Apr 8 (FT) Uber Eats is now live in Nuwara Eliya, making it easier for locals and tourists to enjoy their favourite meals – from a hot plate of kottu on a chilly evening to a comforting rice and curry spread or crispy egg hoppers – delivered right to their doorstep. Known for its cool climate, old-world charm, and rolling tea estates, Nuwara Eliya sees a surge of Sri Lankan and international visitors during the April holiday season. But as temperatures drop in the evenings, food options more..

Apr 8 (FT) Malaysian Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Penang (MAICCI) President S. Parthiban led a 15-member team to the Board of Investment (BOI) to explore potential FDI opportunities in SL. The Malaysian investor team represented a diverse range of sectors, including ICT, banking, value-added agriculture, mining, IT infrastructure (data center development), fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), manufacturing, healthcare, recycling, semiconductors, more..

Apr 8 (TM) Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody firmly rejected claims of power cuts, insisting the Govt has not imposed any such measures despite the deepening energy crisis, and asserting that the daily disruptions experienced by the public are merely the result of routine electricity breakdowns. SJB MP Mujibur Rahman challenged the Govt’s position, demanding to know why the public has not been clearly informed if power cuts are, in fact, being carried out. more..

Apr 8 (DM) Sri Lanka’s tourism sector successfully crossed the three-quarter million milestone during the first week of April, with cumulative arrivals for the year reaching 767,434 by 5 April. However, a closer look at the inflow indicates a noticeable deceleration in the immediate growth momentum, marking a contraction compared to the same period last year. During the first five days of April 2026, SL welcomed 26,800 tourists. more..

Apr 8 (Island) SL’s renewable energy sector is poised for a significant investment surge as the Int'l Solar Alliance (ISA) moves to operationalise a comprehensive Country Partnership Strategy (CPS), positioning the island as a key emerging hub for solar deployment and green financing in South Asia. A high-level ISA delegation led by Director General Ashish Khanna is currently in Colombo (April 6–9), engaging with policymakers, multilateral lenders, and private sector stakeholders more..

Apr 8 (FT) Cabinet on Monday agreed on awarding the contracts to repair Honeywell Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) of the SriLankan Airlines for five years, to Honeywell International Inc. following competitive bids. Commercial aircraft utilise Honeywell APUs to provide essential electrical power and pneumatic support when the main engines are not operating. As Sri Lankan Airlines Ltd, does not possess the in-house capability to carry out the removal and maintenance of such APUs more..

Apr 8 (ST) Govt has allocated Rs. 56.288 billion (as of Mar 27) toward an empowerment programme to help those affected by Cyclone Ditwah rebuild their lives. Despite the considerable allocation, lakhs of beneficiaries are still awaiting compensation. The immediate relief category like house cleaning in the aftermatch of the destruction has seen almost full completion (99.37%),but many are yet to receive compensation in areas more..

Apr 8 (ST) Uncertainty hangs over the annual Nuwara Eliya spring festival that usually draws large crowds from various parts of the country. Residents say that this time around an acute water shortage, rail disruptions following the Ditwah destruction, fuel restrictions, and the government’s cancellation of large public events have all put a damper on the festival. Organisers of the event say as a result fewer sponsors have come forward as well as less crowds. more..

Apr 8 (CI) Matheesha Pathirana and Wanindu Hasaranga are among 15 Sri Lankan players under central contracts yet to take their mandatory fitness tests, SLC has confirmed. Six others are understood to have failed at least one attempt, which means that of the 45 centrally-contracted players, currently only 24 have passed the test. The reasons for those yet to take the test vary from injuries to logistical issues. The timelines for Hasaranga and Pathirana remain most pertinent, more..

Apr 8 (Island) Sri Lanka have turned to seasoned Australian campaigner Jammie Siddons to steady the ship and sharpen their edge, with the new women’s head coach making it clear that toppling heavyweights, not merely making up the numbers, will be the name of the game. Siddons, a well-travelled coach with miles on the clock, has set his sights firmly on the upcoming Women’s World Cup in England, where Sri Lanka will open proceedings against the hosts at Edgbaston in June. more..

Apr 8 (DM) A leading and century old cricket club in SL, Colts Cricket Club, has challenged SLC to prove the authenticity and transparency of the so-called Jaffna Sports City project in Mandathivu. In a letter fired to the Secretary of SLC, Colts Cricket Club president Nishantha Ranatunga and secretary Shiran Abeysekera have asked that the Jaffna Sports City project be clarified to all its member clubs and stakeholders before the Resolution is put to a vote and passed. more..

