Jun 2 (TM) Opposition MP Mano Ganesan has written to the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chairperson and Opposition MP Dr Harsha de Silva on the alleged unauthorised use of funds allocated for the Provincial Council (PC) Elections. Recently, General Secretary of the JVP, Tilvin Silva reportedly stated that funds allocated and set aside for the conduct of the PC Elections had been utilised by the Government for disaster-rebuilding and related purposes. more..

Jun 2 (DN) SL right arm fast bowler Eshan Malinga had a successful IPL capturing 20 wickets in 15 matches with best figures of 4 for 32. The 25 year old Eshan played for Sunrises Hyderabad for the second time in a row and was praised by skipper of Sunrises Hyderabad Pat Cummins. His ability to bow at death overs always gave success to Hyderabad team before losing to Gujarat Titans the IPL runners up this time. As soon as he finished his IPL duty Eshan Malinga returned home and left for WI more..

Jun 2 (TM) The Lanka Premier League (LPL) is set for a strong sixth edition, with several leading international and Sri Lankan cricketers confirmed as pre-signed players ahead of the official Player Draft scheduled to take place in Colombo today (1). The 2026 edition of the LPL will be played from 17 July to 8 August across key cricket venues in SL, including Colombo, Pallekele and Dambulla. Tournament will feature five franchises, more..

Jun 1 (FT) Uva Greenlands Estate Ltd, signed a landmark agreement with the Board of Investment of SL (BOI) on 29 May, marking a defining milestone in the evolution of 98 Acres Resort & Spa, SL’s celebrated luxury retreat nestled in the breathtaking highlands of Ella. The transformative $ 5.1 million investment will unlock a bold new chapter for 98 Acres Resort & Spa, redefining the boundaries of ultra-luxury hospitality in Sri Lanka and cementing the country’s reputation as more..

Jun 2 (NW) Passengers can now monitor the real‑time locations and arrival times of Metro buses through the LMT GO mobile application, Deputy Minister of Transport Prasanna Gunasena said. Speaking on the launch of the new facility, Gunasena noted that the GPS‑enabled service allows commuters to check when buses will arrive at their stops, view operating bus and fare details, and track estimated travel times to upcoming destinations. He further said that more..

Jun 2 (DN) Champion SL javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga came up with a brilliant performance to secure second place in the prestigious Diamond League athletics competition held in Rabat, Morocco yesterday. The 23-year-old athlete clinched the second place with a throw of 85.97m on his very first attempt which was his best effort of the night. He also has improved his world ranking with this achievement from 7 to 5 position. more..

Jun 2 (DN) SL Export Development Board (EDB) has taken steps to implement a comprehensive plan to expand testing and certification facilities across the island, addressing one of the most significant bottlenecks faced by the country’s export sector. A high-level stakeholder discussion was recently held in Colombo with the participation of govt institutions, testing laboratories, certification bodies, and exporters. Speaking at the event, EDB Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe emphasized that more..

Jun 2 (DM) Construction of Pentara Residencies Thummulla Handiya, Home Lands Group’s iconic flagship development in the Colombo city, is well on track driven by Home Lands’ unwavering commitment to delivering projects on time. D P Jayasinghe Piling Company (Pvt) Ltd and Sanken Construction’s San Piling (Pvt) Ltd; were chosen by Home Lands to carry out piling work of this mega Colombo city-based development in conformity with the highest standards. more..

Jun 2 (BBC) Virat Kohli's imperious unbeaten 75 helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a five-wicket win over Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League final which secured back-to-back titles. RCB restricted Gujarat to 155-8, a total they chased down with 12 balls to spare after Kohli reached his fifth half-century of the season in a largely one-sided final in Ahmedabad. Kohli sealed the win in style - striking the winning runs with a six to cap a magnificent 42-ball innings featuring 9 fours and 3 sixes. more..

