Apr 6 (FT) Hatton National Bank (HNB) CEO Damith Pallewatte pushed back against criticism of high lending rates to micro, small and medium enterprise (MSMEs), arguing that current pricing reflects funding costs rather than excessive spreads during a panel exchange with Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe. Deputy Minister questioned why banks were charging around 11% on SME loans backed by collateral and proper financial documentation when inflation remains near 2%, suggesting more..

Apr 6 (AD) Deputy High Commissioner of SL to Southern India in Chennai Ganesanathan Geathiswaran on Sunday rejected claims he took part in a meeting with fishermen hosted by any political party. Stating that it was a routine visit and that the event was not organised by any political party, Mr. Geathiswaran said, “I’m not here to do politics.” Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Pawan Khera, in a social media post, referred to the meeting reportedly held in more..

Apr 6 (ST) Lanka Coal Company Ltd (LCC) this week floated a tender for 2.28 million metric tonnes (MT) for the 2026-27 season, changing several of the bid conditions with the objective of avoiding a procurement similar to the ongoing fiasco of substandard coal. While some of the terms have been tightened, tender this time is open to eligible and qualified coal suppliers, rather than the usual registered coal suppliers. more..

Apr 6 (DM) Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa has alleged that the continued silence of health authorities over the controversial Ondesterone vaccine, suspected to be linked to several patient deaths, raises serious concerns. Dr. Sanjeewa, Chairman of the Doctors' Trade Union Alliance for Medical and Civil Rights, questioned why international reports related to the vaccine have not yet been disclosed to the public. He said several hospitals across SL had reported deaths more..

Apr 6 (DN) Spinners Thanuga Palihawadana (5/44) and Sethru Fernando (4/36) bowled well to pick 9 wickets between them to wreck the Isipathana second innings for 109 as Thurstan fought back to record an innings and 8-run win in their 63rd Battle of the Brothers cricket encounter and bagged the Blackham Wijewardena Trophy at the SSC grounds yesterday. The match ended with almost two sessions to spare. It was Thurstanites’ superb bowling performance with spin duo more..

Apr 6 (FT) Private sector credit showed a sharp rebound in February, with fresh borrowings rising 74.7% month-on-month to Rs. 144.3 billion from a nine-month low in January, even as overall lending momentum remained below late-2025 peaks amid lingering post-Cyclone Ditwah disruptions and before the outbreak of the Middle East war. New private sector borrowing from SL’s banking sector slowed sharply to Rs. 82.6 b more..

Apr 6 (Island) As geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to unsettle global energy and trade flows, SL appears to be finding a degree of resilience by deepening economic engagement with partners such as Russia and the UK. Recent diplomatic and trade developments suggest Colombo is positioning itself to benefit from both energy cooperation with Moscow and expanded export opportunities in the British market, potentially softening the impact of external shocks more..

Apr 6 (DN) Leg spinner Wanuja Sahan had a superb figures of 5 for 13 as Sri Lanka ‘A’ notched up an easy 140 runs win over New Zealand ‘A’ in their first unofficial ODI of the 3- match series played at Galle International Cricket Stadium yesterday. New Zealanders chasing a target of 262 were all out for 121 in only 28.4 overs and leg spinner Wanuja Sahan was leading from the front taking 5 for 13 in his 6.4 overs to restrict opponents for just 121 runs. Wanuja was adjudged the Man of the Match. more..

Mar 6 (FT) Micro-Star International Ltd, (MSI), headquartered in Taiwan, recently hosted its Partner Excellence Awards in Colombo, bringing together over 100 partners and industry stakeholders to celebrate outstanding performance and strengthen its growing partner network in SL. With a presence in over 130 countries, MSI is globally recognised as a leading technology brand offering a comprehensive portfolio including PC components, notebooks, desktops, displays, and accessories. more..

Mar 6 (FT) A regional workshop on enhanced transparency and cooperation for climate action concluded recently in Colombo, bringing together representatives from countries across Asia and the Pacific and Central Asia to strengthen collaboration on climate transparency, agrifood systems transformation, and engagement in the lead-up to the 31st session of the 2026 UN Climate Change Conference (COP31). Held from 11 to 13 March, the workshop convened Govt representatives, more..

