Jul 8 (DM) The flooding of the domestic market with imported rice ahead of the harvesting season has triggered the current crisis in the paddy marketing sector, according to analysts. As much as 156,285 tonnes of Ponni Samba rice from India and another 519 tonnes from China had been imported in recent months after the Govt relaxed import restrictions despite the approaching Yala harvesting season. more..

Jul 8 (AD) A female Land Registrar has been arrested by the CID over her alleged involvement in a large-scale racket of aiding organised criminals by forging documents and unlawfully transferring ownership of properties. The arrest was made yesterday following an extensive investigation conducted by the FCID. Investigation revealed that the suspect, who was attached to a Land Registry Office in Colombo, had allegedly provided second copies of extracts and deeds of properties more..

Jul 8 (NW) The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has raised concern over the violent incidents at Negombo Prison between July 5 and 7, which left 27 dead, including seven prison officers, and more than 100 injured. In a strongly worded statement issued today (08), the BASL condemned all acts of violence within detention facilities, warning that such incidents undermine the Rule of Law, erode public confidence in justice, and endanger both inmates and prison staff. Highlighting reports of unrest more..

Jul 8 (FT) Sri Lanka has incurred an estimated foreign exchange loss exceeding $100 million as a result of the Govt's delay of more than one year in deciding the fate of approximately 50,000 metric tons of imported salt. The consignments comprise approximately 42,000 metric tons imported in 1,500 containers and a further 10,000 metric tons imported as bulk cargo. The prolonged delay has resulted in substantial economic losses, including the locking up of scarce foreign exchange, more..

Jul 8 (FT) SL’s private sector is facing a structural labour shortage. This is no longer a temporary disruption caused by the pandemic or the economic crisis. It is a long-term constraint driven by declining labour force participation, large-scale outward migration, demographic shifts, and outdated labour market intelligence. Across agriculture, construction, manufacturing, logistics, and services, businesses are struggling to fill vacancies. Recruitment cycles are longer, wage pressures are intensifying, more..

Jul 8 (TM) Minister Harshana Nanayakkara yesterday alleged that the deadly violence at Negombo prison was an organised attempt by criminal elements to cripple the prison's security systems and protect an illegal drug network operating inside the facility, as the Govt announced sweeping reforms to address long-standing weaknesses in the prison system. His remarks came after 27 people, including prison officers more..

Jul 8 (AD) A new prison is set to be established in the Mahamodara area of Galle, according to an Extraordinary Gazette notification issued by the Minister of Justice and National Integration, Harshana Nanayakkara. The gazette notification was issued under the powers granted to the Minister by Section 2 of the Prisons Ordinance (Chapter 54). According to the notification, the facility will be established as the Mahamodara Prison, with its jurisdiction covering the entire country. more..

Jul 8 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on Tuesday said the recent deadly unrest at Negombo Prison demonstrated the Government’s failure to ensure national security, questioning how it could protect the public if it could not guarantee security within prisons. Speaking during the adjournment debate in Parliament on the Negombo Prison incident, Sajith said the Govt bore full responsibility for the deaths and injuries sustained during the violence.. more..

Jul 8 (TM) 27 people, including seven Prison officers, have died in the worst violence to hit the Negombo Prison in recent years after a second wave of clashes erupted inside the facility on Monday, prompting multiple investigations, a Cabinet-appointed inquiry, and the transfer of hundreds of inmates to prisons across the country. Although authorities said the unrest had been brought under control by yesterday more..

Jul 8 (DN) Experienced Lankan National women’s cricketer Nilakshika Silva is among the ICC women’s T-20 World Cup team of the tournament. ICC has been named a 12-member team and Nilakshika is the only SL player with other top players who performed well in the recently concluded T-20 World Cup. Nilakshika is named for number six batter of this team. She is the most consistent batter of SL team in this T-20 WC having won two Player of the Match awards against NZ & Scotland. more..

