Jun 22 (Island) The govt yesterday 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 Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekera said the govt would not reveal the identities of Wijeweera’s widow and children. “The 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 hoping to go ahead with the amendments. 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, DCS said yesterday. 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 (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) 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 IMF program. 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 and 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 import of goods into Sri Lanka. 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..

Jul 22 (NW) United National Party (UNP) today called on the SL Police to retract its July 9 statement urging the public to report individuals who have suddenly acquired significant assets or are living luxurious lifestyles without any apparent lawful source of income. UNP argued that the directive violates the fundamental role of the police service, citing the UK’s Independent Inquiry Report which defines policing as upholding law and order and bringing offenders to justice. more..

Jul 22 (NW) Jaffna District MP Archchuna Ramanathan said in Parliament that he does not expect to remain in the legislature for much longer, claiming he may leave within the next two to three weeks. “I won’t be in this Parliament much longer. I won’t trouble you for long. I’ll only be here for another two or three weeks,” Ramanathan said. The MP alleged that he had faced intimidation after raising public concerns during a District Coordinating Committee (DCC) meeting and claimed more..

Jul 22 (FT) Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando dismissed as completely false and misleading reports circulating on social media that the Govt has taken decisions regarding Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF). Minister assured workers that the EPF and ETF funds accumulated through employees’ contributions remain secure and are not being misused or diverted. more..

Jul 22 (EN) SL Central Bank kept its Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) unchanged at the current level of 8.75%, it said in a statement, after considering the evolving conditions and outlook on the domestic and global fronts. “Renewed tensions in the Middle East have resulted in a surge in global commodity prices, particularly petroleum. These developments are likely to dampen global economic prospects with potential spillover, “ it said in its monetary policy statement. more..

Jul 22 (DN) Sri Lanka Under 19s were struggling 122 for 8 wickets at close of the second day’s play in their second 4-day game against India U-19s played at R.Premadasa Stadium yesterday. India under 19s piled up a challenging total of 411 all out in their first innings while Sri Lanka 19s still trailed by 289 runs with two wickets in hand in their first innings. Two India over night batters Kushagra Ojha (111) and Manal Chauhan (150) were the leading scores with two centuries. more..

Jul 22 (Island) After a weekend of entertaining cricket in Colombo, the Lanka Premier League movesd to Dambulla, where another exciting phase of the tournament awaits. North Central town will host nine matches, including double-headers over the weekend. The competition will then shift to Kandy before returning to Colombo for the business end, with R. Premadasa Stadium staging the playoffs and the final. There were no clear frontrunners during the SSC leg of the more..

Jul 22 (FT) WSO2 Founder Sanjiva Weerawarana said SL’s technology entrepreneurs must stop thinking small, build globally competitive companies from the region, and retain ownership of their intellectual property (IP) instead of exporting talent. He said the technology industry in South Asia possesses world-class talent, but has yet to fully capitalise on its potential because entrepreneurs, investors & ecosystems often encourage companies to relocate overseas as they scale. more..

Jul 22 (ST) The Health Ministry is looking at three models under which the fee-based mandatory health screening process for foreign resident visa applicants can be taken over from the UN agency, International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Parliament has been told. The possible templates are fully govt-run, a public-private partnership or private sector-operated, Deputy Health Minister Hansaka Wijemuni told more..

Jul 22 (FT) LB Finance commenced the 2026/27 financial year on a strong note, recording a 31% increase in Profit After Tax (PAT) to Rs. 3.54 billion for the quarter ended 30 June 2026, compared to Rs. 2.7 billion in the corresponding period last year. Total income increased by 47% to Rs. 18.76 billion, while net interest income grew by 31% to Rs. 8.94 billion, reflecting continued business expansion and healthy growth in the lending portfolio. Earnings per share improved to Rs. 6.38, more..

Jul 22 (FT) Colombo West Int'l Terminal (CWIT) has reached another defining milestone in its journey to transform SL’s maritime sector by becoming the first container terminal at the Port of Colombo to achieve three internationally recognised ISO certifications simultaneously. The achievement strengthens CWIT’s position as a benchmark for modern port operations while reaffirming its commitment to delivering world-class services built on quality, sustainability and safety. more..