May 3 (ST) The words transparency and accountability appear dozens of times in the NPP's election manifesto – A Thriving Nation, A Beautiful Life. The number of times the words appear in the manifesto underscores the importance the party had attached to these lofty ideals back then. Events that have overtaken the country since the NPP assumed power have raised questions as to whether these words hold the same level of importance to more..

May 3 (AD) Ceypetco has announced a revision of fuel prices, effective from midnight today (2). The price of Auto Diesel has been increased by Rs. 10 to Rs. 392 per litre, and the price of Super Diesel has been increased by Rs. 15 to Rs. 458 per litre. Meanwhile, the price of Petrol 92 Octane has also been increased by Rs. 12 to Rs. 410 per litre and Petrol 95 Octane up by Rs. 15 to Rs. 470 per litre, the CPC said. Meanwhile, the price of kerosene has been hiked by Rs. 10 to Rs. 265 per litre. more..

May 3 (Island) Former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando told court on Thursday that then State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Nilantha Jayawardena was also aware of intelligence information and had acted to conceal it, while also testifying that he believed former President Maithripala Sirisena had prior knowledge of the Easter Sunday terror attacks. Fernando made the statement while giving evidence before a Trial-at-Bar in the case filed against him over alleged more..

May 3 (ST) SL investigators have reached out to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as they widen their probe into the Treasury’s US$2.5 million loss linked to an email hacking, a senior CID official said. They have also contacted a US-based cybersecurity company that specialises in detecting and mitigating email hacking and phishing attacks, he said. “We have yet to learn where the fraudulent emails originated from, more..

May 3 (ST) The CID is to forward an application to formally obtain the details it had earlier obtained via post from the University of Wolverhampton regarding the invitation sent to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The move comes after the Attorney General’s Department advised the CID to formally apply to obtain the details under the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act (No. 25 of 2002). The CID was advised by a letter signed by State Counsel Sajith Bandara. more..

May 3 (DM) Final rites of Ranga Nishantha Rajapaksa, suspended Assistant Director of the External Resources Department of the Ministry of Finance, are scheduled to take place this afternoon (2). Rajapaksa was found dead under suspicious circumstances on the morning of April 30 in the garden of his residence. His body was discovered by family members near a banana tree, showing several injuries, including cuts to his leg and arm. A small knife was recovered from the scene more..

May 3 (NW) A total of 22 youths were arrested by the Kaduwela Police for staging a reckless motorcycle stunt show near a private university along Chandrika Kumaratunga Mawatha in Malabe. The arrests were made during a raid carried out following information that a group was conducting a motorcycle display in a manner that obstructed and inconvenienced road users. Initial investigations have revealed that the group had coordinated the event through a WhatsApp group. more..

May 3 (AD) Attorney-at-Law Shiral Lakthilake says that a psychological autopsy should be conducted on the death of the Assistant Director of the Finance Ministry’s Foreign Resources Department, who was suspended in connection with the alleged misappropriation of USD 2.5 million linked to a suspected cyber theft. He further alleged that serious suspicions have arisen due to the cover-up of the relevant financial fraud for 4 months by the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance. more..

May 3 (TM) Approximately $ 625,000 from the Dept of Posts, intended for payment to the US Postal Service (USPS), had allegedly been diverted through a coordinated phishing attack involving a third-party intermediary, according to Postmaster General Ruwan Sathkumara. Minister Nalinda Jayatissa first revealed the matter during the weekly Cabinet media briefing on 28 April, hot on the heels of the controversial $ 2.5 million loss of more..

May 3 (AD) 37 Chinese nationals, including a woman, have been arrested and remanded on suspicion of engaging in online financial scams in SL. The arrests were made during a joint operation conducted by the Walana Central Anti-Vice Task Force and the Anti-Vice Unit of Thalangama Police. During the raid on a rented house in the Koswatta area of Thalangama, police officers seized a total of 35 desktop computers, 37 tablets, 147 mobile phones, 100 SIM cards and 2,100 sticks of more..

