Jun 4 (TM) Govt is unable to allocate additional funds for welfare and social security programmes due to restrictions linked to the IMF reform programme, even as the World Bank warns that one in four Sri Lankans remains trapped below the poverty line. Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment Ministry acknowledged that growing economic pressures have increased the need for support among vulnerable groups more..

Jun 4 (TM) Water tariffs will be increased by a marginal amount in response to the recent rise in electricity charges, Housing, Construction and Water Supply Minister Susil Ranasinghe said. Ranasinghe said the adjustment would be made in proportion to the impact of higher electricity costs on water supply operations. He explained that electricity expenses account for approximately 12% of the water tariff structure and that the increase in electricity tariffs has affected that component. more..

Jun 4 (DM) Claiming that the CPC had to spend USD 520 million for fuel imports in May as more shipments were procured in April, CPC Chairman D.J. Rajakaruna said today the fuel bill will be reduced to USD 198 million in July. He said eleven fuel shipments were procured in April, whereas only five shipments including two crude oil shipments are normally procured in a month. Chairman said more shipments had to be procured in April due to non-availability of crude oil required for refinery more..

Jun 4 (AD) The 4-member committee of Judicial Medical Consultants unanimously ruled that the death of Ranga Rajapaksa, who served as an Assistant Director of the Finance Ministry’s External Resources Department, was caused due to self-inflicted cuts, said the chair of the panel JMO Dr. Ilangaratne Banda. He said this while giving evidence before Kuliyapitiya Magistrate Mihil Chiranthana Satharasinghe today (3). more..

Jun 4 (DM) National Taxi App Three-Wheelers’ Professional Collective President Jasmine Lanka says many in the industry had expected the current govt and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to follow the example of the legendary folk hero Utuwankande Sura Saradiel after coming to power. “We thought the President would take from those who have and give to those who do not. What has happened now is that those who have little have been reduced to nothing,” he said. more..

Jun 4 (Island) Prof. Prathiba Mahanamahewa said that the powers that be should promptly initiate action to introduce necessary amendments to the Penal Code to deal with Meegoda-type incidents. Law academic Mahanamahewa said that the Penal Code, in its existing form, was not sufficient to deal with the increasingly reckless driving. He urged the Parliament to consider necessary amendments to the relevant law to impose strict liability in respect of horrendous hit-and-run acts and accidents more..

Jun 4 (FT) Sri Lanka’s gross public debt increased marginally during the first quarter of 2026 in rupee terms, despite a decline in the dollar value of Govt debt, according to the latest Quarterly Statistical Debt Bulletin issued by the Public Debt Management Office (PDMO). Total public debt stood at Rs. 32.23 trillion at end-March 2026, up from Rs. 32.2 trillion three months earlier. In dollar terms, the stock declined by 2% to $ 102.27 billion from $ 103.86 billion. more..

Jun 4 (DN) Four SL weightlifters have qualified to compete at the upcoming Commonwealth Games, which will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2. Based on the qualification system of the Int'l Weightlifting Federation, Indika Dissanayake (men’s 71kg), Sandu Jayawardena (men’s 65kg), Indika Dissanayake (71kg), Supun Somathileka (men’s 60kg) and Upamalika Ravihari (women’s 48kg) have secured their places at the Games. IWF has already confirmed their participation more..

Jun 4 (Island) More than 55,000 metric tonnes of what has been described as substandard coal that should have been outright rejected had already been unloaded from the vessel MV JOSCO YONGZHOU by yesterday (2), intensifying allegations of a major procurement scandal involving the Norochcholai Lakvijaya Power Plant. Free Lawyers Organisation (FLO) warned that the controversial shipment, carrying a total of more..

Jun 4 (NW) Four members of the same family, including two women, have been arrested over the alleged assault of a 16-year-old boy accused of theft in Galle, Police said. Arrests were made after a video showing the teenager being assaulted circulated on social media, including Facebook. The 16-year-old from Dandeniyakanda, Beralapanathara, had been arrested in connection with a property theft complaint reported to the Galle Police. He was produced before the Galle Magistrate’s Court more..

