Jun 18 (PMD) A discussion on the modernisation initiatives required within SL Customs and measures to encourage exporters in support of implementing the National Export Development Plan (NEDP) 2026–2030 was held this morning (17) at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of Secretary to the Prez, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake. The meeting, organised by the Revenue Administration Reform and Modernization Bureau established under more..

Jun 18 (NW) Lanka Sathosa has announced price reductions for nine essential consumer items, effective from June 18. Under the revised pricing, the price of wheat flour has been reduced by Rs. 10 per kilogram from Rs. 169 to Rs. 159, marking the highest reduction among the items. Several rice varieties have also been reduced, including Ponni Samba by Rs. 6, Red Nadu rice by Rs. 5, Samba Red Kekulu rice by Rs. 5, Local White Nadu rice by Rs. 5, White Kekulu Samba rice by Rs. 5 and more..

Jun 18 (EN) Govt revenue collection by all three major tax collecting agencies have outperformed up to June 8, 2026 and expanded more than 50% compared to the same period in last year. Govt has aimed at 4,910 billion tax revenue target for this year, 2.8% lower than the last year’s record revenue of 5,449.4 billion rupees. Inland Revenue Department has outperformed the target by 46.3% to 1,112.4 billion rupees as of June 8, 2026, more..

Jun 18 (DM) The Supreme Court ruled that a Chairman of a Pradeshiya Sabha who fails to obtain the approval of council members for the annual budget after the first two years is deemed to have vacated his office. The Supreme Court delivered this judgment while dismissing a fundamental rights petition filed by a former local authority chairman challenging his removal. SC ruled that a Chairman of a Pradeshiya Sabha deemed to have resigned from the office in terms of the provisions of more..

Jun 18 (DM) Tufts Buddhist Chaplain Ven. Vineetha Mahayaye was one of seven men arrested on Saturday by the Boston Police Department’s human trafficking unit for allegedly attempting to pay for sexual acts. Mahayaye resigned from his position at Tufts, which he had held since Dec 2024, on Monday. Mahayaye, 32, pleaded not guilty and is set to appear in court on Sept. 2 on a misdemeanor charge of sex for a fee. Mahayaye allegedly responded to an advertisement posted more..

Jun 18 (NF) An investigation is underway after the body of a 34-year-old woman was discovered inside a parked vehicle near the Theldeniya Hospital, prompting police to deploy three special teams to probe the circumstances surrounding the death. Senior police officials confirmed that, in addition to local investigators, Nuwara Eliya Divisional CID has also launched parallel inquiries into the incident. more..

Jun 18 (DM) Former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake has urged Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake to initiate an early review of SL’s Monetary Policy Framework Agreement (MPFA), proposing that the country’s medium-term inflation target be reduced from the current 5% to between 2% and 3%. In a letter addressed to the Prez, Karunanayake noted that the MPFA, signed in October 2023 between the then Finance Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and more..

Jun 18 (FT) I am appalled by the quality of a recently gazetted The Chartered Institute of Media Professional of SL (CIMPSL) Bill. Its interpretation section is thin and wrong. It creates an organisation with a Director General and staff and no access to the consolidated fund. It does not even create a startup fund that can be used to support raising money from other sources. The design is based on members (those with charters) electing the governing body and disciplinary committees, more..

Jun 18 (FT) The assertion in Parliament by the PM, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, that “There is little point in merely holding elections if the necessary criteria for democracy are absent within the electoral system" is sinister and can be recycled in the foreseeable future by the JVP-NPP’s steamroller Parliamentary majority to attempt deferment of the Prez and Parliamentary elections too, reloading the excuse that "The PR system, which has contributed to corruption within the country's political more..

Jun 18 (NW) CCTV footage has reportedly captured the moment a man moved the body of a woman on the night before it was discovered inside a motor vehicle near the Teldeniya Hospital. Police confirmed that the individual who tipped off officers about the body was believed to be her lover. The deceased has been identified as a 33‑year‑old resident of Weligama, who had been staying at a hotel in Nuwara Eliya from June 3 to June 16 Investigations are continuing under Nuwara Eliya Police more..

