Jun 5 (PMD) A three-member delegation from the World Customs Organization (WCO) Integrity Technical Sub-Committee, headed by Ms Andrea Hampton, Integrity Lead & A-CIP Programme Manager, met with the Secretary to the Prez Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake on June 2 at the Presidential Secretariat. The delegation which is on a Scoping Mission with SL Customs held discussions with the Secretary to the President on the measures implemented by the Presidential Secretariat to promote more..

Jun 5 (DM) As calls emerge from various political quarters for the Govt to secure a fresh programme with the IMF to be implemented after the current bailout package, a spokesperson for the global lender said that SL’s engagement for such an initiative is yet a matter to be discussed. In response to a query whether the Govt indicated the need for another programme, an IMF spokesperson said that the combined fifth and sixth reviews were just completed under the current Extended Fund Facility (EFF) more..

Jun 5 (EN) SL’s Ministry of Digital Economy is planning to change the current public service from a person-based system to a system based on digitization, the Ministry said in a statement after a meeting. “The primary objective of this initiative is to enhance efficiency within the country’s public service and eliminate service delays by developing officers’ technological knowledge to keep pace with rapidly changing global technology,” more..

Jun 5 (CI) Shashini Gimhani, the ambidextrous wristspinner from SL, will miss her maiden trip to the Women's T20 World Cup after picking up a lower-back injury during training. She has been replaced by right-arm seamer Chethana Vimukthi. Vimukthi is yet to play T20Is for Sri Lanka, although she has played three ODIs, all against New Zealand in March 2025. She was part of the Women's Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament earlier this year, playing one T20 for SL A in that campaign. more..

Jun 5 (AD) Illegal Assets Investigation Division of SL Police has taken steps to freeze properties allegedly purchased using funds earned through drug trafficking by a female narcotics trafficker. According to police, the assets belong to a resident of Colombo 14, who, along with her husband, is alleged to have accumulated wealth through illegal drug trafficking activities. The frozen properties include a three-storey house and two plots of land located in Thotalanga, valued at Rs. 30 million. more..

Jun 5 (PMD) National commemoration of World Environment Day 2026, held under the theme Let us take action to mitigate the impacts of climate change, was held this morning at the Temple Trees under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The environmental policy of the present Govt, which is guided by a vision of a sustainable environment that ensures the survival and well-being of all living beings, prioritises maintaining a balance between more..

Jun 5 (DM) More than 25 Ditwah affected families living in tents in Wewandon estate in Kotmale have been burdened with further hardship due to the prevailing heavy rains. Several families have left the tents to live in their houses in the endangered areas regardless of the warnings of the disaster management authorities. They pointed out that they lived for more than eight months in tents undergoing severe hardship without any attention of the relevant authorities. more..

Jun 5 (Island) CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe is scheduled to brief MPs on the country’s fiscal policy and related economic matters next Wednesday as Parliament convenes for sittings from June 9 to 12. The awareness programme to be held within the Parliamentary Complex on June 10 was approved by the Committee on Parliamentary Business at its meeting on June 1 chaired by Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne. The session has been arranged at the request of Minister more..

Jun 5 (FT) Regional Development Bank (RDB) has commenced FY2026 on a strong footing, delivering an exceptional first-quarter performance that reflects the successful execution of its transformation agenda, disciplined financial management, and unwavering commitment to empowering communities and driving inclusive economic growth. For the three months ended 31 March 2026, bank recorded robust growth across all key financial indicators, demonstrating the resilience of its business model, more..

Jun 5 (Island) As climate-linked regulations, investor expectations, and financing requirements increasingly influence global trade and market access, SL Climate Summit 2026, will place business readiness at the centre of national conversation, with a high-level line-up of policymakers, international agencies, corporate leaders, and technical experts set to examine what climate preparedness means for SL’s economy in practice. Organised by The CCC, Summit will take place on 9 June more..

Jun 5 (TM) Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL) stated that it could not issue recommendations regarding the mental well-being of detainees unless it is formally informed of a pattern or trend indicating such concerns among persons held in custody. HRCSL Commissioner, Nimal Punchihewa said that although media reports have raised concerns about the psychological condition of certain detainees and suspects involved in high-profile cases, more..

