June 4 (CT) Animal Welfare Coalition (AWC) has stated that Minister of Health Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, must justify his decision to continue the National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP) under the Public Health Veterinary Services of his Ministry and be held accountable for this decision, given the longstanding failure of successive Health Ministries to deliver lasting results over several decades. In an open letter addressed to more..

June 4 (DM) Supreme Court today granted leave to proceed with three Fundamental Rights petitions challenging the legality of the demolition of Soul Beach (Pvt) Ltd, a beachside hotel in Dehiwala, as part of the former govt’s Yukthiya anti-narcotics operation. The hotel, which reportedly came under scrutiny over alleged links to narcotics trafficking, was demolished by authorities earlier last year, drawing controversy and public attention. When the matter was taken up for leave to proceed, more..

June 4 (NF) Gammadda continues to strengthen its partnership with international universities, marking the fourth consecutive year of collaboration with Brown University, a prestigious Ivy League university of the US. Gammadda welcomed Claire Lopez, a student from Brown University who is the latest to intern with Gammadda in SL. Claire will spend two months in Sri Lanka as part of a residential internship with Gammadda. During this time, she will engage in hands-on work across more..

June 4 (DM) A deliberate attempt is reportedly underway to derail SL’s renewable energy progress, as powerful interests move to protect the dominance of thermal power, sources within the Ministry of Energy have revealed. According to ministry officials, certain factions with vested interests in thermal energy are attempting to sabotage renewable energy initiatives, particularly as the growing adoption of low-cost green more..

June 4 (AM) A tense situation erupted between SL Navy personnel and a group of fishermen during a special operation on 3 June (Tuesday) targeting illegal poaching activities in the seas off Kuchchaveli, Trincomalee. According to reports, 11 fishing vessels were involved in the confrontation. During the operation, one group allegedly surrounded a Navy vessel and attempted to flee the area, leading to a scuffle with Navy personnel. The Navy stated that it tried to defuse the situation, more..

June 4 (FT) The performance of the NPP Govt has been a mixed bag. While there have been successes in adopting a thrifty style in Govt spending, taking a hard stance against bribery and corruption, adhering to the rule of law, allowing democracy to flourish unhindered and in promoting meritocracy, there are areas where the fulfilment of election promises such as the dismantling of the rice mafia, reduction of electricity charges, elimination of VAT on medicines and selected school and more..

June 4 (CT) Colombo High Court Judge R.S.S. Sapuwida, yesterday (3), ordered the trial against former Minister Johnston Fernando and two others to be postponed until 1 October for the continuation of the hearing of evidence. The case, filed by the CIABOC, was taken up in Court yesterday (3). Evidence from the complainant was recorded during the proceedings. Following this, the Judge ordered that further examination of the evidence be postponed to the new date. more..

June 4 (FT) Fathima Rashla’s family was expelled from Jaffna by the LTTE in 1990. She was born in a Puttalam refugee settlement five years later and returned to Jaffna in 2004. Last month, the ITAK made the momentous decision to award a bonus seat in the Jaffna Municipal Council to Rashla, a primary school teacher. She is the first Muslim woman to become a member of a local govt authority in Jaffna. Rashla’s history-making appointment wasn’t the only sign indicating more..

June 4 (TM) Govt will take legal action against parties that have spread misleading news regarding a stock of Human intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG), which recently caused public unrest, said Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa. He said that such false news could damage public trust in the country’s free healthcare system. He further noted that the said stock has no connection to the substandard IVIG vials manufactured and more..

June 4 (AD) The newly elected Colombo Municipal Council, following the conduct of the Local Govt (LG) election on May 6, is scheduled to convene for its inaugural sitting on June 16, 2025. The gazette extraordinary in this regard has been issued by the Commissioner of the Department of Local Government of the Western Province, Sarangika Jayasundara. According to the gazette issued by the Commissioner, the inaugural sitting will commence at 9:30 a.m. on June 16. more..

June 4 (FT) Cabinet approved proceeding with a wide-ranging development initiative to provide underutilised State-owned lands and properties to suitable investors for optimal usage. The project is designed to attract private investment, particularly from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with an initial funding allocation of Rs. 250 million from the 2025 Budget. Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said the initiative targets the identification and repurposing of State-owned lands more..

