May 30 (NW) Sri Lanka’s first Mobile American Space, the “USBus”, was officially launched at the Uni of Kelaniya by the US Embassy in Sri Lanka, in partnership with Sarvodaya-Fusion. Commenting on the launch, US Ambassador Julie Chung said the project will connect students with American innovation, leadership, and learning across Sri Lanka for the next 18 months. “The USBus will deliver three days of immersive programming here at Kelaniya. And throughout the next 18 months, more..

May 30 (NF) A group of fishermen stranded at sea off the coast of Balapitiya were rescued today following the deployment of a Bell 412 helicopter under the directive of the Secretary of Defence. The fishermen were aboard a vessel that encountered distress in rough sea conditions. Upon receiving the alert, SL Air Force launched the helicopter to assist in the emergency rescue operation. Met Dept has issued a Red Alert warning for strong winds and rough seas around Sri Lanka, more..

May 30 (NF) Colombo High Court scheduled the next hearing in the high-profile money laundering case against Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa, and his grandmother Daisy Forrest, for July 11. The case, filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, alleges that the two unlawfully acquired assets and property valued at approximately Rs. 73 million. High Court Judge Adithya Patabendi issued the order after Senior State Counsel Udara Karunathilake, more..

May 30 (AM) The first shipment of imported coconut milk, intended to provide raw materials for industries reliant on coconut-based production and to help reduce domestic coconut prices, has been sent for customs clearance and laboratory testing, according to Ministry of Plantation Industries and Rural Infrastructure Development. This import was carried out under the approval of the Cabinet, following a joint proposal by Ministry of more..

May 30 (EN) Obtaining fairtrade certification will provide SL’s producers and exporters greater market reach, the country’s Export Development Board has said. “Fairtrade products enjoy a strong and a dedicated global customer base, and obtaining certification opens new avenues for local producers and exporters to enhance their market reach while ensuring compliance with international ethical standards,” EDB said. Together with Fairtrade Network of Asia & Pacific Producers (NAPP) more..

May 30 (FT) Cargills (Ceylon) PLC, one of Sri Lanka’s leading consumer companies, yesterday reported a strong financial performance for the financial year ending 31 March 2025, supported by volume-led growth across its key business segments—Retail, FMCG, and Restaurants. Group revenue rose 8.2% year-on-year, with Profit After Tax (PAT) growing by 22.5%, reflecting improved consumer demand and the Group’s ongoing focus on efficiency, affordability, and innovation. more..

May 30 (NF) A gold-colored T56 assault rifle discovered in a luxury apartment complex in Havelock, Wellawatte led to the remand of former Minister Duminda Dissanayake until June 5, as ordered by Mount Lavinia Magistrate Chathurika de Silva. The weapon, found during a police operation, triggered a high-profile investigation involving Dissanayake and a Kazakhstani woman, both of whom were taken into custody. more..

May 30 (DN) SL officially launched National Environment Week today, designating the first day as Plastic Waste Management Day. The Central Environmental Authority organized the main event, held at the Ministry of Environment, under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody, Deputy Minister of Health and Mass Media Hansaka Wijemuni, and Environment Ministry Secretary R. Uduwawala. A key highlight was a stakeholder session on the National Plastic more..

May 30 (DM) The FCID has named Dematagoda Chaminda, also known as Chaminda Ravi Jayanath, as a suspect in the ongoing investigations into the allegations that he used a bank account under another person’s name to handle funds amounting to Rs. 27 million believed to be proceeds from heroin and crystal meth trafficking. The investigations were initiated following a tip-off provided by the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of SL to the Financial Crimes Division. more..

May 30 (EN) John Keells Holdings is expanding its retail store network as consumer demand continues to recover, Charitha Subasinghe the President of the group’s retail sector said. Last year six new outlets were opened and two were closed, taking the total to 138, JKH told shareholders in the annual report. Among new cities that Keells Super expanded to was in Jaffna. Keells will add 15 stores to its network this year, Subasinghe said, with monthly sales growth now starting to grow 15% against last more..

May 30 (AD) PM Harini Amarasuriya stated that today’s young professionals must play a more active role in matters related to the national significance. The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Organization of Professional Associations of SL (OPASL), held at the BMICH. During the event, senior members of the OPASL were appreciated, and a commemorative stamp marking the 50th anniversary was issued under the patronage more..

May 30 (CT) Supreme Court, yesterday, issued an order directing the Govt to present immediate and concrete measures to prevent the rising number of elephant deaths caused by train collisions, following a Fundamental Rights petition filed by environmental activists. The case filed by the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), was taken up yesterday before Justices Arjuna Obeysekera and Sobhitha Rajakaruna. more..

