The government said today that no political authority except for the President, Deputy Defence Minister and Deputy Minister of Public Security will attend the Victory Day celebrations today.

Responding to a question whether former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has not been invited to the celebration, Minister Vijitha Herath said no political authority has been invited to the event.

"Only the President, Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekara and Deputy Minister of Public Security on behalf of the Minister will attend the event representing the political authority. The tri-forces and police will attend in addition," he said.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Sujeewa Senasinghe claimed today that the government was facing a worsening economic situation and predicted that the US dollar, currently trading at around Rs. 338, could rise beyond Rs. 360 within the next five months.

The Sri Lankan Rupee has weakened further against the US Dollar, with the selling rate surpassing the Rs. 338 mark, according to the latest exchange rate report issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka today (19). According to the report, the Central Bank recorded the US Dollar buying rate at Rs. 328.2351, while the selling rate stood at Rs. 338.0729.

The Chief of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, arrived in Sri Lanka last night (18) on a three-day official visit. He will remain in the country until 21 May.

Sri Lanka will continue to enforce the QR code system for fuel distribution as part of measures to manage consumption, Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando told Parliament today.

The Sri Lankan rupee has depreciated further against the US dollar across commercial banks in Sri Lanka today (18), compared to last Friday, with the selling rate jumping by Rs. 2 to Rs. 334. According to Seylan Bank, the buying and selling rates of the US dollar remain unchanged at Rs. 322.35 and Rs. 331.10, respectively.

The Supreme Court has ordered that the fundamental rights petition filed requesting an order to recover Rs. 15.9 billion loss caused to the government during the reduction of taxes on imported sugar under the administration of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, be taken up on June 27.

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya left for the United Kingdom this afternoon (18) to attend a high-level meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The Prime Minister departed from Bandaranaike International Airport accompanied by a two-member delegation.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama today ordered that further evidence in the case filed against former Minister Wimal Weerawansa and five others over an alleged protest causing public nuisance by obstructing roads in front of the United Nations office in Colombo in 2016, be taken up on July 13.

The Middle East war has taken its toll on Sri Lanka, with the oil import bill of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) exceeding US$ 1 billion during the first four months of this year, whereas it stood at only US$ 1.5 billion for the whole of 2025, an official said.

The International Monetary Fund's Executive Board is to review the fifth and sixth reviews of Sri Lanka’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme on May 27, 2026. According to the Executive Board calendar of the IMF, the Board discussions on Sri Lanka are scheduled on May 27. Once approved by the board, Sri Lanka will have access to about USD 700 million under its Extended Fund Facility with the IMF.

The People's Bank said that it is in the process of recovering approximately Rs. 656 million mistakenly paid to customers following a systemic exchange rate error in its remittance platform that affected transactions processed between May 2023 and March 2026.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is scheduled to undertake an official visit to the Batticaloa and Ampara districts on May 20 and 22, according to the Department of Government Information.

A bill to repeal the Chief of Defence Staff Act has been published through an extraordinary gazette notification. The relevant bill, prepared on the instructions of the Minister of Defence, was published in the Government Gazette on May 15.

Australian MP Hugh McDermott has called for the recognition of the Tamil genocide and justice for the atrocities committed by the Sri Lankan military against Tamils.

Speaking in the Senate during Tamil Genocide Remembrance Week, Australian Senator David Shoebridge said the world remembers the “appalling crimes inflicted upon the Tamil people" by the Sri Lankan government during the final months of the armed conflict. Shoebridge told the Senate that "300,000 were hemmed into a so called safe zone and subject to bombings and artillery shells."

The Ministry of Finance has announced a new tax measure imposing an additional 50 per cent levy on the existing customs duty for imported vehicles. Under the decision, the current 30 per cent customs import duty on motor vehicles will be supplemented by a further 50 per cent surcharge.

The Vehicle Importers Association of Sri Lanka (VIASL) has cautioned that the Government’s newly‑imposed 50% surcharge on vehicle imports will push prices up by at least Rs. 1.5 million, worsening affordability for consumers.

Deputy Finance Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha has urged the public not to be misled by claims that vehicle prices will sharply increase following the government’s latest decision to impose additional taxes on vehicle imports.

Sri Lanka’s courts are burdened with a backlog of more than 1.1 million cases, it was reported. According to Mawbima newspaper, a report released by the Ministry of Justice shows that as of June 30, 2025, a total of 1,134,474 cases remain unresolved across 293 courts nationwide.

Four persons have been reported injured in the train derailment between the Kelaniya and Wanawasala railway stations today (16). According to the Police, the injured passengers have been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital.