Jun 1 (News) Retired Ambassador Grace Asirwatham has been appointed as the Chairperson of the National Commission on Women (NCW) by the President of Sri Lanka on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council. Established under the Women Empowerment Act No. 37 of 2024, the National Commission on Women is mandated to promote, protect, and advance women’s rights and gender equality in SL, including investigating violations or potential violations of such rights. more..

Jun 1 (TOI) A bar brawl spilled onto the road with a group of youth crashing their car into a bike, killing an 18-year-old SL Tamil woman and critically injuring her 17-year-old female friend near Thirumangalam in the city late on Saturday night. Police said the deceased, Yancy , and five women friends went on three twowheelers to a star hotel at Koyambedu on Saturday night. They drank and danced at the pub. A group of young men who had arrived in a car joined the celebrations. more..

Jun 1 (DM) The introduction of a new Constitution including the abolishing of the Executive Presidency is not a priority for the govt at the moment though it was an election promise, a senior govt source said. The NPP, in its election manifesto titled A thriving nation, a beautiful life, pledged to repeal the current constitution in place of a new one scrapping the Executive Presidency. Meanwhile Minister Chandana Abayaratne, in response to a query more..

Jun 1 (Island) Former Foreign Secretary, Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam, was elected by acclamation as the Chair of the UN Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (CMW) last Thursday at the opening segment of the Committee’s 42nd session held at Palais Wilson in Geneva. In his remarks, following the election, Ambassador Kariyawasam thanked the Committee fo electing him by acclamation and emphasised the importance of more..

Jun 1 (DM) Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, has urged the govt to reconsider the country’s open economic policies and reassess its engagement with the IMF. Cardinal said the open economy introduced in 1978 had diminished SL’s ability to become self-sufficient in many essential goods. “There was a time when SL had the capacity to produce many of the items it now imports. However, the country has increasingly become dependent on imports, and it is struggling to bear the associated costs. more..

Jun 1 (AD) The luxury bus service operating between BIA and Makumbura Multimodal Transport Centre has resumed operations from today. The service is implemented under the guidance of the Ministry of Transport, Highways & Urban Development and Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation, jointly by the Airport and Aviation Services (SL) (Pvt) Ltd and the National Transport Commission. Authorities said the service is intended to provide efficient, comfortable and safe transport more..

Jun 1 (News) The Buddha Rashmi Vesak Festival in Colombo, organized under the guidance of Venerable Kirinde Assaji Thero of the Gangaramaya Temple, was officially inaugurated under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. Following the opening ceremony, the Prime Minister also participated in the opening of the dansala held within the Gangaramaya Temple premises. Later in the afternoon of 31 May, PM attended the inauguration of the Sri Sarvajna Sacred Relic Exhibition more..

Jun 1 (SLN) In line with the national initiative Clean Sri Lanka and under the theme Beautiful Coastline – An Attractive Tourist Destination, the SL Navy played a role in a large-scale beach clean-up campaign conducted across the Jaffna Peninsula on 23 May. Objective of this timely intervention was to protect the fragile marine ecosystem, maintain a pristine and visually appealing coastline and foster a welcoming environment conducive to the growth of the tourism industry. more..

Jun 1 (NW) The All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) Irakkamam branch has refuted the Police statement claiming that an individual arrested over the sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl in Irakkamam was a Moulavi, stating it was incorrect. Issuing a statement, the ACJU said that the individual was not a certified moulavi and had not been educated at any Arabic school. The organization further said that the said individual was not a member of the ACJU or its Irakkamam branches. more..

Jun 1 (AD) SL Police have issued a new directive requiring licence holders of firearm to present their weapons for inspection every six months as part of licence renewal procedures for 2026. According to Police Media Division, licence holders must produce their firearms at the nearest police station six months after obtaining or renewing their licence. Authorities will then verify the firearm’s functionality and ensure that the serial number matches the details recorded on the licence. more..

Jun 1 (DM) Minister Anura Karunatilake said that the govt intends to strictly enforce the existing fuel QR code system moving forward. Minister said that the primary objective during this crisis period is to limit fuel consumption to mitigate its adverse effects on the national economy. Despite a noticeable reduction in fuel usage following the introduction of the QR and quota systems, consumption levels have still not decreased to the country's target requirements. more..

