Jul 30 (DM) Court of Appeal today ordered that a writ petition seeking an order restraining the Excise Commissioner General and other relevant authorities from approving the use of rice and sugar as primary ingredients in beer production be taken up on Oct 2 for the filing of objections. Petition was called before a bench comprising Justices R. Gurusinghe and Prema Shankar. Counsel appearing for several respondent more..

Jul 30 (NW) The Dept of Meteorology has issued an advisory for strong winds and rough seas for the sea areas extending from Kankasanthurai to Kalpitiya via Mannar and from Hambantota to Pottuvil. Per the advisory, effective until 9 am tomorrow, the sea areas off the coasts extending from Kankasanthurai to Kalpitiya via Mannar and from Hambantota to Pottuvil will be very rough at times with strong gusty winds up to 60-70 kmph. Naval and fishing communities are advised not to venture more..

Jul 30 (NW) Minister of Water Supply Susil Ranasinghe says the current water levels in the Labugama and Kalatuwawa reservoirs are adequate to ensure uninterrupted supply for the next three months, even if no rainfall is received during that period. Minister noted that while forecasts under El Niño conditions suggest drier‑than‑expected weather in August and September, experts from the Water Supply Board have confirmed that the reservoirs’ present capacity is sufficient to meet demand. more..

Jul 30 (DM) Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has intensified its islandwide crackdown on the manufacture and sale of motorcycle helmets that do not carry the mandatory Sri Lanka Standards (SLS) certification mark, seizing hundreds of non-compliant helmets and halting the sale of thousands more. The CAA said a special enforcement operation carried out on Monday (27) led to 98 raids across the country, during which 431 helmets without the SLS 517 Product Certification Mark were seized. more..

Jul 30 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa held talks on Wednesday (29) with a visiting delegation from the United States House of Representatives led by Chrissy Houlahan, Member of the Democratic Party, House Intelligence Committee, and Air Force veteran. The discussions, held at his office in Colombo, centered on strengthening bilateral ties between SL and US, with emphasis on economic cooperation, governance, education & regional stability. more..

Jul 30 (TM) With the El Niño weather phenomenon expected to intensify hot and dry conditions across SL, authorities are assessing urgent measures to protect people still living in Ditwah relief camps, after Rural Development, Social Security & Community Empowerment Ministry identified the challenges they could face in the coming months. Officials confirmed that discussions are underway with relevant Ministries to determine more..

Jul 30 (NW) Dengue has claimed 61 lives in SL this year, with the total number of reported cases climbing to 84,091 by midnight on July 29. July alone recorded 28,717 infections, making it the worst month so far, followed by June with 21,533 cases. Earlier months saw lower but steady numbers: May (8,590), April (5,651), March (6,013), Feb (5,721), and January (7,866). District‑wise, the highest burden was reported from Gampaha (17,850 cases, 21.23%) & Colombo (16,716 cases, 19.88%). more..

Jul 30 (NW) Veteran lyricist Rathna Sri Wijesinghe has stepped down from his post as Chairman of the National Library and Documentation Services Board. Wijesinghe, widely respected for his long career in songwriting and contributions to SL arts, said he resigned from the position citing personal reasons. “I have decided to resign due to personal reasons. My confidence in the President and the govt remains intact, and I will continue to extend my support to them. My decision is purely personal, more..

Jul 30 (TM) Women and Child Affairs Ministry is launching a programme for an identified group of 38 vulnerable children from Ratmalana as a pilot project, an initiation of redirecting the children in unsafe places towards safety. The project is expected to be launched in September. Ministry Secretary, Tharangani Wickramasinghe said that in the wake of it being reported that in some areas students face vulnerabilities as they come more..

Jul 30 (Island) Residents of Myliddy have declared that they will not give up land for the Palaly Airport expansion. The declaration, according to Tamil Guardian, was made at a discussion with ITAK MP S. Sritharan recently. The govt has issued written notices to acquire a section of Valikamam north land for the proposed expansion of the Palaly Airport. During the meeting, affected residents expressed deep concern over the recent announcement made by the govt. The residents said the land, more..

