June 26 (DM) 32 senior police officers, including 9 Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs) and 16 Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs), have been transferred with immediate effect. Transfers were made with the approval of the National Police Commission. DIG Nihal Thalduwa, previously in charge of Central Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), has been appointed as DIG for Monaragala Division. DIG J.R. Dias, currently serving as Staff DIG, will now oversee CCIB Division more..

June 26 (TM) SL’s internationally acclaimed Pekoe Trail will soon become the stage for a major fundraising campaign titled 500K Steps. Beginning on 2 July, a team of SL endurance walkers will cover the full 323 kilometre trail in five consecutive days. The goal is to raise Rs. 20 million to support trail upgrades, sustainable tourism, and community-led development across the Central Highlands. Funds raised through the 500K Steps campaign will go toward: Enhancing trail infrastructure, more..

June 26 (NF) Railway technical staff across SL have decided to commence a token strike from 8 AM today (26), protesting against the reduction of overtime allowances. The strike is expected to continue until tomorrow morning. According to Sampath Amarawansa, joint convener of the Railway Trade Union Alliance in Ratmalana, the decision was made after repeated appeals to the Railway Dept failed to yield a satisfactory response. The strike involves railway technical managers and more..

June 26 (AD) Former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and several former Cabinet Ministers have been named as witnesses in the case against former Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella over the alleged import of substandard Human Immunoglobulin vials. Around 350 individuals have been listed as witnesses in this case. Among them are former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and former Ministers more..

June 26 (PMD) Several discussions were held in recent days between the National Initiative for the Commercialisation of Research and Development (NIRDC), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), with the aim of strengthening SL’s research, development and innovation sectors. These discussions highlighted the importance of empowering the youth as the next generation of leaders in entrepreneurship, particularly by promoting more..

June 26 (NF) Legendary Former South African President Thabo Mbeki, a prominent statesman and the second democratically elected leader of South Africa, arrived in Sri Lanka this morning (26). Mbeki was hand-picked by the late-Nelson Mandela after the April 1994 general election to be the first Deputy President of South Africa's new Government of National Unity. Former South African president Thabo Mbeki is often identified as an independent and original thinker. more..

June 26 (BBC) I had pictured what my journey from the highlands of Ella to the Unesco city of Kandy would look like, but this was even better. The looping mountain roads stretched out before me as I drove through palm tree-lined valleys and past reservoirs so blue they looked as if they'd been photoshopped. Purple-faced langurs with their bushy white beards sat on the roadside and looked inquisitively at me, while elephants more..

June 26 (EN) Cabinet has approved a proposal to promote tourism activities at a colonial-era building in Nuwara Eliya, keeping the post office in operation. A plan to lease the building to India’s Taj Hotels was opposed by post office employees and activists. Each day several hundred tourists visit the post office and sends post cards home, dropping the mail to a colonial era wooden mail box. A decision by the previous govt’s cabinet to transfer the Nuwara Eliya Post Office to the UDA met with objections more..

June 26 (TM) Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) yesterday claimed that there will be no fuel shortage in the country under any circumstances. This, despite ongoing tensions in the Middle and the West Indian Ocean, which has seen oil prices soar and concerns about supply spread. CPC Chairperson D.J. Rajakaruna stated that the necessary fuel orders for the next two months have already been procured. The CPC has already placed and confirmed orders for the fuel required for more..

June 26 (PMD) Praja Shakthi National Programme, initiated by the current govt with the aim of empowering communities and ensuring the equitable distribution of economic benefits, is scheduled to be launched on July 4 at the Temple Trees under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Disanayake. The initial discussion of the Praja Shakthi National Operations Committee was held this afternoon (24) at the Presidential Secretariat. The meeting was chaired by the Minister Upali Pannilage, more..

June 26 (Island) ATG Group of Companies, Colombo in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Muslim Aid Sri Lanka, supported the complete refurbishment of the Outpatient Department (OPD) and Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) at the De Soysa Hospital for Women (DSHW) in Colombo, recently. Valued at approximately LKR 4 million, this timely donation will uplift the hospital’s facilities, enabling more efficient, safe, and dignified maternal care for thousands of women in need. more..

June 26 (CI) On a surface that Bangladesh's batters had laboured on a day earlier, SL's batters made hay, as a 194-run second-wicket stand between Pathum Nissanka and Dinesh Chandimal took the hosts to a 43-run lead at stumps on day two. At the close, nightwatcher Prabath Jayasuriya was in the middle to keep Nissanka - unbeaten on 146 - company, as light began to fade quickly. Jayasuriya had survived a few nervy more..

