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Sri Lanka shares closed slightly higher on Friday, on gains in consumer discretionary stocks and staples gains. * The CSE All-Share index settled 0.81% higher at 15,742.04 points. * The Nuwara Eliya Hotels Company and Ceylinco Holdings were the top gainers by index points, up 159.5 points and 143 points, respectively, on the day. * Trading volume on the index rose to 125.53 million shares from 54.75 million in the previous session. * According to exchange data, the equity market's turnover rose to 2.43 billion…

The International Monetary Fund announced it had agreed on a loan program review with Sri Lanka, which will make around $344 million available to support the country’s economic reforms. Sri Lanka defaulted on its foreign debt of $46 billion in April 2022 after running out of foreign exchange to finance imports such as food, fuel, and medicines. The last government reached a roughly $3 billion, four-year bailout loan from the IMF. It embarked on a reform process that involved cutting subsidies and raising taxes to…

Fast bowler Harshal Patel grabbed four wickets and Kamindu Mendis showed his all-round skill as Sunrisers Hyderabad upstaged Chennai Super Kings by five wickets in Chennai. Patel grabbed 4-28 and was ably assisted by skipper Pat Cummins and Jaydev Unadkat — both finishing with identical figures of 2-21 — to dismiss the home team for a below-par 154 in 19.5 overs. South African youngster Dewald Brevis was the top scorer for the Kings with a blistering 25-ball 42, cracking four sixes and a boundary on his debut for the…

Acting High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Dr. Satyanjal Pandey, and Hon. Minister of Mass Media and Health, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, jointly inaugurated the first-ever Media Fest organized by the Sri Lanka-India Media Friendship Association (SLIMFA) at Taj Samudra, Colombo. Under the theme ‘Navigating the New Media Landscape Together,’ the two-day Media Fest from 25-26 April will explore contemporary media trends and innovations. Key focus areas include AI in journalism, mobile journalism, media monetization, data…

Pakistan closed its air space for Indian airlines and rejected New Delhi's suspension of a critical water sharing treaty in retaliation for India's response to a deadly militant attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir, Reuters reported. The tit-for-tat announcements took relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who have fought three wars, to the lowest level in years. The latest diplomatic crisis was triggered by the killing of 26 men at a popular tourist destination in Indian Kashmir on Tuesday, in the worst…

Buddhists flocking to see a sacred tooth in Sri Lanka were urged by authorities to stay away after four people died and hundreds fell sick while in lengthy queues, AFP reported. Regional police chief Lalith Pathinayake said queues in the city of Kandy were already 10 km long as Buddhists waited to worship what they believe to be a tooth of the Buddha — a special showing of the relic that will end on Sunday. Officials estimated there were around 450,000 people in queues on Thursday morning, more than double the expected…

The International Monetary Fund hopes to have an agreement soon on the next review of its program with Sri Lanka, Krishna Srinivasan, the director of the global lender's Asia and Pacific Department, said. "The program with Sri Lanka has led to a significant amount of macro stability, which led to higher growth and moderating inflation," Srinivasan said in a press conference during the spring meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington. "The time is right for Sri Lanka to embark on broader structural reforms that…

Star batsman Rohit Sharma smashed 76 and pace bowler Trent Boult claimed 4-26 as Mumbai Indians thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad to move up to third in the IPL table. New Zealand's Boult, a left-arm quick, and fellow pace bowler Deepak Chahar ripped apart the top of Hyderabad's batting order as they collapsed to 35-5 before managing 143-8. Five-time champions Mumbai achieved their target with 26 balls and seven wickets to spare after Rohit registered his second successive half-century, smacking eight fours and three sixes…

Indian security forces in Kashmir carried out a major manhunt Wednesday, a day after gunmen opened fire on tourists, slaughtering 26 people in the region's deadliest attack on civilians since 2000. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who cut short a state visit to Saudi Arabia, decried the "heinous act" and pledged that the attackers "will be brought to justice." President Anura Kumara Disanayake joined the condemnation. He said: “I condemn in the strongest terms the cowardly terrorist attack in India. Our hearts are with…