May 3 (Island) Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s #1 connectivity provider, announced that its 5G network has surpassed 1,000 live sites, marking a major milestone in the rapid expansion of nextgeneration mobile connectivity across the island. The milestone reflects Dialog’s continued progress in line with rollout commitments set by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of SL (TRCSL), with the company already achieving the 2026 rollout targets ahead of schedule. more..

May 3 (CT) The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has been named the Asia Pacific regional winner of the Circular Economy Commitment award at the sixth annual Sustainable Finance Awards presented by Global Finance, securing a significant third-party endorsement of the Bank’s commitment to sustainable and responsible banking. The award recognises leadership in advancing financing initiatives that promote the reuse and regeneration of materials and resources, thereby supporting more..

May 3 (EN) As artificial intelligence continues to be adopted across business functions and customer-facing technologies, the need for stronger governance and risk management around AI is becoming more important than ever, Deloitte SL has said. “AI adoption is accelerating across industries, but so are the associated risks. Organisations need to move beyond experimentation and focus on building structured governance around how AI systems are developed and used,” more..

May 3 (SO) The Ministry of Health will strengthen the country’s already tough regulatory stance on nicotine products with moves under way to ban e-cigarettes as part of sweeping reforms to create a tobacco-free generation. Chairman of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA), Dr. Ananda Ratnayake said that legal recommendations have been presented to Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa to more..

May 3 (MSN) The economic ties between India and neighbouring SL have been deepening over time now. Speaking about the same at WION's Global Innovation & Leadership Summit held in Colombo on Saturday, Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and John Keells Group Krishan Balendra, described Colombo as a port for India. The remark underscores Colombo's strategic importance as a key maritime hub for Indian trade and transshipment, aligning with growing more..

May 3 (SO) Risk of Dengue has increased with the health authorities reporting over 25,000 cases within the first four months of the year. 25,444 confirmed and suspected Dengue cases had been reported in the country by Friday (1). Western Province tops the list with 50% of the reported cases. Southern Province (17%), Sabaragamuwa (9%), and the Eastern Province (6%). District-wise statistics show that over 21% of the cases had been reported from the Colombo District and more..

May 3 (ST) The resignation of the Executive Committee of SLC led by Shammi Silva was presented as a smooth transition. On the surface, the exit carried out with dignity, so much so that some believe that it was a departure born of reflection. The reality, however, is different. A committee that withstood earlier attempts with great authority crumbled under pressure that finally became impossible to manage. more..

May 3 (CT) Jayaratne Stables completed a hat-trick as Armory, with Indian jockey M.S. Deora up, snatched the RTC Magic Million Cup 2026 after a thrilling battle against Governor’s Cup winner ‘Here and Now’ at the Racecourse in Nuwara Eliya last Saturday. The thrilling 1800m race got underway with five contenders battling for the prestigious silverware, with all 5 runners going neck-to-neck up until the final straight. But, it was Armory, 8-year-old mare owned by more..

May 3 (CI) Sri Lanka completed a clean sweep of Bangladesh after winning the third T20I by three runs. In the rain-affected match in Sylhet, Chamari Athapaththu once again led the visitors with an all-round show. After her 41 runs from the bat helped Sri Lanka to 87 in nine overs, she bagged took 2 for 15 with the ball when defending the total. Sent in to bat first after a two-and-a-half hour delay, Sri Lanka sped off to 40 runs in the shortened powerplay of three overs. more..

May 3 (Island) Sri Lanka’s new Interim Committee, helmed by Eran Wickramaratne, has walked out to bat amid a swell of cautious optimism, with cricket lovers hoping the ship can finally be steadied after years of choppy waters. Yet even before the ink has dried, the rumour mill has gone into overdrive, peddling the tired line that failure to hold elections within three months will invite an ICC suspension. That, to put it mildly, is a cock and bull story. Interim Committees are not alien to SLC, more..

May 3 (TM) In a sensational turn of events which almost went close to midnight on 25 April, former Sri Lanka rugby star Asanga Seneviratne unexpectedly grabbed the top position at the National Olympic Committee of SL (NOCSL) – one of the nation’s most sought-after posts – for the body’s next four-year term at its AGM. Contest for the coveted post, vacated by the NOCSL’s outgoing President Suresh Subramaniam following a straight 8-year tenure, was initially deemed a five-pronged battle. more..

