Jul 28 (ST) As online shopping is gaining popularity in SL, concerns are growing whether existing consumer protection laws are sufficient to protect consumers from risks associated with e-commerce. Social media marketplaces and online shopping platforms have made it easier to shop, but transactions usually lead to many issues, such as scams, misleading advertisements, damaged goods, delivery issues, more..

Jul 28 (FT) CoPF has raised concerns over whether the Finance Ministry’s Public Debt Management Office (PDMO) has the institutional capacity, governance framework, and specialist expertise required to manage SL’s Rs. 31.1 trillion Govt debt portfolio, while calling for a significant strengthening of the Office’s technical capabilities. Reviewing PDMO’s 2025 Annual Debt Management Report, CoPF members repeatedly questioned whether the Office, established under more..

Jul 28 (FT) By questioning whether directors holding multiple board appointments can devote sufficient time to each company and whether so-called independent directors are genuinely independent, LYNEAR Wealth Management Managing Director Dr. Naveen Gunawardane delivered a pointed message to SL’s boardrooms, warning that both issues have become decisive considerations for institutional investors. Addressing the SL Corporate Director Summit 2026: Future-Ready SL Directors, more..

Jul 28 (FT) The Court of Appeal last week dismissed two writ applications filed against Pentara Residencies, the landmark apartment development project by Home Lands Group in Thummulla, Colombo 5. A bench comprising Justice P. Kumararatnam, Justice M.C.L.B. Gopallawa, and Justice Dr. D.F.H. Gunawardhana delivered the order whereby the writ applications were dismissed by a majority decision, refusing the issuance of formal notice. more..

Jul 28 (FT) DFCC Bank has introduced SL’s first ATMs and Cash Recycler Machines (CRMs) offering transactions in eight languages, enabling int'l visitors and local customers to withdraw or deposit cash in the language most familiar to them. Now available in the arrivals area of BIA and at DFCC Bank locations in Hiriketiya, Ella, and Arugam Bay, service offers English, Sinhala, Tamil, French, Chinese, Russian, Hindi, and German, with a wider rollout across the bank’s countrywide network. more..

Jul 28 (FT) Sri Lanka Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association (SLPMA) called for a national policy push to transform pharmaceutical manufacturing into one of the country’s next major export industries, arguing that the sector’s contribution remains underestimated despite its strategic importance to healthcare security, foreign exchange savings, and high-value employment. Delivering his inaugural address more..

Jul 28 (TM) Cybercrime has become one of the most serious issues affecting modern societies as technology and internet access continue to expand rapidly. In Sri Lanka, digital transformation has significantly improved communication, banking, education, business, and public services. Smartphones, social media platforms, electronic commerce systems, online banking services, and digital Govt platforms have made life more convenient and efficient for citizens. more..

Jul 28 (Island) Sri Lanka today is one of the more peaceful countries in the world. The Global Peace Index ranks it 57th out of 173 countries, a jump of more than 30 places in the past year. It is an achievement that deserves recognition after decades of political violence and armed conflict. However, it must never be forgotten that Sri Lanka has also experienced periods of gruesome violence. To forget these periods, or gloss over them, is to risk repeating them. These include more..

Jul 28 (Island) The police called for suspending the Kavadi dance segment of the historic Devinuwara Vishnu Maha Devalaya main procession amidst security concerns due to a possible eruption of violence between two Kavadi groups alleged to underworld connections. The police asked the Devalaya officials to do without Kavadi this year following threats issued by an underworld figure, known as Mohamed Imran aka Kanjipani Imran that he would not allow Kavadi dance more..

Jul 28 (TM) For over a century, SL’s legal posture toward animal rights remained trapped in a colonial time capsule. Under the obsolete Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance of 1907, maximum monetary fine for inflicting unspeakable torture, starvation, or maiming upon a living creature was capped at a trivial sum, often as low as one hundred rupees. In a modern society aspiring toward ethical governance and moral maturity, such archaic provisions were an embarrassment to our more..

