Jun 15 (DN) SL A team recorded a comfortable 8-wicket win over Afghanistan A which gave good confidence to play against India A today in their second round game of the Tri-Nation series at Dambulla. 8-wicket win over Afghanistan A push SL A the top of the points table with 0.825 net run rate followed by India A (0.053) and Afghanistan A (-1393). After first round of the Tri-Nation series all three teams recorded one victory each and the tournament is now wide open for 2nd stage more..

Jun 15 (Island) Fresh from his historic record-breaking performance in Rome, Rumesh Tharanga will be one of the headline attractions in the men’s javelin event at the Ostrava Golden Spike meeting which will be held today. Tharanga produced a sensational throw of 92.62 metres at the Diamond League meeting in Rome earlier this month, setting a new SL record and achieving a world-leading mark for the season. His remarkable effort not only shattered meeting record but also propelled more..

Jun 15 (FT) The long-delayed second passenger terminal project at BIA moved a step closer to resumption following high-level discussions held between Ports, Minister Anura Karunathilaka and a delegation from the JICA led by Japanese Ambassador to SL Isomata Akio. The meeting focused on accelerating approvals related to the project’s loan allocation and contract value, with both sides expressing their intention to more..

Jun 15 (DN) For a young footballer, opportunities do not come much bigger than this. For one week, Portugal will become the meeting place for young footballers from around the world, all chasing the same dream. Among them will be a Sri Lankan team from Colombo Athletic Football Academy (CAFA), which has become the first football academy in the country to receive an invitation to the prestigious IberCup Estoril. The tournament’s Under-17 category will be held from June 29 to July 5 more..

Jun 15 (FT) In recent years, the global energy industry has focused its exploration activity in the eastern hemisphere on the giant hydrocarbon provinces of the Middle East, the deepwater basins of West Africa, and, more recently, the emerging gas plays of East Africa. Yet, a largely overlooked opportunity exists in the heart of the Indian Ocean, adjacent to South Asia’s booming economies and at the crossroads of some of the world’s most important shipping lanes. Sri Lanka’s Mannar Basin, more..

Jun 15 (CI) Dasun Shanaka produced the batting ballistics, Kamil Mishara held the innings together, and SL's spinners dominated the middle overs, comfortably defending their 194 for 6. This 37-run victory brings SL level 1-1 in the series against West Indies, with one match to play on Sunday night. SL had been struggling at 88 for 4 in the 13th over when Shanaka joined Mishara at the crease. The pair then blasted 103 off 42 more..

Jun 15 (FT) A MoU between the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and the Defence Ministry of SL was signed last week by Sasakawa Peace Foundation Honorary Chair Yohei Sasakawa and Japanese Ambassador to SL Isomata Akio. The meeting was attended by Defence Ministry Secretary Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Sampath Thuyacontha. The signing was witnessed by PM Harini Amarasuriya, Ministers Ramalingam Chandrasekar, and Hiniduma Sunil Senevi. MoU aims to build confidence and more..

Jun 15 (FT) Abans Group Founder and Chairperson Aban Pestonjee was recently awarded the Sramaabhimanee Gold Award, a prestigious award presented to individuals with a proven track record of excellence, innovation, and impact in their respective fields at a glittering ceremony held on 7 June at BMICH. The award was received on behalf of Aban Pestonjee by her daughter, Abans Director Dr. Saroshi Dubash. The Sramaabhimanee Awards have honoured numerous outstanding more..

Jun 15 (FT) The rupee ended a volatile week stronger against the US dollar yesterday, supported by a CB move to tighten rules governing the conversion of export earnings. USD/LKR spot rate closed at Rs. 335.50/336.00 yesterday, down from Thursday’s close of Rs. 336.00/337.00. The currency had staged a sharp recovery on Wednesday after the CBSL reduced the period within which exporters must convert their export proceeds into rupees to 30 days from the previous 90 days. more..

Jun 15 (FT) More than 260 people were murdered on Easter Sunday 2019. They were not politicians. They were fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, worshippers gathered in prayer and ordinary citizens going about their lives. Some were Sri Lankans. Some were visitors to our shores. All were innocent. Seven years later, SL is still searching for the truth. And rightly so. The Easter Sunday atrocities were not merely another criminal act. They represented one of the greatest intelligence, more..

