May 2 (NW) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Friday said his govt remains firmly backed by the people and pledged sweeping action against corruption, declaring that 2026 would mark a turning point in holding offenders accountable. Addressing the May Day rally in Nuwara Eliya, President said the current administration was built and sustained by public support, describing it as the most trusted govt. He said the NPP-led govt more..

May 2 (AD) The death of the Assistant Director of the External Resources Dept of the Ministry of Finance, who had been interdicted in connection with the alleged misappropriation of USD 2.5 million linked to a cyber heist, has been confirmed as a suicide. SL Police said that a panel of Judicial Medical Consultants, appointed to conduct the post-mortem examination on the body of Assistant Director, concluded that all injuries were self-inflicted and that the death was due to suicide. more..

May 2 (DM) War risk insurance premiums for vessels operating in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf have surged by up to 50% with extreme cases reaching as high as three percent of vessel value per voyage due to recent escalations in the ongoing Middle East conflict, noted Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce SL (WCIC) Chairperson Gayani de Alwis. Moreover, according to de Alwis, geopolitical tensions around the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz are forcing global shipping more..

May 2 (AD) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has declared that the SJB and UNP have already united. He made these remarks while addressing the May Day rally held today (01) at the P.D. Sirisena Ground in Maligawatta, Colombo. During his speech, the Opposition Leader expressed his gratitude to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe for sending a congratulatory message to the SJB May Day rally. more..

May 2 (AD) Marking the commencement of the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage season, the first group of 325 SL pilgrims departed from BIA to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, today (01). A ceremony was held at the airport departure terminal to mark the occasion. The event was attended by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Rizvie Salih, the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to SL Khalid Hamoud Alkahtani, and senior officials of the SL Hajj Committee. Saudi Arabian Airlines operated a special inaugural flight for the group. more..

May 2 (Island) Coast Guard has rescued 19 individuals from drowning last month, including 14 foreign tourists and five locals. The rescues were carried out through a network of 16 lifeguard posts operated along key coastal areas, highlighting stepped-up beach safety measures amid increased tourist activity. Those rescued ranged in age from five to 62, and included nationals from France, Germany, Russia, India, Switzerland & Australia. Coast Guard has maintained a consistent more..

May 2 (DM) Cargills recently conducted the 10th Regional Sarubima Scholarship Award Ceremony in Thamuttegama for the financial year, with the first event held in Sept 2025. Ceremony was graced by Mahaweli Authority System H Residential Project Manager Thilak Ranasinghe as the chief guest. The event extended educational support to 112 children from farming families across the region, who are the children of Cargills’ valued farming partners. Scholarships were awarded under grade 5, more..

May 2 (DN) Sri Lanka won a gold medal and two silver medals and four bronze for the first time in history at Asian Beach Games concluded in Sanya, China finishing in 10th place in the points table which is a great achievement by Sri Lanka to finish among best ten countries. The sixth Beach Games featured 45 countries while SL for the first time won a total of seven medals, From 45 participating countries 31 nations won medals at this year’s Games, SL, which won only 2 bronze medals more..

Apr 2 (FT) Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma appeared before the CoPF yesterday, reversing an earlier refusal to attend, as lawmakers were told that 10 Govt debt repayment transactions totalling $ 2.5 million had been diverted over four months. What was initially presented as a single $ 2.5 million breach during a vulnerable transition has now been revealed as 10 separate payments over several months, more..

May 2 (FT) Sri Lanka’s Consumer Sentiment Index fell sharply in March, declining by 16 points to 70, marking the lowest level recorded since June 2024 and the steepest month-on-month drop since Jan 2021. The decline reflects mounting pressure on households amid rising living costs, energy-related concerns and heightened uncertainty in global markets linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict. The latest reading, while above the historic low of 56 recorded in June 2022, more..

May 2 (AD) High Commissioner of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Sri Lanka, Major General (Retd) Nayyar Naseer, met with PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya at the Temple Trees premises. Welcoming High Commissioner Major General (Retd) Nayyar Naseer, the Prime Minister expressed sincere appreciation for the continued support and cooperation extended by the Govt of Pakistan to Sri Lanka, particularly in relation to assistance provided following Cyclone Ditwah. more..

