May 6 (DM) Uncertainty over the stalled sale of Hotel Developers (Lanka) Ltd is starting to ripple through the company’s operations, as delays in finalising its ownership structure cloud strategic decision-making. The proposed divestiture of the state-owned operator of the Hilton Colombo, seen as a key plank of SL’s state enterprise reforms under its IMF-backed Extended Fund Facility programme, remains on hold. Company’s annual report states that the divestment has been put on hold more..

May 6 (DM) The implementation of a 2.5% increase in the Social Security Contribution Levy (SSCL) has triggered a sharp rise in SL’s vehicle import sector, with importers warning that prices of all imported vehicles have increased from May 1, adding fresh pressure on already strained consumers. VIASL says the revised levy has also been applied to vehicles manufactured in previous years, significantly pushing up costs at a time more..

May 6 (NW) ICC latest annual update has seen Sri Lanka drop one place in the Men’s T20I team rankings, while India and Australia retained their top positions in the men’s and women’s lists respectively. Sri Lanka slipped from 8th to 9th after losing six rating points, falling below Bangladesh and now sitting just one point ahead of Afghanistan. India continue to lead the men’s rankings with 275 points, maintaining a comfortable gap over England (262) and Australia (258), more..

May 6 (EN) Ministry of Energy and the Board of Investment have called for Requests for Information (RFI) for the development of Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia projects in the country. With offshore wind and solar potential already identified, SL’s National Hydrogen Roadmap (2023) positions the country as a future regional hub for green hydrogen and ammonia production and export, BoI said. “This RFI invites qualified local and int'l investors, developers & operators to submit more..

May 6 (FT) The war between Iran, USA and Israel has taken a step back from a dangerous precipice. However, the horrifying images emerging from these wars remind us that humanity remains trapped in a cycle of violence that has claimed billions of lives. The justifications and underlying causes for war are numerous. Several culprits have been identified for the current cycles of violence, including actions against the dominance of the US petrodollar, a battle to gain energy security and more..

May 6 (FT) On 3 May 2012, London’s Isleworth Crown Court found Pahalagama Somarathana thera, chief incumbent of Thames Buddhist Vihara and Chief Sanghanayaka of the UK, guilty of four counts of sexual assault. At the time of the assault, the victim was nine years old. The final assault was committed in the shrine room of the temple. The monk’s appeal was rejected in 2013. His 6-year jail sentence was commuted to three-and-a-half for good behaviour. He was banned from more..

May 6 (FT) The Govt yesterday backed down and agreed to a Parliamentary debate on the $ 2.5 million Treasury cyber theft after rejecting the Opposition’s request last week, following a tense standoff in the House that forced a reversal. Opposition MPs rose in their seats demanding an urgent debate, triggering a confrontation that quickly shifted from procedure to substance, with exchanges exposing more..

May 6 (Island) Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga Bodharagama yesterday granted bail to former SriLankan Airlines’ CEO Kapila Chandrasena, arrested on March 12 and re-remanded subsequently in connection with ongoing investigations into receiving USD 2 mn bribe from Airbus Industries to facilitate aircraft sales to SL during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s second term. Magistrate ordered Chandrasena’s release on cash bail of Rs. 500,000 and three surety bails more..

May 6 (NW) Police have rejected claims made by former MP Udaya Gammanpila regarding the death of Treasury official Ranga Rajapaksha, stating that his remarks are false and contradict official findings. Police said Gammanpila’s statement that the victim’s wife had complained to authorities describing the death as suspicious is not true. Gammanpila had raised questions over whether the death was a suicide or staged to appear as one, and called for clarification on fingerprint evidence. more..

May 6 (DN) Multiple levels of investigations are underway regarding the incident of US$ 2.5 million fraud paid by the Treasury to a third party, and holding the position of Finance Ministry Secretary will not hinder fair investigations, Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando told Parliament. He also pointed out in the House that the above investigations are not complete and that since it is a serious matter, a careful and thorough more..

