Apps offering money to farmers and vulnerable people in difficulty are rife across the island, concealing draconian terms. In March, parliament had approved ad hoc legislation intended to tackle the phenomenon, but the necessary implementing regulation has still not been published in the Official Gazette.
The new sustainability rules are causing difficulties for many local exporters. The European Union is the largest market for the textile industry. From September, companies will have to comply with requirements across the entire supply chain: firms are being called upon to invest in certifications, carbon footprint monitoring and packaging reviews.
Services have been cut by 50% due to protests within the sector. The discontent is fuelled by rising costs and the government’s failure to grant fare concessions. 25% of vehicles had already voluntarily ceased operations earlier due to financial difficulties. The crisis for commuters, who describe the operators’ decision as “a severe blow”.
The eleven victims, who disappeared between 2008 and 2009, belonged to various communities, including Tamils and Muslims. According to investigators, they were abducted by a secret naval intelligence unit and detained at the “Gun Site” on the Trincomalee base before being killed. The parents of Dillan, one of the victims, told AsiaNews: “A case deliberately covered up for many years to protect senior officers. Now the government must press ahead with justice”:
The reopened investigations into the attacks on churches and hotels that killed over 270 people have now directly implicated the former president, who returned to power just a few months after the bombings. The former head of intelligence has been in prison for three months on charges of having ‘used’ Islamists to upset the country’s political balance.
The investment for the MWSIP totals around $510 million, partly funded by the ADB. It is 96 km long and forms part of a wider project to transform one of the island’s driest regions by channelling water from the Mahaweli River. Once completed, it will irrigate 43,000 hectares of land during the Yala and Maha seasons.
The Swedish government has singled out the Sri Lankan Catholic activist for his work on behalf of the victims of enforced disappearances during the civil war and previous periods of political violence in Sri Lanka. Founder of Families of the Disappeared, he has been seeking truth and justice for more than 30 years despite intimidation and threats.
The Aruwakkalu area is located 25 km north of Puttalam, in the North-Western Province. It is an area considered a mainstay of Sri Lanka’s cement industry. The new plan allows valuable materials such as ilmenite, rutile and zircon to be separated from the soil layer. Experts say the deposit “is of geological and scientific importance”.
The charge by the Attorney General’s Department follows questioning of a new witness in France. The position of the former head of military intelligence has worsened. Starting in 2017, he allegedly financed Islamic and Tamil extremist groups to be used for suicide attacks and actions against Rajapaksa's adversaries, including the murder of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge and the disappearance of Prageeth Eknaligoda.
Asian members from Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka are part of the global humanitarian expedition. The son of Faisal Edhi, a leading figure in Pakistan’s humanitarian community, is among the people detained. As his fate remains unknown, his father has appealed to Pakistani authorities to obtain his release. For Asian activists, theirs is not just a "symbolic" participation.
From 4 to 8 May, Sharks International 2026 took place, the world’s leading event in the sector for experts and enthusiasts. The event was attended by 800 people representing 82 countries, with over 800 papers presented. Sri Lanka is a crucial hotspot of high biodiversity in the Indian Ocean, yet heavily exploited for shark and ray fishing.
Transparency International expressed “serious concern” over Kapila Chandrasena’s death. The investigation into the aircraft procurement is ongoing “without obstruction or delay”. The airline’s former CEO died on 8 May in Kollupitiya, after a new arrest warrant was issued against him. The 61-year-old was accused of receiving millions of dollars in bribes. Police view his death as suspicious.
The island is becoming a new hotspot for foreign-operated online scam operations. Local authorities are concerned over their negative impact on the country’s image and economy, especially tourism. Police have arrested people from Cambodia, China, Malaysia, Madagascar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as seized laptops and mobile phones.
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