June 26 (MW) The CIABOC today filed indictments against former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and five members of his family. The indictments were filed at the Colombo High Court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The Bribery Commission has filed 43 charges against Rambukwella, his wife, three daughters, and a son-in-law. The accused were recently remanded and later granted bail over investigations into their assets by the Bribery Commission. more..

June 26 (SM) The govt has recommended to import 40,000 MT of substitute rice to address the shortage of Keeri Samba in the local market. Following the notification by the Consumer Affairs Authority that sufficient stocks of Keeri Samba are not available, the Food Security and Cost of Living Committee, which met at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday made the above recommendation. Accordingly, around 5,000 MT of rice will be imported through state institutions while more..

June 26 (CT) Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Suharshi Jayaweera yesterday informed Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali that several detainees under the special attention of the CID had been suspiciously released from certain prisons under the guise of Presidential pardons granted for special holidays. She noted that although these individuals were not listed in the official Presidential pardon records, their names more..

June 26 (Island) UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has warned SL against falling into the impunity trap and urged the NPP govt to hold to account the perpetrators of the most severe crimes. He said so at a meeting in Colombo on Tuesday. Türk arrived in Colombo on Monday on a four-day visit. “In our complex and violent global landscape, there may be lessons for SL – and lessons that the world needs to learn from SL,” said Türk, as he tackled two main themes in his remarks. more..

June 26 (NW) John Keells Holdings (JKH) and Melco Resorts & Entertainment (MRE) proudly announces the grand opening of City of Dreams Sri Lanka on 2nd August 2025. This launch marks the completion of the final components of the project, including a world-class casino, the luxurious Nüwa hotel and a premium shopping mall. The milestone partnership, marks the debut of South Asia’s first fully- integrated resort and SL’s largest private sector investment in luxury lifestyle to date more..

June 27 (TM) With the visit of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk to SL, the spotlight shifts back to the long-standing concerns and allegations about the island’s human rights track record. While Sri Lanka has some serious human rights-related issues to address and has failed to do so diligently through an effective domestic mechanism to-date, UN HR High Commissioner’s visit and the attention given to SL’s issues reeks of the duplicity in global order more..

June 27 (ST) A couple of weeks back I read a glowing tribute to Ceylon’s second post-independence prime minister whose birth anniversary was on June 9. I have been a great admirer of Dudley Senanayake just as writer Ilika Karunaratne had been all these years. Except of course our interests parted ways. So while Ilika Karunaratne recalls some of Dudley Senanayake’s past from his schools including his Cambridge days and the later era when he became PM more..

June 27 (DM) Petroleum dealers of Lanka Indian Oil Company (LIOC) are up in arms against its management for the failure to raise the dealer commission that was pruned, despite gaining profits in billions of rupees annually. Following the new scheme implemented by CPC to withdraw the 3% dealer margin, paid over the past several years as and when the retail price was determined, LIOC too followed suit although other two contenders more..

June 27 (DM) People mostly remember Sri Lanka for its refreshing Ceylon tea, cinnamon and spices, cuisine or for its pristine beauty. But Sri Lanka is increasingly becoming a go-to destination for something more interesting -- world cinema. Today, many directors directing South Indian films for instance consider Sri Lanka as a potential film destination in the region and already several scenes in upcoming movies have been shot in some of Sri Lanka’s breathtaking locations. more..

June 27 (CT) In Feb 2025, some workers who were preparing ground for the construction of a new crematorium at the Ariyalai Sindhubath burial ground – a public cemetery in Chemmani – stumbled upon human remains and thus, the Chemmani mass grave returned to the spotlight after years of dormancy. Following the orders of Jaffna Magistrate a fresh investigation and a supervised excavation was ordered which unearthed 19 human skeletal remains in total, including the remains of more..

June 27 (CT) In a chilling comparison that left the nation shaken, DIG Indika Hapugoda said that nearly 2,000 lives have already been lost on SL roads in just six months, from 1 Jan to 15 June 2025. Drawing a direct line between the annual toll of traffic-related deaths and the 28,000 fatalities recorded during SL’s three-decade civil war, Hapugoda warned: This is a very catastrophic situation. 1,133 fatal crashes were recorded more..

June 27 (ST) Ironically, the trio and I were on one page on Thursday morning: concern for helpless people in West Asia affected by the war in Gaza, Iran and Israel (with Israel firing the first shots at Tehran). This morning, Aldoris, the choon-paan karaya, came down the lane incessantly playing his tuk-tuk’s signature tune to be greeted with a set of frowning faces. "Aldoris, oya saddey adu-karanna (Aldoris, reduce the sound),” urged Serapina, “Aeih (Why),” he asked, surprised. more..

