Apr 17 (DN) Skipper Sadeera Samarawickrama struck a fabulous unbeaten century to guide SL ‘A’ to victory over Afghanistan ‘A’ in the second match of the tri-nation One Day Tri-Series played on Tuesday (15) in Abu Dhabi. This was SL’s second consecutive win, following a 45-run victory over Ireland ‘A’ at the same venue on Saturday. Afghanistan ‘A’ opted to bat first after winning the toss and managed to post 248 runs for 8, in 50 overs. Afghan skipper Darwish Rasooli struck a superb century, more..

Apr 17 (TM) Farmers’ groups claim that despite the Yala farming season already being underway and expected to continue over the next few months, farmers are yet to receive the fertiliser subsidy allocated for paddy cultivation. “This year’s Yala farming season has begun. The sowing of paddy in the Eastern Province has concluded, and the plants are now one to two weeks old,” National Agrarian Unity organisation President Anuradha Thennakoon said. He added that despite this progress, more..

Apr 17 (FT) Sri Lanka-German Business Council (SLGBC) of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce hosted its Members’ Day at Hilton Colombo Residences recently, bringing together industry leaders, diplomats, and business professionals to celebrate and enhance trade relations between Sri Lanka and Germany. Ambassador of Germany to Sri Lanka Dr. Felix Neumann delivered the Keynote Address, reaffirming Germany’s long-standing commitment to SL’s economic development. more..

Apr 17 (AD) EPF has strengthened its position as the leading entity in the superannuation sector, accounting for 81% of the sector’s total assets by the end of 2024. Fund’s net worth rose by 12.6% year-on-year to Rs. 4,375.7 billion, up from Rs. 3,886.7 billion in 2023, primarily driven by robust investment returns and a rebound in net contributions. Total contributions received during 2024 increased by 11.3% to Rs. 234.4 billion, more..

Apr 17 (DN) Lyceum Int'l School Wattala and St. Benedict’s College Kotahena emerged girls and boys overall champions at the Ritzbury Relay Championship organised by the SL Schools Athletic Association and concluded recently at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium Diyagana. Lyceum Int'l School Wattala obtained 130 points to clinch the girls overall title while St. Benedict’s with 155 points won the boys overall title. More than 3000 School athletes took part this three-day event more..

Apr 17 (DN) SL has named a powerful 35-member national rugby squad for the crucial Asian Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship Play-Off against Malaysia, to be played on April 19 at the Racecourse Grounds in Colombo. Team was selected by the National Selection Committee, led by Sudath Sampath, after a competitive trial match held at the same venue on April 11. The squad has been going into intense training under veteran head coach Sanath Martis, supported by forwards more..

Apr 17 (FT) Former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday warned over the serious economic threat posed by the US’s new reciprocal tariff policy on Sri Lankan exports, cautioning that over 100,000 jobs could be lost if urgent action is not taken. Wickremesinghe called the situation an economic emergency; urging the Govt to act swiftly and inform the public about its response. “As tariffs increase, consumer demand for goods declines. This is not a hypothetical situation, it is already unfolding. more..

Apr 17 (AD) Police suspect that the shooting incident that took place near the Gampaha public bus stand last night (15) is a targeted revenge attack linked to an ongoing feud between two rival criminal gangs. According to police, two unidentified individuals on a motorcycle opened fire at a moving small lorry. At the time of the shooting, the two individuals travelling in the lorry exited the vehicle and ran into a nearby shop, police said. Police confirmed that neither of them sustained any injuries. more..

Apr 17 (AD) CEB has deactivated all thermal power plants in operation as electricity demand plummeted during the New Year holiday period. One generator at the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant was deactivated from April 11, while operations at the Kelanitissa Power Plant, powered by naphtha, were halted on the morning of April 12. As of now, no thermal power plants are operational, with CEB prioritising hydroelectric and other renewable more..

Apr 17 (AD) Several schools in Kandy town and surrounding areas will remain closed from April 21 to April 25 in view of the special exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic. A total of 50 schools in Kandy town and surrounding areas will be closed during this period. The special exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic is scheduled to take place at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on April 18. Thereafter, it will continue daily for ten days, from 12:00 noon to 5:30 p.m. more..

Apr 17 (AD) SL Police announced that an extensive security and traffic management plan will be implemented ahead of the exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic, which is set to begin on April 18 at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. Special exposition will commence on April 18 at 3.30 p.m. and continue until 5.30 p.m. on the same day. From April 19 to 27, the relic will be on public display daily from 12.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. Police state that more than two million local and int'l devotees are expected more..

