June 7 (CT) The seven agreements signed between Sri Lanka and India during Indian PM Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the country will be made public once the Indian Govt grants its consent, Ceylon Today learns from highly placed govt sources. A clause within these agreements requires mutual consent from both countries before any third-party disclosure can be made, which has been cited as the reason for the current lack of transparency. more..

June 7 (CT) Govt has stated that it was not involved in the controversial release of 323 containers and emphasised that they have been framed. CID has launched an official investigation into the matter, according to Minister Bimal Rathnayake. He asserted that no containers will be released in the future without prior inspection. “The Government has no intention of covering up any past wrongdoing. While such releases may have occurred previously, we do not condone them. more..

June 7 (CT) Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has recommended the appointment of an independent investigation committee to look into all allegations of corruption and irregularities at the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka. COPE instructed that no current official from the university’s governing body be appointed to this committee and advised the Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Training to initiate and complete the investigation promptly. more..

June 7 (CT) Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali directed the Vice Chancellor of the Uni of Moratuwa to provide assistance to the CID to conduct a forensic examination of the passport issuance system of the Dept of Immigration and Emigration. The order was made following a request by the CID, which is investigating the alleged illegal issuance of a passport to Mandinu Padmasiri alias Kehelbaddara Padme, an organised criminal reportedly hiding in Dubai. more..

June 7 (Island) Defence Secretary Retired Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyyakontha strongly denied allegations made in Parliament by MP Ramanathan Archuna, who claimed that a stock of weapons, belonging to slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, had recently entered Sri Lanka in containers released by Customs. Thuyyakontha dismissed the claims as completely baseless and false, stressing that no evidence supports the accusation. He also cautioned against politicising national security, more..

June 7 (CT) General Manager of Railways Dhammika Jayasundara said that plans are underway to begin extending the Kelani Valley railway line to Ratnapura and converting the line up to Homagama into a dual track early next year. He said the relevant Cabinet Paper had been prepared and submitted on Friday (6), and that preliminary work would commence once approval is granted. The extension of the railway line from Avissawella to Ratnapura is expected to cost around Rs 10 billion, and more..

June 7 (DN) Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa said it is essential to reflect deeply on the true meaning of Hajj. I am pleased to extend my heartfelt wishes to all Muslim devotees in Sri Lanka. “The pilgrimage is not only a spiritual obligation but also one of the five fundamental pillars of Islam. These five obligations – faith, the five daily prayers, fasting during the month of Ramadan, giving Zakat (charity for the needy), and undertaking the Hajj pilgrimage – more..

June 7 (AD) An Internal Affairs Unit at the PM’s Office has been officially established at Temple Trees under the leadership of Secretary to the PM, Pradeep Saputhanthri, in accordance with Circular No. PS/SB/Circular/2/2025 issued by the Secretary to the Prez. Accordingly, Additional Secretary (Adm) Ruwan Jayasundara has been appointed as the Head of the Internal Affairs Unit, and Administrative Officer K.A.S. Shripali has been appointed as the Compliance Officer. more..

June 7 (DM) Discriminatory treatment of locals by tourist service providers has become an increasingly widespread concern across the country with numerous complaints filed with the relevant authorities. It has become troubling for locals visiting these areas for tourism purposes because of unequal service and preferential treatment toward foreign visitors. Cases are reported in major tourist hotspots such as Ella in the Uva Province and those in the Southern Province more..

June 7 (DN) Today, June 7, marks the observance of Hajj, the sacred pilgrimage undertaken with profound devotion by Muslims across the world. As the fifth pillar of Islam, this profound spiritual undertaking symbolises Prophet Ibrahim’s unwavering faith and ultimate sacrifice to Almighty Allah, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said in his Hajj message. The message:True faith aspires to perfect society through compassion and establish righteous communities. more..

June 7 (DN) By May 29, the Inland Revenue Dept has collected Rs. 907 billion, exceeding its Rs. 900 billion target, a 101% growth, SL Customs has generated Rs. 780 billion, topping its Rs. 730 billion target and the Excise Dept mustering in Rs. 102 billion versus a target of Rs. 98 billion which total to a record Rs. 1.7 trillion Deputy Minister Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando said. Fernando also noted that foreign exchange outflows for vehicle imports had reached USD 400 million by the end of May. more..

