Jun 9 (FT) The CoPF has approved a series of tax and fiscal policy reforms, including a five-year tax exemption for newly constructed telecommunications towers, while rejecting a proposal that would have allowed telecom operators to claim tax relief on unpaid customer bills. Finance (Amd) Bill, which seeks to amend the Finance Act, No. 35 of 2018, was approved when the Committee met in Parliament under the chairmanship of MP Dr. Harsha de Silva. more..

Jun 9 (NF) CID informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court that a group of politically affiliated individuals, including Udaya Gammanpila, Wimal Weerawansa, and Dilith Jayaweera, are allegedly engaged in a planned effort, indirectly interfering with and obstructing ongoing investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks. CID made this submission to Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena while informing the court, through a motion, that steps had been taken to admit former SIS Chief Suresh Salley, more..

Jun 9 (DN) Tri Nation one day cricket series between Sri Lanka, India and Afghanistan ‘A’ teams will commence today, when SL A and India A will meet in the first game at Rangiri Dambulla Int'l Cricket Stadium. All eyes will be on 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi when India A, led by Tilak Varma, takes on SL A led by all rounder Sahan Arachchige in their first match of the series. The competition follows a double round-robin structure, with each team playing the other two twice in the league stage. more..

Jun 9 (TM) Catholic Church has called for the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks to continue without interruption, stressing that no political influence should be allowed to hinder the search for the truth. Spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Colombo, Cyril Gamini Fernando said former State Intelligence Service Director, Major General (Retd) Suresh Sallay had previously sought an out-of-court settlement in a defamation case filed against him. more..

Jun 9 (FT) Senior lawyer Hejaaz Hizbullah, who spent 22 months in detention without bail under the PTA commented on reports that former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Major General (Retd) Suresh Sallay had commenced a hunger strike, urging him to remain strong and contest the case through legal channels if he is innocent. In a post on X, Hizbullah drew parallels with his own experience in detention and said those accused should focus on pursuing their legal defence. more..

Jun 9 (NW) SL mangoes took centre stage at Bahrain’s vibrant Mango festivals this May and June, featured prominently by two of the country’s largest Supermarket chains, Lulu Hypermarket and Al Jazira. The Embassy of SL in Bahrain, as part of its economic diplomacy initiatives, has been actively encouraging leading Bahraini retailers to source fresh mangoes and other fruit varieties from Sri Lanka. LuLu hypermarket at The Avenues launched the Mango season on 23rd May with more..

Jun 9 (CI) For the first time since 2017, Australia do not have global silverware to defend, with last year's ODI World Cup semi-final exit following the relinquishing of the T20 title in 2024 after a hat-trick of trophies. They have a new captain, too, in Sophie Molineux who has taken over from the retired Alyssa Healy but has had a tricky start to her job due to a back injury. Having been beaten at home by India in February, it's a vital few weeks for the side to reaffirm their standing at the top of the tree. more..

Jun 9 (CI) For the second game running in Kingston, persistent rain forced an ODI between West Indies and SL to be abandoned without a ball being bowled. This one - the third and final ODI in this series at Sabina Park - meant SL secured the trophy with a 1-0 margin, courtesy the 41-run victory they enjoyed in the series opener. Umpires had several inspections, but after discussing with curators they decided that getting play started by the cut off of 8.02pm for a 20-over-shootout was almost impossible. more..

Jun 9 (Island) Following letters sent by former State Intelligence Service Director Maj. Gen. (retd) Suresh Sallay’s wife Manori and counsel Asith Siriwardena to the Director of the CID SSP (retd) Shani Abeysekera, permission was granted for family members and lawyers to visit Sallay for 15 minutes each. Siriwardena requested Sallay to discontinue his hunger strike. However, Sallay refused to comply and asked the latter to tell his wife not to make similar requests. more..

Jun 9 (DN) Anjala Bandara the wicket keeper batsman made a fighting unbeaten knock of 126 in 165 balls as SL Emerging team scored 302 for 8 wickets in their first innings at close of the first day’s play in their four- day game against West Indies Emerging team played at Mahinda Rajapaksa Int'l Cricket Stadium yesterday. It was a superb knock by Anjala Bandara who came to bat at number six at a crucial stage where Sri Lanka Emerging team was struggling at 95 for 4 wickets. more..

