http://www.sundaytimes.lk Official website of the Sunday Times Newspaper in Sri Lanka Sat, 04 Apr 2026 18:35:54 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/humility-and-devotion-kissing-christs-feet-637960.html 4 April 2026 @ 11:45 pm lt;img class= quot;aligncenter size-full wp-image-637961 quot; title= quot;_DSC2454 quot; src= quot;http://sundaytimes.lk/260405/uploads/2026/04/DSC2454.jpg quot; alt= quot; quot; width= quot;500 quot; height= quot;334 quot; / gt; Christians across the world celebrate Easter Sunday today. Two days earlier, our photographer captured a nun kissing the feet of a statue of Jesus Christ during Good... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/china-offers-fuel-to-sri-lanka-shipment-due-within-weeks-637957.html 4 April 2026 @ 11:44 pm lt;ul gt; lt;li gt; lt;strong gt;Govt considers buying Russian oil, coal and fertiliser; seeks US sanctions waiver lt;/strong gt; lt;/li gt; lt;/ul gt; lt;strong gt;By Damith Wickremasekera lt;/strong gt; China this week stepped in to offer Sri Lanka fuel stocks on a priority basis in a bid to maintain stable fuel supplies. China's Ambassador Qi Zhenhong met President Anura Kumara Di... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/lanka-says-no-to-russian-nuclear-plant-offer-637955.html 4 April 2026 @ 11:44 pm Sri Lanka has turned down a Russian offer to go nuclear in the energy sector after Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko, who was on a visit to Sri Lanka recently, said discussions could begin should Sri Lanka express an interest in obtaining a small modular nuclear power plant for the country. Talks with Russia for a small nuclear plant have been ongoing for several years. Russian ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/vat-on-foreign-digital-services-postponed-again-637950.html 4 April 2026 @ 11:43 pm lt;strong gt; lt;em gt;By S. Rubatheesan nbsp; lt;/em gt; lt;/strong gt; The government has further postponed the imposition of an 18 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on digital services supplied by non-resident service providers through electronic platforms until July 1, according to an Inland Revenue Department circular. The imposition of VAT on such services has been further postponed unti... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/lcc-tightens-rules-floats-tender-for-2-28mn-mt-of-coal-for-2026-27-season-637948.html 4 April 2026 @ 11:42 pm lt;strong gt;By Namini Wijedasa nbsp; lt;/strong gt; Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd (LCC) this week floated a tender for 2.28 million metric tonnes (MT) for the 2026-27 season, changing several of the bid conditions with the objective of avoiding a procurement similar to the ongoing fiasco of substandard coal. While some of the terms have been tightened, the tender this time is open to ldquo... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/lankan-troops-to-resume-haiti-peacekeeping-637946.html 4 April 2026 @ 11:42 pm Sri Lanka will shortly resume peacekeeping operations in Haiti after a lapse of more than ten years, senior government officials said yesterday. Approval has been given for the Sri Lankan peacekeepers to join operations in Haiti following talks held with the UN Department of Peace Operations in New York. Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath also held talks with the UN Resident Coordinator... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/security-arrangements-all-in-place-for-easter-sunday-say-police-637942.html 4 April 2026 @ 11:41 pm lt;strong gt;By Iresha Bandara and nbsp; lt;/strong gt; lt;strong gt;Kasun Warakapitiya nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; As Christians celebrate Easter Sunday today (April 5), heightened security measures have been implemented across the country to ensure public safety. [caption id= quot;attachment_637943 quot; align= quot;alignleft quot; width= quot;300 quot; caption= quot;Security was tight yes... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/final-rites-for-veteran-politician-mahinda-wijesekera-held-in-matara-637940.html 4 April 2026 @ 11:39 pm The final rites of senior politician and former minister Mahinda Wijesekera, (83), who passed away on Thursday was held in his hometown in Matara yesterday. Mr Wijesekera was a leading political figure in the Matara District and had a parliamentary career spanning nearly three decades; first as Member of Parliament for Matara from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and later as a MP from the Un... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/no-remains-found-excavation-ends-at-suspected-mass-grave-637914.html 4 April 2026 @ 11:24 pm lt;strong gt;By S Rubatheesan lt;/strong gt; Since no human remains or artefacts were recovered during the three days of excavations at a specific spot in the suspected mass grave site in Kurukkalmadam, Batticaloa, the pit was closed on Friday, according to the Office of Missing Persons (OMP). The excavation activities began on Tuesday (March 30) under the supervision of the Kaluwanchikud... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/health-fears-as-substandard-coal-doubles-fly-ash-mercury-levels-637911.html 4 April 2026 @ 11:18 pm Amidst environmentalists raising concerns this week that recent substandard coal consignments may contain high levels of mercury, thereby posing a health risk to Norochcholai residents, an energy analyst has calculated that the amount of mercury generally released to the environment due to coal combustion is between 600 and 650kg per year. Reports point to mercury values of 0.27mg per kilogramm... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/vidya-case-convict-tries-to-abuse-female-prison-doctor-637909.html 4 April 2026 @ 11:18 pm lt;strong gt;By Shane Senevirtane nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; A prisoner serving a jail term for the rape and murder of Jaffna schoolgirl Sivaloganadan Vidya attempted to abuse a female doctor at the Pallekele Dumbara Prison hospital, police said yesterday. The incident occurred when the doctor visited the prison to treat the convict. Police said the prisoner tried to abuse the doctor whi... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/price-shock-hits-consumers-before-electricity-bills-crushing-blow-637881.html 4 April 2026 @ 9:58 pm lt;strong gt;By Kasun Warakapitiya nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; Wednesday rsquo;s electricity tariff hikes mdash;over 25% for households consuming more than 180 units mdash;have shocked the public on multiple fronts. Not only consumers but traders, industrialists, hoteliers, and others depending on diverse livelihoods appear worried. Though people dread receiving this month rsquo;s electri... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/building-materials-and-hardware-traders-pounce-in-crisis-637879.html 4 April 2026 @ 9:54 pm lt;p style= quot;text-align: left; quot; align= quot;center quot; gt; lt;strong gt;By Kapila Bandara nbsp; lt;/strong gt; lt;/p gt; Retail traders of building materials and hardware have raised prices of a wide range of items at double-digit rates in some cases, taking advantage of the acceleration in energy prices and supply disruptions due to the war in West Asia. Some traders are blunt abo... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/the-coal-may-not-be-perfect-but-the-procurement-is-says-govt-637874.html 4 April 2026 @ 9:50 pm lt;ul gt; lt;li gt; lt;strong gt; lt;em gt;But why did it take seven months to close? lt;/em gt; lt;/strong gt; lt;/li gt; lt;/ul gt; lt;strong gt;By Namini Wijedasa lt;/strong gt; When it comes to the controversial 2025-26 coal tender, the government rsquo;s position is now clear: something may be wrong with the coal, but there was no fraud in the procurement. Guidelines were followe... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/imports-of-alternatives-to-fill-keeri-samba-shortage-637867.html 4 April 2026 @ 9:46 pm lt;ul gt; lt;li gt; lt;strong gt;As underground market thrives, farmers blame lack of government cultivation plan lt;/strong gt; lt;/li gt; lt;/ul gt; lt;strong gt;By Nidarshani Wickramasinghe nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; A shortage of Keeri Samba and complaints of prices exceeding Rs 350 a kilogram have emerged ahead of the biggest cultural festival this month. As a solution to the s... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/62-qualify-for-university-in-2025-gce-al-exam-637863.html 4 April 2026 @ 9:41 pm lt;p style= quot;text-align: left; quot; align= quot;center quot; gt;Results released this week show that 176,527 students who sat the 2025 GCE Advanced Level examinations mdash;62.64 per cent of candidates mdash;qualified for university admission. nbsp; lt;img class= quot;alignright wp-image-637864 quot; title= quot;ALResults quot; src= quot;http://sundaytimes.lk/260405/uploads/2026/04/ALResult... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/devinuwara-devale-accounts-not-personal-funds-ca-upholds-rtics-order-to-peoples-bank-637861.html 4 April 2026 @ 9:39 pm lt;ul gt; lt;li gt; lt;strong gt;Basnayake Nilame holds the accounts in lsquo;trust rsquo; for the devotees and not in personal lsquo;capacity rsquo; lt;/strong gt; lt;/li gt; lt;li gt; lt;strong gt;Refusal to disclose information is a lsquo;frustration of legislative intent regarding transparency and accountability' lt;/strong gt; lt;/li gt; lt;/ul gt; nbsp; lt;strong gt;By Ranj... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/ndb-unable-to-reveal-full-scale-of-insider-financial-fraud-637859.html 4 April 2026 @ 9:39 pm lt;p style= quot;text-align: left; quot; align= quot;center quot; gt; lt;strong gt;By Kapila Bandara nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; lt;/p gt; The National Development Bank (NDB) has informed the financial market that a Rs 380 million fraud has been pulled off by some staff and others and warned that ldquo;the final amounts could be substantially greater rsquo; rsquo;. The Norwegian government-ru... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/parliament-report-on-female-staffers-harassment-gathers-dust-637857.html 4 April 2026 @ 9:38 pm lt;strong gt; lt;em gt;By Sandun Jayawardana nbsp; lt;/em gt; lt;/strong gt; Key recommendations made in a report into the alleged harassment of a female employee of parliament are yet to be implemented more than four months after it was officially handed over. The investigation report prepared by retired High Court Judge Sujatha Alahapperuma was handed over to Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/foreigners-arrested-in-raid-on-chilaw-cyberscam-hub-637846.html 4 April 2026 @ 9:36 pm lt;strong gt;Pix and text by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; A clandestine operation led by a Chinese group posing as tourists was busted by the Computer Crimes Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department this week with the arrest of 152 foreigners in the Ambakandawila area of Iranawila. They were allegedly involved in financial fraud via the internet. Over 130 o... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/nuwara-eliyas-spring-festival-takes-off-under-a-cloud-637840.html 4 April 2026 @ 9:16 pm lt;p style= quot;text-align: left; quot; align= quot;center quot; gt; lt;strong gt;By Shelton Hettiarchchi lt;/strong gt; lt;/p gt; 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, ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/kandys-pavement-hawkers-get-an-avurudu-bonanza-637838.html 4 April 2026 @ 9:14 pm lt;strong gt; lt;em gt;By L.B. Senaratne nbsp; lt;/em gt; lt;/strong gt; The Kandy Municipal Council has unanimously decided to allow pavement hawkers to trade on the upper floor of the George E. de Silva park for ten days, beginning today, in view of the upcoming Avurudu season. The decision was reached during a meeting on Friday presided over by the Mayor of Kandy, offering a temporary re... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/a-helping-hand-to-foster-music-in-two-schools-in-puttalam-637834.html 4 April 2026 @ 9:13 pm lt;strong gt;By Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; Two Sri Lankans residing in the UK have reached out to help students of a couple of underprivileged schools in Puttalam. The two men, businessman Dilakshan Somanathbabuji and attorney at law Mohamed Malik had contacted Public Administration and Provincial Council Minister Chandana Abeyaratne and expressed their desire to... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/it-is-the-quiet-often-unseen-act-of-doing-justice-that-gives-meaning-to-a-life-in-the-law-637827.html 4 April 2026 @ 9:09 pm lt;strong gt; lt;em gt;Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe rsquo;s address at the ceremonial sitting at the Supreme Court to mark her retirement lt;/em gt; lt;/strong gt; By Ranjith Padmasiri ldquo;Positions are transient. Recognition fades. But your integrity, your humility and your commitment to justice must remain constant. For we are, above all, servants of a greater purpose, rdquo; said J... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/rs-56-288-billion-allocated-for-ditwah-relief-but-thousands-still-awaiting-compensation-637823.html 4 April 2026 @ 9:08 pm lt;strong gt; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; lt;ul gt; lt;li gt; lt;strong gt;Documentation and verification processes slowing down payments, say officials lt;/strong gt; lt;/li gt; lt;/ul gt; lt;strong gt; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; lt;strong gt;By Ishu Bandara lt;/strong gt; The Government has allocated Rs. 56.288 billion (as of March 27) toward an empowerment programme to help those affected b... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/water-cuts-necessary-to-avert-some-areas-from-going-dry-completely-say-officials-637815.html 4 April 2026 @ 9:05 pm lt;ul gt; lt;li gt; lt;strong gt;Households facing long duration cuts undergo severe disruption to daily life lt;/strong gt; lt;/li gt; lt;/ul gt; lt;strong gt; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; lt;strong gt;By Ishu Bandara lt;/strong gt; Residents in several suburbs of Colombo are facing difficulties due to water cuts that have been imposed due to to the prevailing dry weather. Some areas ini... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/groundwater-replenishment-new-supply-projects-and-rainwater-to-help-ease-recurring-crises-637813.html 4 April 2026 @ 9:00 pm lt;strong gt;By Niranjala Ariyawansha lt;/strong gt; The importance of conserving the nation rsquo;s water resources has emerged as a matter of critical urgency as the need for water cuts has risen. To address the predicted water scarcity in the future, developing the country's ground water table and introducing more rainwater harvesting systems have been under discussion for a long time. ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/human-interventions-intensify-city-heat-urban-animals-bear-the-brunt-637789.html 4 April 2026 @ 8:32 pm lt;strong gt;By Kasun Warakapitiya nbsp; lt;/strong gt; Clearing trees for beautification and safety, creating open spaces for pathways and erecting billboards have contributed to an increase in the heat in urban and suburban areas of Sri Lanka. [caption id= quot;attachment_637791 quot; align= quot;alignright quot; width= quot;200 quot; caption= quot;National Zoological Gardens Director Gen... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/april-fools-of-the-wild-the-ancient-trickery-of-the-jackal-637781.html 4 April 2026 @ 8:28 pm lt;strong gt;By Malaka Rodrigo nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; On April 1, as people trade tricks and laughter to make ldquo;April Fools rdquo; of one another, a different kind of deception comes to mind; one that unfolds in Sri Lanka's scrub forests, chena lands and village edges and associated with the Sri Lankan Jackal ( lt;em gt;Canis aureus naria lt;/em gt;). A subspecies of the golden jackal... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/the-passion-of-christ-and-duwas-fishing-community-united-by-faith-and-tradition-637766.html 4 April 2026 @ 8:25 pm lt;img class= quot;aligncenter size-full wp-image-637769 quot; title= quot;01-(5) quot; src= quot;http://sundaytimes.lk/260405/uploads/2026/04/01-5.jpg quot; alt= quot; quot; width= quot;500 quot; height= quot;500 quot; / gt; Thousands of devotees and visitors gathered in Duwa to witness the Duwa Passion Play, a centuries-old Christian drama that continues to unite an entire community in a dis... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260405/news/washing-the-feet-of-12-devotees-on-maundy-thursday-637760.html 4 April 2026 @ 8:15 pm Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, conveyed the meaning of quot;servant leadership quot; by washing the feet of 12 devotees at St. Lucia's Cathedral in Kotahena on April 2, Maundy Thursday symbolising the humility of Jesus Christ who washed the feet of his disciples. nbsp; The ceremony marked the Last Supper and the institution of the Holy Eucharist. The Cardinal also distribute...