Apr 16 (TM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake joined New Year celebrations at a newly rebuilt house constructed under Govt compensation after being destroyed by Cyclone Ditwah. Prez visited the home of Indrajith Sampath Senarathna this morning (14) and participated in Sinhala and Tamil New Year rituals with the family and local residents The house was completed within five months and is one of six fully rebuilt homes in Galnewa DS area under the compensation programme. more..

Apr 16 (AD) A total of 434,338 vehicles traveled on the expressway system during the period from April 10 to April 12, the Road Development Authority (RDA) states. The revenue exceeding Rs. 163 million was generated in three days. Meanwhile, on April 12 alone, the revenue of Rs. 45 million was recorded, the RDA said. The RDA also requested that if any vehicle traveling on the expressways encounters an emergency, it should be reported to the 1969 emergency call center. more..

Apr 16 (ST) South African coal sold to Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd (LCC) by problematic coal supplier Trident Chemphar was repeatedly tested in Indonesia by a laboratory whose accreditation to inspect coal expired on Dec 29 last year, SL’s National Audit Office (NAO) said. As of March 31 this year, the NAO had not received evidence that the licence granted by Indonesia’s national accreditation committee more..

Apr 16 (AD) Long queues of vehicles were reportedly observed today (15) at the Pinnaduwa entrance of the Southern Expressway in Galle. Significant traffic congestion was reported intermittently at both the entry and exit points of the interchange. Meanwhile, the National Transport Commission (NTC) has announced that additional bus services will be deployed starting today (15) to accommodate commuters returning after the Sinhala and Tamil New Year holidays. more..

Apr 16 (AD) A total of 36 road traffic accidents have been reported to the Colombo National Hospital during the New Year period on April 13 and 14, hospital sources said. Two individuals died as a result of these accidents. Meanwhile, a total of 19 road accidents were reported on April 13, while 17 accidents were recorded on April 14, which coincided with the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. Meanwhile, 35 assault-related incidents have also been reported during the same period. more..

Apr 16 (AD) Two bodies have been recovered this afternoon (15) near the Verugal Aru Bridge on the Mahaweli River, where a father and his four sons were swept away while bathing. The accident had occurred yesterday (14) when the father and his four sons had gone to bathe in the river and were caught in strong currents, resulting in a drowning incident. However, the father and one son had managed to survive. Accordingly, of the remaining three who went missing, the bodies of two individuals more..

Apr 16 (AD) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has called on the Most Venerable Aggamaha Pandita Makulewe Wimala Mahanayaka Thero of the Ramanna Nikaya and engaged in a brief discussion. Prez visited Vidyavasa Pirivena Maha Vihara in Minuwangoda, Meerigama, where the Venerable Thero resides, this afternoon (15), and inquired after his well-being. On this occasion, the Venerable Thero chanted Seth Pirith and invoked blessings on the Prez for the Sinhala & Tamil New Year, more..

Apr 16 (ST) Despite a collective commitment to student safety, a lack of infrastructure, water facilities and impractical guidelines have created a critical dilemma for professionals managing heat wave risks. When questioned about the impractical guidelines issued to protect students from heat, Deputy Minister Madhura Senevirathna said that sanitary and water facilities were the top priority of the 2025 budget. more..

Apr 16 (ST) Sri Lanka’s digital transformation is undergoing a major structural shift, characterised by the replacement of the long-standing Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) after 23 years in operation, with two new specialised entities. The World Bank and Asian Development Bank have pledged US $125 million collectively over the next four years, supplemented by Rs. 2 billion from the Treasury for the initial setup, a senior Finance Ministry official said. more..

Apr 16 (AD) The brother of notorious underworld figure Karandeniya Sudda, the organized crime suspect known by the alias Raju, has been arrested in India. The charges against Jayalath de Silva, alias Karandeniya Sudda and his brother Sanath de Silva alias Raju were filed in connection with the recent series of murders centered in the Southern Province. Although Karandeniya Sudda is identified as the leader of the criminal gang, police said that all assassination contracts received by him more..

Apr 16 (EN) Policy makers responding to the short-term effects of the West Asia war shocks must not lose sight of broader forces affecting the global economy from geopolitics and trade, IMF has warned, but must strike a careful balance between safeguarding fiscal sustainability and protecting those who are hit the hardest. “So, to maintain their fiscal policy credibility, policy makers need to strike a careful balance between more..

