Jul 31 (AD) The Colombo Permanent Trial-at-Bar today (31) also sentenced former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando to death after finding him guilty of criminal negligence and other charges over his failure to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks despite receiving prior intelligence information. He was sentenced by the court after finding him guilty of criminal dereliction of duty, attempted murder and murder, for failing to more..

Jul 31 (DM) Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) concluded the week with another subdued trading session, as both benchmark indices edged marginally lower amid cautious investor sentiment. Price movements remained largely range-bound throughout the day, while trading activity was dominated by high-value crossing transactions rather than broad-based market participation. Although turnover and share volume increased sharply compared to the previous session, more..

Jul 31 (NW) Former IGP Pujith Senadhi Bandara Jayasundara, once the country’s highest-ranking police officer, was on Friday sentenced to death by a majority decision of a three-judge bench of the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar after being found guilty over his failure to act on intelligence warnings ahead of the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks. Born on March 15, 1960, in Kurunegala, Jayasundara studied at Ibbagamuwa Central School & Dharmaraja College, more..

Jul 31 (DN) The newly constructed Jana Arunagama model village was officially vested in the public yesterday (29). Initiated in 2018 as part of the Indian Govt Grant Aid Model Village Housing Scheme, the construction of this housing project had been stalled from time to time due to economic, social, and diverse challenges faced by the country. Its construction was expedited after the current Govt took over. Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, who was at the hand-over with more..

Jul 31 (DN) Minister Susil Ranasinghe stated that action will be taken, based on the recommendations of a committee appointed to examine housing projects that were commenced during previous administrations but left incomplete due to various reasons. He said that there are nearly 5,000 such incomplete housing units around the country. The matter was discussed at the meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Housing, Construction and Water Supply, more..

Jul 31 (TM) Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage in a damning indictment of the current Council of Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR), stated that in his view any future upward curve of the sport here, will hinge on the shoulders of three past greats of the game the country has produced. He made this candid assessment addressing a media conference held at on Tuesday, to officially launch the inaugural Asia Pacific Lions vs Northampton Saints tour more..

Jul 31 (NW) Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) announced today that fuel prices will remain unchanged in August under the monthly price revision scheme. Accordingly, prevailing prices will continue without adjustment. CPC Chairman D.J. Rajakaruna made the announcement during a special press briefing held this afternoon, confirming that no revisions will be applied for the month. Last month, the CPC reduced the prices of Petrol Octane 92 and Auto Diesel with effect from midnight more..

Jul 31 (Island) Uma Kumaran, Labour MP for Stratford and Bow has been appointed Parliamentary UnderSecretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, becoming the first British Tamil to hold ministerial office. The appointment was confirmed on Wednesday as the new PM, Andy Burnham, set out his ministerial team. Kumaran will also serve as an Assistant Whip. Foreign Office is the department responsible for British foreign policy, more..

Jul 31 (NW) SL’s 1990 Suwa Seriya ambulance service marked its 10th anniversary on Friday, with Minister Nalinda Jayatissa announcing plans to expand the national emergency response fleet to 470 ambulances. The commemorative event was held at the SL Foundation Institute in Colombo with the participation of Suwa Seriya founder and MP Harsha de Silva and Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha. Launched on July 28, 2016, more..

Jul 31 (NW) Lt Gen K.V.N.P. Premaratne received his letter of appointment as the 26th Commander of the SL Army from Presidential Secretary Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake at the Presidential Secretariat today. The appointment, on the instructions of Commander‑in‑Chief of the Armed Forces, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, takes effect from August 1, following the retirement of General Lasantha Rodrigo today. Major General K.V.N.P. Premaratne who has been serving as more..

Jul 31 (FT) SL’s next phase of economic development will depend less on whether it can produce ideas than whether it can convert those ideas into globally competitive businesses. This is according to economists, scientists, technology specialists and legal scholars who addressed the inaugural Alumni Association of the University of Colombo Global Hybrid Alumni Knowledge-Sharing Seminar Series on Technology and Innovation, Trade & Economics, and Law & Governance. more..

