May 15 (DN) General Manager of Solidaridad Network Dr. Suresh Motwani said that by enforcing smallholder farmers aiming to increase their income level, the country can achieve economic prosperity easily. He points out that smallholder farmers are the backbone of the rural economy and that strengthening them can provide a solution to the food crisis and a sustainable solution to food shortages. However, the smallholder farmers face numerous challenges, but they also have more..

May 15 (DM) Amid a slight increase in chickenpox cases, the varicella vaccine that helps prevent the disease is currently out of stock at hospitals. When inquired at leading private hospitals, officials confirmed that the vaccine is unavailable. Cost of the vaccine ranges from Rs 7,500 to Rs 9,500. Vaccine is also not available at govt hospitals. Private hospitals noted that a considerable number of patients had received the vaccine over more..

May 15 (Island) As the global community convened for the World Bank Group’s 2025 Spring Meetings under the timely theme Jobs: The Path to Prosperity, one message stood out: prosperity in the developing world depends not only on physical infrastructure but also on strong financial systems. Among the influential voices at this year’s gathering was Douglas L. Peterson, Special Advisor to S&P Global and a longstanding advocate of resilient market economies. more..

May 15 (Island) Sprinter Aruna Dharshana who is undergoing treatments for an injury he sustained during the World Relays, is racing against time to recover for the Asian Athletics C'ships which will be held in South Korea later this month. 400 metres specialist is one of the two sprinters slated to compete in the one lap race. He is also a key member of the men’s 4×400 metres and 4×400 metres mixed relays alongside Kalinga Kumarage. “Currently Dharshana is undergoing more..

May 15 (DN) SL’s wheelchair tennis team made history by finishing as the second-best country in Asia and securing an impressive ninth place in the world at the prestigious BNP Paribas World Team Cup 2024, which concluded in Antalya, Turkey on Sunday. The tournament, held from May 6 to 11, brought together the world’s top 16 nations in wheelchair tennis. Despite being one of the underdogs, SL outperformed several leading countries, proving their growing strength more..

May 15 (DN) SL women’s cricket captain Chamari Athapaththu has moved up two spots to joint seventh in the latest ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings. Vishmi Gunaratne has jumped eight places to 63rd, while wicketkeeper-batter Anushka Sanjeewani made the biggest leap, climbing 19 spots to 75th. These ranking improvements follow SL’s performance in the recently concluded Tri-Nation ODI Series in SL, where they finished as runners-up after losing to India by 97 runs more..

May 15 (TM) Election Commission (EC) reiterated that it is the Police — not the EC — that has the legal power to take action over election-related offences, including deciding which law applies and filing cases in court, in consultation with the Attorney General (AG). EC Chairperson, R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said that although the EC can notify the Police about election-related law violations, it cannot initiate legal proceedings more..

May 15 (TM) Contempt of Court inquiry as determined by the Court of Appeal on the Competent Authority (CA) of Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) Shemal Fernando, is scheduled to get underway today. The Court deemed this late last month, after considering a petition filed against Fernando – also the Director General (DG) of the Sports Ministry, by six Provincial Unions led by the Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU). The Provincial Unions had petitioned the Court, after the SLR CA more..

May 15 (DN) Susantha Boteju of YMBA Colombo won his first-ever national billiards title after defeating Bilal Satter of Moors SC in the final of the 70th National Billiard Championship, held at the AAC billiards table in Colombo. Boteju sealed the win with a commanding score of 559/376. Although this was his first national billiards title, he is well-known in the cue sports scene, having won the national snooker title 19 times. He is also the son of the late Henry Boteju, a former national billiards champion. more..

May 15 (TM) Sri Lanka’s industrial production of printing and publishing media increased by 54.5% in the first quarter of the year, with production in March growing by 35.2% in the month of March on year-on-year terms. “Printing and reproduction of recorded media (54.5%), has shown a remarkable increase in production during the first quarter of 2025, compared to first quarter of 2024,” the recently released Index of Industrial Production more..

May 15 (ST) Colombo Labour Tribunal has ordered Sri Lanka Cricket to compensate a former employee who successfully challenged her unlawful dismissal as a confidential secretary of the country’s premier sports body in 2016. Gayathri Wickremasinghe, who was working as a Confidential Secretary to the Head of Marketing at the time of her termination in 2016, filed action in the Labour Tribunal seeking justice. The order was delivered by Judge W.U.C. Herath following a 7-year legal proceeding. more..

