criminal justice systems. While investigations continue into the precise causes of the riot, early indications suggest that organised criminal activity, prison gangs, illicit drug networks and severe overcrowding created the conditions that allowed violence to escalate into a national tragedy. The loss of both prison officers and inmates is a reminder that more..

Jul 14 (Island) Paddy farmers have refused to sell their produce to the Paddy Marketing Board (PMD) at the prices offered by the govt. They are demanding better prices in view of increasing production costs, and their protests are gathering momentum. Their consternation is understandable. They backed the JVP-led NPP to the hilt, enabling it to win elections, expecting it to liberate them from the clutches of unscrupulous millers. Today, big-time rice millers are buying Rolls-Royces and more..

Jul 14 (TM) The recent US $ 2.5 million cyber fraud that disrupted the Govt’s foreign debt repayment process is a clear warning. As the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) recently highlighted in Parliament, this multi-million-dollar theft was not the work of an unstoppable cybercriminal mastermind. Instead, it was the result of systemic governance failures, institutional friction, and an almost casual disregard for basic digital hygiene across our highest financial offices. more..

Jul 14 (TM) In the late 1960s, an American newsletter popularised a powerful thought often attributed to the great Russian novelist Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky: The degree of civilisation in a society can be judged by entering its prisons. If we apply that measure to SL today, the picture beyond those prison walls is deeply uncomfortable. It is not only a story about inmates, prison officers, or a single tragic incident. It is a story about more..

Jul 14 (Island) The prison violence in Negombo has become the first major crisis to confront the govt since it came to power. The govt may or may not be responsible for creating the conditions that have accumulated over decades and made the prison system a powder keg. The fact is the govt’s Ratama Ekata anti-drug crackdown boosted the countrywide prison population from 28,000, in late 2024, to 41,000, in 2026. Conditions of imprisonment include chronic overcrowding, poor infrastructure, more..

Jul 14 (CT) The recent Negombo incidents have brought to the forefront an issue that has persisted for many years: Sri Lankan prisons hold far more unconvicted prisoners than they have space for, even for those already convicted. The problem is well known; the question is whether effective solutions exist. Can we remove all unwanted, unconvicted prisoners from our system and thereby, first, fulfil one of our most fundamental obligations – not to illegally arrest and imprison persons – more..

Jul 14 (SO) Sri Lanka’s current debate on legal reform extends far beyond amending individual laws. In an interview, Attorney-at-Law and the Former Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Prof. Prathiba Mahanamahewa discussed the case for comprehensive reform, the controversy over extending judges’ retirement ages and the institutional changes needed to prevent another prison crisis. more..

Jul 14 (DM) The deadly clashes at the Negombo Prison once again revealed the ugly realities that inmates have to endure while being remanded or serving a sentence. This is not the first instance that such clashes occurred inside a prison premises in the country. But what transpires from the recent incident is that the larger issue of overcrowding, congestion and poor facilities inside prisons have been ignored by successive regimes. Prison overcrowding is only the tip of the iceberg. more..

Jul 14 (DM) Post-mortem examinations of the prison officers killed during the recent violence at Negombo Prison have revealed the brutality of the attack they endured. According to the post-mortem findings, the officers died from severe head injuries caused by blunt force trauma, indicating that they were subjected to brutal physical assaults before their deaths. The recent violence at Negombo Prison should not be viewed merely as another prison riot caused by rival gangs. more..