Apr 22 (AD) Pope Francis had a very special soft corner for the poor and always spoke about the poor and the downtrodden, says the Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, who paid glowing tribute to a person who really represents Jesus Christ. Issuing a special message on Tuesday on the death of Pope Francis who passed away yesterday at the age of 88, the head of SL’s Catholic Church described Pope Francis more..

Apr 22 (NW) SL Police say that by 6 p.m. today (22), over 80,000 pilgrims have already gathered in Kandy to take part in the Siri Dalada Vandana program scheduled for tomorrow (23). Issuing a statement, police stated that the number of devotees arriving is expected to exceed 100,000 by tomorrow morning, and may further increase by noon. Given the high turnout, police have advised the public to consider visiting on one of the four remaining days allocated for the Siri Dalada Vandana program more..

Apr 22 (PMD) The Clean Sri Lanka programme respectfully urges all devotees visiting the Sri Dalada Maligawa for the veneration of sacred relics, to avoid bringing non-biodegradable items, such as polythene and to prioritize cleanliness within and around the temple premises. Visitors are kindly reminded to dispose of waste responsibly, using only the designated disposal areas. As a flagship govt programme, Clean Sri Lanka seeks to inspire a collective awakening in environmental, more..

Apr 22 (DM) Cinnamon Gardens Police informed Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali that they have identified the suspect who stole a gold-plated model ship from the Martin Wickramasinghe Foundation Museum in Kurunduwatta. The suspect, Jayakumar, a resident of Narahenpita, is currently in remand custody under an order by the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court for drug-related charges. During interrogation, when questioned about how he obtained money to fund his drug more..

Apr 22 (AD) The Heat Index, the temperature felt on the human body, is likely to increase up to Caution level in several parts of the country tomorrow (23), the Met Dept says. Accordingly, warnings have been issued to residents of the Northern, North-central, North-western and Eastern provinces and Monaragala, Hambantota districts. Under this level of temperature, fatigue is possible with prolonged exposure and activity while continuing activity could result in heat cramps, more..

Apr 22 (EN) SL needs Indian consensus to disclose the contents of the Defence Cooperation pact signed during the recent visit of PM Narendra Modi, Cabinet Spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa said. SL signed a MoU with India on Defence Cooperation, but SL govt has yet to disclose the content of the pact. Defence pact was signed amid continuous Indian pressure to stop Chinese research vessels coming to SL more..

Apr 22 (DM) A continuity pick, the possible first Asian pope or first black pontiff in centuries are among likely contenders. Predicting the outcome of the highly secretive papal conclave is near impossible as cardinals’ positions shift over successive votes and some try to game the system to influence the chances of their favoured – or least-favoured – candidates. In the last conclave in 2013, few predicted that Jorge Mario Bergoglio would be elected as Pope Francis. more..

Apr 22 (Wisden) Playing for Colombo in Dambulla, Asalanka came in at No.5 after the side's top-order had got them off to a good start in reply to Galle's first-innings score of 435. Coming to the middle at 120-3, Asalanka wasted no time in getting going and scored his first 30 runs off 41 balls. He reached his half-century with a boundary off Ramesh Mendis, his third four of the over, to get to 50 off 55 balls. From there, he continued at a pace towards his century. more..

Apr 22 (AC) Despite officially banning palm oil cultivation in 2021 due to its environmental impact, large companies involved in this market continue their activities in the country, where consumption of this ingredient remains high. The measure ultimately discourages the introduction of new plant varieties that could represent a solution to the problem, as they have a more limited impact on water resources. more..

Apr 22 (DM) The govt is questioning why some former govet members, now in the Opposition, appear so worried about the ongoing investigations into the Easter Sunday bomb attacks, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. He made this remark while responding to questions from journalists during the Cabinet media briefing held today. Journalists inquired why the names of those responsible for the Easter attacks reportedly set to be revealed on April 21 had not yet been disclosed. more..

Apr 22 (AD) Cabinet has approved a proposal to appoint Kamal Amarasinghe, a Special Grade Officer of the SLAS, as the new Commissioner General of Motor Traffic. The proposal was submitted by the Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and received Cabinet approval. Kamal Amarasinghe is currently serving as the Secretary to Ministry of Provincial Road Development, Transport, Electricity, Housing and Construction in the North Western Province. more..

