May 21 (FT) Sri Lanka’s tea exports declined during the first four months of 2026, as disruptions to global shipping routes following the escalation of the US-Iran conflict weighed on access to key export markets across the Middle East and North Africa. According to an analysis of Sri Lanka Customs data by Siyaka Research, tea exports fell by 1.6% year-on-year (YoY) to 17.9 million kilograms (Mn/Kg) in April, compared with 18.2 Mn/Kg recorded in the same month last year. more..

May 21 (AD) Minister Vijitha Herath held productive discussions with the Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Nurlan Yermekbayev at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism. The meeting took place with the Secretary General during his official visit to SL. This visit, which is the first visit by a Secretary General of the SCO to SL, will contribute towards elevating SL’s engagement with the SCO. The discussions focused on further more..

May 21 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake assured that the Govt would take measures to prevent a repeat of the economic collapse experienced in 2022, as SL faces renewed pressure on the rupee and foreign exchange reserves amid a strengthening US dollar and the economic fallout from the Middle East crisis. Addressing public events in Batticaloa, Prez made his first public remarks since the recent depreciation of the rupee more..

May 21 (FT) Prime Melwa Port City Ltd, has formally commenced its highly anticipated world-class marina living experience at Port City Colombo, marking a significant milestone in the development of one of the region’s most prestigious waterfront residential destinations. Positioned as Asia’s Global Marina Front Masterpiece, the landmark project is poised to redefine luxury waterfront living in South Asia while elevating Sri Lanka’s position on the global real estate stage. more..

May 21 (DM) Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya called on the tourism industry not to overlook the domestic market as a vital buffer against ongoing global shocks, urging stakeholders to prioritise high-quality, sustainable experiences over sheer visitor volume. Speaking at the 13th Sancharaka Udawa exhibition in Colombo, she stressed the need for an inclusive and resilient tourism policy capable of withstanding an era where international crises have become the norm. more..

May 21 (DN) Two promising fast bowlers, Kavindu Pathiratne and Chamod Battage, emerged as standout performers during the recently concluded National Super League (NSL) four-day cricket tournament. Both pacemen impressed with consistent wicket-taking performances and earned major awards in SLC’s premier domestic competition. Team Dambulla, led by Dhananjaya de Silva, regained the NSL four-day title after defeating Colombo in the final. more..

May 21 (DN) SL Women’s ‘A’ team will meet NZ Women’s A in the opening match of the three-match T20 series today (21) at Dambulla. SL Women’s A lost the previous one-day series 0-1 after the first two matches were washed out by rain, and the home side will be aiming to bounce back strongly in the shorter format. NZ Women’s A have several experienced players in their squad, including Kate Anderson, Bella Armstrong, skipper Jess Watkin and fast bowler Hannah Rowe, who has more..

May 21 (FT) CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe recently defended SL's flexible exchange rate framework and rejected claims that the recent rupee depreciation had mechanically worsened the country’s debt burden, arguing that external debt obligations must be assessed in foreign currency terms rather than through nominal rupee conversions. Appearing before the CoPF last week, Dr. Weerasinghe was questioned extensively more..

May 21 (FT) Cabinet approved plans to formulate the country’s first dedicated inbound labour migration policy, marking a significant shift in labour market strategy as businesses increasingly seek access to foreign skilled and semi-skilled workers. Move reflects a growing demand across several sectors of the economy for foreign labour with specialised expertise, at a time when SL continues to experience domestic workforce shortages and outward migration of local workers. more..

May 21 (AD) Engineers’ Association of the Road Development Authority (RDA) has announced that it has launched an indefinite trade union action from today, citing two key demands including a salary anomaly issue. The association stated that despite several rounds of discussions previously held with authorities regarding their demands, the promises made during those talks have yet to be fulfilled, prompting the union action. President of the RDA Engineers’ Association. more..

