May 31 (Island) The DMC yesterday said that over 1,700 individuals, belonging to 485 families, affected across nine districts, were grappling with the impacts of the severe weather, triggered by the southwest monsoon. The monsoon, which became active on Thursday evening (29), has brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to several parts of the country, causing widespread disruptions and property damage. more..

May 31 (NF) CEB reports that approximately 50,000 power outages have occurred across the island in the past 24 hours due to adverse weather conditions. 29% of the outages, about 14,030 cases were restored between 8 p.m. on Thursday (29) and 8 p.m. last night. The Central and Western Provinces have been the hardest hit, with 15,000 outages reported in Central Province and 10,000 in the Western Province. Of these, 5,300 outages in Central Province and 1,700 in Western more..

May 31 (Island) A Grama Niladhari Officer, attached to the Jaffna Divisional Secretariat, was arrested yesterday on charges of soliciting a bribe, according to the CIABOC. The officer, whose identity has not been disclosed, is accused of demanding a 128GB pen drive, worth Rs. 4,000, as a bribe in exchange for signing an application submitted by a local resident. The application sought permission to cut and remove three coconut trees from a private land. CIABOC officials conducted the arrest more..

May 31 (FT) A high-level discussion between representatives of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and a SL delegation was held yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat, aiming to strengthen bilateral energy cooperation in the petroleum sector. The meeting was led by Power Minister Kumara Jayakody and Labour Minister and Economic Development Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando focused on identifying supply and investment prospects in the petroleum more..

May 31 (TM) Rajeev Amarasuriya has formally resigned from the Governing Board of Central Bank of SL (CBSL), citing his upcoming responsibilities as the incoming President of the Bar Association of SL (BASL). Amarasuriya, who was appointed to the CBSL Governing Board with effect from 30 Jan 2024 for a six-year term ending in Jan 2031, tendered his resignation in accordance with Section 18 of the Central Bank of SL Act No. 16 of 2023. His appointment also included membership more..

May 31 (CT) The establishment of 178 Local Govt bodies out of the 339 where elections were held has been delayed due to political parties and independent groups failing to submit the names of members to be appointed from the additional list. Election Commission said, Minister of Public Admin, PCs and LG will be required to decide on the date for constituting these 178 bodies, as political groups have yet to send in the names of their more..

May 31 (CT) Four former top Cabinet ministers and two former State ministers are expected to be indicted in the Colombo High Court on bribery charges, according to sources from the CIABOC. The former ministers in question had represented the districts of Colombo, Kurunegala, Badulla, and Batticaloa. It is learned that preparations are already underway to file the cases, following the completion of investigations into the allegations. These investigations were initiated after 2015. more..

May 31 (FT) “The barometer of business confidence rebounds sharply despite the state of play,” leading business magazine LMD reports, in its soon to be released June edition. The magazine notes that “the Business Confidence Index (BCI) bounced back in May, to nearly where it stood two months ago.” LMD continues: “It climbed by 24 basis points to reach 196 – up from 172 in April – apparently buoyed by the conclusion of LG elections. This marks a recovery from April’s free fall, more..

May 31 (CT) The Ministry of Education has revealed that 159 out of 396 national schools in Sri Lanka are operating without principals who meet the required qualifications, raising serious concerns about administrative shortcomings within the national education system. According to the Ministry’s report, only 237 national schools currently have principals with the stipulated qualifications, while the remaining 159 schools lack duly qualified leadership. The revelation has prompted scrutiny of more..

May 31 (FT) Acclaimed Oscar-nominated filmmaker Deepa Mehta has officially announced her latest cinematic venture, Sher, during a media briefing. The upcoming film, a comedic reimagining of the Sherlock Holmes universe centred around the detective’s fictional Indian daughter, marks Mehta’s fourth production in SL. The director-producer revealed that Nuwara Eliya often dubbed Little England for its colonial charm and cool climate will serve as one of the primary filming location. more..

