Apr 7 (NW) Opposition MP D.V. Chanaka has alleged that power cuts took place at 45 locations yesterday due to low-quality coal, contradicting the govt’s claim that no electricity cuts occurred. Chanaka said he had warned in Parliament nearly two weeks ago that SL would face power cuts within weeks due to substandard coal affecting electricity generation. He claimed that 45 feeders were switched off simultaneously without proper approval, resulting in power interruptions across more..

Apr 7 (DM) Ministerial Consultative Committee on Defence convened in Parliament this afternoon under the patronage of Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his capacity as Minister of Defence. During the meeting, extensive discussions were held on the progress of previously raised matters, as well as issues highlighted by MPs representing the Northern Province and both govt and opposition benches. Special attention was focused on challenges related to the release of lands more..

Apr 7 (AD) A special audit report has uncovered multiple irregularities in the coal procurement process carried out by the Lanka Coal Company for the Lakvijaya Power Plant for the 2025/2026 season. According to the report issued by the Auditor General, a controversial supplier, Trident Chemphar Ltd, had relied on laboratory reports from a loading port facility whose license had already been revoked. The audit was conducted more..

Apr 7 (NW) The Chairman of the Nuwara Eliya Pradeshiya Sabha was arrested today (07) by officers of the CIABOC over allegations of corruption linked to the approval of a building plan. According to the Bribery Commission, the Chairman approved a construction plan for government‑owned land in the Magoda Grama Niladhari Division without following the proper procedures outlined under Sections 8 and 21 of the Urban Development Authority Act No. 41 of 1978. more..

Apr 7 (NW) CIABOC today arrested former Chairman of the SL Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC), Sarath Kongahage, and former Additional Director General, Devapriya Abeysinghe, over corruption allegations. The two officials are accused of recruiting six employees outside the approved cadre of the SLRC and assigning them to the personal staff of former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella. The move is alleged to have caused a financial loss of Rs. 14.32 million to SLRC. more..

Apr 7 (Island) As households across Sri Lanka grapple with rising electricity costs, understanding where energy is consumed has become essential for effective budgeting. A recent awareness push by Lanka Transformers Limited (LTL) highlights the top eight household appliances that account for the bulk of electricity use—offering both insight and practical tips to reduce monthly bills. Leading the list are air conditioners, more..

Apr 7 (Island) Eight persons, involved in a large-scale racket in which nearly 100 illegally assembled luxury vehicles were sold at low prices and later stolen and resold, have been arrested by the Peliyagoda Crimes Division on Saturday. Police said the organised gang had been operating the scam for a considerable period by selling vehicles, lacking proper registration documents, to bargain hunters, at rock bottom prices. Investigations revealed that the suspects had secretly more..

Apr 7 (DM) The NWSDB has announced scheduled water supply suspensions as reservoir levels feeding the Labugama and Kalatuwawa water treatment plants continue to decline due to the prevailing dry weather. With both plants operating under reduced capacity, authorities said water availability has been limited, prompting the implementation of time-bound supply interruptions in several areas. Accordingly, water supply to areas including Pelenwatte, Siddamulla, Arewwala, Niwanthidiya, more..

Apr 7 (NW) Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children has a total of 2,712 children on its surgical waiting list, Health Deputy Minister Hansaka Wijemuni revealed in Parliament. He revealed the figures in response to a question raised by MP Rohini Wijerathne. Accordingly, 1,025 children are awaiting cardiothoracic surgeries, while 593 are listed for general surgery. In addition, 388 children require eye surgeries, 266 are awaiting ENT procedures, and 240 are on the list for plastic surgery. more..

Apr 7 (DM) Increasing the death toll in the human-elephant conflict in the Anuradhapura district, three villagers- two of them in Eppawala and the other in Priyankaragama- had been trampled to death by wild elephants last morning. They had died at the scene. One victim Udaya Chandana (36), was a resident of Palugaswewa in Eppawala and a technical officer of the National Housing Authority.He was father of two children. The other victim, Mangala Prasad (48), was a farmer of the area. more..

Apr 7 (Island) A programme to expand cadet activities in schools to promote national reconciliation and unity among the country’s youth was discussed at a workshop held recently in Jaffna. The workshop, organised by the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in collaboration with the Ministries of Education and Defence, was held at the auditorium of the Northern Province Governor’s Office on the 17th under the patronage of more..