Jul 8 (TM) The Govt removed the fuel restrictions previously imposed on Ministers, MPs and other public officials as part of measures to curb public expenditure during the energy crisis. According to reports, the Secretary to the Finance Ministry has issued a circular informing all Secretaries of Ministries, Provincial Chief Secretaries, Heads of Commissions, Govt Departments, District Secretariats, State Corporations and statutory Boards of the decision. more..

Jul 8 (DM) Acting Commissioner General of Prisons Prasad Hemantha Kumara has defended the actions of an officer seen opening fire through a gate during the recent unrest at Negombo Prison, saying the officer acted to prevent a catastrophic prison breach and protect prison officers trapped inside. Addressing widely circulated social media footage of the incident, Acting Prisons Chief said the video showed only a small part of the confrontation and failed to capture the critical situation unfolding more..

Jul 8 (NW) Construction of Sri Lanka’s first public heated swimming pool began in Bandarawela on Tuesday (07), with the government saying the facility is aimed at improving access to modern training infrastructure for athletes from rural areas. The foundation stone for the project was laid at the Uva Provincial Sports Complex. The facility is being developed under the direct supervision of the Department of Sports Development at an estimated cost of Rs. 144,191,250. more..

Jul 8 (TM) Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry acknowledged yesterday that it did not carry out a direct assessment to determine whether the economic benefits that SL receives from mineral extraction and imports outweigh the related environmental, social, and economic impact and resource depletion costs before drafting this year’s National Mineral Policy. Subject Minister Sunil Handunnetti also said more..

Jul 8 (DM) The Sri Lanka Navy has continued its support for the national dengue prevention campaign for the third consecutive day, joining efforts to strengthen the Towards a Dengue-Free Colombo initiative. More than 50 naval personnel attached to the Western Naval Command took part in the campaign today alongside Medical Officers of Health, Public Health Inspectors, Divisional Secretariat officials and members of the International Committee of the Red Cross. more..

Jul 8 (NW) A man has been arrested by the CIABOC over an alleged fraud involving the illegal registration of two vehicles that were imported into Sri Lanka without customs clearance. The suspect is accused of assisting in the fraudulent registration of the two vehicles by allegedly working with officials at the Department of Motor Traffic to enter the vehicles into the department’s computer system. Investigators allege the vehicles had been imported without paying customs duties more..

Jul 8 (Island) A capacity-building programme for 30 officials from the National Audit Office (NAO) of SL was held at the International Centre for Information Systems and Audit (iCISA), Noida, India from 22 June to 03 July 2026. Text of the Indian HC statement: ”The programme was conducted at iCISA, a premier institution established in March 2002 and recognized as a Global Training Facility of the Int'l Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) Working Group on IT Audit. more..

Jul 8 (Island) Book lovers in Sri Lanka are preparing to write a new chapter in its cultural history with the launch of the country’s first-ever Colombo Literary Festival, an ambitious six-day celebration of books, ideas, history, cinema and creative dialogue that organisers believe will, eventually, stand alongside some of the world’s most respected literary festivals. From July 24 to 29, the historic Arcade Independence Square will transform into a vibrant meeting place for readers, more..

Jul 8 (NW) UN Resident Coordinator in SL has expressed profound sorrow over the deadly violence at Negombo Prison, calling for renewed investment in the country’s prison system and welcoming the appointment of an independent committee to investigate the incident. In a statement, the UN said it was deeply saddened by the violence that claimed the lives of at least 27 people and left more than 100 others injured. more..

Jul 8 (FT) TAL Lanka Hotels, the owner and operator of the iconic Taj Samudra Hotel, has announced plans to raise Rs. 1.87 billion through a Rights issue to strengthen its balance sheet, repay borrowings and fund refurbishment work at its Colombo hotel. The company’s Board of Directors resolved yesterday to issue 66,836,785 ordinary voting shares through the Rights issue, offering 42 new shares for every 108 existing shares held by shareholders. more..

