May 7 (TM) SL has an opportunity to position itself as an emerging real estate investment destination, but industry stakeholders say the country must address policy inconsistency, weak promotion, regulatory delays and investor uncertainty if it is to convert interest into capital inflows. The concerns were raised at Driving Growth Through Real Estate: 10 Year Plan, Session 1, a high-level forum organised by RIUNIT at the Colombo Port City Sales Gallery on 5 May, more..

May 7 (AD) A group of foreign nationals accused of engaging in financial scams while staying in the country in violation of visa conditions has been arrested in separate raids carried out in Colombo & Matara. In the first incident, a team of officers attached to the Kollupitiya Police Station arrested a total of 74 foreign nationals, including 41 male suspects and 33 female suspects, during a raid carried out last evening at a housing complex in the Uttarananda Mawatha area of Kollupitiya. more..

May 7 (NW) A new govt‑run Child Daycare Centre has been opened in Battaramulla, using equipment and supplies donated by the All‑China Women’s Federation to the Parliamentary Women’s Caucus. Centre, located within the premises of the Govijana Mandiraya of the Ministry of Agriculture, was inaugurated yesterday. It includes a preschool named Little Roots and operates as a joint project of the SL Parliament, Ministry of Women & Child Affairs, and Ministry of Agriculture. more..

May 7 (DM) SL’s official poverty line, the minimum monthly expenditure required per person to meet basic needs, increased to Rs. 16,690 in March 2026, according to the Dept of Census & Statistics (DCS). The latest figure reflects an increase of Rs. 119 from Feb 2026, when the national poverty line was at Rs. 16,571. However, it remained slightly below the Rs. 16,730 recorded in Jan 2026, indicating fluctuations in living costs during the first quarter of the year. more..

May 7 (AD) Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the Government has planned to introduce relevant changes in the higher education sector in alignment with the new reforms being implemented in the primary and secondary education sectors. The PM made these remarks in parliament while responding to questions raised by Member of Parliament Manjula Sugath Rathnayaka, according to the Prime Minister’s Media Division. The Prime Minister further stated: more..

May 7 (EN) The European Union‑funded Green Recovery Facility, implemented by Expertise France, is conducting a targeted capacity-building programme to strengthen national coordination of GSS+ bonds in Sri Lanka. It is part of a 200,000 euro initiative under the Facility, in collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Commission of SL (SEC), Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), Finance Ministry, and central bank. “When SL develops a strong market for green and social bonds, both sides gain. more..

May 7 (AD) Second Round of Political Consultations between Sri Lanka and the Republic of Türkiye was successfully held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye in Ankara. The consultations, held on May 05, 2026, were co-chaired by Director General of the Europe and North America Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of SL, Sugeeshwara Gunaratna and Director General for South Asia of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, more..

May 7 (NW) Opposition MP Harsha de Silva has refuted reports claiming he is considering joining the govt. “The fact that the govt seeks me is a proud moment, and I am happy. My way of politics is different. I have no issues with being called out for what is right or wrong,” he said in a video message. The SJB MP noted that some people cannot accept his style of politics, particularly the way he conducts the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance as its Chair. more..

May 7 (AD) Federation of Renewable Energy Developers (FRED), apex body of renewable energy developers in SL and an associate of the Colombo Chamber of Commerce (CCC), warns that unless the Govt steps in to resolve the financial crisis the industry is in due to the payment defaults by National System Operator (Pvt) Ltd (NSO), domestic renewable energy sector faces a natural death. Payments for renewable energy supplied to the national grid more..

May 7 (NW) President of Vietnam and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, To Lam, is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka tonight on a state visit. The state visit by the President of Vietnam is being undertaken at the invitation of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, extended during his state visit to Vietnam in 2025, in commemoration of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Vietnam. more..

May 7 (FT) Free Trade Zone Manufacturers’ Association of SL (FTZMA) has called on the PUCSL to use the current Extraordinary Electricity Tariff Review as the moment to operationalise power wheeling under Section 13 of the Sri Lanka Electricity Act, No. 36 of 2024. The Association presented this position formally at the Commission’s public consultation held at the BMICH yesterday. FTZMA in a statement said it is not seeking subsidies, concessions, or special treatment of any kind. more..