Jul 28 (DN) Behind every drowning statistic is a family whose life has been changed forever. A child who leaves home for a holiday but never returns. A father who sacrifices his own life to save his son. A family outing that ends in unimaginable loss. These are not isolated tragedies. They are painful reminders of one of SL’s most overlooked public health challenges. For the country surrounded by the sea and criss-crossed by thousands of more..

Jul 28 (DN) PM and Minister of Education, Harini Amarasuriya, has critically addressed the country’s 13-year formal school education system, stating that spending 13 years in the current framework is widely viewed by society as a waste of time: The current timeline spreads roughly three years of actual syllabus content across 13 long years, causing students to wait around just to grow older. We, Sri Lankan parents and children salute our PM for her stand on the current education system. more..

Jul 28 (ST) It was Winston Churchill who said, Democracy is the worst form of govt except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time. And though an opposition may exist in any other form of govt – even as a devil’s advocate may be suffered within ecclesiastical courts to justify the ways of men to God – in a democracy worth its salt, the presence of a vibrant opposition is indispensable. A responsible opposition that is fully aware of its role in Parliament and more..

Jul 28 (TM) SL’s chronic prison overcrowding has long been blamed on delays in Police investigations and prolonged court proceedings. Yet another critical bottleneck in the criminal justice system continues to receive far less public attention: the mounting backlog of forensic examinations at the Dept of Govt Analyst. AG’s 2024 audit report has laid bare the scale of the problem, revealing that more than 30,000 case materials remained pending more..

Jul 28 (GV) It is 75 years since the Geneva Refugee Convention was adopted but the world is still debating what protection for refugees means. Refugees are in extremely vulnerable circumstances, lacking the protection of their own countries and facing immense challenges to their safety and wellbeing. The 1951 Refugee Convention, supplemented by its 1967 Protocol, help protect them. Convention provides the internationally recognised definition of a refugee more..

Jul 28 (CT) The whispering winds have fallen silent; the gushing waters of the streams have slowed down their pace; the usual buoyancy of the village’s neighborly exchange of gossip and information has died down. High expectations are still high and the hope is still alive. But the mood of each hamlet in the most remote corners of the land has changed from aspiration to despair. How long this lingering rural life will continue is anybody’s guess. NPP politicians are not all that visible as they were before. more..

Jul 27 (NW) Cabinet has approved the controversial proposal to extend the retirement age of judges by two years. The move has drawn opposition from senior members of the legal fraternity, Bar Association of SL (BASL) and opposition political parties. Proposal will now have to be presented to Parliament for approval. As the proposed change requires a constitutional amendment, it would need a two-thirds majority in Parliament. Govt currently commands the required two-thirds majority more..

Jul 27 (AD) The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vijitha Herath has held discussions with ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn on strengthening engagement with ASEAN and enhancing regional cooperation on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) 2026 in Manila. In a post on X, Minister Herath said the meeting was productive, with both sides exchanging views on ARF-led activities and the importance of closer engagement between Sri Lanka and ASEAN member states. more..

Jul 27 (AD) A total of 45 Kavadi dance groups that took part in last year’s Devinuwara Uthpalawanna Sri Vishnu Maha Devalaya Esala Perahera have been granted permission to participate in this year’s procession as well. The decision was reached during a special discussion held at the Matara District Secretariat this afternoon, with the participation of Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala & other senior officials. more..

Jul 27 (DN) SL Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA), in collaboration with the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) – Western Province, conducted a 2-day Solar Energy and EV Charging Systems Training Programme recently at the IDA auditorium, Nugegoda. Programme brought together industry professionals, engineers, technical officers, entrepreneurs and stakeholders to strengthen technical knowledge and promote best practices in renewable energy technologies & more..

Jul 27 (EN) Colombo Dockyard reported a profit of Rs. 86.28 million for the quarter ended 30 June 2026. This represents a turnaround compared to the 808.36 million rupee loss recorded during the corresponding period the previous year. Group reported earnings of 0.22 rupees per share for the 3-month period. For the same quarter in 2025, company had recorded a loss per share of 3.51 rupees. Group revenue for the quarter fell 6.8% to 5.84 bil rupees, down from 6.27 bil in 2025. more..

