Apr 26 (BB) Police in Sri Lanka conducted a series of raids Friday on suspected jihadists, finding in one mosque in Colombo’s suburb of Slave Island a stockpile of 47 swords alongside counterfeit military uniforms, a suicide bomber jacket, and machetes. In a nationwide address, President Maithripala Sirisena revealed that police had arrested around 70 individuals in connection with jihadist activity since the Easter Sunday bombings that killed over 250 people and have identified more..

Apr 26 (TG) Amid rising tension and fears of more terror attacks, SL faces a massive blow to its economy as thousands of holidaymakers cancel trips after the UK Foreign Office (FCO) advised against all but essential travel. Change in guidance has prompted British citizens in the country to cut short their holidays and return to the UK, and many more to cancel forthcoming trips, causing a $1.5bn loss to the economy and leaving thousands of tourism workers facing uncertainty. more..

Apr 26 (AD) SL’s tourism industry fears losing around $1.5 billion in revenue this year due to Sunday’s attacks, the country’s Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera said. “Tourism will be the worst affected,” Samaraweera told reporters. “We expect a 30% drop in arrivals and that means a loss of about $1.5 billion in foreign exchange.” He said the country could take up to two years to fully recover from Sunday’s attacks, more..

Apr 26 (CNN) Sri Lankan security forces were involved in a shootout and seized bomb-making equipment during raids in the eastern part of the country Friday, as they searched for suspects linked to the Easter Sunday bombings. A cache of explosives was seized from a house in Samanthurai, following a raid on intelligence information, police said. Security forces also found ISIS uniforms, flags, 150 sticks of explosive Gelignite, 100,000 ball bearings and a drone camera. more..

Apr 26 (AP) Catholic priests have allowed journalists inside St. Anthony’s Church in Sri Lanka for the first time since it was targeted in a series of Islamic State-claimed suicide bombings that killed over 250 people. Broken glass littered the sanctuary’s damaged pews and blood still stained the floor. Shoes left by panicked worshippers remained in the darkened church, and broken bottles of holy water and flowers were strewn on the floor. A suicide bomber struck St. Anthony’s during more..

Apr 26 (AP) At 12:10 p.m. Friday, men and boys in a Muslim neighborhood in Sri Lanka’s capital did something everyone had warned them not to do: They came together to pray. Hundreds gathered at the Masjidus Salam Jumma mosque for their communal Friday prayers, one of many mosques that conducted services despite warnings of retaliatory violence. And while praying through tears to Allah to help their fellow more..

Apr 26 (AP) President Maithripala Sirisena told reporters that about 140 people had been identified as having links to the Islamic State group, and that the government has the capability to completely control IS activities in the country. “We will completely control this and create a free and peaceful environment for people to live,” he said. Police said investigators had determined that the attackers’ military training was provided by someone they called Army Mohideen, more..

Apr 26 (AJ) Govt says rumours and misinformation on social media have stoked long-standing religious tensions. Sri Lanka's government is maintaining a ban on most social media. It says it is necessary to stop the spread of misinformation and the incitement of violence in the wake of the Easter Sunday bombings. The ban raises questions as to whether it is censorship or a government fulfilling its duty of care to its citizens. Al Jazeera's Mereana Hond reports. more..

Apr 26 (AD) A shootout between security forces personnel and an armed group has been reported during a search operation at Sainthamaruthu, Kalmunai in Ampara District, a short while ago. The shooting had taken place as STF personnel were engaged in a special search operation in the area. The STF had reportedly attempted to raid a house in which terrorist suspects were hiding when they were met with gunfire from its occupants. more..

Apr 27 (CT) Evil originates not in the absence of guilt. Evil originates in our effort to escape it. I cannot recall who said it. But it addresses our current predicament. Yes. I am punning on the fact that Hemasiri Fernando was a colossus in the local Olympic movement. An Olympian is also a person who in adversity displays graceful detachment. Hemasiri qualifies. His sin is that he was honest with his opinions. Some time ago he told a gathering of old Nalandians that there is a difference more..

