May 20 (DM) SL’s fast weakening rupee is beginning to expose a deeper strain within the country’s export sector, with exporters warning that the rising cost of imported fuel, raw materials and industrial inputs is rapidly eroding the short-term gains from a stronger dollar. National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) yesterday asserted that while the depreciation of the rupee may temporarily inflate export earnings in local currency terms, the broader economic fallout could leave manufacturers more..

May 20 (AD) Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) said the recent depreciation of the SL rupee must be viewed in the context of wider global pressures, including the conflict in the Middle East, rising global fuel prices and increasing shipping costs. JAAF noted that a weaker rupee should not be interpreted as a sign that Sri Lanka’s economy is underperforming. This position is also consistent with recent comments by Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, more..

May 20 (NW) The CID, through the AG’s Dept, today made a series of explosive allegations before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court, claiming former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Suresh Salley had played a central role in the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks and in a wider network of alleged politically motivated operations. Appearing for the CID, Additional Solicitor General Dilip Peiris told court that investigators had more..

May 20 (Island) Environment Minister Dhammika Patabendi sounded a strong warning over the rapid destruction of elephant habitats in the Hambantota region, declaring that the proposed Hambantota Elephant Management Reserve was no longer an option but an urgent national necessity to prevent a deepening environmental crisis. Addressing a media briefing convened to create public awareness on the reserve, Dr. Patabendi said decades of political interference, illegal land grabs, more..

May 20 (NW) Ampitiye Sumanarathana Thero has extended his support to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake following a meeting held during the President’s visit to Batticaloa, stating that he would move away from what he described as the Rajapaksa Nikaya. In a video statement released after the meeting, the Thero said he had earlier shared a message indicating he would take a step forward if efforts to engage with Prez failed. He said he had attempted to establish contact more..

May 20 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that Sri Lanka is currently facing a severe crisis concerning the US Dollar, noting that the strengthening of the US Dollar against other foreign currencies has directly affected the value of the SL Rupee. Prez made these remarks while addressing the Ratama Ekata national anti-narcotics programme held in the Batticaloa District today. Addressing prevailing economic situation, more..

May 20 (TM) With $ 600 million already spent on vehicle imports so far in 2026, SL is likely to spend more foreign exchange on vehicle imports in 2026 than initially anticipated, according to CB Governor Dr Nandalal Weerasinghe. Governor stated that nearly $ 2 billion (b) had been spent on vehicle imports last year, exceeding the earlier projection of between $ 1.5 b and $ 1.7 b. He noted that the higher import volume had also resulted in increased revenue for the Treasury through taxes and more..

May 20 (DM) Sri Lanka could face a major sugar supply and price crisis, along with potential price hikes in imported milk powder and other essential food items, after India suspended sugar exports and the SL Rupee continued to weaken sharply against the US Dollar, the Essential Food Importers Association warned yesterday. Association spokesman said importers are now scrambling to source sugar from alternative markets including Brazil, Thailand and several European more..

May 20 (DM) A wide-ranging bilateral discussion was held between the Minister Professor Chandana Abayarathne, and UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka Marc-André Franche, focusing on accelerating SL’s digital governance, institutional reforms, and disaster management systems. The meeting, held on Tuesday (18) at the Ministry premises in Colombo, reviewed progress on the OneRegistry programme aimed at digitalising SL’s Civil Registration & Vital Statistics system. more..

May 20 (DM) Health experts have given mixed signals over the risk of Ebola entering SL, with one specialist saying there is no immediate danger, even as he calls for stronger screening at airports and greater public caution. Federation of Doctors for Medical and Civil Rights President Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa said SL is not at risk of an Ebola outbreak, despite ongoing cases in parts of Africa. He said international reports have recorded around 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases linked to more..

May 20 (DM) SL has done impressive work on its domestic finances. We achieved a primary surplus and collected nearly 5 trillion rupees in taxes. But this success is in rupees only. Our external balance sheet – the one measured in dollars – remains dangerously weak. Official gross reserves stand at $6.76 billion (end‑April 2026). That is barely two months of imports. But even that number overstates strength, because more..

