May 7 (AD) Federation of Renewable Energy Developers (FRED), apex body of renewable energy developers in SL and an associate of the Colombo Chamber of Commerce (CCC), warns that unless the Govt steps in to resolve the financial crisis the industry is in due to the payment defaults by National System Operator (Pvt) Ltd (NSO), domestic renewable energy sector faces a natural death. more..

May 7 (NW) President of Vietnam and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, To Lam, is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka tonight on a state visit. The state visit by the President of Vietnam is being undertaken at the invitation of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, extended during his state visit to Vietnam in 2025, in commemoration of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Vietnam. more..

May 7 (FT) Free Trade Zone Manufacturers’ Association of SL (FTZMA) has called on the PUCSL to use the current Extraordinary Electricity Tariff Review as the moment to operationalise power wheeling under Section 13 of SL Electricity Act, No. 36 of 2024. Association presented this position formally at the Commission’s public consultation held at the BMICH yesterday. FTZMA in a statement said it is not seeking subsidies, concessions, or special treatment of any kind. more..

May 7 (DM) Supreme Court yesterday delivered a judgment ordering the Director General of Wildlife Conservation to initiate a replantation programme to restore cleared forest areas in the immediate vicinity of the Nakolagane Purana Raja Maha Viharaya in Ehetuwewa, in the Kurunegala District. Court further directed the authorities to institute legal proceedings to set aside any mortgage, sale, or alienation of temple more..

May 7 (NW) Police have arrested two foreign nationals from Tajikistan in possession of US$ 5,200 in counterfeit notes, foreign currency, and five mobile phones, following a tip‑off received by the Unawatuna Police Tourist Division this morning. The suspects, aged 27 and 26, were taken into custody while staying at a lodge in Galle. The fake currency, valued at around Rs. 1.7 million, was seized during the operation. Investigations revealed that the two men had attempted more..

May 7 (AD) All Ceylon Restaurant Owners’ Association has decided to increase the prices of Fried Rice, Biryani, and Nasi Goreng by Rs. 25 with effect from midnight today. Association also announced price increases for plain tea and milk tea at restaurants operating using Laughs Gas cylinders. Chairman of the association, Harshana Rukshan, stated that around 25% to 30% of eateries and restaurants use Laughs gas cylinders and are finding it increasingly difficult to bear more..

May 7 (AD) Four schools in the Deniyaya Educational Zone will remain closed tomorrow following the advice of the Governor of the Southern Province, due to the spread of a fever-related illness, says the Zonal Education Director of Deniyaya. Deniyaya Zonal Education Director Nishaka Hettigoda stated that this decision was taken as a measure to control the spread of the disease on the recommendation of health authorities. Accordingly, Deniyaya Central College, more..

May 7 (Island) Prof. Anuradhi Hapuarachchi, DBA in AI, has warned of catastrophic consequences unless remedial measures were taken urgently to deal with the theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury. The academic with the MIT asserted the possibility of even the fiscal policy being manipulated, thereby causing a major threat to the national economy. The warning was issued in a recent interview with the Finance and Economic Editor of Divaina, Shyam Nuwan Ganewatta, on ITV. more..

May 7 (DM) Parliament today approved the regulations under the Immigration and Emigration Act which would allow free visa facility for 40 countries as proposed by the govt in a move to boost tourism. Minister Ananda Wijepala told Parliament that regulations made under the Immigration & Emigration Act will provide free visa facility to 40 countries such as UK, US, Canada, Australia, NZ, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, more..

May 7 (NW) A case has been re-filed against former CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal in the Colombo High Court, for failing to comply with a court‑ordered condition to deposit Rs. 100 million within three months. The CIABOC has re-filed the case under Section 67(5) of the Anti-Corruption Act, citing Ajith Nivard Cabraal’s failure to comply with a court-imposed condition related to the Greek bond case. Bribery Commission had earlier moved to withdraw the case on the condition that more..

May 7 (DM) The new Tamil Nadu Vettri Kazhagam administration in Tamil Nadu led by Tamil Cinema Star Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar is likely to demand Katchatheevu Island which is currently Sri Lanka, opposition MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake told Parliament. “Sri Lanka got Katchatheevu thanks to Late PM Sirimavo Bandaranaike. However SL is likely to lose it as the newly elected administration in TN could demand it and it is also likely that the Sri Lankan govt may give it up,” MP said. more..

