Jul 27 (TM) US Embassy in SL has launched a Public Health Pest Control and Vector-Borne Disease Response Programme with the Ministry of Health and the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) to strengthen SL's capacity to prevent, detect and respond to dengue. Funded through the US Department of War's Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid (OHDACA) programme, the initiative brings together specialists from the US Army Pacific (USARPAC) and more..

Jul 27 (NW) Senior lawyer Lal Wijenayake, a member of the NPP Leadership Council and Executive Council, has publicly opposed the proposed extension of the retirement age of judges, claiming the matter had not been approved by the party’s decision-making bodies of which he is a member. Speaking at a media briefing attended by President’s Counsel and senior lawyers today, Wijenayake questioned why he was opposing a proposal associated with a govt led by more..

Jul 27 (Island) More than Rs. 332 million in public funds has been spent on maintaining Provincial Council chairpersons and their staff despite the dissolution of Provincial Councils, Deputy Minister Ruwan Senarath told Parliament. A total of Rs. 332.9 million had been incurred during the relevant period for the upkeep of Provincial Council chairpersons and their administrative staff, although the respective councils had ceased functioning after completing their terms. more..

Jul 27 (TM) Former Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe says the onus is on the Govt to ensure that what he called the ghosts of Shammi Silva’s administration does not creep into the Ex-Co of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) via a future election. “I think the JVP-led NPP has the responsibility to ensure that ghosts of Shammi Silva does not wriggle into the SLC offices in future,” the former politician, who served as Sports Minister from May 2022 to more..

Jul 27 (EN) Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG), has issued a statement clarifying its vehicle storage policy, saying that the Port’s business is built on the efficient movement of cargo, not on earning revenue from storage charges. “Ports are designed to facilitate cargo movement, not to serve as long-term vehicle storage yards. Every vehicle that remains in the Port for months or years occupies valuable operational space required to handle new cargo and support the continued growth more..

Jul 27 (DN) A Police Inspector serving as the OIC of the Homagama Division SIU, who attempted to flee after knocking down two women while allegedly driving under the influence of liquor, was apprehended by residents and handed over to the Meegoda Police yesterday. Two injured women have been hospitalised for treatment. The suspect officer was travelling in a car from Homagama towards Avissawella after reporting off duty when he collided with the two women riding a motorcycle. more..

Jul 27 (DM) SL has recorded 22 shooting incidents so far this year, leaving 15 people dead and 12 others injured. Nearly half of these incidents, 10 in total, were reported within the two-week period between July 11 and July 25. The 10 shootings during this period claimed three lives and left five people injured. The incidents have ranged from targeted killings and attacks linked to organized criminal groups. Several other incidents resulted in more..

Jul 27 (NW) Uni of Colombo has once again secured the No. 1 position among Sri Lankan universities in the Webometrics Ranking of Universities. Globally, the University is ranked 1,745th among more than 32,000 higher education institutions (HEIs) from over 200 countries. The Webometrics Ranking evaluates institutions worldwide using three indicators: Visibility (50%), which measures external networks linking to the university’s domain; Excellence (40%), based on publications among more..

Jul 27 (NW) Sri Lanka and India have held discussions on resolving issues affecting development projects being implemented in the country with financial assistance from the Govt of India. The discussions were held between Labour Minister Dr Anil Jayantha Fernando and Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha at the Presidential Secretariat today. The meeting focused on challenges encountered in implementing Indian-funded infrastructure projects and more..

Jul 27 (FT) Asia has become the centre of gravity for global digital finance. India has built one of the world’s most-watched instant payment systems in UPI, turning real-time payments into a genuine utility used by hundreds of millions of people every day. Singapore has converted regulatory clarity and capital depth into a genuine FinTech capital, attracting global institutions that once looked exclusively to London or New York. Indonesia and Vietnam are compressing decades of more..

Jul 27 (FT) My relationship with H.M.R. Ellepola, former Executive Director, dates back to the late 1970s, when I was an economist in the Economic Research Department. At the time, he was a Senior Economist in the Department, overseeing the public finance division. He had just returned to the bank after completing a stint at the Finance Ministry as an adviser on fiscal affairs. With that experience, he was the most suitable person to handle public finance matters in the bank. more..

