Sri Lanka Police have warned the public against sharing false or unverified information on social media following the circulation of a viral image purportedly showing a dead man on a motorcycle under the Kohuwala bridge.

Police said spreading false information, fabricated content or material capable of inciting violence or public unrest through social media could constitute a punishable offence in Sri Lanka.

The public has been urged to check the original source and verify information through reliable official sources before sharing it.

Police warned that legal action could be taken against individuals who deliberately spread false information with the intention of creating public unrest, including under applicable provisions of the Penal Code and the Computer Crimes Act.

“Do not share anything without verifying the truth,” Police said. (Newswire)

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France has introduced a nationwide ban on unsolicited commercial telemarketing calls, requiring businesses to obtain consumers’ consent before contacting them for sales purposes.

The new rules, which took effect on August 11, 2026, mark a shift from the previous system under which consumers generally had to take steps to opt out of unwanted marketing calls.

Under the new framework, companies must be able to demonstrate that a consumer agreed to receive commercial telephone solicitations before making such calls.

Limited exceptions apply, including certain calls relating to an existing contract between a business and a customer.

The measure is aimed at strengthening consumer protection and reducing unwanted commercial calls and telephone fraud.

Companies that violate the rules could face significant penalties, with fines reaching up to €75,000 for individuals and €375,000 for companies.

The move makes France one of the countries adopting stricter consent requirements for telephone marketing as authorities seek to tackle persistent complaints over unsolicited calls. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam has been arrested by the Central Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) over comments he made regarding an alleged attempt to assassinate the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Kariyawasam had been summoned to appear before the CCIB at 10.30 am on Monday (10) in connection with the remarks.

He had earlier said that his comments concerning the IGP had been misinterpreted.

Kariyawasam was arrested following his appearance before the CCIB. (Newswire)

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Jason Sanjay, the son of actor and politician Vijay, has spoken about his Sri Lankan family roots and his connection to Jaffna.

Speaking during an interview, Jason said his mother is from Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka and grew up there before the family later settled overseas.

“My mom is from Jaffna, so she’s from northern Sri Lanka. She was born there and grew up there, and then they settled abroad,” he said.

Jason said that when he visits Sri Lanka, one of his grandfather’s properties remains an important connection to his family’s past.

He also revealed that Sri Lanka had been considered as a filming location for his project “Sigma,” with the team having visited the country to scout locations. However, the plans did not materialise.

Jason said he hopes to film in the country in the future and showcase Sri Lanka’s beauty. (Newswire)

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Opposition MP Mujibur Rahman told Parliament that a former Sri Lankan Member of Parliament was detained and questioned by UK immigration authorities due to alleged quality issues with New Sri Lankan passports.

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP claimed the passport could not be properly read, prompting British immigration officials to suspect that it was fraudulent.

Rahman also alleged that the number of pages in Sri Lankan passports had been reduced from 64 to 48 without any reduction in the Rs. 6,000 issuance fee. He further claimed that the new passports do not include observation or extension pages and that the print quality is substandard.

He said issues such as immigration stamps bleeding through to the opposite page have resulted in some countries rejecting the passports.

Responding to the allegations, Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala rejected claims that there were quality issues with New Sri Lankan passports.

He said reducing the number of pages was in line with international standards and was a practice adopted by several countries.

The Minister added that court proceedings are continuing over the tender to procure five million passports and said the Government is working to resolve issues related to the introduction of the e-passport system. (Newswire)

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The Board of Investment (BOI) has assured that the jobs of 3,674 employees formerly attached to Hela Clothing (Pvt) Ltd and Foundation Garments (Pvt) Ltd remain secure despite recent winding-up applications involving Hela Apparel Holdings PLC.

In a statement, the BOI said the employees had already been fully absorbed into Emerald Clothing (Pvt) Ltd under a group restructuring exercise completed before the court filings.

According to the BOI, the transfer covered 251 executives, 393 staff members and 3,030 team members, with 2,504 employees transferred on 1 May 2026 and a further 1,170 employees on 1 June 2026.

The BOI said all transferred employees have continued their employment with Emerald Clothing with continuity of service under their existing terms and conditions.

A BOI spokesperson said the agency places the highest priority on protecting workers’ livelihoods and will continue to monitor the transition while engaging with Emerald Clothing to safeguard employee interests.

