Jun 16 (FT) SL’s economy grew 5.1% in the first quarter of 2026, up from 4.8% in the Dec 2025 quarter. 1Q 2026 was particularly challenging. The period covered the first two months (Jan and Feb) after the devastating Ditwah Cyclone and the first full month of the US-Israel war on Iran (March). However, while lower than the 5.4% growth in 3Q 2025, it was higher than the 4.9% 2Q and 4.8% 1Q growth rates of 2025. In fact, the 1Q 2026 growth rate was the highest for the first quarter since 2021. more..

Jun 16 (Island) Mediation Bill was passed by the Parliament on June 11. Minister Harshana Nanayakkara introduced the Bill, and explained its provisions and value for SL and global developments in the use of mediation. Encouragingly, it was passed unanimously. SL’s commitment to provide legislative support for the use of mediation is timely and most welcome. Given that the backlog of cases pending before courts is over a staggering 1.1 million, it is clear that SL is yet another country more..

Jun 16 (Island) The world must have breathed a sigh of relief yesterday following the announcement that the US and Iran had agreed to sign a peace deal soon and begin negotiations in earnest to resolve contentious issues. The peace plan has renewed hope that no more lives will be lost due to military strikes in West Asia; precious assets, especially oil infrastructure, in that part of the world will be safe, and disruptions to global oil supplies will be over. more..

Jun 16 (SO) Sri Lanka is expected to face increasingly complex weather in the coming months as developing El Niño activity in the Pacific Ocean begins to influence regional climate patterns. Although the phenomenon has not yet fully matured, the authorities say there are strong indications that El Niño will come into effect next month onwards and is likely to affect SL until March next year. Acting Director General of the Dept of Meteorology Ajith Wijemannage said that more..

Jun 16 (SO) When the Parliament of SL enacted the landmark Central Banking Act of 2023, it was heralded as a historic institutional decoupling, the legislative silver bullet required to permanently break the island’s devastating, decades-long cycle of politically motivated boom-and-bust macroeconomics. Passed under the strict conditional scaffolding of the IMF US$ 2.9 billion EFF, law stripped the Ministry of Finance of its historic, overbearing foothold within the monetary authority more..

Jun 16 (ST) SL’s ex-intelligence head, Suresh Sallay, languishing under a Detention Order (DO) on allegations that he aided and abetted the 2019 Easter Sunday jihadist attacks on churches and hotels may well contemplate the solitary riddle as to what he has in common with a Tamil rapper, a Muslim lawyer on one occasion and a Muslim poet on another as well as scores of Sinhala & Tamil activists and journalists? This may not be quite what the mythological Sphinx posed as a question to Oedipus. more..

Jun 16 (TM) 31 May night marked the 45th anniversary of the burning of the Jaffna Public Library in May 1981. If the Socialist Lead of Sri Lanka and South Asia (SLLA), the Revolutionary Left Faction of the Socialist Equality Party, was present at a commemoration event before the Jaffna Public Library on 31 May, and asked to address an audience of Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim brothers and sisters, friends and comrades, the SLLA would have delivered the following speech. more..

Jun 16 (GV) Dr. Devanesan Nesiah spent decades in service to a country that rarely made it easy for him. A Tamil civil servant of uncompromising integrity, he worked through pogroms, broken political compacts and civil war, holding fast to a conviction that SL’s crisis was not irresolvable, only unresolved. His death on June 12 closes a witness account that the country could not afford to lose. When the July 1983 pogrom erupted, Dr. Nesiah was Govt Agent of Jaffna. more..

Jun 16 (CT) In Nov 2024, when the NPP led by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD), came to power, SL was bankrupt and in the grips of a corrupt and authoritarian govt. Poor economic discipline and reckless borrowing, coupled with the pilfering of public funds, had crippled the national economy. Supreme Court had ruled that former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and senior officials of the Central Bank and the Treasury had breached more..

Jun 15 (DM) A private secretary to former Southern Province Chief Minister Shan Wijayalal De Silva was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption over allegations of causing a financial loss of Rs. 16.5 million to the State through a procurement-related corruption offense. According to CIABOC, the suspect is accused of bypassing established procurement procedures while serving under the Southern Province Chief Ministry to facilitate more..

