Jul 2 (DM) The Govt is set to strengthen dog population control and tighten measures to eradicate rabies after the Cabinet of Ministers approved the publication of the Rabies Eradication and Dog Registration Bill ahead of its presentation to Parliament. The proposed legislation will consolidate the existing Rabies Ordinance (Chapter 476) and the Dog Registration Ordinance (Chapter 477) into a single legal framework aimed at improving the prevention and control of rabies across SL. more..

Jul 2 (DM) Vehicle Importers Association of SL (VIASL) Vice President Arosha Rodrigo today requested the govt to introduce necessary policy adjustments to ensure smoother operations in the sector and to support both importers and buyers. Hee said vehicle importers have called on authorities to revise existing policies related to vehicle financing and import procedures, stating that current regulations are affecting both market efficiency and customer access to vehicles. more..

Jul 2 (MB) Niroshan Peters, 54, a resident of Dematagoda, a densely populated suburb in Colombo, has no option but to live and work in an environment frequently polluted due to careless waste disposal. He blames authorities for not having an effective waste management system, which results in people getting exposed to unhygienic environments. “Last week, workers from the CMC came to fumigate this area more..

Jul 2 (DM) Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of Pakistan, Lt General (Retd) Muhammad Ali, arrived in SL on Wednesday for an official visit to participate in the 6th Pakistan–SL Armed Forces Defence Dialogue. The visiting Defence Secretary and his delegation were welcomed at BIA by Additional Secretary of SL's Ministry of Defence, Harsha Vithanaarachchi, along with senior officers of the SL Air Force and SL Navy and officials from the High Commission of Pakistan in SL. more..

Jul 2 (DM) SL’s justice system is under strain, with more than 1.1 million cases pending nationwide, exposing a severe mismatch between caseload and court capacity, SC Justice Yasantha Kodagoda said. Speaking at an event, Justice Kodagoda said the sheer volume of pending litigation is placing extraordinary pressure on a court system that operates with limited resources across all levels. He noted that the backlog is spread across just 333 courts islandwide, ranging from magistrate more..

Jul 2 (DM) While saying that Sri Lanka is currently in El Niño conditions, Additional Director General of the Dept of Meteorology Ajith Wijemanne said SL faces a 63% probability of a strong El Niño and a 33% probability of a weak El Niño. He said that the country could face a series of extreme weather events, including below-normal rainfall, flooding and drought over the coming months. Accordingly, the country is more..

Jul 2 (EN) Sampath Bank has won the titles of SL’s Best Retail Bank, Best Commercial Bank, and Best Corporate Governance – SL 2026, at the World Finance Banking Awards 2026. Presented by UK-based World Finance magazine, the awards recognise institutions that demonstrate excellence in performance, innovation, leadership, customer value, long-term sustainability and governance. This is the 12th year that Sampath Bank has been named both SL’s Best Retail Bank and more..

Jul 2 (AD) National Secretariat for Elders has announced that all unregistered elderly care homes must complete their registration by Sept 30, 2026. Director of the Secretariat, K. Chathura Mihidum, stated that a nationwide survey is currently underway to collect information on unregistered elderly care homes. He urged elderly care home operators who have not yet provided their details to complete the Google Form issued by the Secretariat and submit the required information. more..

Jul 2 (NW) SL have been forced into making at least two changes to their playing XI for the second and final Test against the West Indies, with Newswire confirming that Pathum Nissanka and Lahiru Kumara have both been ruled out through injury. Opener Pathum Nissanka has travelled to London to undergo wrist surgery, while fast bowler Lahiru Kumara has been sidelined after suffering a hamstring injury during the first Test. Lahiru Udara is the frontrunner to replace Nissanka at the top more..

Jul 2 (CI) Fast bowler Yash Thakur and offspinner Saransh Jain shared four wickets for India A while SL A captain Sahan Arachchige made an unbeaten 83 on an opening day where honours were shared in the second four-dayer in Galle. Gurnoor Brar, the tall fast bowler from Punjab who recently made his ODI debut, picked up the only other wicket to fall. B Sai Sudharsan, who had retired hurt in the second innings in the first four-dayer, was passed fit for this game. After India A opted to bowl, more..

