Jun 23 (TM) A 3-day nationwide dengue control programme will be carried out from tomorrow (24) to 26 June as the authorities step up efforts to curb the spread of dengue amid the ongoing South-West monsoon season. The decision was taken during a discussion held yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat on short-term and long-term strategies to combat the rapidly spreading dengue threat caused by the southwest monsoon season. The meeting was chaired by Health Minister, more..

Jun 23 (NW) Cabinet has approved a proposal to electrify key railway corridors in Sri Lanka as part of a long‑term transport modernization strategy. Corridors with high commuter density have been prioritized for electrification, with support expected from int'l development institutions. Currently, most railway operations rely on diesel power, and officials have highlighted the need to upgrade tracks, signaling systems, and related infrastructure to improve efficiency and reliability. more..

Jun 23 (NW) Cabinet has approved the establishment of a special ministerial sub‑committee and an official committee to coordinate SL’s national response to the anticipated El Niño climatic phenomenon. Sri Lanka, highly vulnerable to climate variability, faces heightened risks of altered rainfall patterns, extreme heat, droughts, and floods due to El Niño, with potential adverse effects across economic and social sectors. more..

Jun 23 (NW) Parliament was adjourned mid-session today after a tense situation arose following the govt announcing it will not permit a debate on judicial vacancies, requested by the Opposition to be held during the day’s proceedings. Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne announced that the Parliament will be adjourned for 10 minutes due to the current situation. Addressing the Parliament earlier today, Opposition MP Ajith P. Perera informed the house that 20 Opposition MPs have handed over more..

Jun 23 (DM) Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to introduce a new circular containing provisions and guidelines for the admission of children to Grade One in govt schools, effective from the year 2027 onward. The proposal was presented to the Cabinet by the Prime Minister. While circular instructions are issued annually for Grade One admissions, the new framework aims to establish necessary provisions to ensure equitable educational access for all children. more..

Jun 23 (DM) Sri Lanka risks losing the GSP+ trade benefit, a special benefit enjoyed by SL exporters for accessing markets in the European Union, because of the slow progress of reforms related to the PTA, Joint Opposition Convener Prof. G.L. Peiris said yesterday. Making remarks at the regular press conference, he said the current IMF EFF would end in March next year, and the country was currently facing issues related to more..

Jun 23 (EN) State-owned SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has revised the methodology of compiling monthly tourism earnings estimates in May 2026 citing the need to enhance the accuracy and representativeness, CB said in its latest weekly economic indicators. The latest revision comes after the official CB data, quoting the SLTDA showed the monthly revenue plummeting 38.8% in April and 37% in March, following the US/Israel bombing on Iran started on Feb 28. more..

Jun 23 (FT) SL’s tea exports rebounded in May, with shipments rising 7.5% year-on-year (YoY), but cumulative exports for the first five months of 2026 remained below last year’s levels, highlighting ongoing challenges facing the country’s largest agricultural export sector. Tea exports in May increased to 23.51 million kilos (Mn/Kgs) from 21.87 Mn/Kgs a year earlier, recording a gain of 1.64 Mn/Kgs. All export categories, except Green Tea, posted YoY growth during the month. more..

Jun 23 (DM) A man accused of tying a nine-month-old infant to a chair and assaulting her with an umbrella handle and his hands for allegedly crying frequently was ordered to be remanded till July 3 by Colombo Additional Magistrate Lahiru Silva. Suspect, a resident of Bastian Mawatha, Pettah, was arrested by the Pettah Police and produced before court. Presenting the suspect before court, police informed the Magistrate that he allegedly tied the infant’s hands, legs & abdomen to a chair more..

Jun 23 (DM) Supreme Court today reserved judgment in a Fundamental Rights petition filed by former Chairman of the CCC, Chandra Jayaratne, alleging that the misuse of a govt vehicle by former State Minister A.H.M. Fowzie violated the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution. A 3-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, Justice Janak De Silva and Justice Arjuna Obeyesekere concluded hearing submissions made on behalf of more..

Jun 23 (FT) SL is set to deepen cooperation with India in disaster preparedness and response, with plans underway to establish a nationwide early warning and emergency response system capable of sending life-saving alerts directly to mobile phones across the country. The initiative, which is expected to be implemented with Indian grant assistance, comes in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah and forms part of broader efforts by more..