Apr 7 (DN) Commemorating its 25th anniversary, CodeGen International donated a state-of-the-art ETX electric three-wheeler to the Accident Service of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka on April 6th.​ The vehicle, valued at approximately Rs. 3 million, was presented by the founder of CodeGen, Dr. Harsha Subasinghe. Speaking at the event, CodeGen officials noted that the ETX model has been specially customized to meet the requirements of emergency patient care and transport. more..

Apr 7 (DM) A total of 10,455 child protection complaints have been reported in 2025, reflecting a growing number of concerns raised by the public, according to the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA). The NCPA’s Director Shanika Malalgoda, said that 2,099 of these complaints were related to cruelty against children, highlighting ongoing concerns over child safety and welfare. She further revealed that a total of 11,409 child-related cases have been reported between 2021 and 2026, more..

Apr 7 (DM) A new generation of digital pioneers is rising from the classrooms of SL as the nation’s robotics scene hits warp speed. The 2026 National World Robot Olympiad has witnessed an unprecedented surge in interest, with participation figures more than doubling as over 500 young innovators descended on Colombo to showcase their mechanical mastery. From autonomous navigators to sustainable more..

Apr 7 (AD) At least 30 Indian fishermen have been repatriated from Sri Lanka today. The group is heading home, authorities said. 30 Indian fishermen were repatriated from SL today and are on their way home, Indian High Commission here said. According to the SL Navy, till April 2026, 15 trawlers have been seized while 102 Indian fishermen have been arrested by the Navy. In 2025, some 346 fishermen had been arrested in 44 trawlers while poaching in SL waters, the Navy said. more..

Apr 7 (DM) A heroic deed of a little boy who saved his parents and sister from imminent death when they received serious injuries in a road accident was reported yesterday from Thawalanthenna, Kotmale. The 12-year-old K. Hirantha Samarakoon is a Grade Six student of Gamini Dissanayake National School in Kotmale. His parents, his sister, and another were travelling from Welimda via Nuwara Eliya to Thawalanghenna after visiting a family friend when their van veered off the road and fell into more..

Apr 7 (Island) UN Women Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Christine Arab, concluded a two-day official visit to SL (25–26 March), emphasising that closing gender gaps in labour force participation, access to economic opportunities and decision-making are critical to the country’s inclusive recovery. She also launched the Sri Lanka Country Gender Equality Profile (CGEP), a comprehensive analysis designed to inform evidence-based policymaking and strategic investments. more..

Apr 7 (AD) CEB has made arrangements to supply electricity for Sinhala and Tamil New Year festivals and various celebrations taking place across the country this month, Minister Vijitha Herath announced. Minister stated that necessary measures have already been implemented to facilitate the provision of electricity for such events upon payment of the required fees. He further noted that organizers will be able to obtain electricity from the CEB between April 15 and April 19 by more..

Apr 7 (Island) SJB said that the NPP govt owed an explanation as to why Litro Gas Lanka Limited and Laugfs Gas PLC were allowed to increase the prices of old stocks of domestic gas. Litro and Laugfs have increased the prices of 12.5 kg cylinder by Rs. 775 to Rs. 4,765 and by Rs. 1,070, to Rs. 5,700, respectively. Convener of the Samagi United Trade Union Force (SUTUF) and Samagi Joint Trade Union Alliance Ananda Palitha said more..

Apr 7 (NW) High Court and Magistrate’s Court, currently operating inside the UNESCO‑declared Galle Fort, are to be vacated and relocated to the newly built court complex in Beligaha, Galle. The move comes under the Galle Revival Project, an integrated development initiative designed to preserve the Fort’s archaeological value while promoting tourism. The Cabinet has approved the proposal submitted by the Minister of Urban Development, which will allow the vacated more..

Apr 7 (AD) A protest was staged today in Wattala over the appointment of a new principal to the Good Shepherd Convent Balika M.V. in Nayakakanda, Wattala. Old girls and parents of students staged a demonstration in front of the school, requesting authorities to remove the newly appointed principal and instead appoint a Catholic nun in line with long-standing tradition. According to the protesters, the Nayakakanda Good Shepherd Convent has a history spanning nearly a century and more..

