May 9 (ST) He has walked thousands of kilometres in the freezing cold of the US and the burning heat of SL. Following the just concluded Walk for Peace in SL, Aloka the Peace Dog, the Walk’s endearing mascot, is a celebrity today with 1.1 million followers on Facebook and over 440K followers on Instagram. Only time will tell if Aloka will become an enduring legend like Hachiko from Japan (who waited faithfully at more..

May 9 (FT) PM Harini Amarasuriya yesterday outlined SL’s ambition to deepen economic engagement with Vietnam, setting a bilateral trade target of $ 1 billion by 2030, while positioning the country as an export-driven and investment-friendly economy ready for its next phase of growth. Addressing the SL–Vietnam Trade, Investment & Tourism Cooperation Forum at Hilton Colombo, she said the two countries are entering a new chapter in bilateral relations, moving beyond traditional more..

May 9 (FT) The National Chamber of Exporters of SL (NCE) marked its 40th anniversary by honouring its past presidents, with special recognition extended to its Founder President and President Emeritus, the late Patrick Amarasinghe, whose initiative in establishing the Chamber in 1986 laid the groundwork for four decades of organised representation for Sri Lanka’s export community. The tribute, held at the Chamber’s 40th AGM and anniversary celebration, on 27 March 2026, more..

May 9 (FT) Macktiles Lanka Ltd, has announced the launch of its latest showroom located at 236, Main Road, Attidiya, Dehiwala (opposite the Commercial Bank). The grand opening for the new showroom, now bringing the latest in Macktiles’ innovation and technology to the residents of Attidiya, was held on 24 April 2026, graced by the presence of Macksons Holdings Ltd’s leadership, showroom staff, as well as customers and well-wishers. The distinguished invitees included Macksons Holdings Group more..

May 9 (DM) District 82 Toastmasters International is gearing up for Ovation 2026, its annual conference themed Tides of Transformation, scheduled for May 16 - 17 at Shangri-La Colombo, powered by Home Lands as the Title Partner. The event was announced by the District 82 during a media briefing held at the Courtyard by Marriott Colombo last week, to give a closer look at the organization, its four-decade journey in Sri Lanka and what to expect at this year’s conference. more..

May 9 (TM) Ex-SL and FIFA accredited referee, administrator and football official Sunil Senaweera stated that he will shortly write to the sport’s world controlling body, to seek their consent to effect a change in the current elected administration of the Football Federation of SL (FFSL). He said the bane of domestic football had been the corruption-riddled incumbent FFSL administration led by Jaswar Umar, and more..

May 9 (FT) On 9 May 2022, the political establishment ruling the roost at the time made a catastrophic miscalculation. It obviously believed that brute force would succeed where patronage, propaganda and intimidation had failed. And let loose its dogs of war. Those loyalists of the ancien régime descended on peaceful protestors at the Galle Face Green. Like the Assyrian came down like a wolf on the fold, these minions of the regime assailed the camps of the righteous and more..

May 9 (FT) Be that as it may, the death of former CEO of SriLankan Airlines, Kapila Chandrasena was always likely to trigger something beyond ordinary public mourning. In today’s SL, where institutional trust has steadily deteriorated over decades, almost every high-profile death linked in any way to controversy risks entering dangerous territory - territory where rumour, speculation and political mythology begin competing with fact itself. And perhaps that alone should deeply concern more..

May 9 (DM) The JVP-led NPP Govt has been in power for the past two years and five months. In simple language the regime has only two more years in power before it has to face the people at the next round of elections. It is a good time as any to check how many of its pre-election pledges Govt has achieved. In the run-up to the Prez and General Elections, regime promised to renegotiate the IMF deal cut by the earlier regime, bring down the cost of living (COL), develop the country, more..

