Apr 7 (NW) A total of 240 complaints related to wildlife and forest offences have been received through the 1995 Surakimu hotline within five months of its launch, Ministry of Environment said. Hotline and rapid response unit were introduced on Nov 3, 2025, under the patronage of Environment Minister Dhammika Patabendi, in collaboration with the Defence Ministry, Police, Tri-Forces, and Depts of Wildlife and Forest Conservation. A progress review meeting was held on Monday (6) more..

Apr 7 (DM) SL’s credit regulator has moved to shield the borrowers hit by Cyclone Ditwah from longer-term financial fallout, introducing temporary relief measures that prevent the disaster-related repayment delays from damaging the credit profiles. Credit Information Bureau of SL (CRIB), under the guidance of the CB, said the measures would apply for up to six months and are designed to support the individuals and businesses facing cash flow disruptions from floods & cyclonic winds. more..

Apr 7 (ST) Since no human remains or artefacts were recovered during the three days of excavations at a specific spot in the suspected mass grave site in Kurukkalmadam, Batticaloa, pit was closed on Friday, according to the Office of Missing Persons (OMP). The excavation activities began on Tuesday (30) under the supervision of the Kaluwanchikudy Magistrate D. Pradeepan. This is the first time a suspected mass grave site more..

Apr 7 (FT) SJB MP S.M. Marikkar yesterday said the party would consider joining hands with the UNP, while firmly rejecting any alliance with individuals accused of contributing to Sri Lanka’s economic collapse. Marikkar characterised the UNP as the SJB’s political home of origin, suggesting that despite past divisions, cooperation between the two parties remains possible. “Imagine I got together with a girl. The father opposes. We run away and get married. The father falls sick, and more..

Apr 8 (TM) Over 1,000 incidents of abuse and violence reported from Govt and private schools from 2015 to 2025 have resulted in 425 school dropouts and six suicides, PM and Education Minister Harini Amarasuriya said in Parliament yesterday. Presenting year-wise data PM said that a total of 1,026 incidents were reported from 2015 to 2025 including 69 incidents in 2015, 67 in 2016, 78 in 2017, 86 in 2018, 85 in 2019, 66 in 2020, 62 in 2021, 82 in 2022, 117 in 2023, 155 in 2024, and 159 in 2025. more..

Apr 7 (Reuters) Four astronauts of NASA's ​Artemis II mission cruised on Monday to the deepest point in space reached by any human, following the tug of lunar gravitational force en route to a rare ‌crewed flyby over the shadowed far side of the moon. As the climactic six-hour flyby of Earth's only natural satellite got underway, some two dozen lunar scientists packed a room adjacent to mission control at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston to record the astronauts' first observations of more..

Apr 7 (TM) Despite experiencing about a 60% reduction in flight operations during the initial days of the Middle East (ME) war and a continued 30% drop in recent weeks, Civil Aviation Ministry remains hopeful of being able to achieve its year-end targets as planned, Deputy subject Minister Janitha Kodithuwakku asserted. He said the aviation sector income has declined due to the reduction in flight operations, although exact financial losses more..

Apr 7 (ST) North Central and North Western provinces stood out of the rest to emerge as the overall champions in Boys’ and Girls’ segments of the All-Island Cadet Sports Festival, held recently at the Duraiappah Stadium in Jaffna. From team events such as volleyball, netball and football to track and field events and march band and drill display events, All-Island Cadet Sports Festival was revived after an lapse of six years, with the intention of building camaraderie among cadets through sports. more..

Apr 7 (NW) The first phase of refurbishment work at the Colombo Central Bus Terminal is nearing completion, with authorities aiming to hand over the upgraded facilities to the public ahead of the upcoming Sinhala and Tamil New Year. The project is being implemented under the Clean Sri Lanka programme, with the objective of creating a cleaner, more modern and passenger-friendly public transport environment. Under the first phase, several improvements have been carried out, more..

Apr 7 (FT) Court of Appeal has affirmed a determination of the Right to Information (RTI) Commission directing People’s Bank to disclose information relating to two bank accounts maintained by the Devinuwara Uthpalawanna Sri Vishnu Maha Devalaya, holding that the information cannot be treated as private. Court also held that the RTI Commission as a quasi-judicial institution, is not required to defend its own decisions in the Appeal Court, and not required to be made a more..