Jul 8 (FT) John Keells CG Auto (JKCG Auto), the authorised distributor of BYD and DENZA, recently welcomed BYD Vice President Liu Xueliang to SL as part of an official visit reviewing the remarkable growth of both brands across sales and aftersales. The visit reflects the company’s long-term confidence in SL’s transition towards new energy mobility and its place within that broader global momentum. Liu said, “SL holds a strategic place in BYD’s regional outlook for South Asia. more..

Jul 8 (FT) SL is moving to bring cryptocurrency-related businesses within its anti-money laundering regime for the first time, with the Central Bank confirming that legislation now before Parliament is intended as an initial step towards regulating virtual asset service providers (VASPs) before the country’s next international anti-money laundering assessment. Appearing before the CoPF, Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) officials said more..

Jul 8 (Island) Sri Lanka must urgently strengthen policy consistency, accelerate investment reforms and fully leverage Colombo Port City as a global financial and services hub if it is to emerge as South Asia’s premier destination for foreign direct investment (FDI), business leaders and policymakers said at a high-level Public Relations Association of SL (PRASL) forum on Monday. The discussion, themed Taking Sri Lanka to the World, followed an address by more..

Jul 8 (CI) After 1408 runs and 28 wickets, and even some rain delays over five days, the result that had long been telegraphed finally came to pass as Sri Lanka and West Indies played out a draw in the second and final Test in North Sound. The stalemate means it was a first Test series victory in 11 attempts for West Indies, their last coming in 2023 and for their last home Test series win you would have to go back to June 2022. And it was perhaps the significance - and rarity - of this achievement more..

Jul 8 (Island) Prison riots in Negombo have claimed 27 lives including those of seven officers and left more than 100 others injured. It is believed that a clash between a group of drug peddlers among inmates and those who opposed their illegal operations led to the deadly mayhem. A committee has been appointed to probe the violence. The drug Mafia has flexed its muscles again. The government has embarked on an ambitious campaign to rid the country of narcotics, and rightly so. more..

Jul 8 (ST) International competitive bids have been called to sell heavy mineral sands, including upgraded ilmenite extracted by processing beach mineral sands. The chairman of the Standing High-Level Procurement Committee, on behalf of Lanka Mineral Sands Limited in Pulmoddai, called for international bids to sell upgraded ilmenite, grades A and B ilmenite and zircon, rutile, hiTi ilmenite and crude rutile. Steps are taken to receive the bids online on customised order quantity more..

Jul 8 (ST) Parliament and universities may have different roles but share a common purpose – building a stronger nation, Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne said. He was addressing educationists who gathered at the University of Peradeniya Senate Room for the Excellence Awards to 22 men of letters who have served the university over the years. He said parliament makes laws and represents the people, while universities more..

Jul 8 (Island) Education is widely recognised as the foundation of a country’s development. In SL, free education has provided generations of children with the opportunity to attend school regardless of their economic background. Despite these advantages, many students still leave school before completing their education. School dropout is a significant social issue because it affects not only the lives of young people but also the country’s economic and social progress. more..

Jul 8 (DM) Former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Ranel T. Wijesinha sharply criticised the banking sector, the accounting profession, and corporate entities for their collective failure to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in accessing the capital market. Speaking at the official launch of the SME Creditworthiness Rating Framework, Dr. Wijesinha expressed deep disappointment over the systemic reluctance to empower SL’s most vital economic sector. more..

Jul 8 (TM) If you are familiar with international news, you may have noticed that there is a huge debate going on about data centres. This is not a small or imaginary issue. It is a real global conversation, especially because of the sudden rise of artificial intelligence (AI). Every time we use cloud storage, stream a movie, send an electronic mail, scroll through social media, search on Google, or ask an AI tool a question, that information is processed somewhere. more..

Jul 8 (TM) The distressing events unfolding at the Negombo Prison over the last forty-eight hours have shocked the Nation. What began as an isolated clash on Sunday afternoon escalated into a major security crisis, drawing in the Police Special Task Force and leaving a trail of severe casualties. While the immediate focus of the Govt remains pinned on restoring complete order and containing active volatile areas, the public must look beyond the immediate chaos. more..