Jun 2 (FT) Power Minister Anura Karunathilaka yesterday defended the Govt’s latest fuel price increase, arguing that the revision was unavoidable to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies and prevent a potential collapse of the domestic fuel market amid soaring global oil prices. Addressing the media regarding concerns over the fifth fuel price hike since February, triggered by the Middle East conflict, Karunathilaka said SL had increased fuel prices by a smaller margin more..

Jun 2 (DN) The Govt has taken initiative to gazette five more forests situated in ecologically sensitive zones under the Vanaspathi Programme on June 5 to add to the existing 81 forests that have been declared as reserves through gazette notifications. The addition of these five forests – Ritigala, Aliyawetunuwewa, Bulagala, Konkatiyawa and Kallanchi – to the existing 81 reserves located in multiple districts will increase the total forest reserves in the country to 86. more..

Jun 2 (TM) Secretary of the Supreme Sangha Council of the Asgiri Chapter of the Siam Sect, Ven. Dr Medagama Dhammananda Thera warned that organised efforts were underway to use the actions of a few individuals to discredit the entire Buddhist clergy and justify greater State control over temple affairs, while asserting that Buddhist monks found guilty of crimes must face the full force of the law. Thera said that any monk found responsible for wrongdoing, more..

Jun 2 (NF) The renovated Institute of Neurology at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka will be officially opened to the public today. The Ministry of Health said the facility has been refurbished at a cost of Rs. 99 million with the aim of significantly expanding and improving neurological healthcare services in the country. Neurological services focus on the diagnosis and treatment of disorders affecting the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and muscles. The ministry noted that more..

Jun 2 (NW) SL opener Pathum Nissanka has decided to skip the 2026 Lanka Premier League (LPL) in order to focus on recovering from a long-standing injury following SL’s upcoming tour of the West Indies. Nissanka, currently SL’s highest-ranked T20I batter, has been involved in continuous cricket over the past year, including commitments in int'l cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL). Although he was eligible for selection, Nissanka was not among the direct signings announced ahead of this year’s LPL. more..

Jun 2 (NW) The Supreme Court on Monday (1) dismissed an appeal filed by convicted drug trafficker Gampola Vidanalage Samantha Kumara, alias Wele Suda, and upheld the death sentence imposed on him by the Colombo High Court. The ruling was delivered by a three-judge bench comprising Justices Mahinda Samayawardhena, Arjuna Obeysekara and Sobitha Rajakaruna. Welle Suda had been convicted of possessing and trafficking 7.05 grams of heroin in Mount Lavinia in 2008. more..

Jun 1 (TM) Police have confirmed the driver of the cab involved in the accident where six persons, including three females, were reported dead while several others were injured after a vehicle crashed into a crowd of people near a Vesak Dansala in the Meegoda Junction, was under the influence of alcohol. The driver of the cab has been arrested in connection with the hit-and-run incident. The arrested suspect has been identified as a 42-year-old resident of the Piliyandala area. more..

Jun 1 (FT) Uva Greenlands Estate Ltd, signed a landmark agreement with the Board of Investment of SL (BOI) on 29 May, marking a defining milestone in the evolution of 98 Acres Resort & Spa, SL’s celebrated luxury retreat nestled in the breathtaking highlands of Ella. The transformative $ 5.1 million investment will unlock a bold new chapter for 98 Acres Resort & Spa, redefining the boundaries of ultra-luxury hospitality in Sri Lanka and cementing the country’s reputation as more..

Jun 1 (SO) German automotive giant Volkswagen is exploring the possibility of setting up an assembly plant in SL as the company seeks to strengthen its long-term presence in the island’s recovering automobile market. CEO of Škoda Auto Volkswagen India (Pvt) Ltd, Piyush Arora, said on the sidelines of the launch of the Volkswagen Taigun and Virtus passenger vehicle brands in Colombo last week, that the company is exploring all possibilities to strengthen its footprint in SL. more..

Jun 1 (AD) CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, has warned that the country's inflation rate could increase to 7% due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and rising global fuel prices. Dr. Weerasinghe stated that although it was initially anticipated that the Middle East conflict would be resolved in the short term, its prolonged duration has had significant repercussions on SL’s economy. He noted that fuel prices have continued to rise, creating upward pressure on inflation. more..

Jun 1 (Island) SL’s dance community has earned international recognition as Tarja de Silva and Gihan Umesh Madanpitiya delivered an exceptional performance on the global stage, proudly representing the nation at two of the world’s most prestigious Latin dance championships held in Blackpool, United Kingdom. The pair first competed at The Open Worlds Latin Dance Championship, held at the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom in Blackpool, UK. Recognised as one of the most celebrated more..

