May 5 (NW) National Fertilizer Secretariat has rejected reports aired on several television channels on Monday alleging that the govt paid excessively high prices for fertilizer imports. A representative of the National Farmers’ Union had claimed that urea could be purchased from Kazakhstan at USD 220–320 per metric ton, while the govt had permitted imports at around USD 800 per metric ton. In a statement, the National Fertilizer Secretariat clarified that although requests to import more..

May 5 (Island) Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) has accommodated Prof. Deepika Udagama and Ambassador (Retd) Esala Weerakoon to its Board of Directors, at its meeting held on 30 April. They succeed former Secretary to the PM, Deshamanya M.D.D. Pieris, and former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank (CB) and member of the Monetary Board of the CB, Dr. Ranee Jayamaha, who completed their terms recently. The current members of the BoD comprise more..

May 5 (GF) SL is rewriting its economic story. After enduring the 2022 economic collapse and the devastation of Cyclone Ditwah in late Nov 2025—the deadliest disaster since the 2004 tsunami—the nation has emerged with renewed global confidence. Board of Investment (BOI) recently reported that 2025 foreign direct investment (FDI) surged by 72%, reaching a historic $1.06 billion—the first time foreign investments more..

May 5 (NW) Opposition MPs today issued a statement warning that recent remarks by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake pose a serious threat to the independence of the judiciary. Statement referred to comments made by Prez at the May Day rally, where he said he was ready to raise his hand after the court delivers its judgment on May 25. Opposition legislators said the remark suggested prior knowledge of a pending judgment and amounted to an attempt to bring the judiciary more..

May 5 (ICC) Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu has been rewarded for her excellent recent form by making big gains on the latest ICC Women's T20I Player Rankings. Athapaththu was adjudged Player of the Series during Sri Lanka's recent 3-0 whitewash over Bangladesh, with the veteran compiling 115 runs from three innings and chipping in with four wickets in an ominous display ahead of the upcoming ICC Women's T20 World Cup that commences on June 12. more..

May 5 (EN) In just five weeks, Sri Lankans have faced a staggering four rounds of fuel price hikes with the latest taking effect on Sunday. This aligns with the cost-reflective pricing SL agreed upon with the IMF. With global crude prices hitting near four-year highs following the escalation of conflict in West Asia, the govt had no choice. However, this rapid succession of increases has sent shockwaves through more..

May 5 (EN) Sri Lanka’s cabinet has approved the acquisition of land for the long-delayed development of the Kelani Valley (KV) railway line, from Maradana to Avissawella, minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. The project, which aims to modernize the narrow-gauge corridor, will involve land acquisition across seven Divisional Secretariat Divisions, including Colombo, Thimbirigasyaya, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, Maharagama, Homagama, Padukka, and Seethawaka. more..

May 5 (NW) Work is set to commence on six priority socio-economic projects in the Eastern Province under Indian grant assistance, the High Commission of India in SL said. The projects fall under the framework MoU on Implementation of Indian Multi-Sectoral Grant Assistance for the Eastern Province, signed during the April 2025 state visit of the Indian PM to SL. According to the High Commission, the projects include the establishment of batik training centres to promote women’s empowerment, more..

May 5 (DM) The current govt has resumed restoration work on several archaeological sites that had been previously stalled, Buddhist Studies, Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senavi said. Minister, who is currently on an official visit to the US, made the remarks during a meeting with the Chief Judicial Sangha Nayaka of North America, Katugastota Uparathana Nayaka Thera, held at the Maryland Int'l Buddhist Temple, where he also received blessings. more..

May 5 (FT) In keeping with its commitment to continuous professional development, the Bar Association of SL (BASL) will commence an Online Certificate Course in Digital Law on 6 May 2026. The course will be conducted every Wednesday from 3 pm to 5 pm over a period of 11 weeks and will be delivered online. It is open to Attorneys-at-Law, law students, and all those with an interest in digital law and its growing relevance across industries. BASL President Rajeev Amarasuriya said: more..