May 20 (DM) SL’s industry marked a new chapter with the launch of the SL Association of Animal Nutrition (SLAAN) at an event hosted in collaboration with the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) in Kandy earlier this month. “We established the SLAAN as a professional body dedicated to advancing the livestock industry through science, innovation and sustainability,” added SLAAN Founder President Rohitha Samarakoon. “With partners such as more..

May 20 (AD) Essential Food Importers’ Association has warned that the prices of several imported goods are likely to increase in the coming weeks due to the continuous depreciation of the SL rupee and the rising value of the US dollar. Secretary of the Association, P. Subramaniam stated that the fluctuation in exchange rates would directly impact the cost of importing essential commodities. He noted that prices of several essential food items, including sugar, dhal and rice are expected more..

May 20 (TM) Though Sri Lanka’s gross official reserves position is at $ 6.8 billion (b) as at the end of April, its $ 2.35 b in dollar obligations owed to domestic banks are not deducted from gross official reserves when calculating Net International Reserves, Deputy Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando said in Parliament. “The latest published Govt official reserve (GOR) position at the end of April 2026, is provisionally estimated at $ 6.8 b. more..

May 20 (NW) The Supreme Court has ruled that the Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation violated the fundamental rights of a senior SL Administrative Service (SLAS) officer by preventing him from assuming duties in a post he had been officially appointed to. In its judgment delivered on 19 May 2026, the Court held that Professor Kapila Perera acted arbitrarily and interfered with powers vested in the Public Service Commission (PSC), more..

May 20 (Island) Former SLPP National List MP Gevindu Cumaratunga said that the 17th anniversary of SL’s triumph over the LTTE emphasised the responsibility on the part of those who represented the legislature to protect the country’s unitary status. Paying a glowing tribute to the armed forces who brought the war to an end on 18 May and recovered LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran’s body on the following day, the ex-lawmaker said that the armed forces more..

May 20 (Island) The govt will waive the full interest on outstanding income tax payments of defaulters who settle their dues within six months, Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Nishantha Jayaweera, told Parliament yesterday. Opening the Second Reading debate on the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill, Jayaweera said provisions for the interest waiver had been incorporated into the proposed amendments to encourage tax compliance and improve revenue collection. more..

May 20 (DM) Commotion reigned in Parliament today when Opposition MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake was prevented from raising a privilege issue.Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne threatened to remove the MP from the chamber. MP Dassanayake said he has been prevented from visiting China on an official tour as a fresh case has been filed against him compelling the Judiciary to impound his passport. "You chased me when I came to your office to handover my privilege issue," more..

May 20 (AD) The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has ordered the release on bail of two suspects accused of acting as fraudulent sureties to secure bail for the late Kapila Chandrasena, who later died under suspicious circumstances, along with two others alleged to have aided and abetted the said offence. Accordingly, the suspects who were in remand custody—Mohamed Rizwan and Mohamed Irshad—along with more..

May 20 (FT) Recognising the important role that Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) play in driving SL’s economy, People’s Bank further strengthened its commitment to MSME development in 2025 by expanding its MSME business volume to Rs. 20.8 b, reinforcing its role as a key partner in the country’s economic recovery and long-term growth. As one of SL’s leading state-owned commercial banks, People’s Bank has positioned MSME development as a long-term strategic priority more..

May 20 (AD) Sri Lanka has reported approximately 2,500 thalassemia patients, while between 45 and 60 children are born annually with major thalassemia, health officials revealed. The information was disclosed during a media briefing held in conjunction with International Thalassemia Day, observed on May 8. Director of the Non-Communicable Diseases Unit at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Sriyani Alahapperuma stated that although the current number of patients more..