June 4 (FT) Cabinet approved an increase in the financial grants provided by the Govt for the ongoing housing reconstruction program in the N&E Provinces. This move aims to improve along with the rising costs of construction materials and ensure continued support for families affected by the decades-long civil conflict. “Govt will offer an increased grant of Rs. 1.5 million for the construction of a 550 square foot house more..

June 4 (DN) David Peiris Aviation (DP Aviation) has initiated its first trial flight service from Colombo international airport in Ratmalana to the Jaffna International Airport in Palaly. This move is part of a broader Govt vision to expand local aviation infrastructure and improve regional connectivity. The trial flight, which took place on Monday (2) under the supervision of officials from Civil Aviation Authority of SL (CAASL), successfully landed at the Jaffna International Airport at 1.05 p.m.. more..

June 4 (FT) Cabinet of Ministers approved issuing an annual import licence for maize with an objective of sustaining the uninterrupted production of Thriposha. The decision follows ongoing challenges in sourcing locally grown maize that meets the required quality standards. Thriposha, the Govt’s key nutritional supplement program is provided free-of-charge to pregnant women, lactating mothers (up to six months postpartum) and malnourished infants between the ages of 6 months and 5 years. more..

June 4 (Island) Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that teaching English as a language should serve as a means to broaden opportunities, not as a tool to create social disparities, and the govt is ready to implement practical English teaching approaches through the upcoming education reforms. PM made these remarks while delivering the keynote address at the SL Education Conference 2025, organized by the British Council in Colombo on Tuesday (3). more..

June 4 (Island) SL’s outdated customs clearance system is costing the nation’s businesses billions in lost revenue and escalating costs, according to Mohamed Niyas, former chairman of the Association of Clearing & Forwarding Agents of SL. Niyas warned that SL’s customs risk management model, the ASYCUDA automated platform, is not only outdated but actively sabotaging trade efficiency. “Customs is not just broken—it’s actively working against trade efficiency & national interest" more..

June 4 (AD) Attorney General has informed the Supreme Court today (3) that former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and the other accused in the case filed over the alleged importation of substandard human immunoglobulin vaccines, will be indicted before a 3-member bench of High Court judges next week. Deputy Solicitor General Nirmalan Wigneswaran, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, more..

June 4 (CT) Former Minister of Media, Health, and Environment Keheliya Rambukwella and his son Ramith Rambukwella, who had been remanded over allegations of corruption, were granted bail yesterday by Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali. The case pertains to accusations that, during his ministerial tenure, Keheliya had included individuals in his personal staff list by name only and arranged for them to receive State salaries, thereby causing financial loss to the Govt. more..

June 4 (CI) Eighteen years spent in the belief that ee sala cup namde (this year the cup is ours), 17 of them ending in wretched disappointment for one of the IPL's biggest and most passionate fan bases, three of them ending with defeat at the final hurdle. Eighteen seasons in, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are finally IPL champions. Their victory in their fourth final came at the expense of another trophy-less team that had put together a heartwarming IPL 2025 campaign; more..

June 4 (FT) Export Development Board (EDB) successfully conducted a networking and knowledge-sharing session with established exporters in five different product sectors (tea, spices and coconut-based products, processed foods and cashew products, ornamental fish, and herbal and ayurvedic products) for new exporters and entrepreneurs on 22 May 2025 at the Training Arena, 3rd Floor, EDB-NDB Tower, Colombo 02. This event provided an excellent opportunity more..

June 4 (SM) Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) closed on a positive note yesterday, with the ASPI reaching an all-time high of 17,214.39, marking an increase of 234.50 points (1.38%). Similarly, the S&P SL20 Index also recorded an all-time high, rising by 96.36 points (1.91%) to close at 5,131.28. Total market turnover amounted to LKR 7.37 billion, with 271.94 million shares traded. Market breadth reflected a positive sentiment, with 139 gainers and 77 losers contributing to overall movement of ASPI. more..

June 4 (TM) SL’s tax revenue collection has surpassed Rs 1.7 trillion by end of May as the revenue collection agencies have managed to over achieve their end of May target, Deputy Minister Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando said. He said that the three main tax collection agencies in SL have managed to over-achieve their tax targets by the end of May, collecting a total tax of Rs 1,789 billion. IRD has collected Rs. 907 bil by end of May, more..

