Jul 1 (MB) The recent sightings of the ageing leopard limping and in visible distress have triggered public sympathy where some wildlife lovers have urged wildlife authorities to step in and provide veterinary support. Among them is Wasiri Gajaman, a medical professional and passionate wildlife photographer. “Neluma is more than a wild animal as he is an icon of Wilpattu and a symbol of SL’s natural heritage. He deserves care more..

Jul 1 (CT) Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar yesterday ordered that the case against former Defence Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former IGP Pujith Jayasundara be recalled on 28 July. The case pertains to allegations of dereliction of duty and failure to take appropriate action to prevent the Easter Sunday terror attacks in 2019. The case was heard before the Trial-at-Bar comprising Justices Namal Balalle and Mohammed Irshadeen. Deputy Solicitor General Sudarshana more..

Jul 1 (AD) The SL Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) has invited applications for scholarships for the school-aged children of SL migrant workers who are registered with the SLBFE and have been employed or are permanently employed abroad. These scholarships are available to children whose parents were employed abroad and registered with the Bureau between Jan 1, 2019, and Sept 15, 2024. Children who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply for the scholarship program: more..

Jul 1 (NW) NFF Leader Wimal Weerawansa says he has been summoned by the Bribery Commission to record a statement regarding an ongoing investigation. Addressing the media, former minister said that the investigations pertain to the sale of some shops during his tenure as the Minister of Housing and Construction. “I was issued a date to report to the Bribery Commission. I informed them via a letter that I would not be able to report on the said date due to a court case. more..

Jul 1 (CT) Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali Jayathunga yesterday directed the Cinnamon Gardens Police to submit a report to court on 8 December after obtaining the Attorney General’s advice regarding the case against former MP Hirunika Premachandra and 14 others. The case concerns allegations that the accused violated the Police Ordinance and the Motor Traffic Act by staging a street drama at Independence Square without prior approval. more..

Jul 1 (EN) CIABOC arrested a former Commissioner General of the Dept of Motor Traffic (DMT) and two others over authorizing the issuance of a number plate to a vehicle without Customs clearance. CIABOC in a statement said it arrested former Commissioner General of the DMT Nishantha Weerasinghe for irregular approval, Brahmana Wasala Priyantha Bandara Iriyagama (Assistant Director, Information Technology – Retired) more..

Jul 1 (NW) Former Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, Nishantha Wickramasinghe, has been further remanded until 15 July 2025. He was further remanded after being produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today. Wickramasinghe, who is the brother of former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, was arrested as part of an ongoing investigation by the Bribery Commission. Three corruption-related charges have been filed against Wickramasinghe related to incidents more..

Jul 1 (AD) Maureen Neliya Ballard (née Hingert), professionally known as Jana Davi, has passed away. Born on 9 January 1937, she was a SL actress, dancer, model, and beauty pageant titleholder. She gained international recognition after being crowned Miss Ceylon 1955 and becoming the second runner-up at the Miss Universe 1955 pageant — marking the first time a representative from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) received an award at the prestigious international competition. more..

Jul 1 (DM) Minister Bimal Rathnayake has urged bus owners to ensure seat belts are installed and used while transporting passengers for maximum safety and advised those unwilling to comply with the law to seek employment in another industry. Minister said that the mandatory use of seat belts for both drivers and front-seat passengers was introduced on Oct 1, 2011, under the Motor Traffic Act. However, while this regulation more..

Jul 1 (NW) A group of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) activists have filed a complaint with the CID over recent claims linked to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Malwathu Maha Viharaya in Kandy. Speaking to reporters, the SLPP activists said that it was claimed on social media that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had made a request from the Malwathu Maha Viharaya in Kandy seeking its intervention to prevent the arrest of former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa. more..

Jul 1 (DM) The National Transport Commission (NTC) has announced that the annual bus fare revision will come into effect from July 4. According to the Commission, bus fares will be reduced by 0.55% this year. However, the minimum fare will remain unchanged. The NTC said that the revision was made in line with the annual fare adjustment mechanism, which takes into account fuel prices, operational costs, and other economic factors. Minimum fare remains at Rs 27. more..

