Apr 29 (Island) Former SL Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga said that with the blessings of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s govt he had been able to operate six flights per week from six Russian airports since 28 Oct, 2024. He said that altogether there had been 153 flights to date and they had brought in 58,886 passengers to Mattala. “99% percent were tourists,” Weeratunga said, adding that since Red Wings Airlines launched flights to Sri Lanka on 28 Dec, 2022, more..

Apr 29 (GI) The City of Dreams Sri Lanka casino remains on course for an opening in the third quarter of 2025, according to Lawrence Ho Yau Lung, CEO of Melco International Development. Ho made the remarks in the group’s 2024 annual report filed on Monday. Melco International, listed in Hong Kong, is the parent company of Nasdaq-listed Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd, which will manage both the casino and hotel operations at the Colombo development. more..

Apr 30 (CT) A planned but scurrilous campaign launched by a policy bankrupt and squabbling opposition, frightened already by AKD’s measures taken so far to end the seventy-six years old corrupt political culture built on a communal platform, has once again forced Prez AKD to engage himself in an island wide counter campaign to convince voters to give his NPP coalition another comfortable victory at the forthcoming Local Govt Elections. Contrary to the lies spread by the opposition and more..

Apr 30 (DM) When Menuri was just six, she woke up excited to take flowers to school; it was homework assigned by her teacher the day before. But a heavy rainstorm made her lose it on the way to school. When she arrived empty-handed, her teacher didn’t ask why. Instead, she hit Menuri on her hands and legs. That moment changed everything. Menuri went home crying and didn’t return to school for six months. The fear followed her for years, silencing her voice, even when she was praised. more..

Apr 30 (CT) On a sun-soaked morning in Colombo, thousands of eager children and their parents gathered at an auditorium, buzzing with excitement. Colourful banners lined the roads, school buses arrived in convoys, and street vendors capitalised on the crowd. But it wasn’t a political rally, a celebrity concert, or a national festival. It was a celebration — orchestrated by a private tuition teacher — for students who had passed more..

Apr 30 (DM) Environmental organisations and residents of the area expressed concern about the massive gravel mining project within the Sigiriya sanctuary causing extensive environmental damage. The Organisation for the Protection of Sigiriya pointed out that questions are being asked as to who permitted gravel mining in the protected forest reserve that comes under the Department of Wild Life Conservation. They expressed concern about lethargic attitude of the relevant authorities more..

Apr 30 (TM) Education reforms have long been a key political issue in SL. However, little progress has been made over the years. The NPP made significant promises to change the status quo and evolve the education system to a world class one, once they are in power. Recently, PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya announced plans to recruit teachers based on actual vacancies and reform the education system starting 2026. Speaking in Kurunegala, she highlighted the need for updated curricula, more..

Apr 30 (TM) The escalating global trade war is likely to impact developing economies like Sri Lanka, especially through potential volatility in food prices as the situation develops. Food price volatility will remain a risk and complex debt dynamics will continue to burden economies such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and SL, UNCTAD has projected in a recent report. Predicting that the global economy is set to slow down this year, more..

Apr 30 (CT) The recent stakeholder Meeting chaired by the Minister Bimal Ratnayake, introduced a series of timely and much-needed reforms in SL’s Public Bus System. The proposed initiatives include installing GPS and CCTV systems in buses, enforcing the use of seat belts for drivers, regularising ticket machine usage, piloting profit-sharing models, and enabling online ticket bookings. At face value, these decisions signal a genuine attempt to overhaul a public transport system more..

Apr 30 (ST) There was a time not too long in our post-independence history when we were drawn to Samuel Beckett. Like many of his other admirers, we were waiting for Godot. Gradually that fascination faded away as the old order rotted away and Godot gave way to the new and desecrating politicians as they fulfilled themselves in many ways—in fact, in so many ways that even the deity had not conceived in their spare time. So today we wait not for Godot but any Godaya to pass by or more..

Apr 30 (Island) Two erstwhile strange bedfellows—the UNP and the JVP—are at each other’s jugular. Following the 2015 regime change, they embarked on the UNP-led Yahapalana govt’s anti-corruption crusade. Their political honeymoon lasted for nearly five years. Hardly a day passes without President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is also the JVP/NPP leader, taking a swipe at UNP leader and former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, and vice versa. After making a statement to the CIABOC, more..

Apr 30 (DM) Dhammika Gunasekara has worn many hats over the years. From engineer and entrepreneur to artist, his talents are boundless. His recently concluded second solo art exhibition Timeless Expressions shows that Gunasekara’s foray into the art world is one of dedication and intense discipline. Having schooled at Royal College, Colombo, he pursued his undergraduate studies at the Uni of Colombo, he subsequently completed a second undergraduate degree more..

