May 3 (ST) The destruction of human and elephant lives, and property has continued unabated over 5 years, according to data from wildlife authorities. Electrocution has become the biggest killer of elephants. According to DWC, in 2020 and 2021, the largest number of elephants died from Hakka Pattas (jaw bombs) and gunshot. From 2022 to April 9, this year most elephants died by gunshot and electrocution. Electrocution emerged as the single most frequent killer, more..

May 3 (DM) A proposed increase in US tariff rates on rubber products could devastate SL’s export sector, risking 150,000 livelihoods and destabilising rural economies, SL Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Rubber Products (SLAMERP) Chairman Pushpika Jamnadhira cautioned. Jamnadhira urged the govt to secure equitable tariff terms to avert industry collapse. SL’s rubber sector, which exports gloves, solid/pneumatic tyres, and tyre components, faces severe competitive more..

May 3 (CT) Trade unions have jointly urged the Govt to raise the national minimum wage to at least Rs 50,000, warning that failure to do so would compel them to take united trade union action in the near future. They voiced strong opposition to a proposal to set the national minimum wage at Rs 27,000 for the private sector, especially in light of a budgetary decision to increase the minimum monthly basic salary in the public sector from more..

May 3 (EN) SL’s Commercial Bank of Ceylon said it had opened a representative office in the Dubai International Financial Centre becoming the first bank from the island to have a presence in the UAE. The Representative Office will serve as a point of contact for the Bank’s clients in Sri Lanka, as Bangladesh and the Maldives, who have operations in the UAE. “To achieve our strategic vision and the growth we are inherently capable of, we have to expand our global footprint, more..

May 3 (DN) Paceman Isitha Wijesundara had a match bag of 10 wickets (6 for 35 and 4 for 75) as Sri Lanka A registered a 308-run win over Afghanistan A in their 4-day unofficial Test match played in Abu Dhabi yesterday. Chasing a daunting target of 615 runs for victory, Afghanistan A were bowled out for 306 runs with 18 overs to spare on the final day, sealing a significant win for SL A in this solitary unofficial 4-day Test. SL A paceman Isitha Wijesundara, who took 6 for 35, more..

May 3 (FT) Tariff turmoil shatters business confidence, business magazine LMD reports, in its soon to be released May edition. The magazine notes that business sentiment has nosedived, leaving the record-equalling highs of recent months in the rear-view mirror. The LMD-PEPPERCUBE Business Confidence Index (BCI) fell substantially in April – following its record-equalling high of 204 in Feb – shedding 25 basis points to settle at 172, from 197 in March, LMD observes. more..

May 3 (IJ) Sri Lanka has experienced significant political change in recent times. The election of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Sept 2024 and a parliamentary vote that followed in November emphasized people's desire for improved governance and better economic management. Yet the lasting impacts of the NPP’s rise to power remain unclear and the road to deeper reform is far from assured. more..

May 3 (Island) In line with a broader, more inclusive approach and in alignment with evolving global standards, CSE announces the launch of the GSS+ Bonds Regulatory Framework, effective March 2025. This marks the first comprehensive regulatory framework in SL dedicated to thematic bonds. Under this initiative, the term Sustainability Bonds in the CSE Listing Rules has been replaced with GSS+ Bonds, which now encompasses Green, Blue, Social, Sustainability, and other related more..

May 3 (NW) 16 years after the end of SL’s war, landmines continue to pose a threat to communities in the Northern and Eastern provinces, with around 23 square kilometers of land still contaminated and inaccessible. PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, addressing a Donor Coordination and Appreciation Ceremony in Colombo today (2), stressed that the removal of landmines is a national imperative, not just a humanitarian task. She said the process is essential to restoring dignity, livelihoods, more..

May 3 (FT) Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne on Wednesday endorsed the certificate on the Proceeds of Crime Bill in Parliament. The Bill was presented to Parliament for the First Reading on 1 March. The debate on the Second Reading of the Proceeds of Crime Bill was held on 8 April, and following the Second Reading debate, the Bill was considered at the Committee Stage. Thereafter, the Bill was passed in Parliament without a division and without amendments, following 3rd Reading. more..

May 3 (CT) A segment of land previously under the control of the SL military in the Jaffna District was officially released to civilians yesterday (1). At an official ceremony held at the Jaffna District Secretariat at 11:30 a.m., Jaffna Security Forces Commander, Major General Y.A.M.B. Yahampath, handed over the land release permits to Jaffna District Secretary, M. Piratheepan. Speaking at the event, District Secretary stated that approximately 40.7 acres of land were released more..