Jul 2 (NW) A Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) aviation unit deployed with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) successfully carried out an emergency casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) mission after an armed attack left multiple people injured. The mission was launched after troops from the Zambian Battalion came under attack while conducting a patrol in more..

Jul 2 (EN) As SL scales renewable and storage capacity, clearly defined technical standards and frameworks are essential to ensure system reliability and investor confidence, speakers at an energy security forum have said. Ceylon Chamber of Commerce hosted the discussion on Energy Transition in SL: Strategic Insights from Global Markets, bringing together the public and private sectors to examine opportunities and challenges in the country’s evolving energy landscape. more..

Jul 2 (DN) Most Venerable Narampanawe Ananda Thero, Deputy Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter of the Siam Maha Nikaya, has been appointed as the new Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya. The appointment was made by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, with effect from today. The official letter of appointment was handed over to the Thero by the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, during a meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon. more..

Jul 2 (NW) PHU leader Udaya Gammanpila today outlined four reasons why former SIS Director Suresh Sallay should not be compelled to disclose the passwords to his mobile phone and computer. Gammanpila said that while he respected the recent court order directing Sallay to provide the passwords to investigators, he disagreed with the decision and expected Sallay’s legal team to challenge it. more..

Jul 2 (Island) National Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS), Kalutara, the premier national training institution for public health in Sri Lanka, on Wednesday officially inaugurated its historic Centenary Congress, commemorating 100 years of dedicated service to the nation (1926– 2026). The grand celebration, held at the NIHS Auditorium in Kalutara, marked a century of pioneering achievements that have contributed significantly to strengthening SL’s public health system. more..

Jul 2 (FT) Govt has launched a coordinated national response to the anticipated El Niño climate phenomenon, directing key ministries to prepare comprehensive contingency plans within two weeks as authorities seek to safeguard food security, water resources and energy supplies. Special Cabinet Subcommittee and the Officials’ Committee established by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake to oversee El Niño preparedness held their inaugural meeting yesterday at the Prez Secretariat more..

Jul 2 (Island) Department of Agriculture is scheduled to host Agri Taste 2026, a two-day exhibition and sales fair promoting nutritious food products made from SL agricultural crops, at the Agriculture Complex in Gannoruwa on July 3 and 4. The event, themed The Pride of SL Nutrition, will be held from 4 pm to 10 pm on both days along the road in front of the Agriculture Complex. It aims to popularise quality, nutritious foods prepared using locally grown crops and encourage greater more..

Jul 2 (NW) The Uni of the Visual and Performing Arts in Colombo has been temporarily closed due to a rapid increase in dengue cases, Deputy Minister of Education Dr. Madhura Seneviratne has said. He said the decision was taken as a precautionary measure after 36 students were diagnosed with dengue, while several others were reported to be suffering from a viral fever. All academic activities and examinations have been postponed, and university hostels have also been closed. more..

Jul 2 (EN) SL’s condominium sales decreased by 15.2% during the first quarter of 2026, from a year ago, according to a condominium market survey. “Condominium Property Sales Volume Index, which covers the Colombo District and other major cities, recorded a year-on-year decrease of 15.2%,” the CB said. Its real estate market analysis noted that during 2026 Q1, Price Index for New Condominiums within more..

Jul 2 (CI) Galle and Colombo will host India's two forthcoming Tests in Sri Lanka, between August 15 and 27. Although the Sinhalese Sports Club ground recently had floodlights installed, this series will not feature a day/night match - both games set to start at the usual time of 10am. This will be India's first Test tour of the island in nine years, their last trip having been in 2017. India have won five consecutive Tests in Sri Lanka, and have not lost a series there since 2008. more..

Jul 2 (NW) The govt has decided not to increase water tariffs during the next six months, despite prevailing economic pressures, Minister of Water Supply Susil Ranasinghe announced. He explained that although water tariffs are reviewed every six months under the annual procedure, no revision was made in the first half of the year, and rates will remain unchanged from July 1 to Dec 31. Minister cited the absence of major additional expenditure for water purification as a key reason. more..

