Apr 2 (TM) Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has requested time until the second week of this month (April) to submit the final report on the islandwide power outage that occurred on 9 February to the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL). Former Minister of Power and Energy Patali Champika Ranawaka recently claimed that a CEB report had revealed that the said power outage was caused by a defect at the Victoria Power Station, and accused the CEB of attempting to alter the report. more..

Apr 2 (Island) Environmental groups, including Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS), Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) and the Environmental Foundation Ltd (EFL), are raising renewed concerns about the potential ecological impact of large-scale wind energy development on Mannar Island. Conservationists argue that the island, home to a unique and sensitive ecosystem, faces serious risks from industrial projects that may disrupt biodiversity & endanger local wildlife. more..

Apr 2 (NW) A new govt initiative aimed at ensuring food security and making nutritious meals affordable for the public was officially launched today (1) at the Palessa restaurant of National Food Promotion Board (NFPB) in Narahenpita. This project is being implemented in collaboration with the NFPB, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Agriculture. It also involves the support of existing restaurant businesses and is integrated with more..

Apr 2 (Island) There was a growing sense of uncertainty surrounding the hosting of the 120th edition of the Lovers’ Quarrel Big Match after Richmond College raised concerns over an attempt by Mahinda College to field a newly recruited player in the team at the historic match which was scheduled to commence on Thursday. Richmond College authorities have informed Mahinda that they would pullout from the match if the newly recruited player who played for St. Aloysius’ in the more..

Apr 2 (DM) SL authorities could look at potential demonetisation—to push the population to embrace digital payments once all key elements of the country’s digital infrastructure is in place, possibly two years down the line. Tech entrepreneur, impact investor and ICTA board member Harsha Purasinghe shared that the govt could follow a path similar to India’s 2016 demonetisation, but only once critical systems like digital ID and seamless payment networks are in place—likely within 2 years. more..

Apr 2 (FT) Vehicle Importers’ Association Lanka (VIAL) has raised serious concerns over delays and mismanagement in vehicle imports, blaming the Finance Ministry for making wrong decisions that have led to unprecedented issues in the industry. The association claims that the two Deputy Ministers responsible were acting irresponsibly failing to address key issues affecting importers. Govt lifted the ban on vehicle imports after a five-year hiatus on 1 Feb after careful consideration. more..

Apr 2 (TM) Sports Minister Sunil Gamage continued to beat the drum for the amending of the archaic Sports Act and touted it being the panacea for most of the ills plaguing the nation’s sporting sphere. “The root cause for the ills afflicting the country’s sporting firmament, is the old-fashioned Sports Act in my opinion,” he said. “The existing Sports Law needs to be amended to suit the needs of sports men and women, while diminishing the clout wielded by sports federations and associations, for good. more..

Apr 2 (FT) Federation of Renewable Energy Developers (FRED) sounded the alarm over a looming crisis sparked by the proposed new tariff system awaiting Cabinet approval. With 150 to 200 projects stuck in limbo, FRED warns that if progress stalls, the CEB could face annual losses exceeding Rs. 13 billion. FRED Chairman Thusitha Peiris highlighted one of the most contentious aspects of the proposed agreement is a clause allowing the CEB to more..

Apr 2 (ST) One of the first things a tourist falls in love when they visit Sri Lanka is the Sri Lankan hospitality and the food. Compared to other countries, SL food is very unique with its mix of spices. However the country has not promoted its food tourism globally. Chef Gerard Mendis, Chairman of the Chef’s Guild of Lanka shared these sentiments with the Business Times at the media launch of the Culinary Art Food Expo (CAFE) 2025 held at the Marino Beach Hotel in Colombo more..

Apr 2 (ST) The Attorney General’s Department is considering to indict former SL cricketer Sachithra Senanayake in the Colombo High Court following the receipt of his voice test report. Senanayake, who is currently out on bail, was previously remanded for allegedly attempting to lure two Colombo Kings franchise players into corrupt activities during the inaugural Lanka Premier League (LPL) in 2020. The former off-spinner, a member of Sri Lanka’s 2014 T20 World Cup-winning squad, more..

