Apr 2 (CT) All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) urged traders to refrain from hoarding essential goods and make them available to the public. In a statement, the ACJU said it has been reported that some traders, anticipating a price increase, have reportedly hoarded essential commodities and are not making them available to consumers. Islam strongly condemns this practice, they said. “Hadith has warned against such hoarders and declared them liars and cursed them. more..

Apr 3 (CT) A tense situation arose at the entrance of the road leading to Prez’s private residence in Mirihana, when thousands of people held a protest against the economic crisis and demanded the Prez to resign, on Thursday evening, a first in SL history. The massive protest initially started as a silent protest at Jubilee Post Junction in the evening with the participation of several hundreds. However, after a few hours, thousands of people, more..

Apr 3 (Island) Lord Naseby: UK dispatches have cleared SL of five major accusations. This banner headline of the front-page lead story by Shamindra Ferdinando, in The Island of 31 March, would have eased, at least slightly, the pains of Sri Lankans undergoing hitherto unknown sufferings. Lord Naseby fell in love with Sri Lanka during his stint as the marketing manager for the famous British firm Reckitt & Colman in the 1960s. His fond memories of the stunning scenery, and more..

Apr 3 (DN) The unbeaten St. Joseph's cricket team will meet De Mazenod Kandana on April 5 while Richmond will take on unbeaten Mahanama on April 7 in their Under 19 Division One Tier ‘A’ Limited Overs semi-finals and both games are scheduled to be played at Surrey Grounds Maggona. Josephians led by Shevon Daniel had an easy six-wicket win over Wesley in the quarter-finals while Daniel and experienced leg spinner Dunith Wellalage took 4 wickets each to strangle Wesley for 167 more..

Apr 2 (FT) COVID-19 vaccines were administered to 4,612 persons on Thursday and 77.59% of the total population has received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Second dose coverage in the country is 65.77% and third dose coverage is 35.87%. 17,010,480 persons have received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 14,422,231 persons have received the second dose. The booster dose has been administered to 7,877,798 persons. This includes 2,467 persons vaccinated on Thur. more..

Apr 3 (CT) Saminda Fernando played a magnificent innings to revive Jaffna’s innings against Colombo on day two of the semi-final of the National Super League 4-Day Tournament being played at MRICS, Hambantota. Adding another 48 runs to their overnight score, Colombo posted 272 in their first innings on the back of a brilliant century from Kusal Mendis. The right hander went on to score 114* runs off 241 deliveries including 10 boundaries to help his team post a decent score. more..

Apr 2 (Island) Steeplechase runner Nilani Ratnayake put back the disappointment of missing the Tokyo Olympics when she produced a superb world-leading time of 9:47.47 seconds at the first selection trial in February. More than a month after that feat her timing is the eighth fastest in the world for a steeplechaser this year and more importantly she is ranked 33rd in the World Athletics’ Road to Oregon World C'ship rankings. more..

Apr 2 (CT) The two premier Buddhist schools in SL, Ananda College Colombo and Nalanda College Colombo, will clash in the ‘Battle of the Maroons’ Annual One day Cricket encounter (2021) for the late ‘P. De S. Kularathne Trophy’ at the R. Premadasa Int'l Cricket stadium today (3). More than 50 national cricketers have been produced by both schools, prominent among them being Bandula Warnapura, Sidath Wettimuny, Arjuna Ranatunga, Roshan Mahanama, Mavan Atapattu, more..

Apr 2 (TM) In a special statement released in response to the protest that took place in Mirihana, Leader of the UNP Ranil Wickremesinghe said that last night’s demonstration erupted as there has been no solution provided to the problems faced by the citizens. He further went on to describe the incident as a result of the collapse of the current political structure. “Govt has failed to solve the problems that are plaguing the citizens of SL. Opposition has also failed to uphold their responsibility. more..

Apr 2 (TM) A former ambassador for SL pleaded guilty today to diverting and attempting to embezzle $332,027 from the govt of SL during its 2013 purchase of a new embassy building in Washington, D.C, The US Attorney’s Office – District of Columbia said. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves, Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, Dept of Homeland Security more..

Apr 2 (CT) Monetary Board (MB) Member Samantha Kumarasinghe has tendered his resignation, from MB of Central Bank, to Prez Rajapaksa amidst growing public anger over the economic crisis. However, it was not clear whether Prez has accepted his resignation or not. Kumarasinghe is the owner of one of the country’s largest herbal cosmetics companies and he is also well known for his protectionism in trade. He was appointed to the MB after Prez Rajapaksa came to power more..

Apr 2 (Island) SL Tourism Promotion Bureau in collaboration with the Embassy of SL in Vietnam, organized a fam tour for a delegation of Vietnamese tour operators/agents representing 13 Vietnamese companies, including media personnel as well. The main purpose of their participation at this fam tour was to convey the message to the rest of the world and their fellow citizens that SL is a safe and an attractive destination for tourism, filled with a myriad of holiday opportunities to choose from. more..