Apr 8 (TM) A group of families of those detained under Prevention of Terrorism Act, No. 48 of 1979 (PTA), organisations and movements, unions, and individuals, have appealed to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake to unconditionally release 10 long-term Tamil political prisoners as promised in the NPP Election manifesto. Letters of appeal have been signed by PTA detainees’ families represented by K. Vaakani, S. Rajeshwari, more..

Apr 8 (DM) Claiming that the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has launched a special programme to safeguard consumers in view of the upcoming festive season, its chairman, Hemantha Samarakoon said that more than 1,000 raids have been carried out since March 20. He said raids are being conducted on traders who are hoarding stocks and selling goods exceeding the controlled price and pointed out that legal action is being taken against the offenders. The Chairman said more..

Apr 8 (FT) Govt has approved a dedicated housing program to support estate sector workers whose homes were damaged or deemed unsafe following the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, addressing a gap in earlier relief measures. Cabinet approved the proposal, jointly submitted by Prez in his capacity as the Finance Minister and Plantation Minister Samantha Vidyarathna, to provide up to Rs. 5 million per household in stages to construct new homes for affected workers. more..

Apr 8 (FT) Rs. 13.2 billion fraud-hit NDB Bank’s share price yesterday fell down 15.13% or Rs. 19.75 to close at Rs. 110.75 after the Colombo Stock Exchange lifted the trading suspension. More than 4.1 million NDB Bank shares changed hands generating Rs. 455 million in turnover, over 24% of the day’s total market turnover of Rs. 1.8 billion. The trading halt was lifted at 8:32 a.m. after it was imposed at 9:02 a.m. on Monday. Most banking stocks gained although sector index fell 0.8% more..

Apr 8 (TM) Over 1,000 incidents of abuse and violence reported from Govt and private schools from 2015 to 2025 have resulted in 425 school dropouts and six suicides, PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said in Parliament. Presenting year-wise data, PM said that a total of 1,026 incidents were reported from 2015 to 2025 including 69 incidents in 2015, 67 in 2016, 78 in 2017, 86 in 2018, 85 in 2019, 66 in 2020, 62 in 2021, 82 in 2022, 117 in 2023, 155 in 2024, and 159 in 2025. more..

Apr 8 (TM) Prez and Finance Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake acknowledged in Parliament yesterday that substandard coal supplied to power plants has affected electricity generation, but maintained that there were no issues with the tender procedure and that the problem lay with suppliers failing to provide coal of the required quality. Delivering a statement, he said: “True, there is a quality issue with the coal. But, more..

Apr 8 (AD) An adjournment motion regarding the current situation in SL, to be moved by the govt is scheduled to be debated today in Parliament. Accordingly, the adjournment debate will take place from 11.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Meanwhile, Parliament will convene at 9:30 a.m. as decided at the meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business held yesterday under the chairmanship of the Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne. The time from 9.30 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. has been allocated for more..

Apr 8 (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday ​agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, less than two hours before his deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face devastating attacks on ‌its civilian infrastructure. Trump's announcement on social media represented an abrupt turnaround from earlier in the day, when he issued an extraordinary warning that a whole civilization will die tonight if his demands were not met. Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, more..

Apr 8 (FT) In a special Parliamentary address yesterday, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced a Rs. 100 billion relief package to help contain the impact of the Middle East war on the domestic economy. “You may recall that, in addition to addressing the destruction caused by the Ditwah catastrophe, we allocated Rs. 50 billion to meet public needs. That is what governance entails. Likewise, in response to the current crisis, more..

Apr 8 (FT) On a clear morning in Norochcholai, the three concrete stacks of the Lakvijaya power station stand against the sky like fingers pointing at an accusation nobody wants to read. The plant generates about a third of SL’s electricity. It is the country’s only coal-fired power station, and it has been, by almost any measure of regulatory compliance, operating outside the law for most of its existence. The story of Norochcholai is not simply one of a badly run power plant. more..

Apr 8 (EN) Colombo Stock Exchange closed up on Wednesday, with banks pushing turnover. ASPI was up 4.21%, or 885.14 points at 21,917.60. The S&P SL20 was up 4.42%, or 257.68 points at 6,090.50. The two-week ceasefire announcement by the US has seen investors coming back into the market and panic buying, analysts said. John Keells Holdings (up 6.49% at Rs.19.70), Commercial Bank (up 5.01% at Rs.209.75), Hatton National Bank (up 3.95% at Rs.414.00), more..

Apr 8 (FT) The auditing profession occupies a critical place in modern economies. Auditors are entrusted with safeguarding financial integrity, protecting investors, and ensuring that corporate entities adhere to accepted standards of accountability. Yet an uncomfortable question is increasingly being raised: who examines the internal labour practices of the very firms entrusted with auditing others? Recent discussions surrounding the working conditions of audit trainees in SL have drawn attention to more..