Jun 9 (DN) SL turned in one of their finest recent performances to record a convincing 4-1 victory over Bhutan in their FIFA international football match at the National Telecom Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand yesterday after leading 1-0 at half time. Win was a significant achievement for SL, who are ranked 191st in the FIFA rankings, against Bhutan who are placed slightly higher at 188th. SL dominated most parts of the game and displayed excellent attacking football to secure a comfortable victory. more..

Jun 9 (ST) The CID has decided not to pursue legal action against former First Lady Prof. Maithree Wickramasinghe over the incident in which her husband, former president Ranil Wickremesinghe, was accused of misusing Rs. 16.6 million in state funds to visit Britain to attend Wolverhampton University’s convocation ceremony, where she was conferred an honorary professorship. The CID has informed the Attorney General that there is not enough evidence to bring charges against Ms Wickramasinghe. more..

Jun 9 (SO) Third phase of excavation at the Chemmani mass grave site is continuing under Court supervision, with investigators confirming that 296 human skeletons have now been identified across all phases of the investigation. Of these, 290 have been fully exhumed. On the 17th day of the ongoing third phase, on June 5, investigators uncovered and numbered 13 additional human skeletons, including the remains of three infants. A steel artefact, listed as Item No. 116, was also recovered from the site. more..

Jun 9 (SO) The Govt has launched a review of Sri Lanka’s community-based water supply schemes amid concerns over project failures, technical shortcomings and allegations of financial mismanagement, Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply Dr. Sunil Ranasinghe said. Minister said that while many schemes are functioning successfully, a significant number face operational and structural challenges requiring urgent intervention. more..

Jun 9 (ST) The CID has arrested the local agent of the under-fire Blue Ocean Securities Ltd after Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) handed the investigation over to them, informed sources said. Investors were earlier warned not to trade in securities ostensibly offered by this company as it is not a SEC-registered trader. This in the wake of the investor warning by the capital market regulator, saying that Samagi Capital Pvt Ltd is not licenced by the SEC to operate as a stockbroker more..

Jun 9 (FT) Proposed amendments to the National Environment Act could strengthen the credibility of SL’s project approval framework by introducing penalties for misleading Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports and addressing conflicts of interest among approving agencies, according to the Centre for a Smart Future (CSF). The public policy think tank said the reforms come at a time when EIAs have evolved beyond a regulatory requirement to become a key signal of project viability for more..

Jun 9 (FT) SL Customs said vehicle imports have remained resilient despite the temporary surcharge imposed on imports earlier this year, with revenue from the sector continuing to account for around one-third of total Customs collections. The anticipated slowdown in vehicle imports had not materialised, despite reports of unsold inventories in the market. Vehicle-related taxes contributed Rs. 91 billion out of a total revenue of Rs. 235 billion in January, more..

Jun 9 (FT) The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has commenced the second phase of SL’s Digital Invoicing System, expanding the platform to Value Added Tax (VAT)-registered businesses following the successful onboarding of exporters under the initial rollout, according to the Finance, Planning and Economic Development Ministry. The initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen tax administration through digitalisation. By creating an electronic audit trail for transactions, more..

Jun 9 (FT) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday called for deeper economic engagement between Sri Lanka and India, arguing that businesses and entrepreneurs will play a decisive role in driving South Asia’s future growth and regional integration. Addressing the Vestige Investor and Dealer Conference at Cinnamon Life, Premadasa said the region’s economic resurgence would depend not only on Govt policy but also on the efforts of business leaders, manufacturers, distributors, and more..

Jun 9 (FT) Global growth prospects have deteriorated as the oil shock triggered by the US-Iran conflict and the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz weighs on economic activity, prompting Fitch Ratings to lower its forecast for world growth in 2026. In its latest Global Economic Outlook (GEO), Fitch reduced its forecast for global growth next year by 0.2 percentage points to 2.4%, citing the impact of higher energy prices on inflation, household spending and business costs. more..

Jun 9 (FT) Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has announced that the 26th SL Economic and Investment Summit (SLEIS) will be held on 12 and 13 Oct, with this year’s edition set to focus on economic growth, competitiveness, investment and structural reforms as the country navigates the next phase of its recovery. The Summit, regarded as one of SL’s leading economic policy forums, will bring together policymakers, business leaders, development partners, academics and international experts more..