Jun 15 (FT) The Govt has launched a fresh attempt to chart the future of loss-making national carrier SriLankan Airlines, which has a Rs. 340 billion-sized hole in its balance sheet, appointing a high-powered committee to conduct a strategic review and oversee a comprehensive restructuring process aimed at restoring financial sustainability while reducing the burden on public finances. Cabinet has approved the appointment of more..

Jun 15 (FT) Assetline Finance PLC (AFIN), a member of David Pieris Holdings, is pleased to be the preferred finance partner for the launch of Sri Lanka’s first GWM flagship experience centre at Access Towers, Colombo by David Pieris Automobiles (DPA) Ltd. This state‑of‑the‑art facility marks a significant milestone in the country’s evolving automotive retail landscape. As the first and only vehicle experience centre of its kind, it redefines the traditional showroom concept by more..

Jun 15 (Island) Parliament recently witnessed a fierce macroeconomic clash over the Central Bank of SL’s (CBSL) latest Extraordinary Gazette, which accelerated the mandatory conversion of residual export proceeds by the 10th day of the following month. Main Opposition MP Dr. Harsha de Silva vehemently challenged the rationale, questioning whether Sri Lanka was declaring a psychological return to the crisis era of 2022–2024. Almost instantly, the financial markets responded: more..

Jun 15 (GV) The arrest of singer 24 year-old rap artist Sangeethsan Ganeshkumar under the PTA, followed by the withdrawal of PTA-related allegations and the decision to proceed under Section 120 of the Penal Code, has become one of the most widely discussed political and legal controversies in Sri Lanka. What initially appeared to be a criminal investigation quickly evolved into a national and international debate about democracy, freedom of expression, reconciliation and the future more..

Jun 15 (ST) The economic challenges faced by the country due to the war in West Asia and the need to provide relief to the affected people again became a topic of discussion on Friday as Parliament debated rules under the Central Bank of SL Act and a Rs. 20 billion supplementary estimate to provide economic relief to those impacted. Referring to new rules issued by the CB, NDF MP Ravi Karunanayake observed that there have been numerous occasions where he has asked questions in Parliament more..

Jun 15 (SO) Seven years have passed since a series of suicide bombings on a quiet Easter Sunday shattered SL. The coordinated attacks, which deliberately targeted civilians, left hundreds of families grieving across the country. Beyond the immediate loss of fathers, mothers and children, the blasts also left a lasting legacy of survivors still living with physical injuries, deep emotional trauma, and unresolved questions more..

Jun 15 (Island) SL apparently has more than its fair share of extreme weather events, ranging from floods to droughts and now the disruptive effects of a mega climate anomaly. The WMO has warned that due to unusually warm ocean waters in the tropical Pacific, El Niño conditions are developing fast, and they are expected to drive more extreme temperature and rainfall patterns in the coming months. SL is among the countries that are expected to suffer severest impact of this phenomenon. more..

Jun 15 (SO) NPP MP Lakmali Hemachandra’s complaint against the BBC Sinhala Service reignited the debate on Parliamentary Privileges. In the same week, NDF MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake made a fresh allegation in the House that once again tested the boundaries of protected speech. While the two examples are not at all the same, together, they expose gaps that Parliament has left unaddressed for too long. Hemachandra’s complaint relates to a BBC Sinhala article published on June 8 more..

Jun 15 (SO) A week-long series of programs marking World Environment Day on June 5 brought environmental issues into the spotlight, generating widespread public engagement and media coverage. As the campaign concludes, questions remain about how these efforts will translate into long-term action. In an interview with the Sunday Observer, Minister of Environment, Dr. Dammika Patabendi outlined the Ministry’s vision and more..

Jun 15 (DM) A renewed debate over custodial treatment and due process has emerged in Sri Lanka following the detention of former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Major General (Retd) Suresh Sallay under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Allegations raised by his family regarding his physical condition and treatment in custody, alongside the govt’s position that the detention is lawful, have prompted an inquiry by the Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL). more..

Jun 15 (DM) Seven years after the horrific Easter Sunday attacks of 21 April 2019, which slaughtered over 270 innocent people and maimed hundreds more, SL continues to be haunted by a tragedy that was as much a failure of governance as it was an act of terror. This was no mere debacle born of incompetence. The evidence points to a calculated convergence of a toxic 3-P Nexus of Politics, Planners, and Perpetrators that enabled the massacre. Successive govts have more..

