FBI opens criminal probe into deadly Baltimore bridge collapse

The FBI has opened a federal criminal investigation into the deadly collapse of a Baltimore bridge last month when a ship crashed into one of its supports, the bureau said on Monday.

Stranded at Fort station...

Commuters along with their children and belongings, were stranded at the Fort Railway Station due to train cancellations. Eleven scheduled trains were cancelled today due to the absence of locomotive operators and railway guards. Pix by Nimalsiri Edirisinghe

Ex-soldiers joining Russian military as mercenaries, Sri Lanka seeks details

Amidst reports that some ex-military men from Sri Lanka have joined the Russian military operations against Ukraine, Sri Lankan Ambassador in Moscow Prof. Janita Liyanage said she asked for details about them from the Russian military if any.

11 trains cancelled: Locomotive operators, guards fail to report for duty

The Railways Department said that 11 scheduled trains have been cancelled today due to locomotive operators and railway guards failing to report for duty.

Effectiveness of Sri Lanka’s legal system is questioned over alleged corruption: Marie Antonia

The effectiveness of the legal system in handling investment-related matters in Sri Lanka is often questioned due to perceived corruption and inefficiency, an official said.

State Minister Chamara Sampath’s vehicle catches fire

The official vehicle of Primary Industries State Minister Chamara Sampath Dassanayake caught fire this morning in the Halpe area, as reported by the Ella police.

Debt restructuring with bondholders hits a snag with disagreement on two areas

Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring process with private bondholders is stuck with two aspects of disagreement, whereas it is well underway with bilateral creditors, a top official said yesterday.

MPs request lower-priced vehicle permits ahead of presidential election

A group of MPs from both the ruling party and the opposition have urged the speaker and government officials to provide vehicle permits at lower prices if the previously issued duty-free licenses cannot be granted before the upcoming presidential election.

Global expansion of single-origin Sri Lankan chocolate a major struggle: Mendis

Sri Lanka’s celebrity chocolatier, chef and agriculture enthusiast Gerard Mendis faces an uphill battle in his bid to take single-origin Sri Lankan chocolates global. This is primarily due to the shortage of cocoa beans and absence of active cooperation of authorities.

Central Bank’s March dollar purchases hit record high

The Central Bank has purchased the most amount of dollars for a single month in March, a sign that the country is currently in a very comfortable position in its foreign currency liquidity, after two years into the worst currency crisis in the country.

Prioritise building inclusive social protection system: ADB tells Sri Lanka

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) stressed that for Sri Lanka, the near-term priority during economic recovery is to lay institutional and structural frameworks for an inclusive social protection system.

Committee studying permitting vehicle imports on priority basis: Siyambalapitiya

Claiming that only vehicle imports have been restricted by now, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said today that a committee is studying the possibility of permitting vehicle imports on a priority basis in the future.

India lifts export restrictions on onions to Sri Lanka

The government of India has lifted the export restrictions on onions to Sri Lanka, with export of up to 10,000 MT of onions permitted vide the enclosed notification of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Public inconvenienced due to lack of transport

Despite assurances from transport authorities that sufficient facilities would be provided to accommodate commuters during the festive season, people were highly inconvenienced due to inadequate public transport, resulting in them risking their lives.

Back to Colombo...

People begin arriving in Colombo after the Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations. Long-distance buses were deployed to beef up transportation. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Train fails to halt, crashes onto Colombo Fort platform

A train crashed onto the railway platform at the Colombo Fort railway station today after failing to stop it at the designated place.

Woman drowns, her husband missing in Victoria Reservoir

A woman who was bathing in the Victoria Reservoir at Kumbukkadura in Theldeniya drowned and her husband is missing, police said.

Drastic dip in accidents during festive season

Health authorities have noticed a significant decrease in accidents, notably firecracker-related incidents, during the festive season.

Growth in tourist arrivals...

Even after the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festivals, some foreign tourists were seen walking in the streets of Colombo. According to the reports by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Sri Lanka crossed the 50,000 mark of tourist arrivals during the first nine days of April. Pix By Pradeep Pathirana

Covid death reported from Jaffna Hospital

A 62-year-old woman who was receiving treatment at the Jaffna Hospital died of Covid-19, hospital sources said.

Oil anointing ceremony at Gangaramaya

Oil anointing ceremonies were held throughout the country this morning. This is from a ceremony held at the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo under the aegis of Ven. Dr. Kirinde Assaji Thera. Pix by Kithsiri de Mel

Sydney mall stabbing: Probe underway why man targeted women

Australian police are examining why a lone assailant who stabbed six people to death in a busy Sydney shopping mall and injured more than a dozen others targeted women while avoiding men, a police commissioner said on Monday.

UN chief calls for restraint after Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Israel

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for maximum restraint after Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Israel over the latter’s deadly assault on the Iranian consulate in Syria.

Avurudu Perahera of Kataragama Dewalaya

The annual traditional Avurudu Perahera of the Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Dewalaya was held yesterday, ushering in prosperity following timely rainfall. Pix by Nisal Baduge

Ten killed in road accidents within 24 hours

At least ten people were killed in eight road accidents within the past 24 hours in differenet parts of the country, Police said.

At least 18 dead as landslides hit Indonesia's Sulawesi island

Landslides on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island on the weekend killed at least 18 people with rescue efforts, including police sniffer dogs, still ongoing for two missing people, local authorities said on Monday.

Anointing of oil

During the traditional oil anointing ritual after the Sinhala and Tamil New Year dawn, a blessing is recited that invokes a series of seemingly impossible transformations to grant longevity to the anointed.

Matheesha Pathirana made the difference for CSK, says MI skipper Hardik Pandya

Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya attributed his team’s 20-run defeat in Match 29 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Wankhede Stadium to Chennai Super Kings’ Impact Substitute, Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana.

Teen girl injured in Minneriya shooting

A 17-year-old girl was injured in a shooting incident at Girithale in Minneriya last night, Police said.

Rainy conditions to intensify with showers above 100 mm pegged

The Meteorological Department has issued a weather advisory for several provinces in Sri Lanka, forecasting heavy showers exceeding 100 mm in some areas.