Jul 21 (ST) TForeign Affairs, Tourism and Foreign Employment Ministry has launched a new app to assist Sri Lankans employed overseas to lodge complaints directly to the ministry. All they would need is to enter their name, passport number and location to log in and make a complaint. Minister Vijitha Herath said that most Lankan workers complain that the SL missions do not act promptly to assist them when they are in need, more..

Jul 21 (ST) A severe dengue outbreak has placed SL’s health sector under strain. The busier public hospitals, such as the Colombo South Teaching Hospital in Kalubowila, are overflowing, with even urgent patients suffering on benches until elusive ward beds free up. Nurses, in particular, are stretching themselves thinly to cater to patient needs. Over 42,800 dengue cases and 27 related deaths have been recorded so far in 2026. Infections have surged by approximately 30% more..

Jul 21 (SO) The world breathed a collective sigh of relief as the US and Iran signed a historic MoU to end their conflict which began on Feb 28 this year. Right now, though, Israel seems to be the biggest obstacle to the nascent peace process, as it has continued attacks on Lebanon even after agreeing to their own (Israel-Lebanon) ceasefire. Iran had in any case linked Lebanon to the Iran-US ceasefire and any further escalation of Israeli Defence Forces action in Lebanon could derail peace process. more..

Jun 20 (FT) Govt has moved to tighten oversight of outward remittances linked to imports, introducing new regulations that require real-time reporting of import-related foreign currency payments to SL Customs and mandatory registration of importers before advance payments can be made. The measures, gazetted on 18 June under Imports & Exports (Control) Act, come amid investigations into alleged foreign exchange more..

Jun 20 (NW) Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara says excavation work at the Chemmani mass grave site in Jaffna is progressing successfully and that the necessary funds have been allocated to complete the process. Minister made the remarks during a visit today to inspect ongoing excavations at the Ariyalai Siththupathy Chemmani mass grave site. He stressed that the excavations should be completed as quickly as possible to ensure justice is served. more..

Jun 20 (Island) Opposition MP Dr. Harsha de Silva yesterday alleged that the actual tax burden on consumers was closer to 22%, despite the Govt’s claim that Value Added Tax (VAT) stood at 18%, due to the cascading impact of the Social Security Contribution Levy (SSCL). Dr. de Silva said the SSCL was imposed at several stages of the supply chain, including manufacturing, distribution, logistics and retail, with the additional costs ultimately being passed on to consumers. more..

Jun 20 (DN) PTA will be repealed and a new Bill will be brought for the sake of only preventing terrorism, not for the suppression of individuals or other parties and it will be presented in about two months, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said. Speaking during a discussion with representatives of civil society organizations and public representatives held at the Kilinochchi DS yesterday, he said that justice must be served more..

Jun 20 (NW) Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga produced another great performance of his career to win the men’s javelin event at the Doha Diamond League with a remarkable throw of 88.68 metres. Competing against a world-class field, Tharanga delivered the winning effort to finish ahead of Grenada’s Anderson Peters, who recorded 86.38m, and American Curtis Thompson, who threw 85.99m. India’s Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra finished fourth with a best throw of 85.69m. more..

Jun 20 (ST) The 132-year-old Nuwara Eliya main post office, which has attracted both domestic and foreign tourists, is currently undergoing conservation at a cost of Rs. 200 million. After Nuwara Eliya was named a holiday resort in 1828, British considered Nuwara Eliya as their motherland and built houses here. At a time when the institutions needed by the British were being gradually built, Sir Samuel Baker, who visited SL in 1846, started the first farm in Nuwara Eliya, of 1000 acres, in 1848. more..

Jun 20 (ST) Right to Information Commission (RTIC) has directed the NBRO to release information related to the granting of geotechnical clearance for a property developer to construct a multi-storey building on Sri Sambuddhathwa Jayanthi Mawatha, Colombo 05. The appellants, Dr Radheeka Abeyweera and Ms Thusitha Kumarakulasingham of Claessen Place, Colombo 05, had appealed to the RTIC after NBRO refused to release the information they had requested through an RTI more..

Jun 20 (FT) SL welcomed the MoU signed between US & Iran establishing an immediate ceasefire. “This ceasefire represents a significant step toward de-escalation and long-term regional and global stability, including through the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and providing for a framework for the continuity of negotiations. SL strongly supports the peaceful resolution of disputes through diplomacy and remains optimistic that this step will foster sustainable peace across the region,” more..

