Jul 12 (ST) Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) former administration spent millions of rupees intended for the game’s development on legal fees and related disbursements, amounting to more than Rs. 681mn in just three years. Fees of Rs. 681,171,261.89 were disbursed between 2023 and 2025, payment vouchers seen by The Sunday Times reveal. The 7-year Shammi Silva administration was forced out by the current political leadership more..

Jul 12 (EN) Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) will start buying Yala season paddy on July 13, at 120 rupees a kilo for Nadu, 130 rupees a kilo for Samba, and 140 rupees a kilo for Keeri Samba, PMB Chairman Manjula Pinnalanda said. State purchasing will start in the Ampara and Ruhuna regions, as well as parts of the Mullaitivu and Trincomalee Districts in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, where harvesting has already begun. Operations in other areas are scheduled to start on July 20. more..

Jul 12 (EN) A 31-member business delegation led by India’s top export promotion body, Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), visited SL this week, aiming to explore new opportunities for enhancing bilateral trade and business partnerships between the two countries. The delegation, which was in SL from July 8-10, included representatives from diverse sectors such as pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, apparel and textiles, food and agricultural products, and infrastructure. more..

Jul 12 (EN) Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves fell 6.2% to US$ 6,450 million by end June 2026, from 6,873 million dollars a month earlier amid central bank purchasing US$ 70.5 million on a net basis in the last month. CB has been aggressively buying dollars to boost the reserves last year, but it was not able to purchase as much as it wants amid dollar sales in May with sharp depreciation of the rupee currency. The CB has net bought US$ 556.4 million in more..

Jul 12 (Island) Bar Association of SL (BASL) has been urging Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake to take action to fill four vacancies each in the Supreme Court (SC) and the Court of Appeal (SC), but in vain. It has renewed its call, in a letter to the Prez, who however remains impervious to public opinion and fervent calls for filling the judicial vacancies. BASL has warned that the prolonged delay in filling them could undermine the administration of justice more..

Jul 12 (CT) The tragedy at the Negombo Prison last week sent shock waves across the citizenry of the unprecedented nature of the violence that was witnessed, and many related issues that demand change within the prison system. The gang rivalry between two groups within the prison premises on 5 July reached to an incident of a violent riot which claimed the lives of 28 prison inmates and jailors and left at least 100 injured; some still in more..

Jul 12 (TM) No revenue shortfall is expected from the reversal of the earlier decision to reduce the mandatory Value-Added Tax (VAT) registration threshold from Rs. 60 million to Rs. 36 million, according to the Government. Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security R.M. Jayawardana said that the original decision to propose the reduction of the mandatory VAT threshold to Rs. 36 million from Rs. 60 million had been intended to increase the VAT base. more..

Jul 12 (CT) The killing of 28 persons, both inmates and prison officials of the Negombo prison, in a violent riot reportedly between two rival gangs within the prison, and leaving a further 100 injured leaves a serious threat to the country’s prison system. The incident, which also saw some inmates having access to arms from the prison armoury, is now being examined under three different investigation bodies, including the CID, and a Special Three-member Presidential Committee headed by more..

Jul 12 (ST) My dear Harshana, I thought of writing to you even though you must be a very busy man right now. It must also be a time when it feels like all around you are losing their heads and blaming it on you. I am referring, of course, to last week’s tragic events at the Negombo prison that cost at least 27 lives. There are many stories about what really happened and what went wrong, so many opinions about the officer who shot through a hole in the door and more arguments about who is to blame. more..

Jul 12 (Island) The riots that broke out in the Negombo prison over two days (July 5th & 6th) are a worrying measure of the challenge the NPP govt faces in fighting organized crime and its paymasters in drug business. Political fallout has been predictable. On behalf of the govt, Minister Harshana Nanayakkara has taken responsibility, visited the Negombo jailhouse, met withceration of their political rivals. more..

Jul 12 (ST) A recent documentary has shed new light on the assassination of Dr Neelan Tiruchelvam. Titled NEELAN: UNSILENCED, it resurrects the voice and vision of Dr Neelan Tiruchelvam, the distinguished Sri Lankan Tamil academic, constitutional lawyer, and politician whose life was tragically cut short by a suicide bombing carried out by the LTTE on July 29, 1999. Erik Solheim, the Norwegian diplomat who was the main more..

