Apr 25 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake made an unannounced visit to Kandy yesterday (24) to meet with people queuing to participate in the ongoing Siri Dalada Wandanawa. Hundreds of thousands of devotees have already gathered in the city in anticipation of the religious event, which continues to draw large crowds. Prez visited several locations last night to inquire into the needs and welfare of the devotees waiting in lines. Meanwhile, several dansal (charity food stalls) more..

Apr 25 (TM) Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner-designate to Australia, Yasoja Gunasekera, officially assumed duties in Canberra on 22 April. She emphasised enhancing tourism, trade, investment, and people-to-people ties while ensuring the welfare of Sri Lankans in Australia and improving consular services. A seasoned diplomat with 29 years in the Sri Lanka Foreign Service, Gunasekera has served in Jakarta, Dhaka, Guangzhou, and key missions in the U.S. and India. more..

Apr 25 (DM) Matara Magistrate Aruna Indrajith Buddhadasa today directed the Attorney General to initiate proceedings before the Court of Appeal against former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon, who is accused of contempt of court for allegedly violating conditions imposed upon his release on bail. Based on submissions made in court, the Magistrate determined that Tennakoon had committed an act of contempt and issued more..

Apr 25 (TM) The Health Ministry’s Medical Supplies Division (MSD) has placed orders for all the medicines required for next year (2026) by 31 January of this year (2025). Quoting the MSD, the Ministry’s Media Unit sources added that earlier, medicines were ordered from time to time, and that it contributed to creating medicines supply-related issues in the country. It also noted that ordering medicines in advance helps to maintain medicines stocks in the country without a shortage, more..

Apr 25 (TM) Joint Council of Supplementary Medical Professionals (JCSMP) alleged the Govt for extremely politicising the recruitment of graduates with allied health qualifications into the healthcare service. The alleged that regional politicians affiliated with the ruling NPP are pressuring applicants to appear for selection examinations. “To resolve this issue, we have continuously held discussions with the Ministry of Health, but, the implementation of the agreements reached has been delayed. more..

Apr 25 (AD) The Siri Dalada Vandanawa, the special exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic, will conclude on Sunday (27) as previously scheduled and will not be extended, according to the Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela Bandara. Issuing a statement in this regard today (25), he stated: “We have been fortunate to have more devotees worshipping than planned.” more..

Apr 25 (NW) The Anti-Malaria Campaign of the Health Ministry says 14 cases of Malaria have been detected so far in Sri Lanka. According to the campaign, the patients include Sri Lankans working abroad, pilgrims and people who have migrated abroad. A total of 62 Malaria patients were detected in 2023 and 38 patients in 2024, it said. The Anti-Malaria Campaign further revealed that symptoms of Malaria include fever, headache, body aches, and sometimes breathing difficulties. more..

Apr 25 (NF) Minister Vijitha Herath, will represent the Govt of SL at the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis. The funeral is scheduled to take place on April 26, 2025, in Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will preside at the Rite of Sealing of the Coffin of the late Pope Francis, ahead of the papal funeral on Saturday morning. The liturgical rite will be attended by several Cardinals and Holy See officials. more..

Apr 25 (DM) PM Harini Amarasuriya requested devotees attending the Siri Dalada Vandanawa to be careful and act responsibly. She reminded them to be mindful of their surroundings and of the people next to them in the queue. She also urged the public not to throw plastic bags and other waste on the roads, emphasising that the govt and the security forces cannot manage everything alone and that everyone must do their part. "Standing up for this change is not an easy task. more..

Apr 25 (DM) Philippine Airlines (PAL) has named Richard Nuttall, current CEO of SriLankan Airlines, as its new President, effective May 29, 2025. Nuttall will make history as the first foreign national to hold the role in the airline’s 83-year legacy. Nuttall is credited with steering SriLankan Airlines back to operational profitability and revitalizing SL’s tourism sector amid economic turbulence. Under his leadership, the carrier unveiled ambitious plans to double its fleet to 50 aircraft within 5 years, more..

Apr 25 (AD) Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe will appear before the Bribery Commission on Monday (28) over the statement he had made on MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, his lawyers have informed the Commission. Accordingly, the former Prez will appear before the commission at 9.30 a.m. on Monday. Wickremesinghe was initially summoned by the CIABOC on April 17 in relation to a statement more..