May 5 (EN) Sri Lanka may face a shortage of medicines as the pharmaceutical industry is facing a challenge due to the regulator failing to allow price revisions despite the rupee fall and amid restrictive price caps, industry stakeholders say. SL rupee has tumbled with the Central Bank’s indicative exchange rate falling 5.6% in the last six months – from 302.6 per US dollar in October 2025 to 319.5 this week. more..

May 5 (AD) There is no requirement to remove the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma from office in connection with the reported incident involving US$2.5 million intended for external debt repayment but allegedly diverted to another party, the Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has stated. Minister said various parties had commented on the matter, but the Finance Ministry had already taken prompt action once the issue was identified. He stated that complaints to the CID and more..

May 5 (EN) Ministry of Power and Energy is implementing technical reforms, including the procurement of specialized software and battery storage systems, to prevent a recurrence of the countrywide power outage experienced in Feb 2025, Minister Anura Karunathilaka told Parliament. Two committees — one from the ministry and another from the CEB — appointed to investigate the failures of Feb 9, 2025, made 12 recommendations to secure the national grid against future more..

May 5 (FT) India has called for a bold reset in its economic and strategic engagement with Sri Lanka, with Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha urging both countries to move beyond symbolism and accelerate long-discussed agreements on trade, connectivity, energy, and digital integration. Delivering a keynote address at the Global Innovation and Leadership Summit in Colombo on Saturday, organised by Z Media more..

May 5 (NW) Three prison guards of the Welikada Prison have been arrested in connection with the death of a remand prisoner, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. Minister confirmed the arrests, revealing that statements have been recorded from two inmates and civilians on the incident. He further said that separate investigations are underway by the Police and Prisons Dept. The inmate, who had been held on drug‑related charges, had reportedly attempted to escape during a cleaning more..

May 5 (DM) Dismissing growing speculation, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said Finance Ministry Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma was not a dual citizen during his time in public office. Recent media reports had raised concerns over whether Suriyapperuma possessed both Sri Lankan and Australian citizenship, and whether he had formally renounced his Australian citizenship at the time of taking oath as a Member of Parliament or had only submitted an application for renunciation. more..

May 5 (FT) The election of Asanga Seneviratne as President of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka marks more than just a surprise victory. It signals a long-awaited reset for Sri Lankan sport. Emerging as a dark horse candidate, Seneviratne delivered a decisive win over frontrunners Jaswar Umar and Shirantha Peiris, securing 16 votes in a contest where he was largely overlooked in the lead up to the election. In an environment where media narratives often shape outcomes, more..

May 5 (Island) The Canadian High Commissioner to SL and the Maldives, Isabelle Martin over the last weekend met representatives of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) in the East. Talks focused on the challenges facing the Tamil people. The meeting was held at the office of ITAK MP Kaveendiran Kodeeswaran and brought together parliamentarians representing the Batticaloa and Ampara districts, alongside local govt officials including divisional council chairpersons. more..

May 5 (FT) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has recently uploaded its 2024 financial statements to its website. This is a welcome step towards transparency, and one hopes that future financial statements will be made available on a more timely basis. Given the public interest in the affairs of national institutions, clarity and accessibility of financial information are essential. While I am not a qualified accountant, a careful reading of more..

May 5 (EN) Sri Lanka Customs exceeded its April target by 30.5%, while revenue in the first four months jumped around 50% compared to the same period last year, official data showed. Customs’ April revenue target was set at 181.2 billion rupees. However, the revenue-collecting body collected 236.5 billion rupees in the month, exceeding the target by 30.5%. It also exceeded the cumulative target in the first four months by 33.7% to achieve 919.3 billion rupees. more..

May 5 (AD) Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa says the appointment of former MP Eran Wickramaratne as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Cricket Interim Committee is a correct decision. Minister Jayatissa said the public expects the upliftment of cricket from its current state, and expressed confidence that Wickramaratne and his team are capable of fulfilling that goal. He also noted that former SLC Chairman Shammi Silva setting aside his position amicably was a positive example. more..