The clarification comes after Hela Apparel Holdings PLC, Hela Clothing Ltd. and Foundation Garments Ltd. filed applications in the Commercial High Court seeking court-ordered winding up, citing sustained liquidity constraints. The BOI stressed that those proceedings do not affect the employment of the transferred workforce. (Newswire)

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The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued a landslide early warning for several areas in five districts, effective from 9.00 a.m. on August 7 until 9.00 a.m. on August 8.

The warning, issued through the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), identifies areas in Kandy, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura districts as being at risk of landslides.

In Kandy District, Level 1 (Yellow) warnings have been issued for Doluwa, Panvila, Medadumbara, Udapalatha, Ganga Ihala Korale, Ududumbara and Delthota Divisional Secretariat divisions and surrounding areas. Pasbage Korale has been placed under Level 2 (Amber) warning.

In Kegalle District, Level 1 warnings are in place for Dehiowita, Bulathkohupitiya, Yatiyanthota, Deraniyagala and Aranayaka Divisional Secretariat divisions and surrounding areas.

The warning also covers areas in Nuwara Eliya District, including Thalawakele, Kothmale West, Ambagamuwa, Nuwara Eliya, Norwood and Kotmale East Divisional Secretariat divisions, as well as Ratnapura District areas including Ratnapura, Openayake and Imbulpe.

Authorities have advised the public to remain vigilant, particularly those living near mountainous areas, man-made cut slopes and roads within the affected Divisional Secretariat divisions. Special attention has also been requested in areas previously identified as landslide-prone by the NBRO.

The NBRO said the warning levels were issued based on cumulative rainfall received in the respective areas and weather forecasts provided by the Department of Meteorology. (Newswire)

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The Colombo Marathon 2026 was officially launched yesterday under the theme “A Step for Peace and Humanity”, positioning itself as Sri Lanka’s premier international city marathon. 

The event will take place on September 13, 2026, bringing together more than 4,000 local and international participants.

The marathon will feature five race categories: Full Marathon (42.195 km), Half Marathon (21.097 km), 10 km Road Race, 5 km Fun Run, and a Mini Run for children.

Registration has already begun, with race details and updates available at www.colombomarathon.lk. For further information, participants can contact Thushara Perera (077 253 5354) or Jayalal Ratnasooriya (071 812 8900).

The event is organized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka, with Union Assurance as the main sponsor and Elephant House as Powered By partner. Supporting partners include Nations Trust Bank, City of Dreams Sri Lanka, Nestomalt (Energised Partner), DC Group (Creative Partner), IPG Group (Sports Innovation Partner), and Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (Official Media Partner).

The launch ceremony at City of Dreams Sri Lanka was attended by government officials, sponsors, partners, and media. 

Speaking at the launch, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Sunil Kumara Gamage said the marathon marks a milestone in Sri Lanka’s bid to strengthen its presence in the international sports arena. “It will create new opportunities for athletes, encourage youth participation, and introduce Sri Lanka as a destination capable of hosting world‑class sporting events,” he noted.

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts Senior Vice President Kamal Munasinghe described the marathon as an opportunity to add a new dimension to Colombo’s festival and international event culture, while John Keells Holdings Senior Vice President Diliep Mudadenia emphasized that world‑class events are vital to building Colombo’s global city brand and strengthening Sri Lanka’s soft power. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Police have announced that the Colombo–Kandy main road has been closed between Kadugannawa and Ganethenna due to adverse weather conditions in the area.

According to Police, the road was closed as a precautionary measure owing to the risk of rocks sliding onto the roadway.

Motorists have been urged to use alternative routes until further notice. (Newswire)

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Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Senadhi Bandara Jayasundara, once the country’s highest-ranking police officer, was on Friday sentenced to death by a majority decision of a three-judge bench of the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar after being found guilty over his failure to act on intelligence warnings ahead of the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks.

Born on March 15, 1960, in Kurunegala, Jayasundara studied at Ibbagamuwa Central School and Dharmaraja College, Kandy, before graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

He joined the Sri Lanka Police in 1985 as a Probationary Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and rose through the ranks over a 35-year career. In April 2016, he was appointed the 34th Inspector General of Police by the Constitutional Council under the government of President Maithripala Sirisena.

