Dec 30 (FT) Sri Lanka’s tourism sector reached a historic milestone yesterday as the country welcomed its 2,333,797th tourist for 2025, officially surpassing the previous all-time arrival record of 2,333,796 visitors set in 2018. The milestone carries added significance when viewed against recent tourism trends. In 2018, SL recorded its highest-ever tourist arrivals at 2,333,796, a record that stood for seven years. more..

Dec 30 (DM) Sri Lanka is set to welcome the global gem and jewellery fraternity on January 3, as FACETS Sri Lanka 2026, the country’s flagship gem and jewellery exhibition, opens its doors at The Forum, Cinnamon Life – City of Dreams, Colombo. Taking place from January 3 to 5, 2026, FACETS is recognised as the first major international jewellery exhibition of the year, positioning Sri Lanka at the forefront of the global gem and jewellery calendar. Now in its 33rd year, more..

Dec 30 (TM) Education Ministry stated that all possible actions are being taken to ensure that every schoolchild, including those affected by Cyclone Ditwah and studying at impacted schools, will have a place to continue their education when schools reopen on 5 Jan of next year. Ministry Secretary, Nalaka Kaluwewa said that school holidays had been extended to minimise the difficulties faced by students and families following the cyclone. "Once schools resume, students cannot be kept at more..

Dec 30 (NW) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, has reiterated that television broadcast licenses issued by the Ministry of Mass Media are conditional and may be revoked if the stipulated requirements are not adhered to. He made these remarks while addressing an event, organized to recognize media personnel who have made notable contributions to promoting public health awareness & disseminating accurate health information more..

Dec 30 (DM) Police have intensified raids on brothels allegedly operating under the guise of spas in Colombo, after dozens of foreign women were arrested in December alone for involvement in illegal activities in SL. As tourism numbers rise, cases involving foreign nationals violating visa conditions and engaging in illegal activities have also increased. This has prompted police to step up inspections of establishments registered as Ayurvedic or massage centres, more..

Dec 30 (FT) Govt yesterday commenced the online registration of institutions and members under the digitalisation of Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) services, marking a significant milestone in the modernisation of labour-related public services in the country. The inauguration ceremony was held at the auditorium of the Labour Secretariat in Narahenpita under the patronage of Labour Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando and Deputy Labour Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe, more..

Dec 30 (AD) The list of the 25 best films of Sinhala cinema over the past 75 years (1947–2022), has been released. The centenary celebration of Sri Lankan cinema falls this year. Accordingly, the State Film Advisory Board of the Arts Council of Sri Lanka together with the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs released the Cinema Vimarshi – Sri Lankan Cinema Centennial Journal today. The announcement on the list of best films more..

Dec 30 (DN) The govt was optimistic in achieving the export target of USD 18 billion set in 2025 and creating a USD 300 billion economy by 2030, Thilaka Jayasundara, Secretary to the Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneur development opined. She said against many challenges they were able to increase the export revenue by 8% this year and due to the disaster they expect a drop in about USD 100-200 million export revenue. Jayasundara made these observations while participating more..

Dec 30 (FT) Sri Lanka’s apparel industry has delivered a robust performance during the first 11 months of 2025, with cumulative exports reaching $ 4,571.99 million, marking a 5.42% increase over the same period last year, according to data released yesterday by the JAAF. SL’s total apparel exports for Nov 2025 reached $ 367.60 million, representing a slight decrease of 1.96% compared to $ 374.94 million in Nov 2024. more..

Dec 30 (FT) Sri Lanka Customs’ revenue collection continues to soar to new heights, surpassing Rs. 2.49 trillion as of 26 December, marking a historic milestone in the Govt’s fiscal performance. Customs exceeded its original annual revenue target of Rs. 2,115 billion in early Nov 2025, prompting the Finance Ministry to revise the target upward to Rs. 2,231 billion. That revised target was also surpassed by 26 December, with total collections reaching Rs. 2,497 billion. more..