Jul 30 (Island) Int'l Organization for Migration (IOM) and Ministry of Health, with support from the Govt of Japan, inaugurated a newly constructed Port Health Office at the Port of Colombo, signaling a milestone in strengthening SL’s border health security and preparedness for public health emergencies. Text of the Japanese embassy press release: “The new facility was handed over to the Ministry of Health to strengthen health screening, surveillance and emergency response capacities more..

Jul 30 (FT) Lawyers for Public Mandate (LPM), an organisation affiliated with the NPP, yesterday defended the Govt’s proposed judicial reforms, arguing that the measures are intended to strengthen the justice system by addressing judicial vacancies and reducing court delays. Attorneys representing the organisation rejected criticism of the proposed constitutional amendment to increase the retirement age of judges, alleging that politicians facing unresolved corruption investigations more..

Jul 30 (NW) Church of Ceylon has expressed deep concern and disappointment over the Cabinet’s decision to proceed with a constitutional amendment to raise the retirement age of appellate court judges. Anglican Church in Sri Lanka said it had hoped the President and Cabinet would heed the strong arguments of the Bar Association of SL, the wider legal community, and civil society, who warned that such a move could undermine the rule of law and public confidence in judicial independence. more..

Jul 30 (FT) SL’s tourism industry crossed the 1.3 million visitor milestone during the first 26 days of July, with strong demand from India helping the sector regain momentum and narrowly surpass last year’s arrivals pace despite lingering regional uncertainties. 167,401 tourists arrived in the country during the first 26 days of July, marking a marginal 0.11% increase from the 167,218 visitors registered during corresponding period in '25. more..

Jul 30 (EN) The Central Bank has warned the public against investing in informal plantation schemes promising high returns, while cautioning media organizations against broadcasting advertisements that mislead citizens into illegal deposit-taking ventures. CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said non-bank supervision officials have stepped up action following a rise in plantation and forestry companies soliciting public funds illegally under the guise of cultivation projects. more..

Jul 30 (DM) NPP cannot take disciplinary action against me as I have not gone against any decision made by the party, NPP executive committee member Lal Wijenayake said. “NPP had not discussed the proposal to extend the retirement age of Judges in any of its committee’s and had not made a decision on it. Therefore the party cannot take any disciplinary action against me” Wijenayake said. “This is not a battle against the govt but a struggle to safeguard the independence of more..

Jul 30 (TM) Committee on Public Finance recently requested that the Ministry of Finance present a document which would explain whether the Treasury spent additional rupees on foreign debt due to the depreciation of the rupee, or whether the depreciation resulted in additional Rupee revenue from import taxes. “You need to find the net difference here. There is a narrative circulating that moment rupee depreciates, more..

Jul 30 (NW) Former SJB Horana organizer Charith Abeysinghe, who had been remanded again after failing to meet bail conditions earlier this week, was released from prison today following the fulfillment of those requirements. Abeysinghe and two other suspects, were remanded in connection with the alleged acceptance of a Rs. 120 million bribe from the wife of underworld figure Harak Kata. On July 28, the Colombo Magistrate’s Court granted bail to all three suspects. more..

Jul 30 (NW) Dramatic CCTV footage has emerged showing the fatal road accident in Bolawalana, Katana, which claimed the lives of two teenagers on Wednesday night. The footage shows two motorcycles, reportedly travelling at high speed, crashing into the trailer of a prime mover that was reversing into a container yard along the Negombo–Minuwangoda Road. The riders, aged 18 and 19, died at the scene due to the impact of the collision. Following the crash, a group of people more..

Jul 30 (FT) Few constitutional debates appear as technical as the retirement age of judges. Yet behind what may seem to be a routine administrative change lies a question that concerns every citizen: who safeguards the independence of the courts when constitutional rules affecting judges themselves are changed? SL is once again confronted with this question through Govt’s proposal to amend the Constitution to increase the retirement age of judges of the SC & CA. more..

Jul 30 (FT) Govt has announced its intention to introduce a Bill to amend the Constitution to extend the retiring age of the Judges of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal by two years to 67 and 65 years respectively. While it would be quite legitimate to commence a conversation on the retiring age of Judges, the proper stage to do so is when a new Constitution is being drafted. An ad hoc mid-stream peremptory announcement that it would extend judicial tenure, will inevitably be viewed as more..

