May 11 (FT) Port of Colombo has recorded a significant increase in container handling volumes during the first four months of 2026. It handled 761,096 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in Apr 2026, compared to 623,719 TEUs recorded in Apr 2025, marking a growth of 22%. Cumulative container throughput from Jan to Apr 2026 reached 2,915,004 TEUs, reflecting a 13.9% or 355,157 TEU increase, compared to more..

May 11 (Island) The lack of a committed and competent workforce is no longer a routine managerial complaint in Sri Lanka; it has become a defining national problem. Recent widely reported malpractices, in leading public institutions, have exposed the depth of this challenge. From a macro-economic perspective, large and persistent gaps exist between the competencies required to perform jobs effectively and the competency profiles of the existing workforce. more..

May 11 (DN) Huge trees survive for centuries. They continue to serve humanity only when they are planted properly, nurtured carefully, and maintained according to scientific guidelines. Otherwise, they may collapse at any moment and perish. The same applies to a nation. All preschools operating in Sri Lanka are required to register or renew their registration by July 1, 2026, under new regulations announced by the Women and Child Affairs Ministry. Preschools must meet Govt standards for more..

May 11 (ST) A govt already beset by a scandal surrounding the purchase of low-grade coal for the Lakvijaya power plant faced a fresh controversy when Parliament met for the first time since the Sinhala & Tamil New Year, as it found itself on the back foot over the disappearance of USD 2.5 million from the Treasury. Opposition MPs were waiting to pounce on the subject of the missing millions and did so almost immediately after this week’s sessions commenced on Tuesday (5). more..

May 11 (CT) In 2025, global defence spending has surged to an estimated USD 2 trillion, marking a historic milestone in military expenditure. This sharp increase is not merely a reflection of economic growth or routine budget adjustments, it is a signal of a world grappling with deepening insecurity, strategic competition, and an increasingly fragile international order. At first glance, rising defence budgets may appear to be a rational response to emerging threats. more..

May 11 (TM) In what has become a recurring theme in Sri Lankan law enforcement, authorities have once again disrupted major illicit operations run by foreign nationals. According to reports from early May, the Police carried out separate raids in the commercial capital of Colombo and the southern coastal district of Matara, leading to the arrest of individuals suspected of engaging in financial scams and violating visa conditions. more..

May 11 (DM) The Palk Strait Bridge and Tunnel is a proposed 23-km (14 mile) link across the Palk Strait between Dhanushkodi in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Talaimannar on Mannar Island off the northwestern coast of SL. The bridge between India and SL was first seriously proposed by the govts of these two countries back in 2002. During the 2002-2004 Peace Accord, the then PM, Ranil Wickremesinghe, asked India to help build what he called the Hanuman Bridge. more..

May 11 (TM) Five months is not a long time in the life of a nation recovering from disaster. Yet in Sri Lanka, the memory of Cyclone Ditwah already risks being pushed aside by the arrival of the next monsoon season. The rains have begun once more. The Department of Meteorology has warned that a low-level atmospheric disturbance near Sri Lanka is likely to develop into a low-pressure area around 11 May, bringing continued heavy rainfall across much of the island. more..

May 11 (CT) From January this year until April, SL had not recorded a single measles case. That run is now over. Two cases have been confirmed in the Colombo District, both within the same Medical Officer of Health area, and laboratory testing has established that the virus strain was carried in from another country. The timing could not be more precarious. SL was on course to reclaim its WHO measles elimination certification, more..

May 11 (Island) Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Chandrasekar Joseph Vijay has achieved his chief ministerial dream in TN, with the help of some other parties, including the Congress. His meteoric rise to power was possible mostly due to his popularity as a film star, his unrealistic promises and a massive protest vote fuelled by anti-politics. Winning elections is one thing, but living up to people’s expectations by fulfilling campaign promises is quite another. more..

May 11 (CT) Corruption in politics has long been a serious issue that must be addressed. Its history stretches back many decades. The roots of corruption neither begin nor end with the Rajapaksas, nor can the blame be placed solely on the current generation. It is a deeply entrenched sociopolitical malignancy that has metastasized over time through successive political eras and leaderships. Its inherently intoxicating and seductive nature has entrapped many politicians, more..