May 30 (EN) China is ready to support SL’s development, the Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao, who led a trade delegation to SL, told a forum that looked at investments in the automotive value chain, tea plantation and enterprise development among other things. “Minister Wentao emphasized that China stands ready to support SL’s development journey, recommending that the two countries expand trade and economic cooperation to boost development, and explore more more..

May 30 (FT) Dept of Motor Traffic (DMT) has issued a notice clarifying the procedures for foreign nationals wishing to drive three-wheelers (tuk-tuks) in the country, asserting that a temporary licence must be obtained through the proper channels. Commissioner of Motor Transport (Control) D.P.C. Udaya Kumara stated that foreigners are required to undergo both a written test and practical training in SL before being eligible for a temporary driving licence that permits them to drive tuk-tuks. more..

May 30 (TM) Over 240 activists, trade unions (TUs), civil society organisations (CSOs) and movements, attorneys-at-law (AALs), the clergy, academics and detainees under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, No. 48 of 1979 as amended (PTA) have written to the Justice Ministry Secretary calling for the immediate repeal sans replacement of the PTA without further delay, and criticised the alleged problematic more..

May 30 (NW) SL Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) has announced the successful completion of filming for Serendipitous Journeys, a Chinese reality series produced by Mango TV, one of China’s most influential digital platforms. The SLTPB said that this marks the first time a project of this scale and visibility has been filmed in Sri Lanka for a mainstream Chinese audience. Serendipitous Journeys, a cross-cultural reality series led by acclaimed producer Li Chao, more..

May 30 (CT) Cardiac surgeries at the Cardio-Thoracic Unit of the Teaching Hospital Karapitiya are expected to be suspended from 31 May onwards, following the expiration of the contract of the current specialist cardiac surgeon, hospital sources revealed. Currently, the unit does not have a permanent specialist cardiothoracic surgeon. Instead, services are being provided by a retired consultant who has been reappointed on a contract basis. Hospital sources further noted that more..

May 31 (FT) World No Tobacco Day, marked annually on 31 May, addresses a major public health challenge—the persistent burden of tobacco use. This year’s theme, Unmasking the Appeal compels us to expose the deceptive marketing tactics and manipulative strategies employed by the tobacco industry, especially those targeting our youth and women. Tobacco use remains the single most preventable cause of death worldwide and is a leading risk factor for NCDs such as more..

May 31 (FT) One cannot but help being sorry for the NPP govt of late at least. Best understood at multiple levels of national feeling, this phenomenon spans the emotional gamut from sorrow to sympathy. If a newspaper is a nation talking to itself, a hijacked (or is that sabotaged? or is it both?) national reformation agenda is the NPP still whispering soft, sweet-nothings – and sometimes, thundering grandiose denouncements – to the polity in public while no doubt muttering dire imprecations against more..

May 31 (CT) She stepped off a long-haul flight from Bangkok alone, carrying two large suitcases and the cool demeanour of a seasoned traveller on 13 May. Inside those bags was something far more dangerous than the clothes and personal items 21-year-old Charlotte May Lee claimed to be transporting. SL Customs officers discovered a staggering 46 kilograms (over 100 pounds) of kush, a synthetic strain of more..

May 31 (TM) I did not attend the recent Dalada exposition, but I passed through Kandy during those days and witnessed the long lines – thousands of pilgrims, most of them elderly, queued in fervent anticipation to glimpse what we are historically conditioned to believe are the Buddha’s relics. The sight left me hollowed. There they stood, not with mindfulness, but with longing; not with inquiry, but with inherited obedience. I felt an anguish no words could soothe; not at their faith, but more..

May 31 (CT) AKD and the NPP were given the switch to power by the people on three basic premises: 1) eradication of corruption (accountability), 2) a more competent management of a failed economy with clear knowledge and 3) transparency of govt thought and action (deliverables). AKD was elected President on Sept 21, 2024. The new Cabinet of the NPP govt was sworn in on November 18 before Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake at Prez Secretariat. more..

May 31 (TM) SL’s railway system, once hailed as a lifeline for the country’s transportation network, is now creaking under the weight of ageing infrastructure, financial constraints, and a troubling lack of administrative accountability. Revelations from the COPA have brought to light significant deficiencies in governance, even as Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) General Manager (GM) J.I.D. Jayasundara maintains that the department more..

