Sri Lanka Police has introduced a comprehensive traffic management and guidance system for the upcoming exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Siri Dalada Wandanawa), set to begin tomorrow (April 18) at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy.
A total of 10,000 police officers have been deployed to ensure the safety of devotees and manage traffic during the sacred event.
Additionally, the Police Information Technology Division has launched a dedicated online platform to assist devotees with essential information and real-time guidance. Attendees can access updates and instructions through the official website: daladadekma.police.lk.
The initiative aims to enhance the overall experience for pilgrims and improve coordination between the public and police during the religious event.
The Ministry of Defence has announced that heightened security measures will be in place across the country ahead of Easter Sunday on April 20.
Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) has directed the commanders of the Tri-Forces to coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security to ensure the safety of the public, particularly during Easter services on April 18 and 20.
In parallel, Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Priyantha Weerasooriya has instructed Senior DIGs, SSPs, and OICs to strengthen security measures nationwide. Special attention is being given to churches expected to draw large congregations, with plans to deploy security personnel in and around these locations.
We live in an era dominated by citizen journalism and an overwhelming flow of mainstream media that spans the globe. From the moment we wake to the moment we sleep, we’re inundated with information—scrolling, tapping, swiping, constantly seeking meaning in fleeting soundbites and bite-sized clips. In this relentless churn, the noble art of journalism—built on patience, persistence, and principle—often fades into the background, overlooked and at times forgotten.
So, if one of the old guard were to fall, would it be like a tree crashing in a forest—would anyone even notice?
Premalal Wijeratne passed away early this morning, surrounded by his family. It was a heart attack, an ailment he’d quietly lived with, perhaps for the last 25 years. He was, first and foremost, a devoted family man, a loving husband and father. But beyond the bounds of his home, he was something rare: a man who genuinely cared. Even his enemies were not beyond his concern. If he knew someone was in trouble, he would move mountains to help. What some saw as obsession, others experienced as salvation. He had a gift for pulling off the impossible, smoothing jagged edges with quiet force and relentless commitment.
For me, he was something more. He was one of the best old-school journalists I’ve ever known — literally a bloodhound. He could unravel the most tangled story, chasing it down with a kind of dogged brilliance that’s hard to come by today. He did something few journalists do anymore i.e. he followed through. Even after a story hit the headlines, he would stay with it, track its ripples, and make sure it reached a real, meaningful conclusion. In a media landscape obsessed with speed and novelty, this alone made him exceptional.
Today, stories are assembled like instant noodles, two minutes and done. But Premalal came from a different tradition. His journalism was built slowly, with care and rigour. He verified, cross-verified, and triple-checked. He never relied on a single source, and often had more than three. It wasn’t just about facts; it was about truth. The story behind the story. “A journalist must have a nose,” he used to tell me — meaning, a scent for what lies beneath. That, perhaps, is what modern journalism misses the most.
His notebook, which was battered and bruised, was a testimony of the journey he took with each and every story; a virtual mind map of information that wound its way through intricate investigations. It was filled with phone numbers, notes on conversations he had with his contacts, and even his thoughts and doubts. A treasure trove of information gathering in the traditions of Woodward and Bernstein.
I first met Premalal 45 years ago, when I was a cub reporter at The Sun. He was already a respected senior at the sister paper, Dawasa. Back then, he was the news editor, one of the top jobs given only to the most seasoned veterans. Later, we worked together at The Sunday Leader, where he handled the police round, as he always had. He later joined me again, in the News 1st newsroom.
Premalal brought his old-school values with him and never let them go. In a fast-paced TV and radio newsroom full of young people, that sometimes caused friction. But as News Director, I didn’t bring him in to adapt. I brought him in to anchor us in integrity. And that he did, especially in the most sensitive areas — police, parliament, and court reporting where he found the right people to manage these areas. He shaped the foundation of that newsroom, even going on to manage Sirasa Radio, a flagship outlet in our multi-platform, multicultural news operation.
Over time, though, his refusal to change became a burden. He couldn’t type his own stories because he didn’t know how to use a computer. And in a newsroom that increasingly demanded journalists to produce their own video, audio, and text, he slowly became an outsider, and eventually, he had to move on.
But that wasn’t the end for him. He returned to print journalism and continued contributing to various papers, staying active until the very end. Journalism was in his blood, and he never stopped.
Premalal Wijeratne will go down as one of the greatest journalists this country has known. His name deserves a place in our Hall of Fame. His passing leaves a hole; not just for his family, but for all of us who knew that we could call him in a desperate moment, when we needed justice, or help, or simply hope. For me, he is no longer at the other end of the line, and no one can take his place.
