Jun 17 (TM) The Govt is preparing to introduce new laws that would allow the State to take over properties transferred by elderly parents to their children in cases where the parents are later neglected, with the assets to be subsequently used for the elders’ welfare. Deputy Minister Wasantha Piyathissa said that many parents transfer their property to their children with the expectation that they would be looked after in their old age. more..

Jun 17 (DM) Former MP Rosy Senanayake has issued an open letter calling for urgent action to address what she describes as a deepening child protection crisis in SL, urging both domestic and international authorities to intervene. The letter in its entirety is as follows; To: Domestic and International Child Protection Authorities, the Govt of SL and the Public. “A nation incapable of ensuring even a modicum of safety for its children and vulnerable populations—irrespective of its more..

Jun 17 (NW) The Colombo High Court today commenced the trial against former Minister of Energy Kumara Jayakody, who faces corruption charges filed by the Bribery Commission. The case was taken up before High Court Judge Rashantha Godawela. During proceedings, the charges against Jayakody were read out in open court, to which the accused pleaded not guilty. Trial then formally began. The allegations stem from Jayakody’s tenure in 2016 as Procurement Manager of more..

Jun 17 (AD) A survey conducted by the Ministry of Health has found that 12% of schoolchildren are overweight, while 3% are obese, primarily due to unhealthy dietary habits. Director of Nutrition at the Ministry of Health, Specialist Dr. Monika Wijeratne said the findings are concerning, particularly given the country’s declining population growth rate. She made the remarks while presenting data from the 2024 Global School-Based Health Survey, which focused on children aged between 13-17 yrs. more..

Jun 17 (AD) Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, has endorsed the certificate on the Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill today. Bill was first read in Parliament on 17 March 2026 and was subsequently passed by Parliament following a debate held on 6 May 2026. Act provides for the amendment of the Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Act, the Companies Act, No. 7 of 2007, Inland Revenue Act, No. 24 of 2017, more..

Jun 17 (DM) Sri Lanka has recorded an estimated loss of Rs. 9.4 billion in tobacco tax revenue in 2024 due to changes in cigarette brand market shares following a 20% tax increase introduced in 2023, recent data cited by researchers at Verité Research said. ADIC said the country’s current tobacco taxation structure has led to significant revenue losses for the State while enabling tobacco companies to maintain or increase profits. more..

Jun 17 (NW) Cabinet has approved a proposal to allocate Rs. 1008 million for the renovation and upgrading of 126 school hostels across the country. The decision follows the identification of deteriorating hostel buildings and inadequate maintenance in schools, which authorities say have negatively affected students’ education and living conditions. The project aims to provide students with a better educational and health environment by improving essential facilities in the hostels. more..

Jun 17 (Island) Rainforest Trust of SL (RToSL), is a Public Trust registered with the Public Trustee, established in 2004, to conserve and restore SL’s fragile rainforest ecosystems, successfully hosted a landmark educational and environmental awareness programme, titled Ceremonial Dedication to the Public of Name Boards of Trees, on 13 June, placed in the Independence Walking Park. During the Dedication Ceremony, the name boards were formally presented to the public, symbolising more..

Jun 17 (Island) Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) has complained to the UN regarding custodial deaths. Executive Director of the Committee, Senaka Perera said that they had submitted written submissions to the visiting UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) on Monday (15). “We are confident that they’ll take up the issues at hand with the govt and take tangible measures to improve more..

Jun 17 (NW) The Court of Appeal today suspended further proceedings in the writ petition filed by Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Waruna Jayasundara, who sought an order preventing his arrest in connection with the Easter Sunday terrorist attack investigations. The Deputy Solicitor General, appearing for the Attorney General, informed the bench that at this stage no decision has been taken to arrest Jayasundara. The assurance was noted by the bench comprising Justices more..

Jun 17 (FT) Free Lawyers Association has called for the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate the $ 2.5 million Treasury cyber fraud, alleging that the stolen funds remain in a US bank account and criticising Parliament’s oversight committees for failing to produce reports on the incident. In separate letters to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, the Association requested the establishment of a Select Committee to probe more..