Apr 7 (FT) In a major step towards public sector digitalisation, the Cabinet of Ministers last week green lighted a Rs. 626 million project to establish a unified Digital Communication and Collaboration Platform for Govt employees. The initiative will be implemented this year as part of the country’s broader digital transformation agenda under the Digital Economy Plan approved by the Cabinet on 21 Oct 2025. Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said the platform is intended to create a secure, more..

Apr 7 (TM) National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) revealed that 11,409 complaints related to corporal punishment had been reported to the Authority by 28 Feb this year. NCPA Director Shanika Malalgoda urged the public to promptly report any incidents of child abuse or corporal punishment. NCPA also noted that more than 10,000 complaints were recorded in 2025, with a total of 10,455 complaints received during the year. more..

Apr 7 (FT) Mintpay has launched its Corporate Gifting Solution, enabling organisations to issue digital vouchers that employees can redeem across more than 2,500 merchants islandwide, giving organisations a more flexible and relevant way to reward their teams. As companies rethink employee engagement, traditional gifts and single store vouchers are increasingly seen as restrictive. Mintpay’s solution allows organisations to offer rewards employees can use across a wide more..

Apr 7 (FT) Ritzbury, of CBL Foods International Ltd, has secured the SL National Quality Award (SLNQA) 2023 in the Manufacturing – Large Scale category, winning it for the second time. The achievement reflects Ritzbury’s continued commitment to world-class quality standards, strong governance, and the delivery of safe, reliable, and high-quality products, while contributing to SL’s industrial growth. The award was presented at the SLNQA ceremony organised by the SL Standards Institution, more..

Apr 7 (DN) Less than a week remains until the dawn of the Sinhala and Hindu New Year 2026. People are busier than ever, rushing to buy everything needed for the celebrations. This year, however, it is a tougher road than before, now that the cost of food, clothing, and other essentials has soared, driven by rising fuel and electricity prices. The ongoing armed conflict in the Middle East has added fuel to the fire. Our focus is elsewhere. It is drawn to the group that has long been overlooked over more..

Apr 7 (TM) As the month of April unfolds, the air in SL usually begins to carry the scent of coconut oil and the sound of the koha. It is a period defined by the spirit of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, a season where the concept of renewal is a vital psychological reset for the nation. However, this year, the sense of anticipation is being overshadowed by a far more pragmatic and painful reality. The announcement on Sunday midnight that once again the prices of domestic LP gas more..

Apr 7 (TM) From last November’s Cyclone Ditwah to the prevailing drought and the upcoming El Nińo phenomenon, SL is increasingly facing climate extremes that leave it little space to manoeuvre until the next weather event hits, placing the economy and its people under significant strain. According to Uni of Colombo, Dept of Zoology and Environment Sciences Prof. Erandathie Lokupitiya, SL is among most climate-vulnerable nations more..

Apr 7 (ST) In a nation where an IGP was once held responsible for the grievous torture of a suspect (but nevertheless continued in office until the winds of political change forced him out), it is little surprise that this week, an ostensibly unassuming police spokesman was found by a majority opinion of the Supreme Court, to be personally liable for violating the right of an attorney-at-law to exercise his constitutional right to practice his profession. Facts of this case were a tad different from more..

Apr 7 (DM) Another Easter Sunday -- the 7th after that fateful Easter Sunday which fell on April 21, 2019, has passed two days ago. Ironically, people still debate many unanswered questions about that fateful day when over 270 innocent men, women and children were killed by a group of fanatical Muslim terrorists. The fact that investigations into this brutal crime have been dragging on for seven years without finding an answer to the question who did it, is an indictment of the political leaders more..

Apr 7 (SO) Christians all over the world are celebrating the springtime religious festival of Easter today. They consider it the most important celebration, even more solemn and central to their religion than Christmas which generally takes on a popular festive culture. At the heart of Easter is the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, a radical dogma of the faith on which Christianity stands or falls. more..

Apr 7 (GV) Sri Lanka stands at a fragile yet defining moment in its economic journey. Emerging from one of the most severe financial crises in its post-independence history, the country continues to navigate debt restructuring, fiscal consolidation and a slow, uneven recovery. While recent stabilisation measures have helped restore a degree of macroeconomic balance, the deeper structural weaknesses that contributed to the crisis remain largely unresolved. more..

