Category: Other
Cabinet Approves US$ 100 Mn World Bank Facility for Northern and Eastern Development
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal submitted by the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, to enter into financial agreements with the World Bank Group’s International Development Association to obtain a US$ 100 million loan facility. This allocation forms part of a broader US$ 1,000 million […]
Sri Lanka Business Delegation to India: Strengthens Bilateral Trade and Opens New Opportunities for Gem & Jewellery Sector
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), with the support of the Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi and the Sri Lanka Consulate in Mumbai, is organizing a Sri Lankan Business Delegation to India from 8th to 13th August 2026, with a focus on strengthening bilateral trade and investment relations and expanding opportunities for […]
Ambassador Saman Chandrasiri Presents Credentials to the President of the State of Israel
The newly appointed Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the State of Israel, Saman Chandrasiri, presented his Letter of Credence to H.E. Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel, on 3 August 2026 at Beit HaNassi, the President’s Residence in Jerusalem. President Herzog warmly welcomed Ambassador Chandrasiri and wished him success in his assignment in […]
Government Expedites House Arrest Legislation to Address Prison Overcrowding
At its meeting on August 3, 2026, the Cabinet approved a proposal submitted by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to instruct the Legal Draftsman to promptly finalize a draft bill introducing house arrest as an alternative to remand and imprisonment. The initiative follows a comprehensive review of earlier drafts—initially sanctioned under a June […]
Cabinet Approves Gazetting and Submission to Parliament of Key Judicial Reform Bills
Following initial Cabinet approval on July 27, 2026, approval has been granted to publish the Twenty-second Constitutional Amendment Bill and the Judiciary (Amendment) Bill in the Government Gazette and subsequently submit them to Parliament. Drafted by the Legal Draftsman and granted constitutional clearance by the Attorney General, the proposed legislation submitted by the Minister of […]
US Effective Tariff Rate Falls to 7.4% on Latest Tariffs and Changing Trade Flows: Fitch Ratings
The U.S. effective tariff rate (ETR) has declined to 7.4% from 9.4% after the U.S. replaced the temporary Section 122 surcharge with new Section 301 tariffs on imports from 60 economies, including the EU. The revised estimate also reflects Fitch Ratings’ use of annualized January-May 2026 trade flows instead of the 2024 import data used […]
BASL Unanimously Passes Resolution Against Proposed Judges’ Retirement Age Amendment
A Special General Meeting of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) today unanimously passed a resolution strongly opposing proposed constitutional and statutory amendments to increase the retirement age of judges. The resolution follows the Cabinet of Ministers’ conditional approval on July 27, 2026, of a proposal submitted by the Minister of Justice and National […]
Cabinet Approves Move to Raise Judges’ Retirement Age as Part of Judicial Reform Package
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to raise the statutory retirement age of judges, as part of a broader package of draft amendments to the Constitution and the Judicature Act No. 2 of 1978. The decision was made at the Cabinet meeting held on July 27, 2026, and remains subject to final approval […]
US military preventive medicine expertise to strengthen Sri Lanka’s dengue prevention capabilities
As Sri Lanka responds to a significant nationwide dengue outbreak, the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka has launched a Public Health Pest Control and Vector-Borne Disease Response program in partnership with the Sri Lanka Ministry of Health and National Dengue Control Unit to strengthen the country’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to dengue. Funded through the […]
Commercial Bank MD/CEO Sanath Manatunge appointed Chairman of EFC
Sanath Manatunge, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Commercial Bank of Ceylon has been appointed Chairman of the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC), one of the country’s most influential apex business bodies representing the interests of employers across a wide spectrum of industries. The Bank said Mr Manatunge’s appointment is a significant recognition of his […]
Government Moves to Establish a Fair and Transparent Presidential Pardon System
The Ministry of Justice and National Integration has received a committee report recommending a more systematic, fair and transparent mechanism for granting presidential pardons to sentenced prison inmates, marking a key step in the government’s wider prison reform agenda. The report was formally handed over on Thursday (July 10) by retired Supreme Court Judge S. […]
Negombo Prison Temporarily Closed Following Emergency; Mahamodara and Old Bogambara Re-opened
Following an emergency incident on July 5 and 6, 2026, that left Negombo Prison severely damaged, the Ministry of Justice and National Integration has declared the site a crime scene and ordered its temporary closure. To facilitate ongoing investigations and subsequent renovations, inmates have been transferred to other facilities. To manage the resulting population shift […]