Jun 2 (ST) Fertiliser companies still need to be paid Rs.4.8 billion from the govt for two years as a result of which they are facing concerns over importing adequate stocks for the upcoming Maha season. It was noted that the companies require payment for the years 2018 and 2021 for the subsidies. In this respect, some fertiliser importers noted that they believe they will face some problems when bringing down stocks for the next season. It was pointed out that they too are in financial trouble as more..

Jun 2 (ST) The investigation into the Welikada Police extortion scandal is continuing, and the Central Crimes Investigation Bureau (CCIB) has now focused on a woman who is believed to be a key figure in the case. She is suspected of helping in a bribery and extortion scheme involving the passports of 19 Chinese nationals, SP Kamal Ariyawansa, Director of the Central Crimes Investigation Bureau (CCIB) in SL said. more..

Jun 2 (TM) The NPP, which accused previous govts of ruining SL’s economy, has been following the economic policies of those very same old govts – particularly that of former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe – since coming to power. Wickremesinghe asserted that SL had no alternative path to recovery other than implementing economic restructuring under the IMF assistance programme. As a result of the Wickremesinghe Govt implementing the conditions imposed by IMF more..

Jun 2 (Island) A pickup truck ploughed into a crowd near a Vesak dansala at the Meegoda junction on Sunday night, killing six people. More than 12 others were seriously injured. The driver of the vehicle was arrested while fleeing the scene of the accident, and the police said he was under the influence of alcohol. Produced before the Homagama Magistrate, he was remanded until 16 June. Sunday’s tragedy at Meegoda has triggered an outpouring of public anger at hit&run driver. more..

Jun 2 (Island) The world marked World Otter Day 2026 recently. Conservationists are warning that Sri Lanka’s rapidly disappearing wetlands, polluted waterways and unplanned development are placing increasing pressure on one of the island’s most elusive freshwater predators, the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra). The species, locally known as Diya Balla, is the only otter found in Sri Lanka and is regarded as a key indicator of healthy freshwater ecosystems. more..

Jun 2 (CT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s directive last week to release 1,570 acres of grazing land in the Mayilaththamadu –Madhavanai area of Batticaloa has brought renewed attention to a long-standing dispute between livestock farmers, State authorities, and development agencies. While the decision has been welcomed as a step toward easing tensions, affected farmers say the issue remains unresolved and warn that the allocation falls far short of long-term needs. more..

Jun 2 (SO) Last week, headlines from Bloomberg screamed that the SL rupee was the worst performing currency in Asia, and then, just a few days later, that the rupee was suddenly the best performing currency in Asia. On May 26, Central Bank of Sri Lanka made the biggest interest rate hike in three years. The rupee-dollar conversion rate is one of those indicators that economists and the average citizen obsess over. more..

Jun 2 (ST) Last week, during two separate public events, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake turned the national spotlight onto an old enemy that continues to plague our island nation: the narcotics trade. In doing so, he made an observation that many discerning observers of Sri Lankan society have also noted. Despite the regular, high-profile detections made by our law enforcement authorities, the influx of drugs into this country behaves like the unceasing waves of the sea. more..

Jun 2 (CT) SL is once again confronting deeply troubling allegations of sexual abuse involving a 15-year-old girl and a senior Buddhist monk with close proximity to political power. Venerable Pallegama Hemarathana Thero, 71, a chief prelate and custodian of eight of SL’s most sacred Buddhist sites, was arrested on 9 May over allegations of sexually abusing a minor over several years. Although he has not been charged and was released on bail, case has shaken public confidence more..

Jun 2 (CT) A damning report released by Amnesty International on the labour rights abuses faced by Malaiyaha Tamil tea workers in private estates and smallholdings in the Southern Province, reveals that the community faces several human rights abuses of forced labour, including abuse of vulnerability, intimidation and threats, physical & sexual violence, debt bondage, restriction of movement, and abusive working more..

