May 4 (TM) The National Agrarian Unity has accused the Govt of causing a financial loss of US$ 250 million per agricultural season by purchasing fertiliser from Middle Eastern suppliers at higher prices, despite cheaper alternatives being available. The organisation’s President Anuradha Tennakoon said that SL has the option of sourcing urea from countries such as Kazakhstan at significantly lower rates. “We have learned from reliable sources that Kazakhstan is willing to supply fertiliser more..

May 4 (FT) Nations Trust Bank (NTB) announced that the transfer of Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation’s (HSBC) Retail Banking business in SL to NTB has officially been completed, with the acquired portfolio transitioning to NTB effective 1 May 2026. NTB has integrated HSBC SL’s retail banking customers into its operations, ensuring continuity of service and relationship management. The transition also includes the onboarding of HSBC SL staff as part of the integration process. more..

May 4 (FT) Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has come under scrutiny from fuel dealers, who have raised concerns over the reported Rs. 36.4 billion profit for 2025, as disclosed in the latest report of the Central Bank of SL (CBSL). Petroleum Dealers’ Association has alleged that the profit figure includes revenue generated through what it describes as unlawful deductions from dealer margins implemented during 2025. According to the Association, since the establishment of more..

May 4 (TM) Unloading of the first of five coal shipments under the emergency tender has commenced as part of a contingency strategy to ensure uninterrupted electricity generation, authorities said last week. This, as the Govt scrambles to secure stocks as deteriorating sea conditions are expected with the onset of the southwest monsoon. Although the Govt is confident that all shipments under the emergency coal more..

May 4 (AD) Food prices will not be increased despite yesterday’s fuel price revision, according to the Chairman of the All Ceylon Restaurant Owners Association, Harshana Rukshan. Chairman Harshana Rukshan said the increase in fuel prices, between Rs. 12 and Rs. 15, is too minimal to justify an increase in food prices. He also urged restaurant owners not to raise prices and called on the Consumer Affairs Authority to take action against establishments that charge excessive rates. more..

May 4 (Island) Sri Lanka’s newly appointed Cricket Interim Committee will pad up for its first outing on Wednesday and high on the agenda is a glaring void that has left purists fuming – the alarming lack of Test cricket. The numbers make for grim reading. Sri Lanka last took the field in whites in June 2025 and are not scheduled to do so again until June 2026, effectively leaving the longest format out in the cold for a full year. For a nation that once prided itself on producing artists in whites, more..

May 4 (FT) Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has reported improved operating and profit performance for the year ended 31 Dec 2025, with group net Profit After Tax (PAT) rising 12.1% YoY to its highest of Rs. 42.8 billion, according to unaudited financial statements. Previous high was Rs. 42.3 billion in 2022. Group revenue increased 9.7% to Rs. 81.8 billion from Rs. 74.6 billion a year earlier. Gross profit rose 18.4% to Rs. 44.8 billion, while operating profit increased 20.2% to Rs. 55.2 billion. more..

May 4 (FT) National Development Bank (NDB) said it has posted a Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs. 1.75 billion in the first quarter of 2026 after adjusting for the Rs. 13.2 billion fraud that has impacted the bank. In a statement, the bank said: “This financial results announcement represents the first following the bank’s earlier corporate disclosures as released to the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) on 2, 6 and 23 April 2026. The financial impact of the fraud, as internally estimated, more..

May 4 (FT) Sri Lanka’s current account surplus declined 43.9% year-on-year (YoY) to $ 531.5 million in the first quarter of 2026, as a widening trade deficit, up 122% from a year ago, and weaker services inflows weighed on the external account, despite support from higher workers’ remittances and a lower primary income deficit. The current account recorded a marginal surplus of $ 44.6 million in March, down 90.7% YoY, more..

May 4 (TM) A seven-member delegation led by Russian Federation Health Minister Mikhail Murashko arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday (3) on a three-day official visit. The delegation was received at the BIA by Science and Technology Minister Prof. Krishantha Abeysena, Russian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Levan Jagaryan, Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe, and Director (International Health) Dr. Anil Samaranayake. A brief discussion was held upon arrival. more..