Apr 30 (ST) Elections watchdog will keep a close eye on political parties holding rallies on May Day falling within the local elections time frame. Election Commission Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said rallies will be watched to prevent any possible violations of election laws. He noted that while such events are permitted during the election period under existing regulations, the commission will stay alert to ensure more..

Apr 30 (DN) Galle paceman Nimsara Atharagalla delivered brilliant performance with figures of 5 for 101 in his 18 overs, helping Galle take a 57-run first-innings lead over Dambulla in their in their NSL Four-Day final at SSC grounds yesterday. At the close of play on Day 3, Galle had posted 139 for 4 in their second innings, with a 196-run lead. Experienced Galle batter Dinesh Chandimal remained unbeaten on 54 from 97 balls with 4 fours, while Dunith Wellalage was not out on 18. more..

Apr 30 (FT) Consulate General of SL in Toronto together with Canada SL Business Convention organised a cordial reception to welcome the visiting trade delegation from SL led by Export Development Board (EDB) to participate in SIAL 2025, one of the leading North American Trade Fairs in the region on organic foods and beverages, to be held in Toronto from 29 April to 1 May. This trade fair would be a great opportunity to the SL exporters in the organic foods and beverages sector more..

Apr 30 (DN) St. Joseph’s College and Bishop’s College soared to the top as champions in the boys’ and girls’ categories at the Intermediate Diving Championship 2025, organized by the SL Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU), which concluded on Tuesday at the Royal College Swimming Complex in Colombo. St. Joseph’s College claimed the boys’ overall title with 94 points, holding off a strong challenge from Asian Grammar School (69 points) and Royal College (64 points). more..

Apr 30 (FT) IGT 1 Outsourcing Lanka Ltd (IGT 1 Lanka), the subsidiary of IGT Holding I Sweden AB, and sister company of IFS SL, recently signed an agreement to officially on-board as office tenant at the Business Centre at Port City Colombo. The parent companies, EQT, Hg, and TA Private Equity, already have significant investments in SL, and look to leverage the modern infrastructure and advantages offered by Port City Colombo. This milestone continues to build on their success more..

Apr 30 (TM) Even though hospital administrations have been instructed to purchase pharmaceutical drugs that are in short supply at such hospitals, in some such places, the process is hindered by certain administrative issues and misconceptions, Deputy Minister Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni said. It was recently reported that the country is currently facing a shortage of over 200 types of drugs including Mixtard Insulin, more..

Apr 30 (FT) Central Bank of Sri Lanka yesterday released the publication on the Financial Statements and Operations of the Central Bank 2024, presenting an overview of the CB’s institutional performance during last year. CB noted that this statutory report was released in terms a requirement under Section 99(2) of the Central Bank of SL Act, No. 16 of 2023. The publication is structured into three main components: Operational Insights, Financial Statements & Supplementary Information. more..

Apr 30 (Island) John Keells Foundation (JKF), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) entity of the John Keells Group, marked its 20th anniversary with a special event on 25th April 2025 for its key stakeholders representing the Govt, non-govt, private and academia sectors, UN and INGO/NGO agencies and community-based organisations. Since its establishment on 28th March 2005, JKF has been a driving force in fostering sustainable growth and empowering communities across SL. more..

Apr 30 (CT) In what appears to be a progressive move towards increasing political literacy among the public, Commissioner General of Elections, Saman Sri Ratnayake, said that plans are underway to incorporate election studies into the school curriculum. He further said the EC has initiated negotiations with the Ministry of Education to include election studies in the Grade 8 syllabus. more..

Apr 30 (FT) As technology rapidly alters the fabric of the media landscape, the opportunities, threats, and ethical concerns surrounding its integration into journalism came under intense scrutiny during last week’s panel discussion. In Sri Lanka’s first-ever Media Festival 2025 hosted by the Sri Lanka-India Media Friendship Association (SLIMFA), India Today Chief Synergy Officer Shailesh Shekhar touched on the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in journalism, more..

Apr 30 (DM) Nearly 625 tonnes of unsorted garbage collected during the cleaning process in Kandy, following the ten-day exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic at Dalada Maligawa, is to be incinerated using the burner at the CMC, Kandy Municipal Commissioner Ms. Indika Abeysinghe said. She said it was not possible to sort the waste at this stage, disposed in large volumes. Garbage collection was carried out with the support of several voluntary organisations and subsequently moved to more..