Jul 1 (FT) Electricity reform is an essential element of Sri Lanka’s development effort and economic revival. It has been an unfulfilled need (amongst many others) for 20 plus years that was ultimately forced on us by the IMF. The previous Govt brought in a revised Electricity Act in haste, with minimal consultation. It was progressive, had its merits, with also many inconsistencies and errors which would have created future operational and legal nightmares. This had to be expected, more..

Jul 1 (FT) Serious questions about governance practices within Sri Lanka’s energy sector are emerging, as concerns grow over potential conflicts of interest, policy inconsistencies, and transparency gaps that could undermine the nation’s energy security and economic future. The concerns centre on a troubling pattern of individuals moving between private consulting roles and public regulatory positions without adequate safeguards. This raises fundamental questions about whether more..

Jul 1 (FT) SJB MP Mujibur Rahman alleged the Govt was concealing the findings of a critical Customs inquiry, warning that failures to follow mandatory scanning procedures for high-risk cargo could have jeopardised the country’s security, revenue, and public health. He charged that the administration had deliberately withheld the Inquiry Committee’s report from the legislators, prompting him to formally table it on the House floor. more..

Jul 1 (AD) A decision regarding the revision of bus fares, in line with yesterday’s fuel price adjustment, will be made within the next two days, the National Transport Commission (NTC) has announced. Naomi Jayawardena, the Director General of the NTC stated that the National Transport Commission is scheduled to convene and make a final decision on the matter. Although the annual bus fare revision was initially set to be implemented from today (01), Director General Jayawardena noted more..

Jul 1 (CT) Former Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena and former Director General of the BOI, Jayantha Edirisinghe, were yesterday given indictments before Colombo HC Judge Pradeep Hettiarachchi by the CIABOC. The indictments relate to an alleged misuse of over Rs. 1.74 million from the BOI budget in 2014 to publish newspaper advertisements marking the second-term anniversary of then-Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa. The advertisements were published in several more..

Jul 1 (TM) SL’s target to bring its debt-to-GDP ratio below 95% by 2032 - announced yesterday with the unveiling of the govt’s mid-term fiscal strategy - has been described as ambitious by Uni of Peradeniya Economics Prof. Wasantha Athukorala, who cautioned that current debt trends do not point to such rapid improvement. “In terms of public debt-to-GDP being less than 95% of GDP in 2032, this differs from the steady targets more..

Jul 1 (DM) Ceypetco has announced a revision of fuel prices, which will come into effect from midnight today (30). The price of a liter of Lanka White Diesel will go up by Rs. 15, making the new price Rs. 289. The price of Octane 92 petrol will increase by Rs. 12, with the new price set at Rs. 305 per liter. In addition, price of Lanka Kerosene has been raised by Rs. 7, and the new price is Rs. 185 per liter. However, the prices of Octane 95 petrol & Lanka Super Diesel will remain unchanged. more..

Jul 1 (AD) Former Minister and veteran politician Gamini Lokuge has passed away a short while ago at the age of 82, according to family sources. Lokuge commenced his political career in 1960 as a member of the UNP. His first successful national-level campaign came in 1983, when he was elected by a clear majority to represent the Kesbewa Electoral District. He served as Minister of Tourism during the UNP-led govts in 1989 and 2002. In 2006, following personal disagreements with more..

Jul 1 (Island) Excavations at the Chemmani mass grave in Jaffna took a grim turn on Sunday with the discovery of skeletal remains, believed to be that of a child, found alongside a blue school bag, imprinted with the English alphabet, fragments of clothing, and small glass bangles. This marks the first time personal belongings have been unearthed during the current phase of excavations, adding a poignant dimension to the ongoing investigation. The cloth pouch is reported to resemble school bags more..

Jul 7 (FT) Colombo stock market yesterday ended June with a stellar performance, with both indices netting 7% growth whilst the benchmark ASPI crossed the 18,000-points mark. ASPI yesterday gained by 0.86% to close at 18,026 points, and the active S&P SL20 by 1.3%. Turnover was Rs. 6.38 billion involving 257.3 million shares. Turnover was led by LB Finance (Rs. 448 mil), Access Engineering (Rs. 398 mil), JKH (Rs. 392 mil), Central Finance (Rs. 255 mil), Sampath Bank (Rs. 245 mil). more..