May 21 (ST) Nearly 6 months after Cyclone Ditwah devastated large parts of the country, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited 4 of the worst-affected districts to review the progress of restoration of normalcy, payment of compensation and resettlement of the displaced. Most of those affected have not recovered yet. Some of them live in temporary shelters, some with relatives and friends, while others rent a place. A few of them living in temporary shelters were affected this week more..

May 21 (ST) Many areas which were affected by Cyclone Ditwah were once more damaged after heavy rains swept away sand bags and other materials put in place to stabilise roads in the hill country areas. The repeated rains have kept the ground wet and soggy making it susceptible to landslides and earth slips. Some areas witnessed tree falls and strong winds while other areas were affected by floods. The heavy rains resulted in flooding of Puttalam, Wanathawilluwa, more..

May 21 (AD) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has attended the 2026 OSGA Annual Lecture held at the University of Oxford, where she delivered a lecture titled The Politics of Development: Sri Lanka and Beyond. The lecture was held on Tuesday at the St Antony’s College, University of Oxford, and organized by the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies (OSGA), the department’s flagship annual event more..

May 21 (FT) Hellmann Worldwide Logistics and MAS Holdings, partners in the joint venture Hellmann MAS Supply Chain established in 2018, announced the development of a new built-to-suit contract logistics facility in Kimbulapitiya. Strategically located in the Gampaha District, just 6 km from BIA, the facility will serve as a dedicated fashion hub within Hellmann’s South Asia network. The new hub represents a significant milestone in Hellmann’s Forward 2030 strategy, more..

May 21 (Island) Sri Lanka Telecom said its dollar reserves rose by around 30 percent in the first quarter of 2026, strengthening the group’s foreign currency position at a time when many SL companies remain cautious about external payment risks and exchange-rate volatility. Chairman of the SLT Group, Dr. Mothilal de Silva disclosed the increase during a post-results media briefing on May 19, following the release of the group’s first-quarter financial results, but declined more..

May 21 (ST) Two young parents grieving the loss of their firstborn at the Trincomalee Hospital are demanding justice while the Ministry of Health has launched a formal inquiry into suspected medical negligence. 28-year-old Sathyaseelan Thilakshika and 33-year-old Vijayan Vasanthan, in a complaint lodged at the local police station and the Human Rights Commission, claim that gross medical negligence on the part of Trinco Hospital staff more..

May 21 (GV) More than 100 years have passed since Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan warned about the dangers of majoritarian rule in Ceylon. Yet in 2026, same political concerns surrounding equality, constitutional recognition, devolution and Tamil political identity continue to dominate national and international discussion. History is repeating itself because SL has never fully resolved the Tamil question. From 1921 to 1978 and now to 2026, different generations of Tamil political thinkers more..

May 21 (Island) The annual Commemoration of War Heroes was held on Tuesday, and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his address, pledged to fulfill the aspirations of those who had made the supreme sacrifice for the country. He said they had laid down their lives in the hope that their sacrifices would help build a better country. Last year, he drew criticism for avoiding the term war heroes when referring to the fallen military personnel, but he used it on Tuesday. more..

May 21 (DN) The decision by a group of university students to vacate the disputed Malwana residence which they thereafter handed over to PM Harini Amarasuriya was a welcome move which averted another potential upheaval involving university students. Following the handing over it has now been decided to transfer the building to the UGC. According to the IUSF, Govt has responded positively to their groups’ request and in view of that response they had decided to leave more..

May 21 (ST) We have passed a quarter of the 21st century. At the turn of the century 1 in 4 Sri Lankans were poor. About 25 years later, again at least 1 in 4 is poor – it could be as large as 1 in 3 or even more. As Sri Lanka has not produced any official poverty indicators after 2019, we are not aware of the country’s poverty analysis in crisis time. In the absence of official data, we refer to the poverty estimates of international organisations such as UNDP and World Bank as well as more..

