May 15 (TM) In the wake of several deaths reported inside prisons in the recent past, including the latest incident involving a death-row inmate linked to the killing of former MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said that the Prison authorities and the Justice Ministry are continuously taking measures to prevent such incidents. He said: “Ministry and Prison authorities are always engaged in these matters. Precautionary measures are continuously being taken and more..

May 15 (TM) Ports Ministry stated that it is in the process of addressing staff imbalances within the Ports sector, as certain divisions currently have an excess number of employees whereas others are facing shortages. Deputy subject Minister Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku said: “There are around 6,000 employees in the Ports sector. At the moment, we don’t see a general excess of employees. What we do see is that some divisions have more staff than necessary, and more..

May 15 (TM) Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) has submitted a draft to amend the country’s long-standing medical law – the Medical Ordinance, No. 26 of 1927 - with the proposed changes expected to grant the Council powers to carry out inspections and strengthen its regulatory role, according to SLMC Registrar Dr Hemantha Herath. He said that most of the existing legal provisions date back more than a century more..

May 15 (DM) A group of people who had applied for jobs in Israel staged a protest in front of the Presidential Secretariat today, demanding solutions to the difficulties faced by them who claim to have been waiting in the web system for more than 15 months after qualifying for jobs in Israel’s restaurant sector. Protesters claimed they were among the first applicants selected under the Israel Reston programme in 2024 and said more than 500 people have been affected by delay in recruitment. more..

May 15 (DM) Farmers in the Nuwara Eliya area have begun handing over their potato harvest to the govt under a special purchasing programme introduced to address the marketing difficulties faced by local potato growers. The programme, launched from May 10, enables farmers to sell their potatoes to the govt at a guaranteed price of Rs. 220 per kilogram. Under the initiative, the Cooperative Agricultural Products Collection Center in the Blackpool area of Nuwara Eliya is purchasing up to 1,000 kg more..

May 15 (FT) The IMF yesterday said it expects its Executive Board to meet within the coming weeks to consider approval of SL’s combined Fifth and Sixth Reviews under the EFF, a move that could unlock approximately $ 700 million in financing for the country. IMF Communications Dept Director Julie Kozack said the IMF team and SL authorities had reached a staff-level agreement on 9 April, although completion of the review remains more..

May 15 (DM) Claiming that there is no major disaster situation reported in the country due to the previaling rainy weather, Director of the DMC, Pradeep Kodippili said today that 104 people have been sheltered in two safe centres in the Kalutara and Puttalam districts. He said that 29 people are sheltered in Kalutara while 75 are in the Puttalam district. Kodippili said people in the Ratnapura, Galle, Moneragala, Batticaloa, Kalutara, Colombo, Puttalam & Jaffna districts have been affected more..

May 15 (NW) National War Heroes’ Day commemoration will take place on May 19 at 3 pm at the War Heroes’ Memorial in Battaramulla under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Brigadier (Rtd) S.B. Kohona, Chairman of the Ranaviru Seva Authority, said the annual ceremony honours war heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country’s freedom and independence. He noted that, while the commemoration will follow traditional practices, several special changes have more..

May 15 (FT) Vidullanka is to invest approximately Rs. 2 billion for a 49% stake in Storex Ltd., following a restructuring of the project vehicle established to develop a portfolio of grid-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects awarded by the CEB. Vidullanka and WindForce PLC said they entered into a Share Sale and Purchase Agreement and a Shareholders’ Agreement on Tuesday relating to the restructuring of Storex. Following the transaction, WindForce will hold 51% of more..

May 15 (DM) Vegetable prices are expected to increase in the coming days as adverse weather conditions continue to disrupt supplies across the country, while the Med Dept warned that the prevailing rainy conditions are likely to persist for several more days. Dept said showers are expected at times in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in the Puttalam, Galle and Matara districts, raising concerns among traders over further supply shortages and price hikes in local more..

May 15 (Island) A controversial move to release sections of the protected Thumbikulam Forest Reserve in the North Central Province for private commercial interests has triggered strong protests from environmentalists, who warn that the decision could devastate a critical elephant habitat and deepen SL’s worsening human-elephant conflict. Concerned activist Sajeewa Chamikara described the alleged attempt to alienate forest lands as more..

