Apr 13 (NW) The New Year, known as Aluth Avurudda in Sinhala, and Puththandu in Tamil, is celebrated by both communities by observing various rituals and customs. According to traditional astrological belief, Sun completes its movement across the twelve segments of the Zodiac in the course of a year taking one month to travel each constellation. Transition of the Sun from the House of Pisces to the House of Aries marks the beginning of more..

Apr 13 (AD) In view of the upcoming Sinhala and Hindu New Year, SL Transport Board (SLTB) has announced that buses will continue to be deployed today (13) based on passenger demand for those travelling to their hometowns. SLTB Chairman Sanjeewa Kanagaratne stated that a decrease in passengers travelling from Colombo to outstation areas was observed by last evening (12). The past few days, around 1,500 additional buses had been prepared to operate from Colombo to more..

Apr 13 (DM) The UAE has introduced a new visa regulation making police clearance certificates mandatory for applicants from selected countries, with Sri Lanka included on the list. The new rule, which came into effect in April 2026, requires individuals applying for UAE residence visas to submit official proof confirming they have no criminal record. Authorities say the move is aimed at strengthening security measures and enhancing residency screening procedures. more..

Apr 13 (ST) It’s funny. Every few years, the SL financial industry is abuzz with questions like what went wrong? It started with Pramuka Savings and Development Bank, which collapsed in 2002 due to severe mismanagement. Golden Key Credit Card Company, a member of the Ceylinco Group, collapsed four years later after securing substantial deposits with high interest rates, resulting in a major financial scandal and more..

Apr 13 (AD) Approximately 55,000 passengers have travelled from the Makumbura Multimodal Centre (MMC) to their hometowns since April 8, authorities say. The highest number of departures was recorded on April 11. She made these remarks while inspecting the operation of scheduled bus services at the Makumbura Multimodal Centre today. A structured system has been implemented to ensure passengers can access safe and convenient transport services. more..

Apr 13 (NW) Police have arrested a suspect over an incident involving damage to property at the Pettah Central Bus Stand, which was recently renovated and reopened for public use on 8 April. The complaint was lodged with the Pettah Police Station by the Welfare Division of the bus stand, following reports of damage to newly installed facilities. Following investigations, officers arrested a 33-year-old resident of Kelaniya on 11 April in the Kelaniya area. Police also recovered some of the more..

Apr 13 (DN) The CPC has announced a temporary relaxation of the QR code-based fuel quota system for petrol in line with the Sinhala and Tamil New Year season. Accordingly, motorists with petrol-powered vehicles will be able to obtain fuel without the QR-based quota from midnight today (11) until April 18. Despite this change, CPC Chairman D.J. Rajakaruna said the odd-even system, based on the last digit of vehicle number plates, will continue to operate as usual. more..

Apr 13 (TM) Iranian Navy replenishment ship IRIS Bushehr, which was anchored off the Sri Lanka west coast following the vessel’s crew being interned in Sri Lanka, has finally commenced its journey to Trincomalee under tow. Highly-placed Govt sources said on terms of anonymity that the Bushehr had commenced its journey to the Trincomalee Bay under tow of a private salvage tug which had been contracted for the task. “The vessel towing started on Friday (10) and is slowly progressing. more..

Apr 13 (ST) The adverse impact of increased fuel prices, transport charges and electricity tariffs are deterring some from celebrating the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. Some say that with the rising cost of living, uncertainty over power cuts, as well as fuel price increase, they are unable to celebrate the New Year as usual. Nilani Anushika, 43, a mother of three, said she lives on a half perch of leased land at Angoda which belonged to more..

Apr 13 (ST) Two amendments were passed to the Parliamentary Standing Orders (SO) this week allowing COPA and COPE, when they find evidence of fraud, corruption or bribery, to directly report to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption or the Inspector General of Police without waiting to send a report to Parliament and take due action. The two amendments were passed with the agreement of the House. A new paragraph was inserted into SO 119(4) related to COPA, more..

Apr 13 (AD) The Udarata Menike train operating from Colombo to Badulla is currently limited to Rambukkana due to ongoing repair work on the main railway line. The disruption follows extensive damage caused by last year’s Cyclone Ditwah, which affected 223 locations along the main railway route. Restoration work is still underway at several of these sites. Ditwah Cyclone, described as one of the most devastating natural disasters in the country’s recent history, caused an estimated Rs. 69 b more..