Mar 6 (FT) In a significant and welcome development, the Govt last week decided to revise the much-debated Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill 2026 following strong objections and a Supreme Court challenge. The Bill, which was placed on the Order Paper of Parliament, faced immediate legal pushback when five petitioners challenged several provisions, arguing that they were unconstitutional. The contested clauses included attempts to more..

Mar 6 (Island) A nation’s future is shaped not only by its economic policies or technological progress, but by the historical consciousness of its people—especially its younger generation. Education is the most powerful means through which a society transmits its collective memory, values, and sense of purpose. Within this process, history occupies a singular and irreplaceable role. It is history that tells a child who they are, where they come from, what their forebears endured, and more..

Apr 6 (CT) The plight of SL, an island nation of about 23 million people caught in the after-effects of a war in faraway Iran and GCC countries (Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – UAE), reminds one of Satyajit Ray’s acclaimed 1973 film Ashani Sanket (Distant Thunder). The movie depicts the sufferings of a small village in Bengal due to the Great Bengal Famine triggered by World War II. SL was rudely awakened to the reality of the war in Iran more..

Apr 6 (DN) The world is facing the challenge of importing fuel due to the armed conflicts in the Middle East. Sri Lanka has to bear the brunt of it. To manage limited stocks and minimise consumption, many countries have adopted strategic measures. The immediate benefit of saving money aside, fuel conservation is already an option without choice in terms of ensuring an uninterrupted supply of electricity. Work From Home (WFH) has been the go-to concept in the times of crises. more..

Apr 6 (FT) In the late 1990s, the Quantum speculation of George Soros sent a cold shiver through the counting-houses of South Asia. As the Thai baht and the Malaysian ringgit buckled under the weight of hot money flight, the region’s central bankers learned a painful lesson: liquid capital is a fair-weather friend. In 2001, seeking a more stable class of suitor, SL’s policymakers looked north to India’s Non-Resident Indian model. The result was the Rupee Account for Non-resident SL more..

Apr 6 (CT) With the US effectively losing support from many of its Western allies, the future of the Middle East conflict remains increasingly away from Donald Trump’s favour. It was a very angry, clearly worried, and possibly very defeated US Prez who, on Wednesday, retorted that he would be seriously considering leaving NATO. Coming close on the heels of an outright rejection of support by the US closest ally, UK, with British PM very strongly more..

Apr 6 (SO) The April 1971 uprising was not an accident of history. It was the expression of a generation’s accumulated grief at inequality, broken promises, and a post-Independence order that had delivered independence but withheld justice from its people. The young men and women who rose that month did so because all other avenues for change had been pursued to no avail. They were not reckless. Their actions were desperate, but principled. They were motivated to more..

Apr 6 (DM) Independence of the judiciary is, without question, an essential element of a functioning democracy. In recognition of this, ample provision is made in the highest law of our country, the Constitution, to engender an environment in which the courts are able to fulfil their public responsibility with total acceptance. As part of this protective apparatus, judges of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal are assured of security of tenure by the provision that more..

Apr 6 (DM) Pasku Praharaye Mahamolakaru Soyayema (In Search of the Mastermind of the Easter Attacks) is the title of a book written by PHU party leader and former Cabinet minister, Udaya Gammanpila. The book launch event held in Colombo on March 31 was well attended. Among those in the audience were Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa and former Presidents Maithripala Sirisena and Gotabaya Rajapaksa. more..

Apr 6 (GV) By the time Christians complete their Holy Week observances on Easter Sunday, at one end of West Asia, the Holy Land itself will be nearing a genocide count of 80,000 and at the other end, Iran is being bombed back to the Stone Age according to a twisted fantasy of the bombers. The bombers themselves are the most malignantly innovative in hominin history; worse, the most prolific serial bombers. Imagine if the Al Queda had access to just a tenth of the explosives more..

Mar 6 (Island) Seven years have almost elapsed since the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage, but there are still no answers to some vital questions about the tragedy that shook the world. Several schools of thought have emerged on the mastermind/s behind the 2019 terror strikes. It is being claimed in some quarters that the terror attacks were carried out by NTJ leader Zahran Hashim and his followers at the behest of Islamic State (IS), which was suffering severe setbacks at the time. more..