June 27 (Island) The Colombo Port is reportedly experiencing delays again. An association of container truck operators has blamed this sorry state of affairs on the non-implementation of key recommendations made by a Cabinet sub-committee; it has said a block of land allocated for cargo clearance operations remains unutilised. Why the govt did not take follow-up action to ensure the implementation of its recommendations is the question. It is believed that port delays, more..

June 27 (GV) 200+: Beyond the Struggle is an exhibition amplifying the voice of the Malaiyaha Tamil community through their own images and stories. Organised by the CPA in collaboration with grassroots organisations Suya Shakthi and Uva Shakthi, the exhibition at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery is the culmination of a multi-year effort to transform how society perceives the Malaiyaha Tamil population – descendants of Indian Tamil workers brought to SL during British colonial period more..

June 27 (Island) A need for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Japan was proposed by the SL exporters around 2010. At that time, SL’s Dept of Commerce, the main govt agency responsible for the trade negotiations, also strongly favoured negotiating an FTA with Japan for a number of reasons. By then, much of our export growth had come from two advanced economies; EU and US, which together accounted for more than half of our exports. In those markets, after the end of the quota more..

June 27 (FT) Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) elected Krishan Balendra as its new Chairperson at the 186th AGM held yesterday. Balendra, who is the Chairperson of John Keells Holdings, succeeds Ernst & Young SL Country Managing Partner and Senior Economic Adviser to the Prez Duminda Hulangamuwa. Balendra’s deceased father Ken also served as Chairman of CCC previously (1998-2000). more..

June 27 (ST) After three races of the ongoing Euroformula Open Championship 2025, SL racing sensation Yevan Ranasinghe David leads the Drivers’ Championship standing with 163 points, a clear 18-point lead from South Korea and Team Motopark teammate Michael Shin, who sits at second with 145 points. After the season opener at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimão, Portugal, Yevan continued his heroics at the Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium and more..

June 27 (Island) Sri Lanka’s highest ranked track and field athlete Rumesh Tharanga will have a bussy schedule ahead as he has been entered for three international events including the Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 during the next two months. Tharanga, who is currenly ranked 20th in the world in the men’s javelin throw will compete in the Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025, on July 5, at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. The event was originally scheduled for May 24. more..

June 27 (ST) The President of the National Olympic Committee of SL (NOC), Suresh Subramaniam, emphasised the importance of adopting and maintaining a comprehensive, ethical and transparent administrative structure, whilst vouching for his newly appointed team that replaced six vacated positions. Subramaniam also revealed that the NOC, which was placed under a temporary fund seizure by the Int'l Olympic Committee (IOC) & Olympic Confederation of Asia (OCA), more..

June 27 (CI) SL are only two wickets down but are 43 runs ahead at the SSC. Another 150-ish runs will help them dominate the match, says Kusal Mendis. He is yet to bat, and in fact three further wickets likely have to fall before he is required to. But having kept wickets for 79.3 overs, and having played plenty of his cricket at the SSC, Mendis has some idea of how the pitch is behaving. The plan, he said, is to go big in the second innings, and put as little pressure on their batting in the second dig more..

June 27 (FT) Despite global uncertainties, SL’s export sector continues to show strong recovery and resilience, with total exports in the first five months of 2025 reaching over $ 6.93 billion, registering a 7.14% growth compared to the same period last year. The latest figures, released by the SL Export Development Board (EDB), underscore a steady upward trajectory in both merchandise and services exports, more..

June 27 (FT) The Cabinet of Ministers approved implementing two key projects under the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) for the 2025-2027 grant cycles. “The upcoming grant cycle aligns with the objectives of the National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis Control and the 2023–2027 National Strategic Plan for eradicating HIV/AIDS,” Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. Global Fund has agreed to allocate $ 2.97 million for the Tuberculosis component more..

June 27 (FT) Cinnamon Life has officially redefined the culinary landscape of Sri Lanka, clinching an extraordinary 56 medals at the prestigious Chefs Guild of Lanka Culinary Art Competition 2025, the highest medal tally in the country’s history. The resounding win includes a remarkable 23 Gold, 17 Silver, and 16 Bronze medals, firmly establishing Cinnamon Life as the new gold standard in hospitality. In an unprecedented feat, the Cinnamon Life team was also awarded more..