Headline

The police have arrested Chinese scammers for over a decade. But as South-East Asian governments crackdown, Sri Lanka is an increasingly popular destination for scam operations. Human trafficking risks follow.

Vijay’s two-year-old political party has redrawn the Tamil Nadu electoral map. Though he echoed the long-standing consensus on Sri Lankan issues, this fresh chapter in Tamil Nadu politics may be an opportunity to ‘reset’ Lanka-Tamil Nadu relations.

In B reports obtained by The Examiner, the CID establishes a link between Suresh Sallay and an ISIS suspect. Other intelligence officers are also implicated. Sallay’s court submission calls the investigation a witch hunt.

Customs seized a consignment of four books written by a Tamil writer. Writers and activists condemned the government. The culture ministry reviewed the books but recommended releasing only two, intensifying criticism.

The no-confidence motion against the energy minister cites negligence in procuring coal, and corruption from a stint at a state company. The motion is unlikely to pass but will publicly test the government’s commitment to anti-corruption. Government members disagree on how to handle the allegations.

If scheduled fuel shipments and expected rains don’t materialise, power cuts are likely over the coming months. Even if fuel and rains arrive on time, electricity prices are still set to rise.

As war rattles the Gulf, nearly a million Sri Lankans living and working there are uncertain about their safety and livelihoods. Yet most are choosing to stay as the money is ‘too good to let go’.

Fuel stocks currently on the island are enough for just over three weeks. Sri Lanka is the only country in the world to ration fuel at the pump, dusting off the fuel QR system. Trishaw and bus drivers say their quotas aren’t sufficient.

After the US torpedoed the Dena, Sri Lanka had to decide on letting the Bushehr dock. Amid a whirlpool of competing considerations, Sri Lanka took nearly two days to grant the ship entry. The commercial fallout was contained, but sans an investigation Sri Lanka’s maritime reputation may suffer.

The Iran war’s fallout is already here, including via higher oil prices and torpedoed ships. Sri Lanka is better placed than in the past to manage the adverse impact, which will depend greatly on the war’s duration. But there are silver linings too.