Jul 12 (Island) The riots that broke out in the Negombo prison over two days (July 5th & 6th) are a worrying measure of the challenge the NPP govt faces in fighting organized crime and its paymasters in drug business. Political fallout has been predictable. On behalf of the govt, Minister Harshana Nanayakkara has taken responsibility, visited the Negombo jailhouse, met with officials a number of times, and has made a comprehensive statement before parliament within two days of the riots. more..

Jul 12 (ST) In recent years, the agenda for high-level diplomatic exchanges between Sri Lanka and its external partners, near or far, invariably included a reference to the Free and Open Indo-Pacific. One would, of course, never find the Indo-Pacific on any map – that is because it was never a real geographical location; rather, at its core, it was a securitised grand strategy by the US for containing and balancing the hegemonic rise of China in Asia and the world. more..

Jul 12 (TM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his JVP-led NPP Govt find themselves navigating an increasingly complex political landscape as they seek to balance governance, economic recovery, and institutional reform. While the administration continues to project confidence in its reform agenda, the past week was marked by a series of developments that tested the Govt on multiple fronts, from the deadly violence more..

Jul 12 (TM) When Minister Harshana Nanayakkara visited the homes of Prisons officers killed in the Negombo Prison violence, the expectation was probably one of mourning, solidarity, and reassurance. Instead, what unfolded was something far more significant. It was not the carefully managed political engagement that govts often seek after a national tragedy; it became a raw and emotional indictment from the very people who had stood on the frontlines on that bloody Monday (6). more..

Jul 12 (SO) The images from the recent Negombo Prison riot will remain difficult to erase for many years to come. The violence, the loss of life and the fear experienced by prison officials and inmates alike have once again forced Sri Lanka to confront an uncomfortable reality hidden behind prison walls. The easiest and most common response is anger. The deaths of eight prison officials at the hands of inmates have created uproar on social media platforms. Many seemed to be of the opinion more..

Jul 10 (DM) The Education and Higher Education Ministry, together with the Health Ministry, should immediately close all govt, semi-govt and private schools, universities and vocational training institutions located in high-risk dengue zones for at least two weeks to curb the spread of the disease, Doctors' Trade Union Alliance for Medical and Civil Rights Chairman Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa said. He said the temporary closure should apply to institutions in areas reporting more..

Jul 10 (DM) Health Ministry has launched a mobile blood testing programme in Colombo and Gampaha districts to detect sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV, Hepatitis B and other infections. The initiative is being implemented by the National STD and AIDS Control Programme through specialised mobile clinics that provide blood testing services within communities. The tests are carried out on a voluntary basis while ensuring the privacy and confidentiality more..

Jul 10 (FT) Colombo Port City Economic Commission will shortly invite proposals for an international university, hospital, and school, as it shifts its focus from developing real estate to building the institutional foundations needed to attract multinational companies and skilled professionals. Commission Chairman Harsha Amarasekera said the three projects were integral to the next stage of Port City’s development, more..

Jul 10 (NW) Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL) has launched an investigation into the recent violence at the Negombo Prison and subsequent incidents at other prisons, focusing on the circumstances that led to the clashes, the deaths and injuries of inmates and prison officers, and allegations of torture and ill-treatment. HRCSL said its investigation will also examine the deaths of two inmates who were transferred from the Negombo Prison to other prison facilities while more..

Jul 10 (PMD) Prez Anura Dissanayake stated that the Govt plans to allocate a separate contingency fund for every district under the forthcoming Budget, enabling District Secretaries to carry out urgent repairs to bridges, roads and public buildings identified at District Coordination Committee meetings without having to wait for approval from the Central Govt. Prez also emphasised that the Govt’s foremost priority is to address the basic needs of the people without delay. more..

Jul 10 (DM) SL's second-largest water supply project, which will provide safe drinking water to around 67,000 families in the Anuradhapura District, commenced today under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The second phase of the A'pura North Water Supply Project is being implemented by the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply and National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) more..

