Apr 18 (TM) Within less than three weeks, South/Southeast Asian region has suffered multiple earthquakes, raising questions about predictions made earlier regarding the possibility of the next big one and bringing with it the sobering realisation that SL is ill-prepared for another major seismic or seismic-linked tsunami incident. Yesterday (16), a 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern Philippines, according to USGS, with no immediate reports of damage or casualties. more..

Apr 18 (CT) The 10th Parliament of SL marked a few new records and showed some positive, progressive signs in governance. For starters, the highest number of new appointments was recorded in the 10th Parliament, marking a change and a new beginning in the SL political trajectory. Moreover, it featured the highest number of female participants in the history of SL parliaments, as well as the lowest number of members who held portfolios in recent parliamentary history. more..

Apr 18 (TM) Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution recently urging the Indian Govt to retrieve Katchatheevu Island from SL. However, with SL maintaining ownership of the contested island, officials are attempting to resolve the fisheries dispute centring it. Resolution states that the retrieval of Katchatheevu Island is the only permanent solution to protect the traditional fishing of TN fishermen. It further states that more..

Apr 18 (FT) Dept of Commerce (DoC), in collaboration with the SL High Commission in London, UK, organised an awareness webinar titled Business Opportunities in the UK and Ireland, held on 1 April. The webinar attracted more than 100 participants representing a number of export sectors including apparel, IT and tech, Ceylon tea, processed foods, spices, cosmetics, and rubber products, as well as reputed trade chambers, industry associations, and business entities more..

Apr 18 (CT) Your Excellency, On behalf of the Well-wishers of Tamils in Sri Lanka, a diaspora organization actively engaged with various civil society groups dedicated to promoting the welfare and empowerment of all Sri Lankans, we write to draw your urgent attention to a deeply concerning matter unfolding in the Thaiddy region of the Northern Province. This issue pertains to the continued occupation of privately owned lands by military forces and unauthorized construction more..

Apr 18 (SO) SL’s police force, tasked with upholding law and order, now stands accused of perpetuating a cycle of violence and impunity that has shattered public trust. Recent incidents range from custodial death at the Welikada Police Station, where a mentally distressed man died under suspicious circumstances, to the midnight arrest of IUSF during a satyagraha outside the Ministry of Health, and the arrest of a young boy under more..

Apr 18 (ST) Heaps and heaps of rotting vegetables and fruits. Some of the memorable clicks by photojournalists have been that of rotting veggies at Dambulla Dedicated Economic Centre (DDEC), forced on farmers who are unable to sell their produce when sale prices drop sharply compared to their asking prices (calculating their own cost of production and inputs plus a small profit), purely because there has been an oversupply of vegetables. And with no way to store more..

Apr 18 (DM) These are irritably noisy days, especially when firecrackers are lit during the New Year. Firecrackers may be okay with noisy people who seek attention. But that is not so for people who seek a peace and quiet environment. Cats and dogs, who are terrified of crackers and creep under beds, will second what this writer has to say. Sri Lanka is a nation polluted by noise. There was a time when the public address system was ‘wilfully’ used to notify the whole town of an activity more..

Apr 17 (DM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today that steps will be taken soon to resume ferry services between Mannar and Rameswaram. Adressing an election rally in Mannar, he said discussions have already begun with the Indian govt on resuming the ferry services. Prez said the govt will take steps to release lands taken over by the security forces during the war and reopen roads which have been closed down. "Lands owned by the people were taken over by the govt during more..

Apr 17 (TM) Ministry of Energy stated that a decision regarding the CEB's directive to temporarily shut down several small hydropower plants, effective since 11 April, will only be taken after a comprehensive study, and that until then, the ministry will not intervene in the matter. This response came following an appeal by Small Hydro Power Developers Association of SL (SHPDA) to Minister of Energy to intervene and withdraw the directive to shut down several small more..

Apr 17 (FT) Small Hydro Power Developers Association (SHPDA) has strongly condemned the CEB decision to shutdown small hydropower plants across the country starting 11 April, calling it a reckless move that endangers country’s energy security and economy. SHPDA President Thusitha Peiris said the CEB’s directive, issued under the pretext of stabilising the grid during festive season, is both unjustified & illegal. more..

Apr 17 (Island) National Peace Council (NPC) has urged Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake to strengthen Provincial Council system by reducing the powers of the Governors appointed by the Prez. PCs were introduced through the enactment of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in terms of the Indo-Lanka Accord signed in July 1987. Following is the text of statement issued by the NPC: “SL has received a breathing space of three months to negotiate with the US govt regarding tariffs more..

Apr 17 (DM) The sole authorized distributor for Honda Automobiles in Sri Lanka has issued a public notice regarding the ongoing SRS Airbag System Upgrade Recall for Honda vehicle models ranging from 1996 to 2016, urging all Honda vehicle owners to take immediate action. This recall is part of a global safety initiative to address potential issues with airbag systems in certain Honda models. The company emphasises the importance of checking whether any vehicles are affected and more..

Apr 17 (Island) PHU Leader Udaya Gammanpila, who appears as counsel for Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pilleyan, detained under the PTA, alleged yesterday that the CID had prevented him from speaking freely with his client in violation of the principle of lawyer-client confidentiality. Appreciating Director CID SSP Imesha Muthumala granting him access to the leader of the TMVP within 3 hours after more..

Apr 17 (DM) The Catholic Bishops' Conference in SL, in its special message for Easter stressed that ascertaining who the perpetrators of the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019 were and those who have aided and abetted in the dastardly act, is a matter of urgency. "This Easter also marks the sixth anniversary of the Easter Sunday bomb attacks on innocent worshipers at Catholic and other Christian Churches and in other places in 2019, causing death and injuries to hundreds of people. more..

Apr 17 (DM) The temperature -controlled warehouse in Dambulla which was inaugurated during the visit of Indian PM Narendra Modi is not yet operational, an opposition MP has found. The warehouse was inaugurated jointly by the Indian PM and Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake in virtual mode. SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva who played a role in the initiation of the project earlier as a then Minister visited the warehouse recently. “There is more work to be done before it is operational. 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..

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 (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 (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 (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 (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) 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 (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 (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 (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 (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 (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 (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 (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 (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) 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..