Dec 30 (CT) The final round of performances of the 2025 National Youth Drama Festival, widely regarded as a major platform for emerging playwrights, concluded on Friday, marking the culmination of weeks of intense competition and creative expression. This year’s festival attracted 213 long and short drama scripts submitted by young dramatists. Based on these scripts, stage productions competed in the preliminary round, from which 29 long plays and 178 short plays more..

Dec 30 (NW) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) says work towards building the Jaffna International Cricket Stadium (JICS) in Mandaitivu, Jaffna, is currently ongoing and progressing as planned. SLC said that construction activities at the ground were temporarily halted due to the Ditwah Cyclone, which disrupted the scheduled work program, including the first trial game that was scheduled to be played on 14th January 2026. Work has now resumed, and the trial game will be played following more..

Dec 30 (Island) Reports received by us from tea brokers, Colombo Tea Traders’ Association (CTTA) and other sources indicated that, by and large, the local tea sector has been spared by the recent weather havoc. The CTTA said that although Cyclone Ditwah affected parts of SL, production, sales, and exports of tea continued without interruption. Clearly, report said, the well established and highly coordinated industry network was fully geared to confront these issues. more..

Dec 30 (TM) The Vedda Chieftain, Uruwarige Wannila Aththo said that if the Govt continues to disregard the rights of indigenous people despite SL being a signatory to the relevant UN convention, Vedda community would be compelled to inform the UN that their rights are not being protected in the country. He said that Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake had visited their village on 9 August to mark the World Indigenous People's Day more..

Dec 30 (Island) Aviyana Ceylon, SL’s upcoming ultra-luxury seven-star hospitality project, has stepped decisively into the country’s high-end sports tourism space by coming on board as the principal sponsor of the prestigious Eagles’ Monsoon Cup Golf Tournament 2026, in partnership with the SL Air Force (SLAF). The international-standard golf tournament is scheduled to be held on Jan 11, 2026, and is expected to attract diplomats, corporate leaders, high-net-worth individuals and more..

Dec 30 (CI) After three low scores, three tosses lost and three heavy defeats, SL gave hosts India more of a fight in the fourth T20I on Sunday when they finally got to chase a target instead of setting one. They got somewhat close thanks to contribution from batters apart from Chamari Athapaththu. With their confidence running a little higher, they would want to sign off from this five-match tour with one win as the preparations for the T20 World Cup, which is less than six months away, heat up. more..

Dec 30 (ST) Sales of fireworks hit an all-time low this year following the devastation of Cyclone Ditwah as well as the effects of sustained campaigns. Sellers believe sales were low mostly because of the disaster. Hundreds are mourning the loss of loved ones. Some are rebuilding their lives. Apart from that, the views about celebrations have changed over the years and are also influenced by those such as animal rights activists who more..

Dec 30 (TM) A Bill aimed at curbing organised crime will be presented to the Parliament within the course of next month (January 2026), according to the Public Security Ministry. The Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ananda Wijepala said: "We will be presenting a Bill aimed at curbing organised crime to the Parliament in January. It is expected to introduce tougher penalties and longer prison terms for organised crimes through this Legislation." more..

Dec 30 (DN) Blue Ocean Group of Companies has reinforced investor confidence and regulatory credibility by securing Board of Investment (BOI) approval for three premium luxury residential developments located in some of Colombo’s most prestigious addresses. The combined investment for these projects exceeds USD 16 million, underscoring the Group’s strong financial standing, governance standards, and long-term commitment to Sri Lanka’s real estate sector. more..

Dec 30 (FT) Total container volumes handled by the Colombo Port rose 7.1% year-on-year (YoY) to 6.92 million 20-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in the first 10 months of 2025, supported by a strong expansion in domestic container traffic, even as transhipment activity continued to account for the bulk of throughput and remain central to Colombo’s regional hub role. Transhipment container volumes increased 5.1% YoY to 5.52 million TEUs during the Jan–Oct period, up from 5.25 mil TEUs a year earlier. more..

