Jul 13 (FT) The foreign portfolio demand for rupee-denominated Govt securities saw its highest weekly inflow since Feb 2013, at Rs 32.04 billion for the week ending 9 July. As a result, foreign holdings in Govt securities hit its highest level in nearly three years since August 2023, at Rs 168.90 billion. This reflected five consecutive weeks of net foreign inflows. Notably, the recent re-entry by foreign portfolios has offset the decline more..

Jul 13 (DM) HIV infections are on the rise in SL, with Colombo and Gampaha reporting the highest number of cases, Physician Dr. Sathya Herath said. She said the number of reported HIV cases has increased steadily since 2023, with more cases being detected among men than women. Unsafe sexual practices remain the main mode of HIV transmission, while sharing needles, syringes and other injecting equipment among drug users also contributes to more..

Jul 13 (NW) SL and India today signed a MoU to provide modern medical equipment worth Rs. 600 million for the new Deniyaya Base Hospital. The agreement was signed at the Ministry under the patronage of Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, with Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe and Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha placing their signatures. The initiative forms part of India’s Aftermath Cyclone Ditwah Project, aimed at rehabilitating health infrastructure affected by the cyclone. more..

Jul 13 (FT) Sri Lanka has graduated from the lower-middle-income status to the upper-middle-income status, according to the World Bank’s latest annual country classification, based on Gross National Income (GNI) per capita. While this upgrade can be considered an important milestone in the country’s development path, it is questionable whether it can remain in this category for long without falling to the lower category. In July 2019 too Sri Lanka reached the upper middle-income status, but more..

Jul 13 (FT) A recently published book that explores profound human experiences on the unseen spiritual side of life is Forbidden Love of a Buddhist Monk, written in English by the young SL monk Venerable Panadura Ananda Thero. The work is unique for two reasons. First, it is rare for a Buddhist monk to write a true autobiography in the form of a gripping, emotionally charged novel. Second, the author fearlessly opens up a subject usually shrouded in strict institutional silence: more..

Jul 13 (DM) Sri Lanka has been ranked the most traffic-congested country in Asia, according to the Numbeo Traffic Index by Country 2026 Mid-Year. The latest index gave SL a traffic score of 254.5, placing it ahead of Bangladesh (246.2), Iran (215.3), India (205.1) and Indonesia (191.1), which ranked fifth in Asia. Indonesia, the largest and most populous country in Southeast Asia, was highlighted in the report as fifth more..

Jul 13 (AD) Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) is set to commence paddy purchasing for the 2026 Yala cultivation season today (13). PMB Chairman Manjula Pinnalanda said paddy collection centres are being opened in areas currently recording the highest harvests, with purchases beginning accordingly. He stated that, as paddy harvesting is currently underway on a large scale in the Northern, Eastern & Ampara districts, procurement operations will initially be carried out in those areas. more..

Jul 13 (Island) Judicial Service Association (JSA), which represents the country’s magistrates and district judges, has unanimously adopted a resolution opposing the govt’s proposed extension of the retirement age of superior court judges. The resolution was passed at a special general meeting held at Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court premises, attended by 65 magistrates and district judges from across the country. The meeting was convened following the resignation of JSA President more..

Jul 13 (TM) The dengue outbreak has intensified, with the number of reported cases surpassing 68,000 and the death toll rising to 47, prompting the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) to issue an urgent warning against the use of common non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) by people who develop a fever. According to the NDCU's NaDSys surveillance system, country's dengue caseload had reached 68,071 by week 27 of 2026, more..

Jul 13 (DN) Govt has banned the import of any goods produced, mined or manufactured, wholly or in part, using forced labour, effective immediately. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has issued this directive with effect from July 10. Under these new regulations, when importing goods from any country, it is mandatory to submit necessary documents to the Customs Director General confirming that the items were not produced or finished using forced labour. more..

Jul 13 (ST) A racket where a Colombo land registrar allegedly used fake rubber seals of the Registry to issue forged deeds for unscrupulous groups who then occupy such lands and properties has been unearthed by CID. Following the arrest, further investigations have been launched into cases where gangs forcibly occupy lands and houses that are not in occupation and extort money to leave such properties. The suspect was arrested after being summoned to the FCID based on a complaint more..

