Jul 26 (Island) That warfare is a continuation of politics by other means has been an overused quote in Sri Lanka. In the present context, we might modify it to say that lawfare is also an extension of politics but by mostly the same means. The context for the current lawfare episode has been set up by the Writ Application filed by Retired Major General Suresh Sallay before the Court of Appeal, challenging his arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). more..

Jul 26 (SO) India hosted Bharat Tex 2026, a global textile expo from July 14-17. It showcased India’s rich textile heritage, modern innovations and to set the stage for global textile leadership. As the world’s youngest and largest global textile show, it emerged as a platform for forging partnerships and driving economic growth. On the invitation of the Govt of India, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Sunil Handunneththi visited New Delhi from July 15–16 to attend Bharat Tex 2026. more..

Jul 26 (TM) Policy decisions taken to curb the excessive outflow of foreign exchange through the financing of vehicle imports have proved effective. The Govt had introduced a 50% Customs Import Duty (CID) surcharge on vehicle imports, while the Central Bank of SL had taken steps to limit Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratios for motor vehicles in a bid to discourage the unnecessary outflow of foreign currency. more..

Jul 26 (Island) Youth-led protests are spreading across India. Cockroaches have emerged far too strong to be crushed under hobnailed boots. What began as a satirical cockroach hashtag campaign, following a judge’s disparaging remark about the Indian youth, has meteorically morphed into a youth-led mass protest movement. Young Indians, led by the online political initiative, Cockroach Janatha Party, have taken to the streets in defiance of the mighty BJP-led govt. more..

Jul 26 (SO) SL exporters welcomed the decision by the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday to reduce the proposed additional tariff on imports from Sri Lanka to 10% from the previously proposed 12.5%. They said the authorities must remain vigilant in addressing rising uncertainties in global trade through prudent bilateral relationships. “This tariff relief is a major relief for SL exporters, particularly the apparel sector, which relies heavily on US market,” Secretary General of JAAF, more..

Jul 26 (TM) There are times when the greatest test of political power is not whether a govt can force something through Parliament, but whether it has the wisdom to recognise when it should not. SL may soon be approaching such a decisive moment. NPP Govt’s proposal to increase the retirement age of judges of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal has unleashed a political and institutional storm that should concern every citizen who cares about the future of this yet-democratic Republic. more..

Jul 26 (ST) My dear Anura sahodaraya, I am writing to you after hearing that a recent survey among citizens in Paradise has found that your popularity is sky high and that around three fourths of people still have confidence in you. After being in office for two months shy of two years, that must surely make you proud and very happy. On the contrary, less than a third of people are happy with the way Sajith is doing his job, leading the opposition. Those who did the survey didn’t ask about Namal baby. more..

Jul 26 (ST) During public events and official engagements, the Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha never missed a chance to highlight the cultural and religious ties, particularly Buddhism, between the two countries. On Friday, addressing a Colombo symposium, which focused on Strengthening Pali Language Studies in SL: A Strategic Roadmap for Revival and Global Engagement, HC struck a personal chord too. more..

Jul 26 (ST) Sri Lanka’s grand constitutional experiment in the form of a Constitutional Council (CC) and independent commissions, meant to fetter the exercise of executive power, is running into serious headwinds, it seems. This newspaper reported last week that the CC has been compelled to re-advertise for the positions of chair and members of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) due to it being unable to select from the few applicants who had shown interest. more..

Jul 26 (SO) Sri Lankan politicians, their friends and families got used to easy money for decades. From 1977, successive Govts expanded an informal economy built around access to Ministers, Police officers, State corporations and public contracts. Politicians, their relatives, and friends learnt that they could convert a telephone call, or an introduction into cash. It would be false to claim that the economy of access disappeared completely after the NPP came to office in Sept 2024. more..

Jul 26 (TM) Just as Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his JVP-led NPP Govt seek to persuade voters that SL has turned the corner on its economic crisis, fresh warning signs are beginning to emerge. Inflation has resumed its upward march for a second consecutive month, raising uncomfortable questions about whether the hard-won stability of the past two years can withstand a new wave of external shocks. more..

