May 11 (DM) Police have launched an investigation to arrest Hayeshika Fernando, also known as Teacher Amma, a well-known tutor who conducts tuition classes for Grade 5 students, for allegedly assaulting a young man. Fernando is accused of kicking the victim in the testicles, leading to his admission to the Negombo Hospital for treatment. Following the incident, Fernando has fled the area. Her husband and her manager were arrested by the Katana Police in connection with the case. more..

May 11 (SO) Sri Lanka will meet India in the Women’s Tri-Nation ODI Series final at the R. Premadasa Int'l Cricket Stadium in Colombo today, commencing at 10 a.m. Entry to the final is free for the public with the gates opened from 9 a.m. SL will hope star batter Harshitha Samarawickrama continues to fire against India in key clashes as her 61-ball 53 played a pivotal role in the hosts’ win in a league match. Samarawickrama will also draw confidence from her match-winning knock more..

May 11 (TM) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) has raised the alarm over a staggering Rs. 52 per unit discrepancy in the projected cost of electricity generation from the second 300 MW Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Combined Cycle Power Plant in Kerawalapitiya. In a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Ministry of Energy on 3 April, the commission has accused the ministry of presenting misleading figures to more..

May 11 (ST) The growing threat of the diversion of transshipment business to India has come closer to becoming a reality as the Vizhinjam Port in Kerala is set to ensure vessels reroute with no stops in Colombo. SL will be a feeder port as mother vessels will in time to come call in India, Global Shippers’ Forum Chairman Sean Van Dort said. The Colombo Port’s main business comes from transshipment operations to India and Bangladesh. He noted that SL needs to improve on its efficiency levels more..

May 11 (BBC) India and Pakistan have accused each other of violations hours after the two nations said they had agreed to a ceasefire following days of cross-border military strikes. After sounds of explosions were heard in Indian-administered Kashmir, India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said there had been repeated violations of the understanding we arrived at. A short while later, Pakistan's foreign ministry said it remained "committed to faithful implementation of a more..

May 11 (Island) In view of the upcoming Vesak festival, all liquor outlets, bars, taverns, meat stalls, butcheries, horse race betting centres, casinos, and clubs will be closed for three days from tomorrow (May 12), Ministry of Public Administration announced. The closures, effective on May 12, 13, and 14, are part of the official Vesak Week (May 10–16), declared by Cabinet decision. A circular has been issued to relevant authorities, confirming the nationwide observance, Secretary to more..

May 11 (EN) Dialog Finance, a unit of Dialog Axiata said it had been hit by external financial fraud for which 29.9 million rupees had been provided. “The Company has identified a case of external financial fraud in June 2024 and steps were taken to immediately recover a portion of funds,” Dialog Finance said. “The Company has initiated legal action as per the advice of external legal counsel and currently working with law enforcement authorities to recover the remaining funds. more..

May 11 (TM) Both the US and the SL Govt are motivated to reach an agreement within 90 days with respect to the 44% reciprocal tariffs imposed on SL, according to the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development. Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe revealed that talks were ongoing between the Govt and the US delegation aimed at reaching an amicable settlement on the perceived more..

May 11 (EN) Chicken and egg prices have eased amid a recovery in farming, while a top feedmiller said it reduced feed prices taking a cut in margins and it was helped by a strong rupee which reduced cost of imported feed. Per capita chicken availability increased from 10.6 kilograms in 2023 to 11.3 kilograms in 2024, but the resulting market surplus led to intensified competition, price reductions and compressed profit margins, Ceylon Gain Elevators, a feed milling and poultry group said. more..

May 11 (PMD) State Vesak Festival for the Buddhist Year 2569 commenced today (10) at the Int'l Buddhist Centre Temple in Nuwara Eliya, under the patronage of the Most Venerable Maha Nayaka Theros of the Three Nikayas and with the participation of Prez Anura Kumara Disanayake. This year’s State Vesak Festival is held under the theme Bhajetha Miththe Kalyane–Bhajetha Purisuththame (Associate with noble friends of virtue) and will be conducted from May 10 to 16, more..