Jun 14 (ST) Investigations into the multiple terrorist attacks carried out on April 21, 2019 – Easter Sunday – were never going to be clear-cut given the level of politicisation of investigations of crimes in the country over the years, but one thing that is becoming clearer with each passing week and seven years later is that all sides are more fixated on scoring political points than allowing a transparent, independent & evidence-based investigation more..

Jun 14 (DM) The govt is yet to convert the state bungalows, previously occupied by various ministers in the past, to valuable commercial entities despite promises made ahead of the Prez Election in 2024. The NPP, in the run-up to the Prez Election that was concluded on Sept 21, 2024, pledged not to assign these bungalows to the ministers of the govt led by it. Instead, the NPP said it would assign them for commercial use. However, the govt has not yet established commercial entities more..

Jun 14 (ST) A 100-page report submitted by the Treasury to Parliament on Tuesday on the US$2.5 million Business Email Compromise (BEC) heist has revealed administrative lapses, missing timelines and compromised internal controls. Cyber criminals breached the Treasury External Resources Dept’s (ERD) email system and changed beneficiary details, diverting a $2.5 million debt payment, which is part of a larger $ 2.9 million bilateral loan repayment, to an unauthorised bank account. more..

Jun 14 (TM) Govt’s proposed demerit point system for traffic offenders is set to be rolled out nationwide as a pilot project in September, with authorities currently working on the necessary digital infrastructure and administrative framework required for its implementation. DIG W.P.J. Senadheera said that groundwork for the demerit point system was already underway, with two committees established to oversee the process. more..

Jun 14 (ST) Govt is closely monitoring international developments and fuel price fluctuations before taking a decision on subsidies on local fuel prices, officials said. The move comes as the govt-provided fuel subsidy is due to end by the end of June. “It is too early to take a decision regarding the fuel subsidies, in view of international developments,” officials said. CoPF was told this week that the govt-provided fuel subsidy of Rs 100 for diesel and Rs 20 for petrol per litre will end this month. more..

Jun 14 (CT) A team of officials from the Netherlands Dept of Archaeology, invited by SL’s Dept of Archaeology, is currently engaged in extensive research activities in the Northern Province, particularly in Jaffna. The expert team is conducting a 15-day field study across various locations in the North, focusing on archaeological and geological investigations. During the study, data related to soil composition, underground archaeological traces, and historically significant more..

Jun 14 (AD) Organized criminal suspects Bloemendhal Sanka and the brother of Modera Nipun, who are involved in organised crimes, have been deported from Abu Dhabi and were arrested by police on arrival at the BIA last night, police said. The two suspects, who had fled Sri Lanka and were reportedly hiding in Abu Dhabi, were arrested by security authorities in the UAE after allegedly being found in possession of photographs and video footage of drones and missile attacks by more..

Jun 14 (NW) Govt intends to allocate around Rs. 2,000 billion for capital expenditure in the upcoming year, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. He said the govt has also allocated approximately Rs. 1,350 billion for capital expenditure this year. He made these remarks while attending the inauguration ceremony for the development of 14 carpeted roads in Kalutara District on Saturday under the Integrated Road Investment Program (iRoad), the govt’s main rural & regional road development initiative. more..

Jun 14 (TM) Disaster relief efforts following the devastating Cyclone Ditwah are still ongoing, with ground-level officials stating that only about 40% of those affected by the cyclone have received relief funds so far. In Dec 2025, Cyclone Ditwah struck SL, triggering the worst flooding and landslides in recent memory. In response to the Govt’s request, UN and its humanitarian partners launched the Humanitarian Priorities Plan more..

Jun 14 (ST) Legislation to replace the PTA will be passed within two months, a senior minister said. The bill, which has incorporated public and civil society recommendations and is in line with int'l frameworks for anti-terrorism legislation, will be titled the State Prevention of Terrorism Act (SPTA), Minister Vijitha Herath said. He said that the bill had been finalised and would be first presented to the Cabinet and then published in the Gazette before being presented to Parliament. more..

Jun 14 (DM) PM Harini Amarasuriya met with a delegation from UNICEF on June 12 at Temple Trees to discuss ongoing efforts to support the recovery of the education sector following the impact of Cyclone Ditwah. The discussions focused on the implementation of activities outlined in the report titled Cyclone Ditwah Education Emergency Response Plan: Phase 1 Progress Updates (Jan–Apr 2026). The meeting reviewed progress achieved during the initial phase of the response and more..