Apr 17 (ST) At least five local commercial banks are eyeing Standard Chartered SL (SCB) wealth and retail banking business in the country, industry officials said. These banks are currently evaluating the SCB portfolio, they added. The move aligns with SCB’s parent company’s commitment to concentrating resources where the group has the most distinctive client proposition. The bank will continue to serve priority clients as usual during the transition period, expected to take 15-18 mo, more..

Apr 17 (TM) Electricity Consumers’ Association (ECA) has lodged a complaint with the CIABOC, calling for an investigation into an alleged conflict of interest involving Chairman of CEB, Dr. Tilak Siyambalapitiya. In the complaint addressed to the CIABOC, General Secretary of the ECA claimed that a particular private company, which provides consultancy services, is owned by Dr. Siyambalapitiya, and that the said company has been providing services to CEB, more..

Apr 17 (DM) The CEB said yesterday that many rooftop solar panel owners across the country gave a positive response by agreeing to turn off their systems during the daytime (until 3 p.m.) from April 13 onwards. A CEB spokesperson said the request was made to protect the electricity system during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year holidays. Since the weather has been very sunny, solar panels have been producing a lot of electricity more..

Apr 17 (CT) The CEB urged owners of rooftop solar systems to temporarily disconnect their units only if they received an SMS notification from the Board, and only until 3 p.m. Meanwhile, the CEB has deactivated all thermal power plants in operation, as electricity demand plummeted during the New Year holiday period. CEB stated that these measures were implemented to prevent grid instability, due to the significant reduction in electricity demand during the New Year holiday period. more..

Apr 17 (DN) The grounds of Ramanathan College in Maruthanarmadam came alive on Wednesday, as the Northern Province celebrated the Sinhala and Tamil New Year 2025 with a vibrant festival designed to connect younger generations with traditional games and cultural practices that are fading from memory. Organised by Dept of Cultural Affairs, under the Northern Province Ministry of Education, Cultural Affairs, Sports, and Youth Affairs, in collaboration with the Dept of Sports, Tourism Bureau and more..

Apr 17 (FT) A high-level delegation will travel to the US next week to hold direct discussions with the US Trade Representative following Trump administration’s decision to impose a steep 44% tariff on SL exports. Move comes after a series of virtual meetings with US authorities and a detailed review of the crisis, which threatens SL’s single largest export market. EDB Chairman confirmed the trip, noting that final composition more..

Apr 17 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has hit the campaign trail, which means he is going all out to win. The two main Opposition parties, center-right and center-left, the SJB and the SLPP, are not. By its unclarity and refusal to hit the AKD-JVP-NPP govt hard, either on the lopsided IMF and debt restructuring deals or the undisclosed AKD-Modi agreements, the SJB and SLPP are each fighting with one hand voluntarily tied by themselves, behind their respective backs. more..

Apr 17 (FT) Inland Revenue Department has recently issued updated Advance Personal Income Tax (APIT) tables, which are crucial for both employers and employees to understand. The APIT tables for the Year of Assessment (Y/A) 2025/26 have been published, taking into consideration the recent changes introduced via Inland Revenue Amending Act No. 02 of 2025. These changes include an increase in personal relief to Rs. 1.8 million for the Year of Assessment, more..

Apr 17 (AD) A 16-year-old schoolboy has died after falling from a greased pole (Lissana Gaha) while preparing it for the Aluth Avurudu (New Year) celebrations that was scheduled to be held in the Elpitiya area today. The tragic incident has occurred during preparations for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festival at a playground near the Siriwijayaramaya Temple in the Amugoda area, Pitigala. The boy had fallen from a greased pole about 40 feet tall and had later succumbed more..

Apr 17 (EN) A group of economists and policy analsysts have urged SL to remove barriers to exports especially tariffs and para tariffs, which have hurt national competitiveness and benefitted a few against the many. “For nearly two decades, SL exporters have been weighed down by exceptionally high import tariffs,” the group of economists and policy analysts, said. “This marks a sharp break from the 1990s, when our average tariff rates were comparable to Indonesia, Malaysia, and more..

Apr 17 (AD) The price of gold in the world market has reached its highest level in history. Accordingly, it is reported that, as of today (17), the price of an ounce of gold in the global market has reached a historic high of USD 3,345. Commenting on the surge, the Assistant Director of NGJA, Indika Bandara, said that following the tariff announcement made by U.S. Prez Donald Trump, the price of gold in global market has surged to a new high. more..

Apr 17 (SLN) Navy promptly responded to a sudden fire that broke out on a fishing trawler at the Galle Fisheries Harbour on 14 Apr 25.The blaze was first spotted by personnel on board SLNS Prathapa, stationed nearby. Acting swiftly, a diving team from the Southern Naval Command, along with harbour security personnel, rushed to the scene. Their initial efforts focused on separating the trawler that had caught fire to prevent the flames from spreading further. With situation under partial control, more..