May 11 (ST) Maxwell de Silva, former Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of SL (NOC), has been issued a five-year ban from any role within the organisation. This significant disciplinary measure follows a thorough ethics investigation that found de Silva violating multiple constitutional provisions of the Olympic body.The ruling, delivered through an official letter signed by NOCSL Prez Suresh Subramaniam, more..

May 11 (ST) A concerned group of stakeholders from the local rugby fraternity has approached the country’s Auditor General’s Dept with serious and alarming charges that may further tarnish the already tainted image of Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR). Going through a serious administrative crisis since May of 2024, when the then Minister of Sport, Harin Fernando, dissolved SLR and appointed Director General of Sports (DG) of Dept of Sports Development as the Competent Authority, more..

May 11 (ST) Embarking on their maiden international tour, New Zealand Under-85kg team ran riot against SL to win the second Test of the two-game series by 32-6 under scorching conditions at the Racecourse ground in Colombo last evening. The Tuskers had their moments, a few electrifying breakthroughs that went to waste, but they surely gained the much-needed exposure and experience ahead of the upcoming Asian Men’s C'ship where they will have to face Hong Kong, South Korea & UAE. more..

May 11 (Island) When Sanath Jayasuriya walked into his first media briefing as Head Coach, he didn’t waste time playing it safe. He went straight to the point — fielding was going to be a game-changer. And true to his word, what the team has pulled off over the last 12 months is nothing short of a stunning comeback. Here was a side that had just been bundled out of the ICC Cricket World Cup with a wooden spoon finish — ninth place — and failed to qualify for the Champions Trophy. more..

May 11 (FT) April is an important, happy, festive, and holy month for Sri Lankans. Bak Full Moon Poya Day, falling in April, is significant for Buddhists in SL as it commemorates the Buddha’s second visit to the island. Tamil and Sinhala New Year, and Easter Sunday fall in April. Is April becoming an unlucky month for Sri Lanka? Sri Lanka was rocked by a series of deadly blasts in April 2019. Sri Lanka was named the 16th highest-risk country for contracting the COVID-19 virus in April 2020. more..

May 11 (CT) After 15 long years, one of SL’s most significant environmental legal battles has finally come to a close. The Supreme Court’s ruling on Wilpattu National Park case isn’t just about closing roads. It represents a watershed moment in environmental litigation in the country. It is a compelling testament to the power of perseverance, the importance of independent institutions, & capacity of the legal system more..

May 11 (Island) Chamber of Lankan Entrepreneurs (COYLE) last week announced the appointment of Mr. Manjula Wijesundara as its new Chairman for the year 2025/26. A COYLE news release described him as a respected entrepreneur and passionate advocate for business-led development and said he steps into leadership with a bold theme that reflects the needs of the hour—A Year of International Growth. With the global economy undergoing profound shifts, the appointment marks more..

May 11 (Island) The missionary life is no highway paved with comforts. It is a journey of grit and grace, often walked amid many difficulties and hardships. You leave behind your homeland, your language, your family and begin afresh in lands where your name means nothing and your faith is everything. You must learn to speak a new language, eat what the people eat, walk where they walk and suffer as they suffer. It’s not a life for the fainthearted, but for those made of sterner stuff and more..

May 11 (CT) Ruling JVP-NPP strategists would be tearing their hair to make head or tail out of Tuesday’s nationwide LG Election results. Independent of their unconvincing cover-ups, of which there are many already, they should be wondering as to why they lost a substantial 18 per cent vote share that they had added in the parliamentary elections over the presidential polls, but vanished again this time round. For the ruling combine, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake more..

May 11 (ST) My dear Anura sahodaraya, I thought of writing to you when you are analysing the results of last week’s local govt polls, though you must be really tired after criss-crossing the country campaigning, rushing off to Vietnam and then returning on a special flight – which you were keen to tell us was arranged by that country. You put in a tremendous effort and time into this election, possibly at the expense of more important affairs of the state. You even said more..

May 11 (ST) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake was honoured by an invitation to be the chief guest at the UN Vesak Day celebrations in Viet Nam earlier in the week. For some reason, though, he and his delegation missed paying homage to the sacred Buddha relic presently in the custody of the Maha Bodhi Society of India at the Mulaghandha Kuty Vihara at Sarnath. Relic was specially sent by the Indian govt for exposition at the request more..

