Jul 9 (FT) Sri Lanka risks losing ground in the race for foreign direct investment (FDI) because its tax incentive regime is no longer fit for purpose under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Pillar Two global minimum tax framework, KPMG SL Principal and Head of Tax and Regulatory Suresh Perera warned last week. Delivering the keynote address at the CA SL more..

Jul 9 (DM) A senior SL agricultural scientist has challenged some of the most persistent criticisms levelled against oil palm cultivation, arguing that available evidence does not support claims that the crop causes unusual soil degradation, biodiversity loss or water shortages compared with other plantation crops, and urging policymakers to rely on science rather than public perception when shaping agricultural policy. Emeritus Professor of Agriculture at the Uni of Peradeniya Dr. S.P. Nissanka more..

Jul 9 (FT) Sri Lanka’s tourism sector recorded a stronger start to July compared to the previous month, although visitor arrivals remained below the levels achieved during the same period last year, reflecting the industry’s continued struggle to regain growth momentum. Provisional data from the first six days of July showed that Sri Lanka welcomed 34,721 tourists, a 3.6% YoY decline compared to the corresponding period in 2025. Daily average arrivals improved to 5,786 visitors, more..

Jul 9 (ST) Bogawantalawa Tea Estates, said to be the world’s first Climate Positive Tea Company, commemorated World Environment Week 2026 through a comprehensive environmental conservation and climate action campaign. It brought together government institutions, schools, estate communities, employees, and environmental stakeholders in a collective effort to strengthen biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and climate resilience, throughout SL, more..

Jul 9 (DM) SL’s proposed framework to tax digital services could inadvertently raise compliance costs for multinational companies and make the country a more complex market to serve unless authorities provide greater clarity on the new rules, tax experts at EY SL have cautioned. As SL moves to tax digital services provided from overseas, questions are emerging over whether the new framework provides sufficient certainty for multinational businesses operating across multiple jurisdictions. more..

Jul 9 (CT) UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT), which visited SL and conducted unannounced inspections of several detention facilities, including prisons, Police stations and other places where people are deprived of their liberty, has called on the country to strengthen its National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) and take concrete action to address persistent risks faced by detainees. In an official statement issued more..

Jul 9 (TM) Sri Lanka has become the first country in the world to establish a dedicated National Legal Aid Day. SL’s achievement is historic, and there is a compelling case for the Govt to advocate for the UN to declare an International Legal Aid Day. In a pioneering move that cements its status as a global leader in judicial reform, SL, on Monday (6), marked its inaugural National Legal Aid Day. With this historic declaration, SL has become the first country in the world to establish a dedicated, more..

Jul 9 (GV) On July 5, Sri Lanka witnessed the return of all too familiar violence. Rival factions of inmates, believed to be from rival drug gangs held within the same facility at Negombo Prison, allegedly seized weapons from the prison armoury and fought each other for control of it. By the time Minister Harshana Nanayakkara acknowledged responsibility for an institution under his purview, the death toll had risen to 26 (seven prison officers and 19 inmates) and over 100 were wounded. more..

Jul 9 (Island) Sri Lanka was officially declared an Upper-Middle Income country by the World Bank in July 2026, regaining the classification it had in 2019. On the 30th of June, the IMF delegation meeting the President at the Prez Secretariat praised the govt: “…IMF praised the govt’s economic programme and noted that SL has made greater progress than many other countries implementing IMF-supported programmes. The delegation commended the govt for maintaining macroeconomic stability more..

Jul 9 (SO) The political strength of a society does not depend solely on its population, historical experiences or political demands. It also depends on its ability to produce new leaders, adapt to changing realities and develop a vision for the future. For decades, Tamil politics has centred on rights, power sharing, security, justice and a political settlement. These remain important and unresolved issues. Yet, one of the most significant challenges facing Tamil politics today, more..

Jul 9 (SO) As Govts worldwide move to regulate children’s access to digital platforms, SL has entered the debate with a proposed legal framework that could reshape how young people engage with social media. Social Media Minimum Age Bill was recently handed over to the Secretary General of Parliament by MP Faiszer Musthapha, proposing restrictions on social media access for children under 16. Private Member’s Bill aims to protect children from more..