Sleep well, my friend. You lived your life with honour, belief, and unwavering faith. A just reward awaits you now, as you begin your next assignment. I will always have you in my heart. You were a good friend.
New research is showing just how much plants and crops rely on a host of darkness-dwelling creepy crawlies.
Think pollination, and you will likely picture a butterfly or bee flitting between flowers. But while these are indeed important pollinators, both the natural world and our food supplies rely on a host of other creatures, some of them decidedly less appealing.
And recent research has also shown that pollinator diversity is just as vital for ecosystems and cultivated plants as the sheer numbers of pollinators, and found that this diversity is on the decline for similar reasons.
Scientists estimate that 3-5% of fruit, vegetable and nut production is lost globally as a result of inadequate pollination, affecting the availability of healthy food and threatening human health.
From cockroaches and beetles to the tiny “bees of the seas”, here are some of the most unexpected, and occasionally disconcerting, pollinators the world continues to rely on – even if we don’t always see them.
Cockroach Margattea satsumana in the process of pollinating a Balanophora tobiracola plant in Japan (Credit: Kenji Suetsugu)
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are, in the words of one study, “among Earth’s most despised creatures“. But recent research suggests they play a beneficial and long overlooked role as plant pollinators – especially in the darker areas of forest often avoided by the world’s more beloved bees and butterflies.
“Traditionally, pollination has been associated with bees, flies, moths and butterflies,” says Kenji Suetsugu, a professor of biology at Kobe University in Japan. “However, emerging studies reveal that unexpected visitors such as cockroaches can play significant roles under certain conditions.”
These “alternative pollinators”, he adds, are often particularly important in environments where conventional pollinators are scarce, such as “in dense, shaded understories where light is limited and typical pollinators are infrequent”.
As soon as the first ever flowers unfurled from their buds in the early Cretaceous period, they were visited by pollinators. But those first soft landings on their petals weren’t by bees or butterflies
In fact, a growing body of research suggests that cockroaches act as pollinators in a rich and varied range of ecosystems – a role that previously went mostly unnoticed by researchers, since the creatures are nocturnal and less obvious in their interactions with plants than bees. In recent years, cockroach pollination has been reported for plant species such as Clusia blattophila, which grows on rocky outcrops in French Guiana, and the rare and endangered Vincetoxicum hainanense in China, amongst others.
Suetsugu has studied the role of cockroaches in pollination in dense, evergreen forests on Yakushima Island, a lush, subtropical island off Japan. He was specifically interested in cockroach-assisted pollination of Balanophora tobiracola, a mushroom-shaped parasitic plant.
Since cockroaches are elusive and nocturnal, he used several tricks to better understand their interactions with this plant. For example, he set up a waterproof digital camera in front of one flowering plant which took photos of it in 50-second intervals from dusk till dawn for around three weeks. The resulting photographs – more than 34,000 shots – showed cockroaches visiting the flower at night. Suetsugu also captured cockroaches after they’d visited the plant to identify and count the pollen grains on their bodies.
To investigate how a single cockroach visit affected the plant’s chance of setting fruit, he enclosed five of the plant’s flowers with a fine mesh and opened it only for one visit by the Margattea satsumana cockroach (the most frequent cockroach visitor for this plant), then closed it again. He compared this with other treatments of the plant, such as covering the flowers with mesh for the entire flowering period, to exclude all pollinators.
The study, published in 2025, provides “the first direct evidence of effective cockroach pollination” in this type of plant, says Suetsugu. “In the case of a single visit [by a cockroach], nearly 40% of flowers developed pollen tubes, a strong indicator of successful pollination.”
A goldenrod soldier beetle pollinates a goldenrod flower (Credit: Getty Images)
Beetles
As soon as the first ever flowers unfurled from their buds in the early Cretaceous period, they were visited by pollinators. But those first soft landings on their petals weren’t by bees or butterflies – instead, it’s thought that the pioneers of pollination may have had six scuttling legs and tough, shiny shells. They were beetles.
Beetles remain important pollinators to this day, often visiting flowers with the most seemingly unpromising allure – little nectar, greenish flowers, and an overpowering, possibly putrid smell, a set of traits known as “beetle pollination syndrome“.
Despite millions of years of evolution, beetles remain among the most frequent pollinators of primitive flowers which emerged among the dinosaurs, such as magnolias. And unlike the more well-known modern pollinators, many beetles like to operate at night, flying or crawling towards the warmth and delectable scent emitted by certain beetle-specialised flowers, such as lowiaceae orchids in Borneo which smell strongly of faeces – a favourite of dung beetles.