May 9 (Island) Former MP Eran Wickramaratne’s unexpected move jolted the SJB. In spite of being aware of covert moves to bring in Wickramaratne as chief of the corruption-riddled SLC, in place of Shammi Silva, SJB never really believed it could succeed as it was considered a literal goldmine. But when Prez Dissanayake pushed the deal through on 29 April, a furious SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, however, tried to save face by merely declaring it as a political appointment. more..

May 9 (SO) Once, truth travelled at the speed of a printing press. Today, it races through timelines, hash tags, live streams and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated feeds. In this new era, press freedom is no longer only about the right to publish. It is about the right to be heard above the noise, the ability to verify amid misinformation and the courage to hold power to account in an increasingly complex digital world. As the world marks more..

May 9 (TM) Sri Lanka cannot afford another episode of financial carelessness dressed up as administrative error. Not now. Not after the queues, the shortages, the tax hikes, the collapse of public confidence, and the painful sacrifices demanded from ordinary citizens in the name of economic recovery. Yet, this is precisely the impression being created by the latest controversy of the alleged irregular disbursement of nearly Rs. 500 million in Aswesuma welfare funds. more..

May 9 (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 9 (TM) As global climate volatility continues to threaten island nations, SL is currently modernising its weather monitoring and prediction capabilities. State agencies are working to transition from outdated infrastructure to highly advanced, data-driven systems. However, this critical transition is currently facing significant hurdles, ranging from severely compressed project deadlines imposed by int'l funders to a stark lack of advanced more..

May 9 (DN) According to Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala, a series of Court cases will be instituted against those accused of misappropriating public funds. According to the Deputy Minister, the people have a right to know about these cases and understand the verdicts, which is a cornerstone of the democratic system. We have reasons to believe that this time around all such cases would be brought to their conclusions, unlike in the past where only lip service was paid to such matters. more..

May 9 (Island) An exchange of fire between the US and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz sent shockwaves across the world yesterday, and oil prices soared as a result. Thankfully, it was a brief clash. The US has claimed that it foiled Iranian attacks on three of its ships. Iran has said it came under unprovoked attacks. Ceasefires in military conflicts are never free from such shocks, and care needs to be exercised to prevent skirmishes from spiraling out of control. The international community has a pivotal role more..

May 8 (AD) Health authorities say that a fever illness reported around the Kotapola Medical Officer of Health (MOH) area has been identified as a viral infection, according to Specialist Dr. Palitha Karunapema of Ministry of Health. He stated that 47 infected patients were reported during the past month. Symptoms of the infection include fever, severe headache, and vomiting. Dr. Karunapema noted that the illness has mainly spread among schoolchildren aged 14–15 years. more..

May 8 (TG) Excavation activities at the Chemmani mass grave site in Jaffna continued this week, with further human remains, burnt bones and artefacts uncovered during ongoing judicially supervised operations. Four additional skeletal remains were identified during the latest phase of excavations, bringing the total number of identified skeletons at the burial ground to 259. With the excavation of two more sets of remains, the total number of fully exhumed skeletons has now risen to 254. more..

May 8 (Island) A recycling centre for the management of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, established in line with the Clean Sri Lanka national programme, was declared open this morning at the Ekala Industrial Zone. Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat has allocated Rs. 200 million for this project. Established within the precast yard premises belonging to the State Engineering Corporation under Ministry of Housing, more..

May 8 (NF) The Gammadda Re-Build Programme, developed for communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah, was launched yesterday in Nuwara Eliya. Today marks the second day of the initiative, which focuses on restoring livelihoods and rebuilding lives through skills development and empowerment. The programme is being implemented jointly by the National Apprenticeship and Industrial Training Authority, Dept of Technical Education and Training, and Gammadda, with the full support of more..

May 8 (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 8 (Island) Questions were raised yesterday over the govt’s move to award SL’s proposed digital identity card project to an Indian company despite strong objections previously voiced by Prez Dissanayake while in the Opposition. National Trade Union and Civil Front Convener Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa called on the Govt to immediately clarify reports on the tender process and the alleged involvement of a foreign company more..

