May 25 (DM) Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus has decided to examine the ongoing legal proceedings and matters relating to the protection of the girl involved in the sexual abuse incident reported from the Anuradhapura area. The decision has been taken during the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus meeting chaired by Minister Saroja Paulraj, held in Parliament today. A special discussion has been scheduled for June 5, with the participation of relevant institutions more..

May 25 (AD) It has been reported that a convict sentenced to death and imprisoned in connection with the abduction, gang rape, and murder of 18-year-old schoolgirl Sivaloganathan Vidya in the Jaffna District in 2015 has died by suicide. The deceased has been identified as 46-year-old Poobalasingham Jeyakumar. The inmate, who was being held at Jaffna Prison, died by suicide last night. On May 6, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the death sentences imposed by a 3-member High Court trial-at-bar more..

May 25 (NW) Health Ministry has issued a special set of guidelines to all health sectors and institutions on controlling and preventing the spread of Enteroviral Meningitis, amid concerns over its spread in schools and community-based settings. The guidelines include information on suspected symptoms, clinical diagnosis and classification, modes of transmission, treatment and laboratory testing, public health practices, school-based precautions, clinical management & community-level control measures. more..

May 25 (FT) Govt has invited Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from eligible investors for the development and optimal utilisation of underutilised lands and properties owned by key State plantation entities, as part of broader efforts to modernise and diversify the plantation sector. The initiative covers lands and properties belonging to Janatha Estates Development Board (JEDB), SL State Plantations Corporation (SLSPC) & Elkaduwa Plantations (EPL). more..

May 25 (Island) A Sectoral Oversight Committee of Parliament has decided to seek the assistance of the German, Japanese and Chinese Embassies in Sri Lanka, as well as the Indian High Commission, to secure training opportunities for local officials on new technologies used in power plants in those countries. The decision was announced at a recent meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Resource Sustainability, chaired by MP Hector Appuhamy more..

May 25 (AD) All insurance-related documents are expected to be digitized in the future under the ongoing vehicle insurance card digitization initiative, according to Dinusha Thilanka, Chairman of the General Insurance Forum of the Insurance Association of SL. Thilanka stated that physical insurance cards currently issued for vehicles will eventually be discontinued. Instead, insurance companies will issue digital insurance cards. He noted that motorists will be able to access more..

May 25 (AD) The renovated butterfly garden at the Ridiyagama Safari Park in Hambantota will be reopened to the public from June 3. The butterfly garden had remained inactive for a long period due to inadequate maintenance. Authorities have now renovated the facility in line with World Environment Day celebrations. The Director General of the Department of National Zoological Gardens, Dr. Chandana Rajapaksa, revealed the details during a media briefing held today (25). more..

May 25 (Island) Police are conducting investigations to ascertain whether the 21 suspects deported from the UAE have links to SL politicians. DIG in charge of the Colombo Crime Division (CCD), Nishantha de Zoysa, said five of the deportees had been identified as hardcore criminals and two were wanted under Interpol Red Notices. Among those deported are drug traffickers Wanathe Kudu Duminda and Mahawatte Chamara. Police said the two suspects had been arrested during more..

May 25 (FT) SL’s apparel exports registered a weaker performance in April, with earnings declining 4.72% year-on-year (YoY) to $ 328.15 million from $ 344.4 million a year earlier, reflecting continued pressure in several major export markets. According to the JAAF, the slowdown was mainly driven by weaker demand from traditional markets including the UK, EU, and the US. Exports to the UK fell by 16.91% YoY to $ 44.82 million during April, more..

May 25 (DM) Attorney General’s Department today informed the Supreme Court that the Attorney General is expected to file indictments against former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon over his alleged failure to prevent the attacks on protesters at Galle Face on May 9, 2022. Deputy Solicitor General Suharshi Herath, appearing for the Attorney General, informed Court that indictments against Deshabandu Tennakoon are expected to be filed within one month. more..

May 25 (FT) SL last week unveiled South Asia’s first solar hybrid bakery oven, marking a major milestone in the country’s renewable energy and sustainable development journey. The launch introduced a solar hybrid bakery oven integrating both solar and biogas energy sources, designed to ensure uninterrupted operations despite unpredictable weather conditions. The initiative was spearheaded by Incitare Sri Lanka and the Global Rethinking Finance Collaborative (GRFC), more..

