May 13 (TM) Nearly 100,000 Aswesuma beneficiary families have begun earning a stable income through alternative support programmes since the introduction of the welfare scheme, with the Govt hoping to gradually stop welfare payments for as many families as possible over the next three years (2027-2029), it is learnt. Deputy Minister Wasantha Piyathissa said the Govt is working towards helping beneficiaries move away from long-term dependence on welfare assistance, more..

May 13 (DM) Hutch Sri Lanka is leveraging its international pedigree to bring the best of enterprise solutions to help SL businesses leapfrog into a new era. As the country pushes forward with its digital ambitions, the company, backed by its parent, the global Fortune 500 giant - CK Hutchison Holdings, sees this as the right time to unlock the global digital expertise it thrives on. The CK Hutchison Group, a world leader in telecommunications operating in 11 countries, is a trailblazer that has more..

May 13 (SO) SL must continue its Free Trade Agreement (FTA) policies alongside broader economic liberalisation measures to regain investor confidence and attract export manufacturing investments, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to SL, Miyon Lee said last week. She was speaking at the Ambassador’s Round Table in Colombo, organised by the Pathfinder Foundation. Lee called on the Govt to set up a stronger, well-coordinated negotiation mechanism backed by institutional reforms more..

May 13 (ST) Cybersecurity analysts and policy observers are warning that weak visa controls and relaxed monitoring of foreign visitors have made the island an attractive base for global scam syndicates. In recent weeks, SL has witnessed a wave of cybercrime cases reported from various parts of the country. Since Jan 1, 2026, SL police have arrested 628 foreign nationals for illegal activities ranging from immigration violations to sophisticated cybercrimes. more..

May 13 (DM) Sri Lanka’s national tea sale average rose in April from the previous month, supported by gains across all elevations in rupee terms, although the earnings in dollar terms continued to lag year-on-year (YoY) amid the currency movements and softer export value realisations. The data released by the SL Tea Board showed the national sale average for April 2026 increased to Rs.1,179.70 per kilogramme, from Rs.1,144.23 in March, marking a month-on-month gain of Rs.35.47. more..

May 13 (Island) Automobile Association of Ceylon (AAC) is looking beyond the traditional boundaries of mobility and road safety toward the future of mobility through sustainable developments in vertical mobility applications under the global guidance of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). AAC President Mr. Dhammika Attygalle believes AAC has the potential to contribute sustainable and proven systems, regulatory understanding, and international mobility frameworks toward more..

May 13 (DM) SL Export Development Board (EDB) has announced that Sri Lanka Expo 2026, originally scheduled to be held in 2026, has been rescheduled for 14–17 Jan 2027. The international trade exhibition will take place at the BMICH in Colombo. The decision to reschedule was made in response to prevailing geopolitical uncertainties affecting global trade and travel. Organised by the EDB, Sri Lanka Expo 2027 is the country’s premier international trade exhibition, aimed at showcasing more..

May 13 (DM) A proposed amendment to the Inland Revenue Act is set to introduce strict criminal penalties for taxpayers who fail to meet key procedural requirements, marking a significant shift in enforcement. Section 185A, a new provision in the bill, identifies several compliance failures that will now constitute prosecutable offences. Under section 185A, a new section under section 185, certain offences have been identified; failure to file the annual statement, failure to file more..

May 13 (DM) This interview outlines China’s strategic outlook for 2026, focusing on its mediation role in the Middle East and its shared future with SL. Key highlights include the push for a bilateral Free Trade Agreement, emergency energy support for Colombo, and a visionary proposal for trilateral cooperation between China, India, and SL. Q: How does China view the current Middle East crisis and the recent two-week cease fire arrangement? more..

May 13 (Island) The recent increase in electricity tariffs in Sri Lanka has created serious social and economic concerns. The increase applies especially to consumers who use more than 180 units of electricity. Their bills may rise by more than 18%. At first, this may look like a decision that affects only high electricity users. But in reality, the impact is much wider. It affects households, businesses, industries, services, inflation, investment, and national competitiveness. more..

May 13 (Island) Former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday visited the CIABOC, made a statement on the Airbus bribery scandal and returned home. A large number of his supporters flocked to Colombo to pledge solidarity with him. Speaking at a District Coordination Committee meeting at the Matale District Secretariat yesterday, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that nobody was above the law, and anyone could be questioned in an investigation. He claimed that his predecessors had violated more..