Apr 2 (FT) Sri Lanka’s tourism sector is riding a wave of growth in 2025, drawing over 722,000 visitors at the end of first quarter, outpacing the performance for the same period in the industry’s best year of 2018—but lagging behind record haul of 740,600 in 2019. The 229,298 March arrivals pushed the year-to-date (YTD) tourist numbers to 722,276—reinforcing the sector’s steady growth and marking a strong end to the peak winter season. more..

Apr 2 (Island) Petrol was unavailable at some filling stations yesterday as their stocks had not been replenished in anticipation of a petrol price reduction. The govt reduced the prices of petrol by Rs. 10. Long lines of vehicles were seen near the fuel stations where petrol was available. Some people delayed refuelling their vehicles until the announcement of the monthly fuel price revision, expecting substantial fuel price reductions in view of the upcoming LG elections. more..

Apr 2 (ST) Chief Justice Murdhu Fernando said the legal profession was required to play a critical role in safeguarding democracy, justice, and judicial independence. Addressing the 51st Annual Convocation of the Bar Association of SL (BASL), she stated, “A strong and independent bar working alongside the principal judiciary ensures that justice remains unshaken despite the turbulent storms that may later ensue.” The BASL’s new president, Rajeev Amarasuriya, was inducted at the ceremony. more..

Apr 2 (FT) Roar Adx, a leading digital platform media solutions company, is celebrating five years of driving Meta advertising solutions and growth for brands across the country. Since its inception, Roar Adx has delivered over 10,000 hours of expert consultancy, empowering over 5000 brands to scale their Meta advertising success through tailored strategy, data-driven creativity, and seamless local billing solutions. Roar Global Chief Marketing Officer Umair Wolid said: more..

Apr 2 (FT) Free Trade Zone Manufacturers Association conducted its 44th AGM on 28 March with Tropical Finding Ltd, Director Dhammika Fernando re-elected as the Chairman and Filotex Lanka Ltd Director M.H.Z.M. Marzook was elected as the new General Secretary for the period 2025/2026. ATG Ceylon Ltd Managing Director Fazal Abdeen and Screenline Holdings Ltd, Director Nishantha Bakmeege were elected as the Vice Chairmen Lalan Rubbers Ltd, more..

Apr 2 (TM) Fourteen months after the country’s worst ever motor racing catastrophe – the 2025 Fox Hill Supercross, is set to roll again on 28 and 29 June, as per the year planner, released by the Administrative Committee, formed to oversee the sport, in place of the dissolved SL Automobile Sports (SLAS). The tragic accident at Diyatalawa on 21 April 2024, claimed close to 10 lives and saw 20 others suffering injuries and it prompted more..

Apr 2 (Island) Education should be genuinely free—not just in the sense of being free from privatisation, but also in a way that empowers students by freeing them from oppressive structures. It should provide them with the knowledge and tools necessary to think critically, question the status quo, and ultimately liberate themselves from oppressive systems. Education should empower students to think critically, challenge oppression, and envision a more just and equal world. more..

Apr 2 (Island) Arch rivals Trinity College Kandy and St. Anthony’s College Katugastota have remained as two of the highest ranked schools cricket teams in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ cricket tournament this season. After having reached the business end of both the two-day tournament and the limited overs tournament, the two teams can take the enviable title as ‘the most successful Big Match rivals’ this season. That will serve as an inspiration for both teams when they meet for more..

Apr 2 (TM) Hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankans, particularly women in rural areas, continue to be victimised by unregulated microfinance practices in SL, despite repeated calls for multiple governments to act against the vicious cycle of debt that has led to strife, suicide and destitution. Northern and North Central Provinces have been the most impacted. Nevertheless, despite claims on the political stage to address the issue, the Govt has taken little or no concrete action regarding the issue. more..

Apr 2 (GV) Last year, I studied in some depth perceptions of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and NPP after the consequential prez election and again after the even more significant general election. In Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s origin story in Tamil and Sinhala: What the stresses, and silences showcase, published soon after the prez election, Tamil sentiments towards AKD, based on YouTube comments against viral videos featuring his hometown, reflected a complex mixture of more..

