Jul 4 (AD) The CIABOC has informed the court that former Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe had also been in Dubai during the period when suspects, including his son, allegedly accepted a Rs. 120 million bribe from the wife of organized criminal figure Nandun Chinthaka alias Harak Kata. After considering the submissions, the Colombo Chief Magistrate had ordered suspects, former Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe’s more..

Jul 4 (TG) SL has sent Deputy Speaker Dr. Rizvie Salih to Tehran to represent Colombo at the state funeral ceremonies of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei, 86, was killed in a joint US-Israeli air strike on his compound in February, ending a 36-year tenure at the head of the Islamic Republic. Iran began a week of mourning and funeral ceremonies on Friday, with foreign leaders and delegations visiting the site in Tehran where Khamenei’s body is lying in state. more..

Jul 4 (FT) Central Bank of SL (CBSL) yesterday revoked the finance business licence of Nation Lanka Finance (NLFP) and initiated the winding-up of the company, bringing to an end a year-long resolution process after efforts to revive the troubled institution failed to secure a sustainable outcome. The regulator said the licence was cancelled with effect from 3 July under the Banking Act, No. 17 of 2023, citing the continued deterioration of the company’s financial position more..

Jul 4 (FT) Sri Lanka’s unemployment rate edged down to 3.7% in the first quarter of 2026 from 3.8% a year earlier, while the labour force participation rate eased to 49.2% from 49.7%, according to the latest Labour Force Survey. The survey estimated SL’s labour force at 8.41 million, comprising 5.40 million men and 3.01 million women, while the economically inactive population stood at 8.67 million, more..

Jul 4 (AD) Litro Gas Lanka Ltd has announced a revision in the prices of domestic LP gas cylinders with effect from midnight today (3). Accordingly, the price of the 12.5 kg cylinder has been reduced by Rs. 300 to Rs. 4,465 while the price of the 05 kg cylinder has been decreased by Rs. 118 to Rs. 1,792. Meanwhile, the price of the 2.3 kg cylinder has been reduced by Rs. 55 with the new price of Rs. 835. Litro Gas Lanka said that in line with the drop in international LP gas prices, more..

Jul 4 (FT) SL’s national official poverty line increased to Rs. 17,315 per person per month in May 2026 from Rs. 17,117 in April, according to the latest estimates. The official poverty line, which represents the minimum monthly expenditure per person required to fulfil basic needs, rose by Rs. 198 from the previous month. District-level estimates continued to show disparities in minimum expenditure requirements. Colombo recorded the highest official poverty line at Rs. 18,675 more..

Jul 4 (Island) US Embassy in Sri Lanka commemorated America’s semiquincentennial—250 years of independence—with Chief Guest, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, and hundreds of SL partners, govt officials, business leaders, diplomats and friends of the US, at a Freedom 250 celebration honouring the enduring power of freedom through the lens of American cinema. The July 2 celebration highlighted the ideals that have shaped the US for two and a half centuries—individual liberty, more..

Jul 4 (NW) The Sri Lanka Spa Association says it has lodged complaints with the IGP and the Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL), alleging police harassment of licensed spa establishments and calling for an impartial investigation into recent incidents. Representative claimed that several spas operating with licences issued by the Tourism Ministry and staffed by qualified therapists had been subjected to police action, making it difficult for them to continue operating. more..

Jul 4 (DM) The govt is yet to reach any final decision on the proposed investment of US$ 3.7 billion by Chinese state giant Sinopec mainly due to disagreements on terms and conditions of the project despite the lapse of more than one and half years after signing the MoU. The company secured the initial approval for investment in the establishment of an oil refinery in Hambantota in 2023. After that, the MoU for the project, more..

Jul 4 (NW) The heartwarming viral video of a little girl walking through a paddy field with a porcupine and a cat has captured millions of hearts around the world. While the footage was widely shared online with false claims that it was filmed in Bangladesh, it was in fact recorded in Sri Lanka. The little girl in the video is seven-year-old Shwetha Punsandi from Polonnaruwa. According to her family, Shwetha has always had a deep affection for animals and has formed a unique bond with them. more..

Jul 4 (FT) A high-level delegation from the Export-Import Bank of China (China EXIM Bank), led by Vice President Yang Dongning, held talks with Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando on Thursday, with both sides agreeing to expedite the amended financing agreement for the Central Expressway Project (CEP-I) Section I (Kadawatha–Mirigama). During the discussions, the two sides reviewed progress on the revised financing agreement for China EXIM Bank-funded more..