May 3 (ST) JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva participated in several of the 21 May Day rallies the ruling NPP held throughout the country on Friday. While addressing crowds during the party’s Kalutara rally, he took aim at the opposition and its anti-govt protests. “They get about 10-15 people together and come and shout at some junction or in front of a house, calling on people to come and topple the govt and to wage another Aragalaya (Struggle). more..

May 3 (Island) Up to now MR’s tenure had marked a commendable level of economic growth. Most countries that come out of long wars enter a period of growth since outlays on the military can be curtailed and capital and manpower can be invested in development projects. Lending agencies and investors too are more inclined to cooperate with a govt that had restored peace to the land. Accordingly several highway projects, work on ports and airports, transport and power were undertaken more..

May 3 (Island) Another May Day was drawing to a close, and the moon was waxing at the time of writing. A rare overlap of the International Labour Day and Poya, this year, left the public confused, with the second Poya in the current month being officially declared Vesak. Opinion is however divided on the issue. It is being argued in some quarters that Vesak fell yesterday. The ongoing debate on this issue is not likely to fizzle out. On watching various political circuses that more..

May 3 (ST) My dear Shammi, I thought of writing to you because the whole country is talking about you now. That is after you decided to resign after being in charge of cricket for over seven years. I’m sorry to say this, but most people are very happy to see you go. That must surely mean something. In recent years, there was a popular view that we can even change our country’s leaders and amend its Constitution but we can’t change you being in charge of our cricket. more..

May 3 (CT) The ousting of Shammi Silva and his executive committee isn’t just a change of guard; it is a long-overdue clean-bowled for an administration that spent too long playing for the wrong side. For years, the leadership at Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has been operating on a sticky wicket, struggling to justify a series of unforced errors that have left the nation’s most prized institution in a state of administrative collapse. While the board frames this exit as a voluntary move, more..

May 3 (CT) The show of power that was Int'l Labour Day clearly proved the sitting NPP Govt the winner. Nearly two years into their governance, the young govt, facing its worst test since taking power, made sure that the people and the naysayers in the Opposition did not enjoy the loss of support they wished upon it. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressed a ground filled to capacity on Friday in Nuwara Eliya in a clear bid to assure more..

May 3 (ST) May Day – the day dedicated to the workers of the world, started in America – is now commemorated in that country in September as a public holiday. The significance of the day was to be taken over by the Marxist states of yesteryear, but they have since embraced private enterprise and given up massive political rallies, instead turning the day into one of festivities. Unfortunately, there is no international day dedicated to the unemployed. In SL, May Day became a political more..

May 3 (CT) The apparent suicide of an Assistant Director of the External Resources Department of the Ministry of Finance, who was among the four officials suspended over the alleged USD 2.5 million cyber fraud, adds personal tragedy to a growing public concern about the overall competence of the NPP govt and its stubborn inability to come clean, without having to be exposed, and explain the not infrequent infringements of govt protocols and procedures. more..

May 3 (TM) There is a certain rhythm now to the life of the Govt led by Prez AKD. It is one that is less about governance and more about endurance amidst multiple crises, some created by the ruling party and Govt members themselves. The cycle so far is one that follows the trend of a crisis that erupts, dominates public attention, is hurriedly contained most often by AKD’s direct intervention, and just as the dust begins to settle, more..

May 3 (TM) Power has a peculiar way of transforming those who wield it. For decades, JVP built its political identity not through governance, but through resistance. From its inception in the 1960s, the party’s central mission was opposition: to challenge, disrupt, and, when necessary, dismantle the authority of successive govts. That opposition has taken many forms – street protests, trade union action, mass mobilisations, and, at its most extreme, armed insurrections that left deep scars more..

May 3 (SO) SL marks World Press Freedom Day today (3), this year with a meaningful improvement. Country has climbed five places in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, ranking 134th out of 180 countries. This is an improvement from 2025, when SL ranked 139th. This upward movement, under the NPP Govt, suggests that the climate for journalists is beginning to change. Yet, no democratic society should mistake a better ranking for a settled achievement. A country placed 134th still has more..