The white-lined sphinx moth, sometimes known as a “hummingbird moth”, is a widespread pollinator (Credit: Alamy)
Moths
As they hover above wild tobacco flowers, hawkmoths unfurl their 8cm (3in)-long proboscis to drink up its nectar – among their favourite meals. As they do this, grains of pollen are also pulled – as if by magic – across air gaps of several millimetres or even centimetres.
Do slugs and snails pollinate?
(Credit: Kenji Suetsugu)
Suetsugu’s research on overlooked pollinators in Japan may also help solve a 100-year-old mystery in the field of pollination studies: do slugs and snails pollinate?
The idea that slugs and snails can pollinate plants is frequently mentioned in textbooks, but “robust evidence is surprisingly scarce”, says Suetsugu. This type of pollination, known as malacophily, sounds plausible: as slugs and snails glide over flowers, they pick up pollen and transfer it. However, given that snails and slugs eat flowers, it is unclear whether such visits ultimately help reproduction – or whether they gobble up the flowers before there is any chance of fruiting.
A 2019 study by Suetsugu found that a type of slug, Ambigolimax valentianus, transferred pollen via fine threads of viscous mucus after visiting flowers of the Rohdea japonica plant –but that this did not lead to fruiting.
This happens because, incredibly, moths collect so much static electricity whilst in flight that pollen is pulled through the air towards them. The fact that they don’t need to touch flowers in order to pollinate them makes them very good pollinators.
The majority of pollination research has tended to focus on day-flying insects, but researchers are now probing what is happening at night.
In 2023, researchers from the University of Sussex, UK, discovered moths may even be more efficient pollinators than bees. The team studied both daytime and nocturnal pollinator visits to bramble plants, a widespread species across Europe which is important to pollinators for its pollen and nectar. While the study found that 83% of all visits were made in the day, and just 17% made under cover of darkness (almost exclusively by moths), it also found the moths were able to pollinate the flowers more quickly than their daytime counterparts.
The authors say nocturnal pollination is understudied. As moths have been shown to transport pollen from wide variety of plant species, further research is needed to fully appreciate the role they and other nocturnal insects play in pollinating, they say.
Another recent study from the University of Sheffield, UK, found moths account for a third of all urban pollination. However, a lack of native plant species and diversity of plant life in cities, coupled with scent-stifling air pollution, is still leaving moths struggling to find their next meal. Now, experts are warning of an “alarming” global decline in moth abundance and diversity.
A tube-lipped nectar bat feeds on sugar water in a 2006 experiment to measure the size of its lengthy tongue (Credit: Alamy)
Bats
Bats are another oft-overlooked furry night-time pollinator. While most bats eat mainly insects, at least 500 plant species in the tropics and subtropics are pollinated largely by nectar-feeding bats. Scientists say that bat pollination (chiropterophily) could have advantages: their large size means they can transfer a lot of pollen at once, and they fly long distances compared with many other pollinators. However, the large size of bats can also make pollination by them energetically expensive for plants.
One example is the endangered greater long-eared bat, native to the south-western US and Mexico. It feeds mainly on the pollen and nectar of agave (used to make mezcal and tequila) and various cacti, hovering above the plants just like a hummingbird to feed. Along with the lesser long-nosed bat, it is the main pollinator of agave.
In fragmented tropical habitats, nectar bats play an important role in keeping certain plants populations healthy, but also in pollinating crops for farmers. However, researchers have warned that bats’ status as a long-overlooked pollinator means there is a lack of knowledge of how dependent crops are on bats for harvest yield and quality.
A 2020 study found, for example, that bats were the main pollinators of pitayas (dragon fruit), a major crop in central Mexico – and that when bats were excluded from pollinating this crop, yields decreased by 35%. Experts have also warned that decreased populations of bats could lead to a fall in agave abundance.
Like many other pollinators, bats are being impacted by environmental change around the world, with researchers warning that these changes are putting the pollination services bat species provide at risk.
Experiments have shown the marine isopod idotea balthica move spermatia on its body from male to female alga, increasing fertilisation (Credit: Alamy)
‘Bees of the seas’
Despite their tiny, inconspicuous flowers, seagrasses are capable of reproducing with no help from animals. Turtle grass, for example, a seagrass which grows in shallow seas across the Caribbean, has miniscule, pollen-producing male flowers and female flowers which don’t produce pollen. In coordinated cycles, the female flowers open, followed by male flowers, which release pollen into the tides after sunset.
A decade ago, it was widely believed this was the only way that seagrasses pollinated, with pollinating animals only visiting flowers that bloom in the open air. But in an experiment at an aquarium in Mexico in 2016, ecologist Brigitta van Tussenbroek from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and her colleagues showed marine crustaceans were in fact playing a role.
