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With Hormuz unlikely to open this year, alternate pipelines under attack, and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait newly closed to Saudi oil tankers, global oil prices have spiked. In Sri Lanka, the energy minister signals potential price hikes at the pump.

When a military intelligence corporal got information from Tamil Nadu intelligence that Mohamed Zahran killed two policemen five months before the Easter Bombings, he said his superior asked him to look away. An ex-military intelligence director denies allegations made to the police.

The first ever Indo-Lanka defence cooperation agreement was signed last year. Now the Indian defence minister is in town. The foreign minister told The Examiner that reviewing the agreement or its implementation wasn’t on the agenda. No joint statement was released during the visit.

Following social media outrage about Facebook groups sharing non-consensual sexual photos and teaching participants how to drug their victims, the authorities reported four more groups. Over the years Meta’s content moderation has gotten weaker, activists say.

Lawyers argued extending judges' terms requires a referendum and a full bench. They also think the Chief Justice should have recused himself, and called for more senior judges on the bench. The Attorney-General said they “failed to explain how the amendment impinges on the people’s sovereignty.”

Jiffry Mohamed transferred $716 million from Lankan banks claiming they were payments for imports. But Police found there were no imports. They linked 105 dummy companies to Mohamed, along with over 200 bank accounts.

In the next few months Metro buses will go cashless, break out into the provinces, and become electric. After years of plans, not only are buses running, the authorities are planning to sign-up private players too.

El Niño’s drying effects will be negated by heavy rain brought about by the Indian Ocean Dipole, say scientists. Drought isn’t expected till next year. An El Niño cabinet sub-committee is estimating impact to help with disaster preparations.

Two judges found the former IGP and defence ministry secretary guilty of murder, because they didn’t act on intelligence. The other judge on the bench disagreed. He thought the intelligence wasn’t conclusive, investigations weren’t complete, and the IGP was obstructed from doing his duty.

As the Bar unanimously opposes extending judges’ terms, the government is doubling down on its constitutional amendment. The president’s office hopes to pass it by September. Lal Wijenayake, a top NPPer, understands they want “certain judges out and certain judges in.”