May 10 (CT) Three officers of the Welfare Benefits Board (WBB) Cash Payment Division under the Ministry of Finance reportedly informed Commissioner Nimal Kotawalagedara within days after 10 April that an error had occurred while processing payments for 1.7 million Aswesuma beneficiaries through the Bank of Ceylon. According to reliable sources, three out of the eight officers attached to the WBB Cash Division handled the payments to nearly 1.7 million beneficiaries. more..

May 10 (AD) Deputy Mayor of the Kurunegala MC, Ashardeen Moinudeen, who was arrested by the CIABOC for allegedly soliciting a bribe of Rs. 3 million from a businessman in return for awarding a tender, has been remanded until May 21. The arrest was made in the Battaramulla area, while he was travelling to accept the bribe. It is reported that the Deputy Mayor had allegedly demanded the bribe in exchange for awarding the tender for cleaning the Kurunegala Bus Stand and more..

May 10 (TM) The National System Operator (NSO) has formally requested financial assistance from the Govt to settle an estimated Rs. 10 billion in outstanding payments owed to renewable energy developers. The mounting arrears, which industry stakeholders say have accumulated since the beginning of the year, have intensified concerns within the renewable energy sector and highlighted broader financial strains affecting SL’s more..

May 10 (Island) SL has donated over one fourth of its collected corneas to foreign recipients, enabling patients abroad to regain sight, officials revealed at a media briefing marking the 15th anniversary of the National Eye Bank held at Suwasiripaya. The briefing, organised by the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, highlighted the Eye Bank’s services over the past 15 years and its future expansion plans. Since its establishment, National Eye Bank has collected more than 17,000 corneas, more..

May 10 (Island) ANC Campus has announced the launch of a formal articulation partnership with Adelaide University at Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo, creating a clear progression pathway for SL students seeking an Australian university degree. Through this pathway, students can begin their university-level studies at ANC Campus in Sri Lanka before progressing to Adelaide University in Australia, subject to the relevant academic, English language, and entry requirements. more..

May 10 (AD) Met Dept says that the low-level atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of SL is likely to develop into a low-pressure area around the 11th of May. Therefore, the prevailing showery conditions over the island are expected to continue during the next few days, it said, adding that cloudy skies are expected over most parts of the island. Showers or thundershowers will occur at most places of the island after 1.00 pm while heavy rainfall above 100 mm is likely at some places, more..

May 10 (Island) Ratnapura is fondly known as the City of Gems. It is fair to say that SL’s gemstone capital has turned more ordinary men into billionaires than any other corner of the island. Many locals believe the blessings of the sacred Maha Saman Devalaya, situated in the heart of the city, are behind the prosperity that adorns many homes there. They may as well add another name to that glittering list. He is neither a miner nor a gem trader. He is a cricketer who answers to the name of more..

May 10 (TM) SL authorities have arrested nearly 700 foreign nationals over cybercrime and illegal financial operations during the first five months of 2026, amid growing concerns over whether SL is becoming a hub for cyber scams. Most recent incident was reported on Thursday, when the Mount Lavinia Divisional Crimes Investigation Bureau arrested a group of 30 foreign nationals allegedly involved in cybercrime activities while more..

May 10 (ST) M.F. Muhammad of Zahira College produced another record-breaking performance after the 18-year-old breaststroke specialist renewed the national 200m breaststroke record on Day Two of the three-day Selection Trial for the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games at the Sugathadasa Swimming Pool Complex yesterday. Representing Killer Whale Aquatics (KWA), Muhammad clocked an impressive 2:21.61 to erase his own previous national record of 2:22.41 set last year. more..

May 10 (AD) The investigation into the death of former CEO of SriLankan Airlines, Kapila Chandrasena, has been handed over to the Colombo Crime Division (CCD). A 5-member judicial medical board headed by Colombo Chief Judicial Medical Officer has been appointed to conduct a post-mortem examination into the death of Chandrasena in accordance with an order issued yesterday (8) by Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena. Accordingly, post-mortem examination more..