May 15 (DN) SL’s Yazmin Mohammed Usaith powered his way into the semi-finals and secured a place in the medal round at the ASBC Asian Under-22 and Youth Boxing Championships after an impressive win in his quarter-final bout at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo yesterday. Usaith dominated his Under-22 Men’s 75kg quarter-final, outclassing Saudi Arabia’s Nayif Al Mowalad with a clear 5:0 unanimous decision to guarantee at least a bronze for the host nation. more..

May 15 (ST) Shangri-La Asia’s hotels in Colombo and Hambantota have recorded the highest rate of revenue growth in 2024 for the group in its 50th anniversary year, while investment properties such as the seven-storey shopping mall One Galle Face, and apartments have delivered profit. Though not profitable, consolidated revenues of the Sri Lanka hotels for 2024 increased by 22% to US$40.5 million (Rs 12.102 billion) from US$33.2m in 2023, annual financial filings show. more..

May 15 (FT) National Development Bank (NDB) announced its financial results for the three months ended 31 March 2025, reflecting solid growth in line with the revival of economic activity and rising private sector credit demand. CEO Kelum Edirisinghe said: “We made a strong start to the year, following the highest-ever profit recorded in the bank’s history in 2024. Guided by our priorities, we have devised bold, actionable plans to unlock greater potential and accelerate our strategic more..

May 15 (FT) In a major boost to bilateral ties, China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao will visit SL in a fortnight, leading a delegation of 115 business representatives from 77 companies. He will attend a high-level SL-China Trade and Investment Forum on 30 May in Colombo, hosted by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the Dept of Commerce of SL, together with SL – China Business Council of Ceylon Chamber, & China Chamber more..

May 15 (FT) Commercial Bank of Ceylon Group said it has made a characteristically strong start to 2025, recording healthy profit and balance sheet growth in the first quarter of the year. Comprising of SL’s largest private sector bank, its subsidiaries, and an associate, the Group reported in a filing with CSE that assets reached Rs. 2.999 trillion as at 31 March 2025. Gross income for the quarter grew by 9.85% to Rs. 88.10 billion, while interest income improved by 3.14% more..

May 15 (ST) Sometime back in around 1990 in Mumbai, I was sharing a lift with a journalist colleague when he inquired about the use of mobile phones in SL, then introduced in 1989. He was amazed that SL was ahead of India in launching this useful product. While SL introduced sweeping economic reforms in 1978, India’s reforms came much later in 1991 with the architect of these reforms being Finance Minister Manmohan Singh. India’s GDP in 1987 was US$ 275,460 mil more..

May 15 (FT) Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in SL (AHK SL) successfully organised a visitor delegation to Intersolar Europe 2025, held from 7-9 May in Munich, Germany. Recognised globally as one of the most significant and comprehensive trade fairs dedicated to the solar industry, Intersolar serves as a premier platform for showcasing the latest innovations in renewable energy and sustainable technologies. SL delegation comprised senior representatives from more..

May 15 (CT) Recent bus accident somewhere between Nuwara Eliya and Gampola yet again highlight the importance of scrutinising the reasons for such horrific accidents on SL’s roads. Not long ago there was a similar accident with an overturned bus in the hill country. I am sure there are many more examples of such accidents from other parts of the island as well. During my recent visit to the Island, I witnessed that the private buses do not have any limits placed on the number of more..

May 15 (TM) When SL introduced a mandatory 25% quota for women’s representation in local govt through the Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Act of 2016, it was hailed as a significant step towards inclusive governance. But nearly a decade later, the ambitious reform is faltering, not due to a lack of political will on paper, but because of loopholes and exceptions embedded in the very legislation that was more..

May 15 (DM) Health authorities have expedited actions to contain the soaring dengue and chikungunya cases. According to National Dengue Control Programme Director Dr. Sudath Samaraweera, the same mosquito is responsible for both illnesses. As a preventive measure, a mosquito prevention week had been declared from 19-24 May. But such ad hoc interventions alone may not help to curb the spread of vector-borne illnesses such as dengue and chikungunya. more..

