Jul 20 (Island) SL exporters targeting the European Union are being urged to prepare immediately for sweeping new sustainability regulations that will fundamentally change how businesses market products, manage supply chains and demonstrate environmental and social responsibility. Beginning Sept 27, 2026, companies selling goods and services into the EU will face tougher scrutiny under the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EmpCo), which is designed to more..

Jul 20 (TM) Ministry of Public Admin, PCs and LG has stated it has not received any formal complaints regarding allegations that certain public officials are preventing Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) from taking legal action against Govt institutions where dengue mosquito breeding sites have been detected. Ministry Secretary S. Alokabandara said that while there may be incidents occurring in certain places, no specific complaint had been officially submitted to the Ministry for investigation. more..

Jul 20 (TM) Operational inefficiencies, prolonged project delays, and weak financial management at the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) have indirectly contributed to the steep water tariff increases imposed on the public, a special audit report by the National Audit Office (NAO) has found, indicating that consumers have effectively been made to absorb the cost of the board’s own shortcomings. more..

Jul 20 (DM) SL’s banking and finance sector has been issued a blunt warning to abandon its heavy reliance on collateral-backed loans and transition to risk-based credit evaluations. The stark directive was delivered by top financial regulators during the launch of the Credit Information Bureau of SL’s (CRIB) new customer-facing mobile application, myCRIB, held in Colombo last Friday. Speaking at the launch, CRIB Chairman and CB Deputy Governor K.G.P. Sirikumara directly more..

Jul 20 (DN) Sri Lanka’s Jayden De Silva and Hashel Senarath continued their impressive run at the 12th Asian Age Group Aquatic Championships by reaching international finals in the boys’ 200m butterfly, while Rushalee Dissanayake capped another memorable day by breaking the Sri Lanka Under-17 National Age Group record in the girls’ 800m freestyle in Bangkok, Thailand yesterday. Hashel produced a personal best of 2:16.15 to finish sixth in the boys’ 13-14 200m butterfly final. more..

Jul 20 (CT) This is the first of two articles on the coconut sector based on a draft report released by the Plantation Ministry. This gives a brief overview of the sector and future plans, while the next includes plans by the Govt to develop a Northern Coconut Triangle. The coconut sector, a vital pillar of SL’s plantation economy, contributes approximately 6-7% of total exports and 1% to national GDP, sustaining the livelihoods of more..

Jul 20 (DN) Jaffna Kings the defending champions fought back to gain 5 wickets win with six balls to spare against Dambulla Sixes in their LPL cricket fixture played at the SSC grounds yesterday. It was a low scoring game which Dambulla Sixes was restricted to 130 all out in 19.3 overs while Jaffna Kings chasing their target lost their openers Avishka Fernando (15) and Kamil Mishara (9) during first power play with spinners Maheesh Theekshana and Vishwa Lahiru made early breakthroughs. more..

Jul 20 (TM) Though 22% of all containers processed through Sri Lanka's ports in the first quarter of 2026 were referred to Other Government Agencies (OGA) for mandatory inspections, only 13% were selected for intrusive examination by SL Customs, according to the Progress Report for end-March. “It is important to note that a significant portion of these referrals, specifically 22% of the total containers, is due to regulatory requirements enforced by Other Govt Agencies (OGAs),” more..

Jul 20 (NW) Lanka Premier League’s newly introduced Impact Player rule has come under scrutiny after teams used it to field five overseas players during the opening matches of the 2026 season, despite the tournament’s long-standing limit of four foreign players. The rule was introduced this season to add a tactical element to matches while also creating greater opportunities for local players. Under the new regulation, teams are permitted to make one tactical substitution during a match, more..

Jul 20 (DM) Govt is rapidly advancing a comprehensive digital economy blueprint designed to dismantle long-standing barriers to finance, with plans to introduce an artificial intelligence-powered horizontal lending rail that will connect micro-enterprises directly to mainstream credit markets, revealed Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Chief Advisor to the Prez on Digital Economy. Delivering the keynote speech at the launch of the Credit Information Bureau (CRIB) customer-focused mobile more..