May 7 (DM) Supreme Court yesterday delivered a judgment ordering the Director General of Wildlife Conservation to initiate a replantation programme to restore cleared forest areas in the immediate vicinity of the Nakolagane Purana Raja Maha Viharaya in Ehetuwewa, in the Kurunegala District. Court further directed the authorities to institute legal proceedings to set aside any mortgage, sale, or alienation of temple property carried out in contravention of the provisions more..

May 7 (NW) Police have arrested two foreign nationals from Tajikistan in possession of US$ 5,200 in counterfeit notes, foreign currency, and five mobile phones, following a tip‑off received by the Unawatuna Police Tourist Division this morning. The suspects, aged 27 and 26, were taken into custody while staying at a lodge in Galle. The fake currency, valued at around Rs. 1.7 million, was seized during the operation. Investigations revealed that the two men had attempted more..

May 7 (AD) All Ceylon Restaurant Owners’ Association has decided to increase the prices of Fried Rice, Biryani, and Nasi Goreng by Rs. 25 with effect from midnight today. Association also announced price increases for plain tea and milk tea at restaurants operating using Laughs Gas cylinders. Chairman of the association, Harshana Rukshan, stated that around 25% to 30% of eateries and restaurants use Laughs gas cylinders and are finding it increasingly difficult to bear the rising cost of LP gas. more..

May 7 (AD) Four schools in the Deniyaya Educational Zone will remain closed tomorrow following the advice of the Governor of the Southern Province, due to the spread of a fever-related illness, says the Zonal Education Director of Deniyaya. Deniyaya Zonal Education Director Nishaka Hettigoda stated that this decision was taken as a measure to control the spread of the disease on the recommendation of health authorities. Accordingly, Deniyaya Central College, Deniyaya Rajapaksa Maha Vidyalaya, more..

May 7 (Island) Prof. Anuradhi Hapuarachchi, DBA in AI, has warned of catastrophic consequences unless remedial measures were taken urgently to deal with the theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury. The academic with the MIT asserted the possibility of even the fiscal policy being manipulated, thereby causing a major threat to the national economy. The warning was issued in a recent interview with the Finance and Economic Editor of Divaina, Shyam Nuwan Ganewatta, on ITV. more..

May 7 (DM) Parliament today approved the regulations under the Immigration and Emigration Act which would allow free visa facility for 40 countries as proposed by the govt in a move to boost tourism. Minister Ananda Wijepala told Parliament that regulations made under the Immigration & Emigration Act will provide free visa facility to 40 countries such as UK, US, Canada, Australia, NZ, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Czech, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, more..

May 7 (NW) A case has been re-filed against former CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal in the Colombo High Court, for failing to comply with a court‑ordered condition to deposit Rs. 100 million within three months. The CIABOC has re-filed the case under Section 67(5) of the Anti-Corruption Act, citing Ajith Nivard Cabraal’s failure to comply with a court-imposed condition related to the Greek bond case. Bribery Commission had earlier moved to withdraw the case on the condition that more..

May 7 (DM) The new Tamil Nadu Vettri Kazhagam administration in Tamil Nadu led by Tamil Cinema Star Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar is likely to demand Katchatheevu Island which is currently Sri Lanka, opposition MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake told Parliament. “Sri Lanka got Katchatheevu thanks to Late PM Sirimavo Bandaranaike. However SL is likely to lose it as the newly elected administration in TN could demand it and it is also likely that the SL govt may give it up,” MP said. more..

May 7 (AD) Colombo Magistrate’s Court has issued an order to arrest and produce before the court the former CEO of SriLankan Airlines, Kapila Chandrasena, who had been released on bail by the court two days ago. The arrest warrant was ordered today by Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga Bodharagama after considering a request made by the CIABOC, on the grounds that the defendant had violated bail conditions. Issuing the order, Chief Magistrate ordered the Bribery Commission more..

May 7 (DM) Health authorities have raised alarm over a growing number of skin cancer cases, urging the public to take preventive measures against excessive exposure to sunlight. Consultant oncologist Dr. Hasanthi Jayalath said approximately 35,000 cases are reported annually, with around 15,000 deaths recorded each year. She noted that nearly 100 new patients are identified daily, highlighting the increasing burden of the disease. Dr. Jayalath advised the public to use sunscreen with a high level of protection, more..

