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‘No secret that I visited Pillayan in prison’: Namal responds to accusations over Easter attacks

‘No secret that I visited Pillayan in prison’: Namal responds to accusations over Easter attacks

The National Organizer of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa, has responded to accusations related to the Easter Sunday attacks’ probe stating that it is no secret that he visited Sivasathurai Chandrakanthan, alias ‘Pillayan’, while the latter was in prison during the 2018/2019 period. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  10:39 pm
Sri Lanka steps up surveillance, preparedness after WHO declares Ebola health emergency

Sri Lanka steps up surveillance, preparedness after WHO declares Ebola health emergency

The Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka says it has decided to implement a five-point preparedness plan in line with recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) following its declaration of the Ebola virus outbreak in DR Congo as a public health emergency. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  7:59 pm
Meaningful transformation requires patience, negotiation, and sustained public engagement: PM

Meaningful transformation requires patience, negotiation, and sustained public engagement: PM

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has attended the 2026 OSGA Annual Lecture held at the University of Oxford, where she delivered a lecture titled “The Politics of Development: Sri Lanka and Beyond.” MORE..

| May 20, 2026  7:04 pm
Chinese FM Wang Yi elaborates on outcomes from Trump’s China visit

Chinese FM Wang Yi elaborates on outcomes from Trump’s China visit

Following the May 13-15 state visit to China by US President Donald J. Trump, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, gave a detailed briefing on the outcomes and on what China considers...MORE..

| May 20, 2026  6:25 pm
Iran threatens war ‘beyond the region’ if US attacks

Iran threatens war ‘beyond the region’ if US attacks

Iran threatened on Wednesday to spread war beyond the Middle East if the United States attacks again, after President Donald Trump said he had come within an hour of restarting the military campaign. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  5:42 pm
President urges reduced consumption of fuel and imported goods amidst soaring US dollar

President urges reduced consumption of fuel and imported goods amidst soaring US dollar

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that Sri Lanka is currently facing a severe crisis concerning the US Dollar, noting that the strengthening of the US Dollar against other foreign currencies has directly affected the value of the Sri Lankan Rupee. MORE..

video | May 20, 2026  5:11 pm
Case against ex-SIS chief Suresh Sallay to be recalled on July 01

Case against ex-SIS chief Suresh Sallay to be recalled on July 01

The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court has ordered that the case pertaining to Suresh Sallay, who is being held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), be called again on July 01. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  4:12 pm
New Batticaloa Public Library vested in the public

New Batticaloa Public Library vested in the public

The new Public Library Building of the Batticaloa Municipal Council was ceremonially vested in the public this morning (20) in the presence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, with former Member of Parliament M.A. Sumanthiran officially declaring the building open. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  4:10 pm
Sri Lanka launches digital seed production, certification and traceability system

Sri Lanka launches digital seed production, certification and traceability system

The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation and the Department of Agriculture, with the technical support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), launched the CROPIX Seed Production, Certification & Traceability System...MORE..

| May 20, 2026  3:40 pm
Four including alleged fake sureties in Kapila Chandrasena case granted bail

Four including alleged fake sureties in Kapila Chandrasena case granted bail

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has ordered the release on bail of two suspects accused of acting as fraudulent sureties to secure bail for the late Kapila Chandrasena, who later died under suspicious circumstances, along with two others alleged to have aided and abetted the said offence. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  3:19 pm
JAAF says rupee depreciation driven by global pressures, not economic decline

JAAF says rupee depreciation driven by global pressures, not economic decline

The Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) said the recent depreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee must be viewed in the context of wider global pressures, including the conflict in the Middle East, rising global fuel prices and increasing shipping costs. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  3:00 pm
Former SIS Chief Suresh Sallay produced before court

Former SIS Chief Suresh Sallay produced before court

Former Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), Suresh Sallay, who is currently being detained by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), has been produced before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  2:18 pm
Trump approval drops to 35% as Republican support softens, Reuters poll finds

