May 17 (AD) Former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe says that the submissions made with reference to him in court today by the Counsel for the Bribery Commission is a wilful misleading of the Court and that he is consulting his lawyers regarding the action to be taken. The former Prez stated that the media reports highlighting submissions alleged to have been made in Court by the Counsel for CIABOC with reference to him, does not mention that the application to cancel bail already granted more..

May 17 (DN) Central Bank of SL issued Circular No. 02 of 2025 on 7 May, mandating that all licensed commercial and specialised banks report any significant information technology or cybersecurity event that disrupts core banking functions, results in unauthorized access to customer data, or facilitates fraudulent transactions. The directive references Banking Act Direction No. 16 of 2021 on technology risk management and resilience, thereby embedding this requirement within an established more..

May 17 (DN) Sri Lanka’s young boxing stars lit up the ring on the fifth day of the ASBC Asian Under-22 and Youth Boxing Championships at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo yesterday, with three fighters storming into the semi-finals. Umayanga Mihiran, Asehan Karunanayaka, and Deshan Jayasundara produced superb performances to keep local hopes alive in front of an enthusiastic home crowd. more..

May 17 (CT) An amount of Rs 2.07 million was fraudulently siphoned from the toll revenue of the Southern Expressway by 16 officials who were on duty between 2021 and 30 August 2023, according to a senior officer at the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation. The official said that the expressway’s toll system, which was initially introduced as a temporary measure in 2011, has continued to operate without adequate oversight or technological upgrades for over a decade. more..

May 17 (DM) The govt will not accept sending of migrant workers to places in Palestine which are held by Israel, Minister Bimal Ratnayake said. He said that Sri Lanka continues to hold its stance for a free Palestinian State and said that SL will not approve of hostilities by Israel against Palestine. Responding to a question on MP Rauff Hakeem’s recent statement that SL should stop sending migrant workers to Israel, Minister said Hakeem had been in several govts as a Minister but more..

May 17 (DM) Transport & Highways Ministry expressed their displeasure over the sudden train strike launched by SL Railways Station Masters' Union (SLRSMU), which caused inconvenience to the public. Ministry stated that the strike was launched based on two demands: promoting Station Masters every five years and halting measures for new recruitments. Communiqué further noted that Cabinet approval was granted at the beginning of this year for 909 recruitments to Railways more..

May 17 (AD) More details have been revealed regarding the shooting incident that took place last evening (16) in front of a residence on Sumithrarama Road, within the Kotahena Police Division. According to police, two unidentified individuals on a motorcycle opened fire on a man and a woman who were standing in front of a residence and fled the area. Both victims sustained injuries in the incident and were admitted to the Colombo National Hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds. more..

May 17 (HRW) This Sunday (18), marks 16 years since the SL govt defeated the LTTE, ending an armed conflict that had raged for 26 years. But while the fighting has long been over, the battle for justice for Tamil women victims continues. Both sides in the conflict committed countless atrocities. Among the victims were female LTTE fighters and other Tamil women captured by govt soldiers before being stripped, sexually mutilated, and killed more..

May 17 (AD) General Manager of SL Railways, Dhammika Jayasundara, announced that train services will be limited to short-distance routes such as Galle, Negombo, and Veyangoda today (17). Accordingly, all long-distance train services have been suspended, he said. This decision follows a one-day token strike launched by railway station masters at midnight yesterday in response to several unresolved demands. Chairman of the Railway Station Masters’ Union, Sumedha Somaratne, more..

May 17 (FT) The International Day of Vesak 2025 was celebrated by the Member States of UNESCO with a Symposium themed Buddhist Cosmopolitanism and Exchange along the Silk Road: Interplay between Buddhism and Trade in Ancient Asia, on the full moon day of Vesak of 12 May 2025 at UNESCO headquarters. The symposium was organised by the Permanent Delegation of Sri Lanka in association with UNESCO. more..

May 17 (CT) Officers working at the grassroots level in child protection system allege that many school authorities are failing to support the operation of child protection committees, established nationwide to safeguard children from all forms of abuse. Ministry of Education issued Circular titled School Child Protection Committees: ‘Surekum Pawwa’ (The Shield of Protection), on 10 May 2011. It instructed all provincial chief secretaries, more..

May 18 (SO) Today, SL marks the 16th anniversary of the end of the Eelam War. The formal ceremony in this regard will be held at the War Heroes Memorial in Battaramulla tomorrow. Now it is marked along the lines of a remembrance day where we remember with gratitude the sacrifices made by members of the Tri Forces and Police/STF to bring peace to the Motherland by eradicating terrorism. The Nation is forever in their debt. Moreover, it is a day to remember all those who perished during more..