May 6 (AD) Bar Association of SL (BASL) has expressed grave concern at a statement made by the Prez at the recent May Day Rally referring to a Judicial decision due to be delivered on May 25 stating that the audience would be able to applaud the decision when delivered. BASL said the tenor of the remark is open to the suggestion that there is interference with the judicial process and as such the BASL apprehends that the statement may erode public confidence in the judiciary. more..

May 6 (AD) Australia has begun a crackdown on visa approvals, rejecting visas for international students at record rates since the beginning of 2026. Applications from students belonging to Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, India and Bhutan have been the worst affected, facing massive cuts as compared to 2025 visa approvals. The refusal rates on visa applications by int'l university students reached 32.5% in February this year. This is the highest rate of rejections seen in one month over more..

May 6 (FT) The Cabinet approved recognising the SL National Export Development Plan (NEDP) 2026-2030 as the official strategic framework for the development and promotion of the country’s exports. 2025 Budget proposed the preparation of a NEDP as a national priority for improving export competitiveness and achieving sustainable export-led economic growth. Accordingly, EDB, in collaboration with public and private sector stakeholders involved in the export sector, more..

May 6 (DN) SL climbed to 191st place in the FIFA World Rankings after 11 years, following a strong run of performances in the Asian Cup qualifiers. The national team has shown clear improvement in recent matches, rising from 205th place in 2024 to regain 191st, a position they last held in 2015. FIFA rankings include 211 countries, with San Marino placed at the bottom. SL now sits just below Samoa (190) and above American Samoa (192), while South Asian rivals Pakistan are ranked 202. more..

May 6 (TM) Multiple administrative irregularities within Govt systems were key to the US$ 2.5 million cyber fraud, Chairperson of CoPF Dr. Harsha de Silva told Parliament, describing the breach as a massive theft. According to Dr. de Silva, who chairs the CoPF that recently reviewed details of the transaction, one issue was procedural uncertainty within the Finance Ministry over which institution – External Resources Dept (ERD) more..

May 6 (TM) Though SL’s capital market presents itself as an attractive proposition through its robust regulatory frameworks, and story of economic resilience in the past five years, the volatility of the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) remains foremost in hindering confidence in foreign investment, ACAP Stock Brokers (Pvt) Ltd. Chairperson Stefan Abeysinghe said, speaking at an APAC Stock Brokers event held in Colombo. “The biggest worry about the capital market is the currency. more..

May 6 (AD) Due to the influence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), and the development of a low-level atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of the island, an increase in rainfall is expected across the island from today (6) and over the next few days, the Department of Meteorology stated. Showers or thundershowers will occur at most places of the island after 1.00 p.m., the Met. Dept noted. Showers are likely in the Southern and Eastern provinces during the morning hours. more..

May 6 (Island) Former Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara doesn’t appear to be a great admirer of the recently appointed Cricket Interim Committee. During a television interview, he said that the current govt must take responsibility if the newly-appointed panel failed to deliver. MP Jayasekara has long been known as a man who shoots from the hip and at times, as a doomsday prophet, if his scathing criticism of the Hambantota Port project in the past is anything to go by. more..

May 6 (DN) Sixteen-member SL weight lifting team is expected to take part in the Asian Weightlifting Championships which will be held from May 12-17 at Gujarat, India. This is the second time India hosting this event bringing together 28 Nations to showcase top Asian weight lifters. This championship is a crucial competition for the Lankan weight lifters to gain experience and ranking points before the 2028 Olympic Games. This will also serve as the final selection meet before more..

May 6 (ST) Police has launched a search for another Buddhist monk and two others allegedly involved in the incident of using 22 monks to smuggle narcotics into the country, a senior police officer said. The case related to the monks was taken up at the Negombo courts yesterday. Negombo Additional Magistrate Subhani Abeysekara on the 26th ordered that they be detained and questioned until May 2. more..

May 6 (ST) Kalu – the Lankan dog who alongside Aloka briefly stole the spotlight at the recent Peace Walk found himself at the centre of a rather less peaceful dispute. Kalu, originally named Shadow, who became a minor sensation after briefly appearing to fill in for Aloka alongside Ven Pannakara Thera, had belonged to an individual living in a neighbouring house in Hingula. Upon the owner passing away about a year and a half ago, the dog had reportedly wandered off and more..