May 2 (NW) SL’s leading javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage has climbed to 7th in the world rankings, marking a major milestone in his rapidly rising career. The latest ranking follows a string of impressive performances, including a standout showing last month at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, where he secured gold with a massive throw of 89.28 metres, setting a new meet record. He outperformed a strong international field that included Olympic champion Thomas Röhler more..

May 2 (FT) The Colombo stock market ended April in red yesterday with the indices recording overall gains during the month, with the ASPI making its biggest monthly gain since July 2025. During the month, ASPI and S&P SL20 gained 7% and 5.1% respectively, whilst recording an average daily turnover of Rs. 3.66 billion, according to NDB Securities. Yesterday the indices closed in red as a result of price losses in counters such as John Keells Holdings, Sampath Bank more..

May 2 (FT) Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando yesterday underscored the transformative role of technology and process innovation in strengthening the performance of SL Customs, noting that ongoing digital initiatives could enhance operational efficiency, curb corruption and support trade facilitation. Addressing the launch of new technology-driven initiatives at SL Customs, Dr. Fernando said that while traditional more..

May 2 (Island) Media personnel covering the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) May Day rally were yesterday prevented from carrying out normal frontline coverage and were moved to the rear of the venue, prompting protests from journalists on the ground. Unlike previous rallies where media were permitted to operate from the front areas, reporters and photographers were, this time, restricted and asked to relocate to designated rear positions, officials and media personnel said. more..

May 2 (FT) Overseas Realty (Ceylon) PLC said it recorded a group revenue of Rs. 3,292 million and a group Profit Before Tax (PBT) of Rs. 1,926 million for the first quarter ending 31 March 2026. The depreciation of the rupee resulted in a net exchange loss of Rs. 68 million on foreign currency loans compared to a loss of Rs. 136 million in the same period of last year. The company-level revenue of Rs. 780 million at the World Trade Center, Colombo, was 11% higher than the corresponding more..

May 2 (SO) The recent and sudden closure of Mila Fashion (Pvt) Ltd, a garment factory in Sampathnuwara, Welioya has left nearly 300 garment workers without jobs, raising serious concerns about labour rights, employer conduct, and the protection of vulnerable workers in SL’s struggling apparel sector. Workers had received a 10-day holiday for the Sinhala & Tamil New Year only to find the gates of their workplace once described by more..

May 2 (ST) An awareness campaign is underway in the area around Uni of Peradeniya regarding the threat posed by leopards in the area and the safety measures that can be taken. Wilderness and Wildlife Conservation Trust is carrying out the programme, Lead Researcher of the NGO Dr Andrew Kittle said. A leopard had taken a calf that belonged to the Uni of Peradeniya veterinary unit, and according to Dr Kittle, the incident had caused a lot of misinformation to be disseminated in social media. more..

May 2 (EN) Cabinet has approved a 225,000 dollar contract to procure 6,000 pre-filled syringes of Adalimumab, a drug used to treat chronic and autoimmune diseases, from India’s Reliance Life Sciences Pvt Ltd. The decision follows an international competitive bidding process where four bidders submitted proposals for the 40mg (0.8ml) syringes. Minister Nalinda Jayatissa told reporters that the contract was awarded to Reliance Life Sciences as the lowest responsive bidder, more..

Apr 2 (FT) Aitken Spence Elevators, in collaboration with CINEC Campus, recently held the Certificate Awarding Ceremony for the latest batch of trainees of the Elevator Serviceman Course at the Elevator Training Centre (ETC). Graduates were awarded their NVQ Level 3 certifications, marking a significant milestone in their professional journey within SL’s vertical transportation industry. Certification program was developed in partnership with National Apprentice & Industrial Training Authority more..

Apr 2 (FT) National Chamber of Exporters of SL (NCE) has announced the launch of its SL Accreditation Board (SLAB)-endorsed Certificate of Ethical Trading (CET) at its 40th Anniversary special celebration and AGM. It marked a momentous step in strengthening the credibility of SL exporters in global markets amid growing consciousness for ethical sourcing. The CET, first introduced by the NCE in 2019, was designed to help exporters respond to growing int'l expectations around more..