Apr 16 (SLN) The Indonesian Navy Sailing Ship KRI BIMA SUCI – 945 arrived at the Port of Colombo on a goodwill visit on 15 Apr 26. The visiting ship was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in compliance with time-honoured naval traditions. The vessel's arrival is a key highlight of the ASEAN Plus Cadet Sail (APCS) – 2026 programme, accompanying a diverse contingent of Navy cadets from 26 different nations alongside their Indonesian counterparts. more..

Apr 16 (CI) Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have picked SL's left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka as an injury replacement for Brydon Carse for the remainder of IPL 2026. Madushanka will join SRH for INR 75 lakh. Carse, who was retained by SRH ahead of the 2026 auction, hurt his right hand while batting in the nets before the tournament opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). SRH head coach Daniel Vettori had hoped for a quick recovery at that time but that did not happen. more..

Apr 16 (CT) The National Olympic Committee of SL officially unveiled Team SL for the upcoming 6th Asian Beach Games. The announcement marked a significant step in the nation’s preparations for the continental event, which will be staged in Sanya, China from 22 to 30 April 2026. The Games, set against the tropical backdrop of Sanya’s coastline, will feature athletes from across Asia in a vibrant celebration of beach and sea sports. SL will field a contingent of 109 members, more..

Apr 16 (TM) Former SL cricketer and coach Muthumudalige Pushpakumara has taken up the role of Coach of the China National Cricket Team. Sharing photographs on social media, he said: “Honoured to step onto the field with the China National Cricket Team for the first time.” He was seen engaging in discussions with officials and the team at Zhejiang University of Science and Technology in Hangzhou, China. All-rounder Pushpakumara, 44, represented SL in 3 ODIs more..

Apr 16 (TM) Investigations into a recent surge of sophisticated cybercrime operations in SL have exposed a deeply concerning operational model underpinning these illicit activities. Authorities said that foreign digital fraud syndicates were not operating in complete isolation but were increasingly leveraging local criminal networks to execute and sustain their schemes. ASP F.U. Wootler revealed that ongoing investigations more..

Apr 16 (ST) As the old devil’s year-long reign dragged toward its inevitable end, it seemed hellbent not on walking into the sunset with a stylish wave of resigned grace, but on leaving Lanka with a shocker to be impaled on throughout her traditional new year set to dawn on Tuesday: the rising scandal at National Development Bank’s 13 billion-rupee fraud, which may well cause the govt’s downfall. Thirteen billion local bucks are not peanuts, not even in American dollars and dimes. more..

Apr 16 (Island) The escalating crises in the Middle East are yet another reminder, if one were needed, that the world is becoming more volatile, more polarised and less predictable. For a small, relatively open economy like SL, the implications are immediate and profound. A US$10 increase in global oil prices can add hundreds of millions of dollars annually to Sri Lanka’s import bill. Remittance flows which amounted to about US$8 billion in 2023 are heavily exposed to the Gulf economies. more..

Apr 16 (DN) The impact of the war in the Middle East continued to have a knock-on effect on Sri Lanka prompting President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to announce several relief measures to cushion this impact last week. This is while the opposition focused on the upcoming anniversary of the Easter terror attacks. The conflict between the United States (US) and Israel on the one hand and Iran on the other began on Feb 28. It has now escalated into a full-blown war. more..

Apr 16 (GV) Religions are supposed to enshrine our moral values. Hence their sanctified position in any society as the indispensable institution guiding our morals. However, almost all societies have more than one religion and each individual identifies herself with one of them. This seclusion is interesting and merits some reflection. If all religions contain more or less same codes of ethics which are intended to make people think and behave better, why is society divided along the lines of more..

Apr 16 (TM) The substandard coal procurement for the Norochcholai Lakvijaya Power Plant has become a litmus test for the good governance credibility of the Govt, with concerns being raised about it by the media, activists, and the Opposition for months, with the Govt resisting calls for accountability thus far. The coal power plant, itself the source of many previous controversies & multiple nationwide power outages, more..

