Jul 23 (FT) Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne said the Govt has taken a significant step forward in strengthening the professional foundations of SL’s information technology (IT) sector with the Cabinet approving the establishment of the Chartered Institute of Computing SL (CICSL). Computer Society of SL (CSSL), established in 1976, has for five decades stood as the foremost and sole organisation representing professionals in the country’s computing sector. more..

Jul 23 (ST) The capital market regulator and the capital market operator with the Port City Colombo will be on an investment roadshow to Australia next month, but analysts said this may not be the best time. Market analysts say that there have been a Rs. 40- billion foreign outflow from the start of this year till now. “This may not be the best time to do a roadshow,” an analyst said. Australian funds now in the stock market are in the 11th position in terms of turnover, which shows that more..

Jul 23 (TM) The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) is losing approximately Rs 20 million every day due to ticket revenue fraud committed by some of its employees, Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake told Parliament. He said the losses continued despite the Govt increasing salaries, safeguarding employee rights and allocating public funds to purchase new buses. "We have increased salaries, protected employees' rights and allocated more..

Jul 23 (DN) India Under-19s moved into a commanding position after setting SL Under-19s a massive target of 472 runs, with the hosts reaching 155 for four wickets at the close of the third day in the second four-day match played at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday. India, who scored 411 in their first innings, declared their second innings at 208 for three, with opener Lakshya Ravichandani scoring an unbeaten century. Ravichandani remained unbeaten on 100 more..

Jul 23 (FT) Central Bank of SL (CBSL) Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe yesterday said the loan-to-value (LTV) restrictions on lending for motor vehicles and gold-backed loans will remain in place as macroprudential measures. Responding to a question on whether the expected moderation in vehicle import of the vehicle import surcharge or would depend on the continuation of the tighter LTV limits, he said there is no indication that the Govt intends to change or suspend the surcharge. more..

Jul 23 (FT) CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said the Monetary Board’s proactive decision to raise policy interest rates by 100 basis points in May is beginning to produce the intended effects, with domestic demand, import growth, and credit expansion showing early signs of moderation. Board decided to keep policy rates unchanged this month to allow more time for the previous tightening to work its way through more..

Jul 23 (FT) Stronger corporate governance across Sri Lankan companies can help rebuild the country’s credibility with global investors, speakers told the SL Institute of Directors (SLID) Corporate Director Summit yesterday, arguing that boardroom standards have become a determinant of national investment competitiveness as much as corporate performance. Opening the Summit under the theme Future-Ready Sri Lankan Directors: From Compliance to Sustainable Growth, more..

Jul 23 (FT) National Development Bank (NDB) has announced its financial results for the six months ended 30 June 2026. Despite the challenges arising from the fraud uncovered in April 2026, the bank delivered healthy results, driven by strong core banking operations, reflecting the resilience of its business model and the clarity of its strategic direction. The bank reported an operating profit before taxes on financial services of Rs. 9.5 billion for 1H 2026, after recognising more..

Jul 23 (FT) Lanka Realty Investments PLC has successfully completed the strategic transfer of its 50.88% controlling stake in On’ally Holdings PLC to Lee Hedges PLC for approximately Rs. 2.26 billion, marking a significant milestone in the Group’s long-term strategy of creating a focused listed commercial property platform while enhancing financial flexibility across the Group. LRI PLC acquired its investment in On’ally Holdings PLC during a challenging period for the commercial property sector more..

Jul 23 (Island) Rumesh Tharanga’s rise to the pinnacle of world javelin throwing has given SL unprecedented confidence of securing a track and field medal at the Commonwealth Games, which gets underway on July 23 in Glasgow, Scotland. For the first time in the nation’s athletics history, a Sri Lankan heads into a major multi-sport event as the world’s leading performer in his discipline. Neither at previous Commonwealth Games nor at any stage in more than a century of SL athletics more..