May 25 (AD) SL’s total exports, comprising both merchandise and services, reached US$ 1,380.93 million in April 2026, recording a year-on-year growth of 6 % compared to April 2025, EDB has stated. According to provisional data, together with estimated figures for Gems & Jewellery and Petroleum Products, merchandise exports in April 2026 increased by 9.87% to US$ 1,063.77 million. Earnings from services exports were estimated at US$ 317.16 million in April 2026, more..

May 25 (DM) Govt of India today officially handed over a consignment of 134 single cabs donated to the SL Police under the Indo–SL Friendship Programme to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat. The donation, valued at approximately Rs. 300 million, is intended to strengthen policing services in the Northern Province, with the vehicles scheduled to be distributed among police stations in the region. Speaking at the event, Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha said more..

May 25 (NF) SL has granted free tourist visas to nationals of 40 selected countries, effective from today, in a bid to boost visitor arrivals and strengthen the country’s travel sector. Under the new policy, eligible travellers can obtain a 30-day tourist visa through the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system without any fee. Scheme applies to individuals holding diplomatic, official, service, or ordinary passports from the designated countries, which include major global markets more..

May 25 (DM) SL Police have implemented a special islandwide security plan in view of the Hajj Festival, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, which falls on May 28. IGP has instructed all police stations to take necessary steps to ensure the safety of Muslim devotees participating in religious activities. Officers will be deployed at major mosques and surrounding areas where special prayers will be held. A special traffic plan will also be implemented to reduce congestion around mosques more..

May 25 (ST) SL has begun screening police and army personnel for deployment as peacekeepers to Haiti, after receiving UN approval for a contingent of about 900 soldiers. Minister Vijitha Herath said that following consultations with the UN and the work of an interministerial committee, the screening process has begun to select candidates and send them to Haiti before the end of the month. He said the screening process was meant to ensure that those selected faced no allegations of more..

May 25 (EN) Central Bank has urged the public not to be misled on the money printing claim by certain parties who it claimed do not posses technical knowledge to analyse such numbers. CB’s request comes after claims that its failure to mop up the rupee to keep the interest rates low had increased the demand for imports and resulted in the recent sharp depreciation of the rupee currency. “Money printing, money supply, and the determination of exchange rates more..

May 25 (DM) The Colombo Magistrate’s Court today ordered that further evidence in the case filed against Shashi Weerawansa, wife of former Minister Wimal Weerawansa, over allegations of obtaining an irregular diplomatic passport by submitting forged documents, be taken up on July 24. The case was taken up today before Colombo Magistrate Liyan Warusawithana, during which the accused, Shashi Weerawansa, who is currently out on bail, appeared before court. more..

May 25 (NW) Minister Vijitha Herath has commenced an official visit to New Zealand and Australia from May 26 to June 3, following invitations from the two govts. A key highlight of the visit will be the official opening of SL’s new High Commission in Wellington, NZ. The mission will provide diplomatic and consular services to more than 30,000 Sri Lankans living in NZ. During the visit, Herath is scheduled to meet NZ Foreign Minister Winston Peters and several senior govt ministers. more..

May 25 (AD) Former Minister Wimal Weerawansa, who was arrested by the Thalangama Police earlier today (25), has been granted bail by the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court. He was released on a surety bail amounting to Rs. 500,000. Former Minister Weerawansa was arrested this morning after arriving at the Thalangama Police Station to provide a statement regarding a recent incident that occurred near the National War Heroes’ Monument in Battaramulla. more..

May 25 (ST) The govt is looking at additional measures to curb expenditure, such as cutting back on the import of non-essential goods and reverting to some measures taken in the wake of the 2022 economic crisis, a senior govt official said. The measures could include extending the three-month period during which a 50% surcharge on vehicle customs duties was imposed last week, aimed at discouraging imports and easing pressure on the SL rupee, heavily impacted by the West Asian conflict. more..

