Apr 21 (Island) National Development Bank (NDB), in consultation with the Central Bank, will soon appoint an international firm to conduct a comprehensive forensic audit into the Rs 13.2 billion bank fraud, currently being investigated by the CID. Controversy surrounds the failure on the part of relevant authorities to detect the massive scam that certain employees started perpetrating in mid-2024. more..

Apr 21 (AD) Seven years have elapsed since the Easter Sunday attacks, and island-wide religious observances are being conducted today in solemn remembrance of the victims. According to the Director of Mass Communication for the Catholic Church, Rev. Father Jude Krishantha Fernando, all churches across the country are conducting special commemorative programs this morning. These include tolling of bells, a two-minute silence, lighting of candles or oil lamps, and prayer services more..

Apr 21 (NF) Ven. Pannakara Thero has arrived in Sri Lanka from Texas, USA, with Aloka in preparation for the Global Walk For Peace in Sri Lanka. All arrangements have been finalized for the march, which begins tomorrow and will continue across Sri Lanka until April 28. In parallel with the Walk For Peace, an Asa Disa Pooja will take place, commencing today at 3.00 p.m. at the sacred grounds of the Ruwanwelisaya in Anuradhapura. Full coordination of the International Walk more..

Apr 21 (NF) Former Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka stated that he will fully disclose all facts related to coal transactions carried out since 2009, emphasizing that all details will be revealed with names, leaving nothing concealed. Ranawaka said that at the committee level, Auditor General was instructed to submit a complete audit report on coal imports from 2009 to 2016, and that the report has now been more..

Apr 21 (AD) Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe has stated that certain findings in the Auditor General’s report on the controversial coal importation cannot be accepted. Minister pointed out that the Auditor General’s report does not indicate that any fraud had taken place, but rather presents observations on possible scenarios. Expressing his views, Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe emphasized that the govt’s position remains that no fraud occurred in relation to the incident. more..

Apr 21 (FT) People’s Bank achieved its highest-ever profit in 2025, while the Bank of Ceylon (BOC) recorded its strongest financial performance in its 87-year history during the same year. National Savings Bank (NSB) also registered a record pre-tax profit of Rs. 59 billion in 2025, according to the Chairpersons of the respective banks. These remarks were made during the presentation of the 2025 Annual Reports of People’s Bank, BOC, and NSB to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. more..

Apr 21 (BBC) The Trump administration has begun processing refunds for billions of dollars in tariffs that the US Supreme Court struck down in February. In what is to be the biggest repayment programme in history, companies can apply online for money they were charged under the so-called Liberation Day tariffs - plus interest - to be returned. The US Court of International Trade in March ordered customs officials to refund the more than $160bn (£121bn) the govt had collected, more..

Apr 21 (AD) PM and the Minister of Education, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, today (20) affirmed that the govt’s goal is to transform schools into safe and trustworthy environments where children receive love and care. Speaking at the inauguration of a new programme, PM stressed the importance of fostering a positive psychosocial environment within schools. She noted that all officials within the education system must act with a strong sense of responsibility to achieve this objective. more..

Apr 21 (TM) In the wake of calls by the Opposition to forward the special audit report on the alleged substandard coal imports to the Attorney General (AG), COPE Chairperson Dr. Nishantha Samaraweera said that such a step is unnecessary, as a Prez Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) is already conducting an investigation into the matter. He said there is no need to refer the report to AG’s Dept, noting that a fully-fledged PCoI more..

Apr 21 (AD) Senior Professor O.G. Dayaratna Banda has assumed duties as the 15th Director General of the National Institute of Education (NIE) Maharagama, with effect from today (20). Prof. Dayaratna Banda is a senior academic with extensive experience in both local and international higher education and research. Prior to his appointment, he served as Senior Professor of Economics at the University of Peradeniya. He has also held several key administrative positions, more..

Apr 21 (AD) The Excise Department of Sri Lanka has reported a record performance in revenue collection during the first quarter of 2026, exceeding its projected target and registering notable year-on-year growth. According to official figures, excise revenue as at March 31, 2026, reached Rs. 70.4 billion, surpassing the quarterly target of Rs. 61.95 billion. This represents an achievement of 113.6% against the set target. When compared with the corresponding period in 2025, more..