Jun 15 (FT) CoPF has flagged concerns over weaknesses in the measurement of tourism earnings, informal foreign exchange transactions, and the growing use of unauthorised foreign payment gateways, highlighting several blind spots in Sri Lanka’s economic data and foreign exchange monitoring framework. The issues emerged last week during a discussion with CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe on the compilation of external sector statistics & balance of payments data. more..

Jun 15 (AD) Sri Lanka is unlikely to experience a severe impact from the global El Niño weather phenomenon, according to the Director of the Climate Change Secretariat, Leel Randeni. He noted that El Niño, driven by rising sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean, is expected by meteorologists to potentially contribute to higher global temperatures from February onwards. Randeni said SL is currently more..

Jun 15 (Island) The number of patients hospitalised due to viral illnesses, including dengue fever, had increased significantly, health officials said yesterday, adding that there had been a rise in daily dengue-related admissions. Acting Director of the National Dengue Control Unit Dr. Kapila Kannangara said Sri Lanka had recorded 41,144 dengue cases as of Saturday (13). He said more than half of the reported cases—around 51 percent—were from the Western Province. more..

Jun 15 (Island) Police have launched an investigation to arrest two assailants who broke into an ashram in Srawasthipura, Anuradhapura, and assaulted a former bhikkhu known as Rajanganaye Saddharatana, leaving him seriously injured. Police said the attack had taken place around 11.30 pm on Saturday. Saddharatana is currently receiving treatment at A'pura Teaching Hospital. The assailants are reported to have stolen CCTV cameras, a DVR unit, and victim’s mobile more..

Jun 15 (Island) Chairman of CoPF Dr. Harsha de Silva dismissed Free Lawyers’ claim that his Committee had helped delay a proper investigation into the theft of USD 2.5 mn (nearly Rs 1 bn) from the Treasury. SJB MP said that he wouldn’t comment on frivolous accusations against his Committee. “We conduct ourselves in keeping with the highest standards of professionalism and responsibility.” Dr. de Silva said so when more..

Jun 15 (NW) Police in Kandy have announced stricter enforcement against pedestrians who cross main roads illegally instead of using designated underpasses, citing concerns over public safety and traffic congestion. According to Kandy Police, the underpasses were constructed at significant cost to improve pedestrian safety and ease traffic flow within the city. However, many pedestrians continue to cross busy roads at undesignated locations, creating risks for both themselves and motorists. more..

Jun 15 (NW) SL A secured a dramatic Super Over victory over India A in the Tri-Nation A Series in Dambulla on Monday, but the match ended amid tense scenes involving players from both sides. After scores were tied at 265 apiece at the end of the regulation 50 overs, SL A prevailed in the Super Over to seal victory in a contest filled with drama and controversy. The tension spilled over after the match, with India A youngster Vaibhav Suryavanshi becoming involved in a heated exchange with more..

Jun 15 (AD) Ministry of Transport, Highways & Urban Development has introduced measures to further promote the use of the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system on the Colombo–Katunayake Expressway, aiming to provide motorists with a faster and more convenient toll payment experience. Awareness programmes on the enhanced ETC facilities were conducted toda. Motorists can now make toll payments using cash, cards, or ETC system, with dedicated entry more..

Jun 15 (DM) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa has directed officials to urgently convene all relevant stakeholders, including District Secretaries from 14 high-risk districts, to strengthen measures against the ongoing dengue outbreak. The directive was issued during a special discussion held this morning to review urgent interventions aimed at curbing the spread of dengue. The meeting, chaired by the Minister, focused on enhancing national dengue control efforts, including more..

Jun 15 (CI) There are heists, and then there are heists, and the one at Sabina Park on Sunday will live long in the memory of those who watched it. For 16 overs of the chase, SL had looked in total control of their defence of 169. But in a frenzied finish, West Indies ransacked 60 runs off just 22 deliveries to complete the chase with two balls to spare. Sherfane Rutherford was dropped twice on the way to an unbeaten 54 off 40, and more..

Jun 15 (DM) Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando, has called for a global shift in the way Artificial Intelligence (AI) is viewed in the world of work, stressing that it should be used to uplift humanity to greater heights rather than replace human labour. Speaking at the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference, currently underway in Geneva, Minister said SL supports international cooperation to ensure fair value distribution and living wages in AI-integrated production systems. more..

