Apr 30 (TM) For decades, cricket was the invisible thread that stitched together the various fabrics of our society. In times of war, economic hardship, or natural disaster, the national team provided a singular reason for a fractured nation to exhale in unison. It was never merely a sport. It was stitched tightly into our identity, a source of joy, and a symbol of a small island punching well above its weight on the global stage. Yet today, that thread has frayed. The resignation of the entire SLC more..

Apr 30 (ST) Yet today, SL is grappling with serious policy challenges in trade and macroeconomic stability. Few seem to grasp the gravity of the issue. Over the past three years, people have made significant sacrifices to restore stability, but this hard‑earned progress cannot be sustained without a breakthrough in trade performance. Without stronger trade outcomes, not only is macroeconomic stability at risk, but so too are the prospects for income growth, job creation, poverty reduction, more..

Apr 30 (CT) International terrorism expert and founder of the Int'l Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, and Editor of the Handbook of Terrorism in the Middle East, Prof. Rohan Gunaratna, speaks to Ceylon Today on the escalation of conflict in the Middle East and the volatility the future holds for SL in view of the growing threat to the Indian Ocean. Q: Sri Lanka announced the strengthening of its security and more..

Apr 30 (TM) It is true by the modern Gregorian calendar that every coming day is just another day. Yet, one day is set aside for workers across the world. So, in two days, we mark May Day. In Bread and Roses (2000 film by Kenneth Charles Loach), a low-wage janitor named Maya tells her exhausted sister: "They can have our sweat. But they can't have our dignity. Therefore, this day belongs to us." The line travels well beyond the screen. It sits easily in real life. more..

Apr 30 (GV) In Sept and Nov 2024, the NPP govt led by Prez Dissanayake swept to power on a historic wave of popular discontent. Voters exhausted by decades of entrenched corruption, dynastic misrule and the catastrophic 2022 economic collapse turned to an outsider movement that promised nothing less than a systemic transformation of the country’s political culture. Thousands of kilometres to the northwest, a strikingly similar story had unfolded a decade earlier. more..

Apr 30 (TM) For decades, families living along the fragile borderlands of Mullaitivu and Vavuniya have known little but upheaval, war, displacement, enforced disappearances, lost deeds, abandoned homes, and the long struggle to begin again. Many started rebuilding their lives after 2009 through farming, fishing, and cattle rearing, believing that peace had at last brought a chance at permanence. Today, however, more..

Apr 30 (DM) The NPP govt, since it was voted into power in 2024 thanks to the unprecedented economic crisis the country underwent four years ago, is gradually learning to mend the gap between theory and practice in politics, yet giving ammunition to its adversaries. Their teachings and arguments as an Opposition party before assuming power were mostly theoretical and attractive, but now as a party in power they have begun to feel that some of the theories they have been stressing are more..

Apr 30 (DM) Sri Lanka Cricket Board Chairman Shammi Silva’s resignation came in at a time when the most popular sport in the country is gasping for breath. Cricket, once a much-celebrated sport in every nook and corner of the country, gradually became unpopular among the masses due to its corrupt nature. With players showcasing poor performances and sometimes losing matches at a rate, much to the dismay of fans who were ready to support the team despite these shortcomings. more..

Apr 29 (NW) Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court today imposed a fine of Rs. 500,000 on a restaurant located in the food court of a shopping mall in Colombo 04 for selling drinking water bottles above the govt‑regulated Maximum Retail Price (MRP). The case followed a raid by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA), where an officer posing as a customer purchased a 500ml water bottle. The restaurant charged Rs. 100 but returned only Rs. 20 in change, effectively overcharging Rs. 80 more..

Apr 29 (NF) Information continues to emerge regarding investigations being conducted by the CIABOC into the assets of former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa and his wife, Shiranthi Rajapaksa. Bribery Commission has stated that the affidavit submitted by former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa in connection with the assets investigation was found to be incomplete. Commission said that, as a result, he has been informed to submit a fully completed affidavit without delay. more..

Apr 29 (DM) SL’s reliance on tobacco taxes is facing a growing policy contradiction, with Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC) warning that repeated excise hikes are accelerating a shift toward illicit cigarettes, potentially undermining Govt revenue even as the sector remains a major fiscal pillar. CTC, in its latest Annual Report said it contributed Rs.173.8 billion to the Treasury in 2025, around 4% of total tax revenue, highlighting more..

