Jun 20 (Island) Women’s unpaid care work contributes the equivalent of nearly 12% of SL’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), yet remains excluded from official economic calculations, prompting fresh calls for urgent policy action and greater national recognition. The startling statistic emerged afresh at a discussion on unpaid care work, organised by South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) SL, and Women and Media Collective (WMC), more..

Jun 20 (TM) As global authorities gather to address the fate of one of the world's most threatened marine predators, SL finds itself at the epicentre of a silent crisis. With recent research branding us as one of the highest-risk countries globally for shark and ray mortality, the delicate balance between coastal livelihoods and marine conservation has never been more precarious. Researcher at Blue Resources Trust, Shownath Sitsabeshan discusses the findings from the recent Sharks Int'l conference more..

Jun 19 (FT) In a probing interview on her YouTube channel Conversations with Alanki, Alanki asked Senior Prez Adviser Duminda Hulangamuwa a series of pertinent and timely questions. To which the answers, while polite and politic, were not always as perspicacious as one would have hoped for at that level. Yet, the most revealing aspect of the conversation lies not in any single answer. Rather, it is the cumulative impression left behind by the interview as a whole. more..

Jun 19 (GV) In ancient SL, barbaric forms of torture were practised by monarchs as cruel and inhuman punishment for enemies and criminals. After SL became a British colony, the Kandyan Convention of 1815 was the first attempt to eradicate torture. In modern times, Article 11 of the 1978 constitution states that no person shall be subject to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. This is a fundamental right that applies equally to all citizens including criminals. more..

Jun 20 (Island) The CIABOC has netted another senior state official. It arrested the General Manager (GM) of Lanka Salt Ltd, Rathnayaka Mudiyanselage Gunaratne yesterday for allegedly having caused a loss of approximately Rs. 14.3 million to the state and provided an undue advantage to a supplier by procuring Laklunu packaging for the Hambantota Salt Company through a re-order process in breach of procurement procedures. Such action against state officials is certainly welcome, more..

Jun 19 (TM) The question of where we can find SL’s urban policy has been ongoing for many decades. It has not always been pursued as a separate inquiry, but, one is expected to encounter it along the way during a long journey through the country’s planning and urban development landscape. After all, SL has had planning laws, national plans, urban development institutions, housing programmes, LG structures, more..

Jun 19 (TM) She is part of a generation that knew nothing but the war, a childhood shaped by conflict, yet, carried forward by memory. Today, we step beyond her art to meet the woman behind it: a voice from Jaffna whose recollections of home, resilience, and quiet beauty remind us that memory is not just what we keep, but what we fight to preserve. This is her story of survival, belonging, and the fragments of hope that endure. She is Catharina Danial, whom I met on Kaleidoscope Dialogues. more..

Jun 19 (ST) The situation is grim. There are many red flags, some maybe due to the govt’s handling of the economy while others maybe no fault of the administration, particularly in view of the West Asia crisis since February 2026 triggered by the Hamas attack on Israel in Oct 2023. The latest round of fighting between the US/Israel and Iran and the resultant impact on Lebanon and West Asian states has triggered a precarious fuel shortage, closed a key shipping lane and resulted in fuel prices more..

Jun 19 (SO) For more than a decade, the focus of energy policy centred on adding renewable generation capacity through solar, wind and mini-hydro projects. Today, however, energy planners are increasingly focused on a different challenge: what to do with the growing volumes of electricity produced when the sun is shining but demand remains low. PM Harini Amarasuriya told Parliament last week that more..

Jun 19 (DM) Sri Lanka’s engagement with intellectual property (IP) dates back to the British colonial era, beginning with the British Inventor’s Ordinance of 1859, under which the first patent was issued in 1860. Over the years, various laws, such as the Trademarks Ordinance (1888, later revised in 1925), the Patents Ordinance (1906), and the Copyright Ordinance (1908), were enacted and remained in use even after Independence in 1948. The modern era of IP legiislaton began with more..

Jun 19 (DM) The late Dudley’s birthday anniversary falls on June 19. He was the elder son of the late D.S. Senanayake, Father of the Nation. He succeeded his father as our 2nd PM, going on to be PM again in 1960 and from 1965 to 1970. He was the epitome of democracy in every sense of the term. He was at St Thomas’ College, Mt Lavinia, where he excelled as a cricketer and later at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. He was a reluctant politician and simple in his lifestyle. more..