Apr 22 (EN) Sri Lanka has increased three wheeler weight for electricity conversion upon request by the local manufacturers and converters, cabinet spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa said. “Local manufacturers and converters have urged the department of motor traffic to revise the definition for a three wheeler tare load, inclusive of its battery system, to 650 kilograms,” Nalinda Jayatissa said. The tare load is 500 kilograms under the Motor traffic Act. more..

Apr 22 (EN) Cabinet of ministers had approved a bill to set up an agency that will regulate online gaming, floating casinos, offshore casinos in the Colombo Port City. The entity will also regulate onshore casinos, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. The cabinet had approved the publishing of the bill in the govt gazette and presentation to parliament following a memorandum submitted by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, as the minister of finance and planning. more..

Apr 22 (DM) Referring to the reports in the social media that Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith is a contender for the papacy which has fallen vacant with the death of Pope Francis, a spokesman for the Catholic Church in SL said there is no such thing called contenders for the papacy. “There is no such thing called contenders for the papacy. Anyone out of the 252 in the College of Cardinals can be elected as the next pope,” more..

Apr 22 (NW) The Police say legal action has been initiated against over 4000 motorists for traffic violations based on evidence obtained from CCTV cameras installed in Colombo City. According to the Police, the motorists have been informed of their traffic violation via a letter sent to their residences, after which legal action has been initiated. The initiative to identify traffic violations through CCTV cameras installed in and around Colombo City commenced on 1 Feb 2024. more..

Apr 22 (NW) SL Police has warned the public of a fake letter being circulated on social media with the intention of causing disrepute to the Police Department. Police said the letter titled ‘CONVICTION’ in English bears the forged signature of the Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasuriya and also the forged official symbols of the Govt, the Supreme Court and the Police Department. Police further said that the letter, which consists of jumbled words and bears false information, more..

Apr 22 (AD) While the opposition views the upcoming LG election as just another attempt to gain power, for the govt, it is an opportunity to ensure that the allocations of public funds will reach rural communities without corruption, PM Harini Amarasuriya has stated. PM made these remarks while addressing a public gathering held in Maligawatte. PM further noted that the incumbent govt has already commenced work more..

Apr 22 (AD) Attorney General has requested the Chief Justice to appoint a Trial-at-Bar with a three-judge bench to hear the case filed in relation to the alleged importation of substandard human immunoglobulin vials. The case has been filed against 12 individuals including former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella. The request has been made based on provisions included in the Judicature Act, No. 9 of 2018. Former Minister Rambukwella has also been questioned by the CID on more..

Apr 22 (DM) To genuinely bring justice to those who died and to those permanently disabled in the Easter Sunday bomb attacks, we must unite to defeat the rabid Islamic extremist forces that are spreading like a cancer in this country, BBS General Secretary Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera said. He said that no such programme has been observed from the current government. Despite repeated announcements from various platforms promising immediate action to identify the mastermind more..

Apr 22 (FT) We see numerous discussion forums, experts, and other interested parties actively talking about our education system. Still, it’s sadly common to witness a child weighing just 24 kg struggling under the burden of a 10-kg schoolbag. I consider this as one measurement to indicate the disaster of our education system. Most of the children coming under the category of grade six to 10 have around eight subjects per day questioning whether SL educationists have done justice more..

Apr 22 (FT) The recent economic measures introduced by the United States have had a profound impact on global trade, with SL being one of the most affected nations. Under Prez Donald Trump, a series of reciprocal tariffs were implemented to address perceived unfair trade practices by several countries, including SL. These tariffs, which range from 11% to 50%, are expected to have a lasting effect on SL’s economy, particularly its export sectors and stock market. more..

Apr 22 (TM) Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith claimed that a para-State, which continues to operate within SL’s State institutions, serving the interests of former political leaders, is still working to hide the truth behind the Easter Sunday terror attacks of 21 Apr 2019. Speaking during an event at the St. Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade to mark the sixth anniversary of the said terror attacks (the main memorial service), yesterday, more..