Jun 1 (CT) The estimated cost for holding the Provincial Council Elections is around Rs 10 billion, Commissioner General of Elections Rasika Peiris said. Peiris said, out of the Rs 20 billion allocated to the Election Commission in 2025 for three elections, Rs 8 billion was returned to the Treasury at the end of last year due to the Ditwah disaster situation. “We requested funds from the Treasury for three elections and received Rs 20 billion in 2025. However, due to the disaster, more..

Jun 1 (AD) An individual known as Dubai Sudda has been arrested in Kaduwela over allegations of recruiting Sri Lankans for employment in Dubai and Moldova using tourist visas. The arrest was made today by officers of the Special Investigation Unit of SLBFE, following a complaint received from a resident of Giriulla who alleged that Rs. 700,000 had been paid for a promised job that was not provided. Authorities said the suspect, who had previously travelled abroad and returned more..

Jun 1 (CT) More than 1,000 new import licence applications and licence renewals submitted by Indian pharmaceutical companies are currently pending approval at NMRA, raising concerns as 85% of the drugs are imported from India. The delays have prompted India to raise concerns with SL authorities, warning that prolonged regulatory uncertainty and pricing disputes could disrupt medicine supplies and discourage reputable pharmaceutical companies from maintaining or more..

Jun 1 (NW) Two police officers attached to the Bentota Police Station have been commended for returning a mobile phone worth approximately Rs. 150,000 to its rightful owner after finding it on the Bentota Bridge. Police Sergeant Isuru Sameera (60706) and Police Constable Ramesh Aravinda (79425), who were on traffic duty on Sunday (31), discovered the phone and remained in the area to see whether its owner would return to look for it. A young man later arrived at the location and reported more..

Jun 1 (AD) Container Transport Owners’ Association (CTOA) has announced a 5% increase in container transport charges with effect from today. Chairman of the Association Sanath Manjula said the revised rates would come into force immediately. The Association noted that the increase applies to all container transportation services from today. Ceypetco revised fuel prices, effective from midnight on May 30. Accordingly, the price of Auto Diesel was increased by Rs. 15 to Rs.407 per litre more..

Jun 1 (FT) Somebody got a tax cut. It was not most of us. Between 2021 and 2026, SL raised the tax on salaries to company profits, from electricity to gas cylinders, from bread to the bar of soap — all of it on the explicit logic that the country needed more revenue. But over the same period, the tax on a pack of cigarettes was quietly allowed to fall by 7.2 percentage points. That missing slice of tax is worth Rs. 17.3 billion a year in 2026 — money the Treasury could have collected by more..

Jun 1 (FT) Dr. Wimal Hettiarachchi who had completed a full career in the Central Bank of SL in numerous capacities is no longer with us. He completed his life journey last week. Hettiarachchi joined the Central Bank as a non-staff officer in the early 1960s immediately after he finished his school career. Though he was eligible to join the University of Ceylon to complete an undergraduate degree, pressed by economic hardships, he chose the Bank in preference to a university degree. more..

Jun 1 (Island) Chairman of the COPF Dr. Harsha de Silva, MP, yesterday said that the NPP govt was going ahead with a controversial move to pass on the massive losses caused by the coal scam to the public. The govt also intended to recover USD 2.5 (approximately Rs 800 mn) lost by the Treasury from the people by introducing an amendment to the Budget, the Opposition lawmaker alleged. Dr de Silva said that the govt more..

Jun 1 (NW) The National Transport Commission (NTC) has confirmed that there will be no revision of bus fares despite the recent increase in diesel prices. The CPC raised the price of Lanka White Diesel by Rs. 15 per litre and Super Diesel by Rs. 20 per litre, effective from midnight on 30 May. However, the NTC stated that an interim bus fare adjustment will not be implemented at this stage. Meanwhile, the Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association has urged authorities to consider more..

Jun 1 (NW) Six people were killed and seven others injured after a cab crashed into a crowd waiting in a queue at a Vesak dansala near Meegoda Junction on Sunday night. According to Police, the accident occurred on the High Level Road in the Meegoda Police Division when a cab travelling from Avissawella towards Colombo ploughed into a group of people standing in line at the dansala. A total of 13 injured persons were admitted to the Homagama Hospital following the incident. more..