Jun 20 (ST) The National Transport Commission’s failure to implement a formal price formula or review committee has left service providers vulnerable to seven rounds of fuel price increases. Domestic prices have been revised in response to surging global oil prices due to the war in West Asia. Global prices pulled back slightly this week to US$87 a barrel, reports show. SL has increased fuel prices seven times this year posing a challenge to more..

Jun 20 (FT) A unique collaboration between govt institutions, veterinary professionals, academia, and technology partners successfully enabled real-time digital health monitoring of Aloka, the much loved dog accompanying a group of Buddhist monks led by Pannakara Thero on their peace walk from Anuradhapura to Colombo via Kandy. The peace walk, undertaken as a symbol of compassion, harmony, and spiritual unity, drew significant public attention across the country. more..

Jun 20 (FT) SL’s largest printing, packaging and graphic communications exhibition commenced yesterday at BMICH. Organised by SL Association of Printers (SLAP), SL Print Expo 2026 brings together industry stakeholders, technology providers, manufacturers and policymakers at the SL Print Expo 2026, as the sector seeks to accelerate technological adoption, sustainability and industry-wide competitiveness while enhancing opportunities for micro, small & medium enterprises more..

Jun 20 (FT) Colombo stock market yesterday ended the week in red, ending a two-session positive run. During the week, ASPI gained 3.35% and the S&P SL20 was up 3.12% Yesterday, negative contributors to the ASPI outweighed gainers with 139 counters closing in red and 70 in green, with the ASPI ending down 0.33% or 74.83 points at 22,361.31 and the S&P SL20 falling 0.18% or 11.48 points to 6,215.30. Market turnover was nearly Rs. 1.9 billion on over 75.7 million shares traded. more..

Jun 20 (ST) Sri Lanka Life Saving (SLLS) has urged the public to prioritise safety measures to reduce water-related accidents, following a recent spate of drowning incidents. SLLS Chief Secretary P.K. Edirisinghe said that a majority of drowning incidents occur due to carelessness and a lack of awareness regarding water safety. Two tragic accidents were reported recently, underlining the importance of public awareness and life-saving skills to reduce fatalities. more..

Jun 20 (FT) COPF has approved two sets of rules issued under the Central Bank of SL Act, while raising concerns over gaps in public debt data publication, delays in govt securities market reporting and the accuracy of tourism earnings estimates. The approvals were granted at a meeting chaired by COPF Chairman Dr. Harsha de Silva on 9 June, with CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe and other officials in attendance, more..

Jun 20 (ST) The Alumni Association of the SL Law College has launched a trust fund aimed at providing financial assistance to economically disadvantaged law students, setting an initial target of raising Rs. 50 million to ensure that financial hardship does not prevent deserving students from qualifying as lawyers. The Trust Fund, formally established in March, is the first structured and permanent mechanism in the institution’s more than 150-year history through which more..

Jun 20 (DN) Opener Avishka Fernando continued his excellent form, scoring his second century of the series, while left-arm paceman Dulaj Samuditha claimed impressive figures of 5 for 25 to guide SL A to a 103-run victory over Afghanistan A in their deciding tri-series match at Dambulla yesterday. With this win, SL A qualified for the final. Avishka, who struck 108 in the previous match against Afghanistan A, once again anchored the innings with a superb 110 off 97 balls, more..

Jun 20 (ST) In the prime of his life, Dilum Peiris (38) from Pannipitiya was leading a normal life, heavily into a career in photography. Suddenly he was very ill – he was in liver failure. That was in January and we meet him on June 9 perky as ever – the trailblazer of the private Asiri Central Hospital’s adult Liver Transplant Programme, for an exclusive interview. Even though the signs and symptoms were not obvious more..

Jun 20 (FT) Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando clarified that the Govt’s latest gazette notification on imports is intended to strengthen monitoring of foreign exchange transactions rather than impose restrictions on import and export activities. Minister said the new regulations issued by the Department of Import and Export Control are designed to systematically track payments related to imports and prevent unnecessary outflows of foreign exchange from the country. more..

