Jun 17 (FT) The DFCC Bank said that its proposed acquisition of the wealth and retail banking business of Standard Chartered Bank SL is expected to be completed by 31 July 2026. The transaction, first announced in Nov & Dec 2025, remains on track and is now scheduled for conclusion by the end of next month. “A further announcement will be made upon completion of the transaction,” bank said, noting that the disclosure was made in compliance with CSE’s immediate disclosure requirements. more..

Jun 17 (FT) SL’s tourism development strategy is moving towards a more structured, investment-focused model, with the Presidential Task Force for the implementation of the Tourism Development Programme reviewing a series of large-scale initiatives ranging from special tourism zones and maritime transport links to film tourism and eco-tourism development. Meeting at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday under the chairmanship of Minister Vijitha Herath, the task force more..

Jun 17 (TM) Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL) said that it is continuing investigations into the complaint alleging that former SIS Director, Major Genenal (Rtd) Suresh Sallay was subjected to various forms of mistreatment while in custody. HRCSL Commissioner Nimal G. Punchihewa stated that statements from officers of the CID were recorded again yesterday as part of the ongoing inquiry. more..

Jun 17 (NW) A 16-year-old suspect has been remanded in connection with the alleged abduction and assault of a youth following a dispute linked to a video shared on TikTok. Police said the incident occurred on June 1 near the Saddam Hussein Mosque in Eravur. The victim, who was travelling on a bicycle, was allegedly abducted by two individuals who arrived on a motorcycle and taken to a deserted land in the Sakathgramam area, where he was assaulted. Investigations revealed that more..

Jun 17 (DN) SL secured a convincing 2-1 victory over Laos in their Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Group II tie at the National Tennis Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, yesterday. Akeesha Silva and Dinara de Silva won their singles matches to seal the contest before Laos claimed the doubles encounter. Akeesha Silva gave SL the perfect start when she defeated Aliya Vongdala of Laos 7-6, 6-3 in a hard-fought opening singles match. Dinara de Silva then ensured victory for Sri Lanka with more..

Jun 17 (CI) An outstanding fifth-wicket stand and an even better sixth-wicket partnership electrified a SL chase and propelled them to a tight final-over win against New Zealand. Nilakshika Silva was the primary architect. Having arrived at the crease at 55 for 4, with the required rate soon climbing above nine, she produced her finest international innings - a perfectly-paced 54 not out off 37 that saw SL to victory with 2 balls and more..

Jun 17 (ST) The ongoing uncertainty from the West Asian crisis has caused a slowdown in mergers, acquisitions, and buyouts, but both local and foreign investors remain interested in investing in particular sectors and products within the country, according to leading analysts. “Specific sectors such as spices, businesses, villas, wellness-related businesses, food and beverage sector businesses such as restaurants etc. are being seriously looked at by certain local as well as foreign investors,” more..

Jun 17 (FT) SL welcomed 54,465 tourists during the first 14 days of June, marking a 9% decline compared to the 59,787 visitors recorded during the corresponding period last year. Data show that 27,043 tourists arrived during the first week of the month, followed by 27,422 arrivals in the second week. Average daily arrivals stood at 3,890, down from 4,271 during the same period in 2025. Despite the slowdown in June, total tourist arrivals for the year up to 14 June reached 1,076,487. more..

Jun 17 (ST) SL’s key apparel manufacturer MAS is expecting a significant drop during the second half of this year as they are currently experiencing a marginal 3-4% decline in orders. MAS Group Chief Operating Officer (COO) Shakthi Ranatunga said, “In terms of our capacity in the current term we have not seen a significant drop only a marginal drop of 3-4 per cent but we anticipate a drop in the second half of the year.” With the possibility of the West Asian war continuing MAS more..

Jun 17 (DM) The gold prices climbed sharply yesterday, with the local bullion dealers reporting a steep increase in the sovereign prices after the international gold rates rose above US $ 4,300 an ounce, amid the heightened investor demand for safe-haven assets. The price of a 22-carat gold sovereign in Colombo’s Sea Street market rose to Rs.360,600, while a 24-carat sovereign increased to Rs.392,000, from Rs.386,000 recorded on Saturday. The traders said the local prices increased by more..

