Jun 23 (TM) Sri Lanka’s ICT sector is gaining momentum as a major contributor to service exports, with the sector recording around $ 536 million in earnings during the first four months of 2026 and annual growth of about 20%, according to EDB officials. EDB Director Indumini Kodikara said ICT has become one of the key sectors supporting Sri Lanka’s efforts to improve export growth and strengthen its position in global value chains. more..

Jun 23 (TM) The Nuwara Eliya Police has uncovered what they describe as a large-scale network of financial frauds and other criminal activities allegedly linked to the main suspect in the Teldeniya murder case, where a woman’s body was found inside a parked vehicle in Teldeniya last week. The findings were revealed in a special investigation report submitted by the OIC of the Nuwara Eliya Hq Police to senior Police officials, including Senior SSP for the Nuwara Eliya Division, more..

Jun 23 (NW) US has announced the provision of advanced Fleet Broadband satellite communications technology to the Sri Lanka Navy, in a move aimed at strengthening maritime security and connectivity across the Indian Ocean. The announcement was made today aboard the SL Navy vessel SLNS Gajabahu at the Port of Colombo by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Paul Kapur. The comprehensive Fleet Broadband system, manufactured by more..

Jun 23 (TM) Several political party secretaries and election candidates who are facing legal action for failing to submit campaign finance reports on time have requested that their cases be withdrawn, or a general amnesty be granted, Election Commission (EC) Chairperson R M A L Rathnayake said. He said that court cases have already been filed in almost every District against Prez, Parliamentary, and LG election candidates more..

Jun 23 (NW) Ministry of Sports has extended an open invitation to athletes of SL origin living overseas to represent Sri Lanka in international competitions. The announcement was made by Minister of Sports Sunil Kumara Gamage, who said the Ministry is ready to provide the necessary support and coordination for athletes willing to compete for their ancestral homeland. Minister made the announcement while confirming that SL-American gymnast Tiana Sumanasekera more..

Jun 23 (NW) A group consisting of lawyers and representatives from the Lanka Spa Association has lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL), alleging that the identities of women arrested during recent police raids on spas in the Thalawathugoda area were unlawfully exposed, violating their fundamental rights. The complaint was filed by the Association for the Protection of Public Rights, which said it had also decided to lodge a complaint with more..

Jun 23 (FT) Opposition MP Harsha de Silva has defended his scrutiny of the Govt’s proposed tax reforms, arguing that Parliament’s public finance oversight role is essential to ensuring tax policy is implemented fairly and effectively. Responding to criticism from Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Dr. de Silva said his role as CoPF Chairman, a position reserved for the Opposition under Parliamentary Standing Orders, was to question and examine Govt policy rather than more..

Jun 23 (Island) Pakistani cricketing legend Wasim Akram said Sri Lanka is the best tourist destination and is worthy of being ranked the world’s top holiday spot. The island’s natural beauty and my decades-long connection with the country, are factors that enhance SL’s value, he explained. Speaking at a Softlogic Life investor forum in Colombo last Tuesday Akram said SL remained one of his favourite destinations despite having traveled extensively around the world. more..

Jun 23 (PMD) Dr. Paul Kapur, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, who is currently visiting SL, met with Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake today (22) at the Presidential Secretariat. During the meeting, the two sides recalled the 77 years of bilateral relations between SL and US and noted that the relationship has evolved into a strong and multifaceted partnership spanning trade, defence, more..

Jun 23 (DN) A high-level delegation from China’s Peking University has underscored the depth and diversity of SL-China relations following a series of discussions with govt officials, business leaders, legal experts, members of the armed forces and think tanks in Colombo, highlighting economic cooperation, cultural affinity and knowledge exchange as key pillars of the bilateral partnership. The delegation, led by Prof. Wang Weijia, Director of Research Centre for Global Governance more..

Jun 23 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday assured the apparel industry of the Govt’s full support to overcome sectoral challenges and drive an export-led growth strategy, while inviting investors to expand manufacturing operations into rural areas to boost dollar earnings and economic activity. The commitment was made during a high-level discussion at the Presidential Secretariat attended by leading apparel industry executives and investors, where participants reviewed more..

