May 24 (TM) Alleged plans to amend the Right to Information (RTI) Act have triggered growing concern among media organisations and civil society groups, amid fears that proposed changes could weaken the RTI framework and undermine the independence of the RTI Commission. The controversy emerged following a meeting held last week between media organisations and Deputy Minister Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathne, more..

May 24 (SO) Heavy rains and strong winds linked to the developing South-West monsoon have left one person dead and affected over 7,700 people across several districts, DMC said, citing increasing risks of landslides and floods in vulnerable areas. 7,757 people from 1,966 families have been affected by the prevailing adverse weather. 201 people have been relocated to six safety centres, while two houses were completely destroyed and 123 houses were left partially damaged. more..

May 24 (AD) US Embassy in Colombo has rejected certain local media reports which claim that a team from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrived in SL to support the investigation into the USD 2.5 million cyber fraud involving Treasury funds. No such deployment has occurred, a spokesperson for the embassy said in reference to the claims. She stated that, as is standard practice in many countries, US maintains an FBI Legal Attaché presence at the Embassy to coordinate more..

May 24 (CT) A scheduled hearing between the Right to Information (RTI) Commission and the CIABOC was postponed at the eleventh hour on 28 April and was not officially informed of the next date, according to an update published on RTI Commission’s website, raising renewed concerns regarding transparency and institutional accountability in Sri Lanka. RTI Commission said that due to unavoidable circumstances, more..

May 24 (CT) Around 2,500 foreign tourists visit Sigiriya daily, generating an income of nearly Rs 25 million per day, Director General of the CCF Nilan Cooray said. Data shows that Sigiriya remains one of the most preferred tourist destinations among visitors arriving in SL, with many tourists showing a strong interest in the site. The attraction is largely due to Sigiriya’s historical significance as well as its unique environmental and ecological value. He further said that, given increasing popularity more..

May 24 (CT) Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) plans to increase the bus fares and expects them to come into effect from July onwards, considering the increase in fuel prices, resulting from the skyrocketing exchange rate of the local currency against the USD, said Gemunu Wijeratne, President of the LPBOA, on 22 May. When contacted for further information, Wijeratne further stated that the minimum fare increase has not yet been decided. However, discussions are currently underway, more..

May 24 (DM) Sarvajana Balaya National Organiser Dilum Amunugama has been summoned by Police to record a statement over controversial remarks made during a media briefing, following complaints that the comments may have prejudiced a minor linked to an ongoing child abuse case. Police Spokesman F. U. Wootler said investigations are underway after concerns were raised that the remarks could have caused harm to 15-yr-old victim & witness involved in court proceedings. more..

May 24 (AD) Hatton Police have released CCTV footage of the suspect allegedly involved in the murder of a couple in Dikoya, Hatton, and are seeking public assistance to locate and arrest the suspect. The suspect had allegedly slit the woman’s throat using a sharp weapon on Thursday (21) before fleeing with 18 pounds worth of gold jewellery, including a gold necklace, wedding necklace (Thali), and earrings worn by the victim. Police stated that the suspect had arrived in Dikoya town more..

May 24 (TM) While the refurbishment of two oil tanks at the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm has concluded, they cannot be utilised yet due to unfinished pipeline connections and supporting infrastructure, according to Deputy Minister Arkam Ilyas. “At the Trincomalee oil tank complex, work began on four tanks, and two have been completed. We still cannot fill them with oil because the relevant pipeline system is not finished,” more..

May 24 (DM) The Clean Cities National Waste Management Programme under the govt’s Clean Sri Lanka initiative was launched in Jaffna yesterday (22), with authorities outlining plans for a nationwide waste management drive over the next three years. The programme commenced at the Northern Provincial Chief Secretariat in Kaithadi, Jaffna, with a special workshop held to educate heads and officials of Northern local govt institutions. The event was inaugurated by N.S. Kumanayake. more..

May 24 (AD) SL Police have uncovered further details regarding the 21 suspects who were brought back to the island last morning (22) following their deportation from Dubai. Among the deported individuals are Mahawatte Chamara and Wanathe Kudu Duminda, who are identified as notorious drug traffickers against whom Red Notices had been obtained by the police. It is reported that the duo had been arrested during a party held in Dubai. Kudu Duminda is identified as more..