Jul 31 (NW) The 11th National Scout Jamboree, organised by the SL Scout Association to mark its 115th anniversary, is scheduled to be held from 17 to 23 Jan 2027 at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Int'l Sports Complex in Diyagama. A discussion on organisational arrangements and progress was held yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat, reviewing preparations for the Jamboree. Meeting focused on mobilising support from state and semi‑govt institutions and assigning responsibilities more..

Jul 31 (DM) Anuradhapura Magistrate's Court has imposed a fine of Rs. 500,000 on railway catering service provider for selling bottled drinking water above the government-approved Maximum Retail Price (MRP) on a train operating between Kankesanthurai and Colombo. The case was filed by investigation officers of the A'pura District Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) under Direction No. 96 of the Consumer Affairs Authority Act, which prohibits the sale of goods above the stipulated MRP. more..

Jul 31 (DM) Sri Lanka was recently officially reclassified by the World Bank as an Upper Middle-Income Country. This new classification is based on the country’s 5% economic growth recorded in 2025 and the macroeconomic recovery achieved following the economic crisis of 2022. Accordingly, SL has been upgraded from the Lower Middle-Income category to the Upper Middle-Income category under WB's income classification. more..

Jul 31 (DM) Dept of Meteorology has issued a warm weather advisory for residents in the Eastern Province and the districts of Kilinochchi, Mullaittivu, Vavuniya, Polonnaruwa and Monaragala. The heat index, which indicates the temperature felt by the human body, is expected to rise to the Caution level at some locations in these areas during the daytime tomorrow. The Heat Index Forecast is calculated using relative humidity and maximum temperature to determine the level of heat experienced more..

Jul 31 (NW) Govt plans to establish a new National Handicrafts Authority by 2027 through the merger of the Dept of Textile Industries, the National Crafts Council, National Design Centre, and Laksala, according to discussions at Committee on Public Accounts (COPA). The proposed authority is expected to transform SL’s traditional textile and handicrafts sector into a competitive industry by integrating modern fashion, design, and technology while targeting int'l markets. more..

Jul 31 (AD) Colombo Permanent Trial-at-Bar today sentenced former IGP Pujith Jayasundara to death.He was sentenced by the court which found him guilty of criminal dereliction of duty, attempted murder and murder, for failing to prevent the Easter Sunday bomb attacks despite receiving prior intelligence warnings. This was announced today in the decision of the court regarding the indictments filed by Attorney General more..

Jul 31 (NW) PM Harini Amarasuriya has directed authorities to urgently commence renovation work on the Ratmalana Kandawala Road and its drainage system, which serves as a vital access route to economically important factories and higher education institutions. PM issued the instructions during a special discussion held today at the Western Provincial Council Office under her chairmanship. It was revealed that obstructions in the drainage system on both sides of the road more..

Jul 31 (FT) A transformative foreign-exchange idea can come from anywhere. Yet after decades of inadequate FX pathways that contributed to dependence on international sovereign bonds, Sri Lanka still lacks a national mechanism to receive, evaluate and activate the strongest proposals. Future debt commitments make new inflows increasingly vital SL has achieved something important. After the economic collapse, foreign-exchange conditions have stabilised, more..

Jul 31 (CI) Imesha Dulani's exceptional 101 not out off 64 deliveries sent Sri Lanka galloping to their target of 177 with an over to spare, as Sri Lanka's top order trumped a spirited Pakistan top-order performance. Dulani's hundred was the fifth ever for Sri Lanka in T20Is, and was the first by a woman not named Chamari Athapaththu. With captain Athapaththu herself contributing 39 off 22, Dulani remained at the crease handing Sri Lanka a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. more..

Jul 31 (FT) The SL legal community is presently engaged in what is arguably its most consequential constitutional debate since the adoption of the Twenty-First Amendment (21A). The immediate trigger is the Govt’s proposal to amend the Constitution to increase the retirement age of judges of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal. However, beneath that specific issue lies a much broader discussion about judicial independence, institutional efficiency, court administration more..