May 7 (AD) Colombo Magistrate’s Court has issued an order to arrest and produce before the court the former CEO of SriLankan Airlines, Kapila Chandrasena, who had been released on bail by the court two days ago. The arrest warrant was ordered today by Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga Bodharagama after considering a request made by the CIABOC, on the grounds that the defendant had violated bail conditions. more..

May 7 (DM) Health authorities have raised alarm over a growing number of skin cancer cases, urging the public to take preventive measures against excessive exposure to sunlight. Consultant oncologist Dr. Hasanthi Jayalath said approximately 35,000 cases are reported annually, with around 15,000 deaths recorded each year. She noted that nearly 100 new patients are identified daily, highlighting the increasing burden of the disease. Dr. Jayalath advised the public to use sunscreen more..

May 7 (EN) Potential German foreign direct investors will visit Sri Lanka later this month when the island nation hosts German Business Forum (GBF) 2026, the state-run BOI said. The GBF 2026 is scheduled to take place in Colombo from May 27-29 in Colombo where the BOI expects to see policy makers from both nations, business leaders and institutional stakeholders and potential German foreign direct investors, it said. “This is a significant platform to strengthen economic partnerships more..

May 7 (FT) Sri Lanka is making a dangerous mistake. It is still treating banking fraud as a series of isolated scandals, each to be explained away, contained, and forgotten. That approach no longer matches the reality of how fraud works in a modern financial system. The greater risk is not always a spectacular cyberattack or a single rogue employee. Often, the real danger grows quietly inside ordinary processes: in weak reconciliations, unexplained balances, delayed escalation, poor oversight, more..

May 7 (FT) In 2021, Sri Lanka took a bold and widely noticed decision: to ban palm oil imports and phase out domestic oil palm cultivation. The move was driven by environmental concerns and public pressure, and at the time, it appeared to signal a decisive shift toward ecological responsibility. Several years later, however, the conversation is evolving. As reflected in recent discourse, including reporting by the media, there is a growing call to reassess the decision not because more..

May 7 (DM) The Officer in charge of the Welikada Police informed the Colombo Additional Magistrate Nuwan Kaushalya that there is a suspicion whether the 120 foreign nationals who were arrested for allegedly engaging in illegal financial fraud while residing in the country without valid visas are also connected to the incident involving the misappropriation of USD 2.5 million from the Treasury by hackers. more..

May 7 (AD) General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee and Prez of Vietnam, To Lam, is scheduled to arrive in SL tonight (7) for an official visit, accompanied by a high-level delegation. The visit is being undertaken at the invitation of Prez AKD, Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced. Nearly 200 members are reportedly expected to be part of the visiting delegation. Prez To Lam is also scheduled to address the Parliament of SL tomorrow (8). more..

May 7 (AD) Sri Lanka has expressed grave concern regarding the recent hostilities in the West Asian region, including attacks on critical energy infrastructure, which affect regional stability and peace efforts. The region hosts a substantial international expatriate community including SL nationals, whose safety and wellbeing remain a matter of paramount concern for SL, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism. more..

May 7 (NW) Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekara has called on the Govt to explain why SriLankan Airlines entered into what he described as an expensive lease agreement for a 14-year-old aircraft while allegedly misleading the public into believing it was acquiring a new aircraft. Jayasekara questioned the transparency of the deal and called for an investigation, claiming the transaction amounted to a waste of public funds. more..

May 7 (DN) Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe said that the Govt has provided collateral-free loans to 1,600 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through the National Credit Guarantee Institution Ltd (NCGIL) for the first time in history. The scheme enables the providing of loans ranging from Rs. 500,000 to Rs. 25 million without traditional security. The initiative was designed to aid recovery, particularly for businesses hit by economic downturns, and more..

May 7 (DN) PM and Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya informed Parliament that the enrolment of students in Govt universities for the 2025/2026 academic year will commence from the first week of September 2026. Responding to questions in Parliament PM said that arrangements have been made to forward all student registration lists to the relevant universities by Aug 31, after the release of the university cut-off marks. more..