Jun 1 (FT) European Union (EU) has strongly encouraged SL to seek continued preferential access to the bloc’s market under the next GSP+ framework, while noting that the country has not fully capitalised on the opportunities provided by the trade concession over the past decade. Addressing the SL-German Business Forum 2026 in Colombo last week, EU Ambassador to SL Carmen Moreno said SL should use the period before the next more..

Jun 1 (ST) SL’s e-Motoring project is in a critical transition phase to digitise the Dept of Motor Traffic (DMT), aiming to eliminate corruption, with a new focus on a localised development structure following the exit of Face Technologies. While the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) commercial tender awaits final Cabinet approval, Millennium IT has finalised the core software, and the project is moving forward with a revised, locally-driven strategy, a senior official of Ministry of Transport said. more..

Jun 1 (DM) Police have arrested all suspects involved in the violent robbery of a PickMe driver, an incident that sparked widespread outrage after footage of the crime went viral across social media platforms earlier today. The incident, which took place within the Welikada police jurisdiction, involved three individuals who accosted the young driver, violently threatening him and physically grabbing him by the neck inside a vehicle. It was reported that the victim managed to stay calm and more..

Jun 1 (TM) National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) has urged the Buddhist clergy, the Govt, and key Buddhist organisations to take immediate and coordinated action to safeguard the Buddha Sasana in SL. In a statement issued by its leader and former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, the organisation stated recent incidents involving members of the Buddhist clergy had caused distress among Buddhists and created divisions within society, making urgent intervention necessary. more..

Jun 1 (FT) Sri Lanka on Saturday raised fuel prices for the fifth time since the escalation of the Middle East conflict, as the country grapples with a sharply higher fuel import bill driven by soaring global oil prices and increased import volumes. Under the latest monthly pricing revision effective from 31 May, the State-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) increased the price of Auto Diesel by Rs. 15 to Rs. 407 per litre and Petrol Octane 92 by Rs. 24 to Rs. 434 per litre. more..

Jun 1 (TM) Prices in all major fuel categories have risen sharply since March, with increases ranging from Rs 103 to Rs 155 per litre following five separate price revisions implemented between 1 March and 31 May. With the latest fuel price revision, which came into effect from midnight yesterday, prices have now risen to their highest levels this year. Compared with the prices that prevailed prior to 1 March, more..

Jun 1 (FT) EDB Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe has confirmed that SL intends to apply for continued access under the next GSP+ framework, describing the scheme as a key pillar of the country’s export strategy. “GSP+ has been extremely beneficial to SL,” Wijesinghe said. He noted that significant untapped export potential remains in the European market and said discussions with the country’s political leadership had produced encouraging signals regarding continued engagement more..

Jun 1 (FT) The vehicle imports bill, including personal and commercial vehicles, expanded to $ 208 million in April from $ 195 million in March. Imports of vehicles had fallen to $ 194 million in February from $ 224 million in January, and from a 10-year peak of $ 301 million recorded in Dec 2025, reflecting a moderation after the reopening of the sector. Cumulatively, vehicle imports during the first four months of 2026 reached $ 821 million from $ 613 million in March, more..

Jun 1 (EN) SL’s Treasury is not buying dollars to service debt because it has not done so in the past, IMF Mission Chief Evan Papageorgiou, amid questions on depending on the central bank, which has to monetize the balance of payments to get reserves. “The reason is that the central bank is the intermediary of financial flows and because they have close contact with the financial markets, treasury doesn’t deal with foreign exchange issues,” Papageorgiou told reporters after approving more..

Jun 1 (NW) Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath held a meeting with members of the SL community in Melbourne, Australia, where he discussed issues faced by Sri Lankans living overseas and outlined the Govt’s ongoing and future initiatives. According to Herath, the event was organized by Sri Lankans residing in Melbourne and drew a large turnout at the Springvale Town Hall. Minister said the discussion provided an opportunity to listen to concerns raised by members of SL diaspora more..

Jun 1 (DN) SL’s promising middle distance athlete Tharushi Abhisheka (Podi Tharushi) once again came to the highlight when she clinched her second medal winning bronze in 800m women’s final at the final day of the Asian Under 20 Athletic Championship held in Hong Kong China yesterday. Tharushi is the only SL athlete to win two individual medals in this meet. Tharushi earlier won 1500 gold medal on the first day and more..