Jul 27 (FT) SL Customs will move to dispose of more than 1,000 imported vehicles that remain uncleared at Hambantota Port, with authorities set to auction or sell them through a tender process in accordance with the Customs Ordinance. Around 1,025 vehicles imported into the country remain at the Port without being cleared by their importers. Of these, around 625 vehicles have been at the Port for more than six months since their arrival. more..

Jul 27 (Island) Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara will meet a delegation from the Bar Association of SL (BASL) this week to discuss the govt’s hotly disputed decision to introduce a constitutional amendment to increase the retirement ages of judges of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal. Both the Justice and National Integration Ministry and BASL confirmed the scheduled meeting. BASL, in a letter dated 16 July, 2026, addressed to Minister Nanayakkara, more..

Jul 27 (AD) Veteran actor Mahendra Perera and actor Priyantha Sirikumara returned to Sri Lanka this afternoon (26) after winning awards at the Malaysia Golden Global Awards (MGGA). The awards were presented at the ninth Malaysia Golden Global Awards, where Mahendra Perera was named Best Actor for his performance in the film Riverston. Priyantha Sirikumara received the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in the same film. The two actors arrived at the BIA, more..

Jul 27 (TM) IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya has, following multiple intelligence assessments, recommended that the Devinuwara Sri Vishnu Devalaya remove the traditional Kavadi dance from this year's Esala Perahera over serious security concerns. ASP F U Wootler said that the recommendation had been made by the IGP after considering intelligence assessments submitted by the Chief of National Intelligence, more..

Jul 27 (TM) Govt has gazetted a new Animal Welfare Bill aimed at strengthening legal protections for animals and preventing acts of cruelty. Published in the Extraordinary Gazette of 17 July 2026, the draft legislation seeks to promote compassion towards animals while safeguarding their welfare and wellbeing. The Bill prohibits acts including assaulting animals, causing unnecessary suffering, overworking them, using unfit animals for labour, deliberately depriving them of food, water or shelter, more..

Jul 27 (TM) Labour Ministry has appointed a committee, following discussions with the Industry Ministry, to explore establishing additional fire-fighting units in industrial zones and areas with large concentrations of factories. Ministry Secretary S M Piyatissa said that the move follows concerns that existing fire brigades are largely limited to Municipal Council areas, resulting in longer response times during emergencies. "Now, we have appointed a committee to come up with solutions, more..

Jul 27 (NW) Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association has criticised the Govt’s reported plan to introduce 600 new buses to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), calling the move a national crime that could further hurt the private bus industry. Association President Gemunu Wijeratne said private bus operators had no objection to the SLTB receiving even 6,000 buses, but questioned whether simply adding buses would resolve the state-run transport service’s financial and operational problems. more..

Jul 27 (TM) Fixed-income investors are urged to exercise caution in 2H2026E and favour short- to medium-term yields, as short tenors are expected to adjust downwards and converge with First Capital Research's projected targets, according to the firm's Mid-Year Outlook for 2026. "Looking ahead, with medium- and long-term tenors already trading within our target bands, we believe there is further scope for short-term yields to decline and converge towards our projected ranges during more..

Jul 27 (ST) All state employees and schoolchildren are required to take an Integrity Oath at their respective institutions under the govt’s ambitious Clean Sri Lanka National Programme, an initiative approved by the Cabinet to promote integrity‑driven public service. All public sector employees must take the oath tomorrow with the launch of National Integrity Week 2026, to be observed from July 27 to 31, more..

Jul 27 (ST) Bankers say that July to Sept will bring challenges for foreign exchange inflows from remittances and exposure to West Asian disruptions, prompting the financial sector to aid affected groups with short-term cash flow and to push for higher export volumes. Migrant remittances increased to $815 mil in March 2026, with notable cumulative growth in Q1 of 2026. But they dropped to a 7-month low of $695 mil in June, despite representing a 9.3% increase compared to June last year. more..

