Jun 24 (NW) United States today formally transferred ten American-made TH-57 Sea Ranger (Bell 206) helicopters to the SL Air Force, delivering a major boost to the country’s helicopter training program, search-and-rescue capabilities, and the security of its air and maritime domains — a milestone that reflects the growing strength of the US-SL defense partnership. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, US Pacific Air Forces Commander General Kevin Schneider, and US Assistant Secretary of State more..

Jun 24 (TM) A warning has been issued regarding a sophisticated financial scam being circulated via WhatsApp, in which fraudsters impersonate the Dept for the Registration of Persons, the Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) has stated. The scam messages are crafted in a highly official and convincing manner, creating a significant risk that individuals may easily fall victim. The fraudulent messages reportedly mimic official communication from the Department, more..

Jun 24 (AD) The Chairman of the CoPF, MP Dr. Harsha de Silva has welcomed the decision by the govt to withdraw its proposal to lower the VAT registration threshold, allowing businesses with annual turnover below Rs. 60 million to remain outside the VAT net. The decision follows weeks of criticism from business groups, tax professionals and opposition lawmakers, who argued that the move would have placed an additional burden on small and medium-sized enterprises at a time when more..

Jun 24 (TM) A bid by the Opposition to force an emergency Parliamentary debate on alleged judicial shortcomings triggered a tense showdown in the House yesterday (23), with the Govt rejecting the request and the Speaker ultimately ruling it out of order. The dispute centred on a motion submitted under Standing Order (SO) 19(1), which sought an urgent discussion on delays in the administration of justice, judicial appointments and other issues affecting the Judiciary. more..

Jun 24 (AD) The main suspect in the Teldeniya murder case, in which a woman's body was recently found inside a parked vehicle, has been arrested in Jaffna, according to police. According to the Senior DIG in charge of the Nuwara Eliya Division, the suspect and his wife have been arrested in the Jaffna area by officers of the Jaffna Crime Investigation Unit and Walana Anti-Corruption Unit after receiving information that they were travelling by bus from Wellawatte to Jaffna yesterday. more..

Jun 24 (NW) The family of former SIS Director Suresh Sallay has appealed to Pope Leo XIV to intervene over his continued detention and deteriorating health while in the custody of the CID. The appeal was submitted on Tuesday through the Apostolic Nuncio to SL, the Vatican’s representative in the country. Sallay has been in CID custody as part of investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. He was transferred to the National Hospital in Colombo after launching a hunger strike more..

Jun 24 (TM) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed a 15-member Public Servants’ Salaries and Pensions Commission to examine long-standing salary and pension-related issues affecting public officers and pensioners, and to recommend reforms aimed at strengthening the public service. The appointment was made through an Extraordinary Gazette notification issued on Monday (22) by the President under the powers vested in him by Article 33 of the Constitution. more..

Jun 24 (FT) Govt yesterday said approximately $ 6.9 million remitted by SL workers in Israel has been suspended due to legal proceedings involving remittance service provider Global Remit, rejecting claims that the funds were lost as a result of a cyberattack. Around 5,100 SL workers have been affected by the suspension. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Employment Arun Hemachandra said claims that worker remittances had disappeared as a result of a hacker attack were completely false. more..

Jun 24 (FT) Aggregate earnings of 271 listed companies declined 11.4% year-on-year (YoY) in the March 2026 quarter, marking a third consecutive quarter of earnings contraction, according to First Capital Research. The investment research firm said reported earnings were heavily influenced by large one-off gains and losses, particularly within the Food, Beverage and Tobacco sector, masking stronger underlying profitability trends across several sectors. more..

Jun 24 (NW) Thirteen bus drivers and conductors tested positive for drug use during a random screening programme conducted at the Navinna bus stand in Maharagama on Tuesday, as part of an ongoing initiative to improve the safety of public transport system of the country. The mobile drug testing programme, implemented under the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development’s national programme to enhance the safety and efficiency of public transport, screened 200 drivers and conductors more..

Jun 24 (AD) Health Entomology Officers' Association has warned that the Breteau Index—an international indicator used to measure the density of dengue mosquito larvae—has increased significantly in many parts of the country. The index, which primarily reflects the prevalence of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, is a key measure used in monitoring dengue transmission risk, as the species is the main vector responsible for spreading the virus. According to WHO guidelines, Breteau Index should be maintained below a level of 3 more..

