June 5 (ST) Some of the beneficiaries of the economic crisis in 2022 were senior citizens as interest rates soared and helped them to get a decent return in interest income on their savings. Nowadays, interest rates have sunk and badly affected all savings, in particular senior citizens who don’t have any other income to meet their daily needs, particularly medicine and food. Then, interest rates were high and aimed at reducing overheating the economy. more..

June 5 (Island) Health Ministry is in the news for the wrong reasons again. Its decision to resume the use of a stock of immunoglobulin, withdrawn from the govt hospitals last year following a preliminary investigation, has created quite a stir. Claims and counterclaims being made via social media about the controversial decision have led to confusion among the public. Immunoglobulin has become synonymous with corruption due to a mega drug racket that shook conscience of the nation. more..

June 5 (TM) Term genocide was first introduced in 1944 by Polish jurist Raphael Lemkin in his work Axis Rule in Occupied Europe. It is derived from the Greek word genos (meaning race or tribe) and Latin suffix -cide (meaning killing). Lemkin coined the term in response to the systematic extermination of the Jewish population by the Nazi regime during the Holocaust, as well as in recognition of earlier historical instances involving the international destruction of specific groups. more..

June 5 (Island) June 2, 2025, marks four years since the sinking of the MV X-Press Pearl, the largest chemical maritime disaster in history. The ship’s blazing inferno and subsequent submersion, off the coast of Colombo, released an unprecedented volume of pollutants, including hazardous chemicals and millions of plastic pellets—known as nurdles—into the Indian Ocean. Environmental groups, led by the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), filed a landmark lawsuit, just four days after more..

June 5 (DM) Port of Colombo’s transshipment volumes recorded a 5.8% year-on-year (YoY) decline in April 2025, reaching 495,456 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), marking the fourth consecutive month of slowdown in this crucial segment. This decline comes as the port braces for a challenging outlook over the next two months (May and June) due to anticipated operational disruptions from adverse weather conditions and more..

June 5 (DN) Sri Lanka Badminton got into the right track with former President Rohan de Silva during the last two years. He implemented a re-scheduling development plan in 2023 with his aim to elevate the sport to international standard and this plan will continue until 2027. SL’s youngest Olympian Viren Nettasinghe came to the top level within a short period supported by the SLB. During de Silva’s tenure international tournaments were hosted by SLB after laps of seven years. more..

June 5 (ST) Darley Butler & Company, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Railways and the Central Environmental Authority, recently launched the Bio Clean Hari Pirisidu Railway Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative under the Bio Clean brand. As part of this project, Bio Clean cleaning products will be supplied free of charge for a period of one year to clean and maintain toilet facilities at all railway stations across Sri Lanka, the company said in a media release. more..

June 5 (ST) Court of Appeal has dismissed a legal challenge brought by an American citizen who fled the country while facing sports corruption charges, ruling that he failed to meet bail conditions for judicial review. Amil Patel, also known as Yogi Patel, had sought to quash criminal proceedings against him under the Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports Act No.24 of 2019. However, his application was rejected after he left Sri Lanka in violation of court-imposed bail conditions. more..

June 5 (DN) Sri Lanka will meet Brunei Darussalam in a crucial FIFA International Friendly today at the Alpine Football Camp Training Centre in Bangkok, Thailand at at 2.30pm Sri Lanka time. Both teams will treat this as a serious test ahead of their upcoming AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaigns later this year. This clash is important for both nations, who are among the lowest-ranked teams in the FIFA World Rankings. Sri Lanka currently sit at 200th, while Brunei are placed 185th. more..

June 5 (TM) Dept of Railways is set to boost its efficiency by Sept-Oct of this year with the recruitment of over 900 new staff members and around 3,000 internal promotions, according to Railways General Manager Dhammika Jayasundara. He said that the department has been facing difficulties in getting the required staff for many years. “The last time that approval was granted for required recruitments was in 2018, & no new approval more..

June 5 (FT) Cabinet of Ministers on Monday approved construction planned in the land under Stage III of the Myliddy Fishery Harbour development and to extend the project timeline till 2027. The implementation of Stage III will mark the final phase of infrastructure expansion. With Stages I and II already completed, Stage III will focus on providing critical facilities to support both local and visiting fishing communities. The development will include essential services more..

June 5 (DN) NZ Under-85Kgs rugby team donated their sports equipment to World Vision Lanka’s Every Mind Matters Campaign during their recent historic tour to SL. Every Mind Matters campaign aims at uplifting the mental well-being of children in North, SL through sports. Together with former All Blacks Rugby World Cup-winning coach Sir Graham Henry, NZ Under-85s gathered at Cinnamon Grand, to hand over their sports gear collected after concluding the Sir Graham Henry Cup tournament against more..

