May 31 (ST) In many ways, NPP is the polar opposite of political parties and alliances that have ruled SL since Independence. Much of that difference is down to its main party, the JVP. A party that tried, unsuccessfully, to topple democratically elected govts through armed insurrections on two occasions, the JVP was built around a culture of rigid secrecy and unquestioned loyalty. Within this party structure, where key decisions are taken by more..

May 31 (CT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated in Matara on 27 May that the Govt will reinstate the Dharma Court to safeguard discipline within the Buddhist Sangha, following a request made by the Mahanayaka Theras. The move comes amid public debate following protests over the alleged sexual abuse of a minor involving Pallegama Hemarathana Thera. President said, the decision was taken after discussions involving the Attorney General and Govt officials. more..

May 31 (AD) Ceypetco has announced a revision of fuel prices, effective from midnight today (30). Accordingly, the price of Auto Diesel has been increased by Rs. 15 to Rs.407 per litre, and the price of Super Diesel has been increased by Rs. 20 to Rs. 478 per litre. Meanwhile, the price of Petrol 92 Octane has also been increased by Rs. 24 to Rs. 434 per litre and Petrol 95 Octane up by Rs. 25 to Rs. 495 per litre, the CPC said. Meanwhile, the price of kerosene has been hiked by Rs. 20 more..

May 31 (ST) Cabinet directed Dept of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) to terminate with immediate effect the ongoing procurement process for the personalisation of e-passports. Tender included an issuance system and relevant public key infrastructure (PKI) components for e-passport personalisation. PKI is the cryptographic security framework that protects the data stored on the microchip of a modern e-passport. more..

May 31 (ST) The govt has set out stringent rules for coal imports next year, with new specifications included in the fresh tender to prevent substandard products from entering the country, Energy Minister Anura Karunathillake said. Tender has been floated for 25 shiploads, each carrying 60,000 metric tonnes, for the Norochcholai Lakvijaya coal power plant, he said. Henceforth, the load-port report verifying the condition, quality, and loading process of coal will be obtained directly by SL, more..

May 31 (NW) Minister Anura Karunathilaka says electricity supply has been disconnected in nearly 100 areas, including parts of Colombo, due to an imbalance in the national power grid. Minister said the measure was taken to maintain the stability of the system, after electricity supply exceeded demand due to higher-than-expected solar power generation. He said recent rainy weather had led authorities to expect lower solar generation today, but strong sunlight resulted in a large amount more..

May 31 (ST) The report on the US$2.5 million Business Email Compromise (BEC) or Treasury heist is expected to be handed over to Parliament by the Treasury soon, Finance Ministry officials said. They said that cybercriminals employed tactics like creating look-alike domains and compromising the internal e-mail system to intercept communications related to the repayment, which allows them to replace legitimate recipient bank details with their own. What ensued was a total of $2.5 million, more..

May 31 (CI) Jacques Kallis, Sachin Tendulkar and Muthiah Muralidaran have been named the greatest men's int'l cricketers of the 21st century by an all-star ESPNcricinfo jury of players and former players. Tendulkar was voted the greatest batter, Muralidaran the greatest bowler, and Kallis the greatest all-round cricketer, for their performances in the 2000-2025 period across int'l formats. Ellyse Perry was voted greatest women's int'l cricketer of the century in a separate exercise. more..

May 31 (TM) TGovt is preparing a restructuring plan for SL’s National Carrier, which is expected to be finalised within the coming weeks before being submitted for Cabinet approval. A formal timeline for the process will be established following the submission of the plan, according to Deputy Minister Janitha Kodithuwakku. The remarks come against the backdrop of a request by SriLankan Airlines for an additional Rs. 10 b more..

May 31 (ST) SLC has finalised its annual player contract list for the 2026-27 season, awarding contracts to 46 players across six categories, with fast bowler Nuwan Thushara’s inclusion emerging as one of the biggest talking points. Thushara’s place on the list comes as a surprise given his earlier request to be excluded from future national contracts. The paceman had previously informed SLC that he did not wish to be considered for central contracts, making his return to more..

May 31 (NW) SL’s National System Operator (NSO) says several electricity feeders have been temporarily disconnected across the country to maintain the stability of the national power grid amid unusually low electricity demand and high solar power generation. NSO said electricity demand had dropped significantly due to the Vesak Poya holiday and the long weekend, while solar power generation from rooftop systems had exceeded expectations because of favourable weather conditions. more..