May 10 (ST) Through the past 18 months it has been in govt, there have already been a number of occasions where the NPP govt has found itself in awkward situations due to ill-advised public comments made by its ministers or mps. In most such cases, senior govt figures have had to step in to clarify such statements and attempt damage control. In some instances, Prez Anura Dissanayake himself has been forced more..

May 10 (TM) Sri Lanka is planning to establish a dedicated research centre for 6G and next-generation wireless technologies by the third quarter of 2026, in collaboration with foreign partners and the private sector. Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne revealed that SL was currently engaged in discussions to establish a research centre focused on 6G and other next-generation wireless technologies. He further explained that the initiative would be undertaken jointly with more..

May 10 (ST) Electricity consumers were given another price hike shock yesterday with the PUCSL announcing an 18% increase in electricity tariffs for domestic consumers using more than 180 units per month. The new rates will be applicable to the second and third quarters of 2026, with effect from Monday (11). PUCSL Chairman K.P.L. Chandralal said the latest price hike was based on three main factors: an estimated revenue shortfall of about Rs 38 billion; the increase in fuel costs; and more..

May 10 (AD) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) has approved an 18% increase in electricity tariffs for domestic consumers using more than 180 units per month, applicable to the second and third quarters of 2026, with effect from Monday (11). However, commission has stated that there will be no revision in electricity tariffs for domestic consumers who consume fewer than 180 units per month. more..

May 10 (AD) Four schools in the Deniyaya Education Zone that were temporarily closed due to a rapidly spreading flu outbreak among schoolchildren will remain closed for two more days. Deniyaya Zonal Education Director Nishaka Hettiarachchi stated that the decision was taken on the recommendation of health authorities as a measure to control the spread of the illness. Accordingly, Deniyaya Central College, Deniyaya Rajapaksha Maha Vidyalaya, more..

May 10 (TM) Former CEO of SriLankan Airlines Kapila Chandrasena was found dead at a residence in Kollupitiya on Friday (8), hours after the Colombo Magistrate’s Court ordered his arrest over an alleged violation of bail conditions in a high-profile bribery case. The Police informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court regarding the death, stating that further investigations into the “suspicious death” were underway. The Magistrate also visited the scene for inspection. more..

May 10 (CT) Three officers of the Welfare Benefits Board (WBB) Cash Payment Division under the Ministry of Finance reportedly informed Commissioner Nimal Kotawalagedara within days after 10 April that an error had occurred while processing payments for 1.7 million Aswesuma beneficiaries through the Bank of Ceylon. According to reliable sources, three out of the eight officers attached to the WBB Cash Division handled the payments to nearly 1.7 million beneficiaries. more..

May 10 (AD) Deputy Mayor of the Kurunegala MC, Ashardeen Moinudeen, who was arrested by the CIABOC for allegedly soliciting a bribe of Rs. 3 million from a businessman in return for awarding a tender, has been remanded until May 21. The arrest was made in the Battaramulla area, while he was travelling to accept the bribe. It is reported that the Deputy Mayor had allegedly demanded the bribe in exchange for awarding the tender for cleaning the Kurunegala Bus Stand and more..

May 10 (TM) The National System Operator (NSO) has formally requested financial assistance from the Govt to settle an estimated Rs. 10 billion in outstanding payments owed to renewable energy developers. The mounting arrears, which industry stakeholders say have accumulated since the beginning of the year, have intensified concerns within the renewable energy sector and highlighted broader financial strains affecting SL’s more..

May 10 (Island) SL has donated over one fourth of its collected corneas to foreign recipients, enabling patients abroad to regain sight, officials revealed at a media briefing marking the 15th anniversary of the National Eye Bank held at Suwasiripaya. The briefing, organised by the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, highlighted the Eye Bank’s services over the past 15 years and its future expansion plans. Since its establishment, National Eye Bank has collected more than 17,000 corneas, more..

May 10 (Island) ANC Campus has announced the launch of a formal articulation partnership with Adelaide University at Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo, creating a clear progression pathway for SL students seeking an Australian university degree. Through this pathway, students can begin their university-level studies at ANC Campus in Sri Lanka before progressing to Adelaide University in Australia, subject to the relevant academic, English language, and entry requirements. more..

