Sri Lanka's hardline monks on Monday broadened a growing campaign by the Buddhist clergy against the government, threatening street protests if the island's Tamil minority is granted greater autonomy. Radical monk Maagalkande Sudaththa said hardline Buddhists were mobilising Sri Lankans from the majority Sinhalese ethnic group to resist a new power-sharing arrangement being drafted by the government. "Monks are going from district to district to educate their followers about the dangers of the proposed constitution," Sudaththa told reporters in Colombo.

Last week the government vowed to enshrine in law a promised power-sharing agreement in Sri Lanka's Tamil-majority northern and eastern regions in exchange for a lasting peace. President Maithripala Sirisena has stated he wants to prevent a repeat of the bloody separatist war that claimed 100,000 lives on the tiny island between 1972 and 2009. The 225-member national parliament is currently drafting the legislation, but hardliners have vowed to take to the streets before the measures take effect. "About 70 percent of MP's are asleep in parliament when important issues are discussed," Sudaththa said, accusing many of them of being "uneducated."

Sudaththa is an ardent supporter of firebrand monk Galagodaatte Gnanasara, who is on bail after being accused of hate speech and stoking violence against Sri Lanka's tiny Muslim population, the second largest minority after Tamils. Nearly 70 percent of the island's population is Buddhist and the monks, who hold huge sway, have generally opposed any political concessions to Tamils. The mounting opposition from the Buddhist clergy is seen as a challenge to Sirisena, also a Buddhist from the Sinhalese majority, who is committed to ethnic unity. Hardline Sinhalese oppose a federal system that would ensure more political power for Tamil Sri Lankans.

The island's Tamils took up arms in 1972 against what they claimed was entrenched discrimination in education and employment. These grievances expanded into a full-fledged war with the Tamil Tigers, a guerrilla rebel group, eventually controlling a third of Sri Lanka before being crushed in May 2009. The brutal suppression of the Tigers movement caught civilians in the crossfire, with government forces accused of war crimes including the murder of at least 40,000 Tamil civilians. Sirisena was elected to power partly on the back of support from Tamils, after he pledged reconciliation and promised investigations into war-time atrocities.

The 19-year-old Sri Lankan national charged in the mass killing of a newcomer family in Ottawa has no plan to seek bail, his lawyer says.

With the Presidential Election scheduled to be held in the first week of October, political parties have begun vigorous campaigns in electorates as well as closed door discussions with parliamentarians in a bid to secure a basic 50 percent vote base which will win them the presidency.

Notwithstanding the internal friction within the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) resulting in changes in party's leadership positions, the Election Commission clarified its role in accepting nominations for SLFP candidates in the event that internal conflicts persist beyond the declaration of elections.

Editor of the official Catholic Sinhala weekly ‘Gnanartha Pradeepaya’, Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando reported to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today for an investigation related to the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Sri Lankan Rupee remains steady against the US Dollar at commercial banks in Sri Lanka today (Apr 19) compared to Thursday. According to Seylan Bank, the buying and selling rates of the US Dollar are unchanged at Rs. 295 and Rs. 305.50, respectively.

It is reported that the Presidential Security Division has taken over the security of the visiting Iranian President – Ebrahim Raisi, who will arrive at Sri Lanka on April 24 for the inauguration of the Uma Oya project.

Sri Lanka remains on high alert as Canadian leaders may make genocide allegations next month when the country marks the war victory, according to a diplomatic source.

The respondent parties in the first application filed before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court under the newly enacted Online Safety Act, raised objections challenging the maintainability of the application.

The Court of Appeal has issued notice on former Member of Parliament Hirunika Premachandra, requiring her to appear before court on May 8 in connection with a contempt of court application.

The Catholic Church has received the remaining parts of the report submitted by the presidential commission which probed the Easter Sunday attacks, Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said today. Cardinal Ranjith said the church had received it three weeks ago. “A team of lawyers are studying the report and we will come up with a statement on it once the study is completed,” he told a briefing.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) arrested two suspects, including a retired Major of the Sri Lanka Army for fraudulently obtaining money from individuals promising employment in the Russian army.

The Colombo District Court today further extended its enjoining order preventing former President Maithripala Sirisena from functioning as the chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). This order will be effective till May 9. The Colombo District Court made this order following a lawsuit filed by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.

Sri Lanka is considering providing free visas to over 50 countries, it was reported. According to Tourism Ministry sources, a proposal in this regard is to be submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers next week.

According to the family members, the funeral service for former Deputy Minister Palitha Thewarapperuma is scheduled to take place this Friday (10).

Admissions for the GCE Ordinary Level (O/L) examinations will be issued by next week, the Examinations Department said. Accordingly, admissions will be issued to school applicants through the respective principals and to private applicants by post. The examination is scheduled to be held on May 6.

Preparations are underway to bid farewell to late Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne, the founder and President Emeritus of the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, with full state honours.

The Sri Lankan Rupee has depreciated further against the US Dollar today (Apr 17), compared to Tuesday, according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Accordingly, the buying rate of the US Dollar has increased from Rs. 294.20 to Rs. 295.28, while the selling rate has also increased from Rs. 303.54 to Rs. 305.19. The Rupee has also depreciated against several foreign currencies, including Gulf currencies.

The United States (US) Government recently held preliminary talks with the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in Colombo regarding the planned transfer of a fourth US Coast Guard cutter to the SLN, as part of the ongoing security partnership between both the countries.

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. She said this in response to a query about media reports to that effect. “I sought such details from the Russian military if there is anyone there,” she said.

Sri Lanka cannot be pushed and bumped into a global conflict and therefore it should be diligent in its dealings with various nations, a Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP said today.