May 27 (FT) Making a volatile situation worse, SL Customs has maintained the USD exchange rate used for import valuations at Rs. 351.17 for transactions between 25 and 29 May, according to a Customs circular, despite the rupee recovering in the interbank market since last Friday. The rate, published through an official Customs notice, comes after the CB said conditions in the foreign exchange market had stabilised following measures taken late last week to restore interbank liquidity and more..

May 27 (FT) Institute of Chartered Accountants of SL (CA SL) yesterday launched its inaugural Sustainability Summit at Cinnamon Life, drawing an unprecedented gathering of corporate leaders including C-suite executives, board members, regulators, and global sustainability experts. Held under the theme, Leading with a Sustainable Mindset: Building Resilience in an Uncertain World, the summit marked a defining moment in positioning the accountancy profession as a key driver of more..

May 27 (ST) The new Colombo Municipal Council School Canteen Food Environment Policy has an enforcement mechanism, which will be launched on June 10, with authorities firmly believing that positive change will be seen in children. Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr K. Sriprathapan said the CMC School Canteen Food Environment Policy will be launched next month. When questioned the difference between more..

May 27 (ST) Digital Ministry is set on a new survey with the World Bank to identify the current market situation for export in the IT industry. “Last year, when we came into power, the assessment was at US$ 1.2 billion export revenue generation, but with this assessment, we found that it’s in the range of $1.5 billion to $ 1.6 billion. There is a larger community of freelancers, providing digital services, while being in the country, and when adding all this income, it comes to about $1.9 b in income. more..

May 27 (DN) SL women produced a dominant all-round performance to crush Maldives by three straight sets 3-0 in their first round match of the Central Asian Volleyball Association (CAVA) Women’s Volleyball Championship played in Kathmandu, Nepal yesterday. SL side took control from the opening whistle and won the first set comfortably by 25-17 after showing sharp attacking and solid defence at the net. Maldives fought back strongly in the second set and matched SL more..

May 27 (ST) CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said the IMF program provides sufficient flexibility for SL to make policy adjustments, including targeted subsidies and revisions to key performance targets, depending on evolving economic conditions. Dr. Weerasinghe stressed that the IMF-supported reform framework was not rigid and allowed authorities to respond to external shocks & domestic economic pressures more..

May 27 (FT) The People’s Bank announced the achievement of a strong and resilient financial performance for the quarter ended 31 March 2026, maintaining stability amidst heightened geopolitical tensions and continued global economic uncertainty. The Bank recorded a standalone Profit Before Tax (PBT) of Rs. 16.6 billion during the period, reflecting the strength of its underlying fundamentals, prudent balance sheet management, and disciplined risk management practices. more..

May 27 (Island) The Sri Lankan rupee is not merely depreciating. It is sending a warning. Once again, the country is being reminded that recovery is not the same as stability, and that an IMF programme is not a substitute for disciplined national economic management. Beneath the casual conversations of scholars lies a serious argument: Sri Lanka is not yet out of danger. The country may have escaped the worst of the 2022 collapse, but it has not escaped the habits that produced it: more..

May 27 (TM) The ousted selection committee led by Pramodya Wickramasinghe discarded former white-ball captain and batter Charith Asalanka from the 16-man T20 squad, as they named the respective Sri Lankan squads, which flew out for a multi-format tour of the West Indies yesterday. The already-removed selection panel while omitting Asalanka, 28, a veteran of 76 T20Is, handed the reins of the two white-ball squads instead, to seasoned top-order batter Kusal Mendis, more..

May 27 (FT) Global financial industry is undergoing one of the most profound transformations in modern economic history. Rapid technological advancement, digital innovation, artificial intelligence, and evolving consumer expectations are fundamentally changing the way individuals and businesses conduct financial transactions. Among the most influential developments in this transformation is the rise of digital payment platforms such as PayPal, which has revolutionised online financial services more..