Jun 20 (FT) HNB signed a MoU with the Institution of Engineers SL (IESL) on 20 May 2026 at HNB Towers, establishing a formal partnership to extend a suite of exclusive financial benefits to IESL’s membership base of over 25,000 engineering professionals across the country. Under the arrangement, IESL members will have access to customised, pre-approved premium credit cards and pre-approved personal loans, along with special concessions under regular personal financial more..

Jun 20 (FT) Over 200 participants, including over 150 women entrepreneurs from across the Northern Province, gathered at ReeCha Park and Resort in Kilinochchi for the Emerging Women Summit, a landmark event dedicated to strengthening women-led enterprises through improved access to finance, markets, networks, and business development opportunities. Organised by the Lanka Impact Investing Network (LIIN) under Growth, Resilience, Investment & Training (GRIT) project more..

Jun 20 (FT) As Sri Lanka accelerates its transition towards renewable energy, rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are becoming increasingly common across homes, businesses, and industries. While these technologies offer significant benefits in terms of clean energy generation, reduced electricity costs, and improved energy security, experts caution that safety considerations must evolve alongside this rapid growth. more..

Jun 20 (Island) Women’s unpaid care work contributes the equivalent of nearly 12% of SL’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), yet remains excluded from official economic calculations, prompting fresh calls for urgent policy action and greater national recognition. The startling statistic emerged afresh at a discussion on unpaid care work, organised by South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) SL, and Women and Media Collective (WMC), more..

Jun 20 (TM) As global authorities gather to address the fate of one of the world's most threatened marine predators, SL finds itself at the epicentre of a silent crisis. With recent research branding us as one of the highest-risk countries globally for shark and ray mortality, the delicate balance between coastal livelihoods and marine conservation has never been more precarious. Researcher at Blue Resources Trust, Shownath Sitsabeshan discusses the findings from the recent Sharks Int'l conference more..

Jun 19 (FT) In a probing interview on her YouTube channel Conversations with Alanki, Alanki asked Senior Prez Adviser Duminda Hulangamuwa a series of pertinent and timely questions. To which the answers, while polite and politic, were not always as perspicacious as one would have hoped for at that level. Yet, the most revealing aspect of the conversation lies not in any single answer. Rather, it is the cumulative impression left behind by the interview as a whole. more..

Jun 19 (GV) In ancient SL, barbaric forms of torture were practised by monarchs as cruel and inhuman punishment for enemies and criminals. After SL became a British colony, the Kandyan Convention of 1815 was the first attempt to eradicate torture. In modern times, Article 11 of the 1978 constitution states that no person shall be subject to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. This is a fundamental right that applies equally to all citizens including criminals. more..

Jun 20 (Island) The CIABOC has netted another senior state official. It arrested the General Manager (GM) of Lanka Salt Ltd, Rathnayaka Mudiyanselage Gunaratne yesterday for allegedly having caused a loss of approximately Rs. 14.3 million to the state and provided an undue advantage to a supplier by procuring Laklunu packaging for the Hambantota Salt Company through a re-order process in breach of procurement procedures. Such action against state officials is certainly welcome, more..

Jun 19 (TM) The question of where we can find SL’s urban policy has been ongoing for many decades. It has not always been pursued as a separate inquiry, but, one is expected to encounter it along the way during a long journey through the country’s planning and urban development landscape. After all, SL has had planning laws, national plans, urban development institutions, housing programmes, LG structures, more..

Jun 19 (TM) She is part of a generation that knew nothing but the war, a childhood shaped by conflict, yet, carried forward by memory. Today, we step beyond her art to meet the woman behind it: a voice from Jaffna whose recollections of home, resilience, and quiet beauty remind us that memory is not just what we keep, but what we fight to preserve. This is her story of survival, belonging, and the fragments of hope that endure. She is Catharina Danial, whom I met on Kaleidoscope Dialogues. more..

Jun 19 (ST) The situation is grim. There are many red flags, some maybe due to the govt’s handling of the economy while others maybe no fault of the administration, particularly in view of the West Asia crisis since February 2026 triggered by the Hamas attack on Israel in Oct 2023. The latest round of fighting between the US/Israel and Iran and the resultant impact on Lebanon and West Asian states has triggered a precarious fuel shortage, closed a key shipping lane and resulted in fuel prices more..