Apr 21 (DN) Opener Imesha Dulani (52) and Hansima Karunaratne (54) hit maiden half centuries but it was in vain as Bangladesh women recorded three wickets win with nine balls to spare over Sri Lanka women in their first ODI of the three-match series played at Rajshahi, Bangladesh yesterday. It was the first international match at the venue. Bangladesh chasing a target of 206 couldn’t make a good start losing both openers Juairiya Ferdous (5) Samin Sultana (0) within the first two overs. more..

Apr 21 (NW) Welcome to Sri Lanka, the travel documentary produced by Mark Julian Edwards, won the prestigious Television Broadcast of the Year award at the Inspire Global Media Awards 2026, contested by the BBC and Amazon TV. Sri Lanka’s storytelling excellence took centre stage at the ceremony held recently in London, UK, with a packed room of media glitterati. The documentary was selected from a competitive international field of entries, with judges highlighting more..

Apr 21 (ST) Ahead of last week’s New Year holiday season, T. Regan and his family left for their hometown, Pundaluoya, Kandy. They did not go to mark the New Year in their hometown but to visit the cemetery where their five-year-old daughter, Leema Rithika, was buried. She was among the 270 victims of the deadly Easter Sunday attacks, SL’s biggest terrorist attack. The attacks that targeted churches in Colombo & Batticaloa more..

Apr 21 (FT) Sri Lanka’s fragile economic recovery in 2026 is being tested by fast-escalating geopolitical tensions, and early signs of disruption were already emerging within tourism, exports, and shipping, said industry leaders recently. These statements were made during a business forum titled, Present Geopolitical Tensions: Navigating Their Impacts on Sri Lanka’s Economic Recovery in 2026. Organised by the SL-Italy Business Council, it drew industry leaders and stakeholders more..

Apr 21 (FT) SL’s plan to remove para-tariffs will reduce import duties by around nine percentage points (ppts) and alter cost structures across manufacturing, while raising household consumption and real incomes, according to the World Bank’s South Asia Economic Update April 2026. The report notes that Sri Lanka’s simple average import duty is 19%, of which 11 ppts come from para-tariffs rather than statutory tariffs. “Less than half of these import duties are statutory tariffs,” World Bank said, more..

Apr 21 (FT) Central Bank of SL (CBSL) has warned that the ongoing Middle East conflict could raise inflation, widen the trade deficit, and disrupt key foreign exchange inflows, even as macroeconomic conditions show signs of recovery. SL now faces pressure across its main external channels, with remittances, exports, and tourism all exposed to spillovers from the conflict, testing buffers rebuilt since 2023 through more..

Apr 21 (Island) The Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA), the apex body of Sri Lanka’s plantation industry, expressed growing concern over rising prices and limited availability of fertilizer amid the escalation of the crisis in the Middle East. With the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, shipping traffic through the region is reported to have dropped by 90%. Given that an estimated one-third of global trade in raw materials for production of fertilizer flows through the Strait, more..

Apr 21 (TM) In a significant development ahead of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) election of office bearers for the 2026-30 term on 25 April, all objections filed against the candidacy of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) President Jaswar Umar, were formally rejected on Sunday (19). This was done by the independent Election Committee formed to oversee the NOCSL election and its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday. more..

Apr 21 (FT) The GRIT (Growth, Resilience, Investment and Training) – Entrepreneurship Development Training Program (GRIT-EDTP) recently concluded its first cohort pitch competition at Jetwing Jaffna, marking a significant milestone in empowering women-led enterprises in the Northern Province. The GRIT-EDTP initiative is designed to strengthen women entrepreneurs by enhancing their business resilience, investment readiness, and growth potential. more..

Apr 21 (FT) Minister Bimal Rathnayake has said ongoing construction projects across the country remain uninterrupted despite the prevailing conflict in the Middle East. In a video statement Minister said key infrastructure developments are continuing without delay, with particular emphasis on the third phase of the Central Expressway. He noted that construction work on Phase III, spanning from Pothuhera to Rambukkana and extending up to Galagedara, is progressing at a steady pace. more..