Apr 17 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake says that discussions have been held on environmental concerns, and the govt now hopes to connect Mannar and Puttalam through an alternative and new approach through the road currently under construction. Prez pointed out that opening this route would reduce the distance to Puttalam by approximately 90 km. “You’re the ones who are familiar with this area. That’s why we will not allow destructive projects that harm environment. more..

Apr 17 (NW) Election Commission has announced that the dates for marking postal votes for the LG Elections, scheduled to be held on May 6, 2025, have been revised. Postal voting will now take place on April 24, 25, 28 & 29. “Accordingly, it has been decided that the marking of postal votes for all govt institutions, including the police, tri-forces, schools, corporations, and statutory boards, will be conducted on these four days,” more..

Apr 17 (AD) Colombo Magistrate’s Court today ordered the exhumation of the body of Nimesh Sathsara, a youth who died while in police custody following his arrest by the Welikada Police. Exhumation has been scheduled for April 23, to facilitate a new post-mortem examination on the youth’s remains. The order was issued by Colombo Additional Magistrate Mohamed Rizwan, following a request submitted by the CID. CID informed the court that the Colombo JMO had requested more..

Apr 17 (CT) UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena claimed that the country will face an irreparable economic crisis before the end of this year, similar to the situation before 2022. He stated that deception and false promises made to gain power will only bring destruction to the country. UNP Chairman stated that the media briefing was convened to inform the public of the truth and to highlight the efforts made by former Prez Wickremesinghe to put the country’s derailed economy back on track. more..

Apr 17 (SLN) In a successful search operation, the Sri Lanka Navy seized a stock of smuggled cosmetic products adrift in the Kiranchi sea area, north of Mannar on 16 Apr 25. The Navy is maintaining vigilant surveillance of the island's coastal waters, carrying out regular patrols and search operations to prevent illegal activities, particularly the smuggling of goods via sea routes. In continuation of these efforts, the search operation was conducted by Rapid Action Boat Squadron (RABS) more..

Apr 17 (NW) Two young female SL athletes have been disqualified from their sprint event due to not arriving on time for the event at the 2025 Asian Youth Athletics Championships held in Saudi Arabia. According to the coach of one female athlete, two sprinters were supposed to report for the women’s U-18 1500 metre event 35 minutes before commencement, but the accompanying authorities had failed to report on time. “The event was at 6.40. The athletes who had to report at 6.10 more..

Apr 17 (NW) Postal Dept has reportedly suffered a significant revenue loss due to the introduction of the GovPay payment gateway for traffic fines. According to the Postal Trade Unions Front (UPTUF), the new digital service has eliminated the income generated by the Postal Dept from such payments. The trade union points out that this shift from post office-based fine payments results in the Postal Dept losing between more..

Apr 17 (NW) Dept of Govt Information has issued a clarification statement regarding a newspaper report claiming that the National Election Commission had written to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake over a recent statement, deemed a violation of election laws. Dept of Govt Information said that following inquiries made from the parties mentioned in the news report, it has been found that the news was false. Issuing a statement regarding the headline story of a local newspaper today, more..

Apr 17 (CT) Three leopard deaths recorded in Hakgala, Nuwara Eliya this year are alarming, especially considering that no leopard deaths were reported from the same area in 2024, according to Wildlife Officials. They made this observation in reference to the recent death of a leopard found caught in a wire trap near the vegetable yard in the Lindula Mattakelle Estate, Talawakelle. The body of the leopard, caught in a snare set for wild boars, was found by Wildlife Officials on New Year’s Day. more..

Apr 17 (AD) DIG for the Kandy and Matale Districts, Sudath Masinghe, says that no special queues will be arranged for VIPs or VVIPs during the upcoming exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic, which is scheduled to begin tomorrow (18) at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. He made these remarks during a special police press briefing held today, focusing on security arrangements for devotees and traffic management during the event. more..

Apr 17 (Island) Former Minister and veteran communist activist DEW Gunasekera recently found fault with both the govt and the Opposition for failing to grasp rapidly changing global developments. Addressing a Communist Party meeting held in Matara, Gunasekera, President of the CPSL told the gathering that had Dr. Wickremasinghe been alive today, he would have been the happiest to witnes the emergence the new world economic order under condition of multi-polarity. more..

Apr 17 (TM) The main Parliamentary Opposition, SJB urged the Government to ensure that the LG Elections are free of any undue influence, alleging that certain statements made by the Govt imply that the Govt is attempting to influence voters to gain advantages during the said elections. SJB MP Mujibur Rahman alleged that the JVP, the leading constituent party of the ruling party, NPP Alliance, has resorted to using its political powers to instill fears in voters. more..