June 26 (DM) Hundreds of vehicles are stranded at the port, with hundreds more on the way, after SL Customs abruptly halted the clearance of vehicles imported under cross-border LCs starting May 26, this year. The move has disrupted a standard industry practice of over a decade, leaving importers facing mounting demurrage charges and significant financial uncertainty. 200-300 vehicles are currently more..

June 26 (NW) Two educational programmes focused on educating schoolchildren about road safety and responsible behaviour on the roads were launched today under the Clean Sri Lanka national programme. The programmes were launched as part of the Clean Sri Lanka initiative aimed at reducing daily road accidents by raising public awareness and reshaping attitudes toward road safety. The two new educational programs, titled Clean Steps – Safety Roads – Be United for Road Safety, more..

June 26 (AD) Former Secretary of the Ministry of Health Janaka Chandragupta, who was arrested earlier today, has been remanded until July 8, Ada Derana reporter said. He was remanded after being produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court. Janaka Chandragupta was arrested this morning by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), after recording a statement regarding the alleged procurement of substandard drugs. more..

June 26 (FT) The supply chain is one of the most important and dynamic topics in business today. While it has been an essential part of commerce for decades, its strategic importance has increased even more since the COVID-19 pandemic, as organisations around the world have recognised that supply chains are not just back-end functions; they are the lifeblood that keeps businesses running. The term supply chain has many definitions, such as supply chain management or SCM, more..

June 26 (FT) In the ongoing debate on SL’s currency direction, much of the noise focuses on the strength of the rupee. A stronger rupee, many argue, will ease import costs, tame inflation, and bring short-term consumer relief. While this narrative may be politically expedient, it risks overlooking the deeper structural consequences for SL’s export economy—the engine that earns our foreign exchange and sustains millions of livelihoods. The hard truth is this: an artificially strong rupee is not a sign of more..

June 26 (CT) UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, currently on an official visit to Sri Lanka, arrived in Jaffna yesterday at approximately 3:30 p.m. by helicopter. He visited the Chemmani grounds in Sindhupiddy — the site of alleged mass graves — and paid tribute to the victims by laying flowers before the symbolic Anaiya Theepam (Eternal Flame), a vigil lamp lit in memory of the disappeared. more..

June 26 (DM) The 2025 G.C.E. A/L Examination will be held from November 10 to December 5, the Department of Examinations announced. In a notice issued today the Department said that applications for the examination will be accepted online from June 26 to July 21. Students of govt and govt-approved private schools are required to submit their applications through their respective school principals, while private applicants must submit their applications independently. more..

June 26 (CT) Govt will begin strict enforcement of laws prohibiting child labour from 1 July 2025, aiming to crack down on the growing exploitation of children in informal and hazardous forms of work, Minister of Health Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said. Citing current statistics, Minister said that children make up around 30% of SL’s population. However, an increasing number are being found engaging in unsafe and exploitative labour, including street begging, selling goods in public spaces, more..

June 26 (FT) Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa disclosed that an intelligence report has flagged attempts by certain politically affiliated groups to undermine the Govt’s initiatives to improve and streamline the sector. He cautioned that the Govt will not tolerate any such interference. “Some of these people are directly connected to some political parties, some are members of parties, and some are behind certain companies, more..

June 26 (NF) A protest demanding an int'l investigation into the alleged mass graves in Chemmani entered its third and final day today, drawing participation from civil society activists and families of the disappeared. The demonstration, which began on June 23, coincides with the visit of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, who is currently touring N&E provinces. A petition calling for int'l intervention was circulated during the protest, with signatures collected more..

June 26 (DM) Sri Lanka could miss a once-in-a-generation opportunity to plug into the fast-growing supply chains of southern India – that is unless the island nation pushes through market-opening reforms that go well beyond its current IMF programme, leading international economist Prof. Razeen Sally warned this week. Prof. Sally, former Associate Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore and a former chair of the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), SL, more..