Jul 23 (ST) During the hearing of the case against former Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody it was revealed that an advance payment of Rs 8.8 million was paid to a company to carpet the warehouse complex of Ceylon Fertiliser Company Ltd, though no mention was made in the contract to make an advance payment. CIABOC has indicted the former minister on facilitating a private company to make undue financial profits and causing more..

Jul 23 (Island) National security in Sri Lanka continues to be understood too narrowly, as the capacity to detect threats, neutralise adversaries and maintain order through force and surveillance. The deadly violence at Negombo Prison, in early July 2026, which claimed 31 lives, most of them remand prisoners, has, once again, exposed the bankruptcy of this approach. Overcrowding at three to four times designed capacity is not an administrative inconvenience. more..

Jul 23 (SO) In a significant move to strengthen bilateral economic relations, India is promoting trade settlements between the Indian Rupee (INR) and the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) instead of relying on the US Dollar. This initiative, part of India’s broader strategy to internationalise the rupee, gained momentum in mid-2026 through high-level discussions, roundtables, and banking arrangements between the two neighbours. For SL, still recovering from its 2022 economic crisis, more..

Jul 23 (Island) US Prez Donald Trump seems to think the world must do as he says and he is free to do anything. He now wants FIFA President Gianni Infantino, 56, to be the next UN Secretary General, according to internal media reports. Trump could not have found a better candidate for the job to further his own interests. None of the UN Secretaries-General have had the courage to stand up to the US, or to any other world power for that matter, but Infantino would be the most pro-American more..

Jul 23 (CT) North Karadana Wewila – Karadana Watta By-Road is only 1.5 kilometres long, yet for more than 50 families it has become a daily reminder that development in SL is often measured by visibility rather than necessity. For many Sri Lankans, a road is something they rarely think about. It is simply part of everyday life—a means of getting to work, taking children to school, visiting relatives or reaching a hospital in an emergency. But for residents of North Karadana Wewila more..

Jul 23 (TM) Govt’s reported move to amend the Constitution to increase the retirement age of judges of SL’s superior courts has ignited one of the most significant constitutional debates in recent years, with lawyers, judges, professional bodies, and political leaders warning that any reform affecting the Judiciary must be approached with exceptional care and transparency. Although governments have amended the Constitution more than 20 times more..

Jul 23 (GV) In the turbulent aftermath of the Negombo Prison riots, a line was drawn in public consciousness. News headlines and official statements rightly mourned the tragic deaths of prison personnel. Yet, behind the same high walls, a far larger number of inmates lost their lives, which gained little public notice and zero media outrage. As thousands of desperate families converged outside the prison gates, their anguished cries broadcast live across national airwaves, more..

Jul 23 (TM) In the turbulent aftermath of the Negombo Prison riots, a line was drawn in public consciousness. News headlines and official statements rightly mourned the tragic deaths of prison personnel. Yet, behind the same high walls, a far larger number of inmates lost their lives, which gained little public notice and zero media outrage. As thousands of desperate families converged outside the prison gates, their anguished cries broadcast live across national airwaves, more..

Jul 23 (CT) A public interest initiative undertaken by the Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ) has successfully accounted for a 70% decrease in the use of plastic bags in the country through the charging of a fee for their use at consumer outlets. Executive Director, CEJ Hemantha Withanage, informed that the 2021 CEJ filed a case on the use of plastic and the harm caused to the environment, calling for its more..

Jul 23 (DM) SL has a long and rather bloodied history of protests, uprisings, insurrections, enforced disappearances and everything in between. The ongoing excavations at the Chemmani mass grave highlight the gravity of the atrocities committed in recent history. A recently excavated skeleton, referred to as Skeleton 429 was unlike other any skeletal remains that were being unearthed. The skeleton was discovered in a tight, seated posture with knees pulled sharply towards the chest more..

Jul 23 (DM) Exactly 43 years ago, on July 23 1983, a single violent incident in Jaffna shifted the course of SL history by a wide angle. It accelerated an armed conflict in the north of the country that was then marked by random, isolated incidents into a full-blown war which became one of the longest armed conflicts in the world. It also triggered a fresh armed conflict in the south which within two years claimed over 60,000 lives, mainly innocent people. The brutality of the armed forces and more..

