May 8 (AD) Health authorities say that a fever illness reported around the Kotapola Medical Officer of Health (MOH) area has been identified as a viral infection, according to Specialist Dr. Palitha Karunapema of Ministry of Health. He stated that 47 infected patients were reported during the past month. Symptoms of the infection include fever, severe headache, and vomiting. Dr. Karunapema noted that the illness has mainly spread among schoolchildren aged 14–15 years. more..

May 8 (TG) Excavation activities at the Chemmani mass grave site in Jaffna continued this week, with further human remains, burnt bones and artefacts uncovered during ongoing judicially supervised operations. Four additional skeletal remains were identified during the latest phase of excavations, bringing the total number of identified skeletons at the burial ground to 259. With the excavation of two more sets of remains, the total number of fully exhumed skeletons has now risen to 254. more..

May 8 (Island) A recycling centre for the management of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, established in line with the Clean Sri Lanka national programme, was declared open this morning at the Ekala Industrial Zone. Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat has allocated Rs. 200 million for this project. Established within the precast yard premises belonging to the State Engineering Corporation under Ministry of Housing, more..

May 8 (NF) The Gammadda Re-Build Programme, developed for communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah, was launched yesterday in Nuwara Eliya. Today marks the second day of the initiative, which focuses on restoring livelihoods and rebuilding lives through skills development and empowerment. The programme is being implemented jointly by the National Apprenticeship and Industrial Training Authority, Dept of Technical Education and Training, and Gammadda, with the full support of more..

May 8 (EN) Potential German foreign direct investors will visit Sri Lanka later this month when the island nation hosts German Business Forum (GBF) 2026, the state-run BOI said. The GBF 2026 is scheduled to take place in Colombo from May 27-29 in Colombo where the BOI expects to see policy makers from both nations, business leaders and institutional stakeholders and potential German foreign direct investors, it said. “This is a significant platform to strengthen economic partnerships more..

May 8 (Island) Questions were raised yesterday over the govt’s move to award SL’s proposed digital identity card project to an Indian company despite strong objections previously voiced by Prez Dissanayake while in the Opposition. National Trade Union and Civil Front Convener Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa called on the Govt to immediately clarify reports on the tender process and the alleged involvement of a foreign company more..

May 8 (NW) Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) has expressed grave concern over the death of former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena, warning that the incident could severely impact accountability efforts linked to the high-profile Airbus corruption case. In a statement issued today, TISL said the sudden death of a key individual connected to the ongoing Airbus prosecution represented a serious setback to the pursuit of truth, accountability and justice. more..

May 8 (TM) Leader of the Janasetha Peramuna Ven. Battaramulle Seelarathana Thera on Tuesday lodged a complaint with the Secretary of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports urging the latter to initiate a probe into several alleged acts of frauds linked to a former national gymnastics coach. The outspoken monk stated that the Secretary of the said Ministry Aruna Bandara had assured him that a prompt inquiry would be conducted into the complaint lodged against the coach concerned. more..

May 8 (DM) Discussions between Govt of SL and Joint Apparel Associations Forum (JAAF) aimed at strengthening and safeguarding SL’s garment export sector have been successfully concluded, officials confirmed. A high-level meeting was held yesterday at the Trade, Commerce, Food Security & Cooperative Development Ministry, focusing on global challenges facing the apparel industry, SL’s main export earner. The talks also reviewed future strategies amid shifting int'l trade conditions. more..

May 8 (TM) The Football Federation of SL (FFSL) reaffirmed its full commitment towards winning the upcoming SAFF Championship, scheduled to take place in four months-time. This was while strongly condemning attempts by a few individuals to destabilise the tremendous progress achieved by Sri Lankan football during the past two-year period. The FFSL categorically rejected certain allegations made by ex-football official Sunil Senaweera, describing the accusations as baseless, more..