May 10 (ST) SLC is set to usher in a new era in white-ball cricket with the appointment of Kusal Mendis as captain of both the ODI and T20I teams, starting from the forthcoming tour of the West Indies. The 31-year-old batsman is set to replace Charith Asalanka as ODI skipper and Dasun Shanaka as T20 captain as SL seeks stability and direction in the shorter formats of the game ahead of a demanding international calendar. more..

May 10 (IE) A Bengaluru couple has pulled off a journey that sounds straight out of a movie. Instead of taking the usual flight or cruise between SL and India, Danish Abdi and Vrushali Prasade chose to swim across the sea, following the Ram Setu route all the way to Dhanushkodi. The couple reportedly swam nearly 32 km through the Indian Ocean, completing the crossing in 10 hrs and 45 min. Their achievement has since gone viral online, with many applauding their determination & endurance. more..

May 10 (AD) PM Harini Amarasuriya emphasised that SL must shape the future of artificial intelligence through policy, ethics, and inclusive governance, rather than simply adapt to it. She made these remarks while attending as the Chief Guest at the launch of the AI Policy Framework for State Universities, held on May 8, 2026, at the Senate Hall, Uni of Colombo. The initiative, led by the UGC in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in SL, focuses on developing a policy framework more..

May 10 (SO) The discovery of the body of Kapila Chandrasena, the former CEO of SriLankan Airlines, possibly marks a sombre and sudden end to one of the most significant figures in the modern corporate and legal history of both Sri Lanka and the world. Chandrasena’s death has sent shockwaves through the island’s political and business establishment, not merely because of the loss of life, but because of the immense, unresolved judicial questions he leaves behind. more..

May 10 (TM) Former Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara claims that he firmly believes the previous SLC administration led by Shammi Silva had been removed following an understanding reached between the Prez, Indian PM Narendra Modi, and International Cricket Council (ICC) Chair Jay Shah. SJB MP made this allegation during the Derana 360 political talk show broadcast early last week. Jayasekara, who served as Sports Minister from 2015 to 2018 under former Prez more..

May 10 (ST) A group of Point Pedro fisherfolk families were up in arms this week after their trade union imposed a Rs 3,000 fine on those who did not take part in the ruling National People’s Power May Day rally in Jaffna last Friday. Ahead of the rally, the Koddadi Fishermen Union of Point Pedro instructed their members to join the NPP rally in Jaffna. More than 60 members did not attend the rally, prompting the union leadership to impose the fine. more..

May 10 (ST) Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) has officially contracted 21 leading 7s players under a six-month High Performance programme, as part of its strategic push towards securing a historic medal at the upcoming Asian Games. The selected players will transition into a fully professional high-performance environment, operating under strict training, conditioning, and performance monitoring protocols. This initiative is designed to elevate preparation standards & ensure SL competes more..

May 10 (Island) SJV Chelvanayakam, the founder leader of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi, aka Ceylon Tamil Federal Party, passed away 49 years ago on 26 April 1977. There were events in Sri Lanka and other parts of the world where Tamils live, to commemorate his memory and his contributions to Tamil society and politics. His legacy is most remembered for his espousal of the cause of federalism and his commitment to pursuing it solely through non-violent politics. more..

May 10 (Phys) A study published in the Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology has identified the earliest evidence of prehistoric occupation by island dwellers of northern Sri Lanka. Long thought to be unsuitable for human occupation due to its scarce stone resources and semi-arid landscape, the findings at Velanai Island challenge this long-held belief and offer insights into early raw-material exploitation, seafaring capabilities, and subsistence behavior. more..

May 10 (DM) She wakes before the mist clears. By the time most of Colombo is having breakfast, she has already been working for two hours, plucking, carrying, meeting a daily quota that does not change regardless of her rest, discomfort or nourishment. She works on a tea plantation and is among many others whose contributions are vital to the economy, yet whose experiences are not always reflected in any occupational health statistic. The pressure to meet quotas is often matched by more..

May 10 (CT) The recently concluded visit of the Vietnamese Prez and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Tô Lâm, to SL is carrying many narratives both in Colombo and other neighbours, as she attempts new friendships. Friendships aligned with JVP’s traditional communist political order. Vietnam is a one-party communist State, governed by the Communist Party of Vietnam, a possible more..