Jun 15 (FT) In a significant ruling delivered on 11 June, Court of Appeal allowed the appeal of Wealthtrust Securities Ltd, against the Commissioner General of Inland Revenue (CGIR), setting aside the Tax Appeals Commission (TAC) determination. Wealthtrust Securities Ltd, is a licenced primary dealer in Govt securities, appointed by the CB. Its principal activity comprises bidding at primary auctions, purchasing Treasury Bills and Treasury Bonds, engaging in secondary more..

Jun 15 (DM) CSE recorded a powerful rebound on 15th June 2026, with both benchmark indices posting substantial gains as improving global sentiment and a more favorable regional outlook restored investor confidence. Following a period of heightened uncertainty, the market witnessed broad-based buying interest from the opening bell, driving one of the strongest single-day performances in recent sessions. more..

Jun 15 (DM) Govt of SL has reiterated its Zero Tolerance Policy on torture, stating that a range of legislative, administrative and institutional measures are being implemented to strengthen human rights protections. Minister Vijitha Herath made the remarks during a special programme held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Overseas Employment and Tourism, attended by a 4-member delegation of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT), which visited SL from 15 to 24 June more..

Jun 15 (DM) Embassy of SL in Beijing, with the support of the SL Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), successfully hosted a Sri Lanka Tourism Briefing and Networking Reception on 8 June 2026, bringing together over 120 representatives from China’s travel trade, media, tourism investment sector, airlines, content creation industry, and the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sector. The event was attended by leading Chinese travel companies and media org more..

Jun 15 (NW) The REVE Luxury Awards celebrate the world’s most exceptional luxury hotels, resorts, destinations, and travel experiences, recognising properties that consistently deliver outstanding guest experiences, innovation, service excellence, and destination leadership. Located within the buffer zone of Sri Lanka’s renowned Yala National Park, Hilton Yala Resort has established itself as a unique luxury destination where wildlife, sustainability, & world-class hospitality converge. more..

Jun 15 (AD) CID informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court today that it has initiated an investigation into allegations of contempt of court involving six individuals, including former Ministers Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila and MP Dilith Jayaweera. Investigators informed court that the probe was launched over statements allegedly made via electronic media, which they said could obstruct ongoing investigations related to former Director of SIS, Major General more..

Jun 15 (EN) Sri Lanka has spent only 17.4% of the allocated total capital expenditure of Rs. 1,380 billion rupees so far this year. SL has spent only around Rs. 240 billion rupees out of the total allocated in the 2026 budget, Jude Nilukshan, Director General of National Budget Department told CoPF last week. “Some procurements have already started and are proceeding. We expect some capital expenses more..

Jun 15 (NW) A 41-year-old suspect was arrested in the Horombawa area of Narammala on Sunday (14) after police intercepted a container truck carrying a large quantity of imported goods allegedly brought into the country without paying customs duties. The arrest was made by officers of the Kuliyapitiya Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau following a tip-off. The suspect, a resident of Horombawa, was handed over to the Kuliyapitiya Police for further investigations. more..

Jun 15 (NW) The Clean Manning programme to clean the premises of the Peliyagoda Manning Market, SL’s oldest and principal wholesale market for vegetables and fruits, was held this morning under the patronage of Minister Upali Pannilage. The wholesale market, currently located in Peliyagoda, was observed to lack the environmental comfort and cleanliness required for traders to carry out their business activities under suitable conditions. Authorities have also identified concerns more..

Jun 15 (EN) SL’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 5.1% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year, accelerating from a 4.7% expansion in the previous quarter. GDP at constant (2015) prices reached 3,653 billion rupees in Q1 2026, up from 3,477 billion rupees in Q1 2025. This marks a sustained recovery from the 10.6% contraction suffered during the economic crisis peak in Q1 2023. more..

Jun 15 (NW) A massive 16‑storey Heart Treatment Centre with advanced facilities will be established within the premises of the SL National Hospital this year at a cost of Rs. 12,000 million, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa announced. He said that construction is scheduled to begin this year and is expected to be completed within three years. Minister made the announcement while attending the occasion of Specialist Dr. Sampath Indika Kumara assuming duties as Deputy Director General of more..