Apr 16 (ST) With less than two weeks to go before the 7th anniversary of the Easter Sunday terrorist attack, Parliament held yet another adjournment debate on one of the country’s darkest chapters in recent history. While there was nothing to distinguish this debate from multiple others that had been held on the same subject since 2019, it was a stark reminder that even after almost seven years, victims’ families were yet to find closure or receive justice. Much of the debate more..

Apr 16 (TM) Herpetologist and 2026 World Snake Congress Scientific Committee Secy. Gen. Dr. Nimal Rathnayake speaks about the fearful symmetry of these mythic and stigmatised scaly-beings that are a vital part of the ecosystem, the science behind them and the intertwined survival of humans and reptiles. Snakes are a widely overlooked, feared, despised and even mythologised group in nature. Despite their timid disposition and tendency to avoid humans, and their crucial role in controlling more..

Apr 16 (CT) With a weather-beaten face, SR looks older than his years. By his own admission, he is a coolie near Paranthan in Northern SL — a life of drudgery far removed from the time when he was a Tamil Tiger, fighting a protracted and determined war to carve out an independent Tamil homeland. Ever since, he surrendered to the military in 2009, along with thousands of LTTE guerrillas, SR has led a difficult life, struggling to adjust to more..

Apr 16 (DN) 650 exajoules, was the number forworld energy consumption in 2024. Emerging and developing economies amount to 80% of the growthin the global energy usage with China leading the way. 38% of energy demand growth is being serviced from renewable sources while the remaining 54% of demand is still serviced from sources such as oil, natural gases and coal highlighting worlds heavy reliance on non-renewable energy sources. more..

Apr 16 (CT) Sri Lanka is once again confronted with a crisis that is neither external nor inevitable, but fundamentally institutional. Controversy surrounding Lanka Coal Company reflects more than a breakdown in procurement; it reveals a deeper erosion of governance within a strategic state-controlled entity. At its core lies a simple but powerful reality: when institutions entrusted with national responsibility fail, consequences are transferred directly to the state & ultimately to the people. more..

Apr 13 (NW) The New Year, known as Aluth Avurudda in Sinhala, and Puththandu in Tamil, is celebrated by both communities by observing various rituals and customs. According to traditional astrological belief, Sun completes its movement across the twelve segments of the Zodiac in the course of a year taking one month to travel each constellation. Transition of the Sun from the House of Pisces to the House of Aries marks the beginning of more..

Apr 13 (AD) In view of the upcoming Sinhala and Hindu New Year, SL Transport Board (SLTB) has announced that buses will continue to be deployed today (13) based on passenger demand for those travelling to their hometowns. SLTB Chairman Sanjeewa Kanagaratne stated that a decrease in passengers travelling from Colombo to outstation areas was observed by last evening (12). The past few days, around 1,500 additional buses had been prepared to operate from Colombo to more..

Apr 13 (DM) The UAE has introduced a new visa regulation making police clearance certificates mandatory for applicants from selected countries, with Sri Lanka included on the list. The new rule, which came into effect in April 2026, requires individuals applying for UAE residence visas to submit official proof confirming they have no criminal record. Authorities say the move is aimed at strengthening security measures and enhancing residency screening procedures. more..

Apr 13 (ST) It’s funny. Every few years, the SL financial industry is abuzz with questions like what went wrong? It started with Pramuka Savings and Development Bank, which collapsed in 2002 due to severe mismanagement. Golden Key Credit Card Company, a member of the Ceylinco Group, collapsed four years later after securing substantial deposits with high interest rates, resulting in a major financial scandal and more..

Apr 13 (AD) Approximately 55,000 passengers have travelled from the Makumbura Multimodal Centre (MMC) to their hometowns since April 8, authorities say. The highest number of departures was recorded on April 11. She made these remarks while inspecting the operation of scheduled bus services at the Makumbura Multimodal Centre today. A structured system has been implemented to ensure passengers can access safe and convenient transport services. more..

Apr 13 (NW) Police have arrested a suspect over an incident involving damage to property at the Pettah Central Bus Stand, which was recently renovated and reopened for public use on 8 April. The complaint was lodged with the Pettah Police Station by the Welfare Division of the bus stand, following reports of damage to newly installed facilities. Following investigations, officers arrested a 33-year-old resident of Kelaniya on 11 April in the Kelaniya area. Police also recovered some of the more..