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A Moulavi delivers a sermon after Eid prayers at Puttalam Zahira College grounds soon after sunrise yesterday, as Sri Lanka’s Muslims celebrated the Hajj festival, which symbolises the sacrifices of Prophet Abraham—the patriarch of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Pic by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe
Path cleared for Starlink’s entry into Sri Lanka, but prohibitive cost remains a major concern
By Tharushi Weerasinghe Starlink, a satellite internet service provider developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, will become available in Sri Lanka following confirmation of further legal and user policy clarifications. Starlink offers faster internet speeds and lower latency than traditional satellite services, along with the ability to connect users in remote areas where ground-based infrastructure is [...]
Trump fully commutes the sentence of Zuberi, man who defrauded Sri Lanka
By Namini Wijedasa US President Donald Trump has fully commuted the 12-year prison term of venture capitalist and political fundraiser Imaad Zuberi, who was sentenced in 2021 for, among other things, stealing money from the Sri Lankan government. Mr. Zuberi was also convicted of falsifying records to conceal his work as a foreign agent while [...]
No more secret beneficial owners of companies
A draft amendment to the Companies Act which will for the first time compel businesses to disclose their beneficial owners has been placed on the order paper of Parliament. The passing of the law will meet another International Monetary Fund (IMF) structural benchmark. The government undertook to enact amendments to the Companies Act to make [...]
CID to investigate ‘presidential pardon’ for convicted fraudster
By Dilushi Wijesinghe The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been ordered to probe the release of a former finance company manager found guilty of misappropriating millions under a so-called ‘presidential pardon’. The Anuradhapura High Court convicted Athula Tilakaratne of misappropriating four million rupees on May 2. Just ten days later, he was released after prison [...]
Samadhi Buddha statue built in honour of veteran lifesaver
Pix and text by Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa A six-foot Samadhi Buddha statue carved from a massive white rock formation was ceremonially installed at Rangiri Dambulla National School grounds on June 6, in honour of retired Sub-Inspector of Police and teacher, Sunil Wijesinghe. The tribute was organised by members of the Dambulla Water Sports and Lifesaving [...]
Matara prison to be relocated to Kotawila
A project to move the Matara Prison to Kotawila will be expedited, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said yesterday. The minister and officials visited the Matara prison to look into its requirements. The minister noted that the insufficient space within the prison was causing inconvenience to prison officials and inmates, and therefore discussions were held to [...]
Health Ministry to ‘name and shame’ schools with dengue mosquito breeding sites
By Kasun Warakapitiya A list of schools which were identified as having the worst dengue mosquito breeding sites is to be made public shortly. Health Ministry Secretary Anil Jasinghe told the Sunday Times that they had decided to ‘name and shame’ the schools so it would have a social impact. The Dengue Control Unit had [...]
Prospective local medical students and parents file human rights petition against KDU
By Dilushi Wijesinghe Parents and legal guardians of domestic civilian students who applied or intended to apply for the latest intake of the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree at the Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) have petitioned the Human Rights Commission (HRC) against the sudden decision to limit the course to [...]
Immunoglobulin case: Trial-at-Bar indicts Keheliya and 11 others
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Attorney General has indicted 12 accused including former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella before a three-judge bench of the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar on 13 charges relating to the importation of substandard immunoglobulin injections. The accused have been indicted on charges of criminal misappropriation of Rs. 147 million and aiding and abetting [...]
Cabinet approval for Ingiriya and Raigam Mileniya industrial zones
Approval has been granted by the Cabinet for the Ingiriya industrial zone and the implementation of the second stage of the Raigam Milleniya industrial zone. There are 33 industrial zones operating at present throughout the country, and of them, eight zones are in the Western Province. The Cabinet noted that considering the developed physical infrastructure [...]
Police praised for netting drug suspects who offered bribes
By Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe A group of policemen from the Thoduwawa Police in Puttalam have been praised by villagers and the Civil Defence Committee for rejecting bribes offered by drug trafficking suspects and instead arresting them. The policemen were treated to milk rice and sweet meats. A police patrol on duty on May 22 had [...]
