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A notable increase in road traffic accidents has been recorded during the April 10 to 19 period this year compared to the same dates last year, according to Sri Lanka Police.

Speaking at a media briefing today, April 20, Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Traffic Control and Road Safety, W. P. J. Senadeera, said the rise in accidents has become a matter of serious concern despite ongoing road safety measures.

According to the DIG, fatal accidents have increased by 18 cases year-on-year, while the number of deaths caused by these incidents has risen by 20 during the same period.

He further highlighted that several other categories of road accidents have also shown a sharp increase. Major accidents have gone up by 94 cases, while minor accidents have increased by 49.

In addition, incidents involving property damage alone have risen by 48 cases when compared with the corresponding period last year.

DIG Senadeera noted that the upward trend continues despite intensified law enforcement operations and public awareness campaigns carried out by the authorities.

Police have appealed to motorists and the general public to act with greater responsibility on the roads and support ongoing efforts to reduce the number of serious accidents across the country.

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has announced that the temporary relaxation of the QR code-based fuel quota system for petrol-powered vehicles will officially end from midnight tomorrow (18), marking the return of regular fuel distribution procedures.

According to the CPC, motorists using petrol-powered vehicles will once again be required to obtain fuel through the QR code-based quota system from that time onward.

Despite the reinstatement of the quota mechanism, the existing odd-even number plate system for fuel distribution will continue to remain in force for all vehicles, ensuring that the current traffic and fuel management measures stay in place.

The QR system had been temporarily suspended during the festive Sinhala and Tamil New Year period to provide greater convenience for motorists travelling during the holiday season.

Earlier, on April 11, CPC Chairman D. J. Rajakaruna had stated that the temporary easing of the system was introduced in view of the New Year, allowing drivers to obtain petrol without the use of the quota process during the specified period.

With the festive period drawing to a close, the CPC’s decision signals a return to its standard fuel monitoring framework from midnight tomorrow.

More than 300 humanoid robots participating in China’s second robot half-marathon on Sunday will be facing tougher terrain designed to test their technical advancements, as Beijing seeks to develop the industry into a major pillar of its economy.

Over 70 teams, almost five times as many as last year, will be competing in the 21 km (13 miles) race in Beijing that includes paved slopes and parkland.

“It will certainly be interesting to see the progress in durability of components and battery lifetime compared to last year,” said Georg Stieler, Asia managing director and head of robotics at Stieler, a technology consultancy.

“Humanoid robot makers need to find a balance between quality in products which are still under constant evolution and price pressure.”

While all of last year’s entrants were remotely controlled, this time almost 40% of the robot participants will navigate the course autonomously, the organisers have said, in a high-profile demonstration of the industry’s growing capabilities. But the event is also likely to highlight the challenges Chinese firms face as they try to create robots that can effectively mimic human ⁠movement and performance.

In last year’s race some robots crashed and fell near the starting line, while the winning Tiangong Ultra model, developed by the state-backed Beijing Innovation Center of Humanoid Robotics in collaboration with UBTech, finished in 2 hours and 40 minutes, comfortably ahead of its humanoid rivals but more than double the time of the human winner of the conventional race.

Tiangong Ultra will navigate “fully autonomously” this year, relying solely on its sensors to avoid obstacles, and closely mimic the human gait through large-scale data simulation training, the Center of Humanoid Robotics said in a statement.

“When the robot runs at speeds approaching those of professional human athletes, the time window for perception and decision-making is extremely short, placing very high demands on computing power, algorithms, and system response speed,” it said.

Social media videos of the robots training in Beijing at night this month showed some models successfully imitating human running and reaching speeds of 14 km per hour, but others’ movements were more jerky and some fell over or crashed into railings, suggesting they might struggle to make it to the finishing line.

China dominates global humanoid robot installations, accounting for more than 80% of the 16,000 units installed worldwide in 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The top U.S. vendor, Tesla, only accounted for 5% of global humanoid installations, the report said.

⁠Domestic market leaders AgiBot and Unitree each shipped more than 5,000 units last year - the highest globally - while Unitree has pledged to expand production capacity to 75,000 humanoid robots annually.

‘DANCING DISGUISED AS WORKING’

While the half-marathon might make for entertaining viewing, experts say the skills on display do not translate to the widespread commercialisation of humanoid robots in industrial settings, where manual dexterity, real-world perception and capabilities beyond small-scale, repetitive tasks are crucial.

Currently, Unitree’s humanoid models are primarily used by research institutions, for dance performances and as interactive guides in service establishments, according to its IPO prospectus.

