Jul 6 (CI) A day that started out as a battle of attrition, and then morphed into one painted with hope, ended far closer to resignation for Sri Lanka, as an unbroken 174-run fifth-wicket stand between Shai Hope and Justin Greaves all but averted the potential of defeat for West Indies. The hosts ended day three still 231 runs behind Sri Lanka's first innings total, but they were crucially just 31 runs away from avoiding the follow-on - though that was only ever a fleeting possibility, more..

Jul 6 (SO) Director General of CIABOC, Ranga Dissanayake, says CIABOC has held bilateral discussions with South Korea’s Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) to draft a formal MoU. He said since early 2025, the national agenda has focused on translating legal reforms into practical outcomes. He was speaking at the Int'l Anti-Corruption Forum in Seoul. He said SL is now transitioning from policy reform to the full-scale implementation of its anti-corruption more..

Jul 6 (TM) National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) is awaiting amendments to the Prevention of Mosquito Breeding Act No. 11 of 2007, particularly due to existing legal provisions that require health officials to obtain a Magistrate's court warrant before entering certain private premises to inspect suspected mosquito breeding sites when consent is refused. Acting NDCU Director, Dr Kapila Kannangara said the amendments to the Act more..

Jul 6 (NW) Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s withdrawal from the 2026 Lanka Premier League has come under fresh scrutiny after the Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter signed for the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Global Super League (GSL), which is scheduled to be played during the same period as the LPL. Gurbaz was picked by the Kandy Royals at the LPL player draft but later announced that he would not be joining the franchise, stating that he had committed to playing in Afghanistan’s domestic more..

Jul 6 (FT) Stanley Lifestyles, India’s leading luxury furniture and lifestyle brand, has officially entered the SL market through a strategic partnership with Singer SL, introducing a distinguished collection of world-class furniture defined by exceptional craftsmanship, refined design, and uncompromising quality. The collaboration marks a significant milestone in Stanley Lifestyles’ international expansion journey while bringing globally benchmarked luxury living more..

Jul 6 (TM) Dept of Motor Traffic’s (DMT) e-Motoring digitalisation project remains stalled 8 years after it was procured, with the department confirming that the initiative is currently in silent mode and that it has no information on its future. The project, formally procured in 2018, was designed as a comprehensive digital platform to replace the department’s outdated manual vehicle registration system dating back to 1996. more..

Jul 6 (Island) Visiting Lord’s is always a special occasion. The place leaves an indelible mark on everyone who walks through its gates, even if only once. Popularly known as the Home of Cricket, Lord’s houses the England and Wales Cricket Board, the Marylebone Cricket Club, custodians of the Laws of the game, and at one stage, even the ICC before Indian cricket administrator Jagmohan Dalmiya broke with tradition and moved the organisation’s headquarters to Dubai. more..

Jul 6 (FT) Colombo Port City Economic Commission is considering using Port City Colombo as a regulatory sandbox to trial labour market reforms, arguing that rigid employment laws rather than tax rates remain one of the biggest obstacles to entrepreneurship, investment, and long-term economic growth. Colombo Port City Economic Commission Director General Revan Wickramasuriya said SL had placed excessive emphasis on tax concessions to attract investment while neglecting structural reforms more..

Jul 6 (FT) Atlas, SL’s leading learning brand trusted by parents for decades, has supported children’s growth and development through products that make learning fun and help unlock their full potential. As a brand that has been part of SL childhoods for generations, Atlas has consistently focused on creating products that inspire creativity, encourage curiosity and make learning a positive experience for children. Building on this legacy, Atlas has introduced SL’s first SLS certified water more..

Jul 6 (FT) If King Parakramabahu I were alive today, he might ask: Has Sri Lanka forgotten the foreign policy that once made the island prosperous, secure, and connected to the wider world? The great king understood that water, commerce, and diplomacy were inseparable. The hydraulic civilisation he built in Polonnaruwa, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, not only fed a unified nation but also generated agricultural surpluses that flowed through the Mahaweli River system to more..

Jul 6 (FT) Fresh from delivering record tax collections in 2025 and on course to exceed revenue targets again this year, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) came under sustained criticism from leading private sector tax professionals at the CA SL 5th Annual Economic & Tax Symposium over what they described as an expanding role in policymaking and tax interpretation. Dept was accused of straying beyond its role as tax administrator by more..