Apr 27 (CT) This is essentially for those who can read in between the lines and not for the average gullible in society. If one look at the recent carnage committed by a set of Islam Religious fanatics, not uneducated, but certainly quite educated, from the well to do in society and not the poverty stricken uneducated. This lot is commonly known, as the influence of the Wahhabi’s and are more radical than the other normal Muslims. They have taken a foothold in this country under the Rajapaksa more..

Apr 27 (CT) MP Tharanath Basnayaka says the people still want a Mahinda Rajapaksa Govt. Q: Have you taken membership of the SLPP? A: No. Many of us, including myself, do not have membership neither does Mahinda Rajapaksa. Q: You are one of those who joined the JO from the SLFP. Those in the Pohottuwa are not very favourable towards you all, isn’t that so? A: Actually, there aren’t as many disputes more..

Apr 27 (GV) After three successive days of numbness, fear, anxiety, trauma, devastating sadness and anger I pen these thoughts. I do not have any rational explanation for the horror that we are experiencing. I do however feel compelled to explain how I feel. In that effort, I hope I can contribute to the several conversations that are unfolding in response to the so called Easter Sunday attacks in SL. As I moved from denial to acceptance of the carnage that took place, more..

Apr 27 (Island) The death toll from the Easter Sunday bombings has been downgraded officially from 359 to 253. These are not mere statistics; they are precious lives lost. How come such a colossal error was possible? The question is whether we can depend on a govt which cannot even count the number of people killed in terror attacks correctly, to counter terrorism effectively. PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has told Sky News that the govt was aware that some Sri Lankans had been more..

Apr 27 (ST) A strong thread, nay an unbroken rope, running distinctly through the tapestry of environmental gains and conservation battles had as its simple origins a meeting announced back in 1894. Titled Game Preservation, the Times of Ceylon of May 7, 1894, published the notice: “It is proposed to hold a Meeting at 2 p.m. on Wednesday the 23rd instant at the Bristol Hotel. All who are interested are invited to attend.” more..

Apr 27 (DN) The current national security crisis should essentially be managed within the Democratic framework of governance. Inability to protect the citizenry is not a condition that arose due to our collective faith in democratic governance, but because of an indisciplined leadership that proved to be attitudinally bankrupt in the past and in the present. We suffer in the hands of those who are incompatible with noble principles of democratic governance - the best known political model more..

Apr 27 (CT) Newspapers and TV channels are full of news these days, since the barbaric terrorist attack that caused mayhem on Black Easter Sunday, killing over 359 innocent people (including 34 foreigners, for the first time in SL history), and injuring 500 victims by a series of well-timed terrorist suicide attacks on Churches in Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa and five-star hotels in the high security zone at the heart of Colombo. This was identified as a new wave of terrorism in Sri Lanka, more..

Apr 27 (Island) Amidst the shattering shock and deepest sorrow we feel today, after the Black Easter disaster in this country, there is also cause for celebration on our latest achievement in Freedom. I don’t know and I was not informed are the buzz phrases of today from both the Prez and PM. As the country wails the tragedy of Easter, and there is rising anger at the failure to meet this threat, we are asked to embrace the ignorance of national more..

Apr 27 (Island) The Editor of The Island is a very polite man. He refers to the country electing handpicked idiots and placing them at the levers of power. Though there is room for argument as to who the actual idiots are (them or us), to have had pre-knowledge of a possible bomb attack and done nothing about it, tells us of a seriously flawed approach to governance and a lack of appreciation of the social responsibilities that go with it. Safety is the first consideration in more..

Apr 27 (EN) TUI, and European travel firm said it will stop selling Sri Lanka, send a rescue plane to take off those who wanted to return after Britain hiked a travel advisory to all but essential travel following Islamist bombings on Easter Sunday. The firm said about 200 persons from UK and another 150 from Germany were in Sri Lanka now. In Sri Lanka April is the so-called off-season. On Saturday TUI UK will send a rescue plane. TUI is linked with SL's Aitken Spence travel group. more..