Jul 13 (AD) A new kidney stone removal treatment centre was declared opened in Mirigama today (12), aiming to provide relief to thousands of patients suffering from kidney stone-related conditions and help reduce the country’s existing surgical waiting list of more than 5,000 patients. The Mirigama Kidney Stone Removal Treatment Centre was inaugurated at the Mirigama Base Hospital premises under the patronage of Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa. more..

Jul 13 (DM) Ministry of Education has granted schools permission to allow students to wear clothing that offers better protection against mosquito bites as part of measures to safeguard children from dengue. According to the Ministry, school principals have been instructed to permit students to wear appropriate clothing that covers their arms and legs in addition to the prescribed school uniform. As such, principals have also been advised to educate students on more..

Jul 13 (EN) Foreign holdings in SL rupee bonds hit a near three-year high in the week ended on July 9 as offshore investors bought a net US$ 97.1 million worth ofoad money continued to expand, according to Central Bank’s latest Weekly Economic Indicators report. Report said Govt revenue and grants rose to Rs. 2,536.9 billion during the Jan-May 2026 period, compared to Rs. 1,942.4 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025. more..

Jul 13 (TM) Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) is carrying out multiple site visits as part of its ongoing investigation into the recent clash at the Negombo Prison, with officials saying the inquiry continues to gather information on every aspect of the incident. HRCSL Commissioner / Member, attorney Nimal G Punchchihewa said that repeated visits to relevant locations are sometimes necessary to obtain all the required information before further action can be taken. more..

Jul 13 (NW) The Sri Lankan govt has increased a range of fees related to the registration of companies and societies under a gazette notification issued by the Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe. The revised fees, published in an Extraordinary Gazette dated July 6, amend the Companies (Fees) Orders and Societies (Fees) Orders that were last revised in 2022. Under the new fee structure, the cost of registering a private limited company has increased from Rs. 4,600 to Rs. 5,200, while more..

Jul 13 (DN) Sri Lanka suffered a major setback ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games after leading swimmer Kyle Abeysinghe withdrew on medical advice following a positive Influenza A test, opening the door for the next highest-ranked swimmer, MF Muhammad, to earn a place in the national squad for the Games in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2. Abeysinghe, a member of Killer Whale Aquatics (KWA) Elite Group, tested positive for Influenza A earlier this week. more..

Jul 13 (EN) Foreign holdings in SL rupee bonds hit a near three-year high in the week ended on July 9 as offshore investors bought a net US$ 97.1 million worth of govt securities, Central Bank data showed, as the rupee currency recovered from a near four-year low hit in May. Foreigners bought a net 32,036 million rupees (US$97.1 million at 1$=330 rupees) in the week, which boosted foreign holdings in rupee bonds to 168,895 million rupees, the highest since Aug 10, 2023, CB data showed. more..

Jul 13 (ST) Sri Lankan officials have sought a meeting with their Indian counterparts after prices quoted by Indian companies that were technically qualified to be the Master System Integrator (MSI) under the India-backed Unique Digital Identity (SL-UDI) project were revealed to be over double the grant amount of INR 3bn (Rs. 10.5bn) pledged by the Indian govt, sources said. Five companies—Infosys Ltd, more..

Jul 13 (ST) A Turkish Airlines flight operating from BIA to Istanbul made an emergency landing due to a bird strike shortly after take-off yesterday, officials said. Flight TK-731, an Airbus A330-300, remained above 7,000 feet in Sri Lankan airspace, circulating over the Negombo lagoon area for more than three hours before returning to BIA. According to the sources, the aircraft had around 80,000 litres of fuel and was required to burn fuel while flying in order to land safely. more..

Jul 13 (DN) Bank of Ceylon (BOC) has launched SL’s first mobile wallet-based BOC Flex Tap & Pay payment service, marking a major milestone in the country’s digital banking and cashless payment landscape. The new service was officially launched in Colombo on July 9 under the patronage of Deputy Ministers Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando and Eranga Weeraratne. Developed in collaboration with Mastercard, the BOC Flex Tap & Pay solution supports the Govt’s drive to promote more..