Jul 6 (FT) New Anthoney’s Feeds won four Gold Awards and one Silver Award at the National Convention on Quality and Productivity (NCQP) 2026, claiming recognition across all five improvement projects it entered. The results, announced on 17 June at the Mount Lavinia Hotel, Colombo, mark a significant step up from the company’s double-Gold performance at NCQP 2025 and reinforce its standing as one of Sri Lanka’s most quality-driven agri-food businesses. more..

Jul 6 (Island) Before the MoU between the US and Iran was signed, Prez Trump let slip something crucial at the G7 meeting in France. When he was asked how Iran’s enriched uranium was to be removed from the country, Trump said that the enrichment facility had been placed beneath a mountain by the Iranian govt but US B2 bombers caved-in the mountain itself, burying the uranium under its rubble, making it almost impossible to retrieve. He claimed that the US was more..

Jul 6 (DN) The decision by the Govt to regulate the employment of foreigners among the country’s workforce, indeed, is a welcome step which would encourage the enhanced participation of the domestic labour force. The Labour Ministry is set to introduce new regulations governing foreign workers in SL. Concurrently, the Ministry is also launching a programme to facilitate the entry of foreign workers who possess advanced technology and specialised expertise that is not available locally. more..

Jul 6 (CT) The month end saw Daily Mirror blaring More arrests of lawyers, politicians and senior police officers are likely in the near future following the arrest of Nadun Chinthaka alias Harak Kata and the uncovering of his criminal network. His deeply entrenched criminal network centred around notorious drug kingpin highlights a dangerous nexus between transnational narcotics syndicates and state-level political corruption. Harak Kata is said to be heading a multi-million-dollar drug more..

Jul 6 (CT) US Embassy in SL marked America’s 250th Independence Day anniversary—celebrated as Freedom 250—with a cinematic-themed commemoration held Thursday on its premises in Colombo, highlighting the role of American cinema in reflecting and shaping the ideals of liberty, creativity, and expression. US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Jayne Howell said the celebration was a tribute not only to American independence but also more..

Jul 6 (ST) The anti-corruption drive of the JVP led NPP Govt has cannily targeted two political birds with one stone as the old adage goes. Piece by piece, the Opposition is being ruthlessly tackled through a rash of cases filed by the country’s anti-corruption watchdog and the CID working at a glorious speed seldom seen before. Opposition MPs whimper that the swiftness of those steps is markedly absent in processing complaints of corruption lodged against ruling politicians. more..

Jul 6 (Island) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent attempt in Parliament to defuse the ongoing controversy over his govt’s plan to extend the retirement ages of the judges of the Supreme Court (SC) and the Court of Appeal (CA) has been in vain. He spoke at length, offering excuses for his failure to initiate action to fill judicial vacancies, but they did not sound convincing. They have only prompted the Bar Association of SL (BASL) and other lawyers’ associations to reiterate more..

Jul 6 (SO) When Dr. Nihal Jayawickrama became Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Justice at just 33, he was handed an extraordinary mandate to modernise Sri Lanka’s legal system. More than five decades later, many of the reforms he introduced have been dismantled, while the delays and inefficiencies he sought to eliminate continue to plague the Courts. In this interview, he looks back at the battles over justice reform, more..

Jul 6 (TM) Independent SL has seen three Constitutions: the Soulbury Constitution (1948–1972), the first Republican Constitution (1972–1978), and the second Republican Constitution (1978 onwards). Among these, the second Republican Constitution, introduced by the UNP Govt led by Prez J.R. Jayewardene, has been in effect for the longest period (48 years). Before it crosses the half-century mark (within the next two years), will the NPP Govt be able to bring more..

Jul 6 (GV) In the coming months, a climatic shift in the distant Pacific Ocean will deliver a blow to SL’s fields, reservoirs and kitchens. An El Niño event, forecast to intensify through the latter half of 2026, historically suppresses the life giving Northeast monsoon. While govt agencies prepare their internal protocols, a crucial truth remains: the state apparatus, however well-intentioned, cannot reach every village tank, every malnourished child or every indebted farmer with the speed and trust more..