Apr 2 (AD) A tense situation is reported near the residence of the Mayor of Moratuwa Saman Lal Fernando. According to reports, a group of people are engaging in a protest in front of the mayor’s residence. Carpenters in Moratuwa had initiated a protest march earlier today from Willorawatte in Moratuwa, against the soaring prices of commodities. They later proceeded towards the Moratuwa Municipal Council and staged a demonstration there. more..

Apr 2 (CT) The JVP rubbished the Govt’s allegation that the public protest near the President’s private residence on Thursday (31) night, was an act by extremists. Addressing a press conference at the JVP headquarters on Friday, JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said it was clear the Govt has no sensitivity regarding the people’s hardships. “This is why they label the common people as extremists,” he stressed. “It is no joke that such an uprising is taking place among the people. more..

Apr 2 (CT) Eleven constituent parties in the Govt suggested to dissolve the Cabinet and to establish an Interim Govt, to address current crises in the country. NFF Leader MP Wimal Weerawansa claimed the Govt has no moral right to continue with the mandate given by the people. “The public has lost faith in the existing Cabinet. The country is going through many conflicts where we cannot wait till another election to solve them. more..

Apr 2 (FT) Revised regulations on public and work-related activities have been issued by Health Services Director General and will be in effect until 30 April. While persons are advised to avoid unnecessary travel in order to minimise risk of COVID-19 transmission, official, corporate, and professional meetings and events can take place with adherence to safety guidelines but no capacity limits. A 75% capacity limit applies to indoor and in-house private gatherings, however. more..

Apr 3 (FT) SL’s COVID-19 case count rose to 661,781 following the detection of 150 COVID-19 patients yesterday. The previous day, 178 persons tested positive for COVID-19. 3,768 PCR tests and 2,388 rapid antigen tests were conducted on Thursday. 74,237 persons have tested positive for COVID-19 this year. In addition to this, 483,090 persons from the New Year cluster, 82,785 persons from Peliyagoda cluster, 9,154 persons from the Prisons cluster and 3,059 persons from more..

Apr 2 (CT) Govt yesterday blamed political extremists for the violence that erupted at a people’s protest near the private residence of Prez Rajapaksa at Mirihana, Nugegoda on Thursday night, and said Police had used minimum force to disperse the crowd. Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that a group of persons that mingled with the peaceful protesters, who were mainly residents of the area, had attempted to break through more..

Apr 2 (CT) A tense situation was reported near the residence of Moratuwa Mayor Saman Lal Fernando on Friday (1). A group of people arrived at the Mayor’s residence with the intention of protesting before a scuffle broke out. Two protesters were arrested and later stones were hurled by other protesters at the Mayor’s residence demanding the two be released. The two protesters had reportedly suffered injuries and have been hospitalised. Meanwhile, due to current economic crisis more..

Apr 2 (FT) Electricity regulator the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) yesterday filed a Fundamental Rights petition before the Supreme Court, requesting fuel to be provided to the CEB in order to provide an uninterrupted power supply to the electricity consumers. Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle, Power Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Power Ministry Secretary Wasantha Perera, Energy Minister Gamini Lokuge, Energy Ministry more..

Apr 2 (EN) President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has invoked emergency powers a day after protests erupted around his residence and an economic crisis sparked by money printed to keep rates low, triggered energy shortages as foreign exchange ran out. Prez said he is bringing into force regulations on public security and essential services from April 02 due to the existence of public emergency in Sri Lanka”. more..

Apr 2 (FT) A funny thing happened on the way to the president’s residence. The angry crowd found that the man they had asked to go home had, in fact, acceded to their courteous request. He was in situ. It was one of the few promises that our head of state had managed to keep in his short and chequered career. Then it stopped being funny. A bus was burned, raising the spectre of agents provocateurs – those bêtes noires of peaceful civilian rallies. Protestors crying over the cost of living more..

Apr 2 (FT) Sri Lanka is quickly becoming a poster child for the sovereign debt crisis, much like countries before it such as Lebanon, Greece, and Argentina. While the consequences may appear similar, it is critical to understand the specific characteristics of the unfolding crisis in Sri Lanka. For many, the solution was always the same: go to the IMF. Meanwhile, the Govt wasted precious time by failing to actively prioritise imports and rebalance the economy toward domestic production. more..

Apr 2 (DM) Social media activist Anuruddha Bandara who was allegedly abducted by a group claiming to be from the police and who was later found at the Modara Police, has been arrested by the Mutuwal Police. The social media activist was abducted on Friday night, from his home in Gampola by a group of men claiming to be from the Modara police. Sri Lanka Young Journalists Association had also written to the Human Rights Commission urging them to intervene to find him. more..

