Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Fine Arts, Emeritus Professor Jayasena Kottegoda has passed away yesterday (April 14)

He was 72 years old at the time of passing.

His body will lie at his residence in Boralesgamuwa and final rites will be held at the Boralesgamuwa Public Cemetery on April 17th.

A warm weather advisory has been issued for residents of the Northern, North-Central, North-Western, Western, Southern, and Eastern provinces, as well as the Ratnapura and Monaragala districts.

The heat index — the temperature felt by the human body — is expected to rise to the ‘Caution Level’ in several areas today (April 15), according to the Department of Meteorology.Meanwhile, in its weather forecast for April 15, the Meteorology Department states that showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern and Uva provinces and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts during the afternoon or night. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places elsewhere in the island during the afternoon or night.

Showers may occur in 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 Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Polonnaruwa district during the morning.

The tourism industry generated USD 354 million in March, which has increased Sri Lanka’s earnings from tourism in the first quarter of 2025 to USD 1,122.3 million, according to the latest data from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).

This marks a 9.4% increase compared to the USD 1,025.9 million earned through tourism in the first quarter of 2024.

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka in the first quarter of 2025 reached over 722,000, with a 13.6 percent year-on-year increase.

Accordingly, Sri Lanka earned USD 1,553.83 from tourists on average this year. The CBSL figures show that in the first quarter of 2024, on average, the country received USD 1,613.59 per tourist.  

This indicates that although the amount generated through tourist arrivals has increased, the average income per visitor has seen a reduction.

(adaderana.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by adaderana.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)