Jul 6 (TM) SL is uncertain about the receipt of Rs. 6.4 billion as compensation for the environmental damage caused by the X-Press Peal ship disaster as legal complications deepen. The country’s main lawsuit filed in Singapore is currently on hold after ship insurers initiated a counter-case in the UK, seeking to limit their financial liability. Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe cautioned that a swift payout should not be anticipated, more..

Jul 6 (AD) Ministry of Defence says that the special search operations initiated in Ragama, Kandana and Wattala areas will be carried out further. The security forces and police personnel had been conducting the relevant operations in these areas since last night (4). The relevant operations will continue in the coming days. Several shooting incidents were reported from Ragama and Kandana areas in the past couple of days, in which two persons were killed and several more were left injured. more..

Jul 6 (NW) Sri Lanka Police have denied recent media reports suggesting that a new law has been introduced mandating seatbelt use for bus drivers. Issuing a statement, police clarified that no such new regulation has been implemented, and that the seatbelt requirement has been in effect since 2011. According to the statement, seatbelt use by drivers of public transport and other vehicles is mandated under Gazette Extraordinary No. 1718/12, issued on Aug 9, 2011. more..

Jul 6 (EN) President Donald Trump has said he signed 12 tariff letters which will be sent out on Monday, after earlier saying they will be sent on Friday amid expectations in Sri Lanka of getting a communication early. “I signed some letters and they’ll go out on Monday, probably twelve,” Trump told reporters Saturday. “Different amounts of money, different amounts of tariffs.” Sri Lanka was slapped with a 44%. more..

Jul 6 (Island) Sri Lanka would not cede the Katchatheevu islet, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath has said. “We have our diplomatic channels open to resolve the issue, but what is certain is SL will never agree to let go of a part of Sri Lanka which is Katchatheevu and established so by international law,” Herath said on Thursday in response to a question on frequent arrests of Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters, according to a PTI dispatch. India’s External Affairs Minister more..

Jul 6 (DM) Central Bank of SL (CBSL) has extended the suspension of Perpetual Treasuries Ltd (PTL) from operating as a Primary Dealer for an additional six months, effective from 4.30 p.m. on July 5, 2025. CBSL said the decision was taken in terms of the regulations under the Registered Stock and Securities Ordinance and the Local Treasury Bills Ordinance. The extension is intended to allow for the continuation of investigations being conducted by the CB into the activities of PTL. more..

Jul 6 (NW) SL Thriposha Company is now operating around the clock to ensure continuous production and nationwide distribution of nutritional supplements, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa confirmed following an inspection visit to the factory in Kandana. Minister observed factory operations and reviewed the 24-hour production cycle now in place to supply Thriposha products across the country. As part of a broader revitalization strategy, the govt also plans to open 100 Thriposha retail outlets more..

Jul 6 (AM) Attorney Udul Prearatne, who represents underworld figure Nadun Chinthaka alias Harak Kata, has raised serious concerns over his client’s safety, claiming that his life is in danger. Nadun Chinthaka has been admitted to the Emergency Treatment Unit of the Colombo National Hospital after contracting a fever and is currently being treated in Ward 37. The attorney further alleged that there have been previous attempts to end Harak Kata’s life while he was in custody. more..

Jul 6 (TM) The much-anticipated electricity grid connectivity project between Sri Lanka and India is progressing steadily, with CEB set to make key policy decisions following the submission of the joint technical committee’s feasibility report. According to CEB Chairman and Energy Ministry Secretary Prof. Udayanga Hemapala, technical experts from both countries have completed site visits and thorough evaluations, more..

Jul 6 (TM) Despite the unavailability of brown sugar in the local market, Lanka Sugar Company is denying the existence of a shortage. Lanka Sugar Company Chairperson Sandamali Chandrasekara said that reports of shortages were inaccurate and claimed that the company in fact had a surplus of brown sugar. “There is a surplus of brown sugar and we release quite a bit to the market. We sell sugar directly and we have a sale every two weeks. It is not accurate to say that there is a shortage, more..

Jul 6 (AD) Three individuals, including a young girl, have been injured in a shooting that took place early this morning in Suduwella, Kosgama, police stated. The victims were traveling in a three-wheeler when they were shot at. It is reported that two individuals who arrived on a motorcycle carried out the shooting using a pistol-type firearm. The injured include a 30-year-old woman and her 12-year-old daughter, both residents of Avissawella, and a 44-year-old man, all from the same family. more..