Jul 1 (TM) In the wake of allegations by trade unions (TUs) and civil society groups that the current Govt is attempting to revive controversial labour law reforms proposed by the previous administration, Ministry of Labour stated that any labour law reforms will be introduced only after open discussions with TUs, employers, and the general public. Deputy Minister of Labour, Mahinda Jayasinghe said that a Cabinet paper has more..

Jul 7 (FT) Supreme Court has ruled that several clauses of the proposed SL Electricity (Amendment) Bill are inconsistent with the Constitution, requiring either a special Parliamentary majority or approval via a public referendum, unless amended. Deputy Speaker of Parliament Dr. Rizvie Salih announced the determination, delivered to the House yesterday during a special session. According to the SC’s determination, the Supreme Court determined that several clauses would require approval by more..

Jul 1 (DM) The new food labelling and advertising regulations coming into force today risk turning the sweet gains sour for the local food and beverage (F&B) sector, the industry stakeholders said, describing the rules as impractical and a potential disruptor for the manufacturers across the board. The rules, enforced by both the Health Ministry and Consumer Affairs Authority, mandate a wide range of product declarations, including nutritional details, allergen warnings and more..

Jul 7 (ST) The deadline for the operationalisation of the Sri Lanka Electricity Act 26 of 2024 lapsed on Friday with none of the preconditions for its coming into effect having been met to date. The delay is a setback to the long-overdue process to reform and restructure the sector in order to offer the public better efficiency, competitiveness and cost-reduction in electricity supply. The law was enacted on June 27, 2024, and states that it “shall come into operation immediately upon more..

Jul 7 (DN) Lahiru Udara will lead the Sri Lanka ‘A’ one-day team while Pasindu Sooriyabandara will captain the SL ‘A’ four-day team on their Australia tour which will commence on July 4. Lahiru Udara who got his test cap recently having good records in SL A team has been first time appointed as the SL ‘A’ one-day captain while Sooriyabandara once again gets the chance to lead the four-day team after successful leadership stint against South Africa, Pakistan and Afghanistan in UAE. more..

Jul 7 (FT) Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Ministry, in collaboration with the Clean SL program and with the support of the private sector, has launched a PPP project titled Dream Destination to renovate 100 railway stations across the country. The aim of this project is to create a clean, attractive railway station network that ensures the safety and comfort of all passengers, including those with special needs. more..

Jul 7 (DN) SL wrestler Nethmi Ahinsa once again came to the limelight when she won the bronze medal in women’s 57kg weight category at the under 23 Asian Wrestling Championships in Vietnam recently. She has become the first Sri Lankan to win a medal at this prestigious meet. Nethmi delivered a superb performance to outclass Kazakhstan’s Nilufar Raimova with a decisive 12–4 victory in the bronze medal match. Nethmi first captured national attention after claiming bronze more..

Jul 7 (Island) Once giants of the white-ball game, Sri Lanka were dealt a harsh reality check when they failed to qualify for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy — a bitter pill to swallow for a nation that once redefined the one-day format with audacity and flair. Their ninth-place finish at the 2023 World Cup saw them miss the cut, triggering alarm bells across the island’s cricketing corridors. But from the rubble of that disappointment has emerged a rejuvenated side, rising phoenix-like under more..

Jul 7 (ST) Health Ministry has sought Cabinet approval for its criteria for securing urgent medication from several countries on a govt-to-govt (G2G) basis, a senior official said, adding that the plan was in progress. All major pharmaceutical unions have opposed the scheme. In a letter to the Health Minister sent earlier in May, SL Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry (SLCPI), National Chamber of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers of SL more..

Jul 1 (Island) Australia’s deepening commitment to SL’s education and agribusiness sectors was on full display at the Festival of Australia held at Cinnamon Life in Colombo on Sunday. The event, which attracted over a thousand participants, showcased the strength of bilateral ties in two of the most strategic areas for both countries: higher education and food and beverage trade. Vik Singh, Australia’s Trade & Investment Commissioner for South Asia, who was in Colombo for the event, more..

Jul 1 (FT) As the US marks its 249th Independence Day this Friday, US Ambassador to SL Julie Chung underscored the depth and resilience of ties between Washington and Colombo, celebrating a journey of mutual respect and shared challenges and goals stretching back over seven decades. Speaking at the Embassy’s Independence Day reception hosted last week at Cinnamon Life, under the banner Great American Road Trip, she attempted bringing the same spirit right here more..