May 13 (DN) GMOA celebrates its Centenary Jubilee today. Therefore, today is the ideal occasion to discuss the issues faced by all parties concerned. The patients’ plight needs to be highlighted in particular. They have borne the brunt of strikes in the health sector over the past several decades. The entire country knows quite well how innocent poor patients who seek medical treatment and other healthcare facilities from the State sector suffer whenever there is a strike in the State health sector. more..

May 13 (TM) The people are once again being asked to foot the bill for a crisis they did not create. This time, it comes in the form of restructuring and voluntary retirement schemes. But strip away the corporate jargon and the reality is, the Treasury is preparing to spend billions on compensation for thousands of employees following the breakup of the former CEB. And who funds the Treasury? The public. At a time when ordinary citizens are struggling to survive under crushing taxes, more..

May 13 (TM) The 2026 VAT Amendment Bill is set to broaden the national tax base and fundamentally alter the operating cost structures for numerous economic sectors. Deputy Minister of Rural Development Wasantha Piyathissa said: “We are currently holding targeted discussions regarding the provision of welfare relief to the public. While no final decision has been formalised just yet, the relevant ministries are deliberating on these matters extensively. more..

May 13 (ST) Even as India’s HC Santosh Jha renewed India’s call to build the mythological Ram Setu bridge to physically join Lanka with India and had the effrontery to declare that the time for wavering was over, it’s time to tell India exactly where to get off the bridge she plans to build. High Commissioner Jha, delivering the keynote speech at the Global Innovation and Leadership Summit in Colombo last Saturday, emphasised that such a physical link would transform the economic geography of more..

May 13 (SO) NPP defeated the old political order at the ballot box, but now it must defeat the State, the old order left behind. This is a harder task than winning an election, because although Govts can change in a day, bureaucratic habits, weak systems, careless procedures and criminal-political networks do not disappear with an election result. NPP is finding this the hard way. SL’s recent administrative failures have shown us the level of incompetence and carelessness that has crept into the system. more..

May 13 (CT) No one predicted that sensational commercial actor Vijay or Chandrasekaran Joseph Vijay would rise so rapidly in Tamil Nadu politics or aim for such high political stakes within just two years of setting the tone for his political journey. It became a silent revolution led largely by the Gen Z of Tamil Nadu, somewhat comparable to the political transformation witnessed in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, though under very different circumstances. more..

May 13 (DM) SL in 2026 finds itself at a dangerous crossroads. Its commanding position in the Indian Ocean should be a strategic asset, yet it remains a vulnerability. The civil war ended in 2009 and the economy has begun recovering from the 2022 crisis, but the island faces intensifying great-power rivalry, internal divisions, and new threats ranging from cyber attacks to climate disasters. The deepest problem, however, is home-grown －the chronic politicisation of intelligence and security institutions. more..

May 13 (DM) The recent arrest of 37 Chinese nationals who were involved in cybercrime related activities and subsequently deported from the country, raises fresh concerns on whether foreign cybercrime syndicates have infiltrated into SL. When dozens of Sri Lankans were being lured into Myanmar in the guise of data entry operators, affected parties came forward to expose the harrowing conditions in which they had to work in. Victims were forced under threat to run online scams. more..

May 12 (AD) Foreign remittances sent by Sri Lankan migrant workers reached USD 767.9 million in April 2026, marking a significant increase compared to the same period last year, according to the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment ((SLBFE). The figure represents a 19% rise from April 2025, when Sri Lanka received USD 646 million in remittances. Data released by the CB showed Sri Lanka earned a total of USD 3.06 billion in foreign remittances during the first four months of 2026. more..

May 12 (NW) Sixteen major reservoirs and ten medium‑scale reservoirs under the control of the Irrigation Dept are currently releasing water following heavy rainfall, according to H.M.P.S.D. Herath, Director of the dept. Among the major reservoirs releasing water are Rajanganaya in Anuradhapura, Sorabora Wewa in Badulla, Weerawila, Lunugamvehera, and Weheragala in Hambantota, Magalla and Deduru Oya in Kurunegala, Wemedilla and Nalanda in Kandy, and Alikota Ara more..