Jun 2 (TM) Opposition MP Mano Ganesan has written to the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chairperson and Opposition MP Dr Harsha de Silva on the alleged unauthorised use of funds allocated for the Provincial Council (PC) Elections. Recently, General Secretary of the JVP, Tilvin Silva reportedly stated that funds allocated and set aside for the conduct of the PC Elections had been utilised by the Government for disaster-rebuilding and related purposes. more..

Jun 2 (NW) Passengers can now monitor the real‑time locations and arrival times of Metro buses through the LMT GO mobile application, Deputy Minister of Transport Prasanna Gunasena said. Speaking on the launch of the new facility, Gunasena noted that the GPS‑enabled service allows commuters to check when buses will arrive at their stops, view operating bus and fare details, and track estimated travel times to upcoming destinations. He further said that the initiative is aimed at more..

Jun 2 (TM) The Lanka Premier League (LPL) is set for a strong sixth edition, with several leading international and Sri Lankan cricketers confirmed as pre-signed players ahead of the official Player Draft scheduled to take place in Colombo today (1). The 2026 edition of the LPL will be played from 17 July to 8 August across key cricket venues in SL, including Colombo, Pallekele and Dambulla. The tournament will feature five franchises, 20 league-stage matches, more..

Jun 2 (CI) No SLC representative was invited to the ICC's quarterly meeting in Ahmedabad over the weekend, but the fact that the ICC board has not slapped sanctions on SLC's new Transformation Committee is being quietly celebrated by the new board in SL, a board member said. The Transformation Committee was appointed by the nation's govt in May, replacing the elected set of SLC office-bearers. The ICC had taken a dim view of govt interference in SLC in 2023, as well as in 2015, imposing sanctions more..

Jun 2 (DN) SL right arm fast bowler Eshan Malinga had a successful IPL capturing 20 wickets in 15 matches with best figures of 4 for 32. The 25 year old Eshan played for Sunrises Hyderabad for the second time in a row and was praised by skipper of Sunrises Hyderabad Pat Cummins. His ability to bow at death overs always gave success to Hyderabad team before losing to Gujarat Titans the IPL runners up this time. As soon as he finished his IPL duty Eshan Malinga returned home and left for WI more..

Jun 2 (DN) Champion SL javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga came up with a brilliant performance to secure second place in the prestigious Diamond League athletics competition held in Rabat, Morocco yesterday. The 23-year-old athlete clinched the second place with a throw of 85.97m on his very first attempt which was his best effort of the night. He also has improved his world ranking with this achievement from 7 to 5 position. This is the second time a SL athlete has participated in more..

Jun 2 (BBC) Virat Kohli's imperious unbeaten 75 helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a five-wicket win over Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League final which secured back-to-back titles. RCB restricted Gujarat to 155-8, a total they chased down with 12 balls to spare after Kohli reached his fifth half-century of the season in a largely one-sided final in Ahmedabad. Kohli sealed the win in style - striking the winning runs with a six to cap a magnificent 42-ball innings featuring nine fours and three sixes. more..

Jun 2 (DM) Construction of Pentara Residencies Thummulla Handiya, Home Lands Group’s iconic flagship development in the Colombo city, is well on track driven by Home Lands’ unwavering commitment to delivering projects on time. D P Jayasinghe Piling Company (Pvt) Ltd and Sanken Construction’s San Piling (Pvt) Ltd; were chosen by Home Lands to carry out piling work of this mega Colombo city-based development in conformity with the highest standards. High quality piling work of more..

Jun 2 (DN) SL Export Development Board (EDB) has taken steps to implement a comprehensive plan to expand testing and certification facilities across the island, addressing one of the most significant bottlenecks faced by the country’s export sector. A high-level stakeholder discussion was recently held in Colombo with the participation of government institutions, testing laboratories, certification bodies, and exporters. Speaking at the event, more..

Jun 2 (ST) Fertiliser companies still need to be paid Rs.4.8 billion from the govt for two years as a result of which they are facing concerns over importing adequate stocks for the upcoming Maha season. It was noted that the companies require payment for the years 2018 and 2021 for the subsidies. In this respect, some fertiliser importers noted that they believe they will face some problems when bringing down stocks for the next season. It was pointed out that they too are in financial trouble as more..