May 15 (CT) For over a century, SL Railways has stood as a symbol of national connectivity and progress. Yet today, it stands as a tragic reflection of decades of mismanagement, neglect, and missed opportunities. The recent Vesak holiday train cancellations—where 57 services were suspended due to driver shortages—have once again laid bare the systemic failings that continue to derail this once-proud institution. At the heart of the crisis lies a chronic shortage of train drivers. more..

May 15 (CT) The island nation continues its struggle against mosquito-borne diseases—particularly dengue. While the country has witnessed an alarming annual rise in dengue cases from the beginning of the year to date, the onset of the monsoon rains and certain public behaviours have now reintroduced yet another viral infection, also transmitted by the same female mosquitoes responsible for dengue fever: Aedes aegypti more..

May 15 (DM) Donald Trump’s economic policies shave met with stupefaction and withering scorn on the part of journalists and economists worldwide. However, among the criticisms of his liberation rhetoric, I have not yet come across any reference to the role AI plays in the new global economy and in his ambitions. Given the impact tariffs will have on American consumer spending, it is unlikely that Trump’s policy will survive for very long. Nevertheless, we need to remember that more..

May 15 (TM) The Vesak celebration in Sri Lanka is a national affair, with almost every city, village and community getting involved. Despite many fault lines and rips in the fabric of being Sri Lankan, the New Year celebrations in April and the subsequent Vesak week in May, brought Sri Lankans out in numbers. This year, it was observed that many of the urban poor were on the streets with their families to see the colourful sights of Vesak pandols and visit the numerous dansal. more..

May 14 (DM) In response to the recent surge in road accidents involving buses, police have stepped up night-time inspections of long-distance passenger buses in an effort to reduce such incidents. Police said the Acting IGP has instructed officers to be deployed at key points along major roads to conduct checks on vehicles, particularly long-distance buses operating at night. The inspections aim to identify drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol, as well as those engaging in reckless or more..

May 14 (NW) Gold prices declined significantly, both globally and in SL, following a temporary easing in trade tensions between the US and China. On May 12, global gold prices dropped more than 3%, marking the largest single-day decline of 2025. The fall was driven by a 90-day agreement between the US and China to reduce tariffs—U.S. duties were lowered from 145% to 30%, while China reduced its tariffs from 125% to 10%. The easing of trade tensions reduced demand for gold as a more..

May 14 (Island) SJB is in turmoil over naming of members to Colombo Municipal (CMC) where it won 29 slots – 14 elected and 15 on the list at the recently concluded LG elections. Political sources said that resistance was growing within the party over moves to accommodate defeated candidates as well as those listed at the expense of successful candidates. Among the defeated is SJB’s mayoral candidate Dr. Ruvaiz Haniffa. more..

May 14 (NW) Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs has denied links to the educational programmes offered by the SL National Youth Services Co-operative Society (NYSCO). Issuing a statement, the ministry said its name and official govt logo had been utilised by the institution without approval for the promotion of its educational programmes. Based on the instructions of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), the ministry has appointed a committee to probe the matter. more..

May 14 (CT) The Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) has called on the President to take direct action to implement advanced technologies to control dengue, ensuring such measures follow proper procurement procedures and involve consultation with relevant international experts. The MCPA criticised Sri Lanka’s health system for its continued failure to contain the annual dengue outbreaks, which often reach epidemic levels. more..

May 14 (PMD) In a landmark move to promote public hygiene and accessibility, the Govt today launched a national-level initiative to install modern sanitation facilities at fuel stations across the country under Clean SL programme. Official launch was held at the Prez Secretariat, with the participation of top govt officials and key industry stakeholders. The initiative aims to transform fuel stations into clean, safe and inclusive spaces more..

May 14 (CT) The EPDP will not extend its support to the Govt in any local govt body in the North, General Secretary of the Party, Douglas Devananda said, adding that it is the Party’s final decision. He made this statement while meeting with EPDP’s local govt candidates, regional representatives, and key Party figures at the Party’s Headquarters in Jaffna. He also clarified that the EPDP has no intention of joining any ruling administration. Specifically, he criticised the National People’s Power (NPP), more..