Jun 9 (DM) A mother has emerged victorious in a 30-year legal battle against her son over a residential property after the Supreme Court dismissed the son’s appeal, ruling that the property had been transferred to him solely to facilitate a bank loan, not with the intention of transferring its beneficial ownership. Accordingly, SC has dismissed an appeal filed by the son challenging lower court rulings that declared he was holding a residential property in trust for his mother, more..

Jun 9 (AD) Three individuals have died following a fire that broke out at a restaurant near Thalawathugoda Junction on Monday morning, police said. The victims, who sustained injuries in the incident and were admitted to the Colombo National Hospital for treatment. Police said all three individuals injured in the incident later succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment. The fire erupted at the restaurant during the morning hours, prompting authorities to deploy three fire engines from more..

Jun 9 (DM) Schools have emerged as one of the key areas of concern in an islandwide dengue eradication drive, with inspectors discovering mosquito breeding sites and larvae in several educational institutions. Data released by the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) showed that dengue mosquito larvae were detected in seven schools during inspections conducted on the first day of a three-day special dengue prevention programme launched by the Ministry of Health. more..

Jun 9 (AD) The Govt of Japan and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with the Govt of Sri Lanka, have launched a joint initiative to restore inland fisheries livelihoods and strengthen the resilience of cyclone-affected fishing communities in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province. The initiative was formally signed by Akio Isomata Ambassador of Japan and Vimlendra Sharan, FAO Representative for SL and the Maldives, in the presence of Ramalingam Chandrasekar, more..

Jun 9 (PMD) A discussion between Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake and representatives of the Committee for National Scout Poson Zone was held this afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat. The meeting focused on arrangements and preparatory activities for the inaugural National Scout Poson Zone, which will be held in Colombo on 28 and 29 June in conjunction with this year's Poson celebrations. The National Scout Poson Zone is expected to be organised with more..

Jun 9 (AD) Former Deputy Minister Sarana Gunawardena, who was found guilty on four counts of corruption charges, was sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment for each count by the Colombo High Court. Accordingly, the court ordered a total sentence of 16 years of rigorous imprisonment. The verdict was delivered today by Colombo HC Judge Mohamed Mihal. In addition, the court ordered Sarana Gunawardena to pay a total fine of Rs. 1.8 million in relation to the said cases. more..

Jun 9 (EN) Cabinet has approved a proposal to have the Legal Draftsman prepare a draft bill to amend the Customs Ordinance based on recommendations made by a steering committee, minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. “With the aim of creating and establishing world-class revenue administration mechanisms in the country,” Jayatissa said. A Steering Committee on Customs Affairs has submitted recommendations on the restructuring and modernization activities to be implemented in SL Customs. more..

Jun 9 (NW) SL’s Food Policy and Security Committee has turned its focus to preparing for the potential impacts of the global El Niño phenomenon, with ministers stressing the need for contingency planning to safeguard agriculture and water supplies. The committee met yesterday under the co‑chairmanship of Agriculture Minister K.D. Lal Kantha and Trade and Food Security Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe. Particular attention was given to the possible effects of El Niño on the agricultural sector. more..

Jun 9 (FT) Consumer complaints provide a transparent view into the public’s interaction with financial services and frequently act as preliminary indicators of potential dangers within the financial network. Acknowledging the importance of these observations, Central Bank of SL (CBSL) examines complaint statistics to detect behavioural risks, service deficiencies, and sectors that require oversight. The establishment of the Financial Consumer Relations Department (FCRD) in Aug 2020 more..

Jun 9 (FT) Every time the SL rupee comes under pressure, a familiar chorus rises from the export lobby. A cheaper rupee, they argue, makes our products more attractive to buyers abroad. It helps our tea farmers, our garment factories, our rubber producers. It is, they insist, good for exports. It is a comforting argument. It is also, for the most part, wrong — and Sri Lanka has paid a steep price for believing it. Here is the reality of how a currency depreciation works for a typical SL exporter. more..

Jun 9 (Island) Following letters sent by former State Intelligence Service Director Maj. Gen. (retd) Suresh Sallay’s wife Manori and counsel Asith Siriwardena to the Director of the CID SSP (retd) Shani Abeysekera, permission was granted for family members and lawyers to visit Sallay for 15 minutes each. Siriwardena requested Sallay to discontinue his hunger strike. However, Sallay refused to comply and asked the latter to tell more..