Jun 2 (ST) The investigation into the Welikada Police extortion scandal is continuing, and the Central Crimes Investigation Bureau (CCIB) has now focused on a woman who is believed to be a key figure in the case. She is suspected of helping in a bribery and extortion scheme involving the passports of 19 Chinese nationals, Superintendent of Police (SP) Kamal Ariyawansa, Director of the Central Crimes Investigation Bureau (CCIB) in SL, told the Sunday Times. more..

Jun 2 (TM) The NPP, which accused previous govts of ruining SL’s economy, has been following the economic policies of those very same old govts – particularly that of former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe – since coming to power. Wickremesinghe asserted that SL had no alternative path to recovery other than implementing economic restructuring under the IMF assistance programme. As a result of the Wickremesinghe Govt implementing the conditions imposed by the IMF to increase State revenue more..

Jun 2 (Island) The world marked World Otter Day 2026 recently. Conservationists are warning that SL’s rapidly disappearing wetlands, polluted waterways and unplanned development are placing increasing pressure on one of the island’s most elusive freshwater predators, the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra). The species, locally known as Diya Balla, is the only otter found in Sri Lanka and is regarded as a key indicator of healthy freshwater ecosystems. more..

Jun 2 (Island) A pickup truck ploughed into a crowd near a Vesak dansala at the Meegoda junction on Sunday night, killing six people. More than 12 others were seriously injured. The driver of the vehicle was arrested while fleeing the scene of the accident, and the police said he was under the influence of alcohol. Produced before the Homagama Magistrate, he was remanded until 16 June. Sunday’s tragedy at Meegoda has triggered an outpouring of public anger at the hit-and-run driver. more..

Jun 2 (CT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s directive last week to release 1,570 acres of grazing land in the Mayilaththamadu –Madhavanai area of Batticaloa has brought renewed attention to a long-standing dispute between livestock farmers, State authorities, and development agencies. While the decision has been welcomed as a step toward easing tensions, affected farmers say the issue remains unresolved and warn that the allocation falls far short of long-term needs. more..

Jun 2 (SO) Last week, headlines from Bloomberg screamed that the SL rupee was the worst performing currency in Asia, and then, just a few days later, that the rupee was suddenly the best performing currency in Asia. On May 26, Central Bank of SL made the biggest interest rate hike in three years. The rupee-dollar conversion rate is one of those indicators that economists and the average citizen obsess over. For citizens, a strong rupee is a good thing because consumption more..

Jun 2 (ST) Last week, during two separate public events, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake turned the national spotlight onto an old enemy that continues to plague our island nation: the narcotics trade. In doing so, he made an observation that many discerning observers of Sri Lankan society have also noted. Despite the regular, high-profile detections made by our law enforcement authorities, the influx of drugs into this country behaves like the unceasing waves of the sea. more..

Jun 2 (TM) The Middle East (ME) conflict is triggering widespread economic shockwaves across the globe, testing the resilience of every economy. According to the IMF, world growth forecasts have declined to 3.1% and 3.2% in 2026 and 2027 respectively, down from 3.4% in 2025. Asia is particularly vulnerable to these shocks due to its large and growing population and its heavy dependence on energy imports and reliance on oil transit through the Strait of Hormuz. more..

Jun 2 (CT) A damning report released by Amnesty International on the labour rights abuses faced by Malaiyaha Tamil tea workers in private estates and smallholdings in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, reveals that the community faces several human rights abuses of forced labour, including abuse of vulnerability, intimidation and threats, physical and sexual violence, debt bondage, restriction of movement, and abusive working and living conditions. more..

Jun 1 (TM) Five times in a short span of three months, the guillotine of the fuel pricing formula has fallen on the consumer. Since March, retail prices for every major fuel category have surged by more than Rs 100 a litre. Octane 95 petrol and Super Diesel have both skyrocketed by Rs 155, whilst Octane 92 petrol now stands at a crushing Rs 434 a litre. Most devastating of all is the 56.6% increase in kerosene, a fuel that lights the kitchens of the poorest households and powers the boats of our coastal fishermen. more..

Jun 2 (CT) SL is once again confronting deeply troubling allegations of sexual abuse involving a 15-year-old girl and a senior Buddhist monk with close proximity to political power. Venerable Pallegama Hemarathana Thero, 71, a chief prelate and custodian of eight of SL’s most sacred Buddhist sites, was arrested on 9 May over allegations of sexually abusing a minor over several years. Although he has not been charged and was released on bail, the case has shaken public confidence more..