Jun 27 (ST) As if illegal bottom trawling by Indian fishermen weren’t enough, Delft’s traditional fishermen are also hit by local trawlers, leaving them with little or nothing to catch, activists lament, urging the govt to take immediate measures to protect their livelihoods. Leeliyan Croos, a fisherman leader and former president of the Fishermen Federation of Delft Island, Jaffna, said that more than 400 local trawlers in the Jaffna region fish around the island at the expense of Delft fishermen’s livelihood. more..

Jun 27 (FT) An anti-counterfeiting operation led by the CCD has resulted in the seizure of suspected counterfeit engine oil belonging to one of the world’s leading energy companies, acting through its local legal representatives, Sudath Perera Associates. The successful raids, conducted on 2 June 2026, targeted two retail entities, SF Marketing in Mawanella and J.W. Auto in Kegalle, suspected of dealing in counterfeit lubricant products bearing the Caltex and Delo brands. more..

Jun 27 (FT) Govt formally presented its Fiscal Strategy Statement to Parliament, setting out the policy framework that will underpin the 2027 Budget while reaffirming its commitment to fiscal consolidation, revenue mobilisation and transparent public financial management as the country continues its economic recovery. Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando said the statement was tabled in accordance with the Public Financial more..

Jun 27 (DN) The Govt and the SL Hajj Committee will focus on guaranteeing a safe, seamless, and comfortable experience for all Sri Lankan Hajj pilgrims in 2027. Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Hiniduma Sunil Senevi told Parliament yesterday that in 2026, the official Hajj quota allocated to Sri Lanka was 3,500 pilgrims and operations were carefully managed to transport the full quota of 3,500 individuals in groups throughout the early Hajj season. more..

Jun 27 (FT) The Colombo stock market ended yesterday in green with the ASPI gaining 0.21% and the S&P SL20 up 0.51% during a week characterised by cautious investor sentiment. Despite losing counters outpacing winners 115 to 95 yesterday, ASPI closed marginally up by 0.01% or 2.77 points to 22,409.81 and the S&P SL20 ended up 0.07% or 4.67% at 6,247.42. Market turnover was over Rs. 1.9 billion on nearly 64 million shares traded. Foreign investors were net buyers on more..

Jun 27 (CI) Sri Lanka Cricket's next proposed constitution will likely feature fewer electors, have seats mandated for women on top committees, and will draw on the constitutions of other Full-Member nations. These were some of the commitments made by SLC's new Transformation Committee, whose primary stated mission is to overhaul the board's constitution and modernise its governance structures. more..

Jun 27 (NW) Sri Lanka has been re-elected to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee), securing the highest number of votes in elections held at the UN Headquarters. Professor Rangita de Silva received 144 of the 185 valid votes cast, topping all successful candidates and becoming the only Sri Lankan to be re-elected to the CEDAW Committee. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the result reflects the confidence of the international community more..

Jun 27 (FT) Zydus Lifesciences and Sunshine Healthcare yesterday announced the setting up of a strategic joint venture company, Zydus Sunshine Lifesciences Ltd., with an investment commitment of over $ 20 million to establish a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Sri Lanka, strengthening local production and reducing import dependence. The facility, to be located at the Board of Investment zone in Horana, will be developed on nearly four acres of land. more..

Jun 27 (CI) Amir Jangoo may not have even featured in the opening Test for West Indies had Shai Hope not suffered an injury during training. But with a chance handed out, he made full use of it to rescue the hosts from a precarious position to leave them only 37 behind SL's first-innings 308. Jangoo, playing his second Test, walked in at 97 for 2 in the afternoon, and showed off an obdurate batting style, taking 174 balls for his unbeaten 78. His maiden Test half-century took WI to 271 for 5 at stumps. more..

Jun 27 (Island) Govts of all political hues in Sri Lanka usually do not uphold the foundational legal principle of the presumption of innocence when their political rivals happen to be arrested. The JVP-NPP administration has failed to be different despite its election pledge to usher in a new political culture. Its politicians and propagandists ruthlessly vilify their political opponents who are taken into custody. They apparently consider their rivals held on remand guilty until proven innocent. more..