May 18 (TM) Almost two weeks after the LG Elections, it appears that Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake is yet to come to terms with the people’s verdict. In every speech made since, he has attempted to paint the results as a resounding victory for his NPP even though the results indicate a 34% decline in support compared with the Parliamentary Polls 6 months ago. Although attempting to show a brave face, it is apparent that the Prez is seething over the performance more..

May 18 (TM) The nucleus of the ruling NPP, the JVP, reached a milestone last week when it marked its 60th anniversary with a rally held on Wednesday (14) at the Viharamahadevi Open-Air Theatre. The event was held without much fanfare with JVP/NPP Leader, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) taking centre stage and making history as the first Prez produced by the JVP in its 60-year history. It was however noticeable more..

May 18 (ST) The skewed local govt election system has thrown up hung councils around the country, forcing mainstream political parties to desperately strike deals to form majorities, going back on their lofty pledges of yesteryear not to do so come hell or high water. The arrogant pledges from political pulpits not to strike deals with rogues from the other camp have to be set aside, as the election results have forced the parties to eat humble pie. Politics is, after all, the art of the possible and more..

May 18 (ST) My dear Saroja, I didn’t think I will write to you so soon but I feel I should. This is after hearing you speak about the sad passing away of a schoolgirl under questionable circumstances, some of which comes under your watch. Your response received widespread disapproval and you may be wondering what went wrong. To begin with, it appears that when matters were first brought to the notice of the girl’s school, nothing much was done and the teacher at the centre of this issue more..

May 18 (ST) It was only the other day that Minister Vijitha Herath said how happy he was to see that Gary Anandasangaree had become Minister of Justice and AG of Canada. This week, Minister Herath had to summon Canadian HC and convey his Govt’s strong rejection of unfounded genocide allegations against SL following the construction of a monument in Canada that was dedicated to such purported genocide. more..

May 18 (FT) Attention is drawn to the following public announcement on 7 May 2025: Technical expert committee chaired by a Supreme Court judge is to study the need for new laws to establish an Independent Prosecutors office and recommend amendments to existing laws as needed – newsfirst.lk. Composition of the Committee, its detailed terms of reference, scope, limitations and objectives; as well as the proposed structure and focus for development of the reform strategy, more..

May 18 (CT) Addressing the annual The Hindu Huddle Conversations in Bengaluru last week, former SL Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe said that India and Indians should reimagine the region beyond sub-continental South Asia. Then, and only then, could their nation become the third arm of a tri-polar world that has been in the making since the end of the Cold War. Wickremesinghe went on to say that India should go and grow beyond Pakistan-based cross-border terrorism to be able to more..

May 18 (CT) Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 has welcomed four SL cricketers as replacement players, injecting fresh talent and experience into the tournament. As teams look to strengthen their squads for the remainder of the season, the arrival of these players is expected to make a significant impact. Quetta Gladiators have made a strong move by signing two key players. Avishka Fernando has joined the squad, who is known for his aggressive stroke play and ability to provide quick starts. more..

May 18 (ST) The writ application filed by SL cricket white-ball captain Charith Asalanka, and Sri Lanka Test captain Dhananjaya de Silva, and a separate writ application filed by Chamari Athapaththu, the captain of the national women’s cricket team will be taken up again on May 22 at the Court of Appeal. The hearing of the case took place on Thursday the Court of Appeal for consideration, where President’s Counsel Dr. Harsha Cabral and Counsel Nishan Premathiratne appeared on behalf more..

May 18 (AFP) A commando in an elite SL police unit, Sameera Dilshan has an unusual mission -- to reclaim farms poisoned by salt, a long-standing problem now accelerating due to climate change. Increasing salinity is slowly and steadily swallowing traditional rice paddies along the island's coastline, taking away the livelihood of generations of farmers. Two hours' drive of Colombo lies Katukurunda, one of the camps of more..

May 18 (Island) We do not apologize for running several articles in this week’s issue of our newspaper on the bus tragedy at Garandi Ella last week that took 23 lives and left many more injured. The survivors included a baby girl who early reports said had been protected by her mother, shielding her against the pre-dawn cold, with her own body before rescuers reached her. This was corrected with later reports clarifying that it was not the baby’s mother, but a fellow-passenger on the bus, more..

May 18 (ST) Reading regular news reports, one comes to the conclusion that almost all principal sports in the country are mired in the doldrums, riddled with never ending conflicts, that never seem to resolve, but gain a momentum of its own. Much has been written and deliberated in sports forums, but no concerted action seems to take place. Ministry of Sports appears helpless and many administrations over several years have raised the question, is a MoS really needed? more..

May 18 (ST) SL national rugby team head coach Sanath Martis who resigned following the two-match test series against NZ U85kg team, stated that his decision to step down was prompted by criticism directed at him, his coaching staff, and the team selectors by Priyantha Ekanayake, head of the National Sports Council. “The Chairman of the National Sports Council openly criticised the national coaching staff and selection committee, and threw us under the bus with his comments,” more..