Jul 6 (Island) The Wennappuwa Police arrested three suspects on Friday, in connection with the murder of a millionaire businessman, whose body was found in a waste pit at a vehicle service station. The arrests followed a raid in Udasirigama, Wennappuwa, where the victim’s vehicle was found concealed inside a house. The operation was led by Wennappuwa HQI, Chief Inspector Thilina Hettiarachchi. The victim, Jayanath Fernando, 32, was killed on the night of June 30. more..

Jul 6 (CT) SL Railways has decided to introduce a pedal-powered trolley service between Anuradhapura and Mihintale to offer tourists a unique recreational experience. General Manager of Railways Dhammika Jayasundara said that the project is scheduled to commence next month. He explained that the decision to utilise the A'pura – Mihintale railway line was made as trains operate on that track only during the Poson season. A fee will be charged for trolley rides, more..

Jul 6 (TM) The CID has intensified its investigation into the controversial organic fertiliser transaction between Sri Lanka and the Chinese company Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co. Ltd, which led to a financial loss of $ 6.9 million for the country. A senior CID official, on condition of anonymity, confirmed that investigations into the alleged irregularities in the fertiliser procurement were actively underway. more..

Jul 6 (WW) Hilton (NYSE: HLT) has been named the Best Workplace in Sri Lanka™ 2025 by Great Place to Work®, earning the top position in the large-sized business category for the first time. This achievement follows four consecutive years as Sri Lanka’s top hospitality employer and reflects Hilton’s enduring commitment to fostering a purpose-driven, people-first workplace The accolade is part of a broader pattern of recognition across South East Asia this year, where Hilton was also more..

Jul 6 (Island) SL’s Ruchira Palliyaguruge entered an elite club on Saturday when he stood in his 100th ODI, joining only Asoka de Silva and Kumar Dharmasena as the island’s umpires to have reached the three-figure mark in the 50-over format. The landmark game took place at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Ruchira has risen through the ranks with quiet determination and an unwavering commitment to the game’s highest standards. A proud product of St. Servatius College more..

Jul 6 (TM) SL Customs is currently awaiting a directive from the Ministry of Finance on how best to penalise vehicle importers who have violated import and export control regulations. Customs Media Spokesperson Seevali Arukgoda disclosed that approximately 300 vehicles were detained at present by SL Customs for breaches of import and export control regulations. Among these, certain vehicles had reportedly been imported under more..

Jul 6 (CI) Sri Lanka conceded more runs than they would have liked to Bangladesh's last-wicket partnership. But still, it was the batters whose failures are most responsible for the 16-run defeat against Bangladesh, according to the game's top scorer, Janith Liyanage. Sri Lanka's No. 6 hit 78 off 85 balls, and had brought SL's requirement down to 21 off the last 17 deliveries with two wickets remaining, before getting out. But it had been an earlier period, when SL lost five wickets for 57 more..

Jul 6 (CT) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) donated cricket material bags to 16 State universities, as part of its continued efforts to enhance cricket at every level of the country. The donated equipment will be used by the universities to compete in the upcoming Inter-University Cricket Championship, which serves as the main cricketing competition within the SL state university system and forms an integral part of the 15th SL University Games. The official handing-over ceremony took place last week more..

Jul 6 (TM) In an interview, the outgoing President of the Federation of Motorcycle Sports in SL (FMSSL) Shane Gunarwardena says that getting the country back into the Asian racing scene was one of the highlights of his tenure. He also described his stint as intense, challenging, and rewarding. Gunawardena, an ace motorcycle rider in his pomp, opined that the federation – with the support of his committee – had rebuilt the sport from one of its lowest ebbs in the recent past. more..

Jul 6 (NW) SL’s Wanindu Hasaranga has etched his name into the record books by becoming the fastest player in One Day International (ODI) history to achieve the double of 100 wickets and 1000 runs. The 27-year-old accomplished the feat during the second ODI against Bangladesh at the Pallekele Int'l Cricket Stadium on Saturday. Hasaranga reached the milestone in just 65 matches, surpassing former South African all-rounder Shaun Pollock, who reached the mark in 68 games. more..