UAE Pledges Support for the Promotion of Energy, Tourism, Investment, and Foreign Employment Sectors The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, stated that the UAE will prioritize promoting energy, tourism, foreign investment, and foreign employment while strengthening its longstanding ties with Sri Lanka. The Deputy Prime Minister made these remarks during a meeting with President Anura Kumara Disanayake at the Presidential Secretariat. The Deputy Prime…

Gunmen shot and killed at least 26 tourists at a resort in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said in what appeared to be a major shift in a regional conflict in which tourists have largely been spared. Police blamed militants fighting against Indian rule for the attack in Baisaran meadow, some 5 km from the disputed region’s resort town of Pahalgam. At least three dozen people were wounded, many of them seriously, according to two senior police officers. “This attack is much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at…

India's KL Rahul hit an unbeaten 57 to steer Delhi Capitals to an emphatic eight-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants and get his side back to winning ways in the IPL. Chasing a modest 160 for victory, Delhi rode on Rahul's 42-ball knock and a second-wicket partnership with Abishek Porel, who hit 51, to achieve their target with 13 balls to spare at Lucknow's home ground. With six wins in eight matches, Delhi bounced back from their previous defeat to table-toppers Gujarat Titans and are second in the 10-team table.…

No one was given preferential or VIP treatment at the special exposition, ‘Siri Dalada Wandanawa’, at the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation K.D. Lal Kantha stated. Speaking during a political event, Minister Lal Kantha said although he has a large number of friends, family members and acquaintances, no individual requested from him to facilitate an easy access to pay homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. The Minister said when the political culture…

The Food Security Committee convened for the sixth time, at the Presidential Secretariat, under the leadership of Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands, and Irrigation K.D. Lalkantha and Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development, Wasantha Samarasinghe. T The meeting was convened to discuss and make policy decisions focused on enhancing food security in the country. Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Kapila Janaka Bandara,…

The table-topping Gujarat Titans handed the defending champion Kolkata Knight Riders a 39-run drubbing in the Indian Premier League. Captain Shubman Gill made 90 off 55 balls, and his opening partner Sai Sudharsan scored his fifth 50-plus score with 52 in Gujarat’s challenging total of 198-3. The Gujarat spinners stifled Kolkata for 159-8 and lost their third home game. “It’s tough to have a perfect game," Gill said. "But you have to find a way to win the game, and that’s what we’re good at.”

President Anura Kumara Disanayake issued the following condolence message: "With profound sorrow, I extend heartfelt condolences on behalf of the people of Sri Lanka on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, a global moral compass and a deeply respected voice for peace, justice, and compassion. "Pope Francis’ unwavering commitment to the poor, his tireless call for global unity, and his spiritual leadership touched millions across all faiths. In Sri Lanka, his memory is held with special affection. His historic…

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake assured that there will never again be an issue with the price of paddy. He made this remark while addressing a public rally held in Polonnaruwa. The President explained that warehouses have been renovated specifically for this purpose, and that Rs. 500 million has been allocated to purchase paddy. Further commenting on this matter, President Dissanayake said, “We have made preparations. We have renovated warehouses with a total capacity of 300,000 metric tons. We have developed a…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a visit to Saudi Arabia next week at the invitation of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the upcoming April 22-23 visit will be the first visit of the Prime Minister to the country in his third term. Previously, he has travelled to the Saudi kingdom twice in 2016 and in 2019. The visit follows the State Visit of Mohammed bin Salman to New Delhi in September 2023 to…

Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten 73 and Rohit Sharma struck form with 76 not out in match-winning knocks for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians in an IPL super. The in-form Kohli hit his fourth half-century of this edition of the popular T20 tournament to anchor Bengaluru’s chase of 158 in a seven-wicket win over Punjab Kings at Mullanpur, near Chandigarh. Another Indian veteran Rohit struck form with his first fifty this season in the second match of the day to lead Mumbai’s nine-wicket hammering of Chennai…

McLaren's Oscar Piastri won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday from Red Bull polesitter Max Verstappen to lead the world championship for the first time in his career after one of his "toughest" ever races. Charles Leclerc's Ferrari completed the podium for this fifth round of the season under the floodlights at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. Piastri's third win this year was in large part decided at the first turn, when Verstappen picked up a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage after going off the track.…