Apr 12 (ST) As the National New Year dawns, SL, which has undergone many difficult periods in recent years, is facing yet another challenging time. No doubt it will be a time that both the country’s govt and its people will be truly tested, as events at home and abroad threaten to push back hard-won economic gains. Foremost challenge facing the NPP govt, just like many others in the region and around the world, is the fuel crisis more..

Apr 12 (AD) Officials attached to the CID have sealed the office of the Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd. Earlier it was announced that a decision was taken to provide special police protection to the office of the Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd. The decision was taken following a complaint lodged by the Secretary to the President with the CID this morning (11), calling for an investigation into coal imports since 2009, police stated. The Secretary to the President lodged the complaint to the CID more..

Apr 12 (SO) The SL Transport Board (SLTB) and SL Railways have launched special services to meet the increasing demand of travellers during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. SLTB Chairman Sajeeva Kanakaratne said that the special bus service which commenced from April 9 will continue till April 21. Outbound services from Colombo and the surrounding suburbs to outstation destinations will operate till April 13, while return journeys to Colombo are scheduled from April 15 to 21. more..

Apr 12 (TM) The No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody, linked to the substandard coal import controversy, was defeated by a majority of 104 votes on Friday (10). A total of 153 MPs voted against the motion, while 49 Opposition members voted in favour when the division was held on Friday evening following the debate. The motion was spearheaded by the Opposition, led by the SJB, and more..

Apr 12 (SO) There will be no shortage or price increase in rice and vegetables during the upcoming Sinhala and Tamil New Year, Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe said. Allaying growing public concerns over food supplies during the festive season, Minister Samarasinghe said there will be no increase in prices of essential items such as milk powder and wheat flour, as part of the steps taken by the Govt to ease the Cost-of-Living burden on consumers. more..

Apr 12 (DM) The All Ceylon Fireworks Manufacturers Association (ACFMA) says the firecracker industry is experiencing steady demand ahead of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year season, although supply has been affected by disruptions caused by the recent Ditwah cyclone. ACFMA Chairman Dinesh Fernando said a significant portion of firecracker stocks produced for the festive period had been damaged due to the cyclone, leading to pressure on overall supply. more..

Apr 12 (Island) CEB has directed owners of large-scale rooftop solar systems to temporarily disconnect their installations for a 10-day period beginning from Friday (10), citing growing concerns over grid stability amid low electricity demand and high solar generation. The directive applies to rooftop solar systems exceeding 300 kW capacity, which are required to remain switched off until April 20. The move coincides with the extended holiday season, during which more..

Apr 12 (ST) Tea smallholders have expressed concern that the govt continues to sideline their requirements and the latest offer of 25,000 metric tonnes (MT) of fertiliser at subsidised prices is largely insufficient to meet growers’ needs. Galle-Kalutara Tea Smallholders Association President Ushan Samarasinghe said that the recent subsdised fertiliser announced by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is a mere 20 per cent of the total annual requirement. more..

Apr 12 (TM) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) is not considering an electricity tariff increase to offset losses stemming from the recent coal procurement crisis. A senior PUCSL official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the regulator would not entertain tariff revisions linked to the procurement failures. “If the coal is of low quality, the loss must be borne by the responsible parties, including the supplier. more..

Apr 12 (AD) Sri Lanka received USD 814.8 million in workers’ remittances in March 2026, according to the latest figures released by the CB. In March 2025, foreign remittances to the country were recorded at USD 693.3 million. Accordingly, remittances in March 2026 increased by USD 121.5 million compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, the CB stated that remittances sent to the country by migrant workers from January to March 2026 amounted to USD 2.29 billion. more..

Apr 12 (NW) SL Police has introduced a dedicated WhatsApp number, 070-4755600, for the public to report incidents of reckless and dangerous driving. The move comes as increased use of social media has led to more road incidents being recorded and shared online. Authorities said members of the public have been submitting video footage of traffic violations, including speeding, unsafe overtaking and other hazardous driving behaviors. Police said such submissions have assisted in identifying more..