June 4 (CT) CB Governor Dr Nandalal Weerasinghe on Monday called for urgent reforms to strengthen credit access for underserved sectors, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), at the launch of the National Credit Guarantee Institution Ltd (NCGIL) in Colombo. Describing the occasion as the realisation of a long-awaited goal, Weerasinghe noted that the idea of a national credit guarantee institution had first been floated as far back as 2006, with concept papers more..

June 4 (ST) The long-delayed project of installing e-gates at the BIA as one of the solutions to passenger congestion is to be expedited under the present govt, the Transport, Highways, Ports & Civil Aviation Ministry confirmed. This decision has been taken at a high-level committee meeting held at the ministry recently to go-ahead with the electronic gate (e-gate) system project with Japanese grant assistance. The committee has comprehensively reviewed the project’s current status, more..

June 4 (ST) The Highways Ministry will appoint a committee to analyse a claim of US$ 190 million (Rs 56 billion) from the Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC), Central Expressway Part I (CEP1) contractor, even as the project’s physical progress remains stalled at a mere 36.38% since construction started in September 2020. The project has been held up since China EXIM Bank suspended all loan disbursements in Apr'22 more..

June 4 (FT) Agriculture-rich diversified conglomerate CIC Holdings PLC has recorded steady revenue growth during the year ended 31 March 2025 (FY25), navigating macroeconomic headwinds and intense competition. The Group posted consolidated revenue of Rs. 83.3 billion, reflecting a 9.0% year-on-year (YoY) growth, driven by broad-based momentum across its core businesses. In a statement CIC said Group gross profit rose to Rs. 22.2 billion, a 7.3% increase YoY, more..

June 4 (TM) National Sports Council (NSC) Chairperson Priyantha Ekanayake says he is hopeful that World Rugby (WR) will grant its approval to SL to compete in the Asia Rugby (AR) Top 4 Series commencing next week. He said that this should enable the Tuskers to play against Korea (14 June), Hong Kong (22 June) and the UAE (4 July), without the trepidation of any sanction hanging over the country’s membership with the global body. “We have already written to WR on this,” more..

June 4 (DN) ESOFT, a higher education institution in Sri Lanka, announces the official opening of ESU Kandy, its independent arm dedicated to delivering world-class undergraduate and postgraduate education in the hill capital. This expansion marks a strategic evolution of ESOFT, further diversifying its university-level academic programmes and reinforcing its commitment to academic excellence and global relevance. Applications for the June 2025 intake are now open, more..

June 4 (ST) Bharat Arun, who served as India’s fast bowling coach from 2014 to 2021, will conduct a comprehensive two-week coaching programme at the High Performance Centre located at the R. Premadasa Stadium premises. This initiative represents the latest collaboration between high-profile Indian coaching personnel and SL cricket development. The programme, which begins tomorrow, focuses on advancing fast bowling techniques for both players and coaches more..

June 4 (FT) Ending speculation and uncertainty Dr. Tilak Siyambalapitiya has formally resigned as the Chairman of the CEB and Prof. Udayanga Hemapala has been appointed as his successor. Hemapala is also the Secretary of the Power and Energy Ministry. The formal notice of Dr. Siyambalapitiya’s resignation was notified to the CSE yesterday by the CEB. In its filing, the CEB said at the Board meeting held on 27 May 2025 more..

June 4 (ST) While justice strikes back at politicians and bureaucrats for corruption and misdemeanours over the years, there is more to be done in other places where the rotten apple continues to rot away. This happens mainly in big state institutions such as the Department of Immigration and Emigration, where thousands of citizens still queue, I am told, awaiting service, and still others sleep overnight—not one night but more—because the wings of service that should function with rectitude more..

June 4 (DM) On Thursday (29 May) the plight of thousands of SL Tamil refugees languishing in India was forcefully brought to our minds. A 75-year-old former SL Tamil refugee returning from India was detained by immigration authorities. He was later remanded, despite the victim’s refugee status being certified by the UNHCR. The incoming former refugee was detained by immigration officials and subsequently remanded for a week –- the gentleman had left the country without a valid passport! more..