Jun 26 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday launched a scathing attack on what he described as SL’s entrenched nexus of corruption, organised crime, and political patronage, alleging that recent investigations revealed that nearly $ 1 billion had been transferred overseas through advance-payment transactions since 2023 without any corresponding imports. Speaking during the adjournment debate on combatting more..

Jun 26 (FT) The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Transformation Committee has decided that no international cricket stadium will be constructed in Jaffna. “We don’t have the funds at this point in time to invest in an international cricket stadium, even in Jaffna or in any part of the world. Our review of the originally reviewed project is beyond the scope of SLC. We don’t have the current financial strength to complete it,” said Transformation Committee Secretary Prakash Schaffter. more..

Jun 26 (NW) Lawyers representing Attorney-at-Law Rakitha Rajapaksa and Horana SJB organiser Charith Abeysinghe told the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court that their clients suffer from serious medical conditions as they sought bail following their arrest in the alleged Rs. 120 million bribery case linked to underworld figure Harak Kata. Counsel for Charith Abeysinghe told court that his client suffers from severe heart disease, has undergone the insertion of three stents more..

Jun 26 (FT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday pledged to repeal the long-controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) before the end of the year, while simultaneously unveiling plans for a new legal framework aimed specifically at combatting organised crime, in what could mark one of the most significant overhauls of Sri Lanka's security and civil liberties architecture in decades. more..

Jun 26 (Island) The University of Kelaniya has emerged as the highest-ranked university in Sri Lanka in the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026, securing a position in the global 401–600 band. The achievement marks a significant milestone for the university’s ongoing efforts towards sustainability and excellence in higher education, with the ranking recognising its contributions through teaching, research, community engagement and institutional practices more..

Jun 26 (DM) Sri Lanka is currently seeing both dengue fever and seasonal influenza circulating at the same time, and doctors are urging the public not to try and self-diagnose at home. Health experts say the early symptoms of dengue and influenza are very similar, especially in the first few days, which often leads to confusion and delay in proper treatment. “Dengue or Influenza—decide it at the dispensary, not at home. If fever lasts more than two days, consult a doctor. more..

Jun 26 (CI) Sri Lanka take on Scotland in Manchester at 18:30 local time in the Women's T20 World Cup. Scotland, with three losses in four matches, are out of the semi-final race. With England having already booked a spot in the semi-finals, SL's only hope is to beat Scotland by a big margin and then hope for a few other results to go their way. Sri Lanka are coming off a confidence-boosting win against Ireland, powered by Chamari Athapaththu's century, while Scotland lost to NZ more..

Jun 26 (DN) National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOC Sri Lanka) commemorated Olympic Day 2026 on 23rd June, (Tuesday) at Independence Square, Colombo bringing together the sporting community in a vibrant celebration of sport, unity and the Olympic values. This year’s global campaign, themed Lets Move 2026 carries the empowering message, You Can Do This, encouraging individuals, particularly young people, to take their first step towards an active lifestyle. more..

Jun 26 (TM) The postmortem examination has confirmed that the death of the woman physiotherapist attached to the Ampara District General Hospital, who was found dead under suspicious circumstances in Teldeniya, Kandy, was a homicide caused by strangulation. The body of the 33-year-old was discovered inside a car parked near the Teldeniya Base Hospital on 17 June. Following suspicions surrounding the death, more..

Jun 26 (DM) SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa has urged the govt to focus on addressing the rising cost of living instead of discussing arrests and investigations in Parliament. In a statement, Namal said the public was looking to the President for solutions to the economic hardships faced by families across the country rather than commentary on ongoing investigations and legal proceedings. He argued that the Prez should not use Parliament to predict arrests, investigations or more..

Jun 26 (AM) Former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa cannot recall the circumstances under which a photograph of him with Azad Maulana was taken, President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva told the Court of Appeal during proceedings on Tuesday. The submission was made during the hearing of Rajapaksa’s writ petition seeking an order preventing his arrest. De Silva argued that politicians meet numerous people on a regular basis and that it was natural for his client not to remember more..