Jul 26 (CT) No-Confidence Motion moved against the Minister of Justice was on Friday defeated by a strong 152 votes against and 36 for, raising concerns for the Opposition about the challenge that lay ahead in attempting to move any steps against the NPP Govt in the House. It was a very powerful Govt that joined the debate on the motion brought in by the Opposition as a response to the tragic death of 30 inmates and jailors and 100 injured following a clash between rival gangs more..

Jul 26 (SO) When all else fails, justice or the Court system is often the last recourse. But those who expect swift verdicts are often disappointed, because justice is usually inordinately delayed. As the saying goes, Justice Delayed is Justice Denied. This issue is back in focus as the Govt has proposed to raise the retirement age of Justices of the Supreme Court (SC) and the Court of Appeal (CA). According to Govt sources, this move is aimed at retaining senior Judges’ knowledge more..

Jul 25 (FT) Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said it welcomed the positive development in the reduction of the labour-related tariff imposed on Sri Lankan exports to the US, from 12.5% to 10%. Chamber said this was possible following sustained engagement between SL authorities and their counterparts in the US. It said: This outcome is an encouraging step forward for SL’s export sector and reflects the value of more..

Jul 25 (NW) Bar Association of SL (BASL) has strongly rejected allegations made in Parliament by NPP MP Asitha Niroshana regarding BASL President Rajeev Amarasuriya, describing them as utterly false, baseless and made with malicious intent. Colombo District MP alleged that Amarasuriya had held discussions with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa last Thursday. Niroshana further alleged that Premadasa had offered Amarasuriya the Chief Ministerial candidacy for Western Province more..

Jul 25 (Island) Sri Lanka produces only about 43% of its daily milk requirement locally, according to data, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Namal Karunaratne told Parliament yesterday (24). He said the Govt had allocated Rs. 1 billion in this year’s Budget to increase annual milk production, from the current 410 million litres to 1.2 billion litres, as part of efforts to reduce dependence on imported milk products. A further Rs. 1 billion had been allocated for the development of Nikaweratiya Farm, more..

Jul 25 (DN) Minister Ananda Wijepala said that the deadly Negombo Prison is a result of a direct counter-reaction or conspiracy engineered by underworld cartels against the state’s aggressive anti-drug and anti-crime crackdown. He noted that the administration will not back away from its anti-drug campaign despite opposition criticism, emphasising that political patronage for drug trade has been dismantled. more..

Jul 25 (ST) The Sakwala Maha Pahan Kuduwa, displayed for the 2026 Poson festival at Nawaloka Junction in Galkanda, Minuwangoda, has set a world record as the world’s largest lantern. Following a comprehensive process involving measurement, technical evaluation, documentation and independent verification, the Serendib World Records Institute officially recognised it as the World’s Largest Lantern. The certificate and trophy relating to the record were presented by more..

Jul 25 (FT) Indian tourists have helped SL’s tourism industry regain momentum in July, narrowing the year-on-year (YoY) decline in arrivals and pushing cumulative visitor numbers beyond 1.28 million despite continuing disruptions to key Middle Eastern aviation routes. The latest data showed that 138,730 tourists arrived during the first 22 days of July, representing only a 0.4% YoY decline, a marked improvement from earlier in the month as the pace of arrivals gathered momentum. more..

Jul 25 (NW) Six years ago, bearing the trust and expectations of General Secretary Xi Jinping, carrying with me the profound friendship of the Chinese people, and shouldering the noble mission of elevating China-SL relations to a new height, I arrived in SL—the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. This vibrant land, with its beautiful natural scenery, rich historical and cultural heritage, and warm and kind-hearted people, has left a deep impression on my wife, Jin Qian, and me. more..

Jul 25 (Island) Fort Magistrate’s Court yesterday issued a warrant for the arrest of Jaffna District MP Ramanathan Archchuna after he failed to appear before court in connection with a pending case. Court officials said the MP and his bail sureties were absent when the matter was taken up, prompting the Magistrate to issue the warrant. The case relates to an alleged incident in which Archchuna is accused of obstructing the duties of Fort Police officers while they were performing their duties. more..

Jul 25 (NW) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed the relevant authorities to formulate a programme to allocate underutilised land, together with the necessary project support services, to SL migrant workers returning home upon the completion of their overseas employment. Prez issued these instructions during a discussion held toayd (24) at the Presidential Secretariat to review the progress of projects implemented under more..