Jayasundara served as police chief during one of the darkest periods in Sri Lanka’s history—the Easter Sunday terrorist bombings on April 21, 2019, which killed more than 260 people and injured hundreds. Investigations later focused on whether senior officials had failed to act despite receiving advance intelligence warnings of the attacks.

Days after the attacks, President Sirisena ordered Jayasundara to resign. When he refused, he was placed on compulsory leave in April 2019 and replaced by Acting IGP C. D. Wickramaratne. Jayasundara maintained that intelligence-sharing failures between security agencies contributed to the tragedy.

He was later arrested along with former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and prosecuted over the alleged failure to prevent the attacks. Although the two were acquitted by the Trial-at-Bar in 2022 without being called to present their defence, the Attorney General appealed the decision. The Supreme Court subsequently ruled that the acquittal was legally flawed and ordered the trial to continue.

On July 31, 2026, the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar, by a majority decision, found Jayasundara guilty on 854 of the 855 charges filed against him and sentenced him to death for criminal negligence, dereliction of duty and aiding and abetting deaths through his failure to act on intelligence warnings before the Easter Sunday attacks. One judge dissented, finding that the prosecution had not proved the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Jayasundara had also been held civilly liable over the Easter Sunday attacks previously. In January 2023, the Supreme Court ordered him to personally pay Rs. 75 million in compensation to victims for violating their fundamental rights through his failure to prevent the attacks. He subsequently completed the full payment as directed by the court. (Newswire)

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K-pop powerhouse BTS said on Wednesday that they would not submit songs for consideration for the 2027 Grammys next February.

The seven band members issued the same Korean-language note online in concert.

What’s the reason BTS doesn’t want to be considered this year?

They said they did not want to be included in the new Grammy category, best Asian pop music performance, that’s seen as a way to categorize releases across K-pop or J-pop and C-pop from Japan and China, respectively.

Newly reformed BTS, touring to promote a new album after returning from a military service hiatus, would seem to be among the frontrunners in the category.

“We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language,” the band’s message read. “We thank Army [the band’s colloquial term for the BTS fan base] and everyone who has always stood by us.”

Critics of the new Grammy argued it could serve as an exclusionary barrier stopping Asian pop music from winning other awards. Proponents argued it was just the latest of numerous genres added to the list of more than 90 Grammy categories.

Has BTS won Grammys before?

No. But the band had been nominated for a total of five.

Three times they made the shortlist as the best pop duo or group performance, once they shared a nomination for best album of the year because of their contributions to Coldplay’s “Music of Spheres,” and also for their music video “Yet to Come.”

Up until this year’s ceremonies, no K-Pop act had ever won a Grammy Award.

“Golden” from the Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” won the best song for visual media, a decision that prompted elation in South Korea, despite the song’s US roots and fictional performing artists.

BTS touring to promote ‘ARIRANG’ after military service return

BTS reformed and returned to frontline performance this year after a four-year hiatus.

They have released and are now promoting a 14-track album, “ARIRANG” — named after Korea’s most renowned traditional folk song and unofficial national anthem, roughly translating as “My Beloved One.”

The band has spent most of the summer in the Americas amid the World Cup and its world tour, including performing at the controversial halftime show of the World Cup final this month.

This fifth studio album follows a four-year break as the band members completed South Korea’s mandatory military service and pursued solo project. (DW)

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John Keells Holdings (JKH) has announced plans to introduce the globally recognised fast-food chain Wendy’s to Sri Lanka, with the first outlet expected to open by December 2026.

The announcement was made in JKH’s financial results for the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, released on Tuesday.

The company said it will diversify its Consumer Foods portfolio by entering Sri Lanka’s Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) segment through the rollout of Wendy’s.

JKH said all relevant franchise agreements and preliminary work have already been completed, with the first outlet scheduled to open by December 2026.

Founded in the United States in 1969, Wendy’s is one of the world’s largest fast-food chains, operating more than 7,000 restaurants across over 30 countries. The brand is known for its square beef burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries and its signature Frosty dessert.

The move marks JKH’s entry into Sri Lanka’s international quick-service restaurant market and forms part of the group’s broader strategy to expand its Consumer Foods business.