Apr 25 (CT) The case against former Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and former Minister Nalin Fernando, regarding the alleged misuse of govt funds through the distribution of carrom boards and draft boards to sports associations during the 2015 Prez Election, is set to reconvene on 29 Oct for the advice of the Attorney General. This was confirmed by Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura on Wednesday. When the case was taken up, the CID informed the Court that statements more..

Apr 25 (CT) Project AgroAcres, driven by UN SDGs focusing on hunger and responsible consumption, is modernising Sri Lanka agriculture. The ASCENDRIA team recently completed two impactful phases showcasing smart technology and drone potential. The first phase of AgroAcres focused on demystifying smart greenhouse technology through the Smart Agro device, an innovation by Damsara Wishwajith of the Uni of Kelaniya. A comprehensive YouTube interview detailed more..

Apr 25 (DM) SL’s energy sector is at a critical juncture due to the growing friction between conventional and non-conventional energy sectors. While the world is moving away from fossil fuels, coal and is looking at depending on renewable energy, SL is challenged by various obstacles. Despite submitting an elaborate energy policy with ambitious targets, the incumbent govt is yet to take some proactive and practical decisions to strengthen more..

Apr 25 (AD) A stock of 228 brand-new mobile phones and tablet computers, valued at approximately Rs. 30 million in total, was seized by customs officers at the BIA today. The electronic devices, packed inside two suitcases, were discovered abandoned at the airport’s duty-free shopping complex. According to customs officials, items had been brought into the country by a passenger who had arrived from Dubai onboard a SriLankan Airlines flight. more..

Apr 25 (NW) A mega SL Tourism Roadshow was held in Saudi Arabia this week (22 Apr), organized by the SL Embassy in Riyadh, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB). According to the SL Embassy in Riyadh, SL Ambassador Ameer Ajwad inaugurated the roadshow and welcomed a large number of tourism Destination Management Companies (DMCs) participating from both SL and Saudi Arabia at the exclusive SL Tourism Promotion Roadshow. more..

Apr 25 (AD) Acting IGP has been informed to nominate a police investigation team to assist the investigation of the Committee of Inquiry appointed to inquire and report its findings on IGP Deshabandhu Tennakoon in respect of acts of gross abuse of power. Committee of Inquiry to inquire and report its findings on IGP T.M.W. Deshabandhu Tennakoon in respect of acts of gross abuse of power has informed the Acting IGP in a letter to nominate a police investigation team to assist more..

Apr 25 (NW) Two Police officers have passed away while on duty at the Siri Dalada Vandanawa underway in Kandy. According to the Police Media Unit, the officers had died after suffering heart attacks. The Siri Dalada Vandanawa, a special exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy, is underway for the eighth consecutive day today. The event, which was inaugurated by the President on 18 April, will continue until 27 April. more..

Apr 25 (EN) IMF said it had reached a staff level agreement for the next phase of the program and approval of the fourth review, amid global uncertainty on Trump tariffs and subject to raising electricity tariffs cut by the regulator. “Revenue mobilization, reserve accumulation, and structural reforms are advancing as envisaged,” an IMF statement said. “Debt restructuring is nearly complete. Importantly, govt remains more..

Apr 25 (AD) In a telephone conversation with Indian PM Narendra Modi today (25), Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake condemned the recent terrorist attack in the Pahalgam area of Kashmir and expressed solidarity with the Indian people. The attack on April 22, which targeted tourists in the Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam, claimed the lives of 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen, leaving several others injured. It is considered one of the deadliest terror attacks in the region since the 2019 Pulwama more..

Apr 25 (EN) SL’s banks have been asked to keep a 15% reserve of foreign exchange loans to the govt, including newly restructured bonds and loans, where state banks had a bigger exposures, Fitch Ratings said. “Central Bank has required banks to establish a special reserve to mitigate settlement risks of restructured foreign-currency exposures to the state (CCC+), including both loans and step-up sovereign bonds,” Fitch Ratings said. “This reserve, set at 15% of the outstanding exposure, more..