Jun 23 (DN) SL men’s 400m relay team won the bronze medal at the Asian Relay Championship in Shaoxing China on Sunday. SL team comprised Omel Shashintha, Kalhara Indupa Silva, Sadew Rajakaruna and Kalinga Kumarage and has finished the race in 3 minutes 03.33 seconds to win the bronze while Viatnam team (3.02.60.sec) and China (3.03.23 secs) were placed first and second. Meanwhile SL men’s 100m relay team comprising Chamod Yodasinghe, Merone Wijesinghe, more..

Jun 23 (FT) Xiaomi Sri Lanka, in partnership with Abans, has opened the country's first official Xiaomi Exclusive Store at One Galle Face Mall, Lower Ground, giving Sri Lankan consumers a dedicated destination to experience the full Xiaomi ecosystem in one place. The opening was also marked by the launch of the Xiaomi 17T, the first smartphone to be officially launched at this new store. For Xiaomi fans in Sri Lanka, this is a long-awaited moment. Over the years, Xiaomi has built a strong more..

Jun 23 (FT) Three years after pulling back from economic collapse, SL is being forced to confront a more difficult question than stabilisation: why has growth underperformed for much of the past two decades despite the country’s strategic location, educated workforce, and longstanding advantages in trade and services? That was the central theme that emerged yesterday at the public launch of the World Bank Group’s more..

Jun 23 (DM) Hela Apparel Holdings faces a trading suspension of its shares after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rejected its request to defer the regulatory action. The apparel exporter informed the Colombo Stock Exchange that its March application for a deferment of the trading suspension was denied by the capital market regulator. Trading of the company’s securities has already been suspended, effective June 18, 2026, due to a disclaimer of audit opinion in more..

Jun 23 (FT) Home Lands Group has marked another significant milestone with the acquisition of its second land parcel within Port City Colombo’s prestigious Central Park District. Newly acquired land parcel, spanning over three acres in extent, is similar in size and located adjacent to the land previously purchased for the landmark Central Park Boulevard Port City Colombo development, further strengthening Home Lands’ growing footprint within SL’s most ambitious urban dev. project. more..

Jun 23 (FT) Govt-led reforms have helped attract more than $ 600 million in new investment into Colombo Port City during the first half of 2026 through the approval of 71 Businesses of Strategic Importance (BSIs). The approvals represent one of the most significant investment milestones since the establishment of the Colombo Port City Special Economic Zone (SEZ), reflecting growing investor confidence in more..

Jun 23 (ST) Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used to understand complex public health and social challenges, including the persistent crisis of intentional injury mortality linked to homicide and suicide. A recently published international study has now applied explainable AI to examine this issue across the Americas, while highlighting the growing contribution of SL academics to globally relevant research, according to an official media release. The study, titled more..

Jun 23 (DM) Sri Lanka and Thailand are pushing for deeper economic integration, with officials from both nations urging their respective private sectors to bridge the gap of unfamiliarity to build trust and unlock the full potential of bilateral trade and investments. Speaking at the 25th-anniversary celebrations of the SL-Thailand Business Council held in Colombo last week, both Thai Ambassador to SL Paitoon Mahapannaporn and SL Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath highlighted that more..

Jun 23 (FT) Ministry of Finance has suspended the transition to the percentage-based ad-valorem tax structure (20% Customs Import Duty + 18% VAT + 2.5% SSCL) covering palm oil imports and, instead issued an extraordinary gazette renewing the Special Commodity Levy (SCL) framework. Under this importers must continue to pay the fixed rate of Rs. 275 per kg for RBD palm oil and Rs. 250 per kg for crude palm oil, a senior official of the Finance Ministry said. more..

Jun 23 (FT) Against the backdrop of colourful South Asian handicrafts, the aroma of Ceylon tea and spices, and growing business negotiations, the 10th China-South Asia Exposition in Kunming, in the Yunnan Province, China, once again demonstrated why it has become one of the most important trade platforms connecting China with South Asia. For SL, the six-day exposition held from 11 to 16 June at the Kunming Dianchi Int'l Convention and Exhibition Centre was more than just another trade fair. more..