May 10 (CT) As the Trial at Bar this week announced the recommencement of the case concerning the abduction and disappearance of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, one cannot but hope that this will commence a move in the right direction for freedoms against the media that have continued to suffer under several past regimes. The deaths of several journalists including the cold-blooded murders of Lasantha Wickrematunge and Dharmeratnam Taraki Sivaram loom large over this conversation, more..

May 10 (ST) Prez A.K. Dissanayake’s May Day speech reference to a specific court case and an anticipated judgment has got the Opposition activated – from suggesting he is interfering with the judiciary to demanding a parliamentary debate. Govt is downplaying the remark, saying it is normal political rhetoric and dismissing any insinuation of interference with the judiciary. It was ironic to hear a retired professor donning the black coat of a lawyer waxing eloquent about judicial interference. more..

May 10 (TM) Prez AKD and his JVP-led NPP Govt continues to face a political landscape in the country that reads less like routine governance and more like a tightly wound thriller where allegations, investigations, and counter-allegations move in parallel, while the line between accountability and accusation grows increasingly blurred. At the centre is the continuing controversy over the alleged disappearance of $ 2.5 million from more..

May 10 (TM) Millions of Sri Lankans did not simply vote for a new Govt in Sept 2024; they voted for a new political culture. They voted in the hope that arrogance would give way to accountability, corruption would give way to transparency, and impunity would finally come to an end. Yet today, less than two years into office, a growing number of citizens are beginning to wonder whether they voted for transformation or merely another variation of the same old cycle. more..

May 10 (SO) Sri Lankans often talk about loss of public money due to corruption. That is understandable given that corruption has robbed the State and weakened the trust in Govt for decades. But corruption is not the only way the country loses money. SL also loses money when officials fail to check, when systems do not work, when institutions do not speak to one another, and when no one takes responsibility for the final outcome. Recent events show how costly that failure has become. more..

May 9 (DN) The Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) has raised concerns regarding the failure of the National Development Bank (NDB)’s audit committees to detect a massive internal fraud, estimated at over Rs.13 billion and the effectiveness of its internal controls. CoPF questioned how the Internal Audit Committee, the External Audit firm, Board’s Audit Committee, and CB's Bank Supervision Dept all failed to detect the fraud. more..

May 9 (DN) Deputy Minister Dr. Madura Seneviratne told Parliament that there are major initiatives to centralize the registration of all degree-granting institutions including state, private and non-Governmental organization to regulate the use of academic titles like Prof. and Dr. to prevent misuse. A new regulatory mechanism is being developed to bring all these institutions under a centralized monitoring system with the Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission (UGC). more..

May 9 (Island) Viet Nam is ready to share its experience in fostering investment and in sustainable agriculture with SL, its President Tô Lâm, who is also the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, said in his address to Parliament. “In services and industries, Vietnam opened its door to investment, developed its infrastructure, built industrial and economic zones, promoted trade, and participated more deeply in regional and global value chains,” more..

May 9 (NW) Police have taken steps to arrest the Anuradhapura Atamasthanadhipathi, Venerable Pallegama Hemarathana Thera, over allegations linked to the sexual abuse of a 15-year-old girl. In a statement issued today, Police said the Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate had also imposed a foreign travel ban on the monk and directed immigration authorities to prevent him from leaving the country. more..

May 9 (FT) PM Harini Amarasuriya underscored the pivotal role of rural youth in driving SL’s agricultural transformation, addressing the National Youth Agripreneur Showcase and Business-to-Business Connect event in Colombo. The initiative, organised by the Smallholder Agribusiness Partnerships Program (SAPP) with support from the Int'l Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Govt of SL, highlighted how targeted support can enable young entrepreneurs to build a more productive, more..

May 9 (FT) SL must urgently reposition itself to capture a greater share of India’s rapidly expanding outbound travel market, Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe said, pointing out that despite 32.7 million Indians travelling overseas in 2025, only over 531,000 chose SL as a destination. Addressing the Global Innovation & Leadership Summit in Colombo under the theme Island where India feels at home, Prof. Ranasinghe acknowledged a major gap in SL’s tourism strategy towards India. more..