Jun 5 (EN) NPP govt misled the youth in the north, opposition MP Namal Rajapaksa said after a Tamil singer was arrested under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act over alleged LTTE-related content. During the last Local Govt election campaign in the north, NPP-linked propaganda openly glorified the LTTE for political gain, he said, with a campaign song shared by NPP MPs promoting a harbour named after Velupillai Parvathi Amma, a statue of Prabhakaran, and claims that more..

Jun 5 (EN) SL’s govt is considering transforming tourist zones into Zero Emission zones in the future, the govt information department has said. “The necessary background and possibilities for this have already been explored, and it is expected that this eco-friendly approach will give new life to the green tourism industry in SL.” Steps to promote environmentally friendly electric vehicles (EVs) in tourist zones are being considered, according to the statement. more..

Jun 5 (FT) SL’s major State-owned enterprises (SOEs) reported lower overall profitability in 2025, as a sharp reversal in the financial performance of the CEB outweighed strong earnings growth across the rest of the State enterprise sector. The country’s main 51 SOEs recorded a combined profit of Rs. 444.4 billion in 2025, down 17.6% from the previous year. However, excluding the CEB, the remaining 50 SOEs generated profits of Rs. 483.2 billion, up 21.5% more..

Jun 5 (NW) Venerable Thiniyawala Palitha Thera has publicly apologized for comments he made regarding the overseas travel ban imposed on former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Chief Sanghanayaka of the Bentara Chapter of the Maha Vihaarawanshika Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabhawa, said he had made the comments during a press conference held on June 3. Akcnowledging that at the press conference, he had condemned the travel ban, the monk clarified that he did not intend to disrespect the judiciary. more..

Jun 5 (AD) Litro Gas Company has decided not to make any revisions to domestic Litro LP gas prices for the month of June, the Litro Gas Lanka Ltd said. The company stated that despite increases in global LP gas prices and the depreciation of the SL rupee, domestic gas prices will remain unchanged for June. Litro Gas Lanka Ltd further noted that disciplined cost management measures, continuous sales growth, and strong profitability from other business segments have enabled the company to more..

Jun 5 (FT) Sri Lanka has reached a critical milestone by moving out of bankruptcy, but it would be misleading to call it a success. Debt restructuring is almost completed. Most agreements have been secured, a pathway to debt sustainability has been mapped, and institutional frameworks such as the Medium-Term Debt Management Strategy (MTDS) and institutionalising the centralised debt management function are being put in place. Please refer my 2017 article on MTDS more..

Jun 5 (FT) Under the 1978 Constitution of SL, the retirement age of a Judge of the Supreme Court is 65 years, while the retirement age of a Judge of the Court of Appeal is 63 years, as provided in Article 107(5). It is contended that, under the present political circumstances, the Govt's continued stability is heavily dependent upon the persecution of Opposition politicians. Therefore it becomes a prerequisite to have the current Judges in office beyond their mandatory age of retirement. more..

Jun 5 (FT) Govt has reaffirmed its commitment to structural reforms aimed at strengthening economic resilience and sustaining fiscal consolidation, even as SL’s primary surplus is projected to moderate to 1% of GDP in 2026 from a record 5.4% in 2025. The projected decline reflects higher expenditure associated with a Rs. 500 billion supplementary allocation for Cyclone Ditwah relief and ME war-related external pressures more..

Jun 5 (Island) Police have come under public pressure to investigate allegations of inhumane treatmenf the residents at an elders’ home in Batagoda, which was also reportedly used as a care centre for persons with special needs, following a devastating fire that has so far claimed 12 lives. Eyewitnesses who were among the first responders told the media that several residents had been chained inside rooms at the Senehase Kedella Elders’ Home when the fire broke out more..

Jun 5 (NW) Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court is to deliver its decision on June 10 regarding a request to direct the Director General of Health Services to appoint a psychiatric medical board to examine former State Intelligence Service Director Suresh Sallay and submit a report. The matter was taken up before Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena following a motion filed by lawyers representing Sallay, who is currently being detained by the CID in connection with investigations into more..