May 3 (DM) A businessman who owns a vehicle sales showroom in Wariyapola was ordered to be remanded till 9 May by Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali for allegedly causing a loss of over Rs. 50 million in unpaid taxes to the govt. Businessman was arrested over a major fraud involving the registration of luxury vehicles imported illegally through the Customs Dept. He is accused of submitting fraudulent data more..

May 3 (AD) Suspect believed to be the gunman involved in the murder of political activist Dan Priyasad has been arrested in the Cinnamon Gardens area of Colombo. Convenor of the Nawa Sinhale National Movement and political activist, Dan Priyasad, was shot at the Laksanda Sevana Housing Complex in Wellampitiya on Tuesday (22). He was initially admitted to Colombo National Hospital with gunshot wounds, but passed away shortly after due to the severity of his injuries. more..

May 3 (CT) ITAK Spokesman M.A. Sumanthiran criticised the NPP Govt during the May Day rally yesterday (1), urging them to return to Leninist ideology, implement wage increases, and warning that failure to do so would soon result in losing the support of the people. “From the past to the present, the only party that has consistently worked for the workers in this country is the ITAK. We are the main party that has earned the trust and confidence of the Tamil people,” said Sumanthiran. more..

May 3 (DM) The death of a student at Sabaragamuwa Uni by suicide over reasons allegedly linked to ragging sparks concerns over the lack of awareness of anti-ragging legislation and its enforcement, according to officials. Despite ragging being a criminal offence in terms of the Prohibition of Ragging and Other Forms of Violence in Educational Institutions Act, freshers continue to be subjected to physical and mental harassment, even more..

May 4 (SO) The much postponed LG Elections will finally be held on Tuesday, May 6. Although nominations were submitted in 2023 to hold the LG elections, the Election Commission (EC) was forced to postpone the polls due to the failure, deliberate or otherwise, of the previous Govt to provide the requisite funds to hold the elections. Some of its key leaders even mocked the very process of elections. Govt should conduct a probe as to why the LG elections were postponed repeatedly, more..

May 4 (CT) On May 6, SL will hold local govt elections for 339 councils, engaging over 17 million voters. Elections come at a pivotal moment for the NPP, which has seen a surge in support but now faces growing scrutiny over its governance and internal coherence. A key issue for voters is whether to prioritise party allegiance or the personal integrity of candidates. While the NPP campaigns on an anti-corruption, anti-waste platform, critics point to its internal contradictions, alleged compromises, more..

May 4 (TM) Sri Lanka last week marked the first May Day celebrated under a President and Govt from the Leftist movement. For the JVP-led NPP, it was yet another case of showing strength to thousands of party cadres and supporters filling the Galle Face Green and the adjacent Galle Road. In the run-up to the Local Govt Elections on Tuesday (6), the May Day rallies last week could be a precursor to the final outcome of the polls. more..

May 4 (CT) As of midnight on 3 May, when this Newspaper reaches you, campaigning for the LG Elections will officially come to a close. With that, the nation enters the final 48 hours before another island-wide Vote. This Election stands out for its remarkable array of unique features and the many significant events that have unfolded across society during the pre-election period. As this is expected to be the final Election of the year, we take this opportunity to first and foremost more..

May 4 (TM) With the dust of the May Day rallies settling and the usual post-mortems taking place as to which political party’s rally was the biggest, this annual contest has assumed a new significance this time around, owing to the election that is to take place on Tuesday. Parties, especially the ruling NPP, are pointing to the crowds and forecasting victory – a landslide at the Local Govt Elections too. Tuesday’s election will be the first LG Poll in seven years, a period during which more..

May 4 (ST) Dept of Motor Traffic has begun the process of making the place bribe free by putting up signs saying, Offering and accepting a bribe is a punishable offence. The dept is one of the govt institutions which is notorious for solicitation of bribes to expedite the licence-issuing process. Commenting on the move, Minister Bimal Ratnayake saying, “It’s launched. CCTVs will also be installed within weeks! Zero tolerance. more..

May 4 (ST) Next week’s long, long overdue local govt elections are considered more of a popular litmus test of the eight-month-old JVP/NPP Govt than about electing more than 8,000 councillors to 339 councils at the grassroots. Whether the voters who gave the incumbents an overwhelming victory to high office last year are in the mood for the same unfettered instincts remains to be seen. The JVP/NPP rode to the seat of govt on the shoulders of a national electorate that, fed up with more..

May 4 (ST) My dear exhausted voter, I am writing to you at a time when you are supposed to go and vote to choose your local govt representatives in a couple of days. I am sure you must be wondering whether there is no end to these elections, this being the third election in less than seven months that you are being asked to vote at. You may recall that, these elections were originally due to be held more than two years ago. That was when Uncle Ranil made that infamous remark saying, more..