In its first-quarter financial results, JKH reported a 26% year-on-year increase in recurring EBITDA to Rs. 16.35 billion. The group said growth was driven by strong performances in its transportation, consumer foods, property and financial services businesses, while City of Dreams Sri Lanka continued to record positive momentum. The Keells supermarket business also reported strong growth, with same-store sales increasing by 13% during the quarter.(Newswire)

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The Department of Wildlife Conservation has received a new fleet of vehicles to strengthen field operations, including efforts to manage the human-elephant conflict.

Cabinet approval had been granted to procure 294 vehicles for officers attached to wildlife range and beat offices.

A batch of vehicles was symbolically handed over to the department on Monday (27) under the patronage of Environment Minister Dr. Dammika Patabendi.

According to the ministry, the vehicles include 16 cabs and 181 motorcycles, with nearly Rs. 2 billion spent on the procurement.

The vehicles are expected to be deployed primarily to offices in areas experiencing a high incidence of human-elephant conflict.

Separately, nine tractors were handed over to the Director General of Wildlife Conservation on June 20. (Newswire)

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Indian MP and renowned author Shashi Tharoor joined the launch of the Colombo Literary Festival 2026 in Colombo on Friday (24), as Sri Lanka officially opened what organisers describe as the country’s first international trilingual literary festival.

Tharoor attended the opening ceremony at the Arcade Independence Square alongside Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Colombo Mayor Vraîe Cally Balthazaar, Festival Director Pradeep Samaranayake and representatives of the local literary community.

The six-day festival, running from July 24 to 29, gives equal prominence to Sinhala, Tamil and English and brings together local and international writers, poets, critics, academics, filmmakers, artists and readers.

The programme includes literary discussions, book launches, creative workshops, film screenings, cultural events, musical performances and book exhibitions. The festival will be open daily from 9.00 am to 9.00 pm at the Arcade Independence Square.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Jayatissa described the festival as an important milestone in taking Sri Lanka’s identity to the world through literature.

He said the trilingual platform would create opportunities for people of all ages to engage with and study literature from different perspectives.

Organised by Colombo Literary Festival (Pvt) Ltd with the involvement of five leading Sri Lankan publishing houses, the festival aims to go beyond a conventional book exhibition by providing equal space for all three languages and promoting Sri Lankan literature internationally.

Organisers said the festival is open to readers, students, creators and literature enthusiasts of all ages. (Newswire)

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Argentina’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign ended in chaotic scenes after players clashed with Spain following their 1-0 defeat in the final at MetLife Stadium.

Spain secured their second World Cup title after Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in extra time, but celebrations were overshadowed by confrontations immediately after the final whistle.

Argentina defender Nahuel Molina appeared to swing an arm at a Spanish player as Spain’s substitutes ran onto the pitch to celebrate.

Midfielder Leandro Paredes was also involved in several altercations and was shown a red card after the match. Images showed Paredes confronting Eric Garcia before wrestling Gavi to the ground during the melee.

Former England players and television pundits strongly criticised Argentina’s behaviour.

Alan Shearer said there was “no place” for the scenes, while Gary Neville described Paredes’ conduct as a “disgrace.” Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart said Lionel Messi was the only Argentina player who showed class, noting that the captain shook hands with Spain’s players after the match.

Argentina were also criticised after some players appeared to turn their backs while Spain received their winners’ medals and prepared to lift the trophy.

However, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni defended his side’s response, saying they accepted the defeat and knew how to lose.

The final had already been a physical contest, with Enzo Fernandez sent off during extra time.

Messi was visibly emotional after the match as Argentina supporters chanted his name. The 39-year-old has not confirmed whether he will continue playing international football, but the final is widely expected to have been his last World Cup appearance.

Spain were crowned world champions after dominating much of the match and completing an unbeaten run through the knockout stages. (Newswire)

Full scenes after final whistle.@MickyJnr__ pic.twitter.com/ZXCvAFkHwy

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 20, 2026

Argentina should hang their heads in shame.

Insufferable in victory against England and pathetic in defeat against Spain.

Billions are watching and you chose to start a fight and disgrace your nation. Do better. #ArgentinaVsEspaña #ESPARG pic.twitter.com/VDAPixw5cv

— Lewis Mackenzie (@Lewismac101) July 19, 2026

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Speaking at the function, Trisha said she enjoys listening to Sri Lankan Tamil and admired the way it is spoken.

“I love Sri Lankan Tamil, the pure nature of it. Even we don’t speak like that,” she said, drawing applause from the audience.