May 21 (SO) Recent excavations in Velanai in the Jaffna Peninsula have uncovered the oldest known settlement to emerge in Northern SL. The findings, which date back to around 3460 BCE, challenge long-held assumptions about the impossibility of sustaining early human life in the region. For decades, archaeologists believed prehistoric communities were concentrated mainly in the wetter and resource-rich Southern and more..

May 21 (CT) Why aren’t the Tamil Parties of the North and East asking for the full implementation of the 13th Amendment and consequently insisting on the holding of the Provincial Council Elections at least in the North and East immediately? Many reasons stand in the way. Firstly each Party thinks selfishly that any solution to the Tamil Problem must be placed before the Govt or any World Body under their insistence or sponsorship. In other words internal rivalry among the Tamil Parties more..

May 21 (Island) When Sri Lanka gained Independence, the only anti-corruption legislation in force consisted of Sections 158, 159 and 160 of Chapter IX of the Penal Code, which dealt with public servants accepting or soliciting gratification for doing or forbearing to do any official act, or showing favour to any person, etc. Since these provisions were considered inadequate, the Bribery Act was promulgated in 1954. An amendment to the Bribery Act (No. 40) of 1958 created more..

May 21 (SO) SL, often called the heart of the Indian Ocean, derives a significant strategic advantage from its geography. With an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of approximately 517,000 km² and a coastline of 1,585 km, SL’s marine territory is nearly eight times larger than its landmass. These waters are not merely scenic; they represent a critical resource base for economic development under an emerging blue economy framework. more..

May 21 (TM) The warning from the Central Bank of SL (CBSL) Governor Dr Nandalal Weerasinghe, at the recent State of the Economy public lecture serves as a sobering reality check for our nation. After two consecutive years of robust 5% growth in 2024 and 2025, Sri Lanka is once again at the mercy of forces beyond its shores. The Governor’s candid admission that our previous growth forecasts are now hostage to global instability must not be taken lightly by policymakers or the public. more..

May 21 (TM) There is a comforting, almost poetic resonance to the speech delivered by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the 17th National War Heroes’ Day Commemoration. Speaking from a platform traditionally reserved for triumph, Prez pivoted toward a language of universal fairness, a celebration of multiculturalism, and a stern warning to the privileged elites who have long manipulated the gears of the State. To hear a leader, declare the law will be applied equally regardless of more..

May 20 (DM) SL’s fast weakening rupee is beginning to expose a deeper strain within the country’s export sector, with exporters warning that the rising cost of imported fuel, raw materials and industrial inputs is rapidly eroding the short-term gains from a stronger dollar. National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) yesterday asserted that while the depreciation of the rupee may temporarily inflate export earnings in local currency terms, the broader economic fallout could leave manufacturers more..

May 20 (AD) Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) said the recent depreciation of the SL rupee must be viewed in the context of wider global pressures, including the conflict in the Middle East, rising global fuel prices and increasing shipping costs. JAAF noted that a weaker rupee should not be interpreted as a sign that Sri Lanka’s economy is underperforming. This position is also consistent with recent comments by Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, more..

May 20 (NW) The CID, through the AG’s Dept, today made a series of explosive allegations before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court, claiming former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Suresh Salley had played a central role in the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks and in a wider network of alleged politically motivated operations. Appearing for the CID, Additional Solicitor General Dilip Peiris told court that investigators had more..

May 20 (Island) Environment Minister Dhammika Patabendi sounded a strong warning over the rapid destruction of elephant habitats in the Hambantota region, declaring that the proposed Hambantota Elephant Management Reserve was no longer an option but an urgent national necessity to prevent a deepening environmental crisis. Addressing a media briefing convened to create public awareness on the reserve, Dr. Patabendi said decades of political interference, illegal land grabs, more..

May 20 (NW) Ampitiye Sumanarathana Thero has extended his support to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake following a meeting held during the President’s visit to Batticaloa, stating that he would move away from what he described as the Rajapaksa Nikaya. In a video statement released after the meeting, the Thero said he had earlier shared a message indicating he would take a step forward if efforts to engage with Prez failed. He said he had attempted to establish contact more..