Newspaper
The Island
Trapped in a hole of its own making: The crux of Sri Lanka’s agony
There is an abiding and tragic irony in Sri Lanka's geography, as well as its history.
7 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
Ex-head monk of China’s ‘kung fu temple’ jailed for embezzlement: BBC
The former head of China’s famous Shaolin Temple - known as the birthplace of kung fu - has been sentenced to 24 years in jail for crimes, including embezzlement and bribery, BBC has reported.
1 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
Fuel price increases: Bus and trishaw operators demand fare hike
The National Joint Three-Wheeler Drivers and Industrial Workers’ Association yesterday said that due to the latest fuel price hikes, it would seek approval to increase the starting fare for metered three-wheelers in the Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara districts to Rs. 130 for the first kilometre.
1 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
Harsha flays govt. over plan to pass coal, Treasury losses to public
Chairman of the Public Finance Committee Dr. Harsha de Silva, MP, yesterday (31) said that the National People’s Power (NPP) government was going ahead with a controversial move to pass on the massive losses caused by the coal scam to the public.
2 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
Govt. halts e-passport project
The Cabinet has ordered the immediate cancellation of the controversial procurement process for Sri Lanka's e-passport personalisation project, bringing a halt to a tender that had been under scrutiny following appeals by unsuccessful bidders.
1 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
PM opens Vesak pandals
Two Vesak pandals erected in the Colombo area to mark Vesak Poya were ceremonially opened under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr.Harini Amarasuriya.
1 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
Flamingo deaths in Mannar renew concerns over power infrastructure
The recent deaths of three migratory flamingos in Mannar after colliding with overhead power lines have renewed concerns among conservationists over the impact of energy infrastructure on Sri Lanka's wetland ecosystems, said a report published on Saturday by the Mongabay.
1 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
UNP challenges NPP move to amend Vihara - Devalagam Act
The UNP yesterday said that the government did not have the power to establish a Dharma Court. According to the Constitution, neither the executive, the legislature nor the judiciary had the power to interpret the Dharma, it added.
3 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
Bodies of schoolchildren drowned in sea recovered
The bodies of three schoolchildren who went missing while bathing in the sea at Kalametiya, Hungama, on Saturday evening (30) were recovered yesterday morning (31).
1 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
Sri Lankan scientist-innovator Milinda Edirisinghe introduces AI-integrated gem testing system to gemological world
In a country celebrated for producing some of the world’s finest gemstones, Sri Lankan gemologist Rewatha Milinda Edirisinghe now says the future of gemstone testing must move beyond traditional observation and into the realm of scientific precision powered by artificial intelligence.
2 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
Ernst & Young flags trust deficit as Sri Lanka’s new VAT refund system faces reality check
Sri Lanka’s ambitious risk-based VAT refund system, designed to fast-track refunds for compliant exporters within 45 days, is colliding with a stubborn reality: businesses don’t trust what they cannot see.
2 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
How long jeans remain hygienic unwashed?
Some wash after two or three wears, while others wait until jeans smell or look dirty. The middle ground appears to be the most sensible.
2 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
ComBank unveils island-wide drive to boost LankaPay JCB debit cards adoption
The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has announced a nationwide campaign to accelerate the adoption of LankaPay JCB debit cards, offering customers across Sri Lanka another compelling opportunity to step into a more secure, convenient and rewarding cashless lifestyle.
1 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
First six battery energy storage systems arrive
The first six of 16 Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), with a total capacity of 160 MW, imported by the government, arrived at the Port of Colombo in the early hours of Saturday (30).
1 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
Lanka, Maldives strengthen legal cooperation on criminal matters
The Ministerial Advisory Committee on Justice and National Integration has approved an order pertaining to the implementation of a bilateral agreement between Sri Lanka and the Maldives on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.
1 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
What happens to your body when you drink milk every day
Milk has a mixed reputation in the wellness world, with some claiming it causes everything from acne to inflammation. But what actually happens to your body when you drink milk every day?
3 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam elected Chair of the Committee on Migrant Workers
Former Foreign Secretary, Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam, was elected by acclamation as the Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (CMW) last Thursday (28) at the opening segment of the Committee’s 42nd session held at Palais Wilson in Geneva.
1 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
Grappling with a counterfeit reality
Recently, the New York State University, in the US, initiated a programme called ‘NYU in real life’, to promote a student-led culture change of spending less time online and more in living life in person, and creating together a ‘collective effervescence’.
4 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
Construction sector contracts amid rising costs, labour shortages
Sri Lanka’s construction sector contracted in April 2026 as rising raw material costs and shortages of skilled labour weighed on industry activity, according to the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) released by the Central Bank.
1 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
AI’s workforce revolution takes centre stage at La Trobe Colombo Panel
On 25th April, La Trobe University Colombo, in partnership with Study Melbourne and La Trobe University Australia, hosted a successful panel discussion titled “AI and Future Employment Opportunities.”
1 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
West Indies tour offers fresh opportunities
Any cricket tour of the Caribbean stirs a sense of excitement.
2 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
32 and counting - why are women overlooked for French Open night matches?
An important question continues to be raised at the French Open - why are the leading women not being picked to play in the Grand Slam tournament's coveted night-time slot?
2 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
Ransini, Tharushi dazzle with golds as Sri Lanka win eight medals
Asian Junior Athletics Championships
2 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
Global temperatures to stay near record levels: UN weather agency
The world is heading into another period of dangerous heat, a new UN report warns on Thursday, and it’s nearly certain global temperatures over the next five years will stay “at or near record levels” as climate change accelerates across land and sea.
2 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
IMF's unstated rate: Sri Lanka's $695m loan costs about 5.33% per annum
When the good news is announced, no one has the heart to mention the cost
4 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
John Keells Foundation spearheads training on gender-sensitive media content development
John Keells Foundation (JKF)- the CSR entity of the John Keells Group - successfully conducted its second Practical Training on Developing Gender-Sensitive Content for Media and Creative Teams on 14th May 2026, at Cinnamon Lakeside.
1 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
Rs. 100-Million crematorium for dogs: Misplaced priorities
While Sri Lanka is now sitting on a powder keg of dog rabies, about to ignite, it is bewildering that the 2026 budget allocated Rs.100 million for a dog crematorium cum shelter to one local government body out of 343, and no money for National Dog Sterilization.
4 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
Motion seeks commission to probe forced cremation of Muslim COVID victims
A motion calling for the establishment of a commission to investigate the unilateral and forced cremation of deceased Muslims during the COVID-19 pandemic has been submitted by SJB Trincomalee District MP Imran Maharoof.
1 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
SAIGE LANKA launches SAIGE electric motorcycle showroom in Kadawatha
Sri Lanka’s first showroom for high-quality electric motorcycles manufactured by SAIGE Electric Vehicle Technology Co., Ltd was opened last week in Kadawatha.
1 min |
June 01, 2026
The Island
PSG go back-to-back and join ‘greatest of all time’
Paris St-Germain underlined their status as one of European football's greatest ever teams by becoming only the second club to retain the Champions League.
3 min |