Apr 7 (CT) Do recent DNA studies, particularly a groundbreaking 2025 whole-genome sequencing study published in Current Biology, indicate that the Sinhalese population in SL, has strong genetic ties to South Indian populations? If that be so, does it mean racially the Sinhalese and Tamils are of the same genetic affinity but they differ only by language? Yes of course! The Sinhalese historians in order to show themselves as separate from the Tamils of SL had suggested an exclusive more..

Apr 6 (EN) Many of Sri Lanka’s groceries were no longer selling liter boxes of fresh milk, amidst fears of a price increase. Supermarket shelves were empty of the larger packet of fresh milk over the weekend and into Monday. Only smaller packets and flavoured varieties were available. Fresh milk 1-litre packs of brands like Ambewela and Kotmale generally retail around 470–550 rupees. The state-owned Milco sells its Highland Full Cream Uht 900ml milk packet for 380 rupees. more..

Apr 6 (Island) Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council, in collaboration with the Urban Development Authority and the Road Development Authority, has launched a programme to beautify the hill capital ahead of the upcoming tourist season and the annual Vasantha Senakeliya (Spring Festival). Authorities have begun planting flower saplings and improving facilities at popular attractions, including Victoria Park and Gregory Lake, in preparation for the influx of visitors expected during the festive period. more..

Apr 6 (NW) A meeting between Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the heads of banks and financial institutions was held at the Presidential Secretariat today, following the launch of the National QR Payment Promotion Initiative. Prez explained the responsibility entrusted to banks and financial institutions in ensuring the success of the National QR Payment Promotion Initiative, marking a new milestone in SL’s digital transformation. more..

Apr 6 (EN) The internal fraud at SL’s National Development Bank (NDB), which officially unfolded in early April 2026, represents one of the largest operational risk failures in the history of Lankan commercial banking. While the bank and the regulator have moved to stabilize the situation, the timeline of disclosures and the sheer scale of the loss have raised significant questions about oversight and transparency. Based on corporate disclosures and CB statements, more..

Apr 6 (DM) Shocking news has emerged from the Tamil TV industry. Popular actress Subashini Balasubramaniyam breathed her last today. Following a family conflict, the actress reportedly took her own life by hanging herself. She took this step just a few days before her birthday. Subashini committed suicide at her residence in Chennai. She was known for playing a pivotal role in the popular Tamil serial Kayal. Actress, who was of SL origin, had been residing in an apartment in more..

Apr 6 (TM) COPF has withheld approval for a key gazette notification aimed at regulating tax incentives under the Strategic Development Projects (SDP) Act, citing significant structural concerns. The decision had been taken during a high-level hearing on Tuesday (31), where COPF Chairman Harsha de Silva had described the proposed regulations as a terrible miscalculation that could hinder high-tech sector growth and more..

Apr 6 (CT) Sri Lanka lost a revenue of USD 51 million last year due to delays in preparing Electronic Navigation Charts for its Exclusive Economic Zone, said former Minister Dr Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe. He pointed out that though any ship entering any area in Electronic Navigation Charts (ENCs) of the SL Exclusive Economic Zone should pay USD 25, Sri Lanka is yet to prepare such ENCs and that mapping the deep sea requires a Deep Water Multibeam Echo Sounder (MBES), more..

Apr 6 (Island) In a significant recognition of global piritual leadership and community service, Canterbury Christ Church University has conferred its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Honour Award upon the Most Venerable Dr Kirinde Assaji, one of SL’s most respected Buddhist leaders. The award ceremony took place at the University Chapel, within the Anselm Building, as part of an official visit by the Venerable Monk to the university. The recognition celebrates his decades-long contribution to more..

Apr 6 (NW) SL Railways has announced that train services on the Northern line, including the Kankesanthurai intercity train, Night Mail train, and the Yarl Devi train, will resume this week. Services from Jaffna to Kankesanthurai will restart, with the Jaffna Intercity train and Jaffna Night Mail train operating daily from April 9, while the popular Yal Devi train will resume daily operations from April 10. The dept has announced the resumption of services following the completion of repair works more..