May 4 (CT) With the implementation of revenue enhancement measures coupled with the revival of economic activities, govt revenue continued to record a significant increase in 2025, both in nominal terms and as a percentage of GDP, compared to the previous year, CB's 2025 Annual Economic Review released last Monday said. Accordingly, in nominal terms, govt revenue recorded a year -on-year growth of 35.2%, while in GDP terms, revenue increased steadily in recent years, more..

May 4 (SO) Sri Lanka and Bangladesh may soon receive full inbound PayPal functionality comparable to markets such as India, Singapore and US, sources close to PayPal India said. Users in SL and Bangladesh can typically make payments via PayPal, but receiving and withdrawing funds remain restricted or unavailable depending on account type and banking integration. Sources said both Govts are taking steps more..

May 4 (ST) The Avurudu Koha that came more than a fortnight ago seems to have laid a scandalous trove of eggs in the govt’s nest before fleeing from its cuckoldry. With a whole lot of cracking going on, take your pick on which one to concentrate on first, lest the bumper crop of fledglings – popping out of their shells at an alarming rate – distract your attention. With the backdrop already aflame with coal-fraud hellfires, the shock resignation of Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody gave rumour more..

May 4 (SO) The easiest part of reform is naming the villains, and the hardest part is fixing the systems that allowed them to thrive. The NPP successfully achieved the first. It is now being tested on the second. The party seems to have understood the task at hand. The NPP rallies showed that the Govt still has the energy and the organisational capacity of a serious cadre-based party. The NPP held 21 May Day rallies with hundreds of thousands joining them. During the two rallies he attended, more..

May 4 (DN) Regardless of their age, clergy members command respect, and many continue to follow their guidance. The cases of misconduct among clergy were relatively rare a few decades ago. On the contrary, the reputation of younger clergy is increasingly being tarnished by various incidents. As a society, we need to put a stop to this if we are to move forward with a strong sense of social ethics and public safety. The President held an emergency discussion with the Maha Sangha of the three more..

May 4 (Island) S.J.V. Chelvanayakam KC Memorial Lecture delivered on 26 April, at Jaffna Central College, by Professor G.L. Peiris, an academic with outstanding credentials, was published, under the title, Federalism and paths to constitutional reform, in The Island of. In Part II of the publication, titled Advocacy of Federalism: Origins and Context, Prof. Peiris states: “At the core of political convictions he held sacrosanct was his unremitting commitment to federalism…”. more..

May 4 (TM) As violence and misery spreads globally, one may question the effectiveness of non-aggressive gestures and passive initiatives of peace. The Ehipassiko Walk for Peace pilgrimage led by Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara – followed by a group of monks from Texas, USA – brings a message of peace and raises awareness for non-violence. Its Sri Lanka leg was held from 21–28 April, with the iconic Aloka the Peace Dog more..

May 4 (CT) May 1st, internationally recognized as Workers’ Day, stands as a historic symbol of the struggles, sacrifices, and solidarity of the labour movement across the world. Its origins lie in the late 19th-century fight for the eight-hour working day, most notably linked to the Haymarket Affair in Chicago. From that defining moment, May Day spread across continents, becoming a day not merely of commemoration, but of collective strength—where workers unite to assert their rights, more..

May 4 (TM) The current reality in the Middle East has brought the front lines directly to our kitchen tables, in more ways than one. As the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively shuttered and the shadow of the 2026 regional war lengthens, Sri Lanka finds itself at a perilous crossroads. For a Nation still navigating the fragile waters of economic recovery, the disruption of the world’s most vital fertiliser artery is not just a logistical hurdle. It is an existential threat to our national food security. more..

May 4 (CT) Former Secretary to the Ministry of Energy Prof. Udayanga Hemapala, who stepped down over public outcry on the actions of the Ministry of Energy on coal and power purchase agreements, said, “I have mixed feelings about my tenure, as there were both positive and negative aspects.” He said, “On the positive side, we were able to award two wind power projects with a total capacity of 50 MW at very competitive more..

May 4 (Island) Rice farmers are in a paddy. They are complaining that they have been left without fertilisers for the current cultivation season. The govt has reportedly announced that it will not be able to meet the paddy farmers’ fertiliser requirements fully due to the current global supply disruptions. It has thus contradicted itself. Previously, it said there were adequate fertiliser stocks in the country, and there would be no shortages. It should not have given such an assurance more..