Apr 2 (TM) The upcoming LG Elections have encountered a significant hurdle with the rejection of 420 nominations. Election Commission (EC), headed by Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake and Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayake, has made it clear that these rejections are based strictly on legal provisions, primarily concerning youth and women representation, as well as procedural errors in nomination process. more..

Apr 2 (ST) It was bound to happen. SL’s career diplomatic service has long had a troubled past. That is not to say a really bad time away from home, particularly by incompetent and ignorant bosses from discarded political rubbish or dubious lineage that does little to improve the image of the country or those who wish to keep it clean. But as the country’s diplomatic stature deteriorates and its reputation around the world suffers a deleterious descent, as did our economy not too long ago along with more..

Apr 2 (CT) Another year, another brutal case of university ragging — this time, a first-year student from the Uni of Jaffna has reportedly suffered severe physical assault at the hands of seniors. His father has turned to the UGC, Police, and HRC, pleading for justice and protection for his son. But, honestly, how many more such pleas need to be made before someone, anyone, takes real action? University ragging in SL has long since shed any pretence of being a harmless initiation ritual. more..

Apr 2 (CT) On an ordinary weekday morning, seven-year-old Kavisha wakes up at dawn, rubs her sleepy eyes, and braces herself for the day ahead. Like many of her classmates, her morning routine includes a ritual that is becoming all too familiar for students across SL: Packing her school bag, which often weighs almost as much as she does. Her small frame struggles with the large bag stuffed with textbooks, exercise books, more..

Apr 2 (DM) Teething is the process by which an infant’s first teeth emerge through the gums. It usually occurs when an infant is between 6 and 10 months old and usually causes discomfort and pain to the infant. Teething sometimes becomes painful to both babies and parents. Some infants tend to behave in a cranky manner before their new teeth emerge. Our infant JVP/NPP govt seems to be going through such a process. The varied silly statements made by different members of the Cabinet more..

Apr 2 (DM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake was quoted as saying in one of those election rallies: “It usually takes a decade for a bankrupt nation to make an economic comeback. But we have been able to turn around the SL economy within a surprisingly short time.” This is both true and false. True because SL has shown a surprising degree of resilience through its darkest days of economic crisis. The country has risen from the nadir far quicker than the economic pundits and more..

Apr 1 (AD) Minister of Justice and National Integration Attorney-at-Law Harshana Nanayakkara reaffirmed that introducing a new constitution and abolishing the executive presidency will be key priorities under the NPP govt. Minister emphasized that these reforms would be implemented within the next five years. “We conducted the parliamentary elections, and now we must proceed with the long-overdue local govt elections, which have been delayed for two years. more..

Apr 1 (DM) Social activist Sanjaya Mahawatte said that he had given a successful statement to the CID for nearly four hours regarding an accident involving a modern pilot vessel stationed at the Trincomalee Harbour, which resulted in a loss of over Rs. 250 million. Speaking to the media after his statement, Mahawatte revealed that the vessel was operated by Ganaka Hemachandra, Deputy Harbour Master Captain Aranpath, and K.B.S. Jayalath at the time of the accident. more..

Apr 1 (DM) An elephant was seen toppling a safari jeep in Yala National Park while tourists were inside the vehicle. Warden of the park, Manoj Vidyaratne, said that the incident occurred two weeks ago on the Katagamuwa road within the park. "The elephant that toppled the safari jeep was not one of the usual elephants encountered by safari vehicles. It was a new, solitary elephant that had emerged from the forest reserve. more..

Apr 1 (DM) Being overlooked amid performances has been the story of his life, but spinner Akila Dananjaya always finds a way to come back stronger. He made his debut as a teenager in a T20 World Cup (2012) encounter against NZ. After being overlooked by the U-19 selectors, the off-spinner made an instant impact, picking up two wickets in what eventually turned out to be a memorable game, with SL winning in the Super Over. However, one shouldn’t forget to credit one of the greatest more..

Apr 1 (AD) MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake has been ordered to be remanded further until April 8. This order was issued after he was produced before Colombo Magistrate’s Court today. Dassanayake, who was taken into custody on March 27, was granted bail in two of the cases but was ordered to remain in remand custody over the third charge. The court had previously remanded him until today for further proceedings. The allegations stem from his tenure as the CM of Uva Province in 2016. more..