May 20 (AD) The new Public Library Building of the Batticaloa Municipal Council was ceremonially vested in the public this morning in the presence of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, with former MP M.A. Sumanthiran officially declaring the building open. In parallel with the opening ceremony, the official website of the library was also launched by the Prez. Addressing the gathering, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that he was more..

May 20 (AD) The Milk Powder Importers’ Association has announced an increase in the prices of imported powdered milk, citing prevailing market conditions and exchange rate fluctuations. According to the association, the price of a 400-gram packet of powdered milk has been increased by Rs. 50, while a one-kilogram packet will see a price hike of Rs. 125. The revised prices will apply to powdered milk packets packed from today (20) onwards, the association noted. more..

May 20 (NW) National Organizer of Sarvajana Balaya Dilum Amunugama has come under severe criticism on social media following remarks he made while speaking on the arrest and detention of an Atamasthanadhipathi Thera. Speaking at a media briefing, Amunugama claimed that, according to information received by the party, the arrest had been made based on a statement by a sex worker. “As we heard, Atamasthanadhipathi Thera has been arrested based on the statement made by a prostitute,” more..

May 20 (FT) SL’s next banking problem may not begin in a bank at all. This may sound counterintuitive in a country where public debate still treats the banking sector as though it were a neat, self-contained world of licenced commercial banks, tightly supervised by the Central Bank, protected by formal rules, and clearly separated from weaker financial actors. But that picture is far too tidy for the reality we now face. The real financial system is larger, messier, and far more uneven than more..

May 20 (FT) Recent legal developments show that Sri Lanka is continuing to strengthen powers for authoritarian rule rather than curb these. This year, in March alone, the Govt moved on five laws that expanded executive power - the Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Act, the Inland Revenue Amendment Bill, Suppression of Terrorist Financing Amendment Bill, Financial Transactions Reporting Amendment Bill and a Money Laundering Amendment Bill. Whilst their titles suggest more..

May 20 (AD) Politics is not something separate from development and it shapes every choice we make in governance, PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has stated. She made these remarks while addressing the 60th anniversary commemoration of the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex, Brighton during her official visit to the UK. PM and the accompanying delegation landed at London’s Heathrow more..

May 20 (NW) Police have raided an alleged illegal television and radio transmission centre operating secretly inside a high-security zone near the Ratmalana International Airport. Two suspects, including a Maldivian national, were arrested during the raid carried out by the Mount Lavinia Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau with the assistance of telecommunications authorities. Police said the centre had allegedly been operating in the Attidiya area under the cover of a travel company. more..

May 20 (AD) Eight bus drivers and one conductor have been arrested in Kalutara after being found allegedly under the influence of narcotics while on duty. The arrests were made yesterday during a joint operation conducted by officers of the Kalutara South Police Station in collaboration with the National Transport Medical Institute. The operation was carried out within the Kalutara South Police Division, where public transport bus drivers and conductors were subjected to inspections more..

May 20 (TM) Minister Anura Karunathilaka said there has been no requirement to pay demurrage charges for coal ships this year (2026) as none of the vessels arrived at the unloading point on their scheduled dates. He said that various misleading claims are currently being circulated regarding the ongoing coal unloading process and payments related to coal ships. The relevant suppliers are informed in advance about the period during more..

May 20 (FT) The rupee weakened against the US dollar in the spot market yesterday, with the indicative exchange rate closing at Rs. 326.92 per dollar compared with Rs. 325.62 previously, amid continued pressure in domestic foreign exchange market. Market participants said spot contracts traded within a range of Rs. 327.85 to Rs. 328.90 during the session, compared with the previous day’s range of Rs. 326.50 to Rs. 327.50, indicating further depreciation in local currency. more..

May 20 (Island) The govt would continue to enforce the QR code system for fuel distribution in a bid to regulate and reduce fuel consumption, amid the ongoing Persian Gulf conflict, Deputy Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando told Parliament yesterday. He said restrictions on fuel supplies had been introduced in mid-March, 2026, following the outbreak of tensions in West Asia,prompting the govt to reactivate the QR code system to regulate fuel access. more..