Jul 25 (AD) The Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters' Association (SLRSMA) says steps have been taken to resume train operations on the Talaimannar railway line, which had remained closed for several months, on the instructions of the Minister without restoring the railway signalling system. Chairman of the Association, Sumedha Somaratne, stated that operating trains without ensuring the proper functioning of the signalling system is unsafe and cannot be condoned. more..

Jul 25 (DN) Sahan Arachchige struck a fighting 63 off 36 balls, while Eshan Malinga and Tharindu Ratnayake claimed three wickets apiece as Galle Gallants recorded an emphatic 60-run victory over defending champions Jaffna Kings in their LPL match played at Galle on Thursday. It was Galle’s second victory over Jaffna in this year’s tournament, having also beaten them by 36 runs at the SSC Grounds last week. The victory lifted Galle Gallants to the top of the points table more..

Jul 25 (FT) Sashi Perera, one of Australia’s fastest-rising comedy voices, recognised for her sharp observations on culture, identity, family and belonging, will perform today and tomorrow in Colombo, to enthrall Sri Lankans. Born in Colombo and now based in Melbourne, Sashi brings a distinctly SL perspective to international audiences. Formerly a refugee lawyer, she has since amassed over 60 million online views through her comedy. Her Pear Tree explores a series of pear-shaped more..

Jul 25 (FT) The Colombo stock market failed to sustain a two-session gain to end the week in red. During the week, the ASPI fell 1.09% or 232.67 points and the active S&P SL20 was down 0.95% or 57.12 points despite a brief recovery on Wednesday and Thursday. With 139 counters closing in red against 76 in green yesterday, the ASPI ended down 0.13% or 26.63 points at 21,172.74 and the S&P SL20 was down 0.06% or 3.31 points at 5,942.56. The contributors to the ASPI decline were more..

Jul 25 (FT) Sri Lanka secured a lower United States tariff rate on its exports after the Govt moved quickly to prohibit imports produced using forced labour, even as Washington introduced a new tariff regime following legal setbacks to Prez Donald Trump’s earlier trade measures. Private sector trade chambers including CCC, JAAF and Exporters’ Association of SL praised the Govt for its decisive and prompt action that ensured SL exports to more..

Jul 25 (FT) Dialog Axiata PLC has announced that customers can now make secure and convenient digital payments using Dialog Pay at all Keells supermarkets nationwide. As one of SL’s leading supermarket chains with 150 stores across the island, Keells becomes one of the first major retail partners in the Dialog Pay merchant ecosystem, enabling customers to enjoy a seamless scan-and-pay experience while earning complimentary Dialog data rewards on eligible transactions. more..

Jul 25 (FT) Rotary International Vice President Muruganandam M. widely known as MMM serving under President-elect Olayinka Hakeem Babalola, visited Sri Lanka this week. He was welcomed by Past Rotary International President K. R Ravindran, Past Rotary Governor Delvin Pereira, Aviation Authority Head Aruna Rajapakse, Rotary Governor Nominee Ajith Jayawardena and Rotary Institute SL PR Head Dr. Rohantha Athukorala to discuss the landmark Rotary Institute to be staged in SL more..

Jul 25 (Island) SL’s dengue outbreak has continued to worsen, with the number of infections reported this year surpassing 80,000, according to official surveillance data. The country recorded 80,114 dengue cases as of midnight on July 23, while health authorities reported 59 dengue-related deaths, resulting in a case fatality rate of 0.07%. The National Dengue Control Unit said that by Week 29, a total of 175 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) more..

Jul 25 (NW) SL Customs has arrested a 79-year-old Spanish national after detecting nearly 2.2 kg of cocaine concealed in his delayed baggage at the BIA. The suspect, an agricultural engineer, arrived in SL from Sierra Leone on July 22, travelling via Addis Ababa and Doha on Qatar Airways. His hand luggage was initially inspected, but nothing suspicious was found. As his checked baggage had not arrived on the same flight, he was allowed to leave the airport after completing more..

Jul 25 (EN) Sri Lanka is advancing plans to restructure the governance of its superannuation funds by studying international models to introduce a tripartite management structure, though officials emphasized that Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF) will remain distinct financial entities. Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe stressed that any administrative integration will not merge the core financial pools of the two social security mechanisms. more..