May 11 (ST) Vesak, the month that marks the Birth, Enlightenment and Parinibbana (passing away) of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, is the holiest of holy months for over 500 million Buddhists the world over. They will be honouring the sacred occasion in an era of profound global challenges. That is a tall order in a world being torn asunder by continuing wars in Europe, West Asia and still closer home in South Asia between two close friends of Sri Lanka; a global trade war unleashed by more..

May 11 (CT) More revealing than the results of the local govt elections are the political reactions to them. There are as many interpretations of the LG election results as there are political pundits constantly looking to chip away at the still budding NPP’s political good will. More disturbing than any other world news is the flashpoint on the subcontinent with India and Pakistan seemingly spoiling for yet another border fight between them. After claiming victory and fulfilment of more..

May 11 (TM) The victory recorded by the ruling JVP-led NPP with a setback, a considerable one at that, at last week’s LG Elections is an indication that the writing is now clear for Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his Govt to engage in a much-needed introspective search while identifying the areas in need of course correction. The JVP has been known to engage in a ritual where all members are subjected to what is called self-criticism more..

May 11 (TM) The just-concluded LG Elections were supposed to be just that – elections with focus on grassroots-level local bodies that rarely elicit much excitement beyond the local councils. However, from the word go, the NPP Govt had other ideas. Already enjoying near-absolute power with both the executive presidency and total parliamentary control under its belt, it wanted more. So, SL’s voters were called upon to exercise their franchise for the third time in the last eight months more..

May 11 (SO) The victory of the NPP at the May 6 Local Govt election was more or less a foregone conclusion. Voters generally favour their Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas to be helmed by the party that also controls the Govt. Development and welfare work at the village level can be more easily coordinated and accomplished when the Local Govt bodies and the Central Govt sing from the same hymn sheet. The voter turnout at the Local Govt polls was much lower than more..

May 10 (CT) A possible mechanical failure is suspected to have caused the crash of a Us-made SL Air Force Bell 212 helicopter into the Maduru Oya Reservoir during a Special Forces demonstration yesterday, leaving six personnel dead. It is learnt that the tail rotor may have failed mid-ight, leading to the fatal accident that has prompted a high-level investigation by the Air Force. SLAF said that the Bell 212 helicopter more..

May 10 (EN) Sri Lanka’s official worker remittances grew 18.8% in April 2025 from a year ago to US$ 646.1 million, coming down from a pre-New Year festival high of US$ 693.3 million. March and December are usually peak remittance months for Sri Lanka. Over the past year, remittances have grown steadily around 20% a year. Up to April 2025 Sri Lanka has earned US$ 2.46 billion from remmittances, up 18.3% from US$ 2,079 million last year. SL’s worker remittances have risen more..

May 10 (DN) Dialog Axiata PLC announced the launch of the IAX (India Asia Xpress) submarine cable system—a significant investment aimed at bolstering SL’s international network and future-proofing the country’s digital infrastructure. Consequently, Dialog’s total investments in international connectivity infrastructure surpassed USD 100 million. This milestone was achieved through collaborative efforts with a consortium of regional telco partners & global hyperscalers, more..

May 10 (CT) “My daughter told me Amma, I am the one who was wronged and I have not done anything wrong Amma. Still, I am made to feel like a sinner and no one talks to me and am being cornered. My daughter was killed by this society. This society who treated her like a criminal and made her feel lonely. Aney…she was feeling so lonely and left out. Only I saw how lonely she was,” emotionally overwhelmed mother more..

May 10 (FT) The Govt this week decided to expedite the finalisation of a draft bill to legalise the SL Food Science and Technology Agency through an Act of Parliament. The move approved by the Cabinet of Ministers at their meeting on Wednesday, aims to formalise the agency’s status and strengthen its role in promoting food science and technology at both national and international levels. Established in 2004, the agency consists of professionals and scientists in the field of food technology more..

May 10 (CT) While the shortage of essential medicines continues to worsen due to the inefficiency of officials at the Medical Supplies Division (MSD), National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), and the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC), hospital directors have been instructed to procure drugs locally from private pharmacies, thus increasing the Govt’s expenditure. President of the Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors more..