May 31 (CT) The aphorism justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done is not just a legal nicety — it is the bedrock of public confidence in the rule of law. In SL, however, this principle has long been eroded by political impunity, inaction, and a pattern of unfulfilled promises. For decades, politicians have squandered public resources for personal and political gain, while institutions entrusted with upholding accountability have faltered, compromised, or stood idle. more..

May 31 (Island) The true beauty of Colombo, which boasts its Ramsar status, lies essentially in its lush greenery and scenic wetland patches scattered across its municipal limits and sprawling suburbs. Leafy giants adorn its urban landscape, especially roads that criss-cross it. Unfortunately, most of them have become unstable, due to ageing, posing a risk during heavy rains and strong winds. Tree falls were reported from several parts of Colombo and adjacent areas, lashed by gale force winds on Thur more..

May 31 (DM) The first Sinhala language feature film Kadawunu Poronduwa (Broken Promise) premiered on 21 Jan 1947 at the Kingsley theatre in Colombo. Four months after that historic event ,on 30 April 1947, a baby girl was born in a Sinhala speaking family living in the Colombo suburb of Peliyagoda. A few weeks later the parents went to an astrologer to cast a horoscope for the new arrival. They were astounded when the astrologer said their daughter would be a queen someday more..

May 31 (FT) Singhe Furniture has once again solidified its position as a Sri Lankan furniture industry leader, earning two prestigious accolades at the recently held National Industry Brand Excellence Awards 2024, hosted by the Industrial Development Board of SL (IDB). The distinguished event took place at Eagles Lakeside and saw Singhe Furniture securing the Platinum Award presented for the National Industry Brand of the Year (Medium Scale) and Best National Industry Brand more..

May 31 (FT) Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao yesterday presented a roadmap to deepen bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation. Delivering the keynote address at the Sri Lanka-China Trade and Investment Forum 2025, his address outlined the long-standing diplomatic relations, rapidly expanding economic ties and a future shaped by shared development goals. more..

May 31 (Island) Last week, I received a registered letter with a bundle of forms informing me that an overseas parcel addressed to me had arrived but was being held by Customs. I immediately knew it was a journal containing one of my research articles. Hoping to avoid the usual trouble, I contacted a few Customs officials and explained how difficult it had been the last time I collected a parcel — that one was a text book I had authored and published by Springer Singapore. more..

May 31 (FT) Colombo stock market yesterday ended a bullish week boosted by rebound in investor sentiment and strategic deals. First Capital said the CSE closed the week on a positive trajectory, with the ASPI gaining 39 points to settle at 16,855. After a modest uptick at the open followed by a brief dip, the index rebounded and maintained upward momentum to close firmly in the green. The rally was largely supported by notable gains in HAYL, CALH, which commenced trading today, more..

May 31 (ST) Torrington Avenue’s abandoned UDA property is reverting to its former self, becoming a dumpsite for non-degradable garbage once again. During a follow up visit by the Sunday Times, it was observed that weeds have re-emerged with the rains, and once more had turned into a dump site as there were discarded tyres, plastic ice cream containers, glass bottles and rubbish. However, the newly dumped garbage had already retained rainwater & created a mosquito breeding site. more..

May 31 (SO) Central Bank said that it is not responsible for the public investing in unregulated plantations schemes which are mushrooming in the country today promising unrealistic reruns on deposits. “We have noticed a growing number of pyramid schemes in the plantation sector offering very a high return on investments. If funds are collected through unregulated schemes, CB will do its maximum to bring those behind the scheme to task” Governor Nanadalal Weerasinghe said. more..

May 31 (DM) Following the imprisonment of former Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando, it came to light that the govt has instructed for the expedition of investigations into well over 20 more similar cases involving former MPs and officials. Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said that these cases, some of them as old as 10-15 years, had been swept under the carpet in the past under different govts. more..

May 31 (FT) Dialog Axiata has partnered with the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) to deliver critical information on Potential Fishing Zones (PFZs) through the trilingual Sayuru mobile application. The initiative aims to enhance the safety, sustainability, and productivity of Sri Lanka’s fishing industry. The partnership was formalised through the signing of a MoU by Dialog Axiata CEO Supun Weerasinghe, & NARA Chairman Sanath Hettiarachchi, more..

May 31 (DN) Javelin throwers Sumedha Ranasinghe and Rumesh Tharanga qualified for men’s javelin throw final at the 26th Asian Athletics Championships held in Gumi, South Korea yesterday. Rumesh Tharanga recorded an impressive throw of 83.71 metres, while Olympian and national record holder Sumedha Ranasinghe cleared 81.33 metres, earning their places among the top 12 finalists. Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, the Olympic gold medallist, led the qualifiers more..