Jun 4 (Island) Indian HC Santosh Jha on Tuesday distributed enhanced financial assistance under Indian grant among needy students of Uni of Jaffna hailing from economically weaker sections of society. Scheme was rolled out starting from the academic year 2025-26. IHC said that earlier, a financial assistance scheme under Indian grant had been implemented at the university in the academic year 2023-24, where a scholarship of SLR 5000 per month was granted to 100 students more..

Jun 4 (Island) At a time when Sri Lanka was grappling with economic uncertainty, dwindling foreign reserves and an urgent need for foreign investment, a little-publicised environmental initiative quietly attracted nearly USD 4 million into the country through an innovative carbon-financing mechanism centred on mangrove restoration. The project, implemented by TCP Lanka (PVT) Ltd. under the leadership of conservationist Thushan Kapurusinghe, has already restored more..

Jun 4 (FT) JAT Holdings yesterday said that it posted its highest-ever annual revenue in FY25/26, with performance reflecting the continued strength of its core coatings business, disciplined manufacturing strategy, and investments in emerging growth platforms despite a challenging external environment. For the year ended 31 March 2026, group revenue increased by 9% year-on-year (YoY) to Rs. 12.6 billion, compared to Rs. 11.6 billion in the previous year. more..

Jun 4 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s administration has enacted more laws during its first 18 months in office than the administration of former Prez Maithripala Sirisena, despite lagging behind during its first six months, according to an analysis by Verité Research. Study found that while the Sirisena administration moved more quickly to gazette and pass legislation in its early months, Dissanayake administration more..

Jun 4 (CT) SL have announced their 'A' squads for the upcoming tri-series and four-day series starting from Tuesday, June 9. SL A will play a tri-nation series involving India A and Afghanistan A before facing the Men in Blue in four-day matches. Lanka's A squad have a plethora of players with international experience under their belt. Some of the notable players to feature in the 16-member squad include the likes of Niroshan Dickwella, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama and more..

Jun 4 (DN) The Cross Country Championship, which is part of the National Sports Festival, will be held on June 6 in Nuwara Eliya. The Ministry of Sports has planned to conduct this year’s National Sports Festival on a grand scale, as it marks the 50th edition of the event. Steps have also been taken to significantly increase the cash prizes awarded to winning athletes. The main festival will be held from December 4 to 6 at the Diyagama Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium. more..

Jun 4 (CI) Kusal Mendis hit 72 off 62 to energise SL after a slow start, while Pathum Nissanka, Janith Liyanage, and Charith Asalanka produced important innings in SL's advance to 303 for 7. On a Sabina Park surface that took some turn, their total turned out to be 41 too many for West Indies, who began solidly enough, but were ultimately reined in by SL's spinners. Maheesh Theekshana returned outstanding figures of more..

Jun 4 (TM) Annually, around 300 to 400 children are born with club feet in Sri Lanka, Consultant Community Physician and National Programme Manager for Maternal and Child Morbidity and Mortality Surveillance at the Family Health Bureau, Prof Kapila Jayaratne said. Addressing a seminar, Prof Jayaratne said yesterday (03) that all children born with the condition can be successfully treated and cured. He noted that the programme to manage and treat clubfoot is being carried out jointly more..

Jun 4 (FT) The fourth meeting of the Japan–Sri Lanka Committee on Business Environment was convened on 2 June at the Board of Investment (BOI) of SL. Representatives from the Embassy of Japan, Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), relevant Japanese companies operating in SL, as well as officials from the BOI and other pertinent SL authorities, participated more..

Jun 4 (FT) Finance, Planning & Economic Development Ministry has called for public proposals on revenue enhancement strategies as the Govt seeks to strengthen tax collection and increase revenue performance towards its long-term fiscal targets. The call comes as the Govt seeks to consolidate recent gains in revenue mobilisation under its IMF-supported reform program. IMF has noted that revenue collection has outperformed expectations and remains a key pillar of more..

Jun 4 (FT) Aitken Spence has recorded a strong Profit Before Tax (PBT) of Rs. 12.8 billion for the year ended 31 March 2026. Aitken Spence said the strength of the Group’s diversified portfolio was clearly demonstrated during the financial year, with overseas operations contributing 61% of total profits. This growing int'l presence continues to enhance earnings resilience, reduce concentration risk, and unlock multiple avenues for growth across markets and sectors. more..