Trump approval drops to 35% as Republican support softens, Reuters poll finds

Donald Trump’s presidential approval rating fell to nearly its lowest level since he returned to the White House, hit by a drop in support among Republicans, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  2:05 pm
Last two bodies of Italian divers killed in scuba diving accident recovered, Maldives says

Last two bodies of Italian divers killed in scuba diving accident recovered, Maldives says

The last two bodies of Italian divers killed in a scuba diving accident in the Maldives have been recovered, the media office of the Maldives president said on Wednesday, completing recovery efforts after the island nation’s deadliest diving tragedy. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  1:59 pm
45–60 children born annually with Thalassemia, Health Ministry reveals

45–60 children born annually with Thalassemia, Health Ministry reveals

Sri Lanka has reported approximately 2,500 thalassemia patients, while between 45 and 60 children are born annually with major thalassemia, health officials revealed. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  1:08 pm
Sugar, dhal and rice prices likely to increase, importers warn

Sugar, dhal and rice prices likely to increase, importers warn

The Essential Food Importers’ Association has warned that the prices of several imported goods are likely to increase in the coming weeks due to the continuous depreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee and the rising value of the US dollar. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  12:30 pm
5.9-magnitude earthquake hits southwestern Japan

5.9-magnitude earthquake hits southwestern Japan

A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 rattled the southwestern island region of Amami in Kagoshima Prefecture on Wednesday, with no tsunami warning issued, the weather agency said, News.Az reports, citing Kyodo. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  12:08 pm
Speaker orders removal of MP Chamara Sampath from Parliament Chamber

Speaker orders removal of MP Chamara Sampath from Parliament Chamber

The Speaker of House, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne has ordered Member of Parliament Chamara Sampath Dassanayake to be removed from the Parliament Chamber. MORE..

video | May 20, 2026  12:08 pm
Imported powdered milk prices increased

Imported powdered milk prices increased

The Milk Powder Importers’ Association has announced an increase in the prices of imported powdered milk, citing prevailing market conditions and exchange rate fluctuations. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  11:55 am
Expressway maintenance cost exceeds Rs. 5 billion, Minister reveals in Parliament

Expressway maintenance cost exceeds Rs. 5 billion, Minister reveals in Parliament

The Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development, Bimal Rathnayake, stated that the annual maintenance cost for Sri Lanka’s entire expressway network, spanning 312.57 kilometers, amounts to Rs. 5,180.90 million. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  11:41 am
Putin, Xi hail ‘unyielding’ ties in talks after Trump visit

Putin, Xi hail ‘unyielding’ ties in talks after Trump visit

President Xi Jinping hailed China and Russia’s “unyielding” ties in talks with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday (May 20), as the pair met to underscore their alliance days after Donald Trump’s visit to the Asian superpower economy. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  11:39 am
US Dollar selling rate climbs above Rs. 342

US Dollar selling rate climbs above Rs. 342

The selling rate of the US dollar has risen above Rs. 342, according to the latest daily exchange rates released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) today (20). MORE..

| May 20, 2026  11:10 am
Wimal Weerawansa says ready to face any legal action over War Heroes Memorial incident

Wimal Weerawansa says ready to face any legal action over War Heroes Memorial incident

Former Member of Parliament Wimal Weerawansa says he is prepared to face any legal proceedings in connection with the recent incident near the National War Heroes’ Memorial. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  11:09 am
UN cuts global growth forecast to 2.5%, blames Middle East crisis

UN cuts global growth forecast to 2.5%, blames Middle East crisis

The United Nations on Tuesday cut its forecast for global economic growth, saying the Middle East crisis had reignited inflationary pressures and heightened uncertainty. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  10:23 am
Police open fire at lorry allegedly transporting cattle illegally in Hungama

Police open fire at lorry allegedly transporting cattle illegally in Hungama

Police have opened fire on a lorry suspected of illegally transporting cattle in Kattakaduwa, Hungama, resulting in the arrest of four suspects, authorities said. MORE..

| May 20, 2026  10:00 am