May 7 (FT) As a key step toward renewing SL’s eligibility for the European Union’s GSP+ trade concession scheme, PM Harini Amarasuriya on Monday held key discussions with EU European External Action Service Head of South Asia Division Charles Whiteley that underscored the Govt’s reform agenda and commitment to deepening ties with the region. High-level meeting, which took place during EU’s latest monitoring mission more..

May 7 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Disanayake returned to the island this afternoon (6) via a special aircraft of the Vietnamese govt, concluding his successful three-day official visit to Vietnam. Visit was undertaken at the invitation of the Prez of Vietnam, Luong Cuong. During the visit, Prez Disanayake held official bilateral talks with Prez Cuong and engaged in wide-ranging discussions with senior leaders of Vietnam on matters of mutual interest, covering bilateral, regional, int'l more..

May 7 (NW) Sri Lanka held its 2025 Local Govt election today to choose members for Municipal Councils, Urban Councils, and Pradeshiya Sabhas, which oversee services such as garbage collection, park maintenance, and local road upkeep. Under Sri Lanka’s Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system, introduced in 2017, voters select a political party or independent group in their local ward. Seats are then distributed based on the overall share of votes each party receives. more..

May 7 (ST) The percentage of students who have qualified to enter university based on the GCE (A/L) 2024 results shows a marginal improvement compared to recent years. According to an analysis, 177,588 students, or 64.73% of those who sat the exam, have qualified to apply to enter university, which is an improvement considering the last few years’ results. In 2021, the percentage that qualified to enter university was 62.8%, while in 2022 the figure was 63.2%, and in 2023, 64.3&. more..

May 7 (ICC) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has brought on board a seasoned Indian coach to lead a specialised fielding camp. Former India fielding coach R Sridhar is set to lead a 10-day fielding camp in SL, the country's cricket board announced on Tuesday (6). The program, aimed to elevate the fielding standards of SL Cricketers, will kick off on May 7 and will feature men’s and women’s national squads, Emerging squads, Premier Club players, National U19 team and Women’s ‘A’ team. more..

May 7 (TM) Following reports of a water leak at the Nine Arch Bridge during periods of heavy rainfall, Department had initiated an investigation into the same. Railways Dept has confirmed that there is no issue with the Nine Arch Bridge in Ella, and that regular inspections are being carried out to ensure its safety and quality. When queried regarding its outcome, Railways General Manager Dhammika Jayasundara said that more..

May 7 (TM) SL’s interest payments are expected to stay above 50% of govt revenue till 2027 while external vulnerabilities continue to reduce with reserve building, Moody’s said. Moody’s said that central govt debt is expected to remain at 99% of GDP in 2025 and reduce to 96% in 2026, with interest payments taking up 60% of govt revenue in 2025, 56% in 2026 and 52% in 2027. In a special report on Ghana, Surinam, Zambia and SL, Moody’s said govt debt is declining in all 4 countries, more..

May 7 (DN) SL U-19 bounced back with a much-needed win over Bangladesh U-19 in the 5th match of the six-match Youth ODI series played Monday at SSC Grounds. However, the visitors still lead the series, 3-2 and sixth and final ODI is going to be very vital for SL Youth team to equal the series . The deciding final game (6th ODI) will be played tomorrow at the Colts grounds. Two bowlers paceman Kudagas Mathulan and leg spinner Viran Chamuditha were fifth game changers taking more..

May 7 (FT) Sri Lanka on Monday saluted the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for being a massive strength during and post-crisis thereby enabling stability followed by recovery and growth. The expression of appreciation was at the opening day of ADB’s 58th Annual Meeting in Milan, Italy. “Govt of SL is thankful to ADB for the assistance and guidance provided to Sri Lanka in the country’s economic recovery process more..

May 7 (Island) Smearing opponents has become the dominant form of electioneering in SL. All political parties unflinchingly resort to mud-slinging during election campaigns, and they are quite adept at making lies indistinguishable from the truth. They float various claims and counterclaims, and leave the public confused and unable to make informed decisions in elections. One of former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe’s close aides, Thusitha Halloluwa, created quite a stir on the eve of LG polls. more..