Indian Tamil actress Trisha Krishnan has praised the Sri Lankan Tamil language, describing it as “pure” during an event in Sydney.

Speaking at the function, Trisha said she enjoys listening to Sri Lankan Tamil and admired the way it is spoken.

“I love Sri Lankan Tamil, the pure… pic.twitter.com/WwoOEkcdeu

— NewsWire (@NewsWireLK) July 19, 2026

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The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has issued a public notice explaining how the prosecution provisions introduced under the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Act, No. 11 of 2026 will be implemented, stressing that legal action will target deliberate tax evaders while allowing taxpayers time to rectify non-compliance.

The IRD said prosecution is a measure of last resort and that taxpayers will first receive a formal written notice before any legal action is initiated. They will then be granted a mandatory 30-day period to comply with outstanding tax obligations.

If a taxpayer fails to comply within the 30-day period, the offence may be prosecuted before a Magistrate’s Court, with penalties including a fine of up to Rs. 400,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both.

According to the notice, prosecution provisions apply to specified failures, including not registering with the Commissioner General of Inland Revenue, failing to file income tax returns, and failing to submit annual statements, including Withholding Tax and Advance Personal Income Tax (APIT) returns.

The department said the enforcement strategy is aimed at individuals and businesses that intentionally fail to register, submit returns or conceal taxable income despite having tax liabilities, and not at cooperative taxpayers.

The IRD also clarified that individuals who have no tax liability and only require a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) will not be subject to these legal proceedings. Those with an income tax file but no tax liability may request their regional IRD office to close the file by providing the required information.

The Inland Revenue (Amendment) Act, No. 11 of 2026 came into force on June 3, 2026, introducing prosecution provisions for specified tax compliance failures.

7 key updates:

1. Formal written notice will be issued before any prosecution.

2. Taxpayers will receive a mandatory 30-day grace period to rectify non-compliance.

3. Failure to comply within 30 days may lead to prosecution.

4. Maximum penalties include a Rs. 400,000 fine, six months’ imprisonment, or both.

5. Prosecution applies to failures such as not registering, not filing tax returns and not submitting required annual statements.

6. The measures target deliberate tax evaders, not cooperative taxpayers.

7. Individuals with no tax liability who only require a TIN will not face prosecution, while those with inactive tax files may apply to have them closed. (Newswire)

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Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama today ordered former minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe’s son, Rakitha Rajapakshe, former Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Horana organizer Charith Abeysinghe, and former Airport and Aviation Services director Aruna Sri Chathuranga to be further remanded until July 28.

The trio was arrested on June 25 over allegations of soliciting and receiving Rs. 120 million in bribes from the wife of underworld figure ‘Harak Kata’.

The Magistrate said bail applications would be considered on that date on July 28. (Newswire)

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A Sri Lankan living in New Zealand has been sentenced after a court found that a used vehicle was sold with a tampered odometer, misleading a buyer about the car’s actual mileage.

According to New Zealand authorities, the case involved Carporium, operated by Sachis Holdings Ltd, which sold a Toyota RAV4 for NZ$24,000 in February 2024.

The issue came to light more than a year later during a scheduled service, when technicians discovered that the vehicle’s odometer reading did not match its recorded service history.

Investigators found that the vehicle had recorded 150,031 kilometres when it was purchased at an Auckland car auction, but showed 119,244 kilometres when it was later sold to the customer — a reduction of more than 30,000 kilometres.

Following an investigation by New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), charges were filed under the Motor Vehicle Sales Act for odometer tampering and related offences.

Before sentencing, Carporium agreed to buy back the vehicle for the original purchase price of NZ$24,000. The court also ordered the company’s director to pay NZ$1,000 in emotional harm reparation, while Carporium was fined NZ$5,000.

MBIE said the prosecution was the first successful case of its kind and warned that odometer tampering would not be tolerated, as it can mislead consumers about a vehicle’s value, condition and maintenance needs. (Newswire)

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The operation was carried out on 13 July by naval personnel attached to SLNS Thammanna under the North Central Naval Command, acting on information received.

During the search, the Navy recovered 5,386 packets of shampoo suspected to have been smuggled into the country.

The recovered stock was handed over to the Talaimannar Police for further investigations and legal action. (Newswire)

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