Apr 5 (ST) Hong Kong-based casino owner and operator Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd, which will operate the John Keells Holdings’ multibillion-rupee integrated resort, City of Dreams SL, has paid Rs 5 billion for a 20-year licence it secured. In line with accounting treatments, Melco Resorts has recognised it as an intangible asset (non-monetary asset) which will be amortised on a straight-line basis (equal depreciation expense annually) until the casino licence expires. more..

Apr 5 (AD) The 2025 LG Elections will be held as scheduled on May 6, according to the Chairman of the National Election Commission R.M.A.L. Rathnayake. He noted that they will comply with court rulings as several petitions have been filed in relation to the rejection of nomination papers. Rathnayake confirmed that the printing of polling cards and ballot papers that are not affected by court cases have commenced. more..

Apr 5 (DN) A discussion was held yesterday (03) between Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and Minister of Sports Sunil Gamage at the Shangri-La Hotel. During the meeting, Sheikh Salman acknowledged that while many Asian nations face economic challenges, SL is making positive strides forward under the current govt. He expressed confidence that football in SL would also see significant progress in the coming years. more..

Apr 5 (FR) US tariffs have reached levels that are transforming the global economic outlook, significantly raising US recession risks and constraining the Federal Reserve’s ability to lower interest rates further, says Fitch Ratings. The Liberation Day tariff increases outlined by the US govt on 2 April sharply exceeded the already steep rises assumed in our March 2025 Global Economic Outlook (GEO). These increases impose a minimum tariff rate of 10% for all US trade partners and more..

Apr 5 (FT) Free Trade Zone Manufacturers’ Association (FTZMA) said SL, being an unsuspecting player in this global trade confrontation, finds itself grappling with an unprecedented challenge that threatens to derail its export-driven industries following the US’s reciprocal tariffs. In a seismic move shaking SL’s economic foundations, US Prez Donald Trump on 2 April unleashed a sweeping 44% reciprocal tariff targeting nations with more..

Apr 5 (FT) Colombo stock market plunged further yesterday as investors remained negative over the impact to the economy from US President Donald Trump’s exorbitant 44% reciprocal tariff. The active S&P SL20 saw an over 2% decline for the second successive day and the benchmark ASPI was down by 1.8%. For the week, ASPI lost 2.8% and the S&P SL20 was down by over 4%. Turnover yesterday was Rs. 3.1 billion involving 218 million shares. For the week, turnover averaged Rs. 2.8 billion. more..

Apr 5 (NW) GMOA has issued a media statement in response to a serious allegation of sexual misconduct reported at the Negombo District General Hospital. According to the statement, a young woman who visited the hospital’s Outpatient Dept (OPD) for treatment has filed a complaint claiming she was subjected to sexual harassment by a doctor. GMOA acknowledged the gravity of the incident and revealed that the doctor named in the complaint had been previously expelled more..

Apr 5 (DM) Colombo Rubber Traders Association (CRTA) joined the bandwagon in expressing deep concern about the recent imposition of a 44 percent blanket tariff by the United States on all imports from Sri Lanka and said it is particularly worried on the devastating impact it would have on Sri Lanka’s natural rubber industry. As one of the country’s key export sectors, the natural rubber industry contributes significantly to both employment and foreign exchange earnings. more..

Apr 5 (CT) Resident Representative of the UNDP in SL, Azusa Kubota, stressed the urgent need for a comprehensive disability assessment system in the country, stating that the absence of such a framework has hindered a full understanding of the needs and capabilities of the disability community. Kubota made these remarks at a lesson-learning session organised on Friday, by the Ministry of Rural Development and Social Security, focused on reviewing the outcomes of Model Disability more..

Apr 5 (EN) Indian PM Narendra Modi’s current two-day state visit to SL holds significant implications for both nations and the broader geopolitical landscape. This visit comes at a pivotal moment, addressing various facets of bilateral relations, historical complexities, and regional dynamics.​ Modi’s visit is strategically timed as SL emerges from a severe economic crisis that saw the nation declare bankruptcy in April 2022, more..

Apr 5 (DM) One of the three main revenue-generating arms of the country and the competent authority regulating the liquor industry, the Excise Department of Sri Lanka has earned a record revenue of Rs.61 billion during the first quarter of this year. The department comes third amidst the revenue-generating arms of the Department of Inland Revenue and Sri Lanka Customs functioning under the Ministry of Finance and has been given a revenue target of Rs.242 billion for 2025. more..

Apr 5 (Island) Customs officials took into custody a haul of foreign cigarettes worth over Rs 435 billion while they were being smuggled into the country at the Orugodawatta cargo inspection division. The cigarettes were found inside a 20-foot container that had been brought into the country from the Jebel Ali port in the UAE. Customs spokesman Additional Customs Director General Sivali Arukgoda said that Customs officers found 2.5 million cigarettes in the container. more..