Jun 5 (DM) Colombo Chamber of Commerce (CCC) says at a time when SL is working to accelerate export growth, attract investment, and create employment opportunities, any increase in trade barriers presents a significant challenge. Cautions uncertainty surrounding market access could weigh on investor confidence and complicate efforts to expand exports at a time when global trade conditions remain challenging. more..

Jun 5 (TM) The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) said that it is considering an increase in medicine prices following the depreciation of the SL Rupee against the US$. Chairperson of the NMRA, specialist Dr Ananda Wijewickrama stated that the relevant procedures are currently underway in this regard. He noted that initial steps have been taken to revise the prices of both imported medicines and locally manufactured pharmaceuticals in response to rising costs. more..

Jun 5 (DM) The Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Eheliyagoda Police Station, who was arrested in connection with an investigation conducted by the National Police Commission, was released on bail by the Avissawella Magistrate's Court today. Avissawella Magistrate Pramoda Jayasekara ordered the suspect's release on three personal sureties of Rs. 1 million each. The court also imposed a travel ban, preventing the suspect from leaving the country until further notice. more..

Jun 5 (TG) Investigators identified eight additional skeletal remains at the Chemmani mass grave site on Thursday, bringing the total number of victims uncovered during ongoing excavations to 283. The discoveries were made on the sixteenth day of excavations under the third phase of the court-supervised investigation, which has become one of the most significant mass grave inquiries in the Tamil homeland. According to information released following Thursday's proceedings, more..

Jun 5 (FT) European Union-funded program to accelerate the adoption of Eco-Industrial Park (EIP) practices in SL has been launched recently, targeting over 1,000 policymakers, industrial park operators, manufacturers and community representatives as part of efforts to promote greener, more resource-efficient and competitive industrial development. The capacity-building initiative, led by the Green Recovery Facility project in partnership with the National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC) more..

Jun 5 (ENS) 23-year-old SL Javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga became the first thrower to cross the 90m mark in the 2026 season. He threw 92.62m at the Rome Diamond League on Thursday night to make the new meet record, new national record for SL, and take the World lead. With this huge throw, Rumesh sits eighth in the all-time list of the Javelin throwers. He overtook current India national coach Sergey Makarov. more..

Jun 5 (DN) Deputy Minister of Finance Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando said that the Treasury has received the 6th and 7th tranches of the IMF’s EFF. Treasury has received US$ 695 million as the 6th and 7th tranches after successfully completing the 5th and 6th reviews of the Extended Fund Facility implemented by the IMF. He said this during a meeting between the IMF’s Resident Representative in SL, Martha Woldemichael, and him at the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday. more..

Jun 5 (NW) Opposition MP Harsha de Silva has expressed concern over the recent depreciation of the SL Rupee, warning that declining confidence in the govt’s economic management could further pressure the currency. He noted that the US Dollar had risen to around Rs. 342, while rates in the unofficial market were reportedly above Rs. 345. He argued that currency markets are driven largely by confidence, and claimed that confidence in the govt’s ability to manage the value of the rupee more..

Jun 5 (TM) The owner of the elders’ home in Anguruwatota, Horana, where a massive fire on Wednesday claimed the lives of 12 residents, was arrested, Police said. The authorities confirmed the suspect is currently in custody and is scheduled to be produced before court. The owner of the elders’ home was also summoned to the scene yesterday for investigative proceedings. Meanwhile, the death toll in the massive and devastating fire that broke out at and swept through an elders’ home more..

Jun 5 (NW) A man seen assaulting a fuel station employee in a video widely circulated on social media has been arrested by Police. The incident took place on the afternoon of 3 June at a fuel station in Pannipitiya within the Mirihana Police Division. The victim was identified as an employee of the fuel station. Police said the suspect, a 34-year-old resident of Madiwela, Kotte, was arrested today by officers attached to the Mirihana Police Station. Investigations revealed that more..