June 26 (NW) Attorney General’s Dept on Wednesday cited the release of Mary Juliet Monica Fernando — wife of former Minister Milroy Fernando — as a key example of a controversial presidential pardon, as the Colombo Magistrate’s Court continues to hear cases into the unlawful release of prisoners. Mary Juliet was convicted in 2005 and sentenced to death for abducting and murdering two women. She was released in March 2009 after receiving a presidential pardon from more..

June 26 (FT) Amid the rising instability in the Middle East, the Cabinet of Ministers at their meeting on Tuesday approved the formulating of high-level dual sub-committees tasked with evaluating potential risks and devising early action strategies to avoid any adverse impacts on the economy. The move comes as concerns mount over the broader geopolitical fallout from the situation in the Middle East, particularly with regard to energy security, foreign employment, trade, logistics & tourism more..

June 26 (DM) The Starlink satellite internet service will be made available to local customers following a one-week inspection of the service, TRCSL Director General Bandula Herath said. He said TRCSL had issued the relevant licences in July 2024 to authorize the provision of Starlink satellite broadband services in Sri Lanka. By Dec 2024, Commission had granted approval for 5 main tariff packages. more..

June 26 (FT) In response to severe flood damage that disrupted water releases to cultivated lands across the dry zone, the Cabinet of Ministers on Tuesday approved a Rs. 2 billion allocation under the 2025 Budget for the urgent renovation of major irrigation systems. The move focuses on restoring key infrastructure in five critical schemes spread across the Ampara, Polonnaruwa, and A'pura districts. These areas, which are heavily reliant on irrigated agriculture, have experienced more..

June 26 (EN) Sri Lanka extended sovereign bond maturities through restructure, sharply reducing the near-term roll-over or repayments as part of efforts to emerge from the country’s first external sovereign default triggered by aggressive macro-economic policy. SL has reduced sovereign bond maturities in 2025 from 2,150 million dollars to 330 million dollars according to data released by the Finance Ministry. In 2026, maturities have been reduced from 1,000 million to 330 million. more..

June 26 (FT) Cabinet of Ministers at their meeting on Tuesday approved supporting and expanding the export-oriented agricultural sector to meet its crop targets via a new initiative. The program is scheduled to be implemented from this year by the Dept of Export Agriculture. “The initiative aims to enhance productivity, sustainability, and market access, particularly in organic segments, with the Govt committing to cover up to 50% of the investment costs borne by more..

June 26 (DN) SL’s batting coach Thilina Kandamby praised the performances of fast bowlers Vishwa Fernando and Asitha Fernando on the unusual SSC pitch after the first day of the Test match yesterday. “Sonal Dinusha is a good player. We have been monitoring his progress for the past couple of years. He is a mature player with all-round abilities—he is a good bowler, batsman, and fielder. That’s why we selected him early for this game, and he has made an impact,” Kandamby said. more..

June 26 (EN) New active credit cards in SL increased by 16,812 in April this year, amid SL’s economic recovery and falling interest rates. The number of active credit cards recorded 2,055,494 by end April, compared to 2,038,682 by end March, showing an increase of 0.8% in April. The active credit cards have risen by 2.3% in the first four months of this year. Active credit cards in SL rose by 4.8% or 91,371 in 2024, more..

June 26 (DM) Colombo High Court sentenced a retired land officer to 22 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs.30,000, after finding him guilty of soliciting a bribe of Rs.100,000 to issue a permit for cutting trees on a land within the Mahaweli Zone in Thambuttegama. Court also ordered that the Rs.100,000 bribe be recovered under Section 26 of the Bribery Act. Furthermore, the court ordered that a compensation of Rs.100,000 be paid to the aggrieved party, more..

June 26 (CI) Pitches at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) tend to come in two varieties. There were the mega run-fest flatbeds of the late aughts. Since then, they have tended to be be big-turning dustbowls. But the track for the second Test between SL and Bangladesh is unusual, as Bangladesh batter Shadman Islam and SL batting coach Thilina Kandamby agree. Shadman is playing his first Test at this venue. Kandamby played domestic cricket here for more than a decade. more..

