Jun 5 (EN) Sri Lanka’s govt is considering transforming tourist zones into Zero Emission zones in the future, the govt information department has said. “The necessary background and possibilities for this have already been explored, and it is expected that this eco-friendly approach will give new life to the green tourism industry in Sri Lanka.” Steps to promote environmentally friendly electric vehicles (EVs) in tourist zones are being considered, according to the statement. more..

Jun 5 (FT) SL’s major State-owned enterprises (SOEs) reported lower overall profitability in 2025, as a sharp reversal in the financial performance of the CEB outweighed strong earnings growth across the rest of the State enterprise sector. The country’s main 51 SOEs recorded a combined profit of Rs. 444.4 billion in 2025, down 17.6% from the previous year. However, excluding the CEB, the remaining 50 SOEs generated profits of more..

Jun 5 (NW) Venerable Thiniyawala Palitha Thera has publicly apologized for comments he made regarding the overseas travel ban imposed on former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Chief Sanghanayaka of the Bentara Chapter of the Maha Vihaarawanshika Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabhawa, said he had made the comments during a press conference held on June 3. Akcnowledging that at the press conference, he had condemned the travel ban, more..

Jun 5 (FT) Sri Lanka has reached a critical milestone by moving out of bankruptcy, but it would be misleading to call it a success. Debt restructuring is almost completed. Most agreements have been secured, a pathway to debt sustainability has been mapped, and institutional frameworks such as the Medium-Term Debt Management Strategy (MTDS) and institutionalising the centralised debt management function are being put in place. Please refer my 2017 article on MTDS more..

Jun 5 (DM) As calls emerge from various political quarters for the Govt to secure a fresh programme with the IMF to be implemented after the current bailout package, a spokesperson for the global lender said that SL’s engagement for such an initiative is yet a matter to be discussed. In response to a query whether the Govt indicated the need for another programme, an IMF spokesperson said that the combined fifth and sixth reviews were just completed under the current EFF more..

Jun 5 (FT) Under the 1978 Constitution of SL, the retirement age of a Judge of the Supreme Court is 65 years, while the retirement age of a Judge of the Court of Appeal is 63 years, as provided in Article 107(5). It is contended that, under the present political circumstances, the Govt's continued stability is heavily dependent upon the persecution of Opposition politicians. Therefore it becomes a prerequisite to have the current Judges in office beyond their mandatory age of retirement. more..

Jun 5 (FT) Govt has reaffirmed its commitment to structural reforms aimed at strengthening economic resilience and sustaining fiscal consolidation, even as SL’s primary surplus is projected to moderate to 1% of GDP in 2026 from a record 5.4% in 2025. The projected decline reflects higher expenditure associated with a Rs. 500 billion supplementary allocation for Cyclone Ditwah relief and ME war-related external pressures more..

Jun 5 (Island) Police have come under public pressure to investigate allegations of inhumane treatmenf the residents at an elders’ home in Batagoda, which was also reportedly used as a care centre for persons with special needs, following a devastating fire that has so far claimed 12 lives. Eyewitnesses who were among the first responders told the media that several residents had been chained inside rooms at the Senehase Kedella Elders’ Home when the fire broke out more..

Jun 5 (NW) Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court is to deliver its decision on June 10 regarding a request to direct the Director General of Health Services to appoint a psychiatric medical board to examine former State Intelligence Service Director Suresh Sallay and submit a report. The matter was taken up before Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena following a motion filed by lawyers representing Sallay, who is currently being detained by the CID in connection with investigations into more..

Jun 5 (DM) Colombo Chamber of Commerce (CCC) says at a time when SL is working to accelerate export growth, attract investment, and create employment opportunities, any increase in trade barriers presents a significant challenge. Cautions uncertainty surrounding market access could weigh on investor confidence and complicate efforts to expand exports at a time when global trade conditions remain challenging. more..

Jun 5 (TM) The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) said that it is considering an increase in medicine prices following the depreciation of the SL Rupee against the US$. Chairperson of the NMRA, specialist Dr Ananda Wijewickrama stated that the relevant procedures are currently underway in this regard. He noted that initial steps have been taken to revise the prices of both imported medicines and locally manufactured pharmaceuticals in response to rising costs. more..

