May 19 (Island) In a landmark achievement for SL and the global autism advocacy community, Merak 2026 has secured the Guinness World Record for the World’s Longest Sensory Board, marking a milestone in the intersection of art, inclusion, sustainability & public awareness. Tree House International spearheaded the successful effort. Stretching 60 meters, each segment of the board incorporates a mix of tactile elements, from recycled ocean plastic to show sustainability, more..

May 19 (EN) Sri Lanka’s services sector contracted in April 2026 due to seasonal impacts following the festive period and the increase in energy prices, according to a Purchasing Managers Index compiled by the Central Bank which registered an index value of 46.7, compared to 59.4 the previous month. New businesses declined in April 2026 for the first time since April 2023, CBSL said, due to deteriorations observed in transportation of goods, insurance, wholesale & retail trade, and accommodation more..

May 19 (FT) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday criticised proposed amendments relating to tax enforcement, warning that penalising taxpayers unable to make payments due to legitimate reasons would undermine business confidence and democratic norms. Speaking after meeting tax and financial experts, Premadasa said there was an attempt to amend laws to criminalise delays in tax payments arising from circumstances such as illness or overseas travel. more..

May 19 (FT) Sri Lanka’s post-crisis recovery is entering a more difficult phase as policymakers, economists and businesses attempt to preserve stability amid rising geopolitical tensions, volatile energy markets and growing uncertainty in the global economy. Setting the tone and dining the scope of a recent seminar on Sri Lanka’s Current Macroeconomic Policy Directions in the Current Global Volatility, more..

May 19 (DN) New Zealand women’s A team led by Jess Watkin came back strongly to record 84 runs win over (DLS method) Sri Lanka women’s A in their third rain hit one day game played at Rangiri Dambulla Cricket Stadium yesterday. After first two games ended in no results due to rain NZ women’s produced superb all round performance to defeat SL women’s A to win the series 1-0. NZ women’s A team decided to bat first scored challenging total of 273 for 8 wickets in their 50 overs. more..

May 19 (Island) SL’s 1996 World Cup winning team returned home on Monday, although for many of the players Colombo was not the final destination. While most boarded flights to BIA, a few headed off to Melbourne and London, while others decided to extend their stay in the Land of the Malays for a short holiday. It was a trip soaked in nostalgia as the players rolled back the years and transported fans to that magical March night 3 decades ago when they pulled off one of the greatest upsets more..

May 19 (Island) An opposition grouping alleged that CIABOC had become a political tool in the hands of JVP/NPP to suppress the Opposition both in and outside Parliament. Former Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris accused the CIABOC of fabricating cases against political opponents by manipulating those summoned. He tore into the institution, alleging that it drove people to suicide. Prof. Peiris alleged that former SriLankan Airlines CEO, Kapila Chandrasena, had been a victim of that more..

May 19 (FT) The Book Studio Ltd, has introduced Sri Lanka’s first fully automated book vending machine, marking a significant innovation in the country’s publishing and retail landscape. Redefining how readers can discover and purchase books with instant self-service, this landmark initiative represents a strategic synergy of technology and convenience, designed to make literature more accessible to the community. Aligned with the core belief that “everywhere can be a reading more..

May 19 (FT) Govt announced an additional Rs. 2.5 billion fertiliser subsidy package for tea smallholders and growers as rising geopolitical tensions in the Gulf region continue to pressure SL’s tea industry through higher energy, fertiliser and production costs. Minister Samantha Vidyarathna said the decision was taken as an emergency relief measure to cushion growers from mounting global cost pressures and more..

May 19 (DN) Sri Lanka’s junior squash team is ready to challenge Asia’s best at the 33rd Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships in Panzhihua, China from May 20 to 24. The Sri Lankan team will compete in the Boys’ and Girls’ Under-19, Under-17, Under-15 and Under-13 categories against the strongest junior squash nations in Asia. Eighteen-year-old Matheesha Wijesekara will spearhead Sri Lanka’s challenge after climbing to No. 7 in the Asian Under-19 rankings. more..