Apr 27 (FT) Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday expressed confidence that SL can and will bounce back to being a stable economy, a high growth opportunity for foreign investors and an attractive destination for tourists. His optimism was after admitting that the unprecedented 21 April Easter Sunday terror attacks in the country that killed over 250, including over 40 tourists, was a setback. more..

Apr 27 (CT) The transfer orders given to 13 high-ranking Police officers have been temporarily stayed with immediate effect, said the National Police Commission (NPC) yesterday. The decision has been taken by the NPC in order to prevent any obstructions on the investigation currently underway, according to Police Dept. Accordingly, the transfers of 2 Senior DIGs, 4 DIGs, 2 Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) and 5 Superintendents of Police (SPs) have been stayed. more..

Apr 27 (CT) The International Cricket Council today announced the appointments for the league phase of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, which comprises the best 22-match officials from around the globe. The 16 umpires and six match referees finalised for the 48-match tournament include prominent members of past World Cup-winning sides who will play a vital part in the delivery of the 30 May-14 July tournament that brings together the world’s top 10 ODI sides. more..

Apr 27 (Reuters) Sri Lanka’s former wartime defense chief, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, said on Friday he would run for president in elections this year and would stop the spread of Islamist extremism by rebuilding the intelligence service and surveilling citizens. Gotabaya, as he is popularly known, is the younger brother of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the two led the country to a crushing defeat of separatist Tamil rebels more..

Apr 27 (ST) Commercial Bank of Ceylon has become the first bank in Sri Lanka to offer access to over one million Boingo Wi-Fi hotspots worldwide at no additional charge to holders of World Mastercard credit cards issued by the bank. This global benefit allows eligible persons to enjoy Wi-Fi in locations such as hotels, retail outlets, cafes and restaurants, airports and even on-board flights operated by select airlines. Eligible Commercial Bank World Mastercard cardholders can use the Boingo service for more..

Apr 27 (CI) Over the past two weeks, as the ten sides announced their provisional World Cup squads, we sought your opinion on the unluckiest players to miss out from each team. Every other squad had an omission or two that divided opinion, none more than SL, followed by India, Australia and Pakistan. Here is the missing XI, assembled based on your votes. It comes with the caveat that some of them might still make it to the final squads come May 23, given the ICC has allowed teams to more..

Apr 27 (Island) President Maithripala Sirisena, assured that the govt would conduct a no holds barred inquiry into the Easter Sunday carnage and punish those involved, regardless of their standing in society. Prez said so when The Island sought his response to UPFA MP S.B. Dissanayake and TNA MP M. A. Sumanthiran, alleging that Minister Rishad Bathiudeen and Eastern Province Governor M.L.A.M. Hisbullah, respectively, had links to more..

Apr 27 (Island) On the orders of Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister in charge, all the institutions coming under the Ministry of Vocational Training and Skills Development and SLITA are shut down with immediate effect. Accordingly, all training courses conducted by the National Institute of Technical Education, Ocean University of SL (National Institute of Fisheries and Nautical Engineering), Ceylon German Technical Training Institute, National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority, more..

Apr 27 (DN) Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu said that recent terrorist acts in Sri Lanka have reaffirmed the long overdue need to join efforts to control the movement of terrorists and eliminate their sources of funding. The Minister expressed support to Sri Lankan partners and offered sincere condolences to relatives and friends of those who suffered at the hands of terrorists He was addressing the VIII Conference on International Security in Moscow on Apr 23 and 25 more..

Apr 27 (CNN) Zahran Hashim had preached hate and violence for years. On Easter Sunday, at the Shangri-La hotel in Colombo, he put those words into action. As guests took breakfast in a cafe overlooking the sea, Zahran blew himself up, Sri Lankan officials say. If a later video released by an ISIS-affiliated news agency is to be believed, Zahran was the leading figure in a band of suicide bombers who tore apart hotels and churches more..