May 7 (Island) The heart of the beautiful Nuwara Eliya city has turned into a scene of neglect, as piles of garbage remain uncollected even after the conclusion of the April festivities. Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council had organized a series of events for the April season, which concluded on May 4. However, it has been observed that the temporary stall area and surrounding public spaces, which attracted massive crowds for the festivities, have now become a dumping ground for waste. more..

May 7 (TM) Even though SriLankan Airlines recorded a loss in 2024 and further losses were projected for 2025 and this year, a bonus payment was made in 2025 to maintain operational stability and industrial harmony, Civil Aviation Minister Anura Karunathilaka said, responding to criticism raised by Opposition MP Ravi Karunanayake. Speaking in Parliament, MP questioned the decision, pointing out that the Airline had been profitable in 2022 and 2023 but had since slipped into losses. more..

May 7 (TM) Free Lawyers organisation, alleging that nearly Rs. 500 million in Aswesuma funds had been irregularly disbursed through double and excess payments to beneficiaries, called for an immediate Parliamentary inquiry into the incident. In a letter addressed to Speaker of Parliament, organisation claimed the payments had been made through Welfare Benefits Board (WBB) outside established financial procedures more..

May 7 (Island) In a startling turn of events, a Development Officer, serving at the Central Provincial Council, has reportedly submitted a bid of approximately Rs. 48 mn for a Land Cruiser V8 vehicle belonging to the Council, which was recently put up for auction. The revelation that a serving govt officer submitted a massive bid for such a tender—an act generally prohibited under public service regulations—has reportedly caused significant unrest within the Tender Board. more..

May 7 (FT) Cabinet approved the designation of six companies as Businesses of Strategic Importance under the Colombo Port City Economic Commission in terms of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act, No. 11 of 2021, enabling them to receive incentives and concessions provided under the law. Approved companies are Dijital Team LK Ltd, VitalHub Innovations Lab Ltd, Welvaart Solutions Ltd, Advantis Bridge Ltd, Java Global Access Platform FZ, and Ocean Builders. more..

May 7 (DN) With the success the seven men’s cricket tournaments have achieved, the Executive Committee of Mercantile Cricket Association (MCA) have decided to give women’s cricket in Sri Lanka a boost by introducing a women’s cricket tournament for the corporate sector. With the international recognition women’s cricket has gained at present, it is no secret that there still are many talented lasses aspiring to reach the zenith of the game. Even with SLC the game’s governing body through more..

May 7 (FT) Cabinet of Ministers approved the designation of Prime Melwa Port City Ltd, and Home Lands Port City Ltd, as primary Businesses of Strategic Importance under the provisions of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act, No. 11 of 2021, granting them access to incentives and facilitation measures outlined in the law. The decision was made in line with the framework governing investments within Colombo Port City, administered by the Colombo Port City more..

May 7 (DM) The SL rupee weakened beyond the Rs.324 mark against the US dollar yesterday for the first time in more than two years, raising fresh concerns over the country’s fragile external balance sheet and rising foreign debt pressures. Central Bank quoted the US dollar buying rate at Rs. 316.40 and the selling rate at Rs. 324.03 yesterday, extending the rupee’s recent downward trend in the midst of global market volatility and more..

May 7 (FT) Sri Lanka and South Korea have signed debt restructuring amendment agreements covering 18 concessional loans worth around $ 267 million, marking a further step in Colombo’s broader external debt restructuring process while reaffirming bilateral development cooperation between the two countries. The two countries have reaffirmed their development partnership following the successful conclusion of the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) Policy Dialogue 2026. more..

May 7 (FT) Opposition MPs yesterday drew parallels between the Rajapaksa administration’s appointment of Ajith Nivard Cabraal as Governor of the CBSL in 2021 and NPP Govt’s decision to appoint a former Deputy Minister, Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma as Treasury Secretary, arguing that both reflected the politicisation of key economic institutions. During the Parliamentary debate on the $ 2.5 million Treasury phishing scandal, SJB MP Mujibur Rahman said the current administration had abandoned more..