Jun 5 (DM) The Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Eheliyagoda Police Station, who was arrested in connection with an investigation conducted by the National Police Commission, was released on bail by the Avissawella Magistrate's Court today. Avissawella Magistrate Pramoda Jayasekara ordered the suspect's release on three personal sureties of Rs. 1 million each. The court also imposed a travel ban, preventing the suspect from leaving the country until further notice. more..

Jun 5 (TG) Investigators identified eight additional skeletal remains at the Chemmani mass grave site on Thursday, bringing the total number of victims uncovered during ongoing excavations to 283. The discoveries were made on the sixteenth day of excavations under the third phase of the court-supervised investigation, which has become one of the most significant mass grave inquiries in the Tamil homeland. According to information released following Thursday's proceedings, more..

Jun 5 (FT) European Union-funded program to accelerate the adoption of Eco-Industrial Park (EIP) practices in SL has been launched recently, targeting over 1,000 policymakers, industrial park operators, manufacturers and community representatives as part of efforts to promote greener, more resource-efficient and competitive industrial development. The capacity-building initiative, led by the Green Recovery Facility project in partnership with the National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC) more..

Jun 5 (ENS) 23-year-old SL Javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga became the first thrower to cross the 90m mark in the 2026 season. He threw 92.62m at the Rome Diamond League on Thursday night to make the new meet record, new national record for SL, and take the World lead. With this huge throw, Rumesh sits eighth in the all-time list of the Javelin throwers. He overtook current India national coach Sergey Makarov. more..

Jun 5 (DN) Deputy Minister of Finance Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando said that the Treasury has received the 6th and 7th tranches of the IMF’s EFF. Treasury has received US$ 695 million as the 6th and 7th tranches after successfully completing the 5th and 6th reviews of the Extended Fund Facility implemented by the IMF. He said this during a meeting between the IMF’s Resident Representative in SL, Martha Woldemichael, and him at the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday. more..

Jun 5 (NW) Opposition MP Harsha de Silva has expressed concern over the recent depreciation of the SL Rupee, warning that declining confidence in the govt’s economic management could further pressure the currency. He noted that the US Dollar had risen to around Rs. 342, while rates in the unofficial market were reportedly above Rs. 345. He argued that currency markets are driven largely by confidence, and claimed that confidence in the govt’s ability to manage the value of the rupee more..

Jun 5 (TM) The owner of the elders’ home in Anguruwatota, Horana, where a massive fire on Wednesday claimed the lives of 12 residents, was arrested, Police said. The authorities confirmed the suspect is currently in custody and is scheduled to be produced before court. The owner of the elders’ home was also summoned to the scene yesterday for investigative proceedings. Meanwhile, the death toll in the massive and devastating fire that broke out at and swept through an elders’ home more..

Jun 5 (NW) A man seen assaulting a fuel station employee in a video widely circulated on social media has been arrested by Police. The incident took place on the afternoon of 3 June at a fuel station in Pannipitiya within the Mirihana Police Division. The victim was identified as an employee of the fuel station. Police said the suspect, a 34-year-old resident of Madiwela, Kotte, was arrested today by officers attached to the Mirihana Police Station. Investigations revealed that more..

Jun 5 (Island) UNP Vice Prez Naveen Dissanayake has called for the reunification of forces aligned with former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, arguing that a new political direction for the country can only emerge through such an alliance. Dissanayake said the country’s political landscape required the combination of the head of Ranil Wickremesinghe and the body of Sajith more..

Jun 5 (TM) Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne endorsed the certificate on the Inland Revenue (Amd) Bill: the Inland Revenue (Amd) Act, No. 11 of 2026, which amends the Inland Revenue Act, No. 24 of 2017, was passed on 19 May 2026. Act modernises tax administration procedures, clarifies existing provisions, enhances tax compliance and enforcement, improves the accuracy of tax calculations and deductions, supports strategic economic objectives, and strengthens more..