May 8 (DM) Viet Nam and SL signed five MoUs covering areas including tourism, security cooperation, religious and cultural affairs, civil and commercial engagement, transport, economic cooperation, as well as science and technology. MoUs were formally exchanged this morning at the Presidential Secretariat in the presence of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prez of Viet Nam and General Secretary of Central Committee more..

May 8 (TM) With Bangladesh set to host Pakistan, the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 resumes, and SL re-enter the frame aiming to build on their early gains in the push towards the final at Lord’s next year. The last stretch of action in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle saw a clinical Australia side dominate the Ashes at home, sealing a 4-1 win and further strengthening their hold at the top of the standings. Their neighbours, NZ, sit second after a convincing 2-0 home series more..

May 8 (NW) Venerable Rajangane Saddarathana Thera was arrested by the Central Crimes Investigation Division today. According to the Police, he has been arrested in connection with an incident where he allegedly insulted a minister and senior Police officials through social media. Ven. Rajangane Saddarathana Thera is accused of having insulted the Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala, Inspector General of Police (IGP) and a Senior Deputy Inspector General. more..

May 8 (DM) Anuradhapura Magistrate's Court has issued arrest warrants for the Anuradhapura Atamasthadipathi Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Thera, and the mother of a 15-year old girl in connection with an alleged abuse case. The case was taken up in the Magistrate’s Chamber and not in open court. Chief Magistrate Sasindu Wickremeratne made this order in response to the submissions made by Director of more..

May 8 (AD) Supreme Court today directed the petitioning party to take steps to reissue notice to former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who has been named as a respondent in a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition. The petition had been filed seeking an order to recover compensation funds allegedly paid unlawfully to former ministers and MPs whose houses were set on fire or damaged during the island-wide violence that erupted following the attack on the Aragalaya protest site on May 9, 2022. more..

May 8 (EN) Asian Development Bank (ADB) will back $70 billion in new energy and digital infrastructure initiatives by 2035, aiming to connect power grids, expand cross-border electricity trade, and improve broadband access across Asia & Pacific. “Energy and digital access will define the region’s future,” said ADB President Masato Kanda. “These two initiatives build the systems Asia and the Pacific need to grow, compete, and connect. By linking power grids and digital networks more..

May 8 (TM) Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry has officially commenced its preliminary investigations into coal procurement activities spanning from 2009 to 16 April, 2026. The commission was established to examine alleged irregularities and potential illegal activities associated with coal imports, electricity generation using coal, and related operations during this period. The commission is based at the 5th Floor, Magistrate’s Court Complex, Hulftsdorp more..

May 8 (EN) Colombo Port City (CPC) officials will head to Dubai to meet with investors on June 11, as SL’s most ambitious economic zone looks for further foreign investments. “We are meeting people in Dubai and the Middle East in order to demonstrate that Colombo Port City can be a supplementary zone of investment,” Harsha Amarasekara, Chairman, Colombo Port City Economic Commission (CPCEC), said. Meeting will be organised by CPCEC, China Harbour more..

May 8 (EN) Research vessel Dr Fridtjof Nansen has departed Colombo after completing a marine scientific survey in SL’s waters to strengthen the country’s ocean knowledge base. “The data and expertise generated through this mission will contribute to safeguarding marine ecosystems while supporting livelihoods and strengthening food security for communities that depend on the ocean,” Ambassador of more..

May 8 (NW) Two luxury buses worth nearly Rs. 70 million, allegedly purchased using proceeds from drug trafficking, have been frozen under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, while the current owner of one of the buses has also been arrested for allegedly aiding and abetting money laundering, police said. Illegal Assets Investigation Division carried out the operation following investigations into assets believed to have been acquired using illegally earned money by more..

May 8 (DM) Former Director General of SL Customs, Seevali Arukgoda, has officially retired from service after completing 37 years at the department. In a farewell message issued on Thursday, Arukgoda said he retired from SL Customs on May 5, describing his career as a long and deeply meaningful journey marked by challenges, sacrifices, and valuable lessons. He said that throughout his tenure, he remained committed to upholding the law and serving with more..

