Apr 10 (DM) India has proposed a land connectivity project with Sri Lanka once again during the visit of Indian PM Narendra Modi, but the SL govt has not committed yet, the Daily Mirror learns. In 2002, the then SL govt proposed a land bridge between Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, India, and Talaimannar in SL. That was based on the ancient land link called Ram Setu or Adam's Bridge. According to the plan, road & rail bridge links more..

Apr 10 (Island) Police investigating the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage have taken former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pilleyan, into custody. Police said that he had been arrested in Batticaloa and brought to Colombo. CID questioned the former lawmaker on 20 Nov, 2024 following the accusations made by Hanzeer Azad Maulana, one time spokesperson for the TMVP, led by Pilleyan, that his former leader had arranged for a meeting between a senior military intelligence officer more..

Apr 10 (FT) The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Colombo-based experts yesterday confirmed that Sri Lanka will be impacted by the high 44% reciprocal tariff imposed by the US Government, but a proper assessment will only be known in a few months. “We assume the actual impact will be felt next year,” ADB Senior Country Economist Lilia Aleksanyan told journalists yesterday during the release of the Asian Development Outlook April 2025, which will be updated in July. more..

Apr 10 (ST) Indian PM Narendra Modi has called SL to reconsider some of the recent tough steps taken by the govt to prevent Tamil Nadu bottom trawlers from entering the country’s Northern territorial waters and engage in bottom trawling on the basis of adopting a humanitarian and constructive approach, “PM emphasised that at the end of the day, it is a daily issue for fishermen and certain actions that have been taken in recent times could be reconsidered,” Indian Foreign Secretary more..

Apr 10 (DN) Sri Lanka has completely eradicated political corruption and fraud and this will soon be the case in all sectors, including the public sector, making Sri Lanka a very good business destination, especially for foreign investors, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunnetti told a Canadian business delegation that arrived with High Commissioner of Canada to SL, Eric Walsh, to explore new investment opportunities in Sri Lanka. more..

Apr 10 (TM) Election Commission (EC) stated that nominations for elections are always handled in accordance with the legal provisions specific to each election, and that it has neither the intention nor the authority to amend the relevant criteria. With a high number of nominations submitted by political parties and independent groups for the upcoming LG Elections being rejected by the respective Returning Officers, there has been an ongoing more..

Apr 10 (TM) Claiming that many business folk exploit consumers by raising the prices of essential goods every year during the festive season, National Consumers' Front (NCF) alleged that because business folk are behind all political parties – including both the Ruling Party and the Opposition – none of them stand up for the consumer. NCF Leader Asela Sampath said that the prices of essential goods are increasing without any fair ground during festive seasons every year. more..

Apr 10 (GV) The recent imposition of tariffs on trade by the US on SL exports is a wake up call. While concerns about the bilateral US-SL trade imbalance have been noted, a close reading of the Office of the US Trade Representative’s (USTR) findings suggests deeper grievances rooted not only in tariffs but in the wide array of non-tariff barriers and para-tariffs SL continues to maintain. SL’s protectionist trade regime characterised by ad hoc levies, price controls, import quotas, midnight gazettes more..

Apr 10 (FT) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) yesterday described Sri Lanka’s 5% growth in 2024 as having exceeded expectations and forecasts over 3% improvement in the economy in the next two years, but warned the country remains fragile and the outlook faces several downside risks. ADB revealed its observations on SL whilst launching its flagship economic publication, the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2025. more..

Apr 10 (ST) Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has warned the public to be cautious about online shopping scams, especially conducted through social media during the festive season. In SL, online shopping typically takes place in three key areas – official company websites, recognised online shopping platforms and social media platforms, said Asela Bandara, the CAA’s Director – Consumer Affairs and Information. “While the first two are relatively safe, social media is where more..

Apr 10 (DN) Sri Lanka Rugby is caught in a worrying situation just days before their crucial Asian Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship match against Malaysia, scheduled for April 19 at the Racecourse Grounds in Colombo. Only 49 players from the initial 64-member national pool are currently fit and available, according to sources close to the team. The rest, including many frontline players, are out injured—raising serious concerns about SL’s ability to field its best side for the vital contest. more..