Jun 23 (SO) The Chairman of SLT-Mobitel Group is Mothilal De Silva. Prior to this he was a Chief Executive Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Corporate Officer and Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of a number of Telecom and IT companies in Asia and Pacific regions for over 20 years. He is a turnaround specialist and strategist. As CEO and C level executive, he was responsible for transformation more..

Jun 23 (FT) Sri Lanka’s celebrated management guru, Prof. Gunapala Nanayakkara, a practical educational reformer in his own right, has released his latest publication, Transforming Education: The Way Forward in SL. The book is the result of his active engagement in university-level education for more than six decades and his service as Director General of the National Institute of Education after his retirement from academia. Nanayakkara created SL’s premier management school, more..

Jun 23 (Island) FCID has uncovered a large-scale foreign exchange fraud and arrested a Colombo-based businessman who is reported to have transferred millions of US dollars out of the country through a large number of shell companies since 2023. He has been allegedly involved in money laundering and illegal transfer of funds for phantom imports, according to media reports. The FCID deserves praise for its successful raid, but there is reason to believe that it is only scratching more..

Jun 23 (DN) The latest disturbing trend in the country is the selfish conduct of certain individuals. They are put the lives of innocent citizens in danger. Such negligence claimed the life of an innocent father of twins after a public road was blocked in the early morning hours last week. We cannot allow such incidents to occur, especially on public roads & in other public spaces. New legislation should be introduced to ensure that those responsible for such dangerous acts face severe punishment. more..

Jun 23 (Island) Sri Lankans have reason to take satisfaction in their country’s latest international achievement. SL has climbed 14 places in the 2026 Global Peace Index to rank 67 in the world out of 163 countries that were assessed. At a time when global peacefulness is reported to be at its lowest level since the inception of the Index, and when more countries are experiencing deterioration than improvement, SL’s progress stands out. The ranking reflects the country’s recovery from nearly more..

Jun 23 (CT) Ministry of Agriculture has reportedly collected approximately 60,000 soil samples from various parts of the country and has initiated a programme to promote 13 selected crops in a manner compatible with local soil conditions. Deputy Minister Namal Karunaratne, maintains that this was possible amid growing global challenges that are intensifying pressure on agricultural production, with countries more..

Jun 23 (ST) It does not come to every man to celebrate his eightieth birthday in the Oval Office as the world’s most powerful man. Nor is it given to every man in the White House – eighty or not – to blow out the candles on his birthday cake with a wish to honourably end a war he had needlessly begun and see it come true on the selfsame day. It seemed as if Providence had clearly earmarked Donald J. Trump as the divinely designated man to fulfil the manifest destiny of American people. more..

Jun 23 (CT) SL has emerged from the brink of economic collapse and entered a period of macroeconomic stabilisation. Inflation has moderated, foreign reserves have improved, debt restructuring is progressing, and confidence is gradually returning. These developments deserve recognition. However, stabilisation is not development. The real challenge facing SL is how to transform a fragile recovery into sustained economic growth, productive employment, and rising more..

Jun 23 (SO) SL Human Rights Commission’s verdict on the alleged police torture of Dilshan Madusankha was announced recently, marking a significant moment after years of struggle for justice. However, Dilshan was unable to fully celebrate the outcome, as he received a letter on the same day from the National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses threatening to withdraw protection granted more..

Jun 23 (TM) For decades, our environmental legislative framework has operated with one eye closed. While the CEA has gamely policed the visible and audible manifestations of industrial growth, a silent, structural menace has crept through our soil and bedrock entirely unregulated. The news that a new Environmental Bill will be presented to Parliament next week introducing dedicated legal regulations for vibration pollution is a milestone that is as welcome as it is overdue. more..

Jun 23 (GV) In November 2025, officials from the Department of Wildlife raided the home of an Anuradhapura resident. In the man’s refrigerator was a stock of illegal wild animal meat, including sambar deer and armadillo, and tortoise eggs; in a room, stacks of money (including foreign currency), gold and an ivory bracelet; inside a barrel in the garden, six black tortoises. This breaker of multiple laws was B. Jayawardane, the chief kapuwa (god-man) of the Sri Maha Bodhi. more..