May 11 (ST) A part of the US$ 2.5 million transferred by the Treasury to scammers after a breach of the computer system at the Ministry of Finance has been traced to a bank account in the state of Delaware in the US, a senior police officer said. Account had been in the name of a company in Delaware engaged in registering online businesses while the account was maintained at a branch of the TD Bank in the state, official involved in more..

May 11 (DM) Some leading companies from the Middle East which is now caught in the Israeli/ US war with Iran are among the parties that have shown interests in investing in the Mattala international airport, according to a Minister. Sri Lanka has called for Expressions of Interest to run the international airport in Mattala, Hambantota district. A Cabinet-appointed committee has been tasked with negotiating the deal with prospective domestic and foreign investors. more..

May 11 (NF) An organized criminal and drug trafficker, Manoj Suranga Liyanage, alias Batuwatte Chamara, who was taken into custody while overseas, was repatriated to the island last night (10). Batuwatte Chamara was arrested in Azerbaijan about a year ago. The alleged drug trafficker and organized criminal had fled the country and was hiding in Dubai. He was brought to Sri Lanka from Azerbaijan via India at around 10:10 p.m. last night. The 48-year-old Manoj Liyanage, more..

May 11 (FT) Sri Lanka’s fiscal position strengthened markedly in the first two months of 2026, with the Govt recording a sharp expansion in the primary surplus and reversing the Budget deficit into a surplus position. The Govt recorded a primary surplus of Rs. 545.42 billion during Jan-Feb 2026, up 66.1% from Rs. 328.45 billion a year earlier, reflecting continued improvement in revenue performance more..

May 11 (TM) Former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa said that he would comply with the summons issued by the CIABOC and appear before the Commission tomorrow. The former President made the remarks while attending the funeral of former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena to pay his final respects. Rajapaksa has been instructed via a letter to appear before the CIABOC to record a statement regarding the controversial Airbus deal. The case relates to allegations that Chandrasena, more..

May 11 (FT) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has strongly criticised the Govt’s decision to raise electricity tariffs by 18%, claiming authorities are shifting the financial burden of alleged substandard coal imports onto consumers and businesses. Making a special statement, Premadasa claimed the latest increase unfairly penalises electricity users despite repeated calls not to pass on costs linked to what he described as questionable coal procurement decisions. more..

May 11 (AD) The final rites of former SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer Kapila Chandrasena were conducted this evening (10) at the Borella General Cemetery. Chandrasena’s body was found on May 8 at a residence in Colpetty. Police had initially stated that the death was suspected to be a case of hanging, while investigations into the incident have now been handed over to Colombo Crimes Division (CCD). Meanwhile, a five-member panel of specialist judicial medical officers more..

May 11 (NW) The Yal Devi train operating between Colombo and Kankesanthurai will resume services from today. Accordingly, the train will operate from Colombo Fort to Kankesanthurai on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The Yal Devi train from Kankesanthurai to Colombo Fort will operate only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The train consists of four air-conditioned first-class compartments. Passengers can reserve tickets through Dept of Railways’ official website more..

May 11 (TM) Heavy rainfall is expected to continue over the coming days, with the Met Dept warning the prevailing atmospheric disturbance could develop into a low-pressure area today. Meteorologist Malith Fernando said the current weather pattern remains a pre-monsoon condition and that monsoon conditions are expected to develop around 20 May following the formation and intensification of low-pressure system. more..

May 11 (SO) Payments to private contractors by the CEB have more than doubled over the past decade, rising to Rs. 4,370 million in 2024 from Rs. 1,643 million in 2015, according to official data presented to Parliament. The sharp increase in outsourcing comes despite the State utility maintaining a workforce of over 22,400 employees, raising fresh questions about efficiency and the use of in-house staff. CEB data shows that Rs. 4,370 million was spent in 2024 on outsourced services, more..

May 11 (CT) The selection process for the new CEO of SriLankan Airlines has drawn 210 applications, Ports and Civil Aviation Deputy Minister Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku said. He said, from the large pool of applicants, four candidates have been shortlisted following interviews, and the most suitable individual will be appointed as the airline’s next CEO. The shortlisted candidates are all Sri Lankan nationals, he added. The Govt expects the final appointment to be made within a month. more..

