Jul 9 (Island) Govt yesterday accused Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa of violating parliamentary Standing Orders and called for stern action to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. The accusation was made after Premadasa, while raising a privilege matter, read out a list of questions from a document in the House, saying they were matters of national importance. Minister Bimal Ratnayake told Parliament that Premadasa, under the guise of raising a privilege matter, had acted in more..

Jul 9 (TM) Though SL’s private sector credit growth remained strong in April – posting a year-on-year growth of 27.0% – 2026 year-end growth is likely to be halved due to the tightened monetary policy, lowered lending activity, subdued demand and tighter domestic policy, First Capital Research projected in its latest fixed income report. “Private sector credit growth remained strong in Apr-26, expanding 27.0%YoY as outstanding more..

Jul 9 (AD) A special technical project to clean the Beira Lake by introducing seawater into the lake is set to be launched as an immediate and short-term solution. SL business tycoon and engineer Nahil Wijesuriya has reportedly agreed to provide full financial support for the project. Meanwhile, long-term plans to ensure the lake's cleanliness and aesthetic appeal are expected to be implemented under this year's govt budget allocations. The initiative will be jointly carried out by more..

Jul 9 (NW) SL-born Professor Nishan Canagarajah, Vice-Chancellor of the Uni of Leicester, has been knighted by King Charles III at an investiture ceremony held at Windsor Castle on Tuesday. Professor Canagarajah received the honour after being named in the 2026 King’s New Year Honours in recognition of his outstanding contribution to higher education, particularly his work promoting inclusion. During the ceremony, King Charles formally conferred the knighthood by touching more..

Jul 9 (EN) SL will begin paddy procurement for the 2026 Yala season from July 15, with the Treasury allocating 6 billion rupees and another 10 billion rupees through state banks as Odapana loans. President’s Secretary Dr Nandika Kumanayake has asked officials to clear existing paddy stocks in warehouses, in coordination with Sathosa, to receive the new harvest. Paddy Marketing Board currently holds approximately 120,000 metric tonnes of paddy in its warehouses, according to the PMD more..

Jul 9 (AD) The prison administration has decided that it is no longer suitable to keep inmates at the Negombo Prison premises following the unrest that occurred within the facility on July 5 and 6. In a statement, the Ministry of Justice and National Integration said the Negombo Prison facility is being treated as a crime scene following the incident. The prison complex has suffered extensive damage as a result of the violent incident. more..

Jul 9 (AD) A businessman who had operated a store selling jewellery, ornaments and trinkets crafted using the body parts of protected wild animals to local and foreign tourists, has been fined Rs. 2.1 million. The order was issued yesterday by the Ruwanwella Magistrate against the businessman, a resident of Kahathuduwa in Polgasowita. The suspect was arrested following a joint raid carried out on June 24 by wildlife officers attached to the Bulathkohupitiya Wildlife Office and more..

Jul 9 (DM) The Supreme Court dismissed an appeal filed by former Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa, affirming that he infringed the copyright of JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva by reproducing the book titled Neththa Venuwata Aththa. However, the Supreme Court varied the permanent injunction issued by the High Court, ruling that it should apply only to the copyrighted documents in dispute and not to the entirety of Weerawansa’s publication. A three-judge bench comprising more..

Jul 9 (FT) Child sexual abuse remains one of the most hidden and harmful crimes affecting communities across the world. It often happens not in isolated, obvious situations, but in familiar environments where children are expected to feel safe in schools, neighborhoods, online spaces, and even within extended family networks. Experts define child sexual abuse as any sexual act imposed on a child who cannot fully understand, consent to or protect themselves from exploitation. more..

Jul 9 (FT) Australia’s decision to ban social media for children under 16 has struck a chord with anxious parents around the world. The concerns behind it are real. Cyberbullying, addictive algorithms, online predators, unrealistic body images, and endless scrolling have left many children less healthy, less happy, and less connected than we hoped the digital age would make them. Meanwhile, about 73% of teens in Australia are still reported to be on social media and the govt is planning tougher more..

Jul 9 (Island) Prison officers yesterday requested Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara to protect their colleague who opened fire at the Negombo Prison during Monday’s riot. They made that request when the Minister visited the Welikada Prison to pay his last respects to seven officers killed by inmates during the clashes. Soon thereafter, National Hospital reported that another prison officer more..

Jul 9 (NW) Govt has officially re-established the Old Bogambara Prison to help address overcrowding in SL’s prison system. The decision was announced through an Extraordinary Gazette issued on July 8, by the Ministry of Justice and National Integration. Gazette, signed by Minister Harshana Nanayakkara under Section 2 of the Prisons Ordinance (Chapter 54), establishes the Old Bogambara Prison as a prison for the purposes of the Ordinance, with jurisdiction covering the whole of SL. more..

Jul 9 (NW) TNPF leader and Jaffna District MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam has requested Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne to change the parliamentary seating arrangement of MP Archchuna Ramanathan, alleging repeated harassment and intimidation. In a letter dated June 23, Ponnambalam claimed that Ramanathan, who is seated next to him in Parliament, had constantly subjected him to verbal abuse, threatened him with violence and used derogatory language against him during more..