Jul 4 (EN) Softlogic Holdings said it has raised 2.03 billion rupees of a targeted 10 billion rupee equity fusion, with a further 1.2 billion rupees expected by September, as part of a broad restructuring after the stock was placed on the CSE Watchlist due to the auditor’s ongoing concern warnings. Softlogic and its retail chain Odel filed updates on the status of their restructuring, on Friday. The company has disposed of Odel’s Koswatta land parcel for about 1.5 billion rupees in cash. more..

Jul 4 (EN) SL Customs exceeded its May target by 22%, while revenue in the first half of 2026 jumped around 29.5% compared to the same period last year, official data showed. Customs’ June revenue target was set at 184.9 billion rupees. However, the revenue-collecting body collected 225.2 billion rupees in the month, exceeding the target by 22%, official data showed. It also exceeded the cumulative target in the first six months by 29.5% to achieve 1,373.8 billion rupees. more..

Jul 4 (FT) Govt utilised less than half of its authorised borrowing limit in 2025, supported by existing cash buffers and improved fiscal conditions, according to the Finance, Planning & Economic Development Ministry’s 2025 Annual Report. Report said actual Govt borrowing during the year amounted to Rs. 1.96 trillion, well below the Rs. 4 trillion borrowing ceiling approved under the Appropriation Act, No. 3 of 2025, more..

Jul 4 (FT) Colombo stock market yesterday ended in red, extending its bearish run into four-straight sessions. During the week, ASPI declined 1.03% and the active S&P SL 20 fell 0.85%. With 111 counters closing in red against 92 in green yesterday, ASPI was down 0.19% or 43.18 points at 22,178.73 and the S&P SL20 was down 0.17% or 10.32 points at 6,194.22. Market turnover was over Rs. 1.5 billion on nearly 30.6 million shares traded. Foriegn investors were net sellers on more..

Jul 4 (FT) Uber has announced the launch of Uber Eats and Uber Rides in Ratnapura, further expanding its footprint across the country. Residents and visitors can now access food, groceries, everyday essentials, and reliable transportation through the Uber app, while local merchants, delivery partners, and drivers gain new opportunities to grow and earn. Uber SL Country Manager – Delivery Varun Wijewardane said: “Ratnapura is home to a vibrant community of local more..

Jul 4 (CI) A pair of wickets in the final half hour play brought the West Indies back into the game, but prior to that it was Lahiru Udara who had led SL's redemption arc as the opener fell 12 runs short of a maiden Test double-ton as day one of this second Test wound to a close at North Sound. At 32 years of age, Udara has had to bide his time to make his way into the Test side, and it was just his luck that SL's Test schedule shrunk more..

Jul 4 (FT) SLT‑MOBITEL, in collaboration with the Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism Ministry, has officially launched the Lankakonect mobile application. Unveiled recently at Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo, the app represents a significant breakthrough in the nation’s digital transformation journey. Acting as a complaint management platform for Sri Lankans living and working abroad, the Lankakonet app eases their ability to raise and track grievances with the relevant authorities. more..

Jul 4 (ST) More than 2,000 multiday vessels in the country’s 5,000-strong fleet remain anchored in fisheries ports due to the high cost of fuel, All Sri Lanka Multi-Day Cruise Owners Association revealed. About 1,000 of these vessels venture into the high seas to catch tuna. These multiday vessels cross SL’s territorial waters to fish in international waters, including the Arabian Sea and the seas near Seychelles. Fishermen spend up to 60 days on a single trip to cover expenses on more..

Jul 4 (FT) INFRACON 2026, Sri Lanka’s premier exhibition dedicated to the infrastructure and construction sector, opened yesterday and will conclude on Sunday at the BMICH. The event brings together leading companies, industry professionals, and decision-makers from across South Asia. Organised by Lanka Exhibitions and Conference Services Ltd, (LECS) in collaboration with SAVOR International Ltd, of Bangladesh, the exhibition aims to foster regional cooperation and more..

Jul 4 (FT) SL Export Development Board (EDB) successfully organised the North Western and North Central Provinces Exporters’ Networking Forum, held recently at the Nilawin Hotel & Resort in Chillaw. Forum was convened under the patronage of Minister Sunil Handunneththi, with the participation of a large number of exporters representing the North Western and North Central Provinces. The primary objective of the forum was to enhance regional export capabilities and more..

