May 29 (NW) SL’s Govt is expected to appoint a new Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for SriLankan Airlines soon, Aviation Minister Anura Kuranathilake said. The Minister said interviews for the appointment of a new CEO are currently underway, with several groups already being assessed. He noted that additional candidates are expected to face interviews before a shortlist is prepared for the final selection process. “We hope to appoint the new CEO very soon,” he said. more..

May 29 (AD) The National Celebration of World Environment Day, themed Let it Sprout (Dalu Lanna Ida Denna), is scheduled to be held on June 5, 2026, under the patronage of the President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake. In line with this year’s global World Environment Day theme, Urgent Climate Action, Sri Lanka is implementing a series of practical island-wide programmes under the vision Sustainable Biosphere - Evergreen Life and the national theme Let it Sprout, more..

May 29 (EN) SL’s overall rate of inflation, as measured by the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI), rose to 27-month high of 5.5% in May 2026, near the Central Bank’s upper inflation target rate, data from the state statistics office showed. CB had expected to reach its mid-term target of 5% much later than May, but analysts say the trickle-down impacts of the fuel price hike in the past 2 months have caused prices to rise. more..

May 29 (DM) Authorities have decided to take immediate and long-term measures to prevent flooding on the main road from Katunayake Airport to Andiambalam and Minuwangoda following repeated inundation of the area during adverse weather conditions. The stretch of road near Naikanda Foothills Road close to the airport was severely affected during Cyclone Ditwah and was flooded again following recent heavy rains, disrupting traffic for more than five hours and causing more..

May 29 (DM) Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has published its estimated pricing structure for imported refined petroleum products for the period of April 2026, based on data available up to April 30, 2026. The calculations cover Petrol 92 Octane, Petrol 95 Octane, Lanka Auto Diesel, Super Diesel, and Kerosene, with detailed breakdowns of landed costs, processing charges, taxation, and other operational expenses. The landed cost per litre was reported at Rs. 273.59 for Petrol 92, more..

May 29 (NW) Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has cautioned that fuel prices are unlikely to decrease before September, despite recent declines in global market rates. “In this month or next month, largely until September, a price reduction cannot be expected. Whether there is an increase, we cannot say at this moment. We are still studying that,” CPC Managing Director Mayura Neththikumarage said. more..

May 29 (DM) A stock of American crude oil arrived in the country for the first time yesterday, steadying the fuel supply despite a possible price hike expected soon, an official said yesterday. Sri Lanka, during tariff negotiations with the United States under the Trump Administration, decided to include the American crude - West Texas Intermediate (WTI) - in calling international tenders for fuel purchases. It was a measure aimed at reducing the trade gap between the two countries. more..

May 29 (Island) The Joint Opposition yesterday mounted a formal move to have the Director General of the CIABOC suspended, calling for an immediate disciplinary inquiry over allegations of arbitrary and biased conduct. In a petition dated May 26, 2026 and addressed to the Chairman of the Commission, opposition members have demanded that CIABOC Director General Ranga Dissanayake be sent on compulsory leave to ensure an impartial investigation into the allegations. more..

May 29 (Island) Court of Appeal issued notices in a landmark writ petition filed against top state authorities over alleged failures in natural disaster preparedness and management. The petition, filed by the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) and its directors Hemantha Withanage and Dilena Pathragoda, accuses responsible ministers, govt institutions and public officials of failing to properly implement statutory duties and legal safeguards relating to disaster management, more..

May 29 (SLN) SL Navy demonstrated its commitment to maritime safety and assisted to bring ashore an injured fisherman and rushed him for urgent medical attention on 28 May 26. The fisherman was aboard a local multiday fishing trawler off the south coast and the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo coordinated the retrieval of the fisherman. Reportedly, the multi-day fishing trawler had departed from the Kudawella Fisheries Harbour on 5 May with 6 fishermen. more..

May 29 (NW) The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court has announced that it will deliver an order on June 2 regarding whether President’s Counsel Rienzie Arsekularatne and Attorney Udara Muhandiramge should be summoned to give evidence in the magistrate’s inquiry into the mysterious death of former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena. The inquiry was taken up before Magistrate Pasan Amarasena today, more..