Jul 9 (FT) Investors from the UAE account for 19% of foreign investor interest in Port City Colombo, with Singapore, China, and the UK contributing 13% each, followed by the US (10%) and Australia (9%), according to the project’s latest investor profile. While the figures point to growing confidence from some of the world’s most internationally connected markets, analysts say they also reveal a notable gap. more..

Jul 9 (TM) The Cricket Transformation Committee Chairperson Eran Wickramaratne, has visited Sri Lanka Cricket’s Level 1 Coach Education Programme during an inspection tour of the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium (RDICS), Dambulla. According to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), the four-day programme conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket’s Coach Education Unit, was in progress when Wickramaratne visited the venue as part of his ground inspection tour. more..

Jul 9 (DN) The death toll from the Negombo Prison clash has risen to 28 after another prison officer succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital yesterday. Accordingly, the number of prison officers killed in the incident has increased to eight, while 20 inmates have also lost their lives as a result of the unrest. Following the violent clash, more than 1,000 inmates have been transferred from the Negombo Prison to correctional facilities across the country more..

Jul 9 (NW) Colombo High Court today handed down death sentences to eight accused found guilty of committing murder in a case dating back nearly three decades, it was reported. Delivering judgment after a lengthy trial, HC Judge Buddhika Sri Ragala ruled that the charges had been proven beyond reasonable doubt. Seven of the accused were present in court, while proceedings against one were conducted in absentia. AG had filed the case over the killings of a man and a woman, more..

Jul 9 (DN) After an impressive eight-wicket victory in the second One-Day International, SL U-19 will look to carry their winning momentum into the deciding third and final match against India U-19 today at Hambantota. Batters have dominated the opening two matches, and another run-fest is expected in today’s decider, making it another stern test for the bowlers. SL opener Dimantha Mahavithana is in outstanding form after his unbeaten 155 guided the hosts to a comfortable eight-wicket win more..

Jul 9 (SO) Govt’s draft Protection of the State from Terrorism (PSTA) Bill, which seeks to repeal the long-criticised Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), is in its final form and will be presented to Parliament without further delay, Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said. “The draft legislation will not be redrafted,” he said categorically, insisting that it had already been comprehensively amended to address concerns raised by OHCHR, more..

Jul 9 (Island) The schedule for the 2026 Kandy Esala Maha Perahera, the country’s most historic and prestigious cultural pageant, was finalised following a high level discussion held yesterday at the Sri Dalada Maligawa. The meeting was attended by the Maha Sangha, Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela, and Kandy District Secretary Indika Udawatta. The traditional planting of the Kap at the four main Devalas (shrines) is scheduled to take place at an auspicious time on Aug 13. more..

Jul 9 (DN) More foreign investment and industry growth is envisaged with Sri Lanka life insurance industry poised to adopt the global accounting standard for insurance contracts, IFRS 17, panelist opined at the CT Smith Securities investor forum titled Navigating Growth and Value in Life Insurance, held recently in Colombo. Today’s IFRS 4 focuses on a company’s stock price and gross written premium (GWP), but lacks correlation to its value creation. Profitability in insurance is assessed by more..

Jul 9 (FT) SL’s floriculture industry is poised for a new era of growth following the exclusive partnership between Lassana Agri Innovations Ltd., and Rise N Shine Biotech Ltd, India, creating unprecedented opportunities for entrepreneurs, commercial growers and investors looking to establish successful floriculture businesses. Under the agreement, Lassana Agri Innovations becomes the exclusive sales, marketing and distribution partner for selected floriculture & ornamental more..

Jul 9 (EN) Sri Lanka’s proposed US$540 million deal with Clothespin Management and Development to build a hotel within the Colombo Port City, has expired unsigned in January 2026, the Director General of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission (CPCEC) said. The CPCEC in a Gazette in July last year gave a 25-year tax holiday to Clothespin Management and Development (Pvt) Ltd, which plans to build a twin tower marvel that will have a clock tower bigger than the Big Ben. more..

Jul 9 (NW) 17 years after the end of SL’s armed conflict, large tracts of privately owned civilian lands in the Northern and Eastern Provinces remain under military occupation, Batticaloa District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam told Parliament. MP said the Govt must fulfil its election pledge to expedite the release of occupied lands and enable resettlement. He welcomed the recent release of two military camps in Batticaloa, more..

Jul 9 (Island) The govt has suffered an estimated foreign exchange loss exceeding USD100 million following a delay of more than a year in deciding the fate of over 50,000 metric tonnes of imported salt, raising fresh concerns over policy uncertainty, regulatory inefficiencies and their impact on trade, logistics and food security. According to the Customs House Agents & Traders Association (CHATA), approximately 42,000 metric tonnes of salt imported in around 1,500 containers, more..

Jul 9 (FT) SL Institute of Directors (SLID) will welcome two distinguished global thought leaders at the SL Corporate Director Summit 2026, reinforcing the Summit’s position as the country’s premier forum for corporate governance, board leadership, and future-focused business thinking. Summit on 22 July at the Cinnamon Grand, will feature UK Uni of Leicester President and Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sir Nishan Canagarajah, considered one of the world’s leading higher education figures. more..

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..