May 19 (FT) HNB Stockbrokers has warned that SL’s recently announced fuel subsidy, while manageable in the short term, risks eroding fiscal buffers and complicating commitments under the IMF program if extended beyond its initial 3-month period. In a series of posts published on ‘X,’ the brokerage described the subsidy as a response to the oil price shock triggered by the escalating conflict in the Middle East, but cautioned that the larger risk lay not in immediate affordability more..

May 19 (FT) SL’s trade, export, and foreign direct investment (FDI) agenda is suffering from a lack of ambition, urgency, and strategic coordination at a time when rival Asian economies are moving aggressively to secure investment and strengthen trade resilience, economic policy think tank Centre for a Smart Future (CSF) warned. It has called on the Govt to urgently revive and accelerate SL’s trade competitiveness, export & FDI more..

May 19 (TM) Even as talks continue over fuel supply terms for electricity generation, a dispute between the Electricity Generation Lanka (Pvt) Ltd and CPC over dealer margins remains unresolved, with the latter maintaining that the charges cannot be waived because EGL functions as a direct fuel consumer. Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka said the disagreement centred on dealer margins linked to fuel prices. “The electricity entity says that the dealer margin should be removed. more..

May 19 (GV) It is with tremendous sadness that I write about the passing of D.B.S. Jeyaraj. He was a journalist, a chronicler and, for those of us who found our way to the Tamil cause through his words, something far more personal: a moral framework. As a young teenager who was born and raised in Canada, it was Jeyaraj’s writings which first introduced me to the works of constitutional scholar Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam. His writings significantly influenced and shaped my views on more..

May 19 (FT) Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism Ministry yesterday launched its revamped official website together with the newly introduced Common Website Platform for SL Missions and Posts abroad. Minister Vijitha Herath, with the participation of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment, Deputy Minister of Tourism, the Secretary to the Ministry, Heads of SL Missions Abroad joining online, senior Ministry officials, representatives of Govt institutions, more..

May 19 (FT) Newly established Canadian Chamber of Commerce in SL (CanCham SL) has unveiled a strategy to position SL as a regional gateway for Canadian trade, investment, and Indo-Pacific engagement, while strengthening bilateral economic ties between the two countries. Speaking at a media briefing, CanCham SL representatives outlined a long-term vision centred on investment promotion, trade facilitation, tourism development, innovation, education & strategic regional cooperation. more..

May 19 (FT) Environment Minister Dammika Patabendi said that since there had been no sustainable national policy to effectively mitigate the human-elephant conflict (HEC) and address broader issues related to elephants in the country, Govt intended to obtain a comprehensive report by appointing a multi-stakeholder committee. He noted that with the increasing number of human-elephant conflict incidents reported in the country, more..

May 19 (SO) Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) President, Pavithra Fernando believes with the setting up of the high-performance sevens program, SL have set their goal towards winning an elusive Asian Games Medal. “This is a defining moment for SLR. For the first time, we are committing fully to a high-performance sevens program with a clear and uncompromising objective – to win a medal at the Asian Games,” Pavithra said. “While we recognise the short-term impact on our fifteens results, more..

May 19 (Island) As the world prepares to observe the International Day for Biological Diversity, commonly known as World Biodiversity Day, on May 22, SL stands as a vivid example of how a relatively small island can hold an extraordinary concentration of life. The annual observance serves as a global reminder of the importance of protecting ecosystems and the rich variety of life forms that sustain the planet. This year’s observance comes amid increasing international concern over more..

May 19 (CT) In the twenty-first century, national security can no longer be defined solely through military strength, territorial defence, or conventional warfare capabilities. The rapidly evolving global environment has demonstrated that economic resilience, energy security, food stability, technological competitiveness, and strategic supply chains are now equally critical to the survival and prosperity of nations. In many ways, economic security has become the foundation upon more..