May 29 (DM) Rural women across the country are facing significant hardship due to the sharp increase in the price of feminine hygiene products, driven by taxation policies and ongoing economic pressures, the Doctors' Trade Union Alliance for Medical and Civil Rights said. Alliance Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa said the price of sanitary products in SL has become one of the highest in Asia due to the combined impact of currency depreciation, multiple taxes, and rising production costs. more..

May 29 (AD) A SLTB bus veered off the road and overturned this afternoon in the 31st Junction area along the Siyambalanduwa-Monaragala main road. According to reports, the accident occurred after the bus veered off the road and fell into a culvert. A total of 26 persons, including 11 women and 15 men, injured in the accident were admitted to the Monaragala District General Hospital. It is also reported that a five-month-old infant was among those injured, more..

May 29 (AD) Batticaloa Police have uncovered alleged fraudulent activities linked to the tragic deaths of two children from the same family who died after inhaling smoke from a fire inside a hotel room in Batticaloa. The victims were identified as a 3-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl, police said. The children had died after inhaling heavy smoke from a mattress that had caught fire while their father had allegedly locked the hotel room from more..

May 29 (FT) In a historic first for the country’s hospitality industry, eight of SL’s most definitive cocktail bars are joining forces in Bangkok this week and next week for a two-part collaborative showcase. Operating under a shared vision of unity, humility, and collective representation, these venues are coming together to take the island’s rapidly evolving bar culture, ancestral crafts, and contemporary hospitality to the global stage. The double-header showcase will see more..

May 29 (NW) The functioning of visa outsourcing giant VFS Global has come under scrutiny after more than 150 inspection reports by European authorities flagged multiple operational concerns at its centres across 20 EU member states between 2020 and 2025. The reports, accessed by Netherlands‑based investigative newsroom Lighthouse Reports through over 40 Freedom of Information requests to the European Commission, the UK, and various EU governments, more..

May 29 (NF) The Colombo High Court today (29) fixed July 7 as the date to commence the trial against Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa in connection with the controversial Krrish financial transaction case. The charges against Rajapaksa were formally filed by the Attorney General on February 5, 2025, before the Colombo High Court, alleging criminal breach of trust linked to a financial deal purportedly conducted for the promotion of rugby in Sri Lanka. more..

May 29 (DN) With a vision to pivot towards exponential growth, SL seeks to enhance exports and GDP significantly, inspired by successful models like Vietnam and South Korea, Deputy Minister of Industries Chathuranga Abeysinghe said addressing a Forum held recently in Colombo. He said the complexity of exports reflects low value addition in basic products, as seen in countries like Vietnam, which has diversified its product basket through strategic investments. more..

May 29 (EN) SL must continue to engage with the IMF to maintain economic stability, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, SL’s influential trade body, has said. “Continued engagement with IMF programme remains critical to preserving macroeconomic stability, restoring investor confidence, and strengthening SL’s external resilience,” it said in a statement. SL, this week, gained access to around US$ 695 m more..

May 29 (AD) The Chief Custodian of the Sri Pada Rajamaha Viharaya, Venerable Bengamuwe Dhammadinna Thero, states that this year’s Sri Pada pilgrimage season will conclude on the Vesak Full Moon Poya Day (30). The Thero noted that several religious programmes have been organised at the Sri Pada Uda Maluwa in view of Vesak Poya Day. Venerable Bengamuwe Dhammadinna Thero further stated that, following the religious rituals to be held at the Sri Pada Uda Maluwa on more..

May 29 (FT) FTZMA Executive Committee members, led by the Chairman, Dhammika Fernando met the Acting BOI Chairman Dr. Sulakshana Jayawardena and Director General Renuka Weerakoon to discuss several urgent matters affecting BOI enterprises and export-oriented manufacturers. A key focus of the meeting was the concern faced by the local Suppliers, indirect exporters / deemed exporters regarding the 18% VAT payable on raw material purchases more..