Jun 18 (EN) SL’s decision to impose a 50% surcharge on customs import duty for vehicles has reduced foreign currency outflows and decreased demand for the U.S. currency, Deputy Finance Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando said. SL imposed a temporary 50% surcharge on Customs Import Duty on new personal vehicles for three months effective May 16, aiming to restrict imports and reduce the depreciation of the rupee currency. more..

Jun 18 (AD) Former Director of the SIS Major General (Rtd) Suresh Sallay, who is currently in the custody of the CID and receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital, has reiterated that he will not end his ongoing hunger strike. According to reports, Sallay told his personnel lawyer during a hospital visit that he is unwilling to return to the CID detention cell, describing the facility as hell and stating that death would be preferable. He is also said to have alleged that more..

Jun 18 (CT) Following another monster throw in Ostrava yesterday, Sri Lanka’s javelin sensation Rumesh Tharanga has climbed to second place in the World Athletics rankings, moving up from third. Germany’s Julian Weber continues to lead with 1360 points, while Tharanga now sits close behind on 1333 points. In 2026, Tharanga has been nothing short of dominant, registering all of the top four throws of the year — an unprecedented achievement for a SL athlete in any discipline. more..

Jun 18 (Island) The NPP govt is trying to maintain a balance between continuing demands for releasing north-east land held by the military and post-war security requirements, says Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekera, who has undertaken a series of visits to the northern and eastern provinces in the recent past to explore ways and means of releasing the land, without compromising national security requirements. more..

Jun 18 (TM) Police have launched an investigation following the discovery of a body of a female inside a car near the Teldeniya Base Hospital. The investigation was initiated based on information received by the Police yesterday afternoon (17). A Magisterial inquiry into the incident is scheduled to be conducted shortly. Indian with SL citizenship nabbed for job fraud: A 32-year-old individual has been arrested in connection with an alleged fraud involving Rs 4.99 million after more..

Jun 18 (DM) Deputy Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando said that SL's daily foreign exchange outflow for vehicle imports has fallen to below USD 4 million following the introduction of a temporary surcharge on Customs Import Duties for vehicles. Fernando said that despite the surcharge, LCs worth as much as USD 88 million were opened for vehicle imports on a single day. However, he said the policy has begun to reduce import-related foreign exchange expenditure. more..

Jun 18 (DN) ADB remains committed to supporting SL’s broader trade, investment, and industry reform agenda through policy-based lending, technical assistance, analytical work, policy dialogue, and capacity building, Shannon Cowlin, Country Director, Asian Development Bank said addressing the National Export Development Plan (NEDP) launch in Colombo on Tuesday. Cowlin also assured support for SL’s broader macroeconomic reform objectives, including the rebuilding of external buffers more..

Jun 18 (NW) SL Police have taken steps to freeze several properties allegedly acquired through illegally earned income in two separate investigations conducted by the Illegal Assets Investigation Division and the Central Crimes Investigation Bureau. In the first case, police said an investigation was launched following a complaint against a resident of Udumulla, Batapola, who was suspected of earning money through unlawful means. Investigators found that more..

Jun 18 (FT) Global and local mineral sands experts, public officials, investors, and industry leaders converged in Colombo yesterday to examine how SL can unlock greater value from its mineral resources through processing, technology, and investment rather than continued reliance on raw mineral exports. Mineral Sands Technical Conference 2026, hosted by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Australia’s more..

Jun 18 (TM) Though Sri Lanka has met the IMF's 2032 debt-to-GDP target seven years earlier than projected, its debt sustainability hinges on its ability to avoid deviating from existing policy and navigating external shocks and disruptions to debt restructuring – which have the potential to reverse gains, First Capital’s research unit noted in its latest report on the IMF’s Fifth and Sixth review report. “Debt-to-GDP (central govt) declined from 116% to 96.8% over 2022-2025. more..

Jun 18 (FT) SL Customs will implement a comprehensive fee and operational framework from 1 July under new regulations issued by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake under the Customs Ordinance, replacing regulations issued in 1948, 1951, 1988, 2006, 2007, and 2013. The regulations establish a framework covering Customs service charges, cargo examination fees, information and communication technology (ICT) fees, vessel and aircraft reporting requirements, transhipment procedures, more..