Jun 17 (ST) The 2026 Yala paddy cultivation season has been severely affected by a fertiliser crisis caused by the govt’s irregular approach to fertiliser imports, release, and distribution, farmer organisations claim. Paddy farmer organisations said the govt failed to order and import quality fertiliser on time and was also unable to distribute fertiliser properly in a practical and efficient way. more..

Jun 17 (ST) No govt in the world – not even in the best of Western democracies – has ever sincerely championed the rights of a free press or recognised its existence as being an indispensable component of democracy. On the contrary, every govt has, at best, held the free press as a positive nuisance to its wellbeing, a hazard to its health or, at worst, regarded it as a mortal enemy, a dangerous loose cannon that may well home in and topple it from its pedestals of power by exposing corruption more..

Jun 17 (CT) Certain things, we the people of SL, cannot comprehend. Either complete information is not revealed or is willfully hidden. This is especially true in the case of the business of the SriLankan Airlines. It has been reported that there is a Rs. 340 billion hole in Sri Lankan Airlines’ Balance Sheet (Daily FT, 13 June). According to the same report of Daily FT, during the 2025/26 financial year, passenger revenue increased to Rs. 265.9 billion from Rs. 234.5 billion, more..

Jun 17 (Island) Some occupants of key positions in the public service unashamedly display their chameleonlike ability to adapt to changing political circumstances and please new leaders. They do not scruple to trade their professional dignity for expediency. So, it is not surprising that some police officers have chosen to be at the beck and call of powerful politicians, and the police go out of their way to further the interests of the powers that be. Their servility has stood in the way of more..

Jun 17 (Island) The passing of Dr. Devanesan Nesiah a few days ago brought back memories that spanned more than four decades. Devanesan signed the witness register at my marriage in 2002. It was a year of hope. Ceasefire Agreement between the govt and the LTTE had brought a respite from a war that had devastated the country for nearly two decades. The possibility of peace seemed real. It was fitting that Devanesan should be present on that occasion because his entire life was more..

Jun 17 (SO) A scientific investigation warns that films, television dramas and social media are increasingly portraying substance use as normal, attractive and aspirational despite strict national laws aimed at curbing promotion. A cigarette between the fingers of a fearless hero, a glass of alcohol shared among friends during moments of celebration, a woman smoking to show independence and strength. more..

Jun 17 (CT) Sri Lanka stands at a critical economic crossroads. Four years after the country’s worst economic crisis since independence, the focus has shifted from stabilisation to sustainable growth. While fiscal reforms and debt restructuring have created a foundation for recovery, a fundamental question remains unanswered: how can SL attract investment, expand exports, and become a competitive player in the global economy? This question was at the heart of a recent more..

Jun 17 (DN) In a welcome development, criminals of SL who have sought refuge abroad, particularly in the Middle Eastern countries, to escape detention for crimes committed here are increasingly being arrested at the other end by the law enforcement authorities there and are deported to SL to face charges. This indeed is as it should be. Criminals, or any wrongdoer for that matter, should not be made to think that they can get away with their acts of crime merely by fleeing the country. more..

Jun 17 (SO) Imagine a single drop of blood. Tiny and seemingly insignificant, it carries within it something far greater than red cells and plasma. It carries hope. It carries compassion. It carries the power to connect complete strangers through a silent act of generosity. World Blood Donor Day will be marked globally today (June 14) under the theme One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives. The message serves as a reminder that more..

Jun 17 (FT) The recent announcement that SL’s National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) has submitted a concept paper proposing to ban tobacco sales to everyone born after 2010 will, understandably, be welcomed by many. Tobacco kills. Around 22,000 Sri Lankans die every year from tobacco-related causes. The health case is undeniable. Nobody disputes that. But good intentions, combined with incomplete thinking, have a habit of producing bad outcomes. more..

