May 4 (FT) The Sri Lanka–Nepal Business Council (SLNBC) was launched at Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel yesterday, marking a significant milestone in strengthening economic cooperation between Sri Lanka and Nepal. The SLNBC envisions becoming a catalyst for sustainable trade and investment across the Nepal–SL corridor. The council aims to unlock existing and future business opportunities through strong public-private partnerships (PPPs), fostering shared prosperity between the two nations. more..

May 4 (TG) New human skeletal remains, including those believed to belong to children, were uncovered on Friday during the fifth day of the third phase of excavations at the Chemmani mass grave site (May 1) in Jaffna. Three additional sets of remains were identified during excavation work at the Chemmani Siththuppaathi site, bringing the total number of skeletal remains uncovered to 244. Of these, 240 have now been fully exhumed, while cleaning, documentation and preservation processes more..

May 4 (FT) The morning sun casts a golden hue over the village of Meetiyagoda, nestled a few kilometers inland from SL’s southern coast. Pavithra Madushani hops on her bicycle for a quick ride to her job at Jaith Ceylon Cinnamon, a home-based factory where women like her peel cinnamon–a centuries-old occupation that used to be open only to men. Nearing the gates of the company–a small-scale exporter of this more..

May 4 (AD) The Supreme Court today decided to dismiss, without hearing, a petition filed by the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Rauf Hakeem, and its General Secretary, Nizam Kariapper. The duo had filed the petition requesting an order directing the National Election Commission to inform Parliament that they are members of the SLMC. After considering the petition that was submitted, the Supreme Court accordingly ordered that it be dismissed, more..

May 4 (NW) Sharks International 2026 conference was inaugurated today at the BMICH, marking the first time the prestigious global gathering has been hosted in Sri Lanka. The event brings together researchers, conservationists, and govt officials from over 80 countries. Addressing the event, Deputy Minister Anton Jayakody, highlighted SL’s pivotal role in marine conservation and the urgent need for global cooperation to protect threatened marine species. more..

May 4 (NW) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has reaffirmed that the strong steps taken towards national unity will not, under any circumstances, be reversed. The President further emphasized the need for a country in which Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim communities live together in harmony and brotherhood. He made the remarks while addressing Kamban Festival held at Ramakrishna Hall in Wellawatte on Sunday. more..

May 4 (AD) Long-distance passengers will in future be required to pay only a nominal fee of around Rs. 30 when reserving seats through the online booking system, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake has announced. Speaking at a media briefing held at the Ministry of Transport today to raise awareness on the online seat reservation system for long-distance travel, Minister said the initiative was launched as a pilot project with private bus operators. more..

May 4 (DM) Minister Bimal Rathnayake defended the appointment of Eran Wickramaratne as Chairman of the Cricket Restructuring Committee, while dismissing concerns over political differences and stressing the need for capable leadership in reviving the sport. Responding to questions over selecting a figure outside the govt’s political alignment, the Minister said the decision was based purely on merit and not ideology. “Cricket doesn’t have to be left-wing,” Rathnayake said, more..

May 4 (FT) Senior Professor Nalin Abeysekera, a former Dean of Management at the Open University of SL, is no longer physically present among us. But his name, his legacy, and some of the physical characteristics unique to him that he displayed in social relations will remain in our hearts forever. His name is marked by several distinguishing unique to Nalin identity tags. One is that he is renowned for his prolific bilingual work in English and Sinhala. His papers in both languages have more..

May 4 (FT) In Greek mythology, Cassandra was a Trojan priestess dedicated to the god Apollo and fated by him to utter true prophecies, but never be believed. Cassandra warned the Trojans about the famous wooden horse left behind by the Greeks, but was not believed. The horse was pulled into the city. The warriors hiding inside jumped out in darkness, killed the guards and opened the gates to the waiting attackers. The evidence of its continuation in SL is in the photographs of more..