May 4 (Island) JVP-led NPP govt has made a dramatic pivot towards India, even utilizing legislative changes it once vehemently opposed. On Aug 19, 2023, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, then an opposition leader, criticized a MoU that then-Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe had signed with India. “We must have the freedom to freely move our hands and legs! But with this agreement, we will be in a situation where we are unable… to take any political or economic decision” independently, he said more..

May 4 (Island) It is said that in times war laws fall silent. In SL, this much-quoted Ciceronian aphorism seems to hold true even in peacetime when politicians in power, their family members and supporters happen to be on the wrong side of the law. It was widely thought that last year’s regime change would bring about a radical change, and that unlike during past govts, the law would apply equally to everyone, but traffic laws apparently fell silent on the Southern Expressway on Thursday (01). more..

May 4 (ST) Lanka Premier League (LPL) finds itself in unprecedented territory following the termination of franchise agreements with the Jaffna Kings and Colombo Strikers for violating contractual obligations. With these departures, SL’s premier T20 cricket tournament now faces a startling reality: not a single owner from its original lineup remains in the competition after just five seasons. LPL has seen a staggering more..

May 4 (Island) SL’s First-Class cricket has long cried out for reform, and finally, some bold strokes are being played. The playing field has been trimmed down in recent seasons – deadwood cleared to raise the stakes. But the googly of the season was the axing of SSC, the grand old club with a trophy cabinet full of stars. It raised eyebrows, but the message from the top was loud and clear – no room for reputation alone. The long-term plan? Slim the domestic First-Class circuit to a lean, more..

May 4 (ST) Dinara de Silva, who bagged the ITF Junior Circuit J30 Week 1 Girl’s Singles title last week, kept up to her reputation when she succeeded to bag her second successive title when she came out victorious in the final of the Week 2 competition played at the SSC tennis courts yesterday. Dinara coasted to an easy 2-0 win over India’s Aleena Farid to gain a back-to-back title win. She coasted to an easy 7/3 win in the first set, and followed with an impressive 6/1 win to seal the deal. more..

May 4 (Island) Kelaniya Uni undergraduate Rasara Wijesuriya is set to become the first SL female athlete to compete in the two longest track events at the Asian Athletics C'ship outside SL. Athlete trained by veteran coach Sajith Jayalal established a new national record in the 10,000 metres in February this year prompting track and field authorities to shortlist her for the May 27-31 event taking place in Gumi, South Korea. Incidentally, it will be her first competition outside the country more..

May 4 (NW) Australia’s SL-born population reached a record 172,800 in June 2024, according to new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The figure represents a 9% increase from 158,300 in June 2023, reflecting strong post-pandemic migration trends. SL-born group now ranks as Australia’s 10th largest overseas-born population, moving up from 11th in 2023. It sits behind Malaysia-born residents (about 183,000) and ahead of several European-born groups. more..

May 4 (TM) Sri Lanka is on the cusp of securing Geographical Indication (GI) status for Ceylon golden pineapple, with only the final registration process remaining, the Govt reveals. Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Director – Coconut and Minor Crops R.C. Watawala stated that they had completed all preparatory work necessary for securing GI status for Ceylon golden pineapple and that what remained was more..

May 4 (ST) Women working in Sri Lanka’s key export industries numbering nearly 1 million are likely to face job cuts and loss of incomes if the 44% US tariffs imposed on the country comes into effect at the end of the 90-day pause. Women in SL are employed in some of the main industries that generate the largest revenue to the country. These women produce apparel, tea, gems, rubber & cinnamon that form the key industries exporting to the US market, more..

May 4 (ST) Bangladesh U-19s delivered a masterclass in batting prowess, securing a comprehensive 146-run victory over SL U-19s in their fourth Youth ODI at the CCC ground yesterday. With this emphatic win, the visitors have established a commanding 3-1 lead in the six-match youth ODI series. Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Bangladesh constructed a formidable innings, amassing an imposing 336 for 8 in their allotted 50 overs before bowling hosts out for paltry 190 more..

May 4 (TM) 3-member committee appointed to investigate the death of a student at the Sabaragamuwa Uni will initiate criminal action under the Anti-Ragging Act if it is determined that the death occurred as a result of ragging, according to Ministry of Education Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa. “The committee has been established in compliance with the act and it will function with the powers vested in it by the act. more..

May 4 (Island) Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education has launched a recruitment initiative aimed at addressing critical shortages in university academic staff across the country. Deputy Minister Dr. Madura Seneviratne said that the recruitment process is being implemented at the university level to ensure that pressing needs are addressed efficiently and in alignment with institutional priorities. The move comes in response to growing concerns more..