May 7 (ST) SL risks losing its membership of the Open Govt Partnership (OGP) – a global initiative to secure commitments from govts to promote open govt, combat corruption and improve governance – as it has not submitted the mandatory OGP action plan or indicated a desire to stay on. Membership will expire next week. "Should the Govt of Sri Lanka fail to submit an action plan within the next year or work with the Steering Committee to establish a clear roadmap for its delivery, more..

May 7 (FT) Visa applications from nationalities thought most likely to overstay and claim asylum in the UK could be restricted under a new govt crackdown. Under Home Office plans, first reported in the Times, people from countries such as Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka may find it more difficult to come to the UK to work and study. Ministers believe there is a particular problem with those who come to the UK legally on work or study visas and then lodge a claim for asylum – more..

May 7 (FT) Channel 17 (CH17) Loyalty, Sri Lanka’s pioneering rewards and loyalty management company, launched its first international franchise operation in the UAE, in strategic partnership with FinWin Group. CH17 Privilege CEO Jumar Preena said: “This extension of our services to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is the result of our recent tie-up with CHEC Port City Colombo to promote down-town duty free shopping for all in-bound visitors both locals and foreigners. more..

May 7 (ST) Kandy Municipal Council is still grappling with the segregation of nearly 500,000 kilograms of garbage, after a 10-day exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Over 10 days, 630,000 kilograms of waste was left behind by pilgrims. Kandy’s Municipal Commissioner, Indika Abeysinghe said that efforts have been intensified to segregate the garbage and manage it in Kandy itself. A final decision is due in upcoming weeks. more..

May 7 (DN) Local rugby fans received good news as Kandy Sports Club’s star playmaker and leading points scorer of the season, Tarinda Ratwatte, has returned to the national squad after recovering from injury. The experienced centre has been named in the 25-member SL squad for the second and final match against the touring New Zealand Under-85kg team, which will take place on Saturday (10) at the Racecourse Stadium. SL Rugby Selection Committee, led by Sudath Sampath, more..

May 7 (Island) The recent massacre of 25 Indians and one Nepali at Pahalgam in Kashmir attracted international attention. Amidst the war on Gaza, Israeli air strikes on selected targets in the region, particularly Syria, Russia-Ukraine war, and US-UK air campaign against Houthis, the execution-style killings at Pahalgam, in the Indian-administered Kashmir, caused concerns over possible direct clash between nuclear powers India and Pakistan. Against the backdrop of India alleging more..

May 7 (ST) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayaka’s ringing claim during the NPP May Day rally at the Galle Face Green this Thursday that his Govt had established the Rule of Law in Sri Lanka would be exceedingly funny if it was not so bizarre. That claim is refuted particularly by the uncouth sight of NPP party cadre, ferried in by buses to Colombo for the May Day rally, parking on the Southern Expressway and having their lunches with gusto while camping on the side of the expressway lane. more..

May 7 (CT) It was reported yesterday how a 19-year-old Municipal Council employee was shot dead in a brazen attack near the intersection of the Mount Lavinia–Coastal Road on Monday. The youth was sweeping a by-lane around 6:35 a.m. when two unidentified men on a motorcycle approached him and opened fire. While the victim reportedly had past involvement in drug-related activity and links to a known trafficker, the sheer brazenness of the attack is what raises much alarm. more..

May 7 (SO) With Sri Lanka’s economy heavily reliant on a narrow band of exports such as apparel and tea, recent tariff threats from the US have exposed a structural vulnerability that has long haunted the nation’s trade profile. For Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando – a technocrat-turned-politician with deep roots in development economics and industrial policy – crisis is also an inflection point. more..

May 7 (GV) Among the many human rights violations that have occurred in the country in recent decades, the abduction and killing of Dharmaratnam Sivaram, also known as Taraki, stands out. Investigating this case and bringing the perpetrators to justice was an election promise of the NPP government. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that Sivaram’s case was among a select number of human rights violations currently under investigation. April 28 marked 20 years since Sivaram was killed. more..

May 7 (DM) The price tag for a brand new 1200 cc car caught my eye–Rs. 9.9 million. Cool, outrageous and whopping? You can choose your adjective. As if offering an apology for the price, the seller says you can drive it away for a monthly payment of Rs. 76,000/=. That sounds a lot better, but add to that income tax, servicing and fuel, and the owner will be spending Rs. 100,000 a month or more for his or her new car. There are very few people in that income bracket, and they already have good cars. more..