Apr 13 (AD) A group of employees who opted for voluntary retirement following the restructuring of the CEB claim that they have not yet received the compensation pledged to them. According to the retirees’ association, although the govt assured payment of compensation after the CEB’s dissolution on March 9, the payments have still not been made. Group stated that the delay has resulted in a violation of their fundamental human rights, prompting them to submit a detailed letter to more..

Apr 13 (CT) Many merchants are of the view that this situation must improve soon, allowing them to conduct their businesses without hindrance. According to the vegetable sellers at the Peliyagoda Central vegetable market, sales have significantly dropped following the fuel crisis, which has had a severe impact on their daily income. M. Mahesh, a wholesale vegetable trader at Manning Market in Peliyagoda, stated that vegetable prices have dropped significantly in the recent past. more..

Apr 13 (TM) There are no immediate plans to restrict vehicle imports despite pressure on foreign exchange reserves and global energy market volatility, Ministry of Finance said. Treasury maintained that anticipated inflows, including the next IMF tranche, alongside existing market controls, would be sufficient to sustain stability without resorting to import curbs. Treasury Deputy Secretary Ananda Seneviratne more..

Apr 13 (ST) Former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, who returned to the country on Thursday after undergoing cardiac surgery in Singapore, had several visitors while he was recuperating in hospital. Among them was George Yeo, a former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore who paid a visit to check on his health and wish him a speedy recovery. Former MP and UNP Chairman Vajira Abeywardena also visited Mr Wickremesinghe in Singapore to wish his leader on his birthday more..

Apr 13 (CI) Matheesha Pathirana has cleared the mandatory Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) fitness test and has been given the no-objection certificate to travel to India and link up with his team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at IPL 2026. Pathirana has recovered sufficiently from his injury. He will travel to India and is likely to join KKR there on April 17, the day of their next game, against Gujarat Titans, but only be available for selection from the subsequent game, on April 19 at home against more..

Apr 13 (SO) In homes across SL, the familiar rhythms of Avurudu are beginning to unfold — kitchens fill with the aroma of sweetmeats, auspicious times are carefully noted and families prepare to gather as they have for generations. For many SL families, Avurudu is not something to be scaled down but it is something to be protected. Thus, even as budgets tighten and prices rise, the instinct to gather cook and celebrate more..

Apr 13 (CT) SL’s 4x400m relay team recorded their second fastest time ever in Chandigarh, India, securing qualification for the upcoming World Athletics Relays in Botswana. However, Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA) now faces a dilemma: whether to send the team to Botswana or allow athletes to concentrate on medal ambitions at the Asian Games and Asian Junior Championships. Several quartermilers have voiced concerns that competing in Botswana on 2–3 May would disrupt more..

Apr 13 (DM) The month of Bak, falling in April, is one of the most spiritually luminous periods in SL’s calendar, a time when religion, tradition, and seasonal renewal converge into something rare and precious: an invitation to pause, to reflect, and to make peace. In a world increasingly defined by noise and division, such a moment is not merely welcome; it is urgently necessary. For peace is not a single event. It is a living thing, and it must be tended at every level of human life, more..

Apr 13 (NW) Sri Lanka Women’s cricket captain Chamari Athapaththu has been appointed to the Player Advisory Board of the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA), marking a significant milestone for Sri Lankan cricket. The WCA announced a number of updates to its Player Advisory Board, with Athapaththu joining a group of leading international cricketers including Pat Cummins, Jason Holder, Heather Knight, Aiden Markram, Scott Edwards and Laura Wolvaardt. more..

Apr 13 (TM) SL’s Data Protection Authority (DPA) Secretariat is set to commence operations by next month, with its initial focus on educating institutions about their data protection obligations, according to the Deputy Minister of Digital Economy. Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne stated that the DPA Secretariat was undergoing capacity building at present, adding that a Director General (DG) had already been appointed a few weeks ago and approximately 50 staff members recruited. more..