May 31 (EN) Sri Lanka’s inflation measured by consumer prices in the capital Colombo rose 3% over 31 months since monetary stability was restored in Sept 2025, official data showed while 12-month prices deflated. Colombo Consumer Price Index grew 0.8% in the May to 192.8 points, though it was down 1.2% over 12 months. In May 2025, the food price index surged 2.7%, reaching almost to the monetary crisis levels seen in late 2022. more..

May 31 (DN) Javelin throwers Sumedha Ranasinghe and Rumesh Tharanga qualified for men’s javelin throw final at the 26th Asian Athletics Championships held in Gumi, South Korea yesterday. Rumesh Tharanga recorded an impressive throw of 83.71 metres, while Olympian and national record holder Sumedha Ranasinghe cleared 81.33 metres, earning their places among the top 12 finalists. Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, the Olympic gold medallist, led the qualifiers more..

May 31 (FT) Dialog Axiata has partnered with the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) to deliver critical information on Potential Fishing Zones (PFZs) through the trilingual Sayuru mobile application. The initiative aims to enhance the safety, sustainability, and productivity of Sri Lanka’s fishing industry. The partnership was formalised through the signing of a MoU by Dialog Axiata CEO Supun Weerasinghe, & NARA Chairman Sanath Hettiarachchi, more..

May 31 (DM) Following the imprisonment of former Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando, it came to light that the govt has instructed for the expedition of investigations into well over 20 more similar cases involving former MPs and officials. Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said that these cases, some of them as old as 10-15 years, had been swept under the carpet in the past under different govts. more..

May 31 (SO) Central Bank said that it is not responsible for the public investing in unregulated plantations schemes which are mushrooming in the country today promising unrealistic reruns on deposits. “We have noticed a growing number of pyramid schemes in the plantation sector offering very a high return on investments. If funds are collected through unregulated schemes, CB will do its maximum to bring those behind the scheme to task” Governor Nanadalal Weerasinghe said. more..

May 31 (ST) Torrington Avenue’s abandoned UDA property is reverting to its former self, becoming a dumpsite for non-degradable garbage once again. During a follow up visit by the Sunday Times, it was observed that weeds have re-emerged with the rains, and once more had turned into a dump site as there were discarded tyres, plastic ice cream containers, glass bottles and rubbish. However, the newly dumped garbage had already retained rainwater & created a mosquito breeding site. more..

May 31 (FT) Colombo stock market yesterday ended a bullish week boosted by rebound in investor sentiment and strategic deals. First Capital said the CSE closed the week on a positive trajectory, with the ASPI gaining 39 points to settle at 16,855. After a modest uptick at the open followed by a brief dip, the index rebounded and maintained upward momentum to close firmly in the green. The rally was largely supported by notable gains in HAYL, CALH, which commenced trading today, more..

May 31 (Island) Last week, I received a registered letter with a bundle of forms informing me that an overseas parcel addressed to me had arrived but was being held by Customs. I immediately knew it was a journal containing one of my research articles. Hoping to avoid the usual trouble, I contacted a few Customs officials and explained how difficult it had been the last time I collected a parcel — that one was a text book I had authored and published by Springer Singapore. more..

May 31 (FT) Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao yesterday presented a roadmap to deepen bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation. Delivering the keynote address at the Sri Lanka-China Trade and Investment Forum 2025, his address outlined the long-standing diplomatic relations, rapidly expanding economic ties and a future shaped by shared development goals. more..

May 31 (FT) Singhe Furniture has once again solidified its position as a Sri Lankan furniture industry leader, earning two prestigious accolades at the recently held National Industry Brand Excellence Awards 2024, hosted by the Industrial Development Board of SL (IDB). The distinguished event took place at Eagles Lakeside and saw Singhe Furniture securing the Platinum Award presented for the National Industry Brand of the Year (Medium Scale) and Best National Industry Brand more..

May 31 (DM) The first Sinhala language feature film Kadawunu Poronduwa (Broken Promise) premiered on 21 Jan 1947 at the Kingsley theatre in Colombo. Four months after that historic event ,on 30 April 1947, a baby girl was born in a Sinhala speaking family living in the Colombo suburb of Peliyagoda. A few weeks later the parents went to an astrologer to cast a horoscope for the new arrival. They were astounded when the astrologer said their daughter would be a queen someday more..

