Jul 17 (DM) Central Environmental Authority (CEA) has launched a five-year programme to make the Kataragama sacred city, sacred site and the surrounding areas of the Menik Ganga a plastic-free zone by 2030. Polythene Free Sacred Zone - 2030 programme was launched in parallel with the 2026 Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Devalaya Perahera, with the aim of reducing plastic pollution caused by pilgrims and visitors throughout the year. Thousands of devotees visit Kataragama annually, more..

Jul 17 (NW) Sri Lanka Police today issued an official statement confirming the death of former Inspector General of Police (IGP) C.D. Wickramaratne, who sustained gunshot injuries at his residence in Parakrama Road, Thalahena, within the Malabe Police Division, early this morning. Police said Wickramaratne was admitted to the Eastern Colombo Teaching Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Malabe Police Station has commenced investigations into the incident. more..

Jul 17 (DM) Renovating of the walking track in Independence Square which was said to be in a dilapidated state has commenced. MP Harsha de Silva revealed on social media about the sorry state of the walking track. He stated that renovations were now underway. However he queried as to why the authorities had not attended to it until he made the revelation on his social media post. “Work on the track has started… but more..

Jul 17 (Island) SL–South Africa Parliamentary Friendship Association held its inaugural Executive Committee meeting in Parliament recently, with both countries pledging to strengthen parliamentary diplomacy, trade, investment and people-to-people relations. The meeting was chaired by the Association’s President, Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj, and attended by South African High Commission Chargé d’Affaires (Counsellor–Political) Nthabiseng Ramatshela, who reaffirmed more..

Jul 17 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised that greater priority must be given to strengthening SL’s vocational education sector in parallel with the country’s ongoing education reforms, stating that the Govt is prepared to allocate the necessary funding through the 2027 Budget. Prez made these remarks today during a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat to review the progress of projects implemented under the 2026 Budget allocations for Ministry of Education, more..

Jul 17 (NW) Colombo Magistrate’s Court was today told that Jaffna Kings co-owner Manjot Kalra allegedly offered over US$30,000 to influence the outcome of matches in the 2026 Lanka Premier League (LPL), as investigators outlined details of the ongoing sports corruption probe. Kalra and a second suspect were produced before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama after being arrested by officers of more..

Jul 17 (NW) The Court of Appeal has ordered that several intervening petitions linked to the case filed by former State Intelligence Service Director Suresh Sallay be taken up on August 4 and 6. Sallay has petitioned against his arrest and detention by the CID. In response, eight parties, including Venerable Bengamuwe Nalaka Thera and the Archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, submitted intervening petitions seeking permission to make submissions. more..

Jul 17 (AD) Police have detected 100 passenger transport buses allegedly operating on kerosene instead of diesel following a series of complaints received from the public, DIG of Traffic Control and Road Safety W.P.J. Senadheera said. Addressing a media briefing, DIG said that all police stations across the country had been instructed to launch a special operation after receiving multiple complaints that buses used for passenger transport were being operated using kerosene instead of diesel. more..

Jul 17 (Island) Minister Lal Kantha on Wednesday asserted that the NPP govt intended to remain in power for the long term, claiming that it enjoyed continued public support. Minister said the govt had not come into power temporarily and would continue to govern the country with the backing of the people. “We did not come here to leave; we are not going anywhere, and it is we who will remain forever,” Lal Kantha said. He said the opposition was making various allegations against the govt more..

Jul 17 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake met with the officers of the Dept of Prisons, including Superintendents of Prisons, Jailers and other officials, this afternoon. Extensive discussions focused on the challenges currently facing the prison system and the urgent measures required to address them. Special attention was also given to the recent incident at the Negombo Prison, with lengthy discussions held on the steps needed to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the more..

Jul 17 (EN) While Sri Lanka has made encouraging progress in its economic recovery, the next challenge is to strengthen competitiveness to accelerate growth and create more jobs, a World Bank official has said. “Sri Lanka has the ingredients that others would envy: the location, the talent, and an entrepreneurial private sector that has weathered the worst and is still standing. The task now is to turn those advantages into more..