Apr 13 (TM) It was the morning of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year – Avurudu – and I was standing in the narrow lane beside my grandmother’s house in a Colombo neighbourhood that no longer quite resembles itself. In the compound of this house stood a large jackfruit tree under which, in earlier times, giant fruits would fall into the yards of three neighbouring houses. That tree had long since disappeared, but more..

Apr 13 (CT) Select Committee, to look into and report to Parliament on the matter of selecting the electoral system under which the Provincial Council Elections should be held, is seeking information from the AG’s Dept and the Elections Secretariat. Select Committee met for the second time this week in the Parliament Complex under the chairmanship of Minister Vijitha Herath. Expressing their views, Elections Secretariat Officials pointed out that the issue of holding PC Elections more..

Apr 13 (FT) The recent, high-profile fraud unearthed at National Development Bank (NDB) sends a chill far beyond the balance sheets of a single institution. It is not merely a story of financial misconduct; it is a profound failure across every layer of institutional oversight of internal, external, and regulatory watchdogs. This incident has exposed a conceivable critical fault lines within SL’s financial system, casting serious doubts on the integrity, control mechanisms, and supervisory rigour that more..

Apr 13 (Island) This year, Easter Sunday on April 5 was a deeply meaningful and reflective day for me. As I contemplated the solemn stillness of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the hope of His resurrection, my thoughts travelled far beyond the Catholic churches and quiet streets of Poland—back to the rice fields, dusty roads, and restless dreams of my childhood in the medieval capital of Polonnaruwa. One memory, in particular, remains vivid. It was exactly 55 yrs ago—Apr 5, 1971. more..

Apr 13 (ST) With less than two weeks to go before the 7th anniversary of the Easter Sunday terrorist attack, Parliament held yet another adjournment debate on one of the country’s darkest chapters in recent history. While there was nothing to distinguish this debate from multiple others that had been held on the same subject since 2019, it was a stark reminder that even after almost seven years, victims’ families were yet to find closure or receive justice. Much of the debate saw more..

Apr 13 (SO) The Sinhala and Tamil New Year has long been celebrated as a time of renewal and reunion. How has it changed over time, and what remains grounded? How far does one’s financial capacity matter in celebrating Avurudu in a meaningful way? Sunday Observer spoke to Colombo Uni Sinhala Department Prof. Sandagomi Coperahewa and Kelaniya Uni Mass Communication Dept Senior Lecturer Wijayananda more..

Apr 13 (ST) A newspaper had reported that the call of the Koha, the bird which emerges during the Avurudu season, would be heard less this year for different reasons. Kussi Amma Sera was, however, lucky to hear the call well and clearly just before the Avurudu and informed us. It was one of the few calls we will hear this year. As I prepared on Wednesday (a day earlier than the usual Thursday as Kussi Amma Sera and her friends were going to their respective villages on their seasonal trip back more..

Apr 13 (SO) Never forget, the Iran–Iraq war raged for eight brutal years from 1980 to 1988. Iran survived the Iraqi invasion. Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, once courted by the West for strategic gain, was dragged from his hideout near Tikrit and executed after a deeply flawed tribunal. Today, United States Prez Donald Trump has toyed with another reckless scheme to de-stabilise Iran, a continuation of his decapitation project, even as Tehran struggles with fractures demanding more..

Apr 13 (CT) While energy remains central to global power and geopolitical control, in SL, it has increasingly become a source of economic strain and political instability. That reality has now come to a head, with a No-Confidence Motion against Power & Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody, even as a widening coal procurement scandal exposes deep structural failures in the country’s energy sector. SL’s energy sector has once again been thrust more..

Apr 13 (TM) In recent times, Opposition political circles have been raising criticisms that the JVP, the leading party of the ruling NPP, intends to establish a one-party rule in SL. Among Tamil politicians, ITAK General Secretary M.A. Sumanthiran has been at the forefront of voicing these concerns. These criticisms were initially sparked by comments made by JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva following his visit to China last June, where he discussed the advantages of China’s one-party system. more..

Apr 13 (CT) In recent weeks, SL’s coal procurement process has come under intense scrutiny, following revelations from audit findings, parliamentary disclosures, and political accusations. At the center of the controversy are allegations of irregular tender procedures, substandard coal imports, and financial losses running into billions of rupees. While the issue has quickly evolved into a political battleground, a careful examination of available evidence reveals a more layered more..