May 7 (EN) Potential German foreign direct investors will visit Sri Lanka later this month when the island nation hosts German Business Forum (GBF) 2026, the state-run BOI said. The GBF 2026 is scheduled to take place in Colombo from May 27-29 in Colombo where the BOI expects to see policy makers from both nations, business leaders and institutional stakeholders and potential German foreign direct investors, it said. “This is a significant platform to strengthen economic partnerships more..

May 7 (FT) Sri Lanka is making a dangerous mistake. It is still treating banking fraud as a series of isolated scandals, each to be explained away, contained, and forgotten. That approach no longer matches the reality of how fraud works in a modern financial system. The greater risk is not always a spectacular cyberattack or a single rogue employee. Often, the real danger grows quietly inside ordinary processes: in weak reconciliations, unexplained balances, delayed escalation, poor oversight, more..

May 7 (FT) In 2021, Sri Lanka took a bold and widely noticed decision: to ban palm oil imports and phase out domestic oil palm cultivation. The move was driven by environmental concerns and public pressure, and at the time, it appeared to signal a decisive shift toward ecological responsibility. Several years later, however, the conversation is evolving. As reflected in recent discourse, including reporting by the media, there is a growing call to reassess the decision not because more..

May 7 (DM) The Officer in charge of the Welikada Police informed the Colombo Additional Magistrate Nuwan Kaushalya that there is a suspicion whether the 120 foreign nationals who were arrested for allegedly engaging in illegal financial fraud while residing in the country without valid visas are also connected to the incident involving the misappropriation of USD 2.5 million from the Treasury by hackers. more..

May 7 (AD) General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee and Prez of Vietnam, To Lam, is scheduled to arrive in SL tonight (7) for an official visit, accompanied by a high-level delegation. The visit is being undertaken at the invitation of Prez AKD, Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced. Nearly 200 members are reportedly expected to be part of the visiting delegation. Prez To Lam is also scheduled to address the Parliament of SL tomorrow (8). more..

May 7 (AD) Sri Lanka has expressed grave concern regarding the recent hostilities in the West Asian region, including attacks on critical energy infrastructure, which affect regional stability and peace efforts. The region hosts a substantial international expatriate community including SL nationals, whose safety and wellbeing remain a matter of paramount concern for SL, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism. more..

May 7 (NW) Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekara has called on the Govt to explain why SriLankan Airlines entered into what he described as an expensive lease agreement for a 14-year-old aircraft while allegedly misleading the public into believing it was acquiring a new aircraft. Jayasekara questioned the transparency of the deal and called for an investigation, claiming the transaction amounted to a waste of public funds. more..

May 7 (DN) Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe said that the Govt has provided collateral-free loans to 1,600 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through the National Credit Guarantee Institution Ltd (NCGIL) for the first time in history. The scheme enables the providing of loans ranging from Rs. 500,000 to Rs. 25 million without traditional security. The initiative was designed to aid recovery, particularly for businesses hit by economic downturns, and more..

May 7 (DN) PM and Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya informed Parliament that the enrolment of students in Govt universities for the 2025/2026 academic year will commence from the first week of September 2026. Responding to questions in Parliament PM said that arrangements have been made to forward all student registration lists to the relevant universities by Aug 31, after the release of the university cut-off marks. more..

May 7 (Island) The heart of the beautiful Nuwara Eliya city has turned into a scene of neglect, as piles of garbage remain uncollected even after the conclusion of the April festivities. Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council had organized a series of events for the April season, which concluded on May 4. However, it has been observed that the temporary stall area and surrounding public spaces, which attracted massive crowds for the festivities, have now become a dumping ground for waste. more..

May 7 (TM) Even though SriLankan Airlines recorded a loss in 2024 and further losses were projected for 2025 and this year, a bonus payment was made in 2025 to maintain operational stability and industrial harmony, Civil Aviation Minister Anura Karunathilaka said, responding to criticism raised by Opposition MP Ravi Karunanayake. Speaking in Parliament, MP questioned the decision, pointing out that the Airline had been profitable in 2022 and 2023 but had since slipped into losses. more..