Jun 26 (NW) Badulla High Court has postponed the sentencing of SJB MP Chaminda Wijesiri and another accused until July 28 after previously finding them guilty over the assault of police officers in 2019. The case relates to an incident near the Bandarawela town roundabout, where an argument broke out after a police jeep overtook a convoy carrying the MP. Several police officers were allegedly assaulted during the altercation. The court had found Wijesiri, his driver more..

Jun 26 (CI) Dhananjaya de Silva's 120 off 168 deliveries formed the centrepiece of Sri Lanka's fighting batting efforts on day one of the Test series against West Indies. Sri Lanka lost three wickets in the first hour, Kemar Roach breaking through in the first over of the game, before Alzarri Joseph struck twice in three balls in the 10th over. But on a pitch with some assistance for the quicks, Sri Lanka fought back, first through a counter-punching half-century to Dinesh Chandimal, more..

Jun 26 (DM) A total of 154 death row inmates who were recommended for release under a presidential pardon by several expert committees appointed by the Ministry of Justice in previous govts have remained behind bars for more than four years, according to prison sources. Officials said that out of 262 prisoners currently serving death sentences, 154 had been selected in March 2022 for release under a general amnesty. more..

Jun 26 (DM) Inland Revenue (Amd) Act No. 11 of 2026, which was certified on June 3, has introduced several significant changes to SL’s tax framework. Here are some of the key amendments. Q: Are profits from selling personal motor vehicles now taxable? No. Gains made from the sale or transfer of motor vehicles will no longer be treated as other income for income tax purposes, provided the vehicle is not trading stock or a depreciable business asset eligible for capital allowances. more..

Jun 26 (FT) Businesses certified under SL Customs’ Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Program are clearing cargo around 22 hours faster than non-certified traders, according to the country’s first fully digital Time Release Study (TRS), with the Finance Ministry saying the findings underscore the benefits of risk-based trade facilitation while highlighting further opportunities to streamline cargo clearance. The Finance, Planning a& Economic Development Ministry said the 2025 study was more..

Jun 26 (TM) President’s Counsel Dinal Phillips the caretaker treasurer of SLC’s Transformation Committee allaying fears of an alleged ICC backlash said that a paradigm -shift in the controlling body’s governance structure allied to its Constitution is in the offing. He unequivocally dismissed recent media reports of a perceived threat from the sport’s global governing body to hasten elections and avert a possible suspension of its membership. more..

Jun 26 (SO) CameraLK, hosted the Sony Regional Wildlife Kando at Yala, bringing together some of Asia’s most passionate wildlife photographers and visual storytellers for an unforgettable four-day creative experience in the heart of SL’s wilderness. Held at the iconic Yala National Park, the event welcomed creators from across the region, including Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Mongolia, and Myanmar. The gathering marked a significant milestone for SL’s photography industry, more..

Jun 26 (FT) The SL Association for the Advancement of Quality and Productivity (SLAAQP) successfully hosted the National Convention on Quality and Productivity (NCQP) 2026 on 17 June at the Mount Lavinia Hotel, Colombo. The event brought together over 2,000 delegates from over 100 organisations, making it the largest edition of the convention to date. Held under the theme People-Driven Quality and Productivity for a Resilient Sri Lanka, NCQP 2026 highlighted the critical role more..

Jun 26 (FT) A suspect accused of orchestrating an alleged scheme to illegally transfer nearly Rs. 190 billion out of Sri Lanka under the guise of importing goods has been arrested and later remanded until 9 July by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court. Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama issued the order after the suspect, Jeffrey Mohamed, was produced before Court following his arrest by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) and detention for questioning. more..

Jun 26 (NF) The IMF delegation in Sri Lanka is scheduled to hold a series of meetings today with officials from the Ministry of Power, Ministry of Rural Development, SL Chamber of Commerce, and Ministry of Finance. Deputy Minister of Finance Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando said the discussions will focus on the country's current economic conditions and key challenges. He noted that these meetings are part of the preparatory process ahead of the IMF's seventh programme review. more..

Jun 26 (ST) Many state institutions have emphasised that the El Niño situation forecast by the Department of Meteorology (Met) has been destructively exaggerated by social media as to its impact on SL. They said that according to forecasts by the Dept of Meteorology to date, extreme weather conditions cannot occur in the country due to the El Niño that is now in effect. So they ask people to pay attention only to official statements by more..