Jul 13 (TM) SL imported 180,000 MT of rice in 2025, more than double the quantity initially planned, after the Govt determined that the original import target would be insufficient to stabilise domestic supplies. Dy Minister R.M. Jayawardana said: “We intended to import only about 70,000–75,000 MT, but after monitoring the daily situation, we found that amount would not be sufficient, so we imported approx 180,000 MT.” more..

Jul 13 (NW) The second reading of the 2027 Appropriation Bill is set to be presented in Parliament on November 12, 2026. The Ministry of Finance announced that the Appropriation Bill will be published in the Govt Gazette on September 18, followed by its first reading in Parliament on October 7. The draft 2027 Appropriation Bill, containing the proposed expenditure allocations for each ministry, is expected to be submitted to the Cabinet for approval on September 14. more..

Jul 13 (DN) SL’s exports to India have grown by nearly 160% over the past five years, significantly outpacing the growth of India’s exports to SL, Indian High Commissioner to SL Santosh Jha said, highlighting the rapid expansion of bilateral trade between the two countries. Addressing a business networking event titled Trade Connect: Interaction with FIEO Delegation, Jha said bilateral merchandise trade reached approximately US$7.2 billion during the 2025-26 period, more..

Jul 13 (TM) Economic Analyst Dhananath Fernando has stated that restrictions imposed on vehicle imports could lead to serious market complications. He further noted that, as SL’s demand for vehicles has already been met to a certain extent, tax revenue generated from vehicle imports this year is expected to decline compared to the previous year. He pointed out that the govt’s decision on whether to extend the current vehicle import policy beyond 15 Aug will be a key factor in this regard. more..

Jul 13 (TM) CSE's All Share Price Index (ASPI) is to move flat within the range of 20,500 to 22,500 for the rest of 2026, before gaining bullish momentum in 2027 – when current levels of inflation and OPR are relaxed, alongside an earnings rebound and improved turnover, First Capital Research's (FCR) mid-year outlook for 2026 shows. "Ceasefire uncertainty, elevated oil prices, moderating earnings, and a tighter OPR should keep ASPI sideways within 20,500-22,500 for the balance of 2026E. more..

Jul 13 (ST) CIABOC is accelerating institutional recruitment and implementing automated, technology -driven systems to reduce corruption vulnerabilities. As part of the structural benchmarks under SL’s EFF, IMF has directed the Commission to move away from manual oversight in favour of mandatory digital compliance, a recent IMF country report revealed. It has been directed to complete elimination of legacy, paper-based filings. more..

Jul 13 (DN) Have you ever watched the popular American crime drama Prison Break? The drama we watched on television last week reminded us of some episodes of Prison Break. But unfortunately, the drama we watched last week is not that interesting because it ended with the deaths of nearly 30 human beings. This is not the first-ever prison riot reported in Sri Lanka, and people expect this to be the last one. We are talking about Sri Lankan prisons and their culture. more..

Jul 13 (CT) But then there are those who believe that community Cats and Dogs can be shot at and killed according to their whims and fancies. A peaceful street (Lake Road, Attidiya) has now turned into a danger zone after community Cats and Dogs were mysteriously killed over the last few years. What started as mysterious deaths of Cats and Dogs soon became a startling reality when pellets were found in some of the animals that died. Animal lovers down Lake Road were horrified when more..

Jul 13 (Island) It is always a joy to arrive in Sri Lanka and I thank President Rajeev Amarasuriya for his kind invitation. There is something in the air of this beautiful island that drains the stress of big city living. I feel lighter and happier whenever I arrive, and last night was no different. I thank you for the kind words of introduction. In November 2018, I found myself in the book-lined study of the Indian jurist and friend of Sri Lanka, the redoubtable Fali S. Nariman. more..

Jul 13 (Island) Govt has come under heavy criticism over its decision to abandon a plan to convert the former Bogambara Prison, Kandy, into a modern hotel complex, restore the status quo ante and repurpose the Mahamodara Hospital, Galle, as a prison. Desperate times are said to call for desperate measures. Recent riots in the overcrowded Negombo Prison have jolted the govt into addressing the issue of overcrowding. Prison congestion did not arise after 2024 regime more..