Apr 27 (DN) SL women’s double pair Thilini Hendahewa and Kavidi Sirimannage defeated Indian pair in the first round to enter the pre-quarterfinal stage of the Asian Badminton Championships which is now in progress at Wuhan Sports Centre Gymnasium, China. However, the Lankan pair lost to Taiwan in the pre-quarterfinal stage after giving a hard fight in a two-setter game. Hendahewa and Sirimannage won in a three-setter against Indian pair P. Dandu and S. Santosh more..

Apr 27 (Island) Women’s rights organizations decrying Easter Sunday’s terror said: We condemn the bloody attacks in Negombo, Colombo and Batticaloa, in churches and hotels, on Apr 21 2019, Easter Sunday. We send our deepest condolences to those grieving the loss of their loved ones, friends and colleagues. We commit to upholding the values of peace and coexistence on the island. On Easter Sunday, observed by those the world over as a holy day which marks the resurrection of Jesus more..

Apr 27 (CNBC) As Sri Lanka reels from the aftermath of the deadly bombings on Easter Sunday, economists have started to assess the potential economic damage from the attacks — with some already downgraded the country’s growth for 2019. But for the governor of Sri Lanka’s central bank, it’s far too early to quantify the economic impact from the attacks, much less revise down a growth forecast. more..

Apr 27 (ST) Dialog Axiata, held the grand finale of the Dialog App Challenge, powered by Ideamart and Dialog Home Broadband, SL’s 1st inter-school app challenge on April 3, with Parameswaran Praveenan and Tharsika Parameswaran representing Jaffna College, being crowned champions and winning prizes worth Rs. 300,000. Held in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the all-island initiative aimed to educate and ignite a passion for software development amongst O/L and O/L students more..

Apr 27 (FT) The Diyawanna Declaration with recommended steps for religious leaders, politicians, authorities, Government officers and citizens to curb religious hatred and extremism was launched yesterday at the Parliamentary complex during an all-faith, all-party conference. The conference was convened by the Select Committee of Parliament for National and Religious Harmony as a post-event conflict resolution aftermath of the Easter Sunday attacks. more..

Apr 27 (DM) While rejecting allegations levelled against him, Minister Rishad Bathiudeen yesterday vouched that neither Mujibur Rahman nor Azath Salley had any involvement in extremist terror outfits but said he can’t keep track of daily activities of each and everyone he interacts with. He told a news briefing that he was not involved in getting any suspects arrested in Mawanella or Wanathawilluwa, released. more..

Apr 27 (FT) The Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese joined Sri Lankan Catholics, Buddhists, and Muslims at a packed interfaith solidarity meeting Tuesday (23 April) at a church in Lomita in Los Angeles County to honour the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks. The hastily organised meeting, widely publicised on social media, drew hundreds, a rare occurrence on a weekday evening. Father Alexei Smith representing the Archdiocese called the attacks at several Catholic churches more..

Apr 27 (DM) All Ceylon Jammiyathul Ulama (ACJU) President Sheik M.I.M. Rizwi Mufti said yesterday he gave details about the National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ) Leader Mohamed Zahran to former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando in January this year. He said he urged him to arrest this man. Speaking at the meeting of religious and political leaders in the parliamentary complex, the Mufti said he had informed the responsible people in the present regime on the presence of IS terrorists more..

Apr 27 (DN) The Diyawanna Declaration was launched at a special all faith and all party conference convened at Parliament by the Select Committee of Parliament for National and Religious Harmony yesterday. They called on the President, PM and the Opposition Leader to work together regardless of narrow political, religious or party differences, emphasising the need for the three arms of govt, Executive, Legislature and more..

Apr 27 (AD) The National Security Council has decided to reopen all schools and universities in the country on May 06, the President’s Media Division said. The decision was taken during the Security Council’s meeting which was held this evening (26), chaired by President Maithripala Sirisena. The council has decided to push back the date for reopening the schools and universities, considering the prevailing security situation in the country. Schools were closed for the term holidays more..