Jun 23 (NW) Embassy of SL in The Hague facilitated a visit by a delegation of Sri Lankan cocopeat companies to the Netherlands’ RHP Knowledge Centre on 12 June 2026, aimed at strengthening the industry’s global competitiveness. Representatives from NB Coir, Marisha Coco Products, Green Space International, Eco Films, and Cocopeat Lanka engaged with RHP officials to gain insights into European quality standards, certification systems, and innovations in horticulture substrates, more..

Jun 23 (Island) The annual Pongal festival of the Arumuga Sri Lakshmi Sametha Narasimha Hindu Temple in Poonthottam, Vavuniya, was celebrated in grand style this year, with elephants joining the procession for a rare and colourful spectacle. The procession, organised by the temple’s organising committee on June 21, drew a large gathering of devotees and members of the public. The ceremonial parade commenced from the temple premises, travelled through the streets of more..

Jun 23 (FT) Differences in the way SL, India, and China record international trade have produced competing claims over Colombo’s largest trading partner in 2025, with FactCheck.lk concluding that China ranks first in SL data while India leads in partner-country records. FactCheck.lk said: In May 2026, Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha publicly contested Chinese Embassy Spokesperson Yu Jing’s claim that China had overtaken more..

Jun 23 (DM) Cabinet has approved a proposal submitted by the President to remove the legal requirement for an appropriate mark on voters from all existing election laws. Under SL’s election laws introduced since 2004, polling officials have been required to apply indelible ink on a voter’s finger and also place an additional appropriate mark to confirm that the voter has cast their ballot. These measures were originally introduced as a dual safeguard to prevent electoral fraud more..

Jun 23 (FT) Govt has reaffirmed plans to launch its long-delayed national digital television service in 2029, with authorities moving to accelerate implementation of the project and secure the financial and administrative support required for its completion. The decision was reached during a high-level discussion recently between the Digital Economy Ministry and External Resources Department (ERD) of the Finance Ministry, focusing on expediting the National Digital TV Project, more..

Jun 23 (NW) Deputy Minister Nishantha Jayaweera, has announced that the budget proposal to reduce the annual turnover threshold for VAT and SSCL from Rs.60 million to Rs.36 million will not be implemented. The proposal to reduce the annual turnover threshold from Rs.60 million to Rs.36 million was to come into effect from July 1. “We are removing this proposal after receiving the relevant clearance from the Cabinet and AG, as well as the recommendations of Parliamentary more..

Jun 23 (Island) A special police investigation has been launched to identify prison officers allegedly providing assistance to notorious organised crime figure Salintha Perera, alias Commando Salintha, who is currently being held at the Boossa High Security Prison. Investigators are probing allegations that several prison officers have helped the inmate carry out activities from within the prison, including the use of mobile phones to coordinate illegal operations. more..

Jun 23 (DM) Ministry of Health has announced a list of food items that will be prohibited in school canteens under its newly introduced Guidelines on Healthy School Canteens, aimed at ensuring students have access to affordable, safe and nutritious meals. According to the guidelines, school canteens must maintain a clean, safe and easily accessible environment free from disease-carrying vectors, while ensuring more..

Jun 23 (AD) The Cabinet has granted approval to a proposal to launch a special program aimed at preventing illegal land grabbing, unauthorized land filling and unlawful coastal constructions in the Eastern Province. The proposal in this regard was submitted by the President. As part of the initiative, a special committee will be appointed to address land-related issues in the province and to strengthen coordination among relevant state institutions for faster resolution, more..

Jun 23 (Island) A mahout and his assistant were killed by an elephant brought for the 78th Poson Perahera at Rakwana Sri Ubhaya Thilakarama Viharaya. Two elephants, brought for the perahera, had been tethered within the temple premises. On Sunday morning, the assistant mahout took one of the elephants to the Rakwana River, where the incident occurred. Witnesses told police that the elephant, Sanka, suddenly became agitated and attacked assistant mahout, trampling him more..

Jun 23 (AD) Colombo High Court today upheld the nine-month prison sentence and the fine of Rs. 1,500 imposed on the General Secretary of the BBS, Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, by the Colombo Magistrate's Court after he was found guilty of acting in a manner that disrupted communal harmony by making a statement insulting Islam. Colombo High Court Judge Manjula Tilakaratne delivered the verdict, dismissing more..