Apr 12 (NW) SL’s industrial sector entered 2026 with renewed momentum, underpinned by a clear reform agenda, targeted infrastructure investments, and strong institutional coordination. The first quarter has been marked by decisive progress across policy, financing, industrial recovery, and international partnerships laying the groundwork for sustained, private sector-led growth. Infrastructure development continued to play a catalytic role in enabling regional industrial expansion. more..

Apr 12 (TM) Retailers are bracing for a slowdown in consumer spending during the upcoming New Year season amid weakening purchasing power and growing economic uncertainty. SLRA Founder Prez Hussain Sadique stated that retailers had already observed a decline in product availability alongside reduced consumer purchasing power in the lead-up to the festive period. Against this backdrop, he noted that retail spending during this year’s New Year season was expected to fall compared to last more..

Apr 12 (ST) The govt will introduce a new fuel pricing formula which could see multiple fuel price revisions within a month based on fluctuations in world oil prices, rather than the monthly review system in place now. The Cabinet has given approval for the new formula, which will come into effect from May, Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath said. Accordingly, constant monitoring of the prices will take place with the possibility of more..

Apr 12 (ST) Prominent names are among those who missed out selection in the Sri Lanka 15s squad for the upcoming two-legged test series of the New Zealand U85kg Rugby Tour of SL 2026. According to the list of names who made it into the squad of 45, a total of 65 players have been players subjected to a medical screening earlier this week by the Ministry of Sports, and a list of 18 players were not cleared for selection. The list of 18 listed out, 15 were identified as injured, or recovering from or more..

Apr 12 (ST) Aloka – the peace dog – is expected to travel with a group of Buddhist monks from the US to SL for the week-long Walk for Peace scheduled to start on April 21. Aloka, who accompanied the monks who undertook the 2,300-mile Walk for Peace across the US, became the star attraction with millions turning up to get a glimpse of the unlikely star. A source familiar with peace march event said discussions are underway to see how Aloka can be transported with comfort and safety by air. more..

Apr 12 (CT) The final report of the 2024 Census of Population and Housing, released by DCS, reveals significant demographic, social and economic shifts across SL, including a rapidly ageing population, declining fertility rates, rising literacy, and changing household and migration patterns. The census also marks SL’s first fully digital population count, expected to guide future policy decisions in health, labour, urban dev more..

Apr 12 (ST) Fast bowler Nuwan Thushara has extended a formal apology to SLC and signalled his readiness to abandon legal proceedings in his ongoing dispute over a No Objection Certificate (NOC) linked to the board’s mandatory fitness requirements. The development appears to open the door for a possible compromise after a disagreement that had threatened to escalate into a prolonged legal battle. Thushara, who was contracted to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for more..

Apr 12 (Island) One of cricket’s most battle-hardened operators is Steve Waugh. He may not have possessed the silken elegance of his twin brother Mark Waugh, but when it came to rolling up his sleeves and digging in, few did it better. Nicknamed the Iceman, Waugh made a career out of staring adversity in the face and refusing to blink. His back-to-the-wall double hundred in Jamaica didn’t just win a Test, it snapped the spine of West Indies’ dominance that had stretched over decades. more..

Apr 12 (TM) A 4-pronged tussle for the top post at the National Olympic Committee of SL (NOCSL) has emerged, with three of its current Vice Presidents being challenged by the head of the Football Federation of SL (FFSL), as nominations for its election of office bearers closed last afternoon. NOCSL Vice Presidents Shirantha Peiris of the National Shooting Sport Federation of SL, Deva Henry of Ski and Snowboard Association, and Asanga Seneviratne of SL Baseball are more..

Apr 12 (Island) It is said that when the people fear the govt, there is tyranny, and when the govt fears the people there is liberty. However, in a bid to retain its hold on power, a govt that fears the people, tends to resort to draconian measures that are deleterious to civil liberties and democracy and could lead to tyranny. Among them is the misuse of Emergency regulations on some pretext or another. Sri Lanka has spent most of its postIndependence years under a state of Emergency. more..

Apr 12 (CT) In a brazen blow to SL’s banking sector, internal staff at National Development Bank (NDB), allegedly aided by external accomplices, siphoned off Rs 13.3 billion—exposing massive lapses in internal controls, audit oversight, and corporate governance. Executed with IT precision, the theft exploited weekend processing windows and electronic fund transfer mechanisms, leaving the bank scrambling to secure its more..