Apr 22 (CT) Commemorating the 21 April 2019, Easter Sunday massacre at St. Sebastian’s Church, Katuwapitiya, and St. Anthony’s Shrine, Kochchikade, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith proclaimed a catalogue of faith, honouring 167 victims as Witnesses of the Faith. “Those named in the decree will be remembered as heroes who died for their faith,” he said during the ceremony held at St. Anthony’s Shrine, Kochchikade, yesterday. While not forgetting those who more..

Apr 22 (Island) URF leader Champika Ranawaka said that the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the US has identified Maulavi (Islamic preacher) Mohamad Ibrahim Naufer as the mastermind behind the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. He pointed out that the FBI had also identified the Ibrahim family as the main source of funding for the Eastern Sunday suicide attackers. Ranawaka said that Ibrahim had been granted bail though two of his sons carried out suicide attacks and his pregnant more..

Apr 22 (DM) The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the US, which conducted investigations into serial bombings on Easter Sunday in 2019, has clearly mentioned Zahran Hashim as the mastermind of the attack. “Before detonating the IED (Improvised Explosive Device) that killed himself and scores of victims, Jahran Mohamed Cassim also known as (aka) aka Zahran Hashim was the mastermind behind Easter Sunday attacks more..

Apr 22 (TM) The ruling NPP Govt is yet to decide on whether or not to support the Private Member Bill presented by NDF MP Ravi Karunanayake to repeal the Online Safety Act, No. 09 of 2024 (OSA). A gazette notification had recently been issued announcing the ‘Bill to Repeal the OSA’. When queried as to whether the NPP would support the Bill’s passage in the Parliament, NPP General Secretary and Govt MP Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe said that the party had yet to decide on the matter. more..

Apr 22 (ST) Cabinet approval is being sought to buy 1.1 million more machine-readable passports (MRPs) from Thales DIS Finland OY to meet demand until SL transitions to the e-passport, sources from the Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) said. Thales is the same company that won the DIE’s bungled tender for five million e-passports last year. The award was challenged in the Appeal Court by the losing bidder, Epic Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. An interim order stopping the DIE more..

Apr 22 (TM) Sri Lanka's inflationary trajectory claimed to -1.9%, a significant rise from the -3.9% recorded in February, data from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has shown. This uptick in inflation follows a prolonged period of deflation that has characterised much of the post-crisis economic recovery. The ongoing deflation was primarily driven by a sharp contraction in domestic demand, falling global commodity prices, and monetary tightening aimed at stabilising the rupee. more..

Apr 22 (TM) The SJB, alleged that Minister Ananda Wijepala had spoken to all police officers yesterday ahead of the LG Elections’ postal vote, and that it will lodge a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) regarding the same. SJB MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha levelled these allegations during a press briefing held yesterday, where he opined that such an online conversation, which targets all Police officers and is held several days prior to the postal vote, amounts to influencing Police officers more..

Apr 22 (Island) Former Navy Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera, said that the NPP govt owed the public an explanation regarding Indian media reports of the cancellation of joint naval exercise involving SLN and PNS (Pakistan Navy Ship) Aslat off Trincomalee. Weerasekera, who also served as the Public Security Minister during Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidency, asked whether recently signed more..

Apr 22 (Island) In a landmark move for Sri Lanka’s logistics landscape, EFL Project Logistics has completed a critical phase of deliveries for the Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT), a transformative infrastructure project poised to reshape the country’s role in global maritime trade. CWIT—a collaboration between Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd (51%), John Keells Holdings and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority—is set to be the island’s first fully automated deep-water terminal. more..

Apr 22 (DM) Sri Lanka welcomed 846,221 tourists as of April 20 this year, translating to a 14.5% year-on-year (YoY) growth, up from 739,171 tourist arrivals recorded during the same period last year. This growth trajectory is further underscored by a 19.9% YoY surge in arrivals during the first 20 days of Apr 2025 (123,945 tourists), compared to April 2024 (103,387 tourists). Despite the positive momentum, Sri Lanka faces a steep climb to meet its annual target of three million tourists. more..