May 12 (DM) The magisterial inquiry into the suspicious death of former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena was held today before Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena. The first witness, Priyangi Anushka Wijenayake and the third witness, Aravinda de Silva, testified before court today in connection with the inquiry. During the proceedings, the Kollupitiya Police informed court that investigations into the death had been more..

May 12 (DM) A rise in dengue patients has been reported across the country compared to last year, the National Dengue Control Unit said. Dr. Prasila Samaraweera said that 27,754 dengue cases had been reported islandwide this year as of yesterday, while 14 deaths had also been recorded. She said the highest number of patients had been reported from the Western Province, with additional cases reported from the Colombo, Gampaha, Matara, Galle, Ratnapura, Kalutara & Kandy districts. more..

May 12 (Island) US Embassy in SL, together with the Association for Disaster Risk Management Professionals (ADRiMP), will host the GeoAI (Geospatial Artificial Intelligence) for Disaster Resilience Exhibition and Symposium, open to the public on 14 May, at the Auditorium of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, Uni of Colombo. The event will showcase how advanced mapping tools and American-led artificial intelligence innovations can strengthen disaster preparedness and more..

May 12 (Island) The govt yesterday unveiled sweeping amendments to National Environmental Act No. 47 of 1980. It had been last amended in 2002. Authorities described the latest amendments as one of the country’s most significant environmental legal reforms aimed at protecting ecosystems and ensuring sustainable development. The proposed amendments were announced during a media briefing under the patronage of more..

May 12 (DM) A landslide triggered by the Ditwah cyclone last year has become active once again as a result of the ongoing rainy weather which has hit Watawala in the Badulla district, authorities said yesterday. As a result roads in the area are blocked and traffic has come to a virtual standstill. Pre-monsoonal rain has resulted in disruption and disaster in the central hills. Diyagala stretch along the Hatton – Colombo Road experienced earth slips due to the heavy rains in the central hills. more..

May 12 (AD) The number of police stations currently operating in SL has exceeded the required level, according to Minister Ananda Wijepala. Speaking at a District Coordination Committee meeting held at the Kurunegala District Secretariat, Public Security Minister stated that the govt is considering closing some police stations as part of future restructuring efforts. “The number of police stations has now increased significantly. We are even considering shutting down some of them” more..

May 12 (NW) A group of Opposition members have written to Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena alleging a serious threat to the independence of the judiciary following remarks made by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the May Day rally in Maharagama. The group of opposition members includes former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, ITAK's M.A. Sumanthiran, former MPs Asath Sally, G.L. Peiris, and Premnath C. Dolawatte, among others. In their letter, the group points out that more..

May 12 (AD) Minister of Plantations and Community Infrastructure Samantha Vidyaratne, stated that the govt has decided to provide an additional fertilizer subsidy to small-scale tea plantation owners. He noted that the necessary funds for the initiative have already been allocated by the Treasury. Minister Vidyaratne further stated that although there is currently no shortage of fertilizer in the country, fertilizer prices may increase in the future. Elaborating further, the Minister stated, more..

May 12 (AD) Cabinet has granted approval for the construction of the Rambukkana–Galagedara section of the Central Expressway, with the project to be fully funded by the Govt at an estimated cost of Rs. 112 billion. Approval has also been granted for the awarding of seven contracts under the second phase of the third stage of the Central Expressway project (Rambukkana to Galagedara), covering construction work from more..

May 12 (NW) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says if a person’s name is mentioned in an investigation, a statement must be recorded from that individual, underscoring the principle of equality before the law. “If my name has been mentioned, then shouldn’t a statement be recorded from me? It has to be recorded. If someone’s name is mentioned during an investigation, it is normal to record a statement from that person,” the President said, addressing an event. more..

May 12 (EN) Cabinet has approved a proposal to call bids from international service providers for the provision of security stamps on foreign liquor, locally bottled foreign liquor and locally manufactured liquor. The move follows the mandatory requirement to affix security markings on all imported foreign liquor, locally produced foreign liquor, and local liquor established under the Excise (Amendment) Act No. 26 of 2018 and subsequent regulations published in the Extraordinary Gazette more..