May 5 (PMD) A special state banquet hosted by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in honour of Maldivian President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a state visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of the Sri Lankan President, was held yesterday (4) at the President’s House in Colombo Fort. Upon arrival at the Presidential Secretariat, Prez Dr Mohamed Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed were warmly received by Prez Anura Kumara more..

May 5 (AD) The Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval to the proposal to appoint Wimal S.K. Liyanagama, a Special Grade officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service and the current Director General of the Department of Management Services, as the new Director General of Sri Lanka Customs. Cabinet paper in this regard has been presented by the President in his capacity as Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. more..

May 5 (NW) Four newly appointed members of the Audit Service Commission took the oath of secrecy before Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne in Parliament on Monday. The new members are former Auditor General Gamini Wijesinghe, former Deputy Auditor General G. Thevagnanan, retired Court of Appeal Judge Nihal Rajapaksa, and retired public officer Ratna Deshapriya. Under Section 9 of the National Audit Act No. 19 of 2018, members are required to pledge not to disclose audit‑related more..

May 5 (FT) SL is passing through a rare and potentially transformative political moment. The present Govt enjoys an unusual combination of presidential legitimacy, parliamentary strength, and political cohesion. The result is an exceptional platform for legislative control and policy direction. In a country long burdened by unstable coalitions, rival power centres, and fragmented reform efforts, this degree of unity creates a genuine opportunity to reimagine the nation’s future. more..

May 5 (FT) There is a line in Gorge Orwell’s Animal Farm that has endured long after the politics it satirised faded into history. The line goes, All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. It is a line that feels increasingly relevant in SL today, particularly in the way we allocate one of our most precious and constrained resources — fuel. At a time when the country is still managing scarcity, the question we should be asking is not who deserves fuel, but more..

May 5 (Island) China has declared that SINOPEC will not proceed with the USD 3.7 bn Hambantota oil refinery project unless a consensus could be reached on the percentage of the output that could be sold in the local market. China has informed the NPP govt that SINOPEC will not be able to sustain the project in terms of the original agreement that stipulated that 80% of the output be exported and 20 % sold in the Sri Lankan market, more..

May 5 (ANN) Assembly election results still being tallied in several states in India on May 4 reflect a strong mood for political change and signal monumental shifts in regional politics. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has kicked the door open to power in West Bengal, an eastern state it has never governed. And a movie-star-turned-debutant politician is set to govern Tamil Nadu, a southern state that is one of India’s economic powerhouses. more..

May 5 (Island) Former Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris alleged that Prez Dissanayake’s declaration on the impending court verdict clearly indicated that he was aware of its outcome. Prof. Peiris said that the President’s direct intervention in the judicial process amounted to an attack on the very basis of the country’s Constitution. Emphasising that he dealt with the issue at hand, not as a politician but a law academic, Prof. Peiris said that a judge couldn’t, under any circumstances, more..

May 5 (AD) Statistics indicate that alcohol consumption in SL is on the rise, according to the ADIC. Based on 2025 data, local beer production has increased by 5% and liquor production by 17%, suggesting a corresponding rise in alcohol consumption, the Centre said. It further noted that the lack of a price revision in alcohol since the adjustment made at the beginning of 2024 has been a key contributing factor to this trend. more..

May 5 (NF) A former member of the SLPP representing the Haguranketha Pradeshiya Sabha has been arrested over an alleged large-scale foreign employment scam involving more than Rs. 21 million, SLBFE said. The suspect was taken into custody for allegedly defrauding individuals by promising jobs in Romania. Complaints indicate that the suspect and his wife had claimed to offer employment in the construction sector in Romania and collected money from job seekers more..

May 5 (Island) Deputy Minister Nishantha Jayaweera, has denied reports on the gazette notification issued to revise VAT from 1 July. He said the move is aimed at simplifying the tax system in line with govt policy, by merging VAT and Social Security Contribution Levy (SSCL) into a single tax. He explained that banks and financial institutions, which were previously subject to 18% VAT and a 2.5% Social Security Contribution Levy, will instead pay a consolidated 20.5% VAT from 1 July. more..