Jul 17 (AD) The Fort Magistrate’s Court today (17) ordered the arrest and production before court of six accused, including Deputy Minister of Urban Development Eranga Gunasekara and Member of Parliament Jagath Manuwarna. The order was issued after the six accused, who are currently out on bail, failed to appear before the court in connection with a case alleging that they participated in protests and were members of an unlawful assembly in violation of a court order. more..

Jul 17 (DM) Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama today ordered the further remand of Attorney-at-Law Rakitha Rajapaksha, SJB Horana organiser Charitha Abeysinghe, and former Civil Aviation Authority Airport Director Varushahennadige Aruna Sri Chathuranga until July 28. The case relates to allegations that the suspects solicited and accepted a bribe of Rs. 120 million from the wife of an organised criminal in return for facilitating assistance to him. more..

Jul 17 (DM) SL has recorded a notable rise in HIV infections among young people aged between 15 and 24, with health authorities also reporting a steady increase in several sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in recent years. HIV infections among the 15-24 age group increased from just 13 cases in 2010 to 107 cases in 2025. The highest number of infections was reported in 2024 with 115 cases, while 107 cases were more..

Jul 17 (EN) Sri Lanka plans four development projects in Kandy to ease traffic congestion and city infrastructure, Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development announced in a press release. The projects will be centred around the Getambe Flyover, Mahaiyawa Underpass, William Gopallawa Mawatha, and Louis Peiris Mawatha. The Central Province Development Programme will implement the project. Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena and Minister K.D Lal Kantha, more..

Jul 17 (Island) Municipal operations in Kandy ground to a halt yesterday after the storekeeper in charge of the Kandy Municipal Council’s (KMC) fuel depot went on leave without handing over the keys to the premises. Situation escalated into a period of tension as official vehicles, including those assigned for essential dengue control and waste management operations, were left without access to fuel. Upon discovering that the fuel depot was locked, municipal staff attempted to contact the storekeeper more..

Jul 17 (AD) Public Health Inspectors' (PHI) Union of SL has announced that legal action will be taken against individuals who sell smokeless tobacco leaves alongside betel quids. Acting President of the PHI Union, Upul Rohana, made this statement while addressing the media today. He said the law would be enforced in accordance with the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act, No. 27 of 2006. Rohana pointed out that, under the First Schedule of the Gazette notification issued more..

Jul 17 (EN) The George Keyt Foundation in partnership with the British High Commission in Colombo will present 19th Century Views of Ceylon, a landmark exhibition showcasing a rare collection of historic artworks by renowned British artists. The exhibition will be held from July 30 to Aug 1, 2026, at Westminster House, the residence of the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka. The event marks the first time that Westminster House will host a public art exhibition. more..

Jul 17 (EN) In a swift policy move on July 10, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake gazetted an immediate prohibition on the importation of any goods wholly or partially produced using forced labour. This decision came directly in response to pressure from the US, which threatened to impose a 12.5% tariff on SL exports under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974. The new regulation requires importers to provide certified documentation more..

Jul 17 (AD) Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that while keeping companion animals has become an important part of our culture, protecting the lives and welfare of street animals is a shared responsibility of all. PM made these remarks today while attending the inauguration ceremony of PET EXPO 2026, being held at the BMICH, as the Chief Guest. The exhibition was organised by the Association of Companion Animal Practitioners of Sri Lanka (ACAPSL). more..

Jul 17 (NW) The case filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against Yoshitha Rajapaksa was taken up again today (17) before the Colombo High Court. The hearing was conducted before High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga. Under the direction of Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, evidence was recorded from prosecution witnesses. Appearing for Yoshitha Rajapaksa was President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis, who also crossexamined the witnesses. more..

Jul 17 (NW) Manjot Kalra, a former India U-19 World Cup-winning cricketer and co-owner of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) franchise Jaffna Kings, has been arrested by SL Police over an alleged match-fixing approach made to a player. The arrest was carried out by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) for the Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports on Thursday night, just hours before the opening match of LPL more..