Jul 9 (Island) The latest episode of prison violence has come to an end, after claiming 28 lives and leaving more than 100 others injured. But political battles are still raging over it. The govt and the Opposition continue to clash; they traded allegations and insults in Parliament on Tuesday and Wednesday. Opposition is all out to lay the blame for the prison violence squarely on the govt. It is demanding the resignation of Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara. more..

Jul 9 (DM) Moral injury refers to the deep psychological, behavioural, and spiritual turmoil that arises when an individual either engages in, witnesses, or fails to avert actions that contradict their core moral convictions. The term moral injury was coined by Dr. Jonathan Shay, a clinical psychiatrist, in the 1990s, while working with Vietnam War veterans, and he connected their deep psychological trauma not to fear, but to a profound sense of institutional betrayal. more..

Jul 9 (TM) Methamphetamine is a powerful synthetic stimulant that affects the central nervous system and has a high risk of addiction. In its crystal form, it is commonly known as ice because it often appears as clear or bluish-white crystals resembling pieces of glass or ice. The drug can create a short-lived feeling of energy, confidence, and alertness, it can also cause serious harm to the brain, body, behaviour, and mental health. more..

Jul 9 (TM) Govt’s recent announcement the Aswesuma welfare programme will be entirely phased out by 2030 marks a dramatic and highly controversial pivot in our social security policy. According to Deputy Minister Wasantha Piyathissa, the Govt aims to lift all current beneficiaries out of poverty within the next four years through a combination of targeted cash transfers and livelihood empowerment initiatives. While the pursuit of a self-reliant populace is a noble ideological goal, more..

Jul 9 (CT) The deaths that have occurred over the past three days inside Negombo Prison have made headlines around the world. The exact number of those killed remains uncertain; as of this morning, reports suggest over 20 fatalities, with hundreds more injured. This statement does not aim to examine the incident in detail, as the facts have not yet fully emerged. Instead, we address one of Sri Lanka’s most fundamental and long-standing issues: the protection of prisons and prisoners. more..

Jul 8 (AD) The pilot project currently being implemented to reduce social media usage among children below the age of 16 has shown successful results, PM Harini Amarasuriya stated. PM made these remarks in Parliament today in response to a question raised by MP Harshana Rajakaruna. Expressing her views on this, PM stated that steps have been taken to formulate a national code of guidelines aimed at minimizing social media usage among children under the age of 16, more..

Jul 8 (NF) Central Bank has issued a fresh warning to the public about online scams that rely on creating a sense of urgency to pressure victims into making rushed decisions. In a public awareness message released as part of its Be Scam Proof campaign, the Central Bank highlighted urgency as a major warning sign of fraudulent activity. The campaign warning notes that scammers often attempt to rush individuals into taking immediate action before they have time to think critically about the request. more..

Jul 8 (DM) Highlighting that the root cause of the Negombo Prison clash was tension resulting from severe overcrowding, Minister Harshana Nanayakkara told Parliament that key legal reforms would be introduced, including a House Arrest Bill that would enable remand prisoners to be kept under house arrest subject to electronic monitoring. "A committee has been appointed to draft the House Arrest Bill to reduce more..

Jul 8 (PMD) A pre-budget discussion regarding the review of projects implemented under the budgetary allocations for 2026 for the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment, and the budget proposals for 2027, was held yesterday under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. During the discussion, Prez stated that the govt’s objective is to build a robust social security network based on a formal measurement system more..

Jul 8 (PMD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that the 2027 Budget would place special emphasis on finding lasting solutions to the public's long-standing drinking water issues. Prez made these remarks while participating in a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat this morning to review the progress of projects implemented under the 2026 Budget allocations for the Ministry of Housing, Construction & Water Supply and to discuss the Ministry's budgetary requirements for 2027. more..

Jul 8 (DM) Consultant Paediatrician Dr. Lakkumar Fernando, said an internationally approved dengue vaccine could significantly reduce the burden of the disease as it has more than 90% effectiveness against dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2). Dr. Fernando said he could only comment after clearing any conflict of interest, as he was one of the researchers involved in the development of the vaccine. His remarks came after more..