May 8 (NW) Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) has expressed grave concern over the death of former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena, warning that the incident could severely impact accountability efforts linked to the high-profile Airbus corruption case. In a statement issued today, TISL said the sudden death of a key individual connected to the ongoing Airbus prosecution represented a serious setback to the pursuit of truth, accountability and justice. more..

May 8 (TM) Leader of the Janasetha Peramuna Ven. Battaramulle Seelarathana Thera on Tuesday lodged a complaint with the Secretary of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports urging the latter to initiate a probe into several alleged acts of frauds linked to a former national gymnastics coach. The outspoken monk stated that the Secretary of the said Ministry Aruna Bandara had assured him that a prompt inquiry would be conducted into the complaint lodged against the coach concerned. more..

May 8 (DM) Discussions between Govt of SL and Joint Apparel Associations Forum (JAAF) aimed at strengthening and safeguarding SL’s garment export sector have been successfully concluded, officials confirmed. A high-level meeting was held yesterday at the Trade, Commerce, Food Security & Cooperative Development Ministry, focusing on global challenges facing the apparel industry, SL’s main export earner. The talks also reviewed future strategies amid shifting int'l trade conditions. more..

May 8 (TM) The Football Federation of SL (FFSL) reaffirmed its full commitment towards winning the upcoming SAFF Championship, scheduled to take place in four months-time. This was while strongly condemning attempts by a few individuals to destabilise the tremendous progress achieved by Sri Lankan football during the past two-year period. The FFSL categorically rejected certain allegations made by ex-football official Sunil Senaweera, describing the accusations as baseless, more..

May 8 (DM) Viet Nam and SL signed five MoUs covering areas including tourism, security cooperation, religious and cultural affairs, civil and commercial engagement, transport, economic cooperation, as well as science and technology. MoUs were formally exchanged this morning at the Presidential Secretariat in the presence of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prez of Viet Nam and General Secretary of Central Committee more..

May 8 (TM) With Bangladesh set to host Pakistan, the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 resumes, and SL re-enter the frame aiming to build on their early gains in the push towards the final at Lord’s next year. The last stretch of action in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle saw a clinical Australia side dominate the Ashes at home, sealing a 4-1 win and further strengthening their hold at the top of the standings. Their neighbours, NZ, sit second after a convincing 2-0 home series more..

May 8 (NW) Venerable Rajangane Saddarathana Thera was arrested by the Central Crimes Investigation Division today. According to the Police, he has been arrested in connection with an incident where he allegedly insulted a minister and senior Police officials through social media. Ven. Rajangane Saddarathana Thera is accused of having insulted the Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala, Inspector General of Police (IGP) and a Senior Deputy Inspector General. more..

May 8 (DM) Anuradhapura Magistrate's Court has issued arrest warrants for the Anuradhapura Atamasthadipathi Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Thera, and the mother of a 15-year old girl in connection with an alleged abuse case. The case was taken up in the Magistrate’s Chamber and not in open court. Chief Magistrate Sasindu Wickremeratne made this order in response to the submissions made by Director of more..

May 8 (AD) Supreme Court today directed the petitioning party to take steps to reissue notice to former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who has been named as a respondent in a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition. The petition had been filed seeking an order to recover compensation funds allegedly paid unlawfully to former ministers and MPs whose houses were set on fire or damaged during the island-wide violence that erupted following the attack on the Aragalaya protest site on May 9, 2022. more..

May 8 (EN) Asian Development Bank (ADB) will back $70 billion in new energy and digital infrastructure initiatives by 2035, aiming to connect power grids, expand cross-border electricity trade, and improve broadband access across Asia & Pacific. “Energy and digital access will define the region’s future,” said ADB President Masato Kanda. “These two initiatives build the systems Asia and the Pacific need to grow, compete, and connect. By linking power grids and digital networks more..