May 8 (AD) Police have informed the Fort Magistrate’s Court that former CEO of SriLankan Airlines, Kapila Chandrasena, was found dead under suspicious circumstances. Chandrasena’s body was discovered this morning at a residence located on Pedris Road, Kollupitiya. According to police, the body was found hanging inside a room of the house. The Colombo JMO also visited the scene earlier today. While reporting the facts to more..

May 8 (DM) Investigations have revealed that Kapila Chandrasena, former CEO of SriLankan Airlines, was found dead at the residence of SL cricketer Aravinda de Silva in Kollupitiya. Police said Chandrasena’s body was discovered at the house on Pedris Place, Kollupitiya, which belongs to his brother-in-law, Aravinda de Silva. It was reported that the two families are closely connected, as Chandrasena and de Silva are married to sisters, Priyanka Wijenayake & Anushka de Silva. more..

May 8 (NW) SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam today raised serious concerns over the death of Kapila Chandrasena, questioning whether it was a suicide, murder, or a case of being forced to take his own life. Kariyawasam claimed that Chandrasena had recently become a controversial figure after allegedly providing an affidavit to court detailing threats made against him. According to Kariyawasam, the affidavit stated that Chandrasena had been taken to the office of more..

May 8 (FT) The recent cyber incident involving Sri Lanka’s Treasury offers a timely moment to reflect on how cybersecurity is approached within Government institutions. While investigations are ongoing and facts continue to emerge, the episode offers something more valuable than outrage or blame. It brings into focus the need to pay closer attention to cybersecurity frameworks and to give greater priority to information governance in public institutions. more..

May 8 (FT) In one of the most dramatic political upheavals in southern India in over half a century, actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has emerged as the single largest party in the TN Assembly, winning 108 of 234 seats in the 23 April elections. Result has decisively ended the long-standing duopoly of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which had alternated power since the late 1960s. more..

May 8 (FT) PayPal is set to launch in Sri Lanka on 15 May, in a move expected to expand formal digital payment channels, initially starting with B2B payments to exporters. Initial rollout will focus on enabling inward payments to exporters, with several local banks already appointed as agents for the service. While an official announcement is yet to be made, sources said the launch is currently scheduled for 15 May, more..

May 8 (DM) Health authorities have ruled out the risk of a major viral meningitis outbreak in Deniyaya for now, while continuing to closely monitor the situation following a rise in suspected infections among schoolchildren, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Palitha Karunapema said a total of 47 students have been suspected of infection so far, but only 15 cases have been confirmed as viral meningitis. “Samples from the remaining students have been sent for further laboratory testing,” he noted. more..

May 8 (NW) Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala says claims regarding the awarding of a tender for SL’s e-passport project are completely false. “The statement made regarding the e-passport is completely false because no tender has been awarded so far,” the minister said, adding that the procurement process is still ongoing. He noted that the e-passport tender process began under the previous govt and that several companies had since sought legal action over the matter. more..

May 8 (FT) President of Viet Nam and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam Tô Lâm arrived in Sri Lanka last night on a State visit undertaken at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The visit coincides with the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Viet Nam and follows Prez Dissanayake’s State visit to Viet Nam in 2025. more..

May 8 (FT) Opposition MP Faiszer Musthapha yesterday urged the Govt to take urgent measures to address what he described as widening system-wide governance and financial security risks, warning that recent cyber breaches, banking frauds, and institutional lapses could undermine investor confidence and economic stability. Musthapha referred to the reported $ 2.5 million Treasury phishing scam and alluded to the Rs. 13.2 billion theft linked to National Dev Bank (NDB), more..

May 8 (Island) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa raised serious concerns in Parliament over the lack of transparency and efficiency in the country’s fuel procurement process, calling for immediate clarification on alleged irregularities involving the CPC. Speaking under Standing Order 27(2), Premadasa questioned the registration of new fuel suppliers over the past 12 months, the identities of those suppliers, and whether any had been excluded from the distribution process. more..