Jul 6 (CI) Left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam ripped out SL's middle order after Bangladesh's batters had scrapped together a workable 248, thanks to gritty half-centuries from Parvez Hossain Emon and Towhid Hridoy. The defining period of SL's chase was the patch between the tenth and 30th overs, when they lost five wickets for 57 runs off 122 balls. Although Janith Liyanage produced a valiant 78 off 85 balls, lower order was simply left more..

Jul 6 (Island) For the first six months of his second term, Prez Donald Trump sucked up all the political oxygen of planet earth. He has started the second six months claiming success and victories on all fronts. He declared obliterating victory after America’s sprawling metallic mammals flew non-stop from Missouri and dropped bunker-buster bombs at three nuclear sites in Iran. Within two days, he ordered a ceasefire on both Israel and Iran and swore down Netanyahu into submission when more..

Jul 6 (Island) Hardly a day passes without a shooting incident making headlines. There have been as many as 58 incidents of gun violence across the country, so far this year, and they have snuffed out about 35 lives. One is reminded of a solemn pledge Deputy Minister Aruna Jayasekera, made during the NPP’s prez election campaign. He vowed to neutralise the netherworld of crime and drugs in just two months, and offered to teach the leaders of the then govt how to combat crime and more..

Jul 6 (CT) It will be exhilarating for many Sri Lankans to know that the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), that Bible of the erstwhile colonial master’s language, especially in matters of spelling and pronunciation, has added more SL words in its latest edition. Among them are those who still pull out their woollens in Colombo when it is winter in London. There are also those who have moved away from London to Washington and New York, Canada and Australia, even if in imagination. more..

Jul 6 (FT) The long twilight of the post-LTTE era cast its gentle, deceptive shadows over SL’s Northern Province. For years, the land, once scarred and bleeding, had begun to breathe again. The echoes of a brutal war, which had consumed generations, were finally fading, replaced by the tentative hum and drum of reconstruction, the innocent laughter of children echoing in newly refurbished homes, and the hopeful whispers of a future unburdened by conflict. Yet, beneath this fragile veneer of more..

Jul 6 (SO) Chemmani, a quiet area near Jaffna, has once again attracted national and int'l attention after excavations at Chemmani-Ariyalai Siththuppaththi Hindu burial ground ordered by the Jaffna Magistrate uncovered human skeletal remains beneath the soil. The remains were initially discovered during recent construction work within the cemetery. However, this discovery is not the first of its kind. Initial phase of excavation began more..

Jul 6 (CT) SAARC was once a regional organisation loved and respected by the people of South Asia. In SL, there were high hopes and aspirations—both among the public and the country’s leadership—about what SAARC could achieve. A good example of this optimism was seen at Uni of Colombo, which has long offered some of the country’s most distinguished academic programmes in int'l relations. As early as the late 1980s, university had introduced courses on geopolitical shifts more..

Jul 6 (CT) Twilight, the most expressive phase of the day, is gradually embracing this remote hamlet. The crimson skies are even more telling, a riot of colors bidding adieu to another uneventful day. Those who had to expend their physical labor are tired and weary, rushing home with day’s wages or what is left of it, after purchasing daily groceries to greet the wife and child who are eagerly awaiting the return of the lone breadwinner of the household. Life in this remote corner is hard and unforgiving. more..

Jul 6 (TM) The approval of the delayed fourth review of Sri Lanka by the IMF Executive Board last week granted some reprieve to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his JVP-led NPP Govt as Sri Lanka awaits the US Govt’s revised trade tariffs, to be communicated shortly. The latter will play a decisive role in Sri Lanka’s economic recovery journey. With the IMF’s programme with SL nearing its final stages on the ongoing EFF more..

Jul 6 (TM) Can SL survive the approaching tariff storm? On Tuesday (8), US is set to announce its final tariff verdict on SL’s exports, no doubt a decision with far-reaching consequences for the country. At a time when SL is desperately trying to meet the conditions of its IMF bailout programme by imposing further hardships on the people, this decision could prove decisive. Crunch is this: IMF at the very outset of its programme insisted that SL must maintain min. GDP growth rate of 5% more..

Jul 6 (SO) The eradication of poverty is a major campaign plank for all political parties at election time. While SL gained Middle Income Country (MIC) status sometime back, a considerable segment of the population is still mired in poverty. This was exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, during which many lost their jobs and livelihoods, pushing them into poverty. SL cuisine recipes To their credit, all Govts have started various programs through the decades to eliminate or at least reduce more..