Apr 21 (SO) SL Customs detaining over 350 copies of five books authored by Kilinochchi-based Tamil writer, Balendran Piratheepan, known as Theepachelvan Piratheepan, since mid-March has raised concerns among many parties about the extent of Freedom of Speech in the country and the role of the SL Customs Dept. 360 copies of three novels authored by Theepachelvan and two other books belonging to him more..

Apr 21 (SO) April 13 marked the 125 birth anniversary of S.A. Wickramasinghe, a national freedom fighter and founder of the Communist Movement in SL. Wickramasinghe remains a pivotal, if somewhat underrated, figure in the pantheon of the first generation of SL national and leftist leaders. Stories of Wickramasinghe’s politicisation often begin with his experiences of 1915 riots at the young age of 14. Wickramasinghe was appalled by the brutality with which the colonial administration more..

Apr 21 (Island) A quiet yet profound shift is underway in American healthcare, and its implications extend far beyond the US borders. A recent Associated Press report describes a scene that would have seemed improbable, even five years ago: a woman in Texas, experiencing side effects from a weightloss injection, does not call her doctor, visit a clinic, or even search Google. Instead, she opens her phone and consults ChatGPT. She tells the system how she feels, describes her symptoms, more..

Apr 21 (Island) Mastermind has become a household term in this country since the Easter Sunday terror attacks (2019). The last seven years have seen several investigations, conducted by the police, committees and a presidential commission, into the carnage that shook the world, but there has been no general consensus on who actually masterminded the terror strikes. There are several schools of thought and various conspiracy theories about the terror attacks and more..

Apr 21 (TM) There is a particular kind of national anxiety that travels online before it ever reaches the front page. It starts as a question searched in the dark, becomes a post shared from a petrol queue at five in the morning, and ends as a comment under a news article that says simply, Aiyo. In March 2026, SL had one of those moments. And the internet had a great deal to say about it. When the Ministry of Energy reintroduced the National Fuel Pass, a QR-based fuel allocation system brought back more..

Apr 21 (CT) Rich in nature, culture, and heritage would be the best way to describe SL’s Mannar District. The location of the Vankalai Sanctuary, also known as the Mannar Bird Sanctuary, in the Mannar District, has made the area a popular visitor spot, especially during the bird migratory season. Vankalai Sanctuary is a Ramsar site (selected as a Ramsar wetland in July 2010) and a key bird area hosting over 20,000 waterbirds. more..

Apr 21 (ST) Nearly three weeks ago, the White House alerted the world’s media to await an important update on Iran to be delivered by President Tramp. While the Washington press corps gushed amongst themselves what to expect from Trump this time, the White House pursed its lips and only said, Trump plans to address the nation on the war Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET. It turned out it had hardly been worth waiting up to hear what the US Prez had to say, for it was nothing new but more..

Apr 21 (GV) One of the most pressing questions facing the Tamil people of the North and East today is this: where do we stand? Despite more than 75 years of political struggle, marked by immense sacrifice and shifting political landscapes, there remains a strong and growing sentiment across many sections of the community that a clear and unified political direction has yet to emerge. While it is true that new organisations and ideological initiatives continue to take shape, more..

Apr 21 (TM) The Sinhala and Tamil New Year is one of the most reassuring times of the year for Sri Lankans, signifying the dawn of a new beginning and better things to come. It is more than a set of rituals and traditions; rather, it is a time of celebration and family for most, where the bustle of daily life slows down and people are given the time to reflect and reunite with their loved ones. However, this year’s New Year, more..

Apr 21 (CT) With every passing year, SL sports recede further into the shadows, an also ran competitor, in many sports not even qualifying to compete at top international events. The one exception being the game of Cricket, a game played mainly among former British dominions and colonies. Today the mainstay of Cricket are the South Asian countries, which provide much of the money and a vociferous fan base for the game. The game of Cricket itself has morphed, more..

Apr 21 (DM) One can hardly contest the argument by leaders of the ruling NPP that system change cannot be brought in overnight. Yes, it is a change expected to be realised within a degenerate society, utilising components of the very same society which would inevitably take time. System change is not a singe act but a long process. Yet, that does not mean that people have to wait years for the govt to keep all its promises. There are things in which the masses have the right to expect expeditious more..