Jun 9 (NF) CID informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court that a group of politically affiliated individuals, including Udaya Gammanpila, Wimal Weerawansa, and Dilith Jayaweera, are allegedly engaged in a planned effort, indirectly interfering with and obstructing ongoing investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks. CID made this submission to Fort Magistrate while informing the court, through a motion, that steps had been taken to admit former SIS Chief Suresh Salley, more..

Jun 9 (FT) Senior lawyer Hejaaz Hizbullah, who spent 22 months in detention without bail under the PTA commented on reports that former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Major General (Retd) Suresh Sallay had commenced a hunger strike, urging him to remain strong and contest the case through legal channels if he is innocent. In a post on X, Hizbullah drew parallels with his own experience in detention and said those accused should focus on pursuing their legal defence. more..

Jun 9 (TM) Catholic Church has called for the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks to continue without interruption, stressing that no political influence should be allowed to hinder the search for the truth. Spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Colombo, Cyril Gamini Fernando said former State Intelligence Service Director, Major General (Retd) Suresh Sallay had previously sought an out-of-court more..

Jun 9 (FT) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday called for deeper economic engagement between SL and India, arguing that businesses and entrepreneurs will play a decisive role in driving South Asia’s future growth and regional integration. Addressing the Vestige Investor and Dealer Conference at Cinnamon Life, Premadasa said the region’s economic resurgence would depend not only on Govt policy but also on the efforts of business leaders, manufacturers, distributors more..

Jun 9 (NW) SL mangoes took centre stage at Bahrain’s vibrant Mango festivals this May and June, featured prominently by two of the country’s largest Supermarket chains, Lulu Hypermarket and Al Jazira. The Embassy of SL in Bahrain, as part of its economic diplomacy initiatives, has been actively encouraging leading Bahraini retailers to source fresh mangoes and other fruit varieties from Sri Lanka. LuLu hypermarket at The Avenues launched the Mango season on 23rd May with more..

Jun 9 (CI) For the first time since 2017, Australia do not have global silverware to defend, with last year's ODI World Cup semi-final exit following the relinquishing of the T20 title in 2024 after a hat-trick of trophies. They have a new captain, too, in Sophie Molineux who has taken over from the retired Alyssa Healy but has had a tricky start to her job due to a back injury. Having been beaten at home by India in February, it's a vital few weeks for the side to reaffirm their standing at the top of the tree. more..

Jun 9 (CI) For the second game running in Kingston, persistent rain forced an ODI between WI and SL to be abandoned without a ball being bowled. This one - the third and final ODI in this series at Sabina Park - meant SL secured the trophy with a 1-0 margin, courtesy the 41-run victory they enjoyed in the series opener. Umpires had several inspections, but after discussing with curators they decided that getting play started by the cut off of 8.02pm for a 20-over-shootout was almost impossible. more..

Jun 9 (FT) Sri Lanka’s tourism industry achieved a historic milestone in May, recording its highest-ever tourist arrivals for the month with 145,745 visitors, surpassing the previous May record of 132,919 arrivals in 2025 and registering a 9.65% year-on-year (YoY) increase. The strong performance comes despite challenges posed by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which disrupted long-haul air traffic and more..

Jun 9 (SO) Third phase of excavation at the Chemmani mass grave site is continuing under Court supervision, with investigators confirming that 296 human skeletons have now been identified across all phases of the investigation. Of these, 290 have been fully exhumed. On the 17th day of the ongoing third phase, on June 5, investigators uncovered and numbered 13 additional human skeletons, including the remains of three infants. A steel artefact, listed as Item No. 116, more..

Jun 9 (ST) The CID has decided not to pursue legal action against former First Lady Prof. Maithree Wickramasinghe over the incident in which her husband, former president Ranil Wickremesinghe, was accused of misusing Rs. 16.6 million in state funds to visit Britain to attend Wolverhampton University’s convocation ceremony, where she was conferred an honorary professorship. CID has informed the AG that there is not enough evidence to bring charges against Ms Wickramasinghe. more..