Apr 8 (AD) PM Harini Amarasuriya has instructed officials to expedite the completion of compensation payments for those affected by the disaster caused by Cyclone Ditwah. The directive was issued when the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Presidential Task Force met at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of the PM. Extensive discussions were held on the current progress of the Rebuilding Sri Lanka programme and its future plans during the meeting more..

Apr 8 (CI) SL captain Chamari Athapaththu has no immediate plans to retire, according to new head coach Jamie Siddons. In her 16th year of international cricket, the 36-year-old remains the rock of the national side and is reportedly energised by the team's new tactical direction. Athapaththu's future has been a constant topic of debate, particularly following the 2025 ODI World Cup in India, but Siddons' comments more..

Apr 8 (AD) Directorate of Non-Communicable Diseases of the Ministry of Health has issued a set of guidelines to prevent accidents and acute medical conditions during traditional Avurudu games and events organized during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festive season in SL. These guidelines have been issued specifically to focus on festive games such as pillow-fighting (Kotta Pora), Kana Mutti Bindima, cross-country running (Gama Haraha Divima), cycling, swimming, rowing, more..

Apr 8 (EN) Cabinet has cleared awarding a JICA funded contract valued at 628.10 million Japanese Yen (Rs. 2,660.70 million) for the expansion of the A'pura North Water Supply Project Phase II to Maga Engineering (Pvt) Ltd. The contract is for laying distribution mains and providing service connections in the Kahatagas Digiliya, Horowpathana, and Rambewa divisional secretariat divisions, aimed at providing safe drinking water to areas currently dependent on unsafe groundwater. more..

Apr 8 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, meeting with the Council of Arab Ambassadors accredited to Sri Lanka at the Presidential Secretariat today, expressed Sri Lanka’s hope for the early restoration of peace in the Middle East. During the discussion, the ambassadors briefed the President on the challenges faced by countries in the Middle East amid the prevailing conflict situation, more..

Apr 8 (FT) Sri Lanka is once again at a turning point. The headlines speak of debt restructuring, foreign investment and productivity, but beneath the macroeconomics lies a quieter, more personal story: thousands of capable Sri Lankans who simply do not feel ready to lead. The crisis is not a lack of talent; it is a lack of inner confidence to match the complexity of the roles now opening up at home and abroad. In boardrooms and project teams from Colombo to London, early and mid-career more..

Apr 8 (Island) The SL Computer Emergency Readiness Team (Sri Lanka CERT) has reissued a public warning regarding a significant increase in online scams and financial fraud attempts circulating across social media platforms during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festive season. Sri Lanka CERT has observed that cybercriminals are actively exploiting the festive period when online engagement is at its peak to manipulate public trust and target unsuspecting individuals. more..

Apr 8 (NW) Kuwait Airways has announced that it will commence direct flight operations to Colombo, starting Wednesday (15). The new service is expected to strengthen air connectivity and provide greater travel opportunities between the two countries. According to the airline, flights will operate weekly every Wednesday. The outbound service departs Kuwait at 01:30 hrs and arrives in Colombo at 18:05 hrs, while the return flight departs Colombo at 19:05 hrs and reaches Kuwait at 03:30 hrs. more..

Apr 8 (NW) Sri Lanka recorded nearly 15 million local malware incidents in 2025, with more than a third of users affected by threats spread through offline methods such as USB drives and removable media. Data from the Kaspersky Security Network showed 14,960,244 local malware incidents between January and Dec 2025, with 37.4% of users in SL targeted by threats spread through removable devices including USB drives, CDs, and DVDs. SL ranked 48th globally for local threat exposure. more..

Apr 8 (EN) Opposition MP has questioned the central bank’s supervision role in the NDB fraud, pointing out that billions of rupees had gone out of the country without getting flagged, and pointed out that the same central bank which handles the EPF is investing in NDB Bank. “When an average person tries to transfer 100 rupees out of the country, they have to answer a 4-5 page questionnaire saying why they are sending it, more..

Apr 8 (DM) Public consultation has commenced on the report of the committee appointed to submit recommendations for the establishment of an Education Council in SL. The proposed Education Council, introduced under the guidance of PM and Minister of Education, aims to enhance the overall standards of the country’s education system. Its key objectives include legislation, quality assurance, accreditation of programmes and institutions, and certification of education professionals. more..

Apr 8 (ANI) Indian High Commissioner to SL Santosh Jha took part in the signing of the MoU for Cooperation between Colombo Dockyard and Dredging Corporation of India. High Commission said that the Indian maritime sector also stands to benefit from the high skill set of the Colombo Dockyard. High Commission said, "High Commissioner Santosh Jha witnessed the signing of the MoU for Cooperation between Colombo Dockyard & Dredging Corporation of India. more..