And while some humanoids might be able to complete a half-marathon, even in China they remain years away from widespread domestic or industrial deployment, ⁠experts say.

“The reason our applications aren’t taking off is that the robots’ IQ is too low. The models are poor, their success rates are low,” said Tang Wenbin, founder of embodied intelligence startup Yuanli Lingji at a Beijing tech forum last month.

“Honestly, the whole industry’s level is still at a very elementary stage ... Right now, a lot of what we see is ‘dancing disguised as working’.”

The Chinese government has named embodied intelligence, or physical AI, as one of the key ⁠industries it wants to nurture as it looks to automation to boost economic productivity and upgrade traditional manufacturing.

Chinese robotics firms are still struggling to develop the AI software that would enable humanoids to match the efficiency of human factory workers, while components manufacturers are contending with cost pressures, analysts said.

As they seek to improve the software, firms are ploughing resources into large-scale real-world data collection, using human workers fitted with sensors ⁠and deploying more humanoids to factory floors.

In 2024, UBTech had fewer than 10 humanoids in factories. Last year, that number jumped to more than 1,000.

This year, it aims to launch 10,000 full-size humanoid robots, including new models tailored for a variety of commercial settings, Chief Business Officer Michael Tam said during a media tour to the company’s Shenzhen showroom in southern China.

“When we talk about AI, it relies on how much data, especially high-quality data, we can collect,” he said.

Source: Reuters

Global oil prices retreated slightly on Friday morning in Asia after a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel came into effect.

The conflict strained a two-week conditional ceasefire between the US and Iran, with Tehran saying Israel’s attacks on Lebanon were a breach of the agreement.

The price of the global benchmark Brent crude fell by nearly 1% to $98.50 (£72.86) a barrel, while US-traded oil was down by 1.2% at $93.60.

Major Asian markets edged lower on Friday morning after climbing during the week. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index dipped by 0.8%, while the Kospi in South Korea was lower by 0.3%.

Source: BBC

In a major crackdown on maritime drug trafficking, the Sri Lanka Navy has seized 10 local multi-day fishing trawlers allegedly involved in smuggling narcotics during the first three months of this year.

The announcement was made today (17) by Navy Media Spokesperson Commander Buddhika Sampath while addressing the media following the arrival of a trawler carrying narcotics at the Dikowita Fisheries Harbour.

According to the Navy, the seized vessels were found transporting a large quantity of dangerous drugs, including crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as “ice,” along with heroin, hashish, and cocaine.

Authorities revealed that more than 1,800 kilograms of illicit narcotics have been taken into custody from the intercepted trawlers so far this year, marking one of the most significant maritime drug seizures in recent months.

Commander Sampath further stated that the estimated street value of the confiscated drugs exceeds Rs. 44 billion, highlighting the scale of the illegal operation and the severe threat it poses to the country.

The latest seizure underscores the Navy’s intensified efforts to combat organized drug trafficking networks operating through Sri Lankan waters.

Crude oil prices rose in early trading Sunday.

The price of U.S. crude oil jumped 6.4% to $87.88 per barrel after trading resumed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

The price of Brent crude, the international standard, climbed 6.5% to $96.25 per barrel.

The market reaction followed more than two days of rising hopes, and then dashed expectations, involving the strait.

Sunday’s early gains erase a portion of the losses seen Friday, when crude plunged more than 9% after Iran’s foreign minister said the strait had reopened to commercial tankers.

Source: AP

A patient receiving treatment at Nagoda General Hospital was arrested yesterday (14) following allegations of sexual harassment involving a female doctor on duty.

The suspect, identified as a resident of Mahagama in Agalawatte, had been admitted to Ward No. 22 after being transferred from Pimbura Hospital on Tuesday afternoon. Police stated that he was undergoing treatment for epilepsy along with complications linked to excessive alcohol consumption.

According to the complaint, the incident unfolded while the patient was being examined in the ward. The doctor had approached his bedside to check his blood pressure when he allegedly touched her chest inappropriately. She immediately reprimanded the patient and warned him against such conduct.

However, the situation reportedly escalated moments later. As the doctor attempted to operate a medical testing device, the patient is accused of harassing her a second time in a similar manner.

The doctor subsequently informed the Chief Medical Officer in charge of the ward and lodged a formal complaint at the police post within the hospital premises. Acting swiftly, officers from Kalutara South Police took the suspect into custody.

He remains under treatment at the hospital under strict police guard and is due to be produced before the Matugama Magistrate’s Court.