Jul 20 (SO) The country has strengthened its capacity to respond to transboundary marine pollution caused by ships carrying hazardous cargo, fuel oil, marine diesel and plastic waste, and enhanced its capacity to pursue compensation for environmental damage, Environment Minister Dr. Dammika Patabendi said. He was responding to a question on whether the Govt had made any progress in strengthening its legal more..

Jul 20 (SO) For decades, minority politics in Sri Lanka has been shaped by a fundamental question: who speaks for communities that often feel unheard within the State? The political changes of 2024 appeared to offer a different answer, that a national political movement could move beyond traditional identity-based politics. Yet, the emergence of a new platform among Tamil, Muslim and Malaiyaha Tamil political parties suggests that the question of representation has not disappeared. more..

Jul 20 (Island) I am honoured to be invited to speak at the launch of Dr. Wickramaratne’s Constitutional Conversations. Dr. Wickramaratne, who has had a ringside view of the trajectory of SL’s Constitution for over three decades, writes not as someone who has merely studied constitutional events from a distance, but as one who has lived through them — experiencing at first hand the successes, hopes, fears, disappointments and the unfulfilled promises of the constitution-making process more..

Jul 20 (GV) The Tamil enemy and the Muslim enemy are passé, for now. It’s the turn of the Christian enemy, again. Parliamentarian Chamara Sampath Dassanayake heralded the change at the July 12 convention of the Joint Opposition in Kurunegala. “Venerable monks, (we) should stop being patient. I’m telling prelates and chief prelates, listen to this. The army commander’s tenure was over on 2 July… (It) was extended before. Now (it is) extended again. Who appoints the army commander? more..

Jul 20 (ISland) The Court of Appeal (CA) has granted bail to a man held on remand for about 15 years under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The CA overturned a Colombo High Court order refusing bail to the accused. Stressing that protracted pre-trial detention should not amount to punishment before conviction, and the presumption of innocence remains a cornerstone of criminal justice, the court ruled that there was an exceptional circumstance warranting more..

Jul 20 (TM) Crime scenes surrounded by black-and-yellow tapes are a common sight that most of us have experienced in real life or, at least seen on television. But have we ever stopped to think about what lies beyond these tapes and why they are there? These black-and-yellow tapes, commonly known as scene tapes or cordons, are placed around a crime scene to protect valuable silent evidences. more..

Jul 20 (ST) Before the deadly riots at the Negombo Prison on July 5th and 6th 2026 fade into statistics, a more serious consequence must emerge rather than the parliamentary Opposition filing yet another interminable no-confidence motion, this time against the Minister of Justice. If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, those inhabiting opposition seats in the House fall well within that apt definition, notably but more..

Jul 20 (TM) The recent delay in launching SL’s first unified Gambling Regulatory Authority highlights a profound dilemma. Authorities missed their internal June target to roll out a comprehensive regulatory framework, citing the immense complexity of structuring a modern watchdog from scratch. While proponents of economic reform view this institutional pause with impatience, the delay is actually a structural necessity. For a nation historically balanced on the values of more..

Jul 20 (SO) For decades, Tamil-speaking communities in SL have pursued political representation through separate parties shaped by distinct histories, grievances and regional interests. The formation of a six-party platform bringing together the ITAK, SLMC, TPA, ACMC, DTNA & CWC marks an attempt to rebuild a common political space among these communities to advocate for their rights. While the parties hold differing views more..

Jul 20 (DM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake continues to enjoy strong public support. In a country where trust in leaders has often been short lived, this is significant. According to the latest survey by the Centre for Policy Alternatives, his approval rating stands at 75.5%. That number reflects hope. It reflects a public that still believes change is possible. But in SL, popularity can fade quickly. People have seen leaders rise with promise before, only to fall when results did not follow. more..

Jul 20 (DM) George Orwell once wrote that in our age, there is no such thing as keeping out of politics, that politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia. Looking at SL’s present crop of leaders, it is hard to argue with him. None of today’s politicians comes close to the stature of a Senanayake, a Bandaranaike, or an N.M. Perera, a Kadirgamar or a T.B. Jayah. That such quality should have all but vanished from our political top tier seems almost to defy natural law. more..