Apr 5 (FT) SJB MP and economist Dr. Harsha de Silva called for a unified national approach to address the tariff crisis, offering his expertise to the Prez Anura Kumara Disanayake-led Govt. “I am willing to help figure the way forward on Trump tariffs if Prez Anura Kumara Disanayake so desires. This crisis is national. Fallout could be huge. My position has always been that SL must break (tariff) walls and build (trade) bridges, SJB blueprint – not other way around,” he noted via ‘X.’ more..

Apr 5 (EAR) Indian PM Narendra Modi is visiting Sri Lanka from April 4 to 6 to bolster economic and strategic ties with New Delhi’s southern neighbor. The visit comes at a critical juncture as India navigates shifting dynamics in South Asia, including uncertainties surrounding Sri Lanka’s left-nationalist govt under Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the fallout from the ouster of the India-friendly Sheikh Hasina regime in Bangladesh, and growing Chinese influence in the region. more..

Apr 5 (FT) SL yesterday announced its readiness to reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers, following US Govt’s decision under its reciprocal tariff policy. “We are committed to substantially reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers that hinder trade and investment. Improving the ease of doing business remains a top priority of the Govt, as we strive to create an environment that encourages innovation, fosters commercial partnerships, more..

Apr 5 (NF) Earl Sugi Perera, a key witness who testified before the Batalanda Commission, spoke to Newsfirst this morning. Previously, we reported on his abduction and torture for extortion, but he insisted on recounting the crimes in his own voice. Earl Sugi Perera, also known as Sydney, was abducted on March 23, 1990. He was taken to a house in the Batalanda housing complex, where he endured various forms of torture. On some days, he was forced to wear women's clothing & wigs. more..

Apr 5 (MoD) In a prominent display of cooperation and environmental stewardship, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) and Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) joined forces for a coastal cleanup initiative at the iconic Galle Face on 03 Apr 25. The event which exhibited the camaraderie of both maritime forces, brought together naval personnel from the visiting JMSDF BUNGO and ETAJIMA as well as the SL Navy. The collaborative effort aimed to ensure the pristine condition of Galle Face, more..

Apr 5 (AD) PM of India Narendra Modi has arrived in the island this evening on a historical three-day state visit. PM Modi who arrived at the Katunayake International Airport, is accompanied by Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar, Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Indian Foreign Secretary and several senior officials of the Govt of India. Indian delegation was officially received by SL’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath more..

Apr 6 (TM) In terms of numbers, the new US tariffs imposed on its global trading partners are nothing short of brutal. These new tariffs that are due to come into effect as early as next Wednesday (9) will not only forever alter global trade but also bilateral relations and alliances, with the so-called father of the free world literally abandoning the concept it created and nurtured all these years. While shaky national economies like Sri Lanka will bear the brunt of the impact, trillions of dollars more..

Apr 6 (ST) Since those halcyon days when Indian PM Jawaharlal Nehru arrived in Sri Lanka to a tumultuous welcome with locals of all communities lining the state drive from Ratmalana airport to Queen’s House, Indo-Sri Lanka relations have seen many ups and downs and twists and turns. On Friday, PM Narendra Modi arrived in a country no longer sharing that kind of deep and genuine affinity with India. The support India gave for a terrorist group to wreak havoc in Sri Lanka more..

Apr 6 (TM) The past week was undoubtedly an important one for Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his JVP-led NPP Govt, given the visit of the first high-level foreign dignitary since AKD and the Govt assumed office as well as US Prez Donald Trump’s decision to impose an over 40% tax on SL exports to the US, which is SL’s single largest export market. However, Trump’s announcement of the reciprocal tariffs just a day before more..

Apr 6 (CT) PM Modi is visiting Sri Lanka this weekend, from Friday, April 4th to Sunday, April 6th. This is Modi’s third official visit as PM, and the first since Anura Kumara Dissanayake became Prez and led the NPP to form a new govt with a massive electoral victory. The official welcoming ceremony will be at the Independence Square on Saturday April 5th, 54 years to the day after the April 1971 insurrection launched by the JVP, the political progenitor of the present SL govt. more..

Apr 6 (FT) Sri Lanka is no longer in crisis but it is in debt. Politicians are in debt to the people. People are in debt to the world. Elections will be held as they are part of the process of democracy. Democracy is a process not an event. As the late Pakistani PM Benazir Bhutto said: Democracy is the best revenge; this is the ending note of the documentary called Democracy in debt: Sri Lanka beyond the headlines. The 25-minute-long documentary, giving a deeper understanding more..

Apr 6 (ST) Election Commission (EC) and the Broadcaster’s Guild of SL (BGSL) have locked horns after the EC decided to raise the fees it would levy from media institutions to release official results of the 2025 local govt elections. The new fee structure requires a single media institution to pay Rs. 8 million if it wishes to release election results immediately after they are officially released, while a package fee is on offer at Rs 15 million for more..