May 4 (GV) The arrest of 22 Buddhist monks with narcotics in their possession at the Katunayake Airport recently hit the headlines. Many referred to them as cheevara dharin, meaning people impersonating Buddhist monks or lay people in Buddhist robes. But they have not been charged with impersonating Buddhist monks; they were found to be monks from several temples in the country. The repeated use of what may be called an euphemism, cheevara dharin, wouldn’t more..

May 3 (ST) The words transparency and accountability appear dozens of times in the NPP's election manifesto – A Thriving Nation, A Beautiful Life. The number of times the words appear in the manifesto underscores the importance the party had attached to these lofty ideals back then. Events that have overtaken the country since the NPP assumed power have raised questions as to whether these words hold the same level of importance to more..

May 3 (AD) Ceypetco has announced a revision of fuel prices, effective from midnight today (2). The price of Auto Diesel has been increased by Rs. 10 to Rs. 392 per litre, and the price of Super Diesel has been increased by Rs. 15 to Rs. 458 per litre. Meanwhile, the price of Petrol 92 Octane has also been increased by Rs. 12 to Rs. 410 per litre and Petrol 95 Octane up by Rs. 15 to Rs. 470 per litre, the CPC said. Meanwhile, the price of kerosene has been hiked by Rs. 10 to Rs. 265 per litre. more..

May 3 (Island) Former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando told court on Thursday that then State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Nilantha Jayawardena was also aware of intelligence information and had acted to conceal it, while also testifying that he believed former President Maithripala Sirisena had prior knowledge of the Easter Sunday terror attacks. Fernando made the statement while giving evidence before a Trial-at-Bar in the case filed against him over alleged more..

May 3 (ST) SL investigators have reached out to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as they widen their probe into the Treasury’s US$2.5 million loss linked to an email hacking, a senior CID official said. They have also contacted a US-based cybersecurity company that specialises in detecting and mitigating email hacking and phishing attacks, he said. “We have yet to learn where the fraudulent emails originated from, more..

May 3 (ST) The CID is to forward an application to formally obtain the details it had earlier obtained via post from the University of Wolverhampton regarding the invitation sent to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The move comes after the Attorney General’s Department advised the CID to formally apply to obtain the details under the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act (No. 25 of 2002). The CID was advised by a letter signed by State Counsel Sajith Bandara. more..

May 3 (DM) Final rites of Ranga Nishantha Rajapaksa, suspended Assistant Director of the External Resources Department of the Ministry of Finance, are scheduled to take place this afternoon (2). Rajapaksa was found dead under suspicious circumstances on the morning of April 30 in the garden of his residence. His body was discovered by family members near a banana tree, showing several injuries, including cuts to his leg and arm. A small knife was recovered from the scene more..

May 3 (NW) A total of 22 youths were arrested by the Kaduwela Police for staging a reckless motorcycle stunt show near a private university along Chandrika Kumaratunga Mawatha in Malabe. The arrests were made during a raid carried out following information that a group was conducting a motorcycle display in a manner that obstructed and inconvenienced road users. Initial investigations have revealed that the group had coordinated the event through a WhatsApp group. more..

May 3 (AD) Attorney-at-Law Shiral Lakthilake says that a psychological autopsy should be conducted on the death of the Assistant Director of the Finance Ministry’s Foreign Resources Department, who was suspended in connection with the alleged misappropriation of USD 2.5 million linked to a suspected cyber theft. He further alleged that serious suspicions have arisen due to the cover-up of the relevant financial fraud for 4 months by the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance. more..

May 3 (TM) Approximately $ 625,000 from the Dept of Posts, intended for payment to the US Postal Service (USPS), had allegedly been diverted through a coordinated phishing attack involving a third-party intermediary, according to Postmaster General Ruwan Sathkumara. Minister Nalinda Jayatissa first revealed the matter during the weekly Cabinet media briefing on 28 April, hot on the heels of the controversial $ 2.5 million loss of more..

May 3 (AD) 37 Chinese nationals, including a woman, have been arrested and remanded on suspicion of engaging in online financial scams in SL. The arrests were made during a joint operation conducted by the Walana Central Anti-Vice Task Force and the Anti-Vice Unit of Thalangama Police. During the raid on a rented house in the Koswatta area of Thalangama, police officers seized a total of 35 desktop computers, 37 tablets, 147 mobile phones, 100 SIM cards and 2,100 sticks of more..