Jun 23 (Island) Parliamentary Climate Forum has drawn attention to the growing challenges faced in protecting Sri Lanka’s marine biodiversity and amphibian ecosystems from the impacts of El Niño and La Niña climate phenomena. The issue was discussed at a recent meeting of the forum held at Parliament, under the chairmanship of its co-chairpersons, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and MP Prof. L.M. Abeywickrama. Officials and experts attending the meeting highlighted more..

Jun 23 (NW) Colombo Additional Magistrate Lahiru Silva today ordered the remand of a Police Inspector until July 3, following his arrest by the Bribery Commission over a Rs.1 million bribe allegedly accepted at a hotel in Kalutara North. The suspect, attached to the Kalutara South Police Station and serving in the Special Crimes Investigation Division, was taken into custody during a sting operation conducted last night after a businessman lodged a complaint with the Bribery Commission. more..

Jun 23 (FT) Express tax legislation offers SL the most practical and immediate tool to curb crypto-related crime while simultaneously generating much-needed revenue. Recent fraud cases show how regulatory gaps allow illicit funds to move offshore, but clear tax rules can transform this weakness into an enforcement advantage. By mandating reporting, valuation, and source-of-funds disclosures, tax law creates a transparent audit trail that supports both compliance and financial intelligence. more..

Jun 23 (FT) Sri Lanka achieved a year-on-year GDP growth of 5.1% in the first quarter of 2026, compared with 4.7% growth rate in 1Q 2025. It was the highest first-quarter growth recorded since 2021, reflecting economic recovery. Following the economic crisis, the GDP contracted by 10.6% in 1Q 2023, and there has been a gradual recovery since then. Government authorities view the pickup of growth in 1Q 2026 as an indication of sustained progress towards a medium-term growth target of 7%, more..

Jun 23 (TM) Sri Lanka’s ICT sector is gaining momentum as a major contributor to service exports, with the sector recording around $ 536 million in earnings during the first four months of 2026 and annual growth of about 20%, according to EDB officials. EDB Director Indumini Kodikara said ICT has become one of the key sectors supporting Sri Lanka’s efforts to improve export growth and strengthen its position in global value chains. more..

Jun 23 (TM) The Nuwara Eliya Police has uncovered what they describe as a large-scale network of financial frauds and other criminal activities allegedly linked to the main suspect in the Teldeniya murder case, where a woman’s body was found inside a parked vehicle in Teldeniya last week. The findings were revealed in a special investigation report submitted by the OIC of the Nuwara Eliya Hq Police to senior Police officials, including Senior SSP for the Nuwara Eliya Division, more..

Jun 23 (NW) US has announced the provision of advanced Fleet Broadband satellite communications technology to the Sri Lanka Navy, in a move aimed at strengthening maritime security and connectivity across the Indian Ocean. The announcement was made today aboard the SL Navy vessel SLNS Gajabahu at the Port of Colombo by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Paul Kapur. The comprehensive Fleet Broadband system, manufactured by more..

Jun 23 (TM) Several political party secretaries and election candidates who are facing legal action for failing to submit campaign finance reports on time have requested that their cases be withdrawn, or a general amnesty be granted, Election Commission (EC) Chairperson R M A L Rathnayake said. He said that court cases have already been filed in almost every District against Prez, Parliamentary, and LG election candidates more..

Jun 23 (NW) Ministry of Sports has extended an open invitation to athletes of SL origin living overseas to represent Sri Lanka in international competitions. The announcement was made by Minister of Sports Sunil Kumara Gamage, who said the Ministry is ready to provide the necessary support and coordination for athletes willing to compete for their ancestral homeland. Minister made the announcement while confirming that SL-American gymnast Tiana Sumanasekera more..

Jun 23 (NW) A group consisting of lawyers and representatives from the Lanka Spa Association has lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL), alleging that the identities of women arrested during recent police raids on spas in the Thalawathugoda area were unlawfully exposed, violating their fundamental rights. The complaint was filed by the Association for the Protection of Public Rights, which said it had also decided to lodge a complaint with more..