Apr 10 (FT) SL–Benelux Business Council (SLBBC) of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce conducted its 29th AGM on 26 March at the Ceylon Chamber premises. Addressing the event, Chief Guest, Embassy of Netherlands to SL and the Maldives Deputy Ambassador and Head of the Economic Department Iwan Rutjens, highlighted the importance of business collaboration in fostering economic growth. He acknowledged the enduring trade and investment ties between SL and more..

Apr 10 (FT) As economic uncertainty looms globally, Sri Lanka should pursue strategic reforms, diversify exports, strengthen foreign investment and defend the global free trade system, said Japanese Ambassador Akio Isomata while pledging continued bilateral cooperation to support these efforts. This discussion took place at an interactive members’ evening with the Japanese Ambassador on the topic of Aligning Sri Lanka’s economic revival with opportunities in Japan. more..

Apr 10 (DM) Sinhala and Tamil New Year, or Avurudu, is one of the most significant and cherished celebrations in SL. This festival, which falls in April annually, is marked by cultural rituals, family gatherings, and a strong community bond. However, as SL approaches Avurudu celebrations, there is a growing concern about how the current cost of living may affect the spirit of the New Year season. In this context, it’s important to grasp how people more..

Apr 10 (Island) SL needs to take full stock of its current economic situation and use to the maximum the potential in its GSP+ facility for export sector growth. In the process, it should ensure that it cooperates fully with the European Union. The urgency of undertaking these responsibilities is underscored by the issues growing out of the recent US decision to sweepingly hike tariffs on its imports, though differentially. These were principal takes for participants in the Pathfinder Foundation’s more..

Apr 10 (CT) The recent Parliamentary intervention by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has once again brought the Parate Law into sharp focus in SL. With the Govt’s decision to extend its temporary suspension under a tiered framework until the end of 2025, the debate has entered a pivotal phase—demanding not only legal scrutiny but also broader economic and humanitarian reflection. Parate Law, a Roman-Dutch legal mechanism, empowers Licensed Commercial Banks to auction mortgaged more..

Apr 10 (Island) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s letter to US Prez Donald Trump over the US tariff hikes has received much publicity. The NPP govt is reportedly sanguine about a positive response from Washington to its request for lower tariff on SL’s exports, especially apparels. Hope is said to spring eternal, and there is nothing wrong with being optimistic, but it behoves SL to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Prez Trump’s mind is so elusive that it is not possible to predict his moves, more..

Apr 10 (ST) Indian PM Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US Prez Donald Trump – are the three main global figures that Sri Lanka has to deal with. But ask any person on the street nowadays who – among these three leaders – they are familiar with and pat would be the answer – Modi, given India’s influence in this country and also Modi’s April 4-6 visit. Modi’s visit was also part of the discussion of the trio on Thursday, a day before he arrived in the country. more..

Apr 10 (FT) UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Deputy Chief Economist Fergus Cumming was in SL this week on an official visit. He met representatives of the Govt, civil society organisations, think tanks, private sector among others. Daily FT met up with Cumming, for a recap of his observations following his first visit in March last year and how SL has managed its challenges and opportunities since then. more..

Apr 10 (DM) The recent death of a Grade 1 student who was admitted to the Ratnapura District Hospital adds to the list of innocent lives that have succumbed to medical negligence in the recent past. Taking to social media, the father of the deceased described the events that unfolded after taking the child to the hospital due to a high fever. The doctor in question had requested the father to purchase a tablet from a pharmacy, and the child had subsequently been admitted to the hospital. more..

Apr 10 (DM) Sri Lanka has potential to be self-sufficient in paddy and fish. One look at the island’s geography and this is confirmed. But we do import rice and fish; even if such business activities can embarrass us in the eyes of the global world. Just a few days ago, there were media reports circulating that a temperature-controlled agriculture warehouse was inaugurated in Dambulla under the auspices of visiting Indian PM Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. more..