May 4 (FT) A Bill to amend the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act, No. 14 of 2002 proposes sweeping changes to SL’s indirect tax regime, widening the tax base, extending VAT to cross-border digital services, and strengthening enforcement, according to a May 2026 tax analysis by KPMG SL. Issued on 29 April, the Bill introduces revisions across registration thresholds, sector-specific provisions, administrative processes, and more..

May 4 (AD) The President of the Maldives, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has arrived in Sri Lanka on an invitation extended by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. He was accompanied by the First Lady, Sajidha Mohamed and a delegation of around 20 senior officials. The delegation arrived at the BIA, at 5:33 p.m. aboard SriLankan Airlines flight UL-116 from Malé. PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and a delegation were present at the airport to welcome the visiting President and his team. more..

May 4 (DM) The police have arrested at least 120 foreign nationals during a raid at a location on Meda Welikada Road in Rajagiriya. The group was taken into custody following reports of their involvement in large-scale illegal financial transactions and other illicit operations conducted within the country. The arrested suspects represent a diverse range of nationalities, including citizens from China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Madagascar, Philippines, Thailand, and Cambodia. more..

May 4 (FT) In seizing opportunities in a Look East strategy amidst tensions elsewhere, Japanese Ambassador Akio Isomata last week urged SL to walk the talk and not talk the talk. “The crux of the matter for SL exporters is seizing opportunities with action. We cannot afford to continue to talk the talk. We really need to walk the talk,” Ambassador Isomata told a forum titled Exports to Japan: Seizing the Opportunity more..

May 4 (ST) The government is set to form a 400-member cohort of digital transformation champions, to be known as the Public-Impact Champions Network (PIC-Net), comprising senior state officials to implement its ambitious digital transformation efforts. These champions, handpicked from 95 govt offices, including ministries, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and provincial councils, will be recruited to establish PIC-Net and strengthen digital transformation across the public sector. more..

May 4 (DN) The building and land where the Mahindananda Foundation was located in Nawalapitiya was officially handed back to the Railways Department on Saturday by the Foundation’s Secretary Chamika Dharmathilaka. It was alleged that the land and premises which was on a lease for nearly 25 years, had been used by Mahindananda Aluthgamage for his political and other activities. The Railways Department had issued a written notice to the Foundation’s more..

May 4 (AD) The Free Lawyers Organisation has called for an investigation through the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) into the alleged misappropriation of US$2.5 million from the Treasury. The request has been made in writing to COPA Chairman MP Kabir Hashim. The organisation stated that although a written complaint was previously submitted to the Speaker of House regarding the incident, no response has been received to date. more..

May 4 (AD) Former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa has not received any official notice or communication from the CIABOC regarding the Airbus transaction, his media spokesman Attorney Manoj Gamage said. Issuing a statement, Attorney Gamage clarified that no formal notification has been issued by the Bribery Commission in relation to the matter. He further stated that recent remarks made by the incumbent President regarding anticipated court rulings amount to prejudging judicial decisions more..

May 4 (DM) SL activist Oshala Herath has released a series of screenshots purportedly showing WhatsApp exchanges between the Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and the Defence Ministry Secretary, allegedly warning of a possible terrorist attack prior to April 21, 2019. According to the screenshots, the messages indicate that intelligence shared by a foreign counterpart had identified plans by Zahran Hashim and more..

May 4 (TM) Health & Mass Media Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe said that he was unable to comply at this stage with a request to conduct a psychological autopsy on Finance Ministry official Ranga Rajapaksa who allegedly died by suicide following suspension from service. He said that no further decision could be taken until the post-mortem report prepared by a four-member forensic panel is finalised. He stressed that there could be no question of bias, noting the examination had more..

May 4 (TM) The National Agrarian Unity has accused the Govt of causing a financial loss of US$ 250 million per agricultural season by purchasing fertiliser from Middle Eastern suppliers at higher prices, despite cheaper alternatives being available. The organisation’s President Anuradha Tennakoon said that SL has the option of sourcing urea from countries such as Kazakhstan at significantly lower rates. “We have learned from reliable sources that Kazakhstan is willing to supply fertiliser more..