Jun 4 (FT) Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma signalled that SL will seek to explore options within its IMF program to address the economic fallout from the Middle East crisis. He said that authorities will continue discussions with the Fund to secure the best outcome for businesses, investors, entrepreneurs, SMEs, and vulnerable communities as external risks intensify. The comments come days after the IMF more..

Jun 4 (Island) In their Vesak messages this year, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and PM Harini Amarasuriya highlighted the values of reconciliation, coexistence and justice as essential to SL’s future. Prez Dissanayake emphasised that Buddhism’s teachings remain deeply relevant to contemporary society and described Vesak as a symbol of mutual understanding, unity and coexistence among all communities and of reconciliation itself. PM Amarasuriya similarly called for the building more..

Jun 4 (TM) The warning issued by the World Meteorological Organisation this week should not be treated as just another weather bulletin from an international agency. For countries like SL, the prospect of a moderate to strong El Niño event developing over the coming months is a reminder that climate shocks are no longer occasional disruptions. They are becoming a regular feature of life, affecting everything from agriculture and water security to public health & economic stability. more..

Jun 4 (FT) Low prices are better than high prices, especially for the intermediate goods that are petrol and diesel. They are called intermediate because they are used to make other goods and services that we need to live and for exports. When fuel prices increase, the prices of other things which have it as an input go up. What we can buy with our salaries becomes less. Exports become uncompetitive (but recall, all countries are affected by this supply shock). Low prices are intrinsically desirable. more..

Jun 4 (Island) The govt has locked horns with private bus operators, who are demanding a fare hike amidst soaring fuel prices. The former has rejected the fare hike demand out of hand, claiming that it is unfair. President of the Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association Gemunu Wijeratne has threatened to launch a bus strike unless a fare increase is granted forthwith. He has claimed that there is legal provision for the annual bus fare revision due in July to be advanced. more..

Jun 4 (SO) The fight will go on until justice is done, says human rights activist Kanukulage John Brito Fernando, who has spent more than three decades campaigning for truth and accountability for enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka. In this in-depth interview with the Sunday Observer, he reflects on the life-long anguish faced by families of the disappeared, the absence of closure, and the urgent need for truth, justice, and reparations. more..

Jun 4 (ST) A friend of mine had returned from Canada, where he lives. He reached out to me from Kandy, where he owns a property, and said he would like to meet. We arranged to have lunch together at the Dutch Burgher Union Cafe, near the University of Colombo. During our long conversation, one of the topics we discussed was the weakening of the SL rupee against US dollar. At one point, he admitted that he had made an unwise decision when he bought his property in Kandy a few yrs ago. more..

Jun 4 (CT) The Central Bank of SL (CBSL) suddenly increased interest rates a few days ago. This was to stop further depreciation of the rupee or to stabilize the exchange value of the rupee by containing private credit growth. Many writers, including the writer of this essay, have pointed out that excessive private credit growth could destabilize the managed exchange rate mechanism. It has happened now. However, now it seems the obvious solution was to increase the interest rates, more..

Jun 4 (DM) Last morning, if you filled your tank with Petrol 92 at any CEYPETCO station across SL, you would have paid Rs. 434 per litre. Twelve weeks ago, you would have paid Rs. 293. In Nov 2015, you paid Rs. 117. The number on that board did not happen overnight, and it was not caused by any single decision. It is the result of three forces colliding simultaneously: a decade of structural price changes, a war that erupted more..

Jun 4 (TM) SL does not need more police. It needs smarter ones – and healthier ones. In 2025, SL’s Police force seized over 1,821 kg of heroin, three tonnes of crystal methamphetamine, and more than four million narcotic pills. That same year, more than 300 officers were suspended for involvement in the very crimes they were meant to stop. Homicide rates remained stubbornly high, gang-related shootings continued to claim lives, and international travel advisories flagged persistent more..

Jun 4 (DN) SL economy, the most trending topic for last four years came to the forefront again with the external shocks in the Gulf. There was a sense of unease and panic of sorts with external market shocks impacting the exchange rates as the LKR depreciated from Rs. 315 in early April based on interbankrates to Rs. 336 at it’s peak on the last week of May. This translated into commercial bank rates were about Rs. 10-15 rupees higher during the peak as the market had a strong reaction more..