Jul 27 (DM) The Court of Appeal has acquitted a 19-year-old boy who had been convicted and sentenced to 10 years jail term by the Tangalle High Court for raping a 14-year-old girl, holding that the prosecution had failed to establish the charge beyond reasonable doubt due to contradictions in evidence and that it was unsafe to sustain the conviction on the available evidence. The accused was acquitted following a Court of Appeal judgement after serving nearly one year in jail. more..

Jul 27 (DN) SL’s Yevan David produced a fighting recovery to finish 11th in the Sprint Race at Round Seven of the 2026 FIA Formula 3 Championship in Hungary, narrowly missing out on championship points, before enduring a difficult Feature Race weekend with AIX Racing at the Hungaroring. David continued his promising 2026 campaign with AIX Racing as the championship entered its closing stages. SL driver impressed in qualifying by securing 16th place on the starting grid for both races. more..

Jul 27 (DN) Jaffna Kings recorded an easy 93 runs win over against Kandy Royals in a one sided affair yesterday in their LPL match at the Dambulla International Cricket Stadium. Jaffna openers Avishka Fernando and Kamil Mishara hit half centuries to come on top guiding them to their third victory of the series. Jaffna’s massive victory which is the highest margin victory so far in this series. Kandy Royals chasing a target of 200 runs were never able to pose a threat from the start more..

Jul 27 (DM) The govt is on high alert over an increasing number of crimes involving foreign nationals across Sri Lanka, following a recent abduction and murder of a Chinese national linked to a suspected rivalry between Chinese groups in Colombo. Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala said that authorities are paying special attention to recent incidents involving foreign nationals and that strict actions are being taken under existing laws. more..

Jul 27 (NW) Any proposal to extend the tenure of Supreme Court judges should be decided by the people through a referendum, SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa said. He claimed the govt had lost the people’s trust by failing to fulfil its election promises and by imposing an unfair tax burden amid the rising cost of living. He alleged that farmers, fishermen, students, businesses and investors were struggling due to fertiliser shortages, increasing food prices, high taxes & rising utility costs. more..

Jul 27 (FT) SL companies and Govt institutions continue to underinvest in cybersecurity because boards struggle to justify spending against risks that have yet to materialise, Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) Group CEO Riyaaz Rasheed warned, arguing that the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) is making that approach increasingly untenable. Speaking at the National Management Accounting Conference 2026, Rasheed said cybersecurity had become one of the telecom sector’s more..

Jul 27 (FT) Sri Lanka has emerged as one of the fastest-improving emerging market sovereigns for investor relations and debt transparency, with the Institute of International Finance (IIF) ranking the country fourth among the largest improvers in its 2026 assessment, as the Govt seeks to rebuild investor confidence following its debt restructuring. IIF’s Investor Relations and Debt Transparency Report 2026: more..

Jul 27 (FT) Pelwatte Dairy Industries has broken ground on its Greenfield Liquid Milk Manufacturing Facility in Kurunegala, at a ceremony held to mark the commencement of construction, marking a major expansion of its dairy operations. Set to open in July 2027, the facility represents Pelwatte’s transition from its longstanding leadership in full cream milk powder into liquid dairy products, strengthening access to fresh, locally manufactured dairy products for Sri Lankan consumers. more..

Jul 27 (FT) National Chamber of Commerce of SL (NCCSL) will host the National Business Excellence Awards (NBEA) 2026 tomorrow at the Shangri-La Colombo, commencing at 5 p.m. Celebrating its 21st consecutive year, the NBEA recognises and rewards outstanding business achievements. Over the years, the awards have honored companies that demonstrate excellence in business and organisational performance across a wide range of sectors. This year’s milestone event more..

Jul 27 (NW) Today’s Sunday Observer reports that the Ministry of Justice will place a proposal before the Cabinet of Ministers to amend SL’s Constitution to extend the retirement age of superior court judges by two years and also to extend the retirement age of other judges by two years. Although this measure has been touted by its supporters as a simple measure to keep experienced judges in office in order to clear the backlog of cases, it is an ill considered more..