Jun 24 (DN) Damel Evelyn (77n.o) and Kevlon Anderson (58) made superb knocks to add 110 runs fourth wicket stand as West Indies Emerging team record 2 wickets win with 5 overs to spare in their first ODI against SL Emerging team at SSC grounds yesterday. This game was initially scheduled for Monday but it was called off due to rain. However yesterday’s game was reduced to 36 overs per side and started at 12.30 pm. SL Emerging team invited to bat first scored 184 all out in 33.4 overs. more..

Jun 24 (FT) SL yesterday signalled a major reset in its economic engagement with India saying a review of the existing Free Trade Agreements (FTA) by the Govt is nearing completion, while policymakers and business leaders called for a shift from traditional trade towards deeper integration in investment, technology, logistics and digital commerce. The announcement was made at a forum marking 25 years of the India SL FTA (ISLFTA), where the launch of a dedicated India Trade Desk was positioned as more..

Jun 24 (CI) A merciless 106 off 61 balls from captain Chamari Athapaththu sent SL scorching to the target of 131 with 27 balls and nine wickets to spare against Ireland. Athapaththu's fourth T20I hundred was her first in World Cups, and was brutal from start to finish. She had begun the innings with a scintillating boundary through cover, and finished it with an equally domineering stroke through the same region. Ireland had recovered from a poor start to post 130 for 5, more..

Jun 24 (ST) A selection controversy has rocked Sri Lanka netball ahead of the 14th Asian Netball Championship, which will be held in Hong Kong from Aug 7 to Aug 16, at the newly developed Kai Tak Sports Park. The storm brewed after a sharp disagreement between national coach Somitha de Alwis and selection committee Chairperson Padma Beddawela over the inclusion of teenage star Thumalka Ekanayake in the national squad. Despite strong objections from the coach, selectors stood their ground and more..

Jun 24 (Island) Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is posting arrival numbers that many destinations would envy, yet it is increasingly troubled by a disconcerting trend: the country is welcoming record numbers of visitors, but tourism earnings are struggling to keep pace. In May, Sri Lanka recorded its highest-ever monthly increase in tourist arrivals, welcoming 145,745 visitors, a 10% rise from a year earlier. However, tourism revenue fell 5.1% year-on year to US$155.7 million, more..

Jun 24 (FT) SL’s apparel and textile exports grew 7.96% in May 2026 to $ 394.14 million, marking the industry’s strongest monthly performance so far this year and signalling improving demand from key export markets after a challenging start to 2026. According to data analysed by the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF), US led the gain, with shipments rising 15.36% to $ 149.96 million. Exports to markets outside the industry’s traditional three core destinations also grew strongly, more..

Jun 24 (ST) The rapid, unchecked proliferation of online betting advertisements has triggered a severe socio-economic crisis among Sri Lanka’s youth, high school students, and children, even in the wake of transforming gambling landscape into a highly regulated investment sector. As highlighted in recent Committee on Public Finance (COPF) sessions by Chairman Dr. Harsha de Silva, the aggressive, predatory nature of these marketing campaigns has effectively normalised digital gambling. more..

Jun 24 (ST) The Customs Department has only one X-ray baggage scanner for its green (nothing to declare) channel at the BIA—the lane through which most arrivals pass—and this causes long delays for passengers leaving the building whenever officers pursue smuggling tips, which have recently increased in number. The most common tips are for gold, mobile phones, drugs, and cigarettes, a Customs source said, adding that drugs and cigarettes have seen a particular spike. more..

Jun 24 (FT) Veenath Indrajith, a fourth-year undergraduate from the Department of Business Economics at the Uni of Sri Jayewardenepura (USJ), has been selected as the winner of the Dr. Saman Kelegama Memorial Research Grant for 2026. Indrajith’s academic and professional interests lie in economics, finance, investment, and policy-oriented research. In addition to his undergraduate studies, he is currently pursuing the Chartered Accountancy qualification in SL, more..

Jun 24 (FT) Sri Lanka and Thailand are looking to leverage the recently concluded SL–Thailand Free Trade Agreement (SLTFTA), stronger business-to-business engagement, and their strategic positions as gateways to South and Southeast Asia to significantly deepen bilateral trade and investment ties, speakers said at the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the SL–Thailand Business Council. Marking its 25th anniversary, the Council brought together government officials, diplomats and business leaders more..