June 5 (FT) Govt has generated Rs. 136 billion in revenue from motor vehicle imports between January and April 2025. This figure includes collections from VAT, Customs Duty, and Luxury Tax. This disclosure was made by SL Customs officials, during a meeting of the CoPF. It was revealed that the Govt has set a target of Rs. 450 billion in total revenue from vehicle imports for the year and, given the current situation, officials expressed more..

June 5 (DN) The Government of France will support the development of clean energy sources and increase energy efficiency in Sri Lanka. In order to enhance cooperation in the energy sector between Sri Lanka and France, a special meeting was held Tuesday (03) between the French Ambassador to Sri Lanka Rémi Lambert, and Minister of Energy Kumara Jayakody, at the Ministry of Energy. Discussions were held at length on enhancing energy cooperation between the 2 countries. more..

June 5 (TM) Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL) stated that it is studying international treaties that are beneficial to the country and recommending to the Govt which of these should be signed. HRCSL Commissioner Nimal G. Punchihewa said that the Commission looks at conventions that could strengthen rights protections in Sri Lanka, and advises the authorities on those that are necessary and practical to adopt. “There are many conventions that we haven’t fully ratified yet. more..

June 5 (FT) Cabinet has approved signing a MoU between the Govt and the World Food Programme (WFP) of the UN to facilitate the implementation of the WFP’s SL Strategic Plan for 2023-2027. The Sri Lankan strategic plan of the WFP has been prepared as a tool for the main plan covering the four-year period, including strategic priorities and programs. The strategic plan, developed as a comprehensive framework to address food security and nutritional challenges in the country, more..

June 5 (DM) SL is among a few South Asian countries identified with a temperature level that is considered too hot for people to be able to work safely outdoors for an average of six hours a day, according to a report compiled by the World Bank. India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are the other three countries in the category. The World, in its book titled From Risk to Resilience: Helping People and Firms Adapt in South Asia says this is expected to rise to eight to nine hours a day by 2050. more..

June 5 (CT) Supreme Court dismissed the Writ Order issued by the Court of Appeal that had invalidated the Attorney General’s move to name former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake as an accused in a case related to the controversial Central Bank Bond auction held in 2016. Delivering the judgment in a special leave to appeal application filed by the AG, SC Justice Mahinda Samayawardhena, with Justices more..

June 5 (NW) Nuwan Dharmaratne has resigned from his position as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Pelwatte Sugar Industries, following a request made by Minister of Plantations Sunil Handunnetti over a social media post concerning the sugar industry. Minister confirmed that he asked Dharmaratne to step down due to remarks made on social media which, according to the Minister, were not in line with his official role. Dharmaratne was appointed to the post in Oct 2024 by Minister Vijitha Herath more..

June 5 (FT) Cabinet at their meeting on Monday granted policy approval to formulate a new Act to govern the registration of condominium properties owned by the Govt or affiliated agencies. The approval follows the expiration of the validity period of the Apartment Ownership (Special Provisions) Act, No. 23 of 2018, which ended on 14 August 2023. The registration of condominium plans is currently governed by the Apartment Ownership Law No. 11 of 1973, as amended by Acts, more..

June 5 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara yesterday stressed that a country’s progress must go beyond economic success, insisting on the importance of accompanying social development and a shift in political culture. He made these remarks during a high-level discussion with senior Treasury officials. Prez instructed Treasury officials to expedite structural reforms in key institutions based on core Govt policy, while maintaining strategically important sectors under State oversight. more..

June 5 (FT) Navy has been instructed to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident that occurred in Kuchchaveli, Trincomalee, and to submit a detailed report as soon as possible. This directive was issued by Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekaran. According to the Minister, appropriate conclusions and further actions will be based on the findings of this report. The incident in question took place on 3 June, when a fisherman was reportedly injured in a shooting more..

June 5 (Island) SriLankan Airlines, long a subject of national debate and a significant drain on public funds, appears to be charting a new course. In a move signaling a potential turnaround for the embattled national carrier, a newly acquired Airbus A330-200 landed at BIA yesterday, fresh from Paris. This addition comes at a pivotal time for SriLankan Airlines, which has for years been a white elephant in the public eye, with past attempts at more..