May 15 (FT) Lanka Metro Transit has introduced updated route services with newly added stops, effective from today (15), to improve daily travel convenience for commuters. On the Makumbura–Colombo route, new stops include Pannipitiya, Thalawathugoda, Palam Thuna Junction, and Castle Hospital. On the Makumbura–Kadawatha route, services will now cover Pannipitiya, Maharagama, Navinna, Kirulapana, Army Hospital Borella, and Dematagoda. more..

May 15 (FT) Dept of Economics at the Uni of Jaffna successfully conducted a two-day academic program on 9-10 April 2026, supported by a grant from the India–SL Foundation (ISLF). Head of the Depat of Economics Dr. Kamalakumari Karunanithy chaired the program on both days which featured two guest lectures and an interactive panel discussion, aligning with the objectives of the funded project. The events were graced by the presence of the Consul General of India in Jaffna more..

May 15 (FT) SL’s tourism industry has played down concerns over recent remarks by Indian PM Narendra Modi urging citizens to avoid non-essential overseas travel and destination weddings abroad over the coming year, insisting the move is unlikely to significantly affect arrivals from its largest source market. SL remains competitively positioned for Indian travellers due to its proximity, affordability, and strong air connectivity, more..

May 15 (NW) Jaffna Kings announced today that the team will come under the ownership of Sports Commune, led by Indian sports entrepreneurs Manjot Kalra and Mayank Goel, ahead of Lanka Premier League (LPL) Season 6. The new ownership brings together cricketing experience, entrepreneurship, youth development, digital media and grassroots sports engagement. Through Sports Commune, the owners aim to strengthen Jaffna Kings as a competitive cricket franchise while more..

May 15 (AD) The Fort Magistrate’s Court has ordered that 74 Vietnamese nationals arrested and remanded on suspicion of involvement in online financial scams be further remanded until May 21. It has been revealed that the suspects are individuals who were previously deported from Cambodia in connection with similar cybercrime-related offences. The Kollupitiya Police informed the court of these findings today (15) before Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena, said Ada Derana reporter. more..

May 15 (AD) Former Chairman of the Arachchikattuwa PS, Jagath Samantha, has been sentenced to five and a half years of imprisonment after being found guilty of assaulting the Divisional Secretary of Arachchikattuwa. Chilaw High Court delivered the verdict today. In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered the defendant to pay Rs. 1 million as compensation to the assaulted Divisional Secretary. The court further ruled that failure to pay the compensation more..

May 15 (FT) Ernst & Young (EY) SL has warned that several provisions in the proposed VAT amendments could widen tax exposure, increase compliance costs and create uncertainty for businesses, particularly in relation to digital services, financial services and passive investment income. In a tax update analysing the proposed VAT (Amendment) Bill published through Gazette Notification dated 24 April, EY said ambiguities in the draft legislation may lead to differing interpretations more..

May 15 (AD) The Registrars of the three main Buddhist chapters (Nikayas) in SL have requested 23 arrested monks, who are currently in remand custody over allegations of smuggling narcotics from Thailand, to voluntarily disrobe to return to lay life. Ven. Dr. Medagama Dhammananda Thero, Registrar of the Asgiriya Chapter, made this statement while attending a religious ceremony held today (15) to confer the title of more..

May 15 (EN) SL will have to compromise higher economic growth if it chooses to reduce the inflation target, CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe told a Parliament Panel this week. Central Bank has been formulating monetary policies based on a 5% medium term inflation target with a flexible exchange rate. Under a new Act in 2023, CB is allowed to maintain 3%-7% inflation with the 5% medium term target decided between the Bank and the country’s Finance Ministry under a 3-year agreement. more..

May 15 (NW) The BBC has identified several social media pages linked to operators in Sri Lanka and other countries that were allegedly involved in creating and amplifying AI-generated anti-immigration content targeting UK audiences. According to the investigation by BBC Panorama and the Top Comment podcast, one of the main pages identified was Great British People, which claimed to be based in Yorkshire but was found to be operated by an individual in Sri Lanka. more..

May 15 (PMD) At an industry event attended by senior govt officials, industry leaders and representatives of participating financial institutions, PM welcomed PayPal’s entry into SL as the country advances its digital economy ambitions. PM Harini Amarasuriya today welcomed the initiative by SL banks to collaborate with PayPal. PayPal services will soon be made available in SL through initial banking partners Bank of Ceylon, Commercial Bank more..