Jun 1 (TM) Five times in a short span of three months, the guillotine of the fuel pricing formula has fallen on the consumer. Since March, retail prices for every major fuel category have surged by more than Rs 100 a litre. Octane 95 petrol and Super Diesel have both skyrocketed by Rs 155, whilst Octane 92 petrol now stands at a crushing Rs 434 a litre. Most devastating of all is the 56.6% increase in kerosene, a fuel that lights the kitchens of the poorest households and powers the boats of our more..

Jun 2 (TM) The Middle East (ME) conflict is triggering widespread economic shockwaves across the globe, testing the resilience of every economy. According to the IMF, world growth forecasts have declined to 3.1% and 3.2% in 2026 and 2027 respectively, down from 3.4% in 2025. Asia is particularly vulnerable to these shocks due to its large and growing population and its heavy dependence on energy imports and reliance on oil transit through the Strait of Hormuz. more..

Jun 1 (DM) The UNP alleged that the govt is trying to fulfil vested interests by its proposal to amend the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance of 1931 and by setting up a sanga court. Following is the full statement issued by the UNP in this regard. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has recently publicly agreed to a call to take the same measures as previous kings had taken in cases where the Buddhist religion is distorted under the guise of institution of a Dhammadhikaranaya. more..

Jun 1 (NW) CPC is currently incurring a loss of Rs. 129 on every litre of auto diesel and Rs. 60 on every litre of Octane 92 petrol sold, CPC Chairman D.J. Rajakaruna said while explaining the latest fuel price increase. The actual cost of supplying a litre of auto diesel is around Rs. 536, while it is sold at Rs. 407, resulting in a loss of Rs. 129 per litre. He said a litre of Octane 92 petrol costs approximately Rs. 494 to supply but is sold at Rs. 434, resulting in a loss of Rs. 60 per litre. more..

Jun 1 (NW) SL Police reported a spate of fatal road accidents across the country between May 29 and May 31, leaving more than 20 people dead and dozens injured. The incidents involved motorcycles, three‑wheelers, lorries, buses, and private vehicles, with several drivers arrested in connection with the crashes. On May 29, a 58‑year‑old pedestrian was killed after being struck by a motorcycle in Peradeniya. more..

Jun 1 (FT) SLPA Chairman Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake cautioned against pursuing large-scale port investments in Trincomalee without proven commercial demand, stressing that future developments must be financially viable and supported by strong logistics connectivity. Responding to concerns raised over the pace of development at Trincomalee Port, Dr. Dissanayake said the existing National Port Master Plan identified several potential projects, but many had more..

Jun 1 (AD) A total of 33,572 dengue cases and 19 deaths have been reported in SL so far this year, according to health authorities. 8,321 dengue cases were recorded in May alone, highlighting the continued spread of the disease across the country. The highest number of cases has been reported from the Colombo District, Gampaha District and Kurunegala District. 72 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) divisions have been identified as high-risk areas for dengue transmission. more..

Jun 1 (AD) Supreme Court today overturned a ruling by a 3-judge bench of the Colombo High Court that had prevented the continuation of charges filed under the Public Property Act against several defendants in the 2016 Treasury bond case. The case was filed by the Attorney General against Perpetual Treasuries Ltd, former Governor of the CB Arjuna Mahendran, former Minister of Finance Ravi Karunanayake and more..

Jun 1 (News) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya delivered the Bishop Cyril Abeynayake Memorial Lecture at the Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour, addressing a distinguished gathering on the theme, Shaping the Future of Education in 21st Century SL and Beyond. Attending the memorial ceremony on 30 May at the invitation of the Bishop of Colombo, Rt. Rev. Dushantha Rodrigo, PM highlighted SL’s rich tradition of multi-faith collaboration and plurality, as embodied by the Anglican Church. more..

Jun 1 (NW) SL Police has called for greater public attention to the safety and wellbeing of elderly parents and individuals living alone, warning that they are increasingly vulnerable to crime and other risks. In a statement issued, the police said incidents involving elderly persons living in isolation have become a growing concern, particularly as many of their children have migrated overseas for employment, settled abroad, or relocated to other parts of the country. more..

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 NCW 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 Sri Lankan 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..