Apr 30 (ST) In an attempt to halt the ongoing clean-up efforts at the National Olympic Committee of SL (NOCSL), a group of members has renewed their call for a leadership change, urging the current president to resign, citing constitutional violations and authoritarian leadership. This action contradicts the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) directive in their January 15, 2025 letter, which insisted that elections for office bearers should occur at the end of the regular term and more..

Apr 30 (TM) Cabinet of Ministers has approved the country’s first Economic Census in over a decade, with the survey to be conducted in two phases: Agricultural activities in 2025 and non-agricultural sectors in 2026. The move aims to provide critical data to shape economic policy amid the nation’s recovery from its worst financial crisis in decades. The last Economic Census was conducted in 2013/14, meaning policymakers have been relying on outdated data for key decisions. more..

Apr 30 (FT) Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Nalinda Jayatissa confirmed that trade discussions between Sri Lanka and US remain ongoing as both sides seek a resolution to the 44% steep tariffs imposed under the administration of US Prez Donald Trump. He said that SL delegation is still in Washington, DC, actively engaged in dialogue with US officials. “The discussions have not concluded. They are still continuing. more..

Apr 30 (NW) Attorney General’s Department has informed the Supreme Court that Jude Shramantha Jayamaha, convicted in the Royal Park murder case and later granted a Presidential pardon, is no longer in Singapore. The information was revealed today (29) during the hearing of a fundamental rights petition filed in connection with his release. Senior State Counsel Sajith Bandara, appearing for the AG, stated that although SL authorities initially requested Singapore to extradite Jayamaha, more..

Apr 30 (FT) Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa says move will see introduction of new laws and amendment of existing Acts. Cabinet at their meeting on Monday approved a comprehensive legislative overhaul that will see several key Acts amended and new laws introduced in 2025 towards modernising the plantation sector. The move comes as part of the Govt’s broader strategy to realign legal frameworks with evolving national policies and industry needs in the plantation and community infrastructure sectors. more..

Apr 30 (DM) Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa admitted that there seems to be a mistake in the figures presented by NPP MP Nilanthi Kottahachchi about the cost of text messages sent by the President for the New Year during the previous government. Speaking in a television interview, the Minister said that MP Kottahachchi claimed the govt had saved Rs. 98 million this year because the President did not send the usual Sinhala and Tamil New Year text messages. more..

Apr 30 (TM) Ministry of Public Security stated that the Govt would move towards repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act as amended (PTA), but would introduce new laws to deal with individuals and groups that are engaged in terrorist or extremist activities. A committee was recently appointed by the Ministry of Justice to look into the repealing of the PTA. When queried as to whether the Govt, in the event of repealing the PTA, would introduce new legislation to address terrorism & extremism, more..

Apr 30 (DM) Against the backdrop of escalation of tension with India following the Pahalgam incident and warning that the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) will be suspended, Pakistan expects Sri Lanka to play a neutral, non-aligned role which is the trademark of its foreign policy, a top diplomatic source on the situation said yesterday on condition of anonymity. It transpired during a background discussion on the current situation. more..

Apr 30 (AD) A special discussion was held today (29) between the National Organisation for the Protection of Retirees’ Rights and Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, along with Deputy Minister of Labor Mahinda Jayasinghe. The meeting, held at the Ministry of Finance, focused on addressing the salary disparities faced by pensioners. Key topics discussed included the revision of pensions in line with recent salary increases for public servants, the curbing of pension benefits since 2015, more..

Apr 30 (AD) Investigations have been launched into a controversial deal involving the Lanka Phosphate Company, which allegedly sold 3,000 metric tons of rock phosphate to three companies for export during the tenure of the previous government, resulting in a loss of Rs. 2,700 million to the state. The Illegal Assets Investigation Division of the CID has informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court of the matter, initiating the probe following a complaint lodged by a resident of the Nittambuwa area. more..

Apr 30 (EN) The next review of Sri Lanka’s bailout program is likely to go the executive board of IMF for consideration in June, Mission Chief Evan Papageorgiou said. SL struck a staff level agreement for the next phase of the program on April 25. “I think there’s good momentum from the authorities and everybody else’s point of view in completing the review,” Papageorgiou said. “It’s a long process, as you probably know, more..

Apr 30 (FT) A window of opportunity is emerging in Japan for 820,000 skilled workers from overseas over the coming five years, sharply expanding previous projections to address growing labour shortages. The figure is more than twice that for the five-year period up to 2024 set in 2019. Every five years, the govt of Japan determines the number of workers it anticipates for each industry sector. The new plan of the Govt of Japan aims to train unskilled foreign workers in specific skills more..