Nearly all candidates file spending details, but law review mooted
By Ishu Bandara A remarkable 97% of candidates—76,350 out of 78,724—filed campaign finance reports to the Election Commission ahead of the deadline at midnight on May 27, marking a significant step toward transparency and accountability. This outcome defied earlier predictions that the majority of candidates would fail to comply with legal obligations. Rohana Hettiarachchi, executive [...]
Regulatons on JP appointments undergo drastic changes
The Justice Ministry has revised the regulations governing the appointments of Justices of the Peace. Under the new regulations gazetted, a person who has passed six subjects at the G.C.E. (Ordinary Level) examination in one sitting with two credit passes—one for Sinhala or Tamil and the other for any subject—qualifies to be appointed as a [...]
Cabinet approves move to recognise sign language
Sign language will soon be granted the status of a recognised language in Sri Lanka, following a Cabinet proposal approved this week. The approval came 15 years after the Cabinet in 2010 granted policy approval to accept sign language as a formal way of communication. The Legal Draftsman has been directed to prepare a draft [...]
Parade of high-profile cases this week as CIABOC launches fresh probes
A string of cases against former ministers, politicians and ex-officials came up this week in courts, with some of them being indicted, while the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) also has begun a series of investigations. Some of the highlights of the cases and investigations in progress are as follows: Former [...]
Tantirimale to glow in piety
The ‘Tantirimale Lankadeepa Aloka Pooja,’ now in its 22nd year, is scheduled to take place on June 9th, 10th, and 11th. Preparation is underway, including the whitewashing of the stupa and the installation of electric bulbs on the rock at the historic Tantirimale, encompassing the Samadhi statue, Bodhi wall, and Buddha Mandiraya. Regarding the Poson [...]
Lawmakers seek inquiry on Sabaragamuwa uni’s alleged fraud, corruption and malpractices
Malpractices, allegations of fraud, and administration issues, including cases of ragging at the University of Sabaragamuwa, were exposed at the Committee of Public Enterprises (COPE) this week. COPE recommended to the Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Training, Nalaka Kaluwewa, to appoint an independent committee to investigate the corruption and malpractices [...]
An Internal Affairs Unit in PM’s Office to battle corruption in public service
An Internal Affairs Unit of the Prime Minister’s Office was officially established on Friday at Temple Trees with a focus on confirming the integrity of officials and fostering a corruption-free public service in Sri Lanka. The unit was set up under the leadership of Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr. Pradeep Saputhanthri, and Additional Secretary [...]
The National Poson Festival in step with hallowed ritual at Anuradhapura
This year’s national Poson festival commenced on the afternoon of June 6 (Friday) with Poson Sati Pirith ceremony. This significant event took place in front of the Sri Maha Bodhi at the Mahamevunawe in Anuradhapura, one of Sri Lanka’s ancient and sacred cities. The event is organised annually by the Nuwaragam Palatha Central Divisional Secretariat [...]
Navy seizure of 2,123kg Kendu leaves brings total this year to 19K
The Sri Lanka Navy seized about 2,123kg of smuggled Kendu leaves during a search operation carried out this week in the beach vicinity of Mohoththuwaram, Kalpitiya. A team of Navy Marines from SLNS Vijaya, under the Northwestern Naval Command, conducted the search operation leading to the discovery of 64 suspicious sacks concealed in shrubs along [...]
State-run sugar factories swallowing the bitter pill over brown sugar and ethanol
By Kasun Warakapitiya and Wasantha Chanadarapala Two state-owned sugar factories have plunged into a financial crisis, which trade unions and employees attribute to a lack of initiative in boosting brown sugar sales. Employees, farmers and officials engaged in the sugar production point out that the government should take policy decisions to improve sales, as currently [...]
Second phase of Disi Rela to safeguard our seas begins with Aussie aid
By Dilushi Wijesinghe The Australian government on Monday handed over a Stabicraft vessel to the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, marking the official launch of Disi Rela 2, the second phase of a joint maritime security initiative between the two countries. The deed of gift was signed by Rear Admiral Brett Sonter of Australia’s Joint Agency [...]
Casino junket operators may not come under inland revenue net
By Kapila Bandara Gambling promoters who entice ‘whales’, the VIPs who get regal pampering and millions in credit from casinos, may not fall under the tax net despite the proposed gambling regulator in Sri Lanka, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has acknowledged. A monitoring mechanism will be available under the gambling regulator is set [...]