Jun 17 (NW) Deputy Minister Anil Jayantha has refuted social media reports claiming that he rejected a proposed USD 23 million donation linked to associates of SL artist Sangeeth Wijesuriya, citing IMF programme restrictions. Fernando stressed that the statements attributed to him were completely incorrect and misleading. He clarified that he had not met artist Sangeeth Wijesuriya or his associates regarding the matter, nor had he made any remarks about such donations. more..

Jun 17 (NW) Catholic Church has emphasised that His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith never requested the appointments of Ravi Seneviratne and Shani Abeysekara to their current positions. The clarification was made by Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando, spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Colombo, during a media briefing, in response to a statement made in Parliament by Minister Bimal Rathnayake. Fr. Cyril Gamini stated that neither the Cardinal nor the Catholic Church had ever more..

Jun 17 (FT) The UK’s Trade Envoy to SL, Lord Hannett of Everton, will hold talks with Govt ministers, officials and business leaders this week as the UK steps up efforts to deepen trade and investment ties with SL following the introduction of enhanced zero-tariff access for SL exports earlier this year. British HC in Colombo said Lord Hannett of Everton, will return to Colombo from 17 to 19 June, his second visit within the span of a year. more..

Jun 17 (NF) Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena today directed the Illegal Assets Unit of the CID to arrest former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and produce him before court in connection with the alleged misappropriation of funds from the Tourism Promotion Bureau. The order was issued when the case was recalled before court. During proceedings, President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa, appearing for the third suspect, informed that his client was willing to make a confidential statement more..

Jun 17 (EN) Sri Lanka plans to introduce a new labor code by end 2026, to replace outdated laws and shift the country away from a history of industrial confrontation toward a productivity-first model, Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando has said. A cabinet-appointed expert committee is currently merging and updating old acts into a single legal framework, and a draft will soon be open for public and expert review, Jayantha said at the launch of the National Export Development Plan 2026-2030. more..

Jun 17 (EN) Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been released on bail following his arrest earlier today in connection with an ongoing investigation. The order to grant bail was issued after he was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court. Rajapaksa had been taken into custody earlier in the day after appearing before the CIABOC in response to a summons. more..

Jun 17 (NW) Chairman of the COPF, MP Harsha de Silva, has directed that a regulator be appointed to address the unchecked spread of online betting and casino advertisements across SL. Speaking during a COPF session, de Silva questioned how such platforms were allowed to operate without licences or oversight, despite openly advertising during cricket matches. He noted that some online casinos were even using SL govt logo in their promotions, claiming to be licensed operators. more..

Jun 17 (FT) SL's school system has carried more than its share of weight over the past five years. The pandemic. The economic crisis. The interrupted school years, the textbook delays, the brain drain of teachers. That weight has, understandably, pushed conversation about new technology to the margins. Inside the classroom, however, a decision is being taken right now in every SL school that has not yet stopped to think about it, and that decision will outlast the immediate recovery. more..

Jun 17 (Island) URF leader Champika Ranawaka and URF Secretary General Bandula Chandrasekara yesterday (16) made written submissions to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) probing the procurement of coal, beginning 2009. Chandrasekera said that submissions had been made by Ranawaka in his previous capacity as a fomer Power and Energy Minister. The PCoI consists of Supreme Court Justice Gihan Kulatunga as Chairman, more..

Jun 17 (FT) Last week in Frankfurt, my granddaughter asked: Seeya, why are the streets so clean here without police? I had no good answer for SL. We have the same laws and the same potential, but the result is different. Answer is not more govt programs or more CSR initiatives by companies. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which was once a buzzword among large corporates and professional circles, has now become a popular tool for fulfilling organisational social obligations more..

Jun 17 (EN) Govt has yet to decide whether to continue the current fuel subsidies, Cabinet Spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa said, as the 3-month concession allocated by the govt is expected to be fully utilized by the end of this month. Govt allocated Rs.100 billion for fuel subsidies after the oil prices sky rocketed following the Middle Eastern conflict started on Feb 28. Govt allocated Rs.57 billion for fuel subsidies this month. more..