June 7 (Island) The world recently celebrated International Tea Day on 21 May 2025 under the theme Bringing people together over a cup of tea. The day aims to raise awareness of tea’s long history and its deep cultural and economic significance worldwide, promoting collective action for sustainable production and consumption while highlighting tea’s fundamental role in uplifting the Sri Lankan economy. The origins of tea stretch as far back 4762 years to Emperor Shen Nong. more..

June 7 (FT) Marking a pivotal step in transforming the country’s innovation landscape, the National Initiative for the Commercialisation of Research and Development (NIRDC) has commenced the establishment of technical review committees to evaluate R&D proposals submitted under a newly approved Cabinet framework. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, the NIRDC received project proposals valued at over Rs. 2 billion. The process of evaluating the technical viability of these proposals has now commenced, more..

June 7 (ST) The govt plans to take over Puttalam Salt Limited by 2027, following the end of the lease agreement that has been in place since 1997, Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe said. He said as ownership will automatically revert to the state, no new lease agreement will be signed. Instead, it will be managed directly by the govt under a proper mechanism, due to concerns that the current management is not operating it effectively. Despite being a country surrounded by the sea, more..

June 7 (DN) Panadura SC opener Vishen Halambage stroked a blistering 83 off just 39 balls, including 9 fours and 5 sixes, but his effort was in vain as NCC clinched a nail-biting 1-run victory in their Major Clubs T20 cricket match played at the CCC Grounds yesterday. NCC, the defending champions, posted 159 for 6 in their 20 overs, led by an unbeaten 50 from Chamika Karunaratne off 28 balls (4 fours, 2 sixes), and a quickfire 44 from opener Niroshan Dickwella (30 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes). more..

June 7 (DN) Royal College Colombo opened their Dialog Schools Rugby League campaign in sensational fashion, thrashing neighbouring rivals Thurstan College by a commanding 74 points to 15 at the Royal Sports Complex in Colombo yesterday after leading 36-7 at the breather. Royal College piled up their points through seven goals and five tries to total 74 points, while Thurstan College managed one goal, one try and a penalty to reach their consolation 15 points. more..

June 7 (FT) CIABOC Director General Ranga Dissanayake underscored the urgency of systemic reform, institutional strengthening and public participation in the battle against corruption. Speaking at a public awareness initiative on CIABOC’s comprehensive 5-year action plan, he called on the public to become more actively involved in the fight against corruption, not merely as observers, but as informed citizens who understand their rights and demand institutional accountability. more..

June 7 (DM) Minister Vijitha Herath stated that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, is expected to visit Sri Lanka on June 26. This marks the first official visit to SL by a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in nine years. The last such visit was by Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein in February 2016, during the so-called Yahapalana Govt. Al Hussein’s predecessor, Navanethem Pillay also visited Sri Lanka in 2013, at a time when the SL govt headed by Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa more..

June 7 (FT) Association of Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies has warned of a major decline in SL’s foreign employment sector, attributing it to what they claim is a deliberate campaign aimed at eroding public trust in both recruitment agencies and SL Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE). Association’s Secretary Farooq Arshad said that the number of people leaving the country for work has dropped by about 20% compared to recent years, and that this drop threatens to severely impact SL’s foreign exchange earnings. more..

June 7 (FT) Colombo stock market yesterday ended with losses taking a complete U-turn after two consecutive sharp gains, though ending the week on the up. During the week, ASPI gained 3.2% and the active S&P SL20 gained 3.9%, whilst recording an average daily turnover of Rs. 6.08 billion. Yesterday S&P SL20 declined by 0.21% and ASPI by 0.23% with turnover amounting to Rs. 4.22 billion involving over 189.23 million shares. Foreign participation in the market activity yesterday remained at subdued levels more..

June 7 (Island) The Joint Council of the Professions Supplementary to Medicine (JCPSM), which is currently on a continuous strike, and the govt are engaged in a game of chicken at the expense of the sick, who are without the wherewithal to seek treatment in private hospitals. The ongoing strike has adversely impacted the state-run hospitals though the govt has sought to make light of the situation for political reasons. Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has told the strikers that more..