May 31 (SO) Major General Nilantha Premaratne has been appointed as the 69th Chief of Staff of the SL Army, from May 29. Major General Premaratne, who currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, is a veteran artillery officer with over three decades of service. Born in Kandy on Sept 25, 1971, he is an alumnus of St. Servatius College, Matara. He joined the SL Army in 1990 as an Officer Cadet and completed his basic military training at the SL Military Academy in 1992, more..

May 31 (NF) National System Operator (pvt) Limited (NSO) has requested rooftop solar panel owners across the country to voluntarily switch off their solar power systems until 3 pm today (30) to help ensure the reliable and stable operation of the national electricity grid during the Vesak festival period. The request has been made due to the significantly low electricity demand currently observed in the system, which requires careful management to maintain grid stability. more..

May 31 (NF) Malwathu Maha Viharaya Sangha Sabha has decided to suspend the post of Chief Sanghanayaka of Nuwarakalaviya, held by the Venerable Pallegama Hemarathana Thero. According to a statement issued by the Malwathu Maha Viharaya under the signature of its Registrar, Dr. Pahamune Sumangala Thero, Atamasthana Committee on the directives of the Sangha Sabha has decided to appoint more..

May 31 (NW) A 14-year-old boy has been arrested by Eravur Police in connection with the death of his 11-year-old sister. The victim, identified as 11-year-old Sathyananthan Sadeesha, was found inside a water tank in the bathroom of her home on May 28. Police investigations have revealed that an argument had reportedly broken out between the siblings over a mobile phone before the incident. Children’s mother is employed overseas, while their father had been away for work on the day of more..

May 31 (NW) SL has received the second shipment of its Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project, marking a significant step in the country’s efforts to strengthen grid stability and expand the use of renewable energy. Deputy Minister Arkam Ilyas said a 60MW battery storage system was unloaded at the Port of Colombo on Friday night. Combined with a previously delivered 20MW system, a total of 80MW of the planned 160MW capacity has now arrived in the country. more..

May 31 (ST) A new era begins for SL cricket in Kingston on Wednesday when Kusal Mendis leads the national side into the opening ODI against the West Indies, backed by the influence of new Head Coach Gary Kirsten and a coaching team he believes can transform the fortunes of the side. Reinstalled as captain of SL’s white-ball teams, Mendis embarks on his first assignment since being handed the leadership role, with Caribbean more..

May 31 (TM) SL will launch their campaign to regain the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship title on the road, when they fly out on Monday to face Bhutan in a FIFA Men’s Int'l Friendly in Bangkok, according to Football Federation of SL (FFSL) President Jaswar Umar. He said that the team had carried out extensive preparation ahead of the 8 June fixture in neutral venue Thailand, and sounded confident that the players were ready to hit the ground running next week. more..

May 31 (Island) Even before the public could fully grasp the reasons behind his removal as Chairman of Selectors, Pramodya Wickramasinghe was back in the headlines, armed with yet another batch of conspiracy theories, this time over SL’s squad for the West Indies tour. Conspiracy theories, of course, are not exactly unfamiliar territory for the former medium pacer. And make no mistake, there will be plenty more down the road. But what Pramodya says these days needs to be taken not merely with more..

May 31 (Island) IMF has told SL some home truths, the most disconcerting one being that economic recovery is beginning to lose momentum. It has attributed this situation to post-disaster disruptions, the West Asia conflict and rising global oil prices. These three factors are causing high inflationary risks, the IMF has said, warning that economic growth in 2026 could drop to 3% from 5% in 2025. Not that these facts were unknown to the govt, the Opposition and the public, but dispassionate more..

May 31 (Island) Time was when SL used to produce captains who were admired across the world; leaders who were ahead of their time and commanded respect wherever the game was played. In the early years of the IPL, several Sri Lankans were entrusted with franchise captaincy roles and they handled those responsibilities with distinction. In recent years, however, captains in this part of the world have often been appointed more on seniority than exceptional leadership more..