May 24 (DM) Gangodawila Magistrate has ordered the owner of Rainbow Manpower Foreign Employment Agency, accused of conducting a large-scale foreign employment scam by promising jobs in Romania, to repay the money owed to victims within one year. SL Foreign Employment Bureau (SLBFE) said the case against Rainbow Foreign Employment Agency was taken up before the Nugegoda Chief Magistrate's Court. Officers from the CID's Financial Investigation Unit and the SLBFE's more..

May 24 (Island) Sri Lanka’s renowned specialty tea brand Singharaja Wiry Tips, produced by Lumbini Tea Valley Ceylon, has won two major accolades at the prestigious The Leafies International Tea Awards held recently at Fortnum and Mason in the UK. The award-winning low-grown Ceylon tea secured the titles of Best Ceylon Black Tea and the overall Best of All Black Teas, emerging as the top black tea entered at the international competition. With these latest honours, Singharaja Wiry Tips more..

May 24 (TM) Misappropriation of funds at Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is far more acute than initially envisaged, SLC Transformation Committee Chair Eran Wickramaratne has revealed during his first interaction with the nation’s mainstream media on Thursday. He said that the Transformation Committee would strive for a forensic audit to get to the root of the financial mismanagement at the sport’s domestic more..

May 24 (NW) JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva says the Govt expects to hold the Provincial Council Elections next year, if no further major issues arise. Speaking at the opening of the NPP Jaffna District office, Silva said funds had initially been allocated in the last Budget to conduct the Provincial Council polls this year. However, he said the Govt was forced to redirect around Rs. 500 billion towards disaster relief and recovery efforts following the recent Ditwha cyclone situation. more..

May 24 (Island) Dialog Axiata has announced the launch of Dialog Air Fibre powered by 5G, marking a significant step in its commitment to delivering nextgeneration digital experiences. This latest innovation marks yet another industry first by Dialog, reinforcing its longstanding commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology to customers across the country. Dialog Air Fibre is a pioneering Wi-Fi technology, introduced for the first time in SL, operating on Dialog’s advanced 5G network more..

May 24 (FT) Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne said SL is moving to establish a unified national cybersecurity architecture powered by artificial intelligence to combat rising digital financial fraud, cybercrime, and identity-based scams as the country accelerates its digital economy transformation. Speaking at the SL Scam Shield Executive Breakfast Forum held, Deputy Minister stressed that cybersecurity must now be more..

May 24 (CT) A record number of more than 300 overseas players have registered so far for the sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026, which is scheduled to commence in July. Cricketers from Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, Afghanistan, and England have shown strong interest in participating in this year’s competition, reflecting the growing international appeal of SL’s premier T20 tournament. Several high-profile int'l players are also expected to feature more..

May 24 (TM) Govt is planning to commence enforcement of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) within one year from Jan 2027, according to the Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy. Secretary Waruna Sri Dhanapala revealed that the enforcement date for the PDPA was set to be announced shortly, with the relevant gazette notice to be issued imminently. “The plan is to operationalise it within one year from Jan 2027. It will take around 6–8 months for more..

May 24 (CT) A composed half-century by Vishmi Gunaratne and an impressive 3-wicket haul from Dewmi Vihanga guided Sri Lanka ‘A’ Women to a convincing 56-run victory over New Zealand ‘A’ Women in the second unofficial T20I played at the Dambulla Stadium on Saturday. After being asked to bat first in the 20-over contest, SL ‘A’ posted a competitive 152 for 5, thanks largely to a steady innings from Vishmi, who remained unbeaten on 57 off 49 deliveries with 4 boundaries & 2 sixes. more..

May 24 (Island) This week, the newly appointed Cricket Interim Committee held its first media briefing and all those who attended returned to office marvelling at the finesse and grace with which committee head Eran Wickramaratne held his own. It wasn’t a briefing conducted on a placid SSC featherbed. There were bouncers, yorkers and even the occasional beamer, but Eran negotiated them all like a seasoned campaigner who had long ago mastered the art of surviving hostile spells more..