Jun 27 (CI) Sri Lanka kept alive their slim hopes of making it to the semi-finals of the 2026 T20 World Cup with a nervy win over Scotland in Manchester Chasing 152, they found themselves needing seven from the final over. Nilakshika Silva and Sugandika Kumari took four off the first three balls of Rachel Slater before the seamer hobbled off with what looked like a knee issue. Priyanaz Chatterji came on to bowl remaining 3 balls. more..

Jun 27 (Island) For thousands of Sri Lankans living with limb loss and physical disabilities, access to quality rehabilitation services remains a significant challenge. Yet, for more than three decades, our organisation has quietly transformed lives through innovation, compassion and community-based care. The Meththa Rehabilitation Foundation Guarantee Limited (MRFGL), supported by the Meththa Foundation-UK and in partnership with the Manitha Neyam Trust, more..

Jun 27 (DM) The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) will begin restricting transactions on dormant securities accounts from next week, under a new investor protection framework, aimed at reducing fraud risks and strengthening oversight of long-inactive holdings. Central Depository Systems (CDS), the custodian of electronically held securities traded on the CSE, will classify the accounts that have remained inactive for three years or more as Non-Operative Client Accounts, requiring more..

Jun 27 (DN) For a nation recently tethered to bankrupt treasury and fuel lines, the return to economic normalcy has sparked a fierce proxy war over its political future. The opposition warns of an impending disaster. Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe, a key voice in the Govt, insists the worst is behind them. Jayasinghe mounts a defense of the administration’s economic strategy and denies allegations of political victimization. He argues that a post-Aragalaya electorate will no longer be more..

Jun 27 (TM) Twenty-five years after the India–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA) came into force, bilateral trade relations stand at a paradoxical crossroads. While trade between the two neighbours has expanded dramatically and India remains SL’s largest trading partner, efforts to deepen economic integration through broader agreements such as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) continue to more..

Jun 27 (SO) Investing in plantation ventures growing from scotch bonnets, cinnamon, mango, agarwood to various other crops promising monthly returns of 20 to 40% has long caught the attention of Sri Lankans seeking quick profits. However, a recent public warning by the CB, disputing claims made by a plantation company about its regulatory status, has again brought such investment schemes under scrutiny. more..

Jun 27 (FT) There are railways. And then there are railways that carry the spirit and the imagination of a nation. For months after Cyclone Ditwah tore through Sri Lanka’s hill country, our world-famous upcountry line was not merely out of service. It was out of sight, it was out of reach, and it was perilously close to being out of mind. Last weekend, however, after months of absence – and a silence imposed by a tropical storm’s fury on the clickety-clack, chuff-chuff and more..

Jun 27 (GV) On June 17, delegates filed into the Galle Face hotel for the Mineral Sands Technical Conference. Inside, the Chamber of Commerce was doing what it does best: opening doors for capital and closing them on everyone else as SL’s coastal ecosystems were prepped for extraction. A different kind of gathering was taking shape on the pavement outside. The platinum sponsor of the event was Capital Metals PLC, a UK-incorporated, AIM listed company with exploration licences covering more..

Jun 27 (TM) Improved crop management practices introduced in SL over the past two decades have not led to significant increases in rice productivity in more than 90% of the tested variety-location-season combinations, indicating a widespread stagnation in rice productivity despite advancements in the recommended management practices. Therefore, there is a clear need to identify & develop more effective crop management more..

Jun 27 (CT) Conventional economists and sociopolitical pundits typically oppose any departure from IMF-regulated boundaries. The IMF may have its own prescriptive regulations and farsighted reasons to advise the NPP govt against pursuing certain economic policies. Such advice, of course, is often well-founded in the context of macro-development and the country’s painstaking journey toward economic stability and eventual recovery. But the IMF does not face the everyday demands more..

Jun 27 (DM) Daily commuters in Colombo face overcrowded buses and long queues, while the price of a litre of petrol has soared past Rs. 400. As private bus operators reduce services by 50% due to unsustainable fuel costs, SL’s transportation sector needs a lifeline for the sake of millions of commuters who are experiencing a crisis. Yet, from the ashes of this crisis emerges an opportunity for a long-overdue revolution. SL’s transportation history is a tapestry of ambition, innovation & missed opportunities. more..

Jun 26 (DM) Govt has decided to speed up the release of state and private lands in Jaffna and Palaly that are currently being used by the security forces. The decision was discussed at a progress review meeting held at the Parliament Complex on June 24. Meeting was chaired by Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara and several other ministers. The meeting focused on resolving land ownership issues, speeding up compensation payments and returning identified lands to more..

Jun 26 (AD) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday criticised the Indian National Congress (INC) for the 1974 transfer of Katchatheevu to SL, labelling it another historic dark chapter of the Grand Old Party's rule, alleging it compromised India's national interests. Katchatheevu is an uninhabited island in the island in the Palk Strait that was recognised as SL's sovereign territory by India in 1974. BJP national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said more..

Jun 26 (AD) It was revealed before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court that 89 companies registered in Sri Lanka had remitted more than Rs. 190 billion in US dollars out of the country under the guise of importing goods, despite no such goods being imported into the country. This was revealed when a suspect arrested in connection with the alleged racket was produced before the court on Thursday (25). more..

Jun 26 (NW) The govt has underscored the advantages available to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) that voluntarily register for VAT, even if their annual turnover is below the Rs. 60 million threshold. Deputy Minister Nishantha Jayaweera said VAT-registered SMEs, particularly manufacturers, can claim input VAT on raw materials and certain services. He noted that such businesses can also expand by attracting customers who prefer dealing with suppliers that issue VAT more..

Jun 26 (DM) A quantity of confiscated narcotics is scheduled to be destroyed tomorrow morning at the incinerator facility located at Lactowatta in Wanathavilluwa, Puttalam. The narcotics include items seized by the Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB) during various raids, for which legal proceedings have been completed at the Negombo Magistrate’s Court. The consignment also includes narcotics held by the Govt Analyst’s Dept, which courts across the country have ordered to be destroyed more..

Jun 26 (DM) In a shocking disclosure, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said in Parliament yesterday that the country had lost as much as US $ 1 billion because of the transfer of a whopping Rs.300 billion ill-gotten cash in terms of Telegraphic Transfers and Advanced Payments for imports. He said that certain banks had been implicated in the fraudulent transactions. “We have identified certain bank branches. When the manager of more..

Jun 26 (NW) Jana Aragala Sandanaya has lodged a complaint with the Bribery Commission over the Bharatanatyam Guinness World Record event held at Galle Face Green on June 14, alleging financial irregularities and misuse of state patronage. Jana Aragala Sandanaya representative and FSP Propaganda Secretary Duminda Nagamuwa alleged that around 5,000 participants, mainly children from the Northern and Hill Country communities, had each been charged Rs. 5,000 to take part more..

Jun 26 (CI) Nuwanindu Fernando's unbeaten 65 kept SL A in the contest on the second day of their first unofficial Test against India A in Galle. At stumps, SL A were 113 for 2, still trailing by 339 runs after India A had declared on 452 for 6, on the back of Dhruv Jurel's 141 not out. Jurel resumed the day unbeaten on 68, in a century partnership with Shaik Rasheed, who was on 53 not out himself. Rasheed fell soon after - bowled by right-arm fast bowler Chamika Gunasekara - on 63, more..

Jun 26 (NW) Minister Anand Wijepala says 96 organised crime suspects who are the subject of international red notices remain in hiding across several countries, with authorities working to bring them back to SL. Speaking today, the minister said 37 of the 96 suspects have already been identified, including 19 in the UAE, 11 in India, and one each in Malaysia, UK, France, Canada, Russia, Italy and Saudi Arabia. SL authorities have repatriated 58 suspects over the past 20 months, more..

Jun 26 (FT) India and Pakistan held a fresh round of unofficial Track 2 talks in Colombo and Bangkok earlier this week, focusing on crisis management and measures to prevent future military escalation, according to a report by Indian broadcaster WION News. Report said delegates from both countries discussed strengthening crisis management mechanisms, alongside issues relating to terrorism and water, while exploring ways to translate the discussions into formal Govt-level dialogue. more..