Jul 17 (Island) Western Provincial Council and the Mosvold Martinus Foundation (MMF) have signed a MoU to implement an Early Childhood Education (ECE) Programme aimed at improving preschool education standards in the province. Under the initiative, 500 preschool teachers will be supported to pursue diploma courses offered by the National Institute of Education (NIE) or the Open University of SL, while 1,000 teachers will receive training in play-based learning methods. more..

Jul 17 (NW) Stadiumgama Housing Complex, comprising 1,000 housing units built for low‑income urban residents of Colombo, has been fully completed and will be vested with the public in September, Ministry of Urban Development announced. Located at Sirimavo Bandaranaike Mawatha, Colombo 14, the project was implemented under the Urban Development Authority (UDA) with financial assistance from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) at a cost of more..

Jul 17 (FT) For generations, discussions about Sri Lanka’s future have focused on economic policy, foreign investment, debt restructuring, taxation, political reform, and constitutional change. These are all essential matters. Yet one of the nation’s greatest strategic assets is often overlooked, not because it lacks importance, but because it has too often been viewed only through the narrow lens of religion rather than as the very foundation of Sri Lanka’s civilisation. more..

Jul 17 (FT) It has now been nearly two weeks since my note on the farmers’ protests was published. (Peasants in Revolt: A step towards a new mode of agriculture, Daily FT, June 26). During these two weeks, we have witnessed farmers’ protests in almost every small town across the North Central Province, the Eastern Province, Kurunegala District and Giruwa Pattu. Farmers burned effigies of the Minister and Deputy Minister of Agriculture. They smashed coconuts in ritual protest in nearby more..

Jul 17 (AD) It has been reported that former IGP C.D. Wickramaratne has been found dead and is suspected to have committed suicide. He had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his residence in Athurugiriya. C.D. Wickramaratne, who served in the SL Police for more than 30 years, was the country's 35th IGP. Prior to his appointment as IGP, Wickramaratne served as Senior DIG for Southern Province. more..

Jul 17 (DM) Irrigation Dept has urged farmers and the public to use irrigation and drinking water carefully as Sri Lanka faces a higher risk of drought and rising temperatures due to the expected El Niño weather pattern. Director of the Water Management Division H.M.P.S.D. Herath said that the total water storage in the country’s 80 major reservoirs currently stands at around 48%. He said the available water is expected to be sufficient for the ongoing Yala cultivation season, more..

Jul 17 (FT) NPP Govt is targeting its first sovereign credit rating upgrade since the debt crisis, with Treasury officials telling the CoPF they expect the country’s rating to improve to B- by early 2027 as fiscal reforms and debt reduction continue. Officials said discussions were underway with the three major international credit rating agencies, which are reviewing SL’s recent macroeconomic and fiscal performance. Officials confirmed SL’s current sovereign rating is CCC+ and said more..

Jul 17 (TM) Despite SL's Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) indicating that the first set of gambling regulations would be published by 30 June, Authority now looks forward to presenting the draft regulations later in 2026, GRA Chairperson informed the COPF. “The authority did not expect full operationalisation until 30 Nov 2026 but rather that regulatory activities would commence in phases with a first set of regulations more..

Jul 17 (Island) Following the death of a 75-year-old woman who owned a large estate at Kiribathkumbura in the Daulugala Police Division, a dispute has arisen among four parties claiming her remains. Inquirer into Sudden Deaths Senaka Karunaratne has ordered that the body not be released to anyone until a court order is obtained, as none of the four parties who came forward to perform the final rites could legally establish their claims. The deceased had been living for more..

Jul 17 (DM) Turkiye has offered the sale of military drones to Sri Lanka, and a technical team is expected to arrive here soon for a presentation, an official said yesterday. Addressing a seminar, Turkish Ambassador Dr.Semih Lutfu Turgut said that his country was planning for enhancement of bilateral relations with Sri Lanka encompassing all spheres. He said a technical team would come to Sri Lanka soon to make a presentation on drones manufactured in his country. more..