May 25 (AD) The govt has declared five forests as protected reserves in conjunction with World Environment Day. Speaking at a media briefing held today to raise awareness of World Environment Day 2026, Minister Dr. Dammika Patabendi stated that, in addition to these declarations, measures are also underway to designate the Moolagiya Ulpath area as a protected reserve. Accordingly, Ritigala, Aliyawetuna Wewa, Bulagala, Konketiyawa and Kallanchiya forests have been declared reserves. more..

May 25 (FT) CEB is once again undergoing restructuring—this time with the stated objective of improving cost efficiency and delivering long-promised benefits to SL taxpayers and electricity consumers. The proposed reforms center on the functional unbundling of the utility into generation, transmission, distribution, system operations, and asset management. At one level, this marks a long-awaited shift. For years, the CEB has been portrayed as a financially bleeding state-owned enterprise—inefficient, more..

May 25 (FT) SL rupee against the US dollar, the currency to which the rupee has been pegged, is falling and, given the global and local circumstances, it has been unavoidable. As at the end of business on 22 May 2026, CB’s indicative rates for telegraphic transfers, or TTs, stood at Rs. 343 for the buying of dollars and Rs. 353 for the selling of dollars, with a mid-rate of Rs. 348 as the official exchange rate. This rate is applicable to the previous day, calculated by taking the average weighted by more..

May 25 (FT) In remarkable turnaround of events for the Sri Lankan rupee, respected financial news agency Bloomberg said the currency has surged against the dollar, snapping a 9-day losing streak to become Asia’s best-performing currency on Friday. The rupee strengthened as much as 2.7%, its biggest gain since March 2023, reversing losses from Thursday when it slid to a three-year low. more..

May 25 (NF) Ministry of Health says that the fever condition reported from several areas of the island has been identified as meningitis. Secretary to the Ministry of Health, Dr. Anil Jasinghe, stated that spinal fluid tests carried out on the reported patients have revealed that the majority of those affected are children. Fever, headache, vomiting and nausea, stiffness around the neck, and difficulty in exposing oneself to sunlight have been identified as symptoms of meningitis. more..

May 25 (SO) All investigations with regard to the sexual assault allegation case against the Most Ven. Atamasthanadipathi Thera are proceeding according to due process without any interference from any quarter, Police said. Western Province North DIG Kalinga Jayasinghe told a media briefing yesterday (23) that the incident first came to light after the mother of the victim informed the Nittambuwa Police that her daughter had run away to Nittambuwa and was staying somewhere in the area. more..

May 25 (FT) Central Bank announced that its Governing Board has decided to introduce a maximum loan-to-value (LTV) ratio for credit facilities applicable to motor vehicle financing and loans secured by gold with effect from today. Under the new directions, a maximum LTV ratio of 70% has been imposed on credit facilities secured by gold collateral granted by Licenced Banks and Licenced Finance Companies, more..

May 25 (DN) The gallant SL Tuskers came within seconds of creating history before a heartbreaking last-minute try handed world No. 23 Hong Kong China national rugby union team a dramatic 15 points (one goal, one try, one penalty) to 14 (two goals) victory over 48th-ranked SL national rugby union team in their Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship 2026 clash at the Racecourse Stadium yesterday after leading 3-0 at the breather. SL, who had never beaten Hong Kong before more..

May 25 (Island) The much-delayed Provincial Council (PC) elections cannot be held this year due to financial and legal constraints, JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva has said in Jaffna.Silva said so, fielding questions from journalists after the opening of the NPP coordination office in the Jaffna District on Saturday. When asked whether the govt was under Indian pressure to conduct the Provincial Council elections soon, Silva answered in the negative, claiming that more..

May 25 (FT) The Government has amended its recent Gazette Notification on vehicle imports to ensure that the 50% surcharge on Customs duties also applies to Letters of Credit (LCs) opened on or before 15 May if amendments were made after the Gazette came into effect. Under the original Gazette, the tax increase did not apply to LCs opened on or before 15 May. However, the amended Gazette, effective from 18 May, brings altered LCs within the scope of the surcharge. more..

May 25 (Island) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued a policy memo directing that temporary visa holders (such as students, tourists, and temporary workers) who wish to obtain a U.S. Green Card must now return to their home countries and complete the process through consular processing via the US Dept of State. This sweeping policy ended the longstanding practice of adjustment of status from inside the United States, requiring applicants to leave the country more..