Jun 19 (DM) The current General Manager of Lanka Salt Company has been arrested by the CIABOC over extensive corruption charges. The suspect, identified as Rannayaka Mudiyanselage Prassanna, was taken into custody this morning, in connection with an ongoing investigation. According to the allegations, General Manager had bypassed proper procurement procedures to secure an order of bags for the company. The flawed transaction reportedly caused a massive financial loss to the state more..

Jun 19 (NW) SL’s javelin sensation Rumesh Tharanga is set to compete today at the Diamond League Doha Meeting, continuing his breakthrough season on the int'l circuit. Tharanga, who produced a national record of 92.62m in Rome earlier this month to win the Diamond League meeting and move into the top tier of world javelin throwers, will be making his Doha debut at the Qatar Sports Club. 23-year-old, who also claimed victory at the Ostrava Golden Spike in the Czech Republic with 86.57m, more..

Jun 19 (TM) Vibration pollution caused by quarry blasting and construction activities will, for the first time, come under dedicated legal regulation, with the new Environmental Bill set to be presented to Parliament next week introducing powers to curb environmental and social damage caused by excessive vibrations. CEA Director General, Kapila Rajapaksha, said new Legislation would take a stricter approach towards more..

Jun 19 (TM) Former SIS Director, Major General (Rtd) Suresh Sallay, who is currently in the custody of the CID and is receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital, has reiterated that he will not end his ongoing hunger strike. Sallay had told his personal lawyer during a hospital visit that he is unwilling to return to the CID detention cell, describing the facility as hell. He is also said to have alleged that the CID Director holds a personal animosity toward him. more..

Jun 19 (FT) For many SL businesses, India has long represented a market of immense potential. Yet despite its proximity and promise, entering and expanding within India has often seemed complex, with businesses facing challenges in identifying the right opportunities, navigating regulations, finding trusted partners, and understanding the nuances of different regions. Addressing these challenges head-on, the Indo-Lanka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ILCCI), in partnership with more..

Jun 19 (Island) The people’s United Opposition appealed to the IMF to take tangible action to rein in the SL govt. Following a meeting with IMF Mission in Colombo yesterday, the group issued the following statement: “As leaders or representatives of several groups in the Opposition, we are seeking an urgent appointment to meet with you on any date between 16 and 18 June to focus on some critical issues. Our purpose is to bring to your more..

Jun 19 (FT) UK Trade Envoy Lord Hannett of Everton and British High Commissioner to SL Andrew Patrick yesterday met with Minister Sunil Handunneththi to discuss measures aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties. According to the British High Commission in Colombo, discussions focused on enhancing utilisation of the UK's Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), which provides zero-tariff access for a wide range of SL exports more..

Jun 19 (Island) Leader of the SLMC Rauff Hakeem states that all relevant parties must extend their cooperation to the security forces in order to get at the truth behind the Easter attacks. Hakeem said that he saw no issue with surrendering the passwords to the laptop and mobile phone of Suresh Sallay, who is currently in custody for these investigations. Hakeem said: “When Suresh Sallay refuses to provide the passwords of his computer and phone for these investigations, more..

Jun 19 (AD) GMOA has called for the establishment of a Presidential Task Force to combat the dengue epidemic in the country. GMOA Media Spokesperson, Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe emphasized that the situation has escalated into a super epidemic proportions. Commenting further, he said: “We saw a severe dengue epidemic in the year 2017. Dengue patients are now being reported at a similar level.” He said that notably, the number of patients reported so far this month has more..

Jun 19 (EN) Former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake has requested Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his capacity as the Finance Minister to reduce the CB’s inflation target to 2% during the upcoming October review. As per new Central Bank Act, Finance Ministry will enter to a Monetary Policy Framework Agreement and agree on an inflation target every three years. The inflation target was set at 5% when the last review more..