Jul 22 (AD) A discussion on the implementation of a comprehensive national program with regulatory and educational solutions to protect children in SL from cyber threats, online violence and negative impacts on their wellbeing was held in Parliament under the patronage of PM Harini Amarasuriya. Special discussion, held on July 21 and organized with the participation of a multidisciplinary working group of the Digital Education Task Force, focused on balancing children’s access to the benefits of more..

Jul 22 (DM) Cruelty has remained the most frequently reported form of child abuse to the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) over the past 15 years, according to official statistics released by the DCS. The data, covering the period from 2010 to 2024, shows that cruelty consistently recorded the highest number of complaints among all categories of child abuse. Reported cases increased from 905 in 2010 to a peak of 2,741 in 2021 before declining to 1,950 in 2024. more..

Jul 22 (NW) Sri Lanka’s total exports surpassed the US$9 billion mark during the first half of 2026, recording sustained growth across both merchandise and services exports. Combined merchandise and services exports reached an estimated US$ 9,012.24 Mn between Jan and June 2026, an 8% increase compared to the same period last year. Merchandise exports rose 8.95% year-on-year to US$ 7,073.31 Mn, while more..

Jul 22 (DM) Addiction to toxic alcohol can disrupt the brain’s natural reward system by triggering excessive releases of dopamine, leading to long-term changes in brain function, Counselor and Psychotherapist Dr. Chaminda Weerasiriwardane said. Dr. Weerasiriwardane explained that dopamine is a chemical in the brain responsible for feelings of satisfaction, motivation and pleasure. It is naturally released in controlled bursts during activities linked to well-being and survival, more..

Jul 22 (Island) Opposition MP Namal Rajapaksa alleged that the NPP govt came to power through endless lies and had failed to deliver the system change and new political culture it promised to the people. Addressing a public gathering, Rajapaksa said that the govt had deceived the younger generation by campaigning on promises of political reform but had instead adopted what he described as an outdated style of governance after assuming office. more..

Jul 22 (TG) Tamil relatives of the forcibly disappeared have called on the European Union to recognise that Tamils were subjected to genocide and to support an int'l investigation, confronting an EU delegation during its visit to the Chemmani mass grave excavation site in Jaffna on Wednesday and describing the delegation's response to their demands as not satisfactory. Families of the disappeared staged more..

Jul 22 (NW) Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage says the govt cannot meet the financial demands made by SL sprinter Yupun Abeykoon, following the athlete’s decision to step away from representing the country. Minister described Abeykoon as a talented athlete who has brought int'l recognition to SL through his achievements. He said Sports Ministry had held several discussions with Abeykoon in recent months, including meetings at ministry & in Parliament, in an effort to resolve the matter. more..

Jul 22 (Island) Valikamam North Pradeshiya Sabha will proceed with action to demolish a military hospital being constructed at Vasavilan, without the local authority’s approval, Former MP M. A. Sumanthiran has said, in the latest turn in a dispute over the military’s construction of permanent installations. Sumanthiran said the military is building the hospital on privately owned land that falls within the jurisdiction of the Valikamam North PS, without obtaining Council’s required permission. more..

Jun 22 (NW) The Free Lawyers Organization (FLO) has opposed reported plans to summon BBC Sinhala journalists before the Parliamentary Privileges Committee, warning that such a move would undermine constitutionally guaranteed rights and revive an outdated parliamentary practice. The organization said reports initially indicated that the summons had been withdrawn, but information circulating on social media later suggested that the committee intended to proceed with calling more..

Jun 22 (Island) Outgoing Chinese Ambassador to SL, Qi Zhenhong, who is scheduled to conclude his tenure on July 31, visited Kandy on July 18 to pay respects and receive blessings from the Mahanayake Theras of the Malwathu and Asgiriya Chapters. During the visit, Most Venerable Thibbotuwawe Sri Sumangala Mahanayake Thera of the Malwathu Chapter and the Most Venerable Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter hailed more..