May 29 (NF) SL Police is set to implement a comprehensive special traffic management plan as large crowds are expected to gather in the Colombo city for the 2026 Vesak festival, with multiple zones, thorana displays, and lantern exhibitions drawing significant public participation. The plan aims to manage the influx of vehicles and pedestrians as Vesak celebrations take place across several key locations in the capital from more..

May 29 (AD) Ministry of Education has issued guidelines to all Provincial Directors of Education, based on instructions from the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, on preventive measures related to the spread of Enterovirus Meningitis reported in several districts across the country. According to the circular, the disease has a greater impact on children and individuals with weakened immune systems. The first cases were reported in Deniyaya in the Matara District during April. more..

May 29 (FT) In a central banking monetary regime exchange rate is an endogenous variable, i.e. it is determined by several other short run and long run economic variables. Thus, it cannot be directly controlled by the central bank or any Govt entity. It cannot be directly controlled by any private entity either. However, there can be an indirect control by CB and other relevant institutions by managing variables such as foreign exchange inflows and outflows, money supply, real output & inflation. more..

May 29 (FT) It is one thing to study Buddhism from an academic distance. It is quite a different thing to be a practising Buddhist. Some of us are fated to straddle both these worlds, and it is as such edgewalkers that we write this on the eve of the Vesak poya day. When the Buddhist monastic order was first instituted by the Buddha, only adults were allowed to become members. In fact, according to Theravāda Vinaya (monastic code), one has to be at least 20 years old to receive full ordination. more..

May 29 (NW) The new Consulate General Office of Sri Lanka was officially opened in New Zealand’s capital, Wellington, on Thursday, strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries. The inauguration coincided with the official visit of Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, and was attended by NZ’s Foreign Minister Rt. Hon. Winston Peters as a special guest. The ceremony began with SL religious observances and traditional Māori blessings, reflecting cultural traditions of both nations. more..

May 29 (FT) IMF Mission Chief for Sri Lanka Evan Papageorgiou yesterday said SL’s current monetary policy stance remains broadly appropriate, despite the Central Bank's recent 100-basis point policy rate hike. He said the country’s macroeconomic recovery remained on track, supported by stabilising prices, improving foreign reserves, and continued economic momentum. He expressed confidence that more..

May 29 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared a number of public services as essential services under the Essential Public Services Act No. 61 of 1979 through an Extraordinary Gazette issued on Thursday (28). The gazette states that the order was issued considering the need to maintain normal public life amid the prevailing post-disaster situation across the country. According to the gazette notification, the declaration applies to services provided by state corporations, more..

May 29 (Island) SJB MP Mujibur Rahman said he had visited the CID at Police Headquarters to make a statement regarding allegations that he had telephone conversations with an inmate detained at the Bogambara Prison. Rahman said that he never had any direct connection with the inmate and said the calls had been made through a mobile phone belonging to one of his associates. According to the MP, the inmate is a drug addict who used the phone from inside the prison to contact the owner of more..

May 29 (NW) Govt is moving ahead with plans to introduce a public-private partnership (PPP) model for SriLankan Airlines, Minister Anura Kuranathilake said. He acknowledged that maintaining the national carrier through taxpayer funds was becoming increasingly unsustainable. He said the Govt is currently required to provide significant financial support to keep the airline operational, revealing that around Rs. 90 b more..

May 29 (DN) Bogambara pedestrian underpass was opened to the public yesterday. The underpass was built to reduce traffic congestion caused by pedestrians crossing the main road and ensure the safety of pedestrians. Costing Rs. 658 lakhs, it was constructed under the Rehabilitation and Development Project of the Access Roads to the Kandy Multi-Modal Transport Hub. Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena, Kandy Mayor Chandrasiri Wijenayake, Central Province Chief Secretary more..

May 29 (DN) SL youth should actively pursue opportunities in the Information Technology (IT) sector as the industry continues to expand rapidly both locally and globally, CEO Connex Information Technologies, Suresh Wijesinghe said. Speaking on the growing importance of the digital economy, Wijesinghe emphasized that the global IT industry has become one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world, creating thousands of new employment opportunities across multiple fields. more..