May 11 (AD) Free Lawyers organisation has accused the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance of attempting to protect the real culprits in a controversial payment involving the CB and the Treasury. In a statement, the organisation claimed that the eight-page report seeks to shield senior officials while placing responsibility on lower-level officers and computer systems. It further alleged that the committee has failed to fulfil its statutory responsibilities under Standing Order 121, more..

May 11 (AD) Police have issued a special notice regarding the issuance of digital motor vehicle insurance cards, which came into effect from May 1. In accordance with a decision jointly taken by the Insurance Regulatory Commission of SL, Insurance Association of SL, and other stakeholders in the insurance industry, insurance companies commenced issuing Digital Motor Insurance Cards in place of conventional Motor Insurance Certificates. Accordingly, IGP has issued more..

May 11 (SO) Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) will soon award a contract valued at around Rs.16 billion to lay an aviation fuel pipeline from Muthurajawela to BIA as part of the Govt’s broader plan to transform SL into a regional aviation services hub. CPC Managing Director Dr. Mayura Neththikumarage said that the project has entered the mandatory standstill phase after the selection of the successful bidder. more..

May 11 (Island) In the ancient Silk Road city of Samarkand, where merchants once connected civilisations through trade and ideas, a new conversation unfolded from 3–6 May at the 59th Annual Meetings of the ADB. Political leaders, central bank governors, investors, innovators and development partners gathered under a compelling theme: Crossroads of progress: Advancing the region’s connected future. The message resonating across the forum was unmistakable. more..

May 11 (DN) The 20th Battle of the Golds big match between D.S Senananyake College Colombo and Mahanama College ended in a draw at the SSC grounds yesterday. However both teams’ batters dominated this 3-day encounter while Mahanama skipper Dulnith Sigera came to the highlight yesterday with a magnificent knock of 189 in 209 balls with 10 fours and 9 sixes which helped them to pose a first innings total of 387 for 9 wickets declared in replay to DS’s first innings 344 more..

May 11 (NW) A factory located in the Homagama Industrial Zone has been sealed by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) for allegedly manufacturing and distributing substandard steel bars without the mandatory SLS certification. The raid was carried out on May 9 following a tip-off received by CAA officials. The factory had been operating at the location for nearly three years and was producing 6mm steel bars alongside its other products before releasing them to the market. more..

May 11 (EN) SL’s Central Bank became a net dollar seller for the first time in 22 months, after it had been buying the U.S. currency to build reserves to meet the targets the island nation agreed with the IMF. CB sold US$13 million on a net basis in April this year. It last sold dollars on a net basis in June 2024. The CB, however, net bought US$ 697.2 million in the first four months of this year following a net purchase of US$2 billion last year. CB's net dollar sales also coincide with a 3.7% fall more..

May 11 (FT) Workers’ remittances climbed to a record high in April, marking one of the strongest four-month performances in the country’s history, despite economic uncertainty stemming from the ongoing Middle East conflict, a region that hosts a large share of SL migrant workers. Latest data from the CB showed that inflows rose 19% year-on-year (YoY) to $ 767.9 million. April marked the fourth consecutive month of exceptionally strong more..

May 11 (ST) The govt has plans to expedite a Rs.1 billion promotional campaign in a bid to overcome the drop experienced recently in tourist arrivals as a result of the war in West Asia. Deputy Minister Ruwan Ranasinghe said said that a Rs.1 billion tender is to be finalised for which the evaluation is being carried out for the Australian market to conduct a digital and PR campaign in about two weeks’ time. SL will also be carrying out similar campaigns in other key markets more..

May 11 (TM) The Ministry of Labour is taking steps to professionalise the caregiving sector by introducing an allowance system while also working to establish clear criteria to identify individuals who require caregiving assistance. As part of the initiative, the Ministry is in the process of drafting an activity plan and studying progressive international practices related to the sector. Labour Ministry Secretary S.M. Piyatissa said that when professionalising any sector, more..