May 6 (ST) Marking the day with rallies in the North and East, Tamil political parties reiterated demands for political and economic reforms. Central to these is the longstanding call for a constitutional solution to ensure a dignified livelihood for the Tamil-speaking community. The grand old party of ITAK observed Int'l Workers’ Day by holding two major rallies in the two provinces. The northern rally was held in Mankulam, Mullaitivu, under the leadership of the party’s General Secretary more..

May 6 (ST) An Australia-based IT engineer has identified a security hole in the Dept of Immigration and Emigration’s (DIE) electronic travel authorisation (ETA) visa page, which allows the mere entry of a confirmation code—with no additional layer of protection—to access information such as passport numbers, full names, nationality and dates of birth. “In that link, only the confirmation code needs to be entered to see more..

May 6 (FT) The phishing and impersonation scam probe in Treasury for a sum of $ 2.5 million has now moved into its final phase following fresh discoveries regarding the role of the Central Bank in the process of paying back debts owed to Australian Agency, both past and present during the recent transition to the Finance Ministry. MP Ravi Karunanayake has made a clarion call that a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) be formed to examine the theft of $ 2.5 million in debt funds more..

May 6 (FT) Sri Lanka has sent its largest-ever business delegation to US for the SelectUSA investment summit, with 14 entrepreneurs and business leaders currently engaging with partners and investors. US Embassy in SL said: “This year is the largest-ever SL delegation to SelectUSA—14 entrepreneurs and business leaders are in the US right now building networks, exploring investment opportunities, and driving shared prosperity for a stronger US–SL economic partnership”. more..

May 6 (FT) Cabinet of Ministers approved awarding of a new ground handling contract for SriLankan Airlines operations at Sydney Airport in Australia, following the expiry of the previous agreement on 30 April 2026. The procurement was conducted through a limited international competitive bidding process, with three proposals received. After evaluation, High-Level Standing Procurement Committee recommended Menzies Aviation Australia Ltd, as the substantially responsive lowest bidder. more..

May 6 (FT) The Maldives, synonymous with its dried fish, yesterday launched a milestone initiative with its giant MIFCO launching premium tuna products in Sri Lanka in partnership with Development Interplan Ceylon Ltd, in the presence of the visiting Prez Mohamed Muizzu as the Chief Guest. The initiative saw the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company Ltd, (MIFCO) launching premium tuna brand, Fasmeeru, in Sri Lanka, formalising an exclusive distribution partnership with DICL. more..

May 6 (FT) Sri Lanka and Maldives reaffirmed their long-standing friendship and commitment to deeper economic cooperation at the Maldives–SL Business Forum in Colombo, with leaders from both countries highlighting shared resilience, mutual support and growing opportunities for partnership. Forum brought together policymakers, and more than 400 business leaders and investors from both countries, reflecting more..

May 6 (Island) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s demeanour, body language, and speaking style appear to have changed noticeably in recent weeks, a visible sign of embarrassment. The most likely reason is a stark contradiction between what he once publicly criticised and analysed so forcefully, and what his government is actually doing today. His own recent speeches seem to reflect that contradiction, sometimes coming across as confused and inconsistent. more..

May 6 (CT) Sri Pada is not merely a scenic mountain or a tourism asset—it is one of SL’s most sacred living landscapes and among its most significant biodiversity strongholds. Anchored by the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary, spanning approximately 224 square km, this region contains an extraordinary mosaic of tropical rainforest, montane forest, and cloud forest ecosystems. These habitats sustain a remarkable concentration of endemic life—from delicate orchids and ancient ferns to more..

May 6 (SO) For weeks, the jeers were loud and predictable. Why was the Govt sitting idle while SLC lurched from one embarrassment to another? From the stands to the studios, the blame game rarely stopped at the players; management, many insisted, was the real problem and the Govt, critics said, was simply looking the other way. Except, as it turns out, it wasn’t. What emerged this week is that the reset had been quietly stitched together well away from the public gaze. more..