Apr 12 (Island) It all began in 1881 with a single platoon at Royal College, Colombo. John B. Cull, then principal, envisioned promoting discipline through drill among students and attached the newly formed cadet platoon to the Ceylon Light Infantry (CLI) Volunteers. That modest beginning laid the foundation for what would evolve into Sri Lanka’s National Cadet Corps (NCC), a nationwide school-based auxiliary force training nearly 100,000 young men and women across 4,492 platoons. more..

Apr 12 (SO) The Inter-Schools Under-19 League Rugby Tournament for the 2026 season is set for a blockbuster start as 18 top teams will battle it out for honours in a gruelling championship starting on April 23. The first-round phase of the tournament will conclude on May 24 after five weeks of fierce competition while the second-round stage will commence in the first week of June and will end on June 28. The cynosure of all eyes will be on the defending champions Trinity College, more..

Apr 12 (ST) My dear Gammanpila, I am writing to congratulate you on the recent launch of your book which you claim is about searching for the mastermind of the Easter Sunday terror attacks 7 years ago. It is not that I believe the book is the result of a great investigative effort. Far from it. Still, everyone talks about it. For someone who went from being a powerful minister to an opposition politician, who is now not even in Parliament, any publicity is better than no publicity. more..

Apr 12 (ST) The whole world breathed easy last Tuesday as Iran and the USA reached a temporary ceasefire at the 11th hour through the active mediation of Pakistan – clearly at the behest of the USA and China. US President Donald Trump was quick to go to his social media to declare complete victory from his near 40-day-long effort, which was to have been a 4-day-long excursion into Iran. After tens of hundreds of Iranian deaths, including of its top political and military leadership; more..

Apr 12 (CT) The world breathed a sigh of relief following the ceasefire declared between the warring Iran and the US from an escalation in hostilities on Tuesday, following a threat by US Prez Donald Trump that a whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again, if Iran failed to move forward with a deal to open the vital Strait of Hormuz. The words followed closely with threats to send Iran back to the Stone Age and more..

Apr 12 (TM) As Sri Lankans prepare to celebrate the Sinhala and Tamil New Year on 14 April, there is a quiet but unmistakable shift in the national mood. What has traditionally been a season of renewal, abundance, and shared optimism is being overshadowed by the uncomfortable reality that this is, by almost every measure, the most expensive New Year in living memory. While the rituals remain unchanged – homes will be cleaned, hearths lit, and auspicious times observed – more..

Apr 12 (CT) In what will now be referred to as the biggest banking fraud recorded in the country’s history, the Rs 13.3 billion siphoned off from the National Development Bank reveals serious lapses in internal controls and audit oversight, with very pertinent questions raised on the corporate governance system in the banking industry. Allegedly carried out by three employees from within the bank itself; one an Assistant Manager of the Dept of Payments and Settlement, and more..

Apr 12 (TM) As the country eagerly awaits the dawn of a New Year, there is much hope that the continuing challenges faced by the country and people will take a turn for the better in the months to come. Despite hope of strong economic recovery last year, the ongoing global developments have dampened SL’s hopes of sustaining the anticipated recovery and growth, with the ADB projecting the country’s economic growth to decline from more..

Apr 12 (CT) No one knows whether the already broken ceasefire between the US and Iran, with Israel as a reluctant adjunct, will last the full 14 days, or what will come thereafter. The world’s economic woes are not over and the markets are yo-yoing in response to Trump’s twitches and Iran’s gatekeeping at the Strait of Hormuz. The gloomy expert foretelling is that full economic normalcy will not return until the year is over even if the war were to end with the ceasefire. more..

Apr 12 (SO) As the Sinhala and Tamil New Year and variations of it dawn on South Asia and South East Asia, the citizens of these countries can breathe a sigh of relief that the US and Iran have ceased hostilities for two weeks, which could be extended depending on the progress made at peace talks in Islamabad. For nearly 40 days, the world was hanging on a cliff, with a penultimate Truth Social post by US Prez Donald Trump alluding to the end of Iranian civilisation and sending it back to more..