Jun 9 (DN) SL turned in one of their finest recent performances to record a convincing 4-1 victory over Bhutan in their FIFA international football match at the National Telecom Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand yesterday after leading 1-0 at half time. Win was a significant achievement for SL, who are ranked 191st in the FIFA rankings, against Bhutan who are placed slightly higher at 188th. SL dominated most parts of the game and displayed excellent attacking football to secure a comfortable victory. more..

Jun 9 (DN) Anjala Bandara the wicket keeper batsman made a fighting unbeaten knock of 126 in 165 balls as SL Emerging team scored 302 for 8 wickets in their first innings at close of the first day’s play in their four- day game against West Indies Emerging team played at Mahinda Rajapaksa Int'l Cricket Stadium yesterday. It was a superb knock by Anjala Bandara who came to bat at number six at a crucial stage where Sri Lanka Emerging team was struggling at 95 for 4 wickets. more..

Jun 9 (FT) SL Customs said vehicle imports have remained resilient despite the temporary surcharge imposed on imports earlier this year, with revenue from the sector continuing to account for around one-third of total Customs collections. The anticipated slowdown in vehicle imports had not materialised, despite reports of unsold inventories in the market. Vehicle-related taxes contributed Rs. 91 billion out of a total more..

Jun 9 (ST) The CID has arrested the local agent of the under-fire Blue Ocean Securities Ltd after Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) handed the investigation over to them, informed sources said. Investors were earlier warned not to trade in securities ostensibly offered by this company as it is not a SEC-registered trader. This in the wake of the investor warning by the capital market regulator, saying that Samagi Capital Pvt Ltd is not licenced by SEC to operate as a stockbroker more..

Jun 9 (FT) Proposed amendments to the National Environment Act could strengthen the credibility of SL’s project approval framework by introducing penalties for misleading Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports and addressing conflicts of interest among approving agencies, according to the Centre for a Smart Future (CSF). The public policy think tank said the reforms come at a time when EIAs have evolved beyond a regulatory requirement to become a key signal of more..

Jun 9 (SO) The Govt has launched a review of Sri Lanka’s community-based water supply schemes amid concerns over project failures, technical shortcomings and allegations of financial mismanagement, Minister Dr. Sunil Ranasinghe said. Minister said that while many schemes are functioning successfully, a significant number face operational and structural challenges requiring urgent intervention. more..

Jun 9 (FT) The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has commenced the second phase of Sri Lanka’s Digital Invoicing System, expanding the platform to Value Added Tax (VAT)-registered businesses following the successful onboarding of exporters under the initial rollout, according to the Finance, Planning and Economic Development Ministry. The initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen tax administration through digitalisation. By creating an electronic audit trail for transactions, more..

Jun 9 (DN) Tri Nation one day cricket series between Sri Lanka, India and Afghanistan ‘A’ teams will commence today, when SL A and India A will meet in the first game at Rangiri Dambulla Int'l Cricket Stadium. All eyes will be on 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi when India A, led by Tilak Varma, takes on SL A led by all rounder Sahan Arachchige in their first match of the series. The competition follows a double round-robin structure, with each team playing other two twice in league stage. more..

Jun 9 (FT) Global growth prospects have deteriorated as the oil shock triggered by the US-Iran conflict and the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz weighs on economic activity, prompting Fitch Ratings to lower its forecast for world growth in 2026. In its latest Global Economic Outlook (GEO), Fitch reduced its forecast for global growth next year by 0.2 percentage points to 2.4%, citing the impact of higher energy prices on inflation, household spending and business costs. more..

Jun 9 (FT) Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has announced that the 26th SL Economic and Investment Summit (SLEIS) will be held on 12 and 13 Oct, with this year’s edition set to focus on economic growth, competitiveness, investment and structural reforms as the country navigates the next phase of its recovery. The Summit, regarded as one of SL’s leading economic policy forums, will bring together policymakers, business leaders, development partners, academics & int'l more..

Jun 9 (FT) The CoPF has approved a series of tax and fiscal policy reforms, including a five-year tax exemption for newly constructed telecommunications towers, while rejecting a proposal that would have allowed telecom operators to claim tax relief on unpaid customer bills. Finance (Amd) Bill, which seeks to amend the Finance Act, No. 35 of 2018, was approved when the Committee met in Parliament under the chairmanship of more..