Mostly, these bugs are at the whims of ocean currents, but when waters are calm, they are able to swim purposefully, earning them the nickname ‘the bees of the seas’
“At the onset of the night, many small organisms that were hiding during the day from predators started swimming around,” she says. The majority were barely visible crustacean larvae, which approached the male flowers to feed on the energy-rich pollen embedded in “a slimy and sticky substance”.
“Some of this substance and pollen attached to their body parts when they swim around, while also being tossed to-and-fro by the water movement,” says van Tussenbroek. On the receiving end, the female flowers have “tentacle-like stigmas which capture the small pollen-carrying organisms”, thus depositing the pollen grains.
Mostly, these invertebrates are at the whims of ocean currents, but when waters are calm, they are able to swim purposefully, she adds, earning these bugs the nickname “the bees of the seas”.
“This was a complete surprise,” says van Tussenbroek, and upended the belief that small free-moving fauna played no role at all in pollinating seagrass.
But perhaps even more surprising was the discovery in 2022 that tiny Baltic isopods help transport the pollen-like “spermatia” produced by red algae. Does it count as pollination if there is no pollen? The researchers call it “animal-mediated fertilisation” and ask what this means for our understanding of pollination, which is believed to have developed around 130 million years ago when flowering plants first appeared on land.
The discovery opens the possibility that these kinds of symbiotic interactions might have developed completely separately on land and in water – and that animal-mediated fertilisation may have emerged in the sea well before plants moved ashore.
Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) have issued a warning to those who attended Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations held in paddy fields, cautioning that the risk of contracting rat fever is currently high.
PHI Union Treasurer M.A.C. Prasad told the Daily News that an increasing number of New Year events are being organised in newly harvested or abandoned paddy lands—a trend growing in popularity on social media.
“These events are now widely promoted online, and we expect many more to take place in the coming weeks,” Prasad said. “Rat fever is spreading rapidly. If you have participated in such an event, you must remain vigilant.”
He advised the public to seek immediate medical attention at the first sign of symptoms and to inform doctors of possible exposure to high-risk areas. Early symptoms of rat fever, also known as leptospirosis, often resemble the flu and include fever, headaches, muscle and joint pain, skin rashes, nausea, vomiting, and swollen lymph nodes. Symptoms typically appear within three to ten days of exposure.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that an additional 400,000 families will be granted Aswesuma welfare benefits starting in June. The announcement was made during a rally in Mannar in support of National People’s Power (NPP) candidates contesting the upcoming Local Government elections.
The President also emphasized a shift in policy regarding wind power projects in the region, stating that all future renewable energy initiatives in Mannar will only proceed following consultations with local communities and comprehensive environmental assessments.
“We cannot repeat the mistakes of the past,” President Dissanayake said, referring to previous projects that drew criticism for overlooking ecological concerns and public input. “Development must be sustainable, and it must serve the people – not come at their expense.”
Mannar is known for its high potential in wind energy generation. The President reassured residents that future development will prioritize ecological balance and community welfare. “This Government listens. We will not allow development to proceed in a way that alienates or harms the very people it is meant to uplift.”
In addition, President Dissanayake announced that efforts are underway, with support from the Indian Government, to launch a passenger boat service between Mannar and Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu. “Restoring this historic connection will not only boost cross-border relations, but also enhance economic and cultural exchange for the people of Mannar,” he said.
Also present at the rally were Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar, Members of Parliament Jegatheeswaran and Thilaganathan, and NPP candidates from the Mannar Urban Council, as well as representatives from Nanattan, Musali, and Manthai West.
A high-level delegation of Sri Lankan officials is set to visit the United States next week to hold discussions on the recent tariff increases imposed on Sri Lankan goods, Export Development Board (EDB) Chairman and CEO Mangala Wijesinghe announced on Wednesday.
Wijesinghe said that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had appointed a special committee on April 3 to address the issue. The committee has since submitted a report outlining short-, medium-, and long-term strategies to mitigate the impact of the U.S. tariffs.
Although the new tariffs were initially scheduled to take effect from April 9, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause, except for a 10% across-the-board tariff on all countries.
Sri Lanka has already held two meetings with U.S. Embassy trade officials in Colombo, during which relief was requested in light of the country’s ongoing IMF programme and its need to begin loan repayments by 2028.
Among the highest tariff rates imposed, Sri Lanka faces a 44% rate, with 25% of its exports destined for the U.S. Only a few nations, including Cambodia and Lesotho, are subject to higher rates.