Jul 27 (DM) SL's 2026 dengue outbreak has officially reached epidemic level, with more than 82,000 confirmed cases nationally and over 26,000+ in July alone, the country's worst season since the 2019 epidemic. If you've had a fever recently, there's a good chance someone in your house has asked: Is this dengue or just the flu? The honest answer, according to doctors treating both illnesses right now, is that you cannot tell more..

Jul 27 (PMD) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake held a meeting with the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Transformation Committee at the Presidential Secretariat today.. Discussions focused on the issues and challenges faced in developing cricket in SL. Prez also considered the support and contribution that could be provided by the Govt towards the continued progress and advancement of cricket in the country. Minister of Sports Sunil Kumara Gamage, Chief of Staff to the Prez more..

Jul 27 (DM) Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe said he would be very happy to see the Bar Association of SL (BASL) issue a statement regarding former Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe or his son, questioning whether the association applies the same standards in all cases. Abeysinghe said such a move would help determine whether the BASL was acting independently or protecting a particular group. "We will see whether this is genuine or whether these actions are more..

Jul 27 (NW) All members of the SL Athletics Selection Committee have stepped down, citing interference in their work and the replacement of athletes they had independently selected. Col. M.K.P. Jayasekara, a former national athlete and record holder, said that while the committee had functioned smoothly for over 1½ years, recent developments undermined its independence. “The athletes we selected have been replaced by others who were not chosen by us. more..

Jul 27 (DN) Venerable Banagala Upatissa Thera, Chief Incumbent of the Sanchi Chetiyagiri Vihara, President of the SL Maha Bodhi Society, and Chief Sanghanayaka of Japan, stated that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake was invited to attend the 75th anniversary of the Sanchi Chetiyagiri Vihara in India. Thera said that he met Prez Dissanayake recently to extend the invitation for him to serve as the chief guest at Sanchi Maha Bodhi Festival in Nov 2027, marking the 75th anniversary of the temple. more..

Jul 27 (DM) Official vehicle registration statistics are presenting a deceptive picture of auto-financing activity in SL. Motor dealers are increasingly pre-registering unsold vehicles under their own names to avoid inventory penalties, while non-bank financial institutions aggressively expand their balance sheets to fund vehicle purchases, according to an analysis by JB Securities. Financing penetration hovering at a subdued 43% more..

Jul 27 (NW) Former State Minister Shantha Bandara says the law should be enforced against anyone who commits an offence, including his own son, but warned against accusing individuals based on assumptions. His comments came after the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court today granted bail to his son, Anuda Bandara, and five other suspects who had been remanded in connection with the alleged robbery of Rs. 20 million from a Chinese national. more..

Jul 27 (DN) A new fleet of vehicles allocated to the Dept of Wildlife Conservation to support field operations and Human-Elephant Conflict management was officially handed over today. Govt has approved the procurement of 294 vehicles for officers attached to Range Wildlife Offices and Beat Offices across the country to enhance their day-to-day operations. As the first phase of the programme, 181 vehicles were symbolically handed over at the Dept of Wildlife Conservation premises more..

Jul 27 (TM) There are currently only 22 engineers tasked with monitoring the safety of factories islandwide. Labour Ministry is preparing to launch special inspections of factories nationwide following recent fatal fires, with concerns mounting over a shortage of safety specialists and shortcomings in workplace safety regulations. Ministry of Labour Secretary S.M. Piyatissa said that investigations into factory standards more..

Jul 27 (CT) Sri Lanka has only around 10 judges per one million people (roughly 210 judges for the entire 21 million population) compared to 40 to 60 judges per million in developed countries, while the country’s prisons are currently overcrowded with nearly four times their approved capacity, Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said. Minister said reducing the massive backlog of cases and bringing the workload to a manageable level for judges remained the biggest challenge facing judicial sector. more..

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..