May 11 (FT) Port of Colombo has recorded a significant increase in container handling volumes during the first four months of 2026. It handled 761,096 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in Apr 2026, compared to 623,719 TEUs recorded in Apr 2025, marking a growth of 22%. Cumulative container throughput from Jan to Apr 2026 reached 2,915,004 TEUs, reflecting a 13.9% or 355,157 TEU increase, compared to more..

May 11 (Island) The lack of a committed and competent workforce is no longer a routine managerial complaint in Sri Lanka; it has become a defining national problem. Recent widely reported malpractices, in leading public institutions, have exposed the depth of this challenge. From a macro-economic perspective, large and persistent gaps exist between the competencies required to perform jobs effectively and the competency profiles of the existing workforce. more..

May 11 (DN) Huge trees survive for centuries. They continue to serve humanity only when they are planted properly, nurtured carefully, and maintained according to scientific guidelines. Otherwise, they may collapse at any moment and perish. The same applies to a nation. All preschools operating in Sri Lanka are required to register or renew their registration by July 1, 2026, under new regulations announced by the Women and Child Affairs Ministry. Preschools must meet Govt standards for more..

May 11 (ST) A govt already beset by a scandal surrounding the purchase of low-grade coal for the Lakvijaya power plant faced a fresh controversy when Parliament met for the first time since the Sinhala & Tamil New Year, as it found itself on the back foot over the disappearance of USD 2.5 million from the Treasury. Opposition MPs were waiting to pounce on the subject of the missing millions and did so almost immediately after this week’s sessions commenced on Tuesday (5). more..

May 11 (CT) In 2025, global defence spending has surged to an estimated USD 2 trillion, marking a historic milestone in military expenditure. This sharp increase is not merely a reflection of economic growth or routine budget adjustments, it is a signal of a world grappling with deepening insecurity, strategic competition, and an increasingly fragile international order. At first glance, rising defence budgets may appear to be a rational response to emerging threats. more..

May 11 (TM) In what has become a recurring theme in Sri Lankan law enforcement, authorities have once again disrupted major illicit operations run by foreign nationals. According to reports from early May, the Police carried out separate raids in the commercial capital of Colombo and the southern coastal district of Matara, leading to the arrest of individuals suspected of engaging in financial scams and violating visa conditions. more..

May 11 (DM) The Palk Strait Bridge and Tunnel is a proposed 23-km (14 mile) link across the Palk Strait between Dhanushkodi in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Talaimannar on Mannar Island off the northwestern coast of SL. The bridge between India and SL was first seriously proposed by the govts of these two countries back in 2002. During the 2002-2004 Peace Accord, the then PM, Ranil Wickremesinghe, asked India to help build what he called the Hanuman Bridge. more..

May 11 (TM) Five months is not a long time in the life of a nation recovering from disaster. Yet in Sri Lanka, the memory of Cyclone Ditwah already risks being pushed aside by the arrival of the next monsoon season. The rains have begun once more. The Department of Meteorology has warned that a low-level atmospheric disturbance near Sri Lanka is likely to develop into a low-pressure area around 11 May, bringing continued heavy rainfall across much of the island. more..

May 11 (CT) From January this year until April, SL had not recorded a single measles case. That run is now over. Two cases have been confirmed in the Colombo District, both within the same Medical Officer of Health area, and laboratory testing has established that the virus strain was carried in from another country. The timing could not be more precarious. SL was on course to reclaim its WHO measles elimination certification, more..

May 11 (Island) Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Chandrasekar Joseph Vijay has achieved his chief ministerial dream in TN, with the help of some other parties, including the Congress. His meteoric rise to power was possible mostly due to his popularity as a film star, his unrealistic promises and a massive protest vote fuelled by anti-politics. Winning elections is one thing, but living up to people’s expectations by fulfilling campaign promises is quite another. more..

May 11 (CT) Corruption in politics has long been a serious issue that must be addressed. Its history stretches back many decades. The roots of corruption neither begin nor end with the Rajapaksas, nor can the blame be placed solely on the current generation. It is a deeply entrenched sociopolitical malignancy that has metastasized over time through successive political eras and leaderships. Its inherently intoxicating and seductive nature has entrapped many politicians, more..