Jul 5 (ST) Amid increasing signs that the NPP govt is seriously considering introducing a constitutional amendment to increase the retirement age of judges of the superior courts, opposition to the move is also gaining momentum. Bar Association of SL (BASL), which had earlier written to Prez urging him to scrap such plans, yesterday held a public forum on the position of the legal fraternity in relation to amending more..

Jul 5 (TM) Sri Lanka’s fertiliser supply chain is ramping up procurement efforts as both State agencies and private importers secure stocks ahead of the upcoming Maha cultivation season. Cabinet approved the proposal to call for tenders to procure 20,000 MT of urea for the upcoming Maha cultivation season, Cabinet Spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa said. The procurement comprises 10,000 MT of granular urea and 10,000 MT of prilled urea. The tender is scheduled to close on 7 July. more..

Jul 5 (ST) Sri Lanka is looking to amend the taxation structure for second-hand imported vehicles after the US lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organisation (WTO), stating that the taxation and valuation methods applied to imported vehicles are contrary to international trade agreements that Sri Lanka is a signatory to. Senior Finance Ministry and Customs officials said the US complaint is being taken seriously and that discussions are underway on how to address the concerns. more..

Jul 5 (TM) The Govt expects the gradual reduction of Aswesuma beneficiaries to continue beyond this year, with another 400,000 families set to be removed from the welfare programme in 2027. The move is part of a phased plan linked to Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and commitments under the IMF programme. Economists, however, warn that many vulnerable households are yet to recover from the economic crisis. more..

Jul 5 (DM) The govt is planning to introduce drug testing kits through pharmacies, allowing parents to privately check whether their children have become involved in drug use as part of a broader national strategy to combat narcotics. The proposal was discussed at the meeting of the A Nation United National Steering Council for the eradication of the drug menace, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat. During the meeting, President stressed that more..

Jul 5 (ST) Sri Lanka and China are set to finalise an amended agreement to fund the Central Expressway’s Kadawatha–Mirigama stretch, with work expected to resume within weeks, a senior govt official said. A high-level China Export-Import Bank (China EXIM Bank) delegation led by Vice President Yang Dongning was in SL this week to discuss the new agreement and met with senior govt figures, including Deputy Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando and Minister Vijitha Herath. more..

Jul 5 (EN) SL’s iconic Lotus Tower will light up tonight in red, white and blue to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, the US Embassy in Colombo said. “Look to the Lotus Tower tonight as it shines in red, white & blue to celebrate America’s 250th birthday and #Freedom250!” The embassy building was lit up too. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on “Allies and embassies around the world to join us in celebrating the American principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” more..

Jul 5 (NW) A 23-year-old alleged organized crime suspect wanted over the fatal shooting of an attorney-at-law and his wife has been brought back to SL from the Maldives, Police said. The suspect was arrested upon arrival at the BIA on Friday by officers of the CID and has been handed over to the Western Province South Crimes Division for further investigations. Police said the suspect, a resident of Ethkandura, was wanted in connection with the shooting of a lawyer & his wife in Akuregoda, more..

Jul 5 (CT) Individuals who fail to submit their tax returns could face a fine of up to Rs 400,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both under the newly amended Inland Revenue Act, a spokesperson for the IRD said. The spokesperson stated that under the new law, magistrates have the authority to impose imprisonment with or without rigorous labour, in addition to or instead of financial penalty, more..

Jul 5 (NW) China’s Ambassador to SL, Qi Zhenhong, says President Xi Jinping’s latest governance book offers valuable guidance for SL’s development and opens new opportunities for bilateral cooperation. Addressing the China-SL Readers Forum on Xi Jinping: Governance of China (Volume V) in Colombo, Ambassador Qi said the publication presents China’s latest governance philosophy and provides practical insights on modernization, high-quality development, reform and opening up. more..

Jul 5 (DM) The construction of the new Faculty Complex at the Sabaragamuwa University has been made possible through a major joint financial commitment from the Govt of SL and international development partners, marking a significant step in strengthening the country’s medical education infrastructure. The project was formally highlighted by PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who participated in the inauguration of the newly constructed facility on 04 July 2026. more..