Jul 8 (DN) The Archaeology Dept has introduced a reward scheme for informants, raiding Police officers and Archaeological and Public Officers to encourage them to join the fight against theft of and damage to valuable artefacts, Minister Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi told Parliament yesterday. Under the Sri Lankan Antiquities Ordinance (Chapter 188), the Archaeological Reward Fund is designed to incentivise the recovery of illegally exploited artefacts. Drafted regulations more..

Jul 8 (DM) Govt is planning to establish a modern silicon-based industrial park named Silicone City in the Nattandiya area, utilising the silica sand deposits found in the Nattandiya Mahawewa–Horakelle Wattha farm belonging to National Livestock Development Board (NLDB). A special discussion was held yesterday at the Ministry of Agriculture regarding the proposed industrial park, with officials focusing on developing silicon-based industries by using locally available more..

Jul 8 (DM) Health authorities have warned of a sharp rise in skin disease cases across Sri Lanka, with tinea (ringworm) emerging as one of the most commonly reported fungal skin infections. Health experts have raised concerns over the recent increase in tinea cases, noting that around 20% of patients attending dermatology clinics are being treated for the fungal infection. Dr. Nayani Madarasinghe warned that a major concern was the widespread use of steroid-containing creams more..

Jul 8 (DM) Special police protection is being provided to 454 persons, including former MPs, former IGPs, retired judges, chief incumbent monks of several temples, a Bishop and a former First Lady, Parliament was informed. A document tabled in Parliament by Minister Ananda Wijepala in response to an oral question raised by MP Kavinda Jayawardene revealed that chief incumbent monks of temples in areas such as Anuradhapura, Colombo & Kandy, as well as Catholic Bishop of Kandy, more..

Jul 8 (EN) Sri Lanka’s prison system is facing severe overcrowding because of the govt’s Ratama Ekata anti-drugs programme, with the inmate population nearly quadrupling its official capacity, minister Nalinda Jayatissa has said. The prison population has surged to 41,000, exceeding the system’s capacity of 11,000 inmates, he said, in a sharp escalation from Sept 2024, when the prison population stood close to 28,000. more..

Jul 8 (DM) Former Cabinet Minister Jagath Pushpakumara was arrested today by officers of the CIABOC over several alleged corruption offences. He was taken into custody this morning after being summoned to record a statement. The charges filed against Pushpakumara include allegations related to the misuse of state resources and violations of procurement procedures. The first allegation relates to 2014, when the suspect allegedly instructed the printing of 250,000 posters more..

Jul 8 (NW) Senior researcher Dr. Sanjana Hattotuwa has published what he describes as SL’s first systematic study into AI-generated fake women profiles operating on Facebook, revealing a coordinated network designed to lure users towards gambling, adult chat, crypto and other dubious financial platforms. The report examined 10 Facebook accounts and found that none belonged to real women. Instead, the accounts allegedly used AI-generated identities to create fabricated more..

Jul 8 (NW) Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court today ordered that the case against former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and former Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake, who face allegations of misusing state funds, be called again on Sept 30 to obtain the AG’s position on the legal steps to be taken. Case was heard before Magistrate Pasan Amarasena. Officials of the CID informed the court that investigations more..

Jul 8 (DM) Anthropic, company behind the Claude AI chatbot, tracks how people around the world use its models through what it calls the Anthropic Economic Index. The Index breaks down usage by country, by occupation, and by task type, using data pulled from Claude.ai conversations. SL sits at rank 83 out of 121 countries measured, with a usage index of 0.56x. In simple terms, that means Sri Lankans are using Claude at just over half the rate you'd expect for a country of its size and workforce. more..

Jul 8 (Island) Information has emerged that underworld figure Mohommad Najim Mohommad Imran, alias Kanjipani Imran, who fled the country after obtaining bail despite facing numerous serious criminal charges, including murder and drug trafficking, is continuing to direct SL’s organised crime and narcotics network from abroad. According to Police Headquarters sources, the suspect is maintaining close links with several terrorist groups based in India, Pakistan and Algeria. more..