May 27 (NW) SL Police says disciplinary action will be taken against traffic police officers who fail to facilitate payments through the GovPay system for on-the-spot traffic fines. DIG of Police W.P.J. Senadheera said the GovPay payment system was introduced in April 2025 to reduce inconvenience faced by motorists and save public time and economic costs caused by delays in paying traffic fines. more..

May 27 (FT) John Keells Holdings (JKH) reported a strong financial performance for FY2025/26, with Group EBITDA increasing 75% to Rs.80.01 billion, reflecting the contribution of investments made over the past several years and the continued performance of the Group’s established businesses. Group recurring EBITDA increased 71% to Rs. 78.05 billion, compared to Rs. 45.69 billion in the previous year, driven primarily by Retail, Transportation and Leisure. Recurring profit before tax rose more..

May 27 (Island) Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Reviewing Election Laws, which recently had its first meeting under the chairmanship of Minister of Public Admin, PCs & LG, Prof. A.H.M.H. Abayarathna, has reportedly decided to seek public views on the election law review process. Reviewing election laws as well as modernising them to reflect present-day needs is a long-felt need. PSC deserves the fullest public cooperation. The PSC has been tasked with reviewing election laws, more..

May 27 (CT) It is difficult to see how a society’s cultural personality and original identity could remain unadulterated after surviving centuries of colonial rule, religious conversions, and economic exploitation. Ancient Ceylon has been portrayed to our children, especially Sinhalese Buddhist generations, as one whose prime ruler was a King who followed the advice and tenets of the Maha Sanga, the clergy of Buddhism. One cannot argue against that overarching narrative of more..

May 27 (SO) SL rupee has long behaved less like a stable currency and more like a high-altitude barometer of national anxiety. Just when the country thought it had navigated the worst of its 2022 historical macroeconomic volatility, entering 2026 with a sense of fragile equilibrium and hard-won stability, the currency market reminded everyone of its capacity for sudden, violent disruptions. During the third week of May 2026, the rupee went on a roller-coaster ride that triggered more..

May 27 (DM) The arrest and subsequent bail release of Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Thera, on alligations of raping a minor girl has shed light on the dark underbelly of sexual abuse in the clerical order. The incident has already left a foul stain on the saffron robe. The claims that the usual culprits have resorted to capitalising on the incident to defame Buddhism, though might be true, are not a reason to shy away from discussing it. more..

May 27 (TM) For nearly 7 years, Provincial Council system has existed in a political limbo. The councils remain dissolved, elections remain postponed, and yet the machinery continues to consume hundreds of billions of rupees annually. Last week’s remarks in Jaffna by the General Secretary of the JVP, stating that Provincial Council elections would not be held this year due to funds being redirected towards disaster relief, once again exposed the uncertainty and confusion surrounding more..

May 27 (ST) Prosaic news reporting of a decision by the Supreme Court earlier this week holding that the Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports & Civil Aviation had violated the rights of an Additional Secretary of that Ministry by preventing him from assuming duties in a post to which he had been properly appointed, provoked interest in no small measure. Such a judgment by SL’s apex court at a different time and place would have been commonplace, perhaps even mundane. more..

May 27 (SO) Energy has become one of the defining global anxieties of the modern era. Wars, fuel disruptions, volatile oil markets, and fragile supply chains have forced countries across the world to rethink how they power their economies. For SL — still recovering from its worst economic crisis in decades — energy security has become a question of survival rather than policy preference. Against this backdrop, renewable energy is more..

May 27 (DM) SL is at a point where it must make an important decision about its children and their future. Social media has become a powerful part of daily life, but for young people, especially those under 16, it is doing more harm than good. The government has already discussed bringing in a law to restrict social media use for children. What is needed now is not more discussion, but action. For many children today, social media is not just entertainment. It is where they try to build their identity and more..

May 27 (GV) Priests enjoy a privileged position in our society, in many societies for that matter. Their high status comes merely from belonging to this category called priests. They are like politicians who enjoy recognition and power just being politicians. As we know, politicians secure a special place in society irrespective of whether they are clever or otherwise and whether they are qualified or not. Priests enjoy more eminence in their priesthood. If you are a priest, you are well recognised, more..