Apr 29 (TM) Minister of Fisheries, Ramalingam Chandrasekhar has strongly condemned the recent incident in which a SL national was arrested and severely assaulted in India. Minister emphasised that such acts constitute a serious violation of human rights and significantly harm the mutual respect and trust between SL and India. He highlighted that ensuring the safety and dignity of all citizens is a fundamental duty of any govt, and actions of this nature are unacceptable. more..

Apr 29 (Island) The latest A/L results show that the Central Province has fallen to the 8th position in the national rankings, according to Senior Assistant Education Secretary of the Province Prabath Maddumaarachchi. He noted that the North Central Province is the only province ranked below them. He made these remarks while attending the 26th Professional Lecturers’ Meeting held at the City Hotel in Kandy. “The field of education is a highly sensitive sector. more..

Apr 29 (NF) Former State Intelligence Chief, retired Major General Suresh Salley, who is currently being held under a detention order in connection with the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, was presented before a Judicial Medical Officer this morning. Salley was produced before the Colombo JMO under tight security provided by the STF. This step was taken by the CID following a court order issued based on a request more..

Apr 29 (TM) Deshabandu Sirisumana Godage, the founder of Godage Publications and a prominent figure in SL’s printing and publishing industry, has passed away at the age of 90. He was conferred with the Deshabandu title in 2003 in recognition of his services to society. Born in May 1936 in Palatuwa village in the Matara District, he was the sixth of nine siblings. He completed his education at Gunaratana Maha Vidyalaya in Palatuwa and later moved to Kalutara at around the age of 15 more..

Apr 29 (TM) The group of Buddhist monks and participants who completed the seven-day Ehipassiko peace walk in Sri Lanka departed the island this morning (29). Led by Venerable Pannakara Thero, a Vietnamese monk based in US, the delegation left BIA at 7:12 a.m. bound for Istanbul, Turkey, with plans to connect to the US. The delegation included monks, lay participants, and a dog named Aloka. During their departure, they offered alms at the airport’s VIP lounge, more..

Apr 29 (EN) UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is providing fertilizer vouchers to smallholder paddy farmers to recover production in time for the upcoming Yala cultivation season. The farmers in Anuradhapura saw their fields partially or fully damaged by Cyclone Ditwah during the Maha cultivation season in SL 2025/26. Through a voucher scheme valued at 300,000 dollars, FAO will provide targeted fertilizer support to 3,489 smallholder paddy farmers, including 1,686 women farmers. more..

Apr 29 (AD) Sri Lanka and Indonesia have held discussions to grant visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders of both countries. The proposal was deliberated during a visit of the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, Muhammad Anis Matta, who undertook an official visit to Sri Lanka, at the invitation of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Arun Hemachandra. During the visit, Vice Minister Matta held bilateral discussions with Deputy Minister Hemachandra. more..

Apr 29 (DM) As incidents of digital harassment and misuse of personal contact details continue to rise, Police have reiterated the legal safeguards available to protect the public. Police said individuals who are subjected to repeated harassment through phone calls or messages now have clear legal grounds to take action under SL law, following strengthened provisions introduced in recent amendments to the telecom egislation. more..

Apr 29 (DM) Vietnamese Buddhist monk Ven. Pagnakara Thera says he believes a dog named Aloka may have been a monk in a previous life, speaking at a Dhamma session held yesterday at the Kelaniya Rajamaha Viharaya. He suggested that, due to past actions and discipline, the monk may have been reborn as a dog but has now found its way back to a spiritual path. “Because of his actions and discipline, maybe he was reborn as a dog. Now the dog has found the path again, more..

Apr 29 (NW) A Russian delegation led by Health Minister Mikhail Murashko will undertake a three-day visit to Sri Lanka in May. According to the Ministry of Health, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko will be in SL on an official visit from 3–5 May. During the visit, the Russian Health Minister will hold discussions with his SL counterpart, Nalinda Jayatissa. Russian delegation will hold discussions on strengthening relations and cooperation between Russia and SL in the health sector. more..