Jul 19 (ST) New political alliances are all too common in SL, as has been the case since independence. Most such alliances have been driven by political expediencies rather than any genuine desire to achieve clear-out objectives in the interests of the public. The latest such alliance or collective platform launched this week brought together six parties that represent the country’s Tamil-speaking people, who include Tamils of more..

Jul 19 (AD) It has been decided to conduct the final rites of former IGP C.D. Wickramaratne with full police honors. Police Media Spokesperson, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) F.U. Wootler, stated that the late former IGP C.D. Wickramaratne would be accorded the standard police honors customarily granted to a retired IGP upon their passing. Accordingly, the final rites of former IGP C.D. Wickramaratne are scheduled to be held on July 20 with full police honors. more..

Jul 19 (Island) Friday’s shock death of former IGP Chandana Wickramaratne due to gunshot injuries on his chest was possibly due to an accidental discharge of his personal security officer’s pistol. Wickramaratne, who was kitted for his walk and waiting on the verandah for his wife to join him, was examining the PSO’s new weapon, knowledgeable sources said. The wife who was putting on her shoes inside the house heard a bang and found Wickramaratne fallen on the verandah. more..

Jul 19 (ST) Govt has decided to give extensions for selected public sector employees in senior and professional levels with a two-year service extension with the option of a further extension, a senior govt official said. This would cover medical consultants, those in the scientific services and specialised services which, in recent years, have seen a sharp decline in personnel. The measure is being taken to retain those in the state sector more..

Jul 19 (TM) CID had not been instructed to investigate the death of former IGP C.D. Wickramaratne as of Friday afternoon, with the inquiry instead being conducted by the Crime Division of the Western Province South Range and the Malabe Police Station. A senior official attached to the CID, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the department had not received any instructions from the IGP to take over the investigation. “CID has not been instructed to investigate incident,” more..

Jul 19 (DM) House of Fashions owner and Managing Director Preethi Jayawardena has been arrested over an alleged Customs violation and remanded while receiving treatment at the National Hospital in Colombo after developing a heart-related medical condition. Sri Lanka Customs officers arrested Jayawardena at his residence during a special investigation into a customs valuation issue. Customs senior official said Jayawardena developed a heart-related medical condition while more..

Jul 19 (ST) The economic repercussions of dengue in Sri Lanka are notably seen through sudden workforce absences, lost wages, and overwhelmed healthcare systems. Low workforce productivity leads to decreased daily output, and major income loss—especially for daily-wage earners and the informal labour sector. With a labour force exceeding 8 million, the blow to the economy due to dengue outbreaks is sharp, Softlogic Life Insurance CFO Nuwan Withanage said. more..

Jul 19 (SO) The latest report by the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) stated that SL has failed to fulfil its international legal obligations by not conducting prompt, independent and effective investigations into the Chemmani mass grave in Jaffna and by failing to provide families of the victims with truth, justice and reparations. The report, titled Chemmani Mass Grave: We Are Still Searching, describes the site as one of SL’s most extensively documented cases of alleged enforced more..

Jul 19 (TM) Long-awaited India-backed Sampur-Kappalthurai transmission infrastructure project, a key component of SL’s renewable energy expansion and the planned Sampur Solar Park, is likely to be delayed after authorities decided to revise the project’s transmission capacity and seek fresh Cabinet approval before proceeding with part of the procurement process. NTNSP Chairman Nusith Kumaratunga said that the project’s more..

Jul 19 (ST) War risk insurance on cargo headed to West Asia has been withdrawn by insurance companies following discussions and notifications issued to exporters effective from this week. Former National Chamber of Exporters President and Imperial Teas Chairman Jayantha Karunaratna said that exporters are currently faced with a major issue of insurance cover on shipments to West Asia being removed by insurance companies. He noted that after they had already obtained insurance more..

Jul 19 (Island) A police constable has been suspended from service following an inquiry into allegations that he sat on the lap of a female police constable while under the influence of alcohol at the Makalugaswewa Police Station. Constable had reported for duty at a musical concert held at the Dambulla Gam Udawa Stadium on July 15 and later returned to the police station to resume duties. The constable allegedly sat on the female officer’s lap after after seeing her seated more..