May 19 (TM) For decades, the apparel industry has been the bedrock of SL’s economic resilience. As the nation struggles to recover from the recent economic crisis and the pandemic, this sector remains an indispensable lifeline. Generating over 40% of total merchandise export revenue and contributing approximately 7% to national GDP, garment manufacturing is far more than a commercial enterprise. It is a critical social anchor, directly employing over 350,000 people, driving more..

May 19 (CT) While Chinese nationals are reportedly more involved in online scamming networks in SL, there is also a growing trend of individuals from India entering such operations. Police arrested 192 Indians and 29 Nepalis in coordinated raids over suspected online scam activities in Southern coastal towns between 11 and 12 May. Online scammers entering SL on tourist visas are being counted as part of more..

May 19 (DM) The murder of Francis Attygalle (21), the only male heir of a wealthy family, shocked colonial Ceylon in 1906. The handsome millionaire, linked by marriage to the families of D.S. Senanayake, Sir John Kotelawala, and J.R. Jayewardene, died from a gunshot wound under mysterious circumstances, leaving controversies that haunted the island’s political landscape for decades. John Kotalawala, the chief suspect and brother-in-law of the victim, a former police officer, more..

May 19 (ST) If Mahinda Rajapaksa had harboured any fears of being slipped unnoticed into the melting pot of this nation’s tumultuous history to end up merely as an inconspicuous footnote on one of the chronicle’s pages, then this month’s dramatic happenings showed he wouldn’t be forgotten in a hurry. Not under this govt anyway. The more they try to bury him under heaps of unproven corruption charges, the more the man rises unsoiled, with his fleece as white as the driven snow. more..

May 19 (SO) General Secretary of the SLPP, Sagara Kariyawasam is a key figure in one of SL’s most influential political parties, playing a central role in shaping its strategy and public messaging during a period of political and economic change. He discussed SLPP’s plan to regain power, responded to criticism over the 2022 economic collapse and addressed questions on former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa’s legal challenges. more..

May 19 (Island) Time, it is said, is the great healer. But there are some wounds that will not heal with time. They need specific and focused treatment. The dates May 18 and 19, the two final days of Sri Lanka’s three decade long war, are less in the consciousness of the people than before. But the continuation of the untreated and unhealed wounds of the war continues to be seen in the many groups of people who gather to remember their loved ones on these days. more..

May 19 (Island) 17 years have elapsed since the defeat of LTTE terrorism, which plagued the country for about a quarter century. If not for the successful military campaign that eliminated the LTTE leadership, thousands of lives would have been lost in terror attacks and on the battlefield since 2009, and it would not have been possible to rekindle democracy in the North and the East. Today, children can go to school without fear of being abducted and turned into cannon fodder by the LTTE; more..

May 18 (CB) SL-India Test series will be played in the second half of August. The exact dates for the two Tests have not yet been finalised, but Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has identified a two-week window for the matches, which are part of the current ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. Sources within SLC and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have revealed that the matches will be played between Aug 15 and 27. There is, however, no confirmation yet on the 3 Twenty20Is more..

May 18 (Island) Taking a decisive step towards safeguarding SL’s maritime heritage, a high-level discussion was held today at the Ministry of Environment. Jointly chaired by the Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody and Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekara, meeting focused on the urgent need to prevent environmental pollution and protect the coastal waters around the northern seas and their adjacent islands. The discussion was attended by senior naval officers, more..

May 18 (AFP) A surge in arrests of suspected foreign scammers in Sri Lanka has authorities concerned that the island is fast becoming a hub for online crime, following sweeping crackdowns in hotspots Cambodia and Myanmar. Officials say some scam networks forced out of countries in Southeast Asia have simply shifted to new bases, increasingly moving operations to Sri Lanka -- an attractive destination due to a relaxed visa more..

May 18 (TM) SL Chamber of Garment Exporters (SLCGE) warned that SL is gradually losing market share to more competitive countries such as Vietnam, Bangladesh & India, stating that rising fuel prices and electricity tariff hikes are driving up production costs. SLCGE Vice President Rumesh Perera said the recently announced 18% electricity tariff hike for domestic consumers using over 180 units had created additional pressure on garment factories already struggling with rising more..