May 4 (FT) Nations Trust Bank (NTB) announced that the transfer of Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation’s (HSBC) Retail Banking business in SL to NTB has officially been completed, with the acquired portfolio transitioning to NTB effective 1 May 2026. NTB has integrated HSBC SL’s retail banking customers into its operations, ensuring continuity of service and relationship management. The transition also includes the onboarding of HSBC SL staff as part of the integration process. more..

May 4 (FT) Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has come under scrutiny from fuel dealers, who have raised concerns over the reported Rs. 36.4 billion profit for 2025, as disclosed in the latest report of the Central Bank of SL (CBSL). Petroleum Dealers’ Association has alleged that the profit figure includes revenue generated through what it describes as unlawful deductions from dealer margins implemented during 2025. According to the Association, since the establishment of more..

May 4 (TM) Unloading of the first of five coal shipments under the emergency tender has commenced as part of a contingency strategy to ensure uninterrupted electricity generation, authorities said last week. This, as the Govt scrambles to secure stocks as deteriorating sea conditions are expected with the onset of the southwest monsoon. Although the Govt is confident that all shipments under the emergency coal more..

May 4 (AD) Food prices will not be increased despite yesterday’s fuel price revision, according to the Chairman of the All Ceylon Restaurant Owners Association, Harshana Rukshan. Chairman Harshana Rukshan said the increase in fuel prices, between Rs. 12 and Rs. 15, is too minimal to justify an increase in food prices. He also urged restaurant owners not to raise prices and called on the Consumer Affairs Authority to take action against establishments that charge excessive rates. more..

May 4 (Island) Sri Lanka’s newly appointed Cricket Interim Committee will pad up for its first outing on Wednesday and high on the agenda is a glaring void that has left purists fuming – the alarming lack of Test cricket. The numbers make for grim reading. Sri Lanka last took the field in whites in June 2025 and are not scheduled to do so again until June 2026, effectively leaving the longest format out in the cold for a full year. For a nation that once prided itself on producing artists in whites, more..

May 4 (FT) Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has reported improved operating and profit performance for the year ended 31 Dec 2025, with group net Profit After Tax (PAT) rising 12.1% YoY to its highest of Rs. 42.8 billion, according to unaudited financial statements. Previous high was Rs. 42.3 billion in 2022. Group revenue increased 9.7% to Rs. 81.8 billion from Rs. 74.6 billion a year earlier. Gross profit rose 18.4% to Rs. 44.8 billion, while operating profit increased 20.2% to Rs. 55.2 billion. more..

May 4 (FT) National Development Bank (NDB) said it has posted a Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs. 1.75 billion in the first quarter of 2026 after adjusting for the Rs. 13.2 billion fraud that has impacted the bank. In a statement, the bank said: “This financial results announcement represents the first following the bank’s earlier corporate disclosures as released to the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) on 2, 6 and 23 April 2026. The financial impact of the fraud, as internally estimated, more..

May 4 (FT) Sri Lanka’s current account surplus declined 43.9% year-on-year (YoY) to $ 531.5 million in the first quarter of 2026, as a widening trade deficit, up 122% from a year ago, and weaker services inflows weighed on the external account, despite support from higher workers’ remittances and a lower primary income deficit. The current account recorded a marginal surplus of $ 44.6 million in March, down 90.7% YoY, more..

May 4 (TM) A seven-member delegation led by Russian Federation Health Minister Mikhail Murashko arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday (3) on a three-day official visit. The delegation was received at the BIA by Science and Technology Minister Prof. Krishantha Abeysena, Russian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Levan Jagaryan, Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe, and Director (International Health) Dr. Anil Samaranayake. A brief discussion was held upon arrival. more..

May 4 (CT) With the implementation of revenue enhancement measures coupled with the revival of economic activities, govt revenue continued to record a significant increase in 2025, both in nominal terms and as a percentage of GDP, compared to the previous year, CB's 2025 Annual Economic Review released last Monday said. Accordingly, in nominal terms, govt revenue recorded a year -on-year growth of 35.2%, while in GDP terms, revenue increased steadily in recent years, more..