May 31 (ST) An Indian vlogger’s comments that India is the dirtiest country in the world while on a tour of SL have led to a heated exchange of views on social media platforms, some agreeing with her while others berating her for her views. Shenaz Treasury, the Indian vlogger, shared her views from the Ella railway station in SL. “Look at the dustbins they have at the station. Look at the number of foreigners travelling. India is losing its more..

May 31 (Island) As Sri Lanka celebrates the birth, Enlightenment and the Parinibbana of the Buddha, almost a month after the rest of the Buddhist-world did so, there is widespread discussion about threats to Buddha Sasana provoked by some recent incidents. Regarding the views expressed about postponing Vesak celebrations in my article May Day and postponement Vesak 2026 (The Island, 25 May), my very good friend Dr Upali Abeysiri has sent me the following comments: more..

May 31 (SO) SL’s ace javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga will open a new chapter in his career when he makes his debut at the Rabat Diamond League Tournament in Morocco today. Rumesh becomes only the second SL athlete to compete in a Diamond League Meet and the first to participate in a field event following the appearance of ace sprinter Yupun Abeykoon. Men’s javelin features a global podium rematch as SL’s world leader Rumesh takes on the three medallists from last year’s more..

May 31 (ST) This month of May had two full moon days and many were in two minds trying to figure out which Poya was Vesak, the day observed by 350 million Buddhists around the world to commemorate the life and teachings of Gautama the Buddha. As it turned out, the entire month was devoted to the blessed occasion in many countries and at the UN as well. While the Buddhist public spared no pains in celebrating Vesak, having given a tumultuous reception to foreign monks walking for peace more..

May 31 (ST) Mahanayake Hamuduruwaney, I beg your pardon for writing to you in this manner, but I feel I must do so. These are difficult times even as you commemorate Vesak, the most significant day in the Buddhist calendar. That is because everyone is now talking about the fate of Buddhism in Paradise. The recent conduct of some who wear the saffron robe has seriously affected the reputation of the Buddhist clergy. That has left many questioning the integrity of those who wear that sacred more..

May 31 (CT) Govt moved into the new week denying growing concerns that the country’s economy was crashing and attempting to thwart concerns affecting investor confidence, insisting that the situation was indeed under its control, with the Deputy Finance Minister himself declaring that there was definitely no economic crisis in SL, stressing instead that the country was moving forward with its more..

May 31 (SO) For the past year, the narrative echoing through the corridors of Colombo’s financial institutions was one of hard-won, textbook economic stabilisation. Following the catastrophic default of 2022, the island nation appeared to be rigidly adhering to its recovery blueprints. Inflation had been pulled down from its historic hyper-inflationary peaks; Gross Official Reserves were slowly rebuilt toward a psychological cushion of US$ 7 billion; and the SL Rupee, fiercely guarded by more..

May 31 (CT) 2024 victories of AKD as SL’s new Prez and NPP/JVP coalition’s landslide sweep at the general election were events of great significance in the political history of the island nation. These victories creditably belonged to a new generation of Sri Lankans who were getting tired of witnessing a handful of families governing in succession in the name of democracy. The 2023 aragalaya with the twin demand Gota Go Home and No 225 was in fact represented the new generation’s cry for more..

May 31 (TM) SL’s ongoing economic adjustment under Prez AKD and his JVP-led NPP Govt continues to move along the tightrope between IMF-backed stabilisation and mounting domestic political pressure. The IMF has projected economic growth to slow sharply to 3% in 2026 from 5% in 2025, while warning that higher oil prices and weaker tourism earnings are expected to worsen inflation and pressure the external sector. more..

May 31 (SO) The IMF last Wednesday approved US$ 695 million in funding to Sri Lanka under its US$ 2.9 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program, giving the island some breathing space as it grapples with multiple challenges. Just as Sri Lanka emerged from the disastrous effects of Covid lockdowns and the 2022 economic meltdown, it was hit by Cyclone Ditwah, which led to around US$ 4 billion in terms of damage to houses, public infrastructure and other facilities. more..

May 31 (TM) The announcement by JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva that Sri Lanka’s long-delayed Provincial Council (PC) Elections will not be held this year has triggered far more than a routine political controversy. It has reopened serious questions about democracy, accountability, constitutional governance, and whether the NPP administration is fast becoming impossible to distinguish from the past political culture the people of this nation chose to end. more..