May 7 (TM) While the economic crisis has aggravated the strain felt by ordinary Sri Lankans, stagnating incomes coupled with increasing living costs are signalling a growing concern at the heart of SL’s economic recovery. DCS has revealed that an individual requires a minimum of Rs. 16,318 per month (as of Feb) to meet their basic needs. Further, the highest cost of meeting basic needs was recorded at Rs 17,599 in Colombo District more..

May 7 (DM) On 6 May (yesterday), fellow citizens of this emerald isle of ours wended their way to polling stations in villages and towns of our country. We all went to cast that all-important vote of ours to elect persons who would rule our local bodies, ranging from town councils to municipalities. As happened during our presidential election and at the parliamentary elections, most of us would perhaps have voted for the Malimava. It’s not that you and I believe comrade Dissanayake and more..

May 7 (DM) For those of us who held reservations about the NPP govt, one of the greatest concerns was that the 2024 election, which swept to power, could well be the last free and fair election in the country. That is not an unfounded fear, as the experience in many countries, where political fundamentalists or the militant left had won national power, has almost uniformly revealed. That brings forth the less-talked-about question. Many observers described the election as the more..

May 6 (AD) The 2025 Local Govt Elections officially commenced at 7:00 a.m. today (6), marking a significant milestone in the country’s democratic process following a seven-year hiatus. Elections are being conducted for 339 out of the 341 local govt bodies across the island. Polling will not take place for the Kalmunai Municipal Council due to an ongoing court case, while the elections for the Elpitiya PS have already been concluded. more..

May 6 (FT) In a bold move aimed at curbing tax evasion and tightening compliance with import and export laws, the Sri Lanka Customs Department announced yesterday it will begin publishing the names of institutions and individuals found guilty of Customs violations and tax frauds on its official website, www.customs.gov.lk. The new transparency initiative is intended to discourage tax evasion, motivate compliance and serve as a deterrent against repeated violations. more..

May 6 (DM) The Colombo Magistrate's Court ordered that the gold items believed to have belonged to the LTTE and discovered in camps, illegal banks and buildings in the N&E Provinces during the humanitarian operation, be handed over to the National Gem and Jewellery Authority for analysis and report. This directive was issued by Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali, following a request by Deputy Solicitor General Suharshi Herath on behalf of the CID. more..

May 6 (ST) State-run SL Foreign Employment Agency (SLFEA) has temporarily stopped buying airline tickets from the private sector for workers travelling to Israel and South Korea after travel agents questioned the agency’s irregular procurement methods that flouted govt tender procedure. The agency is now awaiting instructions from National Procurement Commission (NPC) on how to deal with specific challenge more..

May 6 (Island) Police have launched an investigation to arrest a man for attempting to abduct a schoolgirl near a leading girls’ school in Colombo. The public has been urged to provide any information regarding the suspect by contacting 011-2695411. As per the complaint, the incident took place last Friday (2). A mother was placing her daughter in the rear seat of her car when an unknown man suddenly jumped into the vehicle and threatened her, demanding that she drive off immediately. more..

May 6 (Island) Kuliyapitiya Magistrate ordered a uni lecturer accused of secretly installing a hidden camera in a staff restroom be remanded until May 15. 34-year-old suspect, a lecturer attached to Dept of Food Technology and Nutrition at Wayamba Uni, was produced before court by the Pannala Police. Lecturer had allegedly installed a sophisticated miniature camera with Wi-Fi connectivity beneath a washbasin in a restroom used by nine staff members, including seven women. more..

May 6 (TM) Ministry of Defence (MoD) is planning to release a majority of lands under the control of security forces during the internal conflict period and return them to their original owners over the course of this year. Prez and Defence Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently announced plans to release lands occupied by the security forces during the internal conflict and return them to their rightful owners. When queried about a timeline for the release of such lands, more..

May 6 (FT) The CIABOC has reported a sharp rise in complaints, disclosing that 1,267 complaints were received during the first three months of 2025, underscoring the deep-rooted challenge of public sector corruption in Sri Lanka. According to the latest update, 24 targeted raids were conducted across the country between January and March, resulting in the arrest of 20 suspects, including several public officials entrusted with key administrative and law enforcement roles. more..