May 2 (FT) Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA), the apex body of SL’s Plantation industry, called for an urgent review and streamlining of the industry’s cost structures in light of the unprecedented crisis in West Asia and the Strait of Hormuz. PA said that currently, approximately 45% of SL’s total annual tea exports – equivalent to approximately $ 680 million of SL’s total $ 1.5 billion tea export revenue is generated from ME more..

Apr 2 (Island) What has happened to our beloved nation, its loving people, and our once high-esteemed culture? At a time when the country has become the cynosure of many through the peace walk led by the Buddhist clergy together with Aloka, with people from all walks of life gathering in support, it clearly shows how deeply our people are yearning for peace, unity, and harmony. Yet, while this noble message unfolds, an incident of the opposite nature at the very gateway of more..

Apr 2 (Island) The govt and some Opposition parties held big rallies purportedly to mark May Day yesterday. JVP/NPP staged as many as 21 such events across the country, and the SJB rally took place in Colombo. Not to be outdone, the SLFP also held its May Day rally in Colombo. Those spectacles must have cost a fortune each. Where did the funds come from? Both the govt and the Opposition never miss an opportunity to declare their commitment to upholding transparency and other more..

Apr 2 (FT) The NPP cantered into office quite convincingly on a ticket of anti-corruption, ethical exceptionalism and much-needed systemic reforms. To date, and on the so-called positive side of the ledger, no major case has been made to definitively deny the NPP its moral mandate. Yet, a cluster of controversies – governmental lapses, procurement irregularities, conflicts of interest, and deficits in transparency (to put it politely) – have converged to make a case. more..

Apr 2 (DM) There is a Pali phrase at the heart of the Buddhist tradition, Ehi passiko, meaning simply, come and see. It is an invitation, not a command. Rather than asking followers to accept doctrine on faith, the Buddha urged each person to examine the Dhamma through lived experience: To observe, reflect, and verify truth within their own life. Rene Descartes, working from an entirely different tradition centuries later, arrived at a different starting point: Cogito, ergo sum, I think, therefore I am. more..

Apr 2 (TM) The tourism industry in SL stands at a critical juncture. Following years of volatility, the sector is grappling with a paradox. While passenger footfall has shown signs of a robust recovery, actual financial earnings and individual tourist spending are experiencing a noticeable decline. This complex situation is heavily influenced by global geopolitical tensions and conflicts, rising worldwide inflation, and shifting travel more..

Apr 2 (DM) At the outset, the writer wishes to allude to the following recent statements in the press. 1. Mixed Member Voting (MMV) system (understandably acknowledged by political parties despite its deficiencies) should be adopted at the next PC Election which is due to be held this year. 2. Govt has appointed a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to study the electoral system under which the Provincial Council (PC) elections are to be conducted and submit proposals more..

Apr 2 (CT) Observed globally as International Workers’ Day and rooted in the historic struggles symbolized by the Haymarket Affair, May Day is usually seen as a celebration of workers’ rights and labour solidarity. However, the idea of the worker has never been completely neutral or universal. In practice, it has often been based on a male, industrial, and formally employed worker. This has meant that one type of male work was treated as the standard, while many other forms of work more..

Apr 2 (CT) A noticeable rise in foreign nationals implicated in criminal activities has triggered growing concern among SL’s law enforcement authorities, particularly amid a wave of cybercrime incidents. Last week, the Finance Ministry’s cyber breach, in which its systems were reportedly hacked, was followed by the unauthorised transfer of approximately USD 2.5 million. In an earlier case, a bank reportedly incurred a loss of Rs 13.2b more..

Apr 2 (CT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has now completed 18 months of his term. He has another 42 months ahead. He stands as both the centre of gravity and the symbol of the NPP govt. When he visits Jaffna he is often photographed walking alone on an empty road early in the morning wearing a short and a T‑shirt, stopping to chat casually with local residents. On another day he is seen travelling in ordinary clothes, smiling and conversing with tea pluckers, more..

Apr 2 (DM) The first of May, more commonly referred to as May Day -- is set apart worldwide to celebrate the contribution workers of the world play in keeping the cogs of this world’s economies turning smoothly. More importantly, it commemorates the struggles of workers all over the world to obtain a just share of the profits of their production, and demand conditions to enable their families with the means in which they can grow and develop. May Day has been observed in our country as a holiday more..