Jun 5 (EN) Raddison Hotel Asia Pacific Investments has transferred its rights in Galadari Hotels to its affiliate, Radisson Hospitality Belgium BV, the Colombo city hotel said in a market filing. Galadari Hotels entered into a Hotel Development Services Agreement and a Hotel Management Agreement with Raddison Hotel Asia Pacific Investments Pte Ltd in 2023. “The Company wishes to inform that, Raddison Hotel Asia Pacific Investments Pte. Ltd has assigned its rights and obligations under more..

Jun 5 (DN) SL women’s cricket captain Chamari Athapaththu believes the blend of youth and experience in the squad gives the team confidence ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, which begins on June 12 in England. Athapaththu said the team’s preparation and commitment have been excellent, while recent successful tours of the WI and Bangladesh have further boosted confidence ahead of the global event. more..

Jun 5 (FT) Seafood Exporters’ Association of SL has called on the Govt to take urgent action to prevent the anticipated resumption of illegal cross-border fishing by Tamil Nadu trawlers in SL waters, warning that continued incursions threaten marine ecosystems, seafood stocks, export competitiveness, and the livelihoods of thousands of coastal fishing communities. Issuing a statement, it said: “The Seafood Exporters’ Association of SL and the broader SL fishing community wish to more..

Jun 5 (DM) Pelwatte Dairy Industries Ltd has commissioned its state-of-the-art Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) at its Buttala manufacturing facility, marking a significant milestone in the company’s journey toward environmental stewardship, ESG compliance, and responsible dairy processing. Pelwatte Dairy claims the facility is the largest Effluent Treatment Plant within a dairy processing operation in SL. As Pelwatte Dairy continues to scale its processing capacity and expand its more..

Jun 5 (TM) SL’s 2027 and future budgets are to adhere to the 13% primary expenditure limit, whereby roughly 9% is to be allocated for recurrent expenses and 4% for capital expenditure, Treasury Deputy Secretary A K Seneviratne said recently (3). “When we look at the IMF programme, which is to end next year, it is within this programme that we have also allocated expenditure for the 2026 Budget,” Seneviratne said, speaking in a recording released by Ministry of Finance media unit. more..

Jun 5 (TM) The Dept of Meteorology has cautioned that the climate phenomenon known as El Niño is likely to develop in the coming months, bringing with it reduced rainfall and the possibility of drought conditions, particularly during July and August. More concerning is the warning that its effects could persist until Feb 2027, with a significant chance the phenomenon may strengthen towards the end of the year. For a country that remains heavily dependent on rainfall for agriculture, drinking water, more..

Jun 5 (Island) Sri Lanka has one of the most educated female populations in South Asia, yet only about one in three women participates in the labour force, making female workforce participation among the lowest in the region and leaving a significant source of economic growth untapped. That paradox took centre stage at a knowledge forum organised by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Colombo on June 3, more..

Jun 5 (Island) For more than a century, SL society has lived with a quiet contradiction at the heart of its religious life. On the one hand, the Buddhist monk is revered as the embodiment of moral discipline, selfrestraint, and renunciation. On the other, the modern monk has become a public figure, political actor, administrator, media personality, and in some cases power broker whose influence extends far beyond the temple. This contradiction has been tolerated, even celebrated, for decades. more..

Jun 5 (FT) Under normal climatic conditions, trade winds push warm surface waters across the Pacific Ocean towards Asia and Australia. During an El Niño event, these winds weaken, allowing warm water to shift eastward towards South America, disrupting normal atmospheric circulation and monsoon rainfall patterns. El Niño is the warm phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), while La Niña represents its cooler phase. El Niño develops when sea surface temperatures in more..

Jun 5 (DN) The Earth is changing before our very eyes – with a noticeable increase in freak weather events such as wildfires, floods and droughts. We have not been very kind to Earth ever since the Industrial Revolution began, burning coal and other fossil fuels at an alarming rate. The noxious Greenhouse Gases emitted in this process have led to Global Warming, with 2025 already recorded as the hottest year in recent memory. For years, scientists have said that limiting more..