Jun 18 (DN) SL Emerging Team cruised to an innings and 216-run victory over the West Indies Emerging Team with a day to spare in the second and final 4-day match played at Hambantota yesterday. With this emphatic victory, SL Emerging secured the two-match series 1-0 after the first game ended in a draw. SL Emerging dominated the match with a powerful batting display, posting a massive first-innings total of 553 for 5 declared at lunch on the third day in reply to the visitors’ more..

Jun 18 (FT) Simplified visa procedures, predictable tax rules, smoother capital flows and measures against brain drain are key priorities identified by members of the Sweden-SL Business Council. The findings come from a dialogue study initiated by the Board after its appointment in March 2026. Sweden-SL Business Council Secretary General Anndala Ehrstedt said: “Our membership has grown from 75 to nearly 100 members over the past 3 years. This is a clear sign of the increasing interest more..

Jun 18 (FT) Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando said the Govt will decide whether to extend its fuel subsidy and relief measures after assessing economic conditions at the end of the current 3-month period, while early indications show that the recently imposed 50% surcharge on vehicle imports has successfully reduced import demand. He said the Rs. 10 billion relief package introduced by the Govt was more..

Jun 18 (FT) Court of Appeal (CA) has set aside a Right to Information (RTI) Commission order directing the Central Bank of SL (CBSL) to disclose detailed Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) Govt securities transaction data, ruling that disclosure of the information would harm the Fund’s competitive position and falls within an exemption under the RTI Act. In a judgement delivered on 26 March, the Court allowed an appeal by the CBSL and overturned Nov 2018 RTI Commission order more..

Jun 18 (FT) SL has secured the resumption of ammonium nitrate imports from India after the neighbouring country approved a monthly export quota of 220 metric tonnes (MT) in response to a request from the SL Govt. India had imposed a ban on the export of ammonium nitrate on 18 March 2026, citing ongoing global supply chain challenges. Following representations by the SL Govt highlighting the urgent requirements of local industry, Govt of India has now granted permission for more..

Jun 18 (FT) The Govt remains confident of achieving its 5% economic growth target this year and is working towards a medium-term objective of 7% inclusive and sustainable growth, despite concerns over rising interest rates and the pace of capital expenditure, Deputy Finance and Planning Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando said. He said the first-quarter economic growth of 5.1% was a positive indicator that the country more..

Jun 18 (DM) A petition seeking urgent action to prevent the electrocution and illegal killing of elephants was taken up before the Court of Appeal today, with the court fixing a date for the hearing and directing the respondent state institutions to file their objections. The petition was filed by the Center for Environmental Justice (CEJ) and its directors, Hemantha Withanage and Dilena Pathragoda, seeking a writ of mandamus compelling the relevant authorities to strictly enforce more..

Jun 18 (DM) Wickramarachchi Opticians and Hearing Care celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, marking five decades of trusted service, innovation and unwavering commitment to improving the quality of life for generations of Sri Lankans. Founded in 1976 by Dr. Mihira Wickramarachchi with a vision to make quality optical care more accessible, Wickramarachchi Opticians and Hearing Care has grown into a nationally recognised healthcare institution, more..

Jun 18 (FT) Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) intensified efforts in 2025 to bring State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) to the capital market, arguing that listings could help address longstanding governance, financing, and accountability challenges while reducing reliance on Treasury support. In his review accompanying the SEC’s 2025 Annual Report, SEC Chairman Prof. Hareendra Dissabandara said the capital market has a central role to play in mobilising long-term financing more..

Jul 18 (CT) SL is at a defining crossroads in its energy transition. After decades of over-reliance on expensive oil-based thermal generation, highly-polluting low-cost coal and hydropower, as the country pursues ambitious Renewable Energy (Solar and wind) targets and seeks to achieve long-term energy security, affordability, and sustainability, the debate surrounding the future energy mix has intensified. While solar and wind power are increasingly viewed as more..