Apr 10 (TM) A study of the sexual harassment of female doctors in healthcare related workplaces, found that 221 (58.6%) out of a representative sample of 377, faced such at some point in the form of suggestive looks (50.3%), sexual jokes (42.7%), sexual remarks (34.7%), inappropriate touching (69/18.3%), attempted rape (8/2.1%), rape (5/1.32%), and secretly being watched (30/7.9%) in the settings of more..

Apr 10 (TM) With the Avurudu festive season around the corner, many families are struggling to get by as the anticipated reduction in the cost of living has yet to occur. This, as some traders opined that they anticipate a slight price hike in many goods. Some traders we spoke to said that despite it being the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, they are anticipating higher prices of essentials. With the prices of essential goods stagnating and accompanied by shrinking spending power post-economic more..

Apr 10 (CT) A young street-vendor Mohammed Rushdi’s sticker expressing his anti-Israel sentiment over what is happening in Gaza since Oct 2023 has provided the rationale for an incompetent police department to arrest this youngster under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), originally introduced as a temporary measure in 1979 but made permanent in 1982 by the then Prez JR Jayewardene. Muslim community has not forgotten that it was under that same Act more..

Apr 9 (NW) The SL Police, in collaboration with the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), is preparing to launch the pilot phase of the GovPay Traffic Fines system—an online platform designed to enable motorists to pay traffic fines digitally. A workshop to finalize the implementation of the pilot project was held today in Dambulla, with the participation of senior police officials, including the Acting IGP and the DIG Traffic, along with key representatives from govt & tech. sectors. more..

Apr 9 (Xinhua) Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya has issued a directive to establish more than 14,000 public safety committees across the country, according to a circular sent by the police to media on Wednesday. These committees will be set up in all Grama Niladhari divisions, the smallest administrative units in the country, with a total of 14,022 committees to be formed, the circular said. The main goals of the initiative are to strengthen police-community relations, more..

Apr 9 (AD) The present govt has two urgent priorities before commencing the process of formulating a new constitution for the country, PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said in Parliament today. PM said the govt, when it came to power last year, was fully focused on stabilizing the economy and ensuring democracy in the country by conducting the elections that were delayed. During the PM’s questions session this morning, more..

Apr 9 (NW) Minister of Health Nalinda Jayatissa says Sri Lanka has reduced its maternal mortality rate to 25 per 100,000 live births, affirming the Health Ministry’s commitment to further lowering the rate. According to the Health Minister, the figure was well below the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 70. Minister Jayatissa attributed this feat to SL’s free healthcare system and assured to ensure the delivery of high-quality health services in the country. more..

Apr 9 (NW) Minister Bimal Rathnayake, has announced that Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake will convene an all-party meeting this week to discuss the recently imposed US tariffs. Minister said the President will meet all party leaders at the Presidential Secretariat tomorrow, 10 April 2025. “The discussion will focus on the impact of unusual US Tariffs on our exports. Today morning, 12 opposition party leaders requested to meet the president to discuss the issue,” he added. more..

Apr 9 (ADB) Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) flagship economic publication, Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2025, forecasts SL’s recovery to continue at a moderate growth of 3.9% in 2025 and 3.4% in 2026 following the strong rebound in 2024. Economic recovery that began in the second half of 2023 continued across all sectors in 2024. Inflation decelerated significantly in 2024 following major cuts in energy prices. more..

Apr 9 (NF) A police constable has been arrested in the Karadiyanaru area in connection with allegations of misleading the investigation into the 2018 murders of two police officers in Vavunativu. The arrest was made by officials from the CID. The incident dates back to Nov 30, 2018, when two police officers were killed while on duty in Vavunativu, Batticaloa. The police constable is accused of diverting the investigation by falsely claiming that a jacket found at the scene belonged to the LTTE. more..

Apr 9 (EN) Sri Lanka has deported several foreign nationals on tourist visas who were conducting businesses locally, Deputy Minister of Tourism Ruwan Ranasinghe said. “We have enforced the law on some. We have deported some as well,” Ruwan Ranasinghe told reporters. “When we try to apprehend tourists conducting business while here on tourist visas, we come across locals who are subletting to them. It is the responsibility of citizens to ensure the law of the country is upheld.” more..