May 21 (AD) One in every three people in SL is suffering from high blood pressure, Ministry of Health has stated. Director of the Non-Communicable Diseases Unit Dr. Shreeni Alahapperuma said illnesses caused by hypertension account for nearly 34% of deaths reported in the country. She stated that high blood pressure often does not present noticeable symptoms, making regular medical check-ups important, particularly for individuals over the age of 35. more..

May 21 (NW) UNP has raised concerns over what it described as the Govt’s handling of the SL Rupee’s depreciation, warning that the impact of the weakening currency will ultimately be felt by the general public through higher living costs and economic pressure. UNP said the country is facing a very serious issue due to the uncontrolled depreciation of the rupee, claiming that during the 20 months since the current administration more..

May 21 (NF) Y. N. Jayarathna, former Chief Hydrographer of SL, has stressed the urgent need for Sri Lanka to deepen its understanding of both India and China in order to effectively navigate an increasingly complex global geopolitical environment. Reflecting on his own perspective, Jayarathna noted that as early as 2010, he believed Sri Lankans needed a strong understanding of India. However, by 2013, he realised that equal attention must be given to China, more..

May 21 (FT) SL stands today at a defining strategic crossroads. An island nation in South Asia alongside the Maldives, it possesses a civilisational heritage spanning over 2,500 years. Yet its modern political economy and institutional framework remain deeply shaped by nearly 450 years of colonial rule under the Portuguese, Dutch, and British. While these influences introduced systems of law, administration, and global trade linkages, they also fostered a cautious & inward-looking national outlook. more..

May 21 (FT) The tea in your cup this morning began its journey in someone else’s hands. Hands whose work most of us never think about. Almost certainly, those hands belonged to a smallholder farmer tending a small plot of land, plucking leaves by hand beneath long mornings of mist and rain. Two leaves and a bud. Two leaves and a bud. Thousands of times. Smallholders account for about 60% of global tea supply. The industry built on their labour is worth $19.5 billion a year and more..

May 21 (AD) SL Rupee continues to weaken against the US Dollar amidst multiple factors including the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The selling rate of the US dollar exceeded Rs. 350 today, according to the latest daily exchange rates issued by the Central Bank. The buying rate of the US dollar was recorded at Rs. 342.63, while the selling rate stood at Rs. 354.03. Yesterday, the buying rate of the US dollar was recorded at Rs. 332.23, while the selling rate was recorded at Rs. 342.70. more..

May 21 (TM) Food Processing Association (FPA) warned that the retail prices of processed foods will soon reach unbearable levels for consumers, and that the room for any discounts for the consumer market will grow less, if the Govt is unable to grant the concessions that the industry has requested from the Industry Ministry. President of the Association, Aruna Senanayaka said the industry is experiencing a shortage of materials, more..

May 21 (DN) Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando told Parliament yesterday that the Opposition’s claim that two prominent businessmen or companies opened Letters of Credit (LCs) for 4,000 motor vehicles before the 50% Customs import duty surcharge was imposed is false and it is confirmed that a total of 1,782 LCs were opened on or before the May 15 cutoff date. Refusing these allegations and rumours, he said the official figure of LCs opened by the deadline was only 1,782. more..

May 21 (AD) SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa, has responded to accusations related to the Easter Sunday attacks’ probe stating that it is no secret that he visited S. Chandrakanthan, alias Pillayan, while the latter was in prison during the 2018/2019 period. Rajapaksa made this statement in a post on his ‘X’ account, after his name was mentioned during today’s court proceedings when the progress of investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks was reported to the court by the AG’s Dept. more..

May 21 (DN) Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Dileepa Peiris told Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa, and Namal Rajapaksa had visited Pillaiyan at the Batticaloa Prison following the Easter Sunday terror attacks. During the visit, they had promised to release him within a week of Gotabaya Rajapaksa becoming Prez, with Peiris noting that Suresh Sallay more..

May 21 (Island) Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne yesterday ordered NDF Badulla District MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake to leave the Chamber following a heated argument over the latter’s attempt to raise a matter relating to a court-imposed travel ban that prevented him from participating in a China-sponsored economic programme for MPs on 5 and 6 May. Tensions flared after Dassanayake sought to raise what he described as a privilege issue concerning more..

May 21 (TM) Minister Bimal Rathnayake said the annual maintenance cost for the entire expressway network, spanning 312.57 km, amounts to Rs 5,180.90 m. Maintenance costs for each expressway are as follows: E01 Southern Expressway (Kottawa to Mattala), covering 200.45 km - Rs 2,024.5 m; the E02 Outer Circular Highway (Kottawa to Kerawalapitiya), spanning 28.86 km - Rs 767.6 m; the E03 Colombo–Katunayake Expressway (Peliyagoda to Seeduwa), covering 25.8 km more..

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..