May 24 (MB) SL’s marine research efforts have benefited in a rare instance where geopolitical unrest owing to the ongoing conflict in West Asia created an unexpected scientific opportunity. A UN-flagged Norwegian research vessel Fridtjof Nansen was redirected to SL waters after security concerns forced the cancellation of a planned survey in Oman, giving the country a second chance to conduct a long-awaited study of its more..

May 24 (DM) Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948 after four and a half centuries of colonial rule by the Portuguese, Dutch and then finally the British. Despite this colonial legacy and attempts to keep the country in the Western orbit, most notably by the United States with the Colombo Plan and the World Bank with its extensive Mission in 1951, Sri Lanka took the turn towards Import Substitution Industrialisation and a geopolitical shift towards the Non-Aligned Movement in 1956. more..

May 24 (Island) Before Anura Kumara Dissanayake promised a renaissance, Maithripala Sirisena promised good governance. The restoration of the rule of law was a key aspect of the different, better Sri Lanka Candidate Sirisena (and his chief supporter Ranil Wickremesinghe) offered in 2015. In that promised land, all wrongdoers will be brought before the law; justice will cease being a luxury only the rich and the powerful can afford and become a fact of ordinary life. more..

May 24 (Island) Republicans on Thursday postponed a vote on a Democratic-sponsored war powers resolution to rein in Prez Donald Trump’s military campaign in what could be seen as a missed opportunity to pave the way for a negotiated settlement of the Iran conflict. They did so as it became clear that the GOP would not be able to muster a majority to defeat the resolution which, if passed, would have compelled Trump to stop the Iran war. Republicans hold slender majorities more..

May 24 (SO) The burning of the Jaffna Public Library in 1981 by UNP affiliated mobs pushed the country deeper into ethnic conflict. The Tamil community saw this as an attack on their dignity and belonging. The burning of the library and Black July of 1983 convinced many young Tamils that parliamentary politics could not protect them. Four decades later, Prez Anura Dissanayake was in Batticaloa to open a library that had once stalled, alongside a TNA MP and a bitter critic of the administration. more..

May 24 (CT) The week that ended witnessed the Govt face an exceptionally challenging one as it asserts its position in governance, albeit with serious concerns in place. From its handling of the economy with the crash of the rupee, the commemoration of the end of the war bringing with it its own baggage of nationalistic politics that the NPP has long strived to stay above politically motivated narratives with, to clear conflicts within the Govt, more..

May 24 (TM) Three of the most important men entrusted with steering Sri Lanka’s economy spent the past two weeks painting three entirely different pictures of the same country. One, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake who is also the Finance Minister, effectively called for the nation to move into economic safe mode, warning that difficult choices and reductions in spending, including pressure on critical imports like fuel, may be necessary to avoid greater pain. more..

May 24 (CT) It is to the credit of the Govt that it exhibits the political maturity that removes itself from playing politics with the end of a war that denied this country its rightful place as a developed country, two generations of a right to a secure future and people from its two main racial groups the peace and understanding between. Politicians from both spectrums of the nationalist debate; facing the threat of losing the political platform that served them over three decades of providing more..

May 24 (TM) The depreciation of the SL Rupee against the US Dollar is fast becoming the first major economic test for Prez AKD and his JVP-led NPP Govt. Speaking in Batticaloa last week, Prez attempted to reassure the public that the Govt was taking steps to avoid another financial collapse, while admitting that pressure on the dollar market had intensified. His remarks reflected growing concern within the administration over more..

May 24 (CT) Pardonable Crimes and Forgivable Sins. It is indeed a provocative title. Its deeper meaning could easily be misinterpreted, while its superficial message might seem utterly meaningless. Nevertheless, I chose to use such a paradoxical phrase for this column. Modern society, however, has introduced a new sociocultural dimension to history: a veil of depository. Its existence can be traced to the initial awakenings of medieval Western Europe, passed down more..

May 24 (SO) Int'l investigators are working with the SL authorities to probe several alarming incidents of cybercrime that gained worldwide attention, according to recent media reports. Among them are the cyber theft of US$ 2.5 million from SL Treasury funds in one instance and a US$ 625,000 payment to the US Postal Service (USPS) which had not reached the intended recipient. The two incidents received wide coverage in the local and international media, with political and financial analysts more..