Jun 24 (FT) Govt yesterday withdrew plans to lower the Value Added Tax (VAT) registration and Social Security Contribution Levy (SSCL) thresholds, sparing thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises from being brought into the tax net at a time when businesses are grappling with the economic consequences of Cyclone Ditwah and the conflict in the Middle East. Opening the second reading debate on the VAT (Amd) Bill and other changes, Economic Development Deputy Minister more..

Jun 24 (Island) When discussions turn to SL’s freshwater fish diversity and the urgent need to conserve it, attention is often focused on rivers, streams, reservoirs and water quality. Yet scientists are increasingly finding that what happens on the land surrounding these waterways can be just as important as what happens in the water itself. A recent study led by researcher Janamina Bandara of the Wildlife Conservation Society, Galle, together with researchers Sudath Nanayakkara and more..

Jun 24 (Island) JVP-NPP govt yesterday did not scruple to deprive the Opposition of an opportunity to debate some vital issues affecting the judiciary, in Parliament. The Opposition made a request to the Speaker, under Standing Orders, for a debate on the vacancies numbering four each in the Supreme Court (SC) and the Court of Appeal (CA) and an alleged move to raise the retirement ages of the SC and CA judges. But the govt raised objections and put paid to the Opposition’s efforts, more..

Jun 24 (DM) The spike of dengue cases in the country has risen to an alarming level with the number of cases exceeding 46,000 and deaths nearing 30 for the past six months. Authorities cite that the number of cases rose by 500 to 600 daily until last Saturday. However, a record 1069 cases were reported on Sunday, saending a bleak signal on the danger that lurks ahead. And the number of cases that fluctuated between 7800 and 8500 in the first five months of the year more..

Jun 24 (DM) Yesterday’s edition of the Daily Mirror highlighted a case of stark cruelty to a nine-month-old infant. The child and his/her mother was apparently left in the care of a carer, while the father went in search of employment. The child was tied to a chair, as the court heard, and was mercilessly thrashed by the carer for crying! This is not the first time we Lankans have heard of children being abused by adults. According to the SL Journal of Child Health 2021, more..

Jun 24 (SO) SL’s Southern coastline is one of the premier nesting and hatching grounds for sea turtles. Beaches such as Rekawa, Godavaya and Bundala play a key role in protecting these marine animals. If you are interested in nature and conservation, visiting these turtle nesting beaches can be a memorable experience. With respectful observation and guidance from guides and conservation teams, you can witness the hatching and release of baby turtles more..

Jun 24 (ST) Well, well, well. There I was, up nice and early this Friday, waiting for the two sides to take the field, as it were, when the bad news hit the wires like an avalanche from the Swiss mountains. The talks due to start on Friday had been called off. This is not strange in our part of the world, where cricket matches are often called off for days. What happened here seems much more than a contretemps, as we encountered here at Hyde Park Gardens, where we had played our own war games more..

Jun 24 (TM) The petition filed in the Court of Appeal by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, requesting an order to prevent the Police from arresting him under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), is a significant milestone in SL’s legal history. This is because it represents a complete reversal of roles. During his tenures first as Secretary of Defence and later as Executive Prez, Rajapaksa was severely criticised by international human rights organisations for using the PTA more..

Jun 24 (CT) The Chemmani mass grave in Jaffna has once again become the focal point of national and international attention, as Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara made his first visit to the excavation site on Friday (19), while a four-member delegation from the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) conducts its official mission in the country. During the Minister’s visit, a protest was organised calling for an international probe, while more..

Jun 24 (TM) When the monolithic CEB was legally dismantled in March this year, Govt heralded the move as a historic dawn for SL’s energy sector. The repeal of the 1969 CEB Act and the sudden birth of six separate successor companies were sold to a weary public as a definitive cure for decades of systemic corruption, financial bleeding, and crippling blackouts. Yet, three months into this ambitious experiment, the view from the average Sri Lankan household remains entirely unchanged. more..

Jun 24 (CT) It has been noted by many that every problem in Sri Lanka turns into a national crisis in no time. This accumulation of crises has now brought the country to a position where a major breakdown of society is being predicted by many. So, it is time to stop this. The strength of any society is its capacity to act and resist at the early stages when a problem arises. If that value is internalized, and the society has that strength, action will happen automatically. Unfortunately, more..