May 26 (DM) The Cabinet has approved a proposal to sell part of the paddy stocks currently held by the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) in order to create storage space and generate funds for upcoming paddy purchases during the Yala season. Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said the Board has stored nearly 115,000 metric tons of paddy purchased from farmers in warehouses across the country. Authorities said a sufficient quantity of paddy will be retained as a safety stock, while more..

May 26 (Journal) The island’s rapid ascension in the technical education sector reflects a strategic pivot towards high-value automation and artificial intelligence. By fusing rigorous theoretical foundations with an aggressive practical application, these programmes have successfully redefined regional standards for engineering. As of 2026, SL has become a focal point for international students and tech firms alike, proving that a nation’s size is no barrier to its digital ambitions. more..

May 26 (Reuters) SL's central bank stunned markets by raising its policy rate by an outsized 100 basis points on Tuesday, the biggest hike in three years, and signaled more tightening as surging energy costs whip up inflation and batter its currency. Economic growth in the South Asian nation, only just recovering from a devastating 2022 financial crisis that left businesses and households deeply scarred, is expected to take a hit more..

May 26 (TS) The Indian Army’s Engineer Task Force deployed advanced technologies such as heavy-payload drones, remote-controlled boats and laser range finders for the first time in an overseas humanitarian mission during Operation Sagar Bandhu in SL, significantly enhancing the speed and precision of relief efforts following Cyclone Ditwah. “We inducted new-generation equipment for the first time overseas. Heavy-payload drones, remote-controlled boats and laser range finders more..

May 26 (DM) The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the implementation of the Surakimu Lanka National Energy Security Mission aimed at strengthening Sri Lanka’s energy security and promoting efficient electricity consumption. Govt said Sri Lanka’s energy security has been affected by several factors, including heavy dependence on fossil fuels, drought conditions, disruptions in fuel supply due to geopolitical instability, and fluctuations in global fuel prices. more..

May 26 (Island) Recent rumours circulating on social media regarding a potential move to lift the ban on cattle slaughter, within the Kandy municipal limits, have been categorically denied by both the Kandy Mayor and representatives of the Muslim community. Allegations suggested that there were attempts to bypass the long-standing ban implemented 14 years ago during the tenure of former Mayor Mahendra Ratwatte, to more..

May 26 (NW) PM Harini Amarasuriya declared open a newly-equipped High Definition (HD) television studio at the Uni of Vocational Technology (UoVT) in Ratmalana, aimed at enhancing practical training opportunities for students. The new studio, fitted with modern technical equipment, was established as part of the university’s media complex to support hands-on learning for students pursuing media and technology-related studies. Several new affiliated centres were also opened during the event, more..

May 26 (DM) Confirming the forecast made by some metrological authorities in a few countries in the region including India and Myanmar, the Department of Meteorology here yesterday said dry weather could be expected next month as the Southwest Monsoon is expected to lose its vigour. Met. Dept Climatologist Malith Fernando said Sri Lanka could also expect a dry spell because of the El Nino effect experienced in the country. The dryness is a result of weakening winds. more..

May 26 (Island) British citizen Kayleigh Fraser, who has been in hiding here since late 2022 following a deportation order issued by the then government over her reportage of the UPFA goons attack on Galle Face protesters, on social media platforms, wants the govt to rescind that order, enabling her to leave the county. Fraser’s counsel Nagananda Kodituwakku quoted her as having said that she doesn’t want to be deported under any circumstances. Govt wanted her to surrender more..

May 26 (NW) National Nephrology Specialized Hospital, also known as the China-SL Friendship Kidney Hospital in Polonnaruwa, says it is prepared to continue pediatric kidney transplant surgeries following the success of its first such operation performed earlier this month. Hospital officials said the first pediatric kidney transplant at the institution was successfully carried out on May 7 on a 16-year-old boy. The kidney was donated by the child’s father, and both the donor and recipient more..