June 5 (Island) Parliament descended into chaos yesterday as Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala dropped a bombshell, claiming that some MPs had sold their parliamentary seats, triggering a fiery confrontation with Opposition lawmakers. Watagala accused certain MPs of corruption, stating, “We have among us MPs who sold their MP posts.” The remark immediately provoked an uproar, with SJB MP Chaminda Wijesiri demanding that Watagala reveal the name of the alleged offender. more..

June 5 (TM) Health Ministry urged the public to be more vigilant about the contents of food, noting that the lack of awareness contributes to numerous health issues. It emphasised that salt, among other ingredients, remains a major concern that is yet to receive adequate public attention. Ministry’s Environmental, Occupational, Health and Food Safety Unit’s Director Dr. Chandani Withana noted that Sri Lankans are used to consuming around two-three teaspoons of salt per day, more..

June 5 (DM) Ministry of Health is set to import additional stocks of COVID-19 antigen test kits as a precautionary measure amidst growing concerns over a new global variant of the virus. While health officials confirm that there is currently an adequate supply of antigen kits for use on a temporary basis, Ministry is importing more as a contingency plan. This move comes in light of the increasing emphasis on preparedness, more..

June 5 (FT) Illogical as it may seem, a collapsing global order – Trump tariffs and his disinterest in a just world – offers Sri Lanka a historic opportunity: to demand debt justice, build meaningful alliances across the Global South, and challenge deepening global inequality. A pivotal moment will arrive in late June, in Seville, Spain, at the Fourth UN Financing for Development (FfD4) Conference. There, SL must join other nations and seize the platform to expose the structural injustices more..

June 5 (FT) Law-making in SL is shrouded in secrecy, ambushes the general public and alienates people. The process of law-making, as practiced by successive Govts, is rarely open, transparent and accountable – beyond observing the processes minimally set out in the Constitution and Standing Orders of Parliament. As a consequence, SL has enacted many bad laws, most recently the Online Safety Act of 2024, and continues to maintain many dangerous ones, including the egregious PTA more..

June 5 (TM) SL’s interest rates are unlikely to move up substantially over the next two years as govt borrowings from the domestic market are set to remain low with primary surplus, LYNEAR Wealth Management Equities Head Asanka Herath said. He said that the govt is going to require less funding and borrowing from the domestic banking system and other investors to fund day-to-day operations with the possibility of primary surplus in 2025 and 2026 and treasury having positive cash balance. more..

June 5 (EN) The new Board of Directors at the state-run SriLankan Airlines did not proceed with the previous govt’s cabinet decision to buy two more wide body aircrafts due to fitness concerns, the SriLankan Chairman said. SriLankan added a new A330 Airbus to its fleet on Wednesday expanding the total number to 23. The decision to expand the fleet was taken by the previous govt’s cabinet and then Board of Directors. “They had got cabinet approval for two more wide-bodied aircrafts but more..

June 5 (DM) Attorney General has filed an indictment before the Hambantota High Court against former SL cricketer Sachindra Senanayake over allegations of attempting to induce national cricketer Tharindu Ratnayake into match-fixing during a cricket tournament held in SL in 2020. The charges arise from an incident during a series of matches held in Hambantota in Nov 2020, where Senanayake allegedly attempted to influence more..

June 5 (NW) A former top official from the SL Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRDC) has been arrested over alleged corruption linked to a high-profile opening ceremony during the Rajapaksa administration. Former General Manager of the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRDC), Srimathi Mallika Kumari Senadheera, has been arrested by officers of the CIABOC. The arrest is linked to the first phase of the Werassa Ganga Project. more..

June 5 (DM) The construction work of the stretch connecting Kadawatha and the Central Expressway will commence in August this year, Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake told Parliament today. He said tenders have already been called for in this regard. Minister said steps will be taken to initiate the construction work of the main section of the Central Expressway which will also commence in the near future by the Chinse contractor or a local contractor. more..

June 5 (DM) Anudi Gunasekara, who represented Sri Lanka at the Miss World 2025 pageant, in her maiden interview with the print media upon her return said that although she didn’t make it to the final four at the Miss World, she created history for SL by becoming the first contestant to win in three different categories at the pageant, held in India this year- Head-to-Head Challenge (Top 20), Talent (Top5 Asia), Multimedia (Runner-up). more..

June 5 (AD) Colombo High Court today ordered the Controller of Immigration and Emigration to take steps to lift the overseas travel ban imposed on former Minister Udaya Gammanpila, who was acquitted and released of charges related to the alleged criminal misappropriation of Rs. 21 million belonging to an Australian businessman. Udaya Gammanpila, through his lawyer, submitted a motion stating that although he was acquitted and released by the Colombo High Court on March 24, more..