May 15 (NW) The govt is considering discontinuing the current odd-even fuel distribution system and increasing fuel quotas as part of ongoing adjustments to the national fuel management programme, officials said. The announcement came during the sixth meeting of the committee on maintaining continuity in public service, held at the PM’s Office under the leadership of PM Harini Amarasuriya. Officials confirmed that SL has sufficient fuel stocks until Aug 2026 more..

May 15 (AD) The Central Bank of SL (CBSL) has announced the launch of an online Complaint Management System (CMS), marking a significant step to facilitate the submission of complaints and grievances by financial consumers relating to Financial Service Providers (FSPs) regulated by CBSL. The CMS has been introduced with the aim of enhancing accountability, efficiency, and transparency in the complaint handling process within the regulatory framework of CBSL, more..

May 15 (FT) Sri Lanka is told it is recovering. Inflation is down, the currency has stabilised, and fiscal discipline is being restored under the guidance of the IMF. But beneath these headline gains lies a harder truth: what is being stabilised is not prosperity—it is inequality. The crisis that exploded in 2022—the SL economic crisis (2022)—was not an accident. It was the logical outcome of a system designed to extract value from labour while concentrating wealth in the hands of those who more..

May 15 (FT) My column last week was about what the Aragalaya might mean to the NPP Govt. today. In it I wrote that some of the issues which animated the unprecedented people’s movement of 2022 remain unresolved and are perhaps as urgent as ever even four years later. Hints of corruption, incompetence and blunders in policymaking, now the deep state still at work. And looking back to 9 May 2022, the question was posed again whether people’s sovereignty in Sri Lanka on that halcyon day more..

May 15 (Island) Adverse weather conditions prevailing across the country have severely affected 3,475 persons belonging to 1,113 families in seven districts, according to the DMC. 1,310 individuals from 489 families had been relocated to eight temporary safety shelters due to the deteriorating weather situation. DMC also confirmed one death from the Koralepatthu South area in the Batticaloa District. more..

May 15 (NW) Global digital payment platform PayPal is expected to begin operations in SL from today, amid growing indications of expanded support for local users. SL users are expected to be able to make int'l payments through PayPal, including payments for overseas services and online purchases, while locally issued debit and credit cards can also be linked to PayPal accounts to facilitate transactions. The platform allows users to make payments without directly sharing card more..

May 15 (Island) SL’s 1996 World Cup-winning team will arrive in Kuala Lumpur today for a series of events marking the 30th anniversary of their triumph that stunned the cricketing world. The tour, organised by Tourism Malaysia, Cricket Malaysia and the Royal Selangor Club, will feature several events spread across four days. The highlight of the visit will be a T20 game involving the World Cup-winning side on Saturday, starting at 11:30 am SL time. Match will be telecast live on Dialog TV. more..

May 15 (DM) A new crop of future SL women’s cricketers has surfaced unheralded, unsung and are currently in line to showcase themselves against the NZ second string team now touring the island having come through safe hands. Nine of the girls in the squad, known as SL A, have been cared for with parental-like dedication and virtually rescued from prowling predators that in the past caused several girls with hopes to fade into more..

May 15 (TM) Organised crime suspect Ousmand Gunasekara, alias Gampaha Ousmand, has been arrested by the Colombo Crime Division for allegedly aiding and abetting in the killing of organised crime suspect Sanjeewa Samararatne, alias Ganemulla Sanjeewa, and for allegedly supplying firearms used to carry out the murder. Police have obtained a 72-hour detention order for Gunasekera. Ganemulla Sanjeewa was shot dead inside the Colombo Number Five Magistrate’s Court more..

May 15 (FT) National Development Bank (NDB) yesterday disclosed that the Commercial High Court of the Western Province has directed the petitioner in case No. 21/2026/CO to serve notice on the bank, its Board of Directors, and its external auditors as at 31 Dec 2025, M/s Ernst & Young (EY) and its partners, with the matter returnable on 26 May. The Court has also fixed the matter for support by the petitioner. The disclosure follows a derivative action filed last week by an NDB shareholder more..