The government is still finalizing the composition of the delegation, and if no further reprieve is granted, the full tariff measures will come into effect in July.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern, Eastern, North-central and Uva province during the afternoon or night.Fairly heavy falls of above 50 mm are likely at some places in these areas.
A few showers may occur in the coastal areas of Western province and in Galle, Matara and Puttalam districts in the morning too.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa, and Uva provinces and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts during the morning.
April 17, Colombo (LNW): The Global Franchise Forum (GFF) is gearing up to host its Sri Lanka edition on April 27 at Sheraton Hotel, Colombo, bringing together prominent global brands, investors, and entrepreneurs. This prestigious event aims to explore franchising and business expansion opportunities within Sri Lanka’s growing market.
Endorsed by top business bodies like the Indo-Lanka Chamber of Commerce, Ceylon National Chamber of Industries (CNCI), International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Sri Lanka, Colombo Chamber of Commerce, and the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL), the forum highlights the increasing importance of international franchising in Sri Lanka’s economic development.
Positioned as a strategic entry point to South Asia, Sri Lanka offers a rapidly recovering economy, a rising middle class, and favourable policies that support foreign investment. Key sectors such as hospitality, retail, education, and healthcare are drawing attention from global franchises eager to establish a local presence.
The GFF event promises attendees a valuable experience through exclusive franchise exhibitions, direct business meetings with global brand owners and investors, and expert-led discussions on franchising strategies. Seminars and workshops will address market entry tactics, while networking sessions will connect entrepreneurs with potential franchise partners. An awards ceremony will also be held to recognise outstanding achievements in the franchise sector.
According to Franchise India Group Chairman Gaurav Marya, the 2025 forum will be essential for a wide range of participants, including entrepreneurs, investors, and corporate leaders. He emphasized that the event acts as a vital bridge between international brands and local business leaders, creating pathways for successful expansion into high-growth markets.
Marya also noted Sri Lanka’s economic momentum, citing a projected GDP growth rate of 3.3% in 2025, and foreign direct investment (FDI) exceeding $1.5 billion in the past year. With continued urbanisation and a strengthening consumer base, the country presents attractive prospects for international business.
By encouraging partnerships between global franchisors and Sri Lankan entrepreneurs, the forum contributes to sustainable growth, job creation, skill development, and innovation. Its mission aligns with Sri Lanka’s broader objective of increasing FDI and establishing itself as a competitive business destination in South Asia.
Overall, the Global Franchise Forum is set to be a game-changing event for both international players and local entrepreneurs, reinforcing Sri Lanka’s status as a key hub for franchise-driven economic growth.
April 17, Colombo (LNW): The Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) has firmly reinforced its leadership in Sri Lanka’s superannuation sector, commanding an impressive 81.0% share of the sector’s total assets by the end of 2024. This dominant position highlights the Fund’s ongoing financial stability and its critical role in safeguarding retirement savings for the country’s workforce.
EPF’s net worth rose significantly by 12.6% year-on-year, reaching Rs. 4,375.7 billion compared to Rs. 3,886.7 billion in 2023. This robust growth was fueled primarily by strong investment performance and a notable recovery in net contributions.
Total member contributions climbed by 11.3% to Rs. 234.4 billion in 2024. Simultaneously, refund payments to members and their legal heirs dropped by 12.9% to Rs. 188.1 billion, resulting in a net positive contribution of Rs. 46.3 billion for the year. This marks a dramatic reversal from the Rs. 5.3 billion net outflow recorded in 2023.
On the investment front, the EPF achieved an income of Rs. 513.8 billion in 2024, reflecting a 6.8% increase from the previous year’s Rs. 481.1 billion. Interest income—its primary revenue stream—rose modestly by 2.9% to Rs. 455.1 billion.
Meanwhile, dividend income saw a substantial surge of 82.9% to Rs. 5.5 billion, and net fair value gains from listed equity investments more than doubled, reaching Rs. 49.2 billion. These figures underscore the Fund’s diversified and strategic investment approach, which has contributed significantly to its overall financial strength.
In terms of operational performance, the EPF maintained an impressively low operating expenses to gross income ratio of just 0.6%, reflecting a high degree of cost efficiency. However, with the rise in investment income, tax expenses also increased, reaching Rs. 64.1 billion in 2024.
Reflecting the strong financial performance, the Governing Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has proposed an interest rate of 11.00% on member balances for the year 2024. This proposed rate is currently pending approval from the Ministers of Labour and Finance.
These financial highlights and strategic developments were outlined in the Central Bank of Sri Lanka’s Annual Economic Review 2024, reinforcing the EPF’s vital role in ensuring long-term financial security for its members.