Jul 2 (AD) The official launch of the new payment facility enabling the public to make payments to govt institutions via bank cards (through POS machines) was held today at the Thimbirigasyaya Divisional Secretariat, under the patronage of PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. This was launched as part of the Govt’s national programme to strengthen digitalization and make public services more efficient, transparent, and accessible. more..

Jul 2 (AD) Colombo Magistrate’s Court has directed the OIC of the FCID to make submissions tomorrow regarding a request to release electronic devices seized in connection with the ongoing Krrish transaction investigation. The directive was issued by Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama after considering a motion filed on behalf of Dilshan Elmo Aloysius de Silva by Prez’s Counsel Saliya Peiris. Counsel appearing for the petitioner Saliya Peiris informed court more..

Jul 2 (NW) Urban Development Ministry has announced that Anuradhapura, Kataragama, Kandy, and Colombo have been chosen for the first phase of the City Branding project, aimed at boosting tourism appeal through structured branding initiatives. Deputy Minister Eranga Gunasekara chaired discussions yesterday on the initial report prepared by four consultancy firms selected under the tender process. These firms have already conducted site inspections, engaged with more..

Jul 2 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently directed the National Education Commission (NEC) to come up with a policy framework in one month. Judging by the track record of policy frameworks developed by NEC since its inception in 1991, it is inconceivable that they can deliver a usable document unless they rethink policy making with a less is more mindset. The most significant contribution of the first report of the NEC was to define National objectives of education, more..

Jul 2 (FT) Corruption remains one of the most persistent obstacles to economic growth, social justice, and public confidence in many developing countries. It weakens institutions, discourages investment, distorts public spending, and erodes trust between citizens and the state. SL's economic crisis exposed many long-standing governance weaknesses, including allegations of corruption, inefficiency, political patronage, and poor accountability. As the country seeks to rebuild more..

Jul 2 (FT) Three years after facing what was the worst economic crisis which pushed SL to the brink of collapse, the island nation has regained upper-middle-income status. World Bank, in its latest income classification update released yesterday reclassified SL from the lower-middle-income category after the economy expanded by 5% in 2025, supported by a broad-based recovery across industries and growth in tourism & more..

Jul 2 (NW) The Cabinet has approved a proposal to begin the procurement of 535 utility vehicles to address shortages that have hampered the implementation of govt development projects and field operations. The proposal, presented by President Dissanayake, seeks to strengthen the operational capacity of govt institutions engaged in development activities. The approved procurement includes 175 tractors, 100 water bowsers, 100 backhoe loaders and 160 tipper trucks. more..

Jul 2 (FT) Sri Lanka's tourist arrivals fell by 10% in June year-on-year (YoY), marking the lowest inflow for the year so far, trailing last year’s pace amid a sharp decline in Indian travellers. According to provisional data from SLTDA, June 2026 arrivals stood at 124,551, down from 138,241 in June 2025. It also fell 15% compared to May 2026, with weekly inflows showing moderate dispersion; 27,043 in the first week, 27,423 in the second, 28,585 in the third, and 41,000 in the final week. more..

Jul 2 (Island) SL’s dengue caseload has surpassed 55,000 this year after more than 1,000 new infections were reported in the 24 hours ending at 6 am yesterday, according to health authorities. A total of 55,406 cases have been recorded so far in 2026, while the death toll has risen to 32. 1,024 new cases were confirmed during the latest 24-hour reporting period, reflecting a continuing increase in infections across the country. more..

Jul 2 (FT) Tea Exporters Association (TEA) has urged President Dissanayake to extend targeted support to tea smallholder farmers to restore productivity and reverse a structural decline in export volumes, warning that output constraints are limiting foreign exchange earnings despite existing processing capacity. At a meeting with the President on 26 June, TEA Chairman Huzefa Akbarally noted that while exporters are capable of handling around 400 million kg of tea annually, more..

Jul 2 (NW) National Zoological Gardens in Dehiwala will celebrate its 90th anniversary on July 3, 2026, with a series of special programs highlighting conservation, education, and public engagement. Among the highlights will be the announcement of names for two lion cubs born at the zoo, which have recently captured the affection of animal lovers. Prizes will be awarded to those whose name proposals are selected. Visitors will also be given the opportunity to see the cubs with their mother more..