June 26 (CI) If you are a seam bowler specialising in Tests, and hail from a non Big-Three nation, as Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando do, you are charting one of the most difficult and least-rewarding courses in international cricket. Most difficult, because fast bowlers must put their own bodies on the altar of this sport in far more profound ways than batters, spinners, or even wicketkeepers. more..

June 26 (FT) The High Court of Civil Appeal in a significant judgment delivered last week held that foreign reinsurance brokers who operate from outside the territorial waters of Sri Lanka do not fall within the ambit of the insurance broker under the Regulation of Insurance Industry Act. The judgment by His Lordships Dr. D.F.H. Gunawardhana and Dr. Namal Balalle, was consequent to a case that had been instituted by a local insurance broker, Strategic Insurance Brokers Ltd, more..

June 26 (Island) The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has been honoured as the Best Bank among Sri Lanka’s domestic banks for a remarkable 14th year by FinanceAsia, one of the world’s foremost information sources on the Asian financial markets. The Best Bank award was presented to Commercial Bank at the FinanceAsia Country Awards gala at the Conrad in Hong Kong. The Bank’s Chief Financial Officer Prasanna Indrajith accepted the award on behalf of the Bank. more..

June 26 (FT) Minister Sunil Handunneththi represented Sri Lanka at the 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions hosted by the World Economic Forum from 24-26 June in Tianjin, China. This year’s forum titled Entrepreneurship for a New Era, has brought together over 1,700 participants from over 90 countries, including leaders from business, govt, civil society, international organisations, media and academia, to share insights and drive action on shared challenges. more..

June 26 (FT) 12th annual CFA Society SL Capital Market Awards, which recognises and rewards excellence in the local capital markets, was held on Tuesday, 24 June, at Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, Sri Lanka. The event was graced by SEC Chairman Hareendra Dissabandara and CSE Chairman Dimuthu Abeyesekera. It also featured distinguished special invitees from across the industry, regulators, capital market professionals, and industry associations, among others. more..

June 26 (FT) SL has triggered renewed interest from German investors and businesses in tandem with a vastly improved macroeconomic environment and uptick in growth prospects. The resurgence in German interest is also linked to Prez Anura Kumara Disanayake’s recent State visit to Berlin. “There’s a lot of interest from German companies to collaborate. In the past two years, SL has been enormously successful more..

June 26 (Island) For Dr. Abdul Raheem Jesmil, archaeologist and lecturer at the Dept of Archaeology, Uni of Peradeniya, the pursuit of heritage has always been about more than discovery — it is about restoring memory, asserting identity, and giving voice to communities that have long been left out of SL’s national narrative. Dr. Jesmil reflected on how his passion for archaeology and Muslim heritage was born not in a classroom or museum, but in the quiet lanes of his hometown more..

June 26 (CT) Despite lofty pledges made on Int'l Women’s Day by Minister Bimal Rathnayake, the recent Gazette notice calling for 106 new Station Master recruits has barred women from applying — an act that not only undermines the Govt’s own public commitments, but also violates SL’s Constitution and its international obligations. The decision by the Department of Railways to allow only men to apply — citing vague logistical limitations like lack of toilets and accommodation in rural more..

June 26 (Island) COPE has reportedly asked a group of Sri J'pura Uni officials why several undergraduates, involved in a clash at a student hostel, were made to pay three times the value of the uni property they damaged. When they were asked whether it was fair to recover losses in that manner, the officials undertook to look into the matter and take remedial action, if necessary. One finds this line of questioning intriguing. Is it wrong for universities to impose deterrent penalties on more..

June 26 (TM) The NPP Govt has embarked on a strategy of placing its version of an anti-corruption drive as the main governmental focus in the first year of it being in office. While there are many issues which plagues SL, the public appetite and State focus is clearly seen to be geared towards combatting – or at least trying to combat corruption and malpractice. According to some in the Govt, it is the first step in the JVP-led NPP’s long-term plan to effect a cultural change and more..