Apr 2 (EN) SL’s power regulator has recommended early closure of schools for April holidays amid extended power cuts, while diesel shortages were also hitting transport. “PUCSL recommends Ministry of Education to declare early holidays from Monday (4) for school children as they face many inconveniences due to lengthy power cuts,” PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake said in a statement. The request comes as private bus owners and school van operators threatened to stop more..

Apr 2 (AD) An island-wide curfew will be imposed at 6pm today (2), the Department of Govt Information announced. The curfew order will be effective until 6am on Monday (4). The move comes days after the mass protest staged on Pengiriwatte Road in Mirihana on Thursday evening (31). The demonstration commenced near the Jubilee Post in Nugegoda at around 7.30 p.m. and later proceeded towards Pengiriwatta more..

Apr 2 (CT) Minister of Youth and Sports Namal Rajapaksa has issued an Extraordinary Gazette suspending Sri Lanka Rugby. The Minister issued the Gazette in accordance with the powers vested in him under Section 32 (b) and 33 of Sports Act. No. 25 of 1973, and its amendments. Minister appointed the Director General of the Dept of Sports Development Amal Edirisuriya as the competent authority of Sri Lanka Rugby with effect from 1 April. Appointed competent authority will oversee more..

Apr 2 (AD) The SLFP has decided to urge Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa to form a caretaker govt after holding discussions with all political parties. The decision was taken at the SLFP’s central committee meeting convened for nearly three hours on Friday at the party headquarters, amidst the rolling power interruptions. SLFP’s Senior Vice President Prof. Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa said all central committee members have unanimously voiced their displeasure on continuing to be in the govt. more..

Apr 2 (AD) State Minister Roshan Ranasinghe says he would step down from his position with effect from the 01st of May. Ranasinghe currently serves as the State Minister of Provincial Councils & Local Govt. Conveying his decision to Prez Rajapaksa in a letter dated today, the state minister said he would also resign as the Polonnaruwa District Organizer of SLPP. In his letter, Ranasinghe also urged the Prez to more..

Apr 2 (DM) Denying reports SriLankan Airlines said it was only ceasing flights between Colombo and Bahrain operated under flight numbers UL 201 and UL 202 with effect from May 12, 2022 and its operations to other destinations within its online network will continue without any change. SriLankan said in a statement that its operations to other destinations within its online network will continue without any change, and any reports stating otherwise are incorrect and based on more..

Apr 2 (Island) President’s Counsel Kuvera de Zoysa said that he had suggested to the Kesbewa Magistrate to hand over the investigation into the throwing of stones and faeces at the house of Chamuditha Samarawickrama, to the CID, if the police could not arrest the suspects. A complaint was lodged with the Kesbewa Magistrate’s Court, pertaining to the attack at the residence of Chamuditha Samarawickrama in Piliyandala on 14 Feb, this year under the Witnesses and more..

Apr 2 (AD) Another 26 injured people who were arrested over the mass protest in Mirihana have been placed under remand custody. They are currently receiving treatment at the Colombo South Teaching Hospital in Kalubowila and the Colombo National Hospital. They were remanded until the 04th of April following a magisterial inquiry. Meanwhile, 21 other people who were taken into custody over the Mirihana mass protest were produced before the Gangodawila MC more..

Apr 2 (AD) A consignment of 40,000 metric tonnes of diesel procured under Indian assistance through a Line of Credit of USD 500 million arrived in Sri Lanka today. The diesel shipment was ceremoniously handed over by Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay to Energy Minister Gamini Lokuge in Colombo. This is the fourth consignment of fuel Sri Lanka received under the Line of Credit from India. Fuel delivered from India to the people of SL within the last 50 days more..

Apr 2 (DM) Bar Association of SL (BASL) said they were gravely concerned by the declaration of a state of emergency claiming that it was not the answer to the present situation in the country, including the spate of public protests which have occurred. They called upon Prez Rajapaksa to revoke the proclamation declaring a state of emergency, and to ensure that the fundamental rights of the people such as more..

Apr 2 (ST) During a visit to the eight-acre Bogambara Prison complex that now seems to be a no man’s land, Central Province Governor Lalith Gamage said the entire complex should be cleaned, before further action is taken. Governor was on an official tour of the premises with UDA officials. Prison complex is now under the authority of the UDA, after the inmates were shifted to the Dumabara prison complex in Pallekelle. Governor held discussions in his office before inspecting old prison more..

Apr 2 (DM) Education Ministry has decided allow schoolchildren to their respective schools only for scheduled term tests, which are to be held from April 4 to 8 at govt and govt-approved private schools. In a special notice the Ministry said, for the academic related activities, principals are only permitted to get down children for essential activities such as exams. They said it was reported that all educational activities in all grades, including the primary schools in the North, South, East and West. more..