Jun 17 (AD) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake chaired a meeting with the Circular Revision Committee appointed to review and update circulars issued under the State Lands Ordinance and the Land Development Ordinance at the Presidential Secretariat. The Committee has been mandated to recommend to the Cabinet the cancellation of out-dated circulars, the issuance of new circulars, and the revision of existing circulars to ensure alignment with current requirements. more..

Jun 17 (EN) Ministry of Foreign Employment has launched LankaKonect, a complaint management application (CMA) to support migrant workers worldwide. The mobile application provides migrant workers with a centralized and user-friendly digital platform to submit complaints and requests for assistance, monitor the progress of their cases, and access essential information and support services. It was developed in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), and more..

Jun 17 (FT) Sri Lanka yesterday launched an ambitious five-year National Export Development Plan (NEDP) aimed at almost doubling export earnings to $ 36 billion by 2030, with policymakers and development partners stressing that export diversification, competitiveness and reform implementation will determine the country’s next phase of economic recovery. Developed by the Export Development Board (EDB) under more..

Jun 17 (FT) World’s #1 Culture/Colour Brain Thinker Arthur Carmazzi, arrived in Sri Lanka Monday night ahead of his highly anticipated workshop on 19 June 2026 at the Monarch Imperial Hotel from 8.30 a.m. onwards. It was Arthur’s first-ever regional and national visit. The Daily FT, in partnership with Ads Store, will host the event, Reset the Brain, which focuses on team dynamics, leadership development, and organisational culture transformation through his exclusive expertise. more..

Jun 17 (CT) SL’s javelin sensation, Rumesh Tharanga Pathiragae, continued his golden run in Europe by clinching the gold medal at the Ostrava Golden Spike competition in the Czech Republic with a throw of 86.57m. Competing in this World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event, the 23‑year‑old opened with 85.87m, improved to 86.30m on his second attempt, and sealed victory with 86.57m on his third. That effort was more than enough to secure the top spot. more..

Jun 17 (DN) In a significant step toward establishing a regulatory framework for virtual assets in Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Digital Economy and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) jointly conducted a special awareness session on digital assets on Sunday under the theme Let’s Join Together for a Safer Digital Future. Held under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne, the programme brought together policymakers, regulators and more..

Jun 17 (FT) The country’s manufacturing and services sectors in May have expanded, as per the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), its compiler the Central Bank of SL (CBSL) said. The Manufacturing PMI registered an index value of 56.6 in May, reflecting an increase in manufacturing activities at a faster rate compared to 42.6 in April 2026. The CBSL said all sub-index values recorded above the neutral threshold during the month, contributing to the overall increase in the index value. more..

Jun 17 (TM) The mass grave discovered at Chemmani Siththupaththi in Jaffna has allegedly become the largest mass grave recorded in the Northern Province in recent history. With the exhumation of skeletal remains belonging to 10 additional individuals during excavations conducted on Monday (15), the total number of human remains recovered from the site has risen to 351. Previously, the mass grave more..

Jun 17 (DN) Opener Pulindu Perera performed a superb batting display scoring 145 as SL Emerging team ended the day two at 430 for 4 wickets against West Indies Emerging team in their 4-day game played at Rajapaksa Int'l Stadium Hambantota yesterday. SL Emerging team was in a commanding position with 199 runs lead with 6 wickets in hand in the first innings. Pulindu Perera the former National under 19 batter hit 14 fours and a six in his 188-ball knock also added 168 runs open stand more..

Jun 17 (NW) SL A cricketer Vishen Halambage and India A batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi have reportedly been sanctioned following their heated altercation during the Tri-Nation Series match in Dambulla on Monday. The match referee has recommended a fine amounting to 50% of the players’ match fees for both Halambage and Suryavanshi after reviewing the incident. The referee’s report has been submitted to the relevant cricket authorities in Sri Lanka and India for consideration. more..