May 10 (AD) Met Dept says that the low-level atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of SL is likely to develop into a low-pressure area around the 11th of May. Therefore, the prevailing showery conditions over the island are expected to continue during the next few days, it said, adding that cloudy skies are expected over most parts of the island. Showers or thundershowers will occur at most places of the island after 1.00 pm while heavy rainfall above 100 mm is likely at some places, more..

May 10 (Island) Ratnapura is fondly known as the City of Gems. It is fair to say that SL’s gemstone capital has turned more ordinary men into billionaires than any other corner of the island. Many locals believe the blessings of the sacred Maha Saman Devalaya, situated in the heart of the city, are behind the prosperity that adorns many homes there. They may as well add another name to that glittering list. He is neither a miner nor a gem trader. He is a cricketer who answers to the name of more..

May 10 (TM) SL authorities have arrested nearly 700 foreign nationals over cybercrime and illegal financial operations during the first five months of 2026, amid growing concerns over whether SL is becoming a hub for cyber scams. Most recent incident was reported on Thursday, when the Mount Lavinia Divisional Crimes Investigation Bureau arrested a group of 30 foreign nationals allegedly involved in cybercrime activities while more..

May 10 (ST) M.F. Muhammad of Zahira College produced another record-breaking performance after the 18-year-old breaststroke specialist renewed the national 200m breaststroke record on Day Two of the three-day Selection Trial for the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games at the Sugathadasa Swimming Pool Complex yesterday. Representing Killer Whale Aquatics (KWA), Muhammad clocked an impressive 2:21.61 to erase his own previous national record of 2:22.41 set last year. more..

May 10 (AD) The investigation into the death of former CEO of SriLankan Airlines, Kapila Chandrasena, has been handed over to the Colombo Crime Division (CCD). A 5-member judicial medical board headed by Colombo Chief Judicial Medical Officer has been appointed to conduct a post-mortem examination into the death of Chandrasena in accordance with an order issued yesterday (8) by Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena. Accordingly, post-mortem examination more..

May 10 (ST) SLC is set to usher in a new era in white-ball cricket with the appointment of Kusal Mendis as captain of both the ODI and T20I teams, starting from the forthcoming tour of the West Indies. The 31-year-old batsman is set to replace Charith Asalanka as ODI skipper and Dasun Shanaka as T20 captain as SL seeks stability and direction in the shorter formats of the game ahead of a demanding international calendar. more..

May 10 (IE) A Bengaluru couple has pulled off a journey that sounds straight out of a movie. Instead of taking the usual flight or cruise between SL and India, Danish Abdi and Vrushali Prasade chose to swim across the sea, following the Ram Setu route all the way to Dhanushkodi. The couple reportedly swam nearly 32 km through the Indian Ocean, completing the crossing in 10 hrs and 45 min. Their achievement has since gone viral online, with many applauding their determination & endurance. more..

May 10 (AD) PM Harini Amarasuriya emphasised that SL must shape the future of artificial intelligence through policy, ethics, and inclusive governance, rather than simply adapt to it. She made these remarks while attending as the Chief Guest at the launch of the AI Policy Framework for State Universities, held on May 8, 2026, at the Senate Hall, Uni of Colombo. The initiative, led by the UGC in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in SL, focuses on developing a policy framework more..

May 10 (SO) The discovery of the body of Kapila Chandrasena, the former CEO of SriLankan Airlines, possibly marks a sombre and sudden end to one of the most significant figures in the modern corporate and legal history of both Sri Lanka and the world. Chandrasena’s death has sent shockwaves through the island’s political and business establishment, not merely because of the loss of life, but because of the immense, unresolved judicial questions he leaves behind. more..

May 10 (TM) Former Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara claims that he firmly believes the previous SLC administration led by Shammi Silva had been removed following an understanding reached between the Prez, Indian PM Narendra Modi, and International Cricket Council (ICC) Chair Jay Shah. SJB MP made this allegation during the Derana 360 political talk show broadcast early last week. Jayasekara, who served as Sports Minister from 2015 to 2018 under former Prez more..