May 31 (Island) The true beauty of Colombo, which boasts its Ramsar status, lies essentially in its lush greenery and scenic wetland patches scattered across its municipal limits and sprawling suburbs. Leafy giants adorn its urban landscape, especially roads that criss-cross it. Unfortunately, most of them have become unstable, due to ageing, posing a risk during heavy rains and strong winds. Tree falls were reported from several parts of Colombo and adjacent areas, lashed by gale force winds on Thur more..

May 31 (CT) The aphorism justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done is not just a legal nicety — it is the bedrock of public confidence in the rule of law. In SL, however, this principle has long been eroded by political impunity, inaction, and a pattern of unfulfilled promises. For decades, politicians have squandered public resources for personal and political gain, while institutions entrusted with upholding accountability have faltered, compromised, or stood idle. more..

May 31 (TM) SL’s railway system, once hailed as a lifeline for the country’s transportation network, is now creaking under the weight of ageing infrastructure, financial constraints, and a troubling lack of administrative accountability. Revelations from the COPA have brought to light significant deficiencies in governance, even as Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) General Manager (GM) J.I.D. Jayasundara maintains that the department more..

May 31 (CT) AKD and the NPP were given the switch to power by the people on three basic premises: 1) eradication of corruption (accountability), 2) a more competent management of a failed economy with clear knowledge and 3) transparency of govt thought and action (deliverables). AKD was elected President on Sept 21, 2024. The new Cabinet of the NPP govt was sworn in on November 18 before Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake at Prez Secretariat. more..

May 31 (TM) I did not attend the recent Dalada exposition, but I passed through Kandy during those days and witnessed the long lines – thousands of pilgrims, most of them elderly, queued in fervent anticipation to glimpse what we are historically conditioned to believe are the Buddha’s relics. The sight left me hollowed. There they stood, not with mindfulness, but with longing; not with inquiry, but with inherited obedience. I felt an anguish no words could soothe; not at their faith, but more..

May 31 (CT) She stepped off a long-haul flight from Bangkok alone, carrying two large suitcases and the cool demeanour of a seasoned traveller on 13 May. Inside those bags was something far more dangerous than the clothes and personal items 21-year-old Charlotte May Lee claimed to be transporting. SL Customs officers discovered a staggering 46 kilograms (over 100 pounds) of kush, a synthetic strain of more..

May 31 (FT) One cannot but help being sorry for the NPP govt of late at least. Best understood at multiple levels of national feeling, this phenomenon spans the emotional gamut from sorrow to sympathy. If a newspaper is a nation talking to itself, a hijacked (or is that sabotaged? or is it both?) national reformation agenda is the NPP still whispering soft, sweet-nothings – and sometimes, thundering grandiose denouncements – to the polity in public while no doubt muttering dire imprecations against more..

May 31 (FT) World No Tobacco Day, marked annually on 31 May, addresses a major public health challenge—the persistent burden of tobacco use. This year’s theme, Unmasking the Appeal compels us to expose the deceptive marketing tactics and manipulative strategies employed by the tobacco industry, especially those targeting our youth and women. Tobacco use remains the single most preventable cause of death worldwide and is a leading risk factor for NCDs such as more..

May 30 (CT) Cardiac surgeries at the Cardio-Thoracic Unit of the Teaching Hospital Karapitiya are expected to be suspended from 31 May onwards, following the expiration of the contract of the current specialist cardiac surgeon, hospital sources revealed. Currently, the unit does not have a permanent specialist cardiothoracic surgeon. Instead, services are being provided by a retired consultant who has been reappointed on a contract basis. Hospital sources further noted that more..

May 30 (NW) SL Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) has announced the successful completion of filming for Serendipitous Journeys, a Chinese reality series produced by Mango TV, one of China’s most influential digital platforms. The SLTPB said that this marks the first time a project of this scale and visibility has been filmed in Sri Lanka for a mainstream Chinese audience. Serendipitous Journeys, a cross-cultural reality series led by acclaimed producer Li Chao, more..