Jun 19 (EN) A European Union-supported capacity-building initiative is helping SL’s rubber sector to meet emerging international requirements as global markets place increasing emphasis on sustainable and deforestation-free supply chains. A workshop was organised by the Rubber Development Department in collaboration with the European Union-funded Green Recovery Facility, implemented by Expertise France under the EU Global Gateway strategy to educate stakeholders from more..

Jun 19 (PMD) A programme to provide educational equipment to selected university students was held yesterday at the Head Office of the President’s Fund. During the event, laptop computers were distributed to 14 students selected from applications received through Divisional Secretariat offices across the island. President’s Fund has allocated Rs. 5.8 million for this initiative. Accordingly, President’s Fund has provided educational equipment to approximately 30 uni students more..

Jun 19 (FT) Sri Lanka is seeking to transform its centuries-old gem and jewellery industry into a billion-dollar export sector and position the country as a global trading hub, with the Govt pledging reforms to tackle smuggling, improve value addition and attract international buyers through a more structured industry framework. The ambitious agenda was outlined yesterday as authorities announced Gem City Ratnapura Exhibition more..

Jun 19 (NW) The Bribery Commission today filed indictments before the Colombo High Court against former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa and two others on corruption charges. The indictment names Sepalika Saman Kumari and Keerthi Bandara Kotagama as co‑accused. Ten charges have been presented, supported by 30 witnesses and 38 documents as case productions. According to the charges, the accused allegedly used official authority to pressure govt officials more..

Jun 19 (FT) National System Operator (NSO) Chairman Dr. Pradeep Perera has told the CoPF that payments due to independent power producers (IPPs) would be settled once expected funding is received. Responding to questions from CoPF Chairman Dr. Harsha de Silva on outstanding dues, Dr. Perera said arrears to renewable energy producers had already been reduced. He said that approximately Rs. 3 billion had been paid to renewable energy suppliers during May, more..

Jun 19 (FT) At the request of the SL Export Development Board (EDB), Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Ministry organised a Diplomatic Briefing on SL Expo 2027 on 12 June at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, with the participation of approximately 100 representatives from foreign diplomatic missions based in Colombo and Ambassadors/representatives of foreign missions accredited to SL, both physically and virtually. Briefing was organised to update more..

Jun 19 (DM) Jaffna District MP Archchuna Ramanathan was seen removing a life-size cut-out of himself that had been decorated with a garland made of slippers and placed by the roadside in the Gurunagar area of Jaffna. Video footage circulating on social media shows the MP removing the cut-out before placing it in his vehicle. The cut-out, which appeared to have been erected as a form of protest or insult, had been displayed along a roadside in Gurunagar. No information has been more..

Jun 19 (NW) A 47‑year‑old female lawyer attached to the legal division of a Colombo commercial bank was arrested last night at a Ratmalana supermarket while attempting to steal several items. Suspect was caught yesterday with 520 grams of chicken, 250 grams of beef, roasted cashew, a toothbrush, and a lunch sheet packet, all valued at Rs. 5,290, hidden inside her handbag. CCTV footage had earlier recorded her secretly placing the goods under the guise of shopping, prompting more..

Jun 19 (FT) National System Operator (NSO) expects to end the forced curtailment of renewable energy generation next year as battery energy storage system (BESS) projects are integrated into SL’s electricity network, NSO Chairman Dr. Pradeep Perera told CoPF this week. The NSO is the newly created entity that manages and operates the electricity grid after the CEB split into four. Commitment comes amid more..

Jun 19 (NW) Minister of Science and Technology and Wattala District MP Chrishantha Abeysena yesterday joined a protest demanding the appointment of a religious sister as the principal of the Nayakakanda Good Shepherd Convent in Wattala. The demonstration, organised by the National Collective to Protect Catholic Schools, was held to oppose the appointment of a lay principal and to call for the continuation of the school’s long-standing tradition of religious leadership. more..

Jun 19 (DM) The private sectors of SL and Benelux countries Belgium and Luxembourg this week forged new alliances aimed at boosting trade and investments. Spearheading the initiative was a MoU signed yesterday between Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), its affiliate SL–Benelux Business Council (SLBBC), and BELGOLUX–SL Business Council (BLSBC), along with a business forum, series of business-to-business (B2B) meetings, and related engagements coinciding with more..