Jul 30 (DN) Prez Dissanayake stated that it is not justifiable, from the perspective of the public, to allocate a larger share of resources towards maintaining Govt operations. Accordingly, he noted that the economic plans for the coming year have been formulated with the aim of reducing recurrent expenditure, which currently stands at 9%, while increasing capital expenditure, currently at 4%, to support greater investment in development. more..

Jul 30 (AD) The 1990 Suwa Seriya Foundation has announced plans to introduce a motorcycle-based emergency medical service aimed at providing faster medical assistance to patients in urgent need. According to the foundation, the new service is designed to improve response times and ensure more efficient access to emergency medical care, particularly in areas where traffic congestion and road obstructions often delay ambulance services. The motorcycle emergency units more..

Jul 30 (NW) Bar Association of SL (BASL) has sought a meeting with Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake after holding discussions with Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara on the Govt’s proposed constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of judges. BASL President Rajeev Amarasuriya said the Association explained its position on why the proposed amendment should not proceed at this time. He said the BASL submitted to the Minister report unanimously adopted more..

Jul 30 (TM) In a unanimous show of opposition, Bar Association of SL (BASL) yesterday rejected the Govt’s proposal to extend the retirement age of judges, warning the move could undermine judicial independence. BASL President Rajeev Amarasuriya said every lawyer who participated in the Special General Meeting, either physically or online, voted against the proposal, giving the Association a clear mandate to oppose it. more..

Jul 30 (FT) Govt has invited the public to report corruption, misconduct, and administrative shortcomings in Govt institutions through multiple complaint channels as part of a broader drive to improve transparency, accountability, and public service delivery. The program, themed A Culture of Integrity – A Clean Sri Lanka, was launched for National Integrity Week 2026 from 27 to 31 July before being extended across all Govt and semi-Govt institutions until 31 December 2026. more..

Jul 30 (DN) Sri Lanka claimed a historic bronze medal at the Central Asian Volleyball Association (CAVA) Men’s Championship after beating Uzbekistan 3-2 in a thrilling third-place playoff in Islamabad, Pakistan yesterday. It is SL’s best-ever finish in the tournament since it began in 2022. SL fought back strongly to seal the victory with set scores of 25-19, 22-25, 25-23, 19-25, 15-11 in a closely contested match. The Sri Lankans made a bright start by winning the opening set 25-19, more..

Jul 30 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake joined thousands of devotees on Wednesday night to witness the final grand procession of the 2026 Esala Perahera at the historic Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devalaya, describing the annual pageant as a symbol of SL's cultural heritage and national unity. Earlier in the day, the Prez visited the Kirivehera Rajamaha Viharaya, where he received blessings from the Chief Sanghanayaka of Ruhunu Magampattuwa and Chief Incumbent, more..

Jul 30 (DN) The men’s javelin throw at the 2026 Commonwealth Games is shaping up as one of the highlights of the athletics programme, with SL’s Rumesh Tharanga, India’s Neeraj Chopra and Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem set to renew their rivalry in Glasgow today. South Asian trio enters the competition in impressive form, but they will also face a world-class field featuring several athletes who have thrown beyond 90 metres. Among the leading contenders are two-time more..

Jul 30 (TM) The NMRA is expected to make a decision soon on the approval of a Japanese dengue vaccine for limited use in Sri Lanka, with the relevant age categories and other criteria still being considered, Health Ministry Secretary Dr Anil Jasinghe said. He said that if approved, the vaccine would initially be available only through the private sector and would not be purchased or provided by the Govt through State hospitals. more..

Jul 30 (EN) SL Customs exceeded its monthly target for a seventh consecutive month in July, achieving the target before the end of the month. Customs’ July revenue target was set at 192.4 billion rupees. However, the revenue-collecting body had already collected 227.6 billion rupees in the first 27 days of the month, exceeding the target. Customs has set a revenue target of 2,207 billion rupees for this year, 13.5% less than last year as it originally expected a significant decline in car imports. more..

Jul 30 (NW) Vavuniya Magistrate’s Court has imposed a fine of Rs. 500,000 on private hospital for charging above the maximum approved fee for Full Blood Count (FBC) blood tests. The legal action was filed by the Vavuniya District Investigation Officers of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) under Direction No. 67 issued in terms of the CAA Act. According to the CAA, a special inspection carried out on July 14 found that the private hospital, located on Hospital Road in Vavuniya, more..