Apr 29 (TM) SLC has reportedly revised national player contracts with fresh bonuses on offer and fines imposed for series losses across all formats, in a bid to usher in a new results-driven era under the stewardship of Men’s head coach South African Gary Kirsten. The new performance-based payment structure has been incorporated to the revised national player contracts, following the advent of the ex-Proteas opener more..

Apr 29 (DN) A high-level discussion on modernising railway services in the Colombo suburban area was held this morning chaired by Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The meeting focused on the implementation of the Colombo Suburban Railway Project, with particular attention given to the introduction of electric train services in its first phase. Under these plans, electric trains are expected to operate along the Kelani Valley Line from Maradana to Makumbura, Main Line from Colombo Fort more..

Apr 29 (DM) A vendor operating on the Meenagaya train service was fined Rs. 100,000 by the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court yesterday after being found guilty of selling bottled drinking water above the maximum retail price. The case involved a 1000 ml (1 litre) water bottle, which has a stipulated maximum retail price of Rs. 100. However, the vendor had sold the same item for Rs. 160, overcharging passengers by Rs. 60. The incident occurred on the train service operating more..

Apr 29 (DM) Health experts in SL have raised concern over a rising number of gastritis-related cases, estimating that nearly 25% of patients seeking medical attention are now presenting symptoms of the condition. Medical professionals say the most common symptoms include abdominal bloating, abdominal pain, indigestion and loss of appetite, which can significantly affect daily routines if left untreated. Doctors further warn that stress is emerging as a major contributing factor, more..

Apr 29 (AD) The decision on the revised electricity tariffs is scheduled to be announced on May 9, PUCSL stated. Accordingly, the Commission said that public consultations on the special electricity tariff revision proposal for 2026 will begin today (29). Due to rising global fuel prices, National System Operator (Pvt) Ltd. submitted a revised cost estimate for electricity generation for the second and third quarters of 2026 to the Commission for approval on April 27, 2026. more..

Apr 29 (Island) The launch of a dedicated wildlife unit at Mattala Rajapaksa Int'l Airport is expected to deliver significant economic benefits by improving aviation safety, strengthening ecotourism and enhancing SL’s investment appeal, Wildlife Conservation Dept Director General Ranjan Marasinghe said. Speaking at the signing of a MoU between the Dept of Wildlife Conservation and Airport and Aviation Services (SL) Ltd, more..

Apr 29 (NW) Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court today directed the CID to report on July 8 the progress of investigations into a complaint concerning alleged misuse of state funds involving former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and former Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake. Appearing for the complaint, Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris informed the court that indictments against the suspects would be filed before the next hearing date. He further stated that consideration is being more..

Apr 29 (EN) SL Customs exceeded its monthly target for a fourth consecutive month, achieving the April target before the end of the month. Customs’ April revenue target was set at 181.3 billion rupees. However, the revenue collecting body had already collected 186.5 billion rupees in the first 27 days of the month, exceeding the target. Customs has set a revenue target of 2,207 billion rupees for this year, 13.5% less than last year as it expects a significant decline in car imports. more..

Apr 29 (AD) An interim committee headed by former MP Eran Wickramaratne has been appointed to run Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) following the resignation of SLC president Shammi Silva and his Executive Committee. Former SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne has been appointed as the Chairman of the new Sri Lanka Cricket Restructuring Committee (Interim Committee) by Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage at the ministry more..

Apr 29 (TM) A warm weather advisory has been issued for residents of the North-Central, Eastern, and Sabaragamuwa provinces, as well as in the districts of Kurunegala, Monaragala, Vavuniya, Mullaittivu, and Kilinochchi. Met Dept forecasts that the heat index—the temperature felt by the human body may rise to the Caution Level in some areas within these provinces and districts during the day tomorrow. The heat index is calculated based on relative humidity and maximum temperature, more..

Apr 29 (FT) The woman venerates the dog, or does she? This was the minor controversy unfolding at the beginning of the Walk for Peace that had reached Sri Lanka, following its remarkably successful conclusion in the USA (even though the whole exercise seems to have had little direct and immediate effect on the imperial war machinery there). The group of monks on the peace walk are from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Texas, led by the Vietnamese monk more..