Apr 25 (DM) Sri Lanka and the United States agreed to continue the discussions on reciprocal tariff with the objective of finalising a bilateral trade agreement between the two countries, President’s Media Division (PMD) said. A statement issued by the PMD said both sides expressed the desire to finalise the agreement in the shortest possible time period. PMD said a SL delegation met US Trade Representative Ambassador more..

Apr 25 (EN) A 34-year-old man from Anamaduwa has been arrested on charges of creating explicit videos and photos of an underage child in Sri Lanka. According to the Police, the man was arrested following investigations conducted based on a report from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in the US. The man, arrested by officials from the Police Children & Women Bureau, has been found to have operated a phone repair centre. more..

Apr 25 (PMD) Prez Anura Kumara Disanayake visited the Chief Prelates of the Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters of the Siyam Nikaya today and received their blessings. Prez first visited the Malwathu Maha Viharaya and held discussions with the Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Sumangala Nayaka Thera, Chief Prelate of the Malwathu Chapter, regarding the Siri Dalada Wandanawa and related matters. Thereafter, Prez proceeded to the Asgiri Maha Viharaya and engaged in a brief more..

Apr 25 (FT) SL Govt recently announced an initiative to establish day centres for differently abled children, providing a supportive environment where they can spend the day and return home in the afternoon. These centres aim to ease the burden on parents, enabling them to focus on their daily responsibilities while ensuring their children are cared for and engaged. While this proposal is a commendable step forward, it presents an opportunity for further expansion through more..

Apr 25 (FT) Pope Francis, widely regarded as a transformative moral leader, reshaped the papacy by centring it on humility, compassion, and inclusion. His approach to leadership offers vital lessons—across politics, business, and civil society—on how conviction, simplicity, and courage can restore trust and moral clarity in uncertain times. From the outset of his papacy in 2013, Francis broke with tradition. He declined the opulence of the papal palace, rode public transport, and more..

Apr 25 (DM) The cascade of unexpectedly large crowds in view of the Dalada exposition has rendered the Kandy city administrative authorities handicapped, eventually prompting them to limit public arrivals. Dalada Maligawa which houses the Tooth Relic can cope up with nearly 100,000 devotees a day. During the Dalada exposition, 65,000 people paid homage to the Tooth Relic on the first day, 113,000 on the 2nd day, more..

Apr 25 (EN) Importers of vehicles into SL had opened US$ 350 million of letters of credit up to now, but the exchange rate is stable, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said. “Even though vehicle imports were opened, the US dollar is still stable at 300 rupees,” Prez said. “That is because we have maintained economic stability.” Central Bank has maintained largely deflationary policy since Sept 2022, though a large volume of money was printed during the last quarter of 2024 to operated more..

Apr 25 (CT) Four individuals who had travelled to Kandy to pay homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic and attend to official matters have died, according to Dr. Iresha Fernando, Director of National Hospital in Kandy. She stated that all four deceased were over 65 years of age, with post-mortem examinations confirming that one had died of a heart attack. An open verdict has been issued by the JMO on the remaining three deaths, and the bodies have been referred to the medical examiner more..

Apr 25 (AD) The IMF says SL must focus on diversifying its export markets and creating an investment-friendly environment to maintain stability and growth, even as recent tariff changes pose challenges to economic forecasting. Speaking at the 2025 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and IMF, Krishna Srinivasan, Director of Asia & Pacific Dept, highlighted the complexity added by recent developments in SL. more..

Apr 25 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake paid a visit to the Vatican Embassy this afternoon (24) to extend his condolences on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. Upon his arrival, Prez was warmly received by Most Reverend Archbishop Brian N. Udaigwe, the Apostolic Nuncio of the Vatican to SL. Following a brief discussion with Archbishop Udaigwe, Prez Dissanayake signed the book of condolence, conveying, on behalf of the Govt and people of SL, heartfelt sympathies more..

Apr 25 (DM) In a move aimed at easing the administrative burden on senior citizens and persons with disabilities, Inland Revenue Department (IRD) said it has introduced a more accessible procedure for obtaining Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs). Elderly citizens are no longer required to physically visit the IRD to apply for their TINs. Instead, they can now obtain this essential number by simply submitting their National Identity Card (NIC) along with proof of their current address. more..