May 18 (TN) Team of SL veterinary experts, led by Dr Buddika Bhandara and committee member Yusra Askari, arrived in Karachi on Friday for a 17-day visit to assess the health of two female elephants, Madhubala and Malika, at Safari Park. The team is conducting a thorough health examination of the elephants as part of their ongoing medical treatment. During a briefing at Safari Park, Dr Bhandara stated that the elephants are being monitored every two months and their treatment is continuing more..

May 18 (ST) Sri Lanka’s young boxers fought with heart and courage but fell short of reaching the finals, settling for four hard-earned bronze medals as the ASBC Asian U22 and Youth Boxing Championships continued at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in yesterday. In a tense and action-packed afternoon, four Sri Lankans entered ring in the semi-final bout, hoping to fight their way into the gold medal bouts. more..

May 18 (TM) Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) Competent Authority (CA) Shemal Fernando has said that he will make an official request via the Sports Minister tomorrow from National Men’s Rugby Team Head Coach Sanath Martis to reconsider his recent decision to resign. Fernando, who is also the Director General (DG) of Sports, stated that it was most unfortunate that Martis had decided to quit his post. The veteran coach, who was serving voluntarily, quit his post in the past week more..

May 18 (EN) Foreign investors sold $4.6 million dollars worth Sri Lanka government securities in the week ended on May 15. The selling comes after two straight weeks of buying. The rupee has fallen slightly since Donald Trump’s tariff declaration while global investors have been shifting to safe-havens like gold. Globally investors have largely been a positive in the week, as they cheered a tariff truce between US and China that greatly reduces the risk of a global recession. more..

May 18 (TM) The long-awaited $ 3.7 billion mega-scale oil refinery project in Hambantota, led by Chinese energy giant Sinopec, is facing further delays as an agreement on tax concessions between the Govt and Sinopec is yet to be finalised. Ministry of Energy Secretary Udayanga Hemapala, confirming the delay of the project, said: “Govt called for Requests for Proposal (RFPs) and only four were received. more..

May 18 (TM) The much-anticipated amendments to the Online Safety Act (OSA) will be tabled in Parliament within a month, according to Minister Ananda Wijepala. A committee comprising officials from the Ministries of Public Security, Mass Media, and Justice was initially tasked with drafting changes to the controversial legislation. Following extensive deliberations, the draft had been handed over to the Ministry of Mass Media for further refinement, and subsequently to the Ministry of Justice for more..

May 18 (AD) PM Harini Amarasuriya stated that the development of a country depends on the productive contribution its citizens make towards the nation. The inauguration ceremony for the launch of the National Productivity Awards Competition 2025/2026 was held at the main hall of Temple Trees, under the patronage of the PM. During the event, the competition for the Education Sector was declared by PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, while for the Public Sector by Minister Sunil Handunnetti, and more..

May 18 (AD) Two unidentified men on a motorcycle have opened fire at a vehicle carrying the former Executive Director of the National Lotteries Board (NLB), Thusitha Halloluwa, and his lawyer at Dabare Mawatha in Narahenpita earlier today. No casualties or injuries were reported from the shooting incident, according to the police. However, it was later revealed that Halloluwa was assaulted following the incident and was subsequently admitted to hospital with injuries. Additionally, more..

May 18 (TM) The long-awaited $ 3.7 billion mega-scale oil refinery project in Hambantota, led by Chinese energy giant Sinopec, is facing further delays as an agreement on tax concessionieving the salt shortage, a stock of 2,800 MT of salt is expected by tomorrow, according to Ministry of Trade, Commerce & Food Security. Deputy Minister R.M. Jayawardana said: “We were informed that 2,800 MT of salt, an order which was placed earlier, will arrive by Monday.” A price reduction was also expected, while noting that slight delays could still occur. He said that upon the arrival of stocks, units which were currently sold at Rs. 400 could be brought down to the Rs. 100 mark. more..

May 18 (DM) The govt today refuted reports regarding the second phase of the vehicle sale conducted through a tender process by the Presidential Secretariat on May 15, claiming that all procedures related to this sale were carried out in accordance with the Asset Management Circular 05/2024. Presidential Secretariat said in a statement that the tender sale adhered to the govt's open tender procedure, with the announcement more..

May 18 (AD) A special training workshop was held today (17) at the President’s Media Centre (PMC) for officials in charge of implementing activities related to the President’s Fund across Divisional Secretariats in the Western Province. Programme aimed to further enhance the decentralization of the services of the President’s Fund at the divisional level. This workshop brought together subject officers from all Divisional Secretariats in the Colombo, Kalutara and Gampaha districts, more..