Jul 4 (FT) Govt has begun preparing the 2027 Budget with tighter spending controls, imposing binding expenditure ceilings on ministries and requiring new spending proposals to compete for limited fiscal space through a more rigorous public investment process. The Budget Call for 2027, issued under National Budget Circular 02/2026, makes clear that next year’s Budget will continue the Govt’s fiscal consolidation program. more..

Jul 4 (Island) Police Dept has its fair share of rogue elements who have brought the law enforcement authorities into disrepute and make them get bad press. But the police are not short of personnel who even go above and beyond the call of duty to nab lawbreakers and ensure public safety. Sadly, their good work often goes unappreciated. Unit 2 of the Western Range (North) has done the police proud. On 28 June, its men and officers raided a house in Malabe, where illicit liquor was bottled, more..

Jul 4 (FT) The investigative reporting of the Kapila Chandrasena saga by our social media brought to memory several conversations I had with a foreigner who was stationed for a time in SL as an adviser to a Govt agency, a distant two decades ago. We would meet socially; I had no connection with the institutions he was involved with. I gathered that in the course of his work he had to delve into various statistics, research papers and memorandums produced by his local counterpart officials. more..

Jul 4 (GV) Freedom of Expression (FoE) and Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) are sometimes viewed as competing rights: we are frequently told that to protect the sanctity of faith, we must muzzle the speaker and to protect the speaker we must disregard the believer. However, the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of SL’s (NCEASL) recently launched report titled Navigating Intersecting Rights: Freedom of Religion or Belief and Freedom of Expression in SL suggests more..

Jul 4 (Island) In homes across SL, a quiet tragedy unfolds daily. Children once filled with curiosity and play now sit glued to screens, their laughter replaced by the glow of notifications and endless scrolls. What began as a lifeline during the COVID-19 pandemic, devices enabling remote education when schools closed, has morphed into something far darker. Today, these same technologies, designed for connection and progress, fuel addiction, erode family bonds, spread hatred & claim young lives. more..

Jul 4 (SO) Energy has become one of the defining global anxieties of the modern era. Wars, fuel disruptions, volatile oil markets, and fragile supply chains have forced countries across the world to rethink how they power their economies. For Sri Lanka — still recovering from its worst economic crisis in decades — energy security has become a question of survival rather than policy preference. Against this backdrop, renewable energy more..

Jul 4 (TM) There was a time when Sri Lankans packed theatre halls the way they now fill shopping malls. The stage was more than entertainment; it was a mirror. And no play held that mirror more honestly than R.R. Samarakoon’s Kelani Palama. In one iconic scene, following a devastating flood, a Govt clerk visits the families living beneath the Kelani Bridge to assess their losses. During a heated exchange, Matilda asks him a simple but devastating question: after paying rent, more..

Jul 4 (TM) The country has recorded more than 55,000 dengue cases so far this year, with infections surging last month, according to the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU). As of midnight on 30 June, a total of more than 54,000 dengue cases had been reported nationwide. June alone accounted for 21,565 cases by the 25th epidemiological week of 2026. Western Province (WP) continued to carry the highest disease burden, accounting for 52.51% of all reported dengue cases. more..

Jul 4 (SO) Sri Lanka has 103 rivers distributed across the country, along with 73 major reservoirs, 170 medium-sized tanks, and approximately 14,200 minor tanks. These river systems serve as the primary source of water for the nation’s people and sustain the interconnected network of reservoirs and irrigation tanks. However, these vital water resources are currently under severe threat due to various human activities, more..

Jul 4 (DM) In an era increasingly focused on material gain and courtroom victories, the legal profession faces a deep crisis of empathy and integrity. Vulnerable citizens enter law offices carrying fractured lives, only to be met with cold delays, soaring fees, and alienating bureaucracy. Legal practice must shift away from destructive litigation toward compassionate, honest service, proving that a lawyer’s true legacy is measured by the human lives they protect rather than cases they win. more..

Jul 4 (TM) A Govt proposal to amend the Constitution to extend the retirement age of Supreme Court (SC) and Court of Appeal (CA) Judges has ignited one of the most contentious Constitutional debates since the NPP administration assumed office, with the BASL and several legal organisations warning that the move could undermine judicial independence and public confidence in the courts. At present, Article 107(5) of the Constitution fixes the retirement age of more..