Jul 31 (Island) A recent violent clash between rival groups of Chinese nationals at the Colombo Port City has triggered a major criminal investigation into suspected links between SL and transnational cyber fraud networks allegedly connected to Chinese organised crime syndicates. Police investigations into the July 23 incident have revealed that the murdered Chinese national was allegedly involved in more..

Jul 31 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday carried out a search at the Coimbatore residence of a man accused in the 2019 Sri Lanka Easter Sunday serial bombings case as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering and financial transactions linked to the conspiracy. The search was conducted at the residence of Azharuddin, located in Anbu Nagar in Ukkadam, by a team of ED officials assisted by central security personnel and the local police. more..

Jul 31 (NW) Colombo High Court has ruled that charges filed under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) against alleged organised crime figure Nandun Chinthaka, alias Harak Kata, and four other accused cannot be maintained. The case relates to allegations that the suspects conspired to escape while being held in the custody of the CID under detention orders. The court held that while the PTA charges cannot proceed, there is no legal impediment to continuing with the charges more..

Jul 31 (FT) SL’s leading brands have reached a significant milestone, with the combined brand value of the nation’s top 100 brands rising 17% to a record Rs. 652 billion, surpassing the pre-crisis 2019 peak of Rs. 630 billion, according to the SL 100 2026 report from Brand Finance, world’s leading brand valuation consultancy. The strong brand performance mirrors SL’s broader economic recovery following SL’s 2022 debt crisis. more..

Jul 31 (NW) Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith says addiction to mobile phones and modern technology has contributed to the breakdown of family life and human relationships in contemporary society. Speaking at a religious event in Seeduwa, the Cardinal said consumerism had intensified following the introduction of the open market economy, creating artificial desires among people and making the pursuit of profit a dominant force in society. more..

Jul 31 (FT) Shoppes at City of Dreams SL on Wednesday marked a major milestone in its evolution with the official announcement of Scope Cinemas’ inclusion. Scheduled to open on Level 10 before the end of 2026, Scope Cinemas Multiplex will become one of the destination’s defining anchor attractions, bringing next-generation cinema technology and immersive viewing experiences new to the SL market. The announcement marks a defining milestone for The Shoppes since more..

Jul 31 (Island) Sri Lanka’s leading medal prospect, Rumesh Tharanga, lived up to expectations by qualifying for the men’s javelin throw final with the best performance in his group at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games on Thursday. The world leader this season produced a throw of 82.84 metres to finish at the top of Group A during the morning qualifying session, comfortably securing his place in the final. Competing alongside World Championship gold medalist Anderson Peters and more..

Jul 31 (FT) SL’s economic stabilisation efforts, governance reforms and public welfare agenda featured prominently during talks between leaders of the JVP and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) in Colombo this week. The discussions focused on the NPP Govt’s measures to stabilise the economy, initiatives to improve public welfare, the increase in plantation sector wages and efforts to strengthen governance by addressing corruption and dismantling privilege-based politics. more..

Jul 31 (TM) SL’s long-running effort to establish accountability for alleged financial misconduct connected with its national airline has suffered another delay, after a Colombo court postponed proceedings involving former SriLankan Airlines Chairperson Nishantha Wickramasinghe until 8 Dec 2026. Delay has no immediate effect on SriLankan Airlines flights, schedules or passenger safety. However, it raises a far larger question more..

Jul 31 (DN) Lawyers must act in the public interest and support reforms that strengthen the country’s justice system, lawyer Manodhya Galpaya said, warning of the consequences if the legal profession fails to uphold that responsibility. Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday (28), Galpaya said the current Govt had received a clear public mandate to safeguard judicial independence, uphold the rule of law, and ensure justice is delivered and seen to be delivered. more..

Jul 31 (FT) Hotel Developers (Lanka) Ltd (HDL), State-owned enterprise and owner of the iconic Hilton Colombo, said it has recorded a Profit After Tax of Rs. 48.5 million for the financial year ended 2025, marking the company’s first return to profitability, since 2017. Chairman Pravir Samarasinghe described the result as a defining milestone. “2025 financial year marks a pivotal moment in the company’s journey. Our return to profitability is the direct outcome of more..