Exhibition and walk to promote community health
A heath exhibition and a walk on the theme ‘Praja Suwa Dekma -2025’ was held yesterday. The College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka and the Health Ministry had organised the event. Health Minister Dr Nalinda Jayatissa was chief guest. The walk was held from Independence Square to Vihara Maha Devi Park where the exhibition [...]
24 illegal constructions removed from Hiriketiya Beach
By Rahul Samantha Hettiaarachchi The Coast Conservation and Costal Resources Management Department this week removed some 24 illegal constructions located in Hiriketiya, Dickwella in the Matara district. The constructions had been put up within 10 meters of the beach in the area in a manner causing an obstruction to the users of the beach. Prior [...]
Women remain constrained by persistent pay gulf
By Minaza Hassan Despite decades of progress in women’s education and in the workforce, gender disparities in pay and participation in the workforce remain deeply entrenched. The gap between what men and women earn for their labour continues to raise questions about fairness, structural inequality, and the true value placed on women’s work in Sri [...]
New Kandy Mayor to regulate the rambling chock-a-block city
By L B Senaratne The 26th mayor of the historic city of Kandy, Chandrasiri Wijenayake, is to introduce the GPS system to track the movement of municipality vehicles to maintain better efficiency and keep expenditure at a minimum. The National People’s Power Mayor Wijenayake who was given a rousing reception at the historic Town Hall [...]
Seven bridges to be renovated in rural South
Under a project to develop rural areas in the Southern Province, seven bridges are to be renovated in the region at a cost of 129 million rupees. The highest allocation has been for the rehabilitation of the Wakwella bridge. The bridge is to be renovated with the assistance of the Engineering Unit of the Sri [...]
Three indicted over bomb at All Saints’ Church
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Attorney General has indicted three accused including a retired doctor on charges of attempting to explode a bomb at All Saints’ Church, Borella. Liyanage Dayananda, Dr H D Shirley Felician Herath and K A Ruwansiri Hemantha have been indicted under the Offensive Weapons Act. The accused have been indicted on two [...]
Meeting dates, locations scheduled for 178 authorities
A total of 178 authorities have been gazetted this week following the local government elections last month. Meeting dates and locations have been scheduled for local authorities across all 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. In the Northern Province, arrangements have been made for 31 local authorities, while the Eastern and Central Provinces each have 30. [...]
Expert lays down clear strategy to pull Lanka back from viral illness chaos
By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Tell the people the unvarnished truth so that they can safeguard themselves—this is the dire need as Sri Lanka grapples with various viruses, some borne by mosquitoes and others with respiratory transmission. This is the urgent appeal going out from Consultant Paediatrician Dr. LakKumar Fernando, former head of the Centre for Clinical [...]
Gusty weather ahead; squalls and showers to continue
By Jayanie Madawala The prevailing rainy conditions are expected to increase in the southwestern part of the island from June 10, with strong gusty winds expected over the island and in the sea areas around the island, the Meteorological Department warns. Accordingly, several spells of showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces [...]
On World Environment Day, President warns nature’s enemies, including corrupt politicos
By Ishu Bandara Despite Sri Lanka having strong environmental laws, enforcement has often been undermined by political interference and corruption, said President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, while openly criticising the involvement of politicians in illegal activities such as sand and rock mining and deforestation. He expressed these hard truths at the State Environment Day programme held [...]
Hackers bust defences of non-vigilant state institutions
By Tharushi Weerasinghe A lack of regular cybersecurity audits has emerged as a recurring weakness among government institutions hit by the recent wave of cyberattacks targeting state-run information systems. In 2025 alone, the Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) has recorded three government websites which were compromised, one ransomware incident, and a data breach incident. The [...]
Clam collectors, deep in mud and poverty, struggle for survival
Pix and text by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe ICHCHANKADUWA, Kalpitiya: Villagers spend hours in the muddy waters of the lagoon, under the scorching sun, collecting clams (matti) to make a living. Most of them are women living in poverty, with little choice but to enter the lagoon, as they are the family’s breadwinners. Some also have [...]