Jun 9 (FT) Sri Lanka’s tourism industry achieved a historic milestone in May, recording its highest-ever tourist arrivals for the month with 145,745 visitors, surpassing the previous May record of 132,919 arrivals in 2025 and registering a 9.65% year-on-year (YoY) increase. The strong performance comes despite challenges posed by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which disrupted long-haul air traffic and increased travel costs across several key markets. more..

Jun 9 (ST) Politics is a funny thing. So is war in a way. If it is funny, it is because war is the act of politicians, whether sane, insane or somewhat deranged. History will tell the story if one has the time to listen to Prez Donald Trump’s verbal adventures—if you don’t mind the expletives thrown in, that is. Only the other day he promised to pack the whole Iranian civilisation and catapult it back to the Stone Age. Maybe he is using a boomerang, as the Iranians are where they are and firing their own weapons. more..

Jun 9 (FT) SL stands at a pivotal moment in its history. After enduring sovereign default, economic collapse, shortages of essential goods, and widespread social hardship, the country has achieved a degree of stability that seemed improbable during the darkest days of the crisis. According to the IMF’s recent review of SL’s EFF, most quantitative targets under the reform program have been met, debt restructuring is nearing completion, and governance & anti-corruption reforms continue to advance. more..

Jun 9 (Island) The legal processes are steadily closing in on some of the most controversial cases that have remained as open questions without closure for many years. These include the Easter Sunday bombings of 2019, the Treasury bond scam that erupted in 2015, and a range of corruption allegations that became synonymous with successive govts over the past two or more decades. What once appeared to be stalled investigations are now showing signs of movement through the courts more..

Jun 9 (Island) UNP has taken exception to a comparison made by a website (Manthri.lk) between the initial stages of the UNP-led Yahapalana govt under the presidency of Maithripala Sirisena (MS) and the incumbent JVP-NPP administration led by AKD in terms of legislative activity. Both govts came to power by effectively harnessing anti-incumbency sentiments and promising good governance. At the six-month mark, the MS administration led in legislative activity, Manthri.lk has pointed out. more..

Jun 9 (TM) SL’s headline inflation increased further in May, with Year-on-Year (YoY) non-food inflation climbing to 7.8%, driven largely by price escalations in housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels. This has been heavily influenced by the escalating conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted global oil supplies and triggered a depreciation of the SL Rupee. Against this backdrop, The Sunday Morning looked into the implications of more..

Jun 9 (GV) The refusal to release of four books authored by Tamil writer Theepachelvan Pradeepan by SL Customs in recent weeks has generated significant public debate. What initially appeared to be a routine administrative dispute over imported publications has evolved into something far more troubling: a revealing glimpse into how censorship continues to operate despite repeated promises of democratic renewal, reconciliation and free expressions. The controversy has unfolded at more..

Jun 9 (TM) Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe's candid admission that Sri Lanka is 10 to 15 years late when it comes to trade reforms deserves serious attention. It is not often that policymakers openly acknowledge how far behind the country has fallen in a crucial area of economic policy. Yet that honesty is important because recognising a problem is the first step towards solving it. For decades, SL has spoken about becoming a regional hub for trade, investment & services. more..

Jun 9 (SO) In yet another Court hearing this week related to the Easter Sunday terror attacks, CID made submissions that led to fresh Court orders being issued. On a request by the CID, Fort Magistrate, Pasan Amarasena imposed travel bans on former Defence Secretary and former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in connection with ongoing investigations on the April 21, 2019 Easter Sunday bombings. Travel restrictions were also imposed on Army Colonel Mohamed Ansar and more..

Jun 9 (CT) Indian Ocean has once again become one of the world’s most strategically contested maritime spaces. From energy shipments moving westward from the Gulf to commercial cargo transiting between Asia, Africa, and Europe, the uninterrupted flow of maritime trade remains vital to the global economy. For smaller littoral nations situated along these critical sea lanes, this evolving environment presents both opportunity and risk. For a strategically located State such as SL, more..

Jun 9 (CT) The story of Ceylon House is one of the most remarkable yet least known chapters in the history of SL Muslim philanthropy. What began as a modest pilgrims’ rest in Makkah in 1964 has evolved into a charitable endowment with significant assets, carrying forward the vision of its founders more than six decades later. Today, many Sri Lankans are unaware of its existence. Fewer still know the story behind its creation, the legal battles fought to preserve it, and the transformation more..