Jul 10 (NW) Civil Aviation Authority of SL (CAASL) today officially commissioned a solar photovoltaic (PV) system that will meet nearly 70% of the authority’s electricity requirements through renewable energy. The project was inaugurated by Minister Anura Karunatilaka at the invitation of CAASL Director General Daminda Rambukwella. According to the authority, surplus electricity generated by the system will be supplied to the national grid, contributing to the country’s more..

Jul 10 (ST) The number of cases of extortion from women increased dramatically this year, compared with the previous three years, according to a breakdown of cybercrime complaint figures tabled in Parliament by Minister Ananda Wijepala. Mr Wijepala was responding to a question by legislator Mayilvaganam Jegatheeswaran on behalf of legislator Rajeevan Jeyachandramoorthy. The MP had asked the minister for the breakdown of cybercrime complaints relating to women more..

Jul 10 (NW) Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) has warned that university lecturers may withdraw from evaluating answer scripts of the upcoming G.C.E. A/L Exam if the govt fails to address grievances arising from the newly issued Grade One admission circular. FUTA President Professor Prageeth Weerathunga said the circular has created serious injustice for the children of university lecturers, despite repeated discussions with authorities over the past year and a half. more..

Jul 10 (NW) Minister Bimal Rathnayake told Parliament that the govt is preparing to introduce metro buses to Kandy as part of a broader package of transport sector improvements. Rathnayake noted that the ongoing expansion of the Central Expressway will extend to Galagedera, with plans to eventually connect the route to Gannoruwa. “The expansion ends at Galagedera with an expectation to commence Gannoruwa,” he said, outlining the long‑term vision for the corridor. more..

Jul 10 (ST) Dengue cases have increased sharply over the past few months—despite ongoing prevention and control programmes—due to a combination of systemic shortcomings and public behaviour. “We have found mosquito larvae even in the homes of dengue patients. Urban areas are now similar to what we experienced during the COVID-19 period. Even after a patient returns home from the hospital, mosquitoes that bite the infected more..

Jul 10 (NW) The Committee on Public Finance (COPF) today released its final report into the USD 2.5 million cyber fraud linked to SL’s foreign debt repayments to Australia, highlighting widespread governance, procedural and operational failures and recommending sweeping reforms. Key findings from the report: USD 2.5 million stolen – The report concludes that a cybercrime-linked fraud resulted in the loss of USD 2.5 million in public funds during foreign debt repayments to Australia. more..

Jul 10 (Island) Communist Party of SL (CPSL) has blamed what it describes as a systemic collapse of the country’s prison administration and the govt’s adherence to IMF-backed austerity measures for the recent violence at Negombo Prison, calling for an independent investigation and sweeping reforms to the correctional system. In a statement issued by its General Secretary, Dr. G. Weerasinghe, CPSL extended condolences to the families of those killed during the unrest at Negombo Prison and more..

Jul 10 (DN) Legendary SL singer and musician Mariazelle Goonetilleke has passed away at the age of 68. Goonetilleke, who had been receiving medical treatment for an ongoing illness at the Kalubowila Hospital, passed away this morning. With an illustrious career spanning over six decades since the 1960s, she remained a powerful and energetic force on the SL stage. Having initially stepped into the limelight performing more..

Jul 10 (DM) Amid a worsening dengue outbreak, frontline health workers engaged in dengue control efforts are facing increasing challenges as more Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) themselves contract the disease At least eight PHIs attached to the Colombo District, who have been actively involved in dengue prevention operations, have tested positive for dengue, Public Health Inspectors’ Association said. More than 20 PHIs have potentially been affected by dengue, with several other more..

Jul 10 (NW) PM Harini Amarasuriya told Parliament today (10) that the funds allocated for the Provincial Council elections have not been diverted for disaster relief purposes. Addressing the house, she said that all financial assistance provided by donors for disaster‑affected communities and for the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure has been safely deposited in a special account maintained under the supervision of the Deputy Treasury Secretary. more..