June 7 (ST) Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) has abruptly stopped the enrolment of fee-paying civilian students to its undergraduate medical degree programme, despite there being no written directive to its Vice Chancellor (VC) to do so. The matter came to light in Parliament on May 22 this year when Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara announced that the most recent student enrolment advertisement for the KDU Medical Faculty will be amended to more..

June 7 (SO) The Govt is taking proactive measures to reduce the manufacturing cost incurred by companies in running their businesses in the country, said Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe. He said the cost of manufacturing had increased tremendously over the past few years which the Govt has a good understanding about as it aims at creating a manufacturing economy. The base of it is the cost of energy, transportation and infrastructure which is high compared to other countries. more..

June 7 (FT) After months of anticipation, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) yesterday announced that it will officially launch its long-awaited Nation Branding Campaign on 26 June, to rejuvenate its global tourism image and woo travellers. In a statement, SLTPB described the upcoming event as an extraordinary gathering, promising to bring together top State officials, key private sector players, tourism experts and guests on a single platform. more..

June 7 (Island) The war against separatist terrorism could have been brought to a successful conclusion much earlier if not for utterly irresponsible, foolish, politically motivated and treacherous actions of successive govts. Prez Ranasinghe Premadasa’s handling of the war (January 1989-May 1993) is a glaring case in point. Premadasa’s ill-conceived political strategies that had caused so much destruction at the onset of Eelam War IV, in June 1990, demoralised the armed forces and more..

June 7 (GV) On May 27, Ministry of Mass Media convened a discussion on the National Media Policy, which is will be presented by the NPP govt. Copies of the document were provided in Sinhala and English but no Tamil language version has been released yet. A govt typically introduces policies in line with its vision and trajectory. National Media Policy draft was first proposed under Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe who assumed office after being installed by the Rajapaksa administration. more..

June 7 (TM) SL tea growers are raising the alarm over the drastic drop in prices they receive for a kilo of tea, which has plunged over the past several months. The sharp decline in income has created severe financial strain, particularly among small- and medium-scale tea planters, prompting concerns about the future of the country’s tea industry. L. Premaratne, a medium-scale tea planter from Galle, voiced his concerns to The Sunday Morning, stating: more..

June 7 (FT) A rainbow seems to have appeared over the skies of a regime under a cloud. It was a sullen sky in May, and – the truth be told – a once-clear cerulean space darkened by no few thunderheads for the under-pressure NPP govt. A promise unmet here, and a potential unfulfilled there. A perspective inimical to the sacred image of the JVP-led regime pushed in the free press here, and a point of view expressed there by the powers that be themselves failing to find favour in an increasingly silent more..

June 7 (CT) As the world commemorates World Oceans Day this Sunday (8), the coastal breeze that caresses SL’s shores carries with it not only the salty scent of the sea, but also an urgent reminder: we are failing our oceans. Despite its rich marine biodiversity, economic reliance on fisheries and tourism, and a cultural identity entwined with the ocean, SL continues to struggle with mounting marine pollution. While initiatives have been introduced to stem the tide, they remain insufficient more..

June 7 (CT) The establishment of 178 local govt bodies, out of the 339 where elections were held, has been delayed due to political parties and independent groups failing to submit the names of members from the additional list. According to the Election Commission, it now falls to the Minister of Public Admin, PCs and Local Govt to determine when these 178 bodies can be constituted, as the relevant political entities have yet to submit the required nominations. more..

June 7 (FT) All that glisters is not gold; in SL it can even be a T 56 automatic gun! A Shakespearean caution (Merchant of Venice) we ought to bear in mind not only when looking at an object, but also in choosing our leaders. With a language restrained and pithy, Shakespeare was insightful. Remarkable for the times (16th Century), Merchant of Venice grapples with several themes, relevant and challenging even today; religious and racial bias, property, legality, variability of the sense of fairness more..

June 7 (CT) Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD), in his role as Minister of Finance, recently launched a tax week. In my view, it is not merely a revenue initiative. Rather, it acts as a national call for fairness, responsibility, and rebuilding trust between citizens and the govt. By cultivating a culture of voluntary compliance, eliminating corruption in tax administration, and expanding the tax base with equity at its core, the govt is laying the foundation for a new social contract. more..