Apr 6 (CT) Of the multiple agreements / MoUs that India and SL are likely to sign after PM Narendra Modi lands in Colombo this evening, 4 April, the framework agreement on defence cooperation, or however else it’s otherwise titled, should be of interest to most and concern to some. Of course, Modi, among other things, would also launch the work on the India-funded Sampur green energy project in the East, which has gone through various changes and modifications since more..

Apr 6 (ST) My dear Narendra Modi, I thought of writing to you while you are visiting us, enjoying the generous hospitality being dished out to you. People have been quick to call your visit a historic one. They say that about anyone who visits from your land, but I do think your visit is at least an important one for a variety of reasons. To begin with, this is not the first time you are visiting us as PM, it is the fourth occasion. That is because you have been in charge of your country for the past decade. more..

Apr 6 (Island) Indian PM Narndra Modi’s 3-day visit here was predictably heralded by a blaze of publicity in the local press and electronic media. This was no cause for surprise given that good relations with our giant neighbour, or Big Brother as some would prefer to style it, must remain the cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s foreign policy. New Delhi accurately judged in which direction the political winds were blowing well ahead of last year’s presidential and parliamentary elections and invited more..

Apr 6 (FT) Seasoned environmentalists, senior scientists, and legal professionals have reiterated that legal recourse will be sought yet again should another global or local entity seek to resume wind power initiatives in the ecologically sensitive Mannar Island, following withdrawal by India’s Adani Group last June. A press brief was organised by environmental conservationist Dr. Rohan Pethiyagoda and environmental organisations The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society, more..

Apr 6 (TM) India and SL have signed a long-anticipated MOU to connect their electricity grids. However, while diplomatic momentum builds around the agreement, CEB has confirmed that the technical foundations of the project remain a work in progress. CEB Chairman Dr. Tilak Siyambalapitiya acknowledged that although there had been multiple technical studies over the years, detailed infrastructure requirements for the grid more..

Apr 6 (ST) A settlement has been reached among the concerned parties to eliminate the legal barriers that delayed the long-overdue Annual General Meeting (AGM) and elections for Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) for nearly a year, according to reliable sources. Colombo District Court Judge Sandun Withana dismissed the injunction that had previously been issued to indefinitely prevent the SLR AGM from taking place on March 25. Initially, the SLR was prepared to proceed with its election process more..

Apr 6 (Island) There are few sights in cricket more pleasing to the purist’s eye than Pathum Nissanka in full flow – batting as if he were painting strokes on a canvas. Last year, the elegant right-hander had a breakthrough season, making headlines and turning heads. But 2025 hadn’t been kind to him until now. After a barren patch where his bat was quieter than a library on a Sunday, Nissanka has found his rhythm once more. He started last year with a bang – quite literally – blasting his way past more..

Apr 6 (ST) 91st Battle of the Saints cricket match between traditional rivals St. Joseph’s College and St. Peter’s College ended in an tame draw at the SSC yesterday. St. Joseph’s, resuming their innings at the overnight score of 150-3 in reply to St. Peter’s 243, struggled to build momentum despite Yenula Dewthusa’s impressive knock of 86. Dewthusa formed valuable partnerships of 91 runs for the fourth wicket with Senuja Wakunugoda and 64 runs for the fifth wicket with Rishma Amarasinghe, more..

Apr 6 (EN) SL Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayaka and visiting PM Narenda Modi virtually launched a solar power plant and an hi-tech agricultural warehouse in SL’s Eastern and Central Provinces. The solar power plant in Trincomalee built by India’s NTPS and SL’s CEB will supply power to the national grid. The environmentally controlled warehouse in Dambulla will help modernize SL’s agricultural supply chain. “Today, we have also set up the largest warehouses in Sri Lanka for the benefit of farmers,” more..

Apr 6 (ST) The delayed Colombo Airport phase 11 Expansion project is now embroiled in an int'l bidder disqualification issue in the latest tender to award SL’s largest-ever construction contract which officially closed on March 25, 2025. As the nation anxiously watches the progress of the Colombo Airport Expansion Tender, two newly unearthed and deeply troubling facts have surfaced about one of the key bidders: the Sojitz-L and more..

Apr 6 (EN) India’s PM Narendra Modi has urged SL to conduct provincial council elections, which were set up following an accord with India as way of settling the ethnic question. “We also talked about reconstruction and reconciliation in SL,” PM Modi said. “Prez Dissanayaka appraised me of his inclusive approach. “We hope that the SL Govt will meet the aspirations of the Tamil people and fulfil its commitment towards fully implementing the Constitution of SL, and conducting PC polls.” more..

Apr 6 (EN) India has concluded debt restructuring with Sri Lanka, with sharply lower interest rates, PM Narendra Modi announced during a visit to the island. “Our bilateral Debt Restructuring Agreement will provide immediate assistance and relief to the people of Sri Lanka,” PM Modi said in Colombo Saturday at ceremony in Colombo with President Anura Dissanayake. “Today we have also decided to reduce interest rates. It symbolises that even today, India stands with the people of SL.” more..