Jun 17 (TM) In early Dec 2025, Govt announced the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund as part of its response to the immense damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah. Ditwah wreaked havoc, claiming hundreds of lives, displacing over 233,000 people, and causing severe damage to buildings, agriculture, and critical infrastructure, with the World Bank estimating $ 4.1 billion in direct physical damage as of 22 Dec 2025. The Govt had and must continue to shoulder the responsibility of rebuilding the country. more..

Jun 16 (NW) Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to draft a new National Action Plan for Human–Elephant Conflict Management, as Sri Lanka continues to grapple with escalating clashes between people and wild elephants. According to the government, rapid population growth, deforestation, and expanding development projects have destroyed traditional migratory routes and habitats, intensifying the conflict across 19 districts and 134 Divisional Secretariat Divisions. more..

Jun 16 (TM) A Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to investigate possible irregularities in coal imports from 2009 onwards conducted an on-site inspection at the Lakvijaya Power Plant in Norochcholai on the 14th. The delegation, which included Commission Secretary D. V. Bandulasena and other investigating officers, examined the full coal-to-electricity process at the plant. This included coal unloading operations, storage facilities, sample collection methods, more..

Jun 16 (TM) The failure of Local Govt (LG) authorities to properly manage waste in the Western Province (WP) and many other parts of the country has significantly contributed to the spread of dengue, according to the Medical and Civil Rights Association of Doctors (MCPA) organisation. President of the MCPA, Dr Chamal Sanjeewa said that uncollected garbage and stagnant water accumulating in many areas had created ideal breeding grounds more..

Jun 16 (Island) Valikamam North Pradeshiya Sabha has asked Jaffna Security Forces headquarters to halt the construction of a military hospital at Vasavilan. The ITAK-run PS, in a letter to the military, has alleged that an illegal construction was taking place on a block of land belonging to civilians. Chairman of the PS has warned Jaffna Security Forces headquarters that the issue would be taken up with Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and NPP govt, unless construction was halted more..

Jun 16 (Island) SL has secured three bronze medals at the 60th International Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad (IMChO), held at Moscow State Uni from April 15 to 22, marking the country’s strongest performance to date at the prestigious global chemistry competition. SL team comprised Himaru Abeygunarathne of Trinity College, Kandy, Ravindu Ranathunga of Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala, Geethilihansa Ganaewaththage of Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo, & Niththilan Pirabakaran more..

Jun 16 (Island) Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha on Sunday highlighted several projects being implemented under the Govt of India’s INR 75 crore Indian Origin Tamil Package, upgradation of school infrastructure, and training in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics for over 2,000 plantation school teachers. Jha said that the ongoing implementation of India’s housing programme for Indian Origin Tamil families more..

Jun 16 (DM) Cabinet has approved funding to reconstruct an additional 90 places of worship damaged by Cyclone Ditwah, expanding ongoing efforts to restore religious sites affected by the disaster. Official estimates show that 1,328 religious institutions sustained varying degrees of damage, including 758 Buddhist temples, 272 Hindu kovils, 199 mosques, and 99 churches. Reconstruction work has already commenced at 178 religious sites through a Rs. 800 million fund mobilised by more..

Jun 16 (NW) The govt has launched a Rs. 15 billion project to fully renovate Terminal 1 at the BIA, as a long‑term measure to ease passenger congestion. Initiative is being funded entirely through domestic state allocations, without reliance on foreign loans. Deputy Minister Janitha Kodithuwakku said the move was necessary to address the surge in tourism demand, noting that construction of the second terminal under Japanese assistance may take several more years to complete. more..

Jun 16 (DM) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said that the most appropriate step that former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay can take in relation to the Easter Sunday terror attacks is to disclose all information in his possession and assist the ongoing investigations. Minister said that there was no value in withholding information known to him as a former intelligence and military officer. “Whatever it is, the best thing that Suresh Sallay can do as an intelligence and military officer more..

Jun 16 (NW) SLC has called for applications for the positions of Manager – Men’s National Teams and Manager – Women’s National Teams, seeking experienced professionals to oversee the operations and administration of SL’s national cricket teams. According to vacancy notices issued by SLC, the successful candidates will be responsible for managing team operations, logistics, compliance, financial processes, player welfare, and communication between players, more..