A discussion was held this morning (May 29) at the Presidential Secretariat between President Anura Kumara Disanayake, Chairpersons of District Coordination Committees and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance to gather proposals and ideas for the Budget 2026.

During the meeting, President Disanayake emphasized the importance of prioritizing the basic and urgent needs of the people at the district level in the preparation of the upcoming budget.

Extensive discussions were held on the development projects currently underway across various districts. The dialogue focused on identifying essential infrastructure requirements and other critical development needs, and ensuring their implementation through the forthcoming budget allocations.

Among those present were Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Russell Aponsu, Director General of the Department of Public Finance E.A. Rathnaseela and Assistant Director General of the Department of National Budget M. Anoma Nandani, along with other senior officials from the Ministry of Finance

(President’s Media Division)

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has ordered Tusitha Halloluwa, the former Director of the National Lotteries Board, to hand over his mobile phone to investigators.

The directive was issued following a request by the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD), which is probing a recent shooting incident involving Halloluwa.

The case relates to an attack that occurred while Halloluwa was travelling in a vehicle.

According to police reports, unidentified gunmen opened fire on the vehicle and allegedly stole several important documents in his possession.

The court is scheduled to reconvene this afternoon to further hear the case.

Three suspects currently in remand custody in connection with the shooting are expected to be produced before the court.

Additionally, three other individuals who were detained for 24 hours for questioning are also due to appear in court today.

(News1st)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by (News1st) has not been edited by SLM staff)

The second round of discussions on US-imposed tariffs on Sri Lanka was held yesterday (May 28) at the Office of the United States Trade Representative in Washington, D.C.

A high-level Sri Lankan delegation is participating in the talks, which mark a continuation of several earlier virtual meetings between the two sides.

The talks are expected to pave the way for new opportunities in trade cooperation, while aiming to secure favorable outcomes for Sri Lanka in line with its current economic priorities.

Officials anticipate that the dialogue will contribute to enhancing long-term trade relations and foster deeper economic engagement between the two nations.