Apr 5 (ST) As Sri Lankans prepare to celebrate the upcoming National New Year, the NPP govt is facing multi-pronged challenges that threaten to unleash disastrous consequences for the country in the coming weeks. One of the most pressing is a potential electricity crisis that may result in scheduled power cuts having to be imposed for a prolonged period. Last Sunday, the govt officially launched its Surakimu Lanka more..

Apr 5 (ST) China this week stepped in to offer Sri Lanka fuel stocks on a priority basis in a bid to maintain stable fuel supplies. China’s Ambassador Qi Zhenhong met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath yesterday to assure support to Sri Lanka, given its perilous situation in obtaining adequate fuel stocks. This was after Sri Lanka also sought assistance from China in addition to seeking support from India and Russia. more..

Apr 5 (AD) The strike launched by the GMOA against the appointment system for doctors who have completed their internship lacks any basis for discussion, Minister of Health and Mass Media, Nalinda Jayatissa has stated. The Health Minister said that if there are concerns regarding the system, the GMOA should resolve the issue through the courts instead of taking patients’ lives hostage. Expressing his views today (4) on the trade union action, Minister Jayatissa stated that more..

Apr 5 (TM) Sri Lanka will not seek additional financial assistance from the IMF despite recent disaster-related pressures, according to Finance Ministry officials, who maintain that the country’s recovery programme remains on track within its existing financial framework. Ministry of Finance Dept of Fiscal Policy Director General Dr. Kapila Senanayake said that the Govt had no immediate plans to request further funding, more..

Apr 5 (ST) Sri Lanka has turned down a Russian offer to go nuclear in the energy sector after Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko, who was on a visit to SL recently, said discussions could begin should SL express an interest in obtaining a small modular nuclear power plant for the country. Talks with Russia for a small nuclear plant have been ongoing for several years. Russian Ambassador Levan S. Dzhagaryan, who met with Minister Vijitha Herath early March more..

Apr 5 (SO) Security will be stepped up across the country as Christians celebrate Easter Sunday today, with police and military personnel deployed in and around churches following special instructions issued by the IGP Priyantha Weerasuriya. IGP has directed all police stations to implement heightened security measures, particularly in areas surrounding Christian places of worship. The authorities said that the measures are precautionary to ensure the safety of worshippers. more..

Apr 5 (Island) The internationally recognized Walk for Peace, originating from the US, is set to take place in Sri Lanka starting April 21, led by the Most Venerable Paññakara Thero and a delegation of twelve monks from the Maha Sangha, President’s Media Division said. Spanning seven days across the island, this pilgrimage’s purpose and concept are guided by the Buddha’s teaching, Caratha bhikkhave carikam bahujana hitaya bahujana sukhaya lokanukampaya more..

Apr 5 (ST) Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, facing a significant drop in arrivals, wants the government to expedite a campaign to be launched to showcase the country as safe and open with no issues. Sri Lanka Inbound Tour Operators Association President Nalin Jayasundera said said that compared to last year they expect a drop this year due to the restrictions on air travel and increased fuel costs impacting arrivals from Europe, a traditional market for Sri Lanka. more..

Apr 5 (AD) Leader of Opposition, Sajith Premadasa attended the launch of book Searching for the Mastermind of the Easter Sunday Attacks, authored by Udaya Gammanpila, leader of the of PHU, confirmed SJB MP Mujibur Rahman confirmed. The confirmation comes after some SJB members claimed that Premadasa did not actually attend the event and that his presence was artificially created using AI technology. MP Rahman said: “You would have to ask him directly,” he said more..

Apr 5 (TM) Sri Lanka is haemorrhaging approximately $ 70 million monthly due to the conflict in the Middle East, SLTDA stated on Friday. To mitigate the impact on the tourism industry from Middle East tensions following the Israel-US war on Iran, SL authorities are scrambling to recalibrate tourism strategies by shifting focus towards Asian markets, where travel is less dependent on Middle Eastern transit hubs, more..

Apr 5 (DN) A speedy and environment friendly mechanism for the Biodegradable Waste Management was implemented jointly by the Govt and the private sector in the Sabaragamuwa Province. Under this mechanism, the Ratnapura MC and a private sector organisation Aqua Terra has implemented a pilot project recently at the Ratnapura Kanadola Waste Recycling Centre. With this novel method, larvae of a fly generally called Black Soldier is used to decompose Biodegradable more..