Jun 26 (Island) Sri Lanka is currently well and truly trapped in the strangling grip of a devastating and severely enhanced dengue outbreak. The numbers alone are staggering; over 44,000 cases have been recorded across the island so far this year, with the highest concentration systematically suffocating the Western, Southern, and Central provinces. Hospitals and healthcare providers are under extreme pressure, but the cold metrics of morbidity do not capture the true implications and more..

Jun 26 (FT) Lenin once wrote: We not only do not know which spark will ignite the fire, but neither can we know it in advance. Over the past several weeks, what we have seen and heard are continuous protests taking place across virtually every farming region in SL. A peasant uprising has begun. This is a welcome development. The arrogance of the NPP Govt, especially that of its Minister of Agriculture, must be challenged by mobilising this force. Farmers possess sufficient strength to do so. more..

Jun 26 (DN) This month marked two important milestones in British politics. First, Britons marked the 10th anniversary of that great self-inflicted wound called Brexit. Even though the UK did not actually leave the EU until 2020, the infamous Brexit referendum was held on June 23, 2016, with British voters either voting to Leave or Remain. It was a rather close call but the take back control faction led by the likes of Reform UK’s Nigel Farage won in the end. more..

Jun 26 (Island) The whole world is enjoying the benefits of the US-Iran peace deal. Vessel traffic has more than doubled via the Hormuz Strait over the past 36 hours or so, bringing oil prices down steeply, according to media reports. Predictions that oil prices would not return to the preconflict levels in the foreseeable future have gone wrong. World oil prices have come down almost to the pre-Iran war levels, with the global benchmark Brent crude dropping below USD 72.48 a barrel, more..

Jun 26 (SO) The country has been experiencing a significant Dengue outbreak this year but it is not yet at the scale of an epidemic, unlike in 2017 where the country recorded 186,101 Dengue cases. However, the sharp rise in infections this year has pushed hospital capacities to their limits. The pressure on hospital capacity is being felt nationwide as admissions continue to rise. Deputy Minister Dr. Hansaka Wijayamuni said current congestion more..

Jun 26 (DM) Excavations of over a year at the Chemmani mass grave at the entrance of Jaffna city have unearthed over 400 skeletal remains, many belonging to children. Some reports put the number at 412 by Monday, with the exhumation of 13 more skeletal remains on that day. Even before the completion of this gruesome task, the grim discovery has officially made Chemmani the largest mass grave site in SL, surpassing the 376 remains recovered in 2018 at a former wholesale more..

Jun 26 (GV) On June 21, as the rest of the world marked the final day of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, a group of Sri Lankans gathered for the annual Pride Walk, a quiet but powerful act of visibility in a country where simply being yourself can still come with a cost. Pride events in Sri Lanka, held by organisations like Equal Ground, have grown year after year. But beyond the rainbow flags and the collective courage it takes to march, there are real lives, real fears and real stories that more..

Jun 26 (TM) On 23 June 1924, a child was born in Dias Place, Keselwatte, in a modest dwelling located in the heart of Colombo Central. Later, this child would go on to re-invent the very idea of a SL leader. Ranasinghe Premadasa was not from the elite class or traditional aristocracy. He originated from among the masses. He devoted every chapter of his remarkable life to the people, right up until his sudden and violent death on more..

Jun 26 (GV) As the island braces for the latter half of the year, a familiar, unwelcome visitor is stirring in the Pacific Ocean. Meteorologists have all but confirmed the onset of a powerful El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event, a climatic shift that historically leaves a trail of parched fields, empty reservoirs and economic turmoil across Sri Lanka. Yet, unlike previous encounters, the nation faces this threat at a time of profound economic fragility. This is not just a weather story; more..

Jun 26 (DM) Three years after SL plunged into its worst economic crisis since independence, the country’s economy has regained a measure of stability. Foreign reserves have improved, inflation has eased, tourism is recovering, and the immediate threat of sovereign default has receded. Yet stability is not growth. It is merely the foundation upon which growth must be built. The govt today appears increasingly preoccupied with managing perceptions rather than accelerating economic expansion. more..