Apr 7 (AD) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today presented in Parliament the proposed new economic relief package for groups affected by the ongoing Middle East crisis. Prez addressing the House stated that the fertiliser subsidy for farmers will be increased to Rs. 30,000 per hectare for the Yala season, while the subsidy for other crops will be raised from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 18,000 per hectare. more..

Apr 7 (NW) National Transport Commission (NTC), in collaboration with the Department of Railways and the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), has announced an integrated transport plan to facilitate passenger travel during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year period from April 8 to 20, 2026. According to the NTC, around 800 additional inter‑provincial bus journeys will be deployed daily under the supervision of the SLTB and the National Transport Commission. These services are expected to cater to more..

Apr 7 (FT) Infrastructure is what we cannot self-supply. By this definition, even credentialing (the true product of the education system) would constitute infrastructure. President CBK thought so and had an advisor dedicated to soft infrastructure. But this article is about hard infrastructure: transportation, energy, water and the like. Explanations of their significance are superfluous. Just thinking back to the 13-hour power cuts in 2022 March that triggered the aragalaya will do it. more..

Apr 7 (DM) The song of the Avurudu Koha, known as the Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus), is a familiar feature during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year season, along with the ripening of fruits in nature. People often feel nostalgic when they hear the bird’s call, which heralds the arrival of Avurudu. This New Year, however, is likely to be somewhat different, as the sound of the bird will be heard less due to a change in its laying cycle. Environmentalist Jagath Gunawardana told more..

Apr 7 (FT) The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has introduced significant volatility into global energy markets, trade routes, and geopolitical alignments. For a small, import-dependent economy like Sri Lanka, the immediate effects are largely adverse—rising fuel costs, inflationary pressure, and external sector instability. However, crises of this scale also tend to reallocate global capital, shift supply chains, and reprioritise infrastructure investments. Within this disruption lies a set of targeted, more..

Apr 7 (FT) Banking regulator, Central Bank of SL (CBSL) said it was satisfied that the alleged Rs. 13.2 billion fraud, described as the largest disclosed in the country, has not affected the core financial strength of National Development Bank (NDB). NDB last Thursday disclosed that it has detected a fraud perpetrated by a few employees colluding with third parties amounting Rs. 380 million, with further investigations likely to more..

Apr 7 (Island) Parliament is scheduled to debate, on Friday, a no-confidence motion, submitted by the Opposition, against Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody. Parliament will meet for three days this week, beginning today (7), following a decision taken at the Committee on Parliamentary Business, chaired by Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne. An Opposition-sponsored adjournment debate on the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks is also scheduled to be held on Thursday (9). more..

Apr 7 (AD) The Director General of the Department of Meteorology of SL, Athula Karunanayake, stated that Sri Lanka is expected to receive its usual rainfall by May or June. Elaborating further, Director General Karunanayake said, “During the Southwest Monsoon, rainfall is expected to decrease compared to current levels, potentially by more than 30%. However, May marks only the beginning of El Nińo, and there is confidence that by May and June, normal rains will arrive.” more..

Apr 7 (AD) A major controversy has erupted over the fate of Yala’s famed male leopard Lucas, with authorities launching an investigation into claims that the big cat may have been run over or possibly targeted in a suspected safari jeep incident inside Yala National Park. DWC Director General Ranjana Marasinghe confirmed that an incident had been reported to him and instructed officials to carry out an immediate investigation. more..

Apr 7 (FT) The Govt has accelerated plans to deploy large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS), as it moves to address growing imbalances in the power system driven by the rapid expansion of renewable energy. At its meeting last week, the Cabinet of Ministers approved two interlinked decisions aimed at strengthening grid flexibility and enabling greater utilisation of renewable energy, particularly solar power, which has expanded faster than initially projected. more..

Apr 7 (TM) National Water Supply & Drainage Board (NWSDB) is moving to tighten oversight of new housing construction, with plans underway to make its approval for internal plumbing systems mandatory before building clearance is granted. NWSDB Chairperson Chandana Bandara said that discussions are ongoing with key agencies, including Urban Development Authority (UDA) and Electricity Distribution Lanka (Pvt) Ltd (EDL), to integrate NWSDB clearance into the standard approval more..