Dec 30 (FT) SL Export Development Board’s (EDB) National Packaging Centre (NPC) recently hosted an awareness workshop on EU Food Labeling Legislation at the EDB premises. Over 110 exporters and potential exporters participated and obtained the knowledge on European Union market requirements, gained an understanding of the background and application of EU food labelling laws, mandatory components of EU food labelling and implement current EU food labelling legislation more..

Dec 30 (DM) SL’s tourism authorities have set an ambitious revenue target of US $ 4.5 billion for 2026, aiming to attract 2.7 million visitors by shifting focus toward high-spending demographics and untapped geographical markets to overcome the recent revenue stagnation. The announcement follows a historic milestone on Dec 29, when SL welcomed its highest-ever number of tourist arrivals in a single calendar year, surpassing more..

Dec 30 (DM) The first budgets presented by Chairmen and Mayors of several local govet bodies including the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) representing mainly the NPP have been defeated. However, only the CMC budget made headlines as it happened when the NPP captured the council in May. The defeat of budgets in these councils wasn’t surprising, writing was on the wall for all these budgets from the beginning, given the way these councils were instituted seven months ago. more..

Dec 30 (Island) SL Customs is on cloud nine, boasting that it has set a revenue record. It says it has raised more than Rs. 2,497 million, which is in excess of the targets set by the govt for the current year. An increase in state revenue is certainly a very positive development, but how that goal has been achieved should be revealed to the public. There have been exponential tax increases and they have enabled the govt to boost its revenue significantly. Customs Dept has been able to meet more..

Dec 30 (GV) This year began following the NPP’s electoral victory, signaling a decisive shift away from corrupt political elites towards a more hopeful future, built on social justice and economic relief for the working class. However, as the year comes to a close, the excitement of the NPP’s electoral triumph has dissipated, facing the reality of a nation still grappling with its past and an increasingly volatile future – particularly in the wake of the recent devastation of Cyclone Ditwah. more..

Dec 30 (ST) I was nicely snuggled up on my sofa watching another episode of my favourite comedy series for the year, when I heard a loud incessant banging on my door. I feared it would break down my door. ‘Okay, okay, I’m coming, I’m coming,’ I yelled over the TV din, ‘no need to break the door.’ As I got up from the sofa, I realised I had been so enwrapt in my comedy show that I had even forgotten Santa’s yearly visit on Christmas Eve. Glancing at the wall clock, I noticed more..

Dec 30 (TM) SL’s energy security vulnerabilities have been well documented over the last decade. Nevertheless, challenges with ageing infrastructure and the failure to modernise it continue to pose a risk to the supply of fuel to the island nation. Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) will fully replace the crude oil transfer hose involved in the recent oil spill at the Colombo Port within the first week of Jan 2026, more..

Dec 30 (CT) After the multiple landslides reported throughout the mountainous regions of the island, authorities have begun initiatives to reassess the safety of human activity in slope areas and regions of high altitude. This includes areas such as Kadugannawa, according to reports. Unfortunately, the decision comes too little, too late. Of course, the blame should not be limited to the current administration. For years, the issue surrounding landslides in mountainous regions such as more..

Dec 30 (DM) Sri Lanka was not ready for Cyclone Ditwah, both in terms of the intensity of rainfall and winds, and also in terms of infrastructure. Even though Sri Lanka discussed about incorporating disaster-resilient infrastructure post-Tsunami, many of these discussions remained in black and white. In this backdrop, hydrology experts underscore the fact that Sri Lanka should prioritise on proactive planning, resilient infrastructure and community readiness, at least now. more..

Dec 30 (TM) SL’s debt settlement, completed in 2024 after nearly two years of negotiations following the country’s 2022 default, has come under renewed discussion in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah. The debate was revived after a group of more than 120 int'l economists, including Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz, called for SL’s external debt payments to be suspended and for fresh restructuring talks to be initiated, more..

Dec 30 (TM) This week, SL’s Police authorities responsible for traffic control and road safety made a significant announcement – motorists found driving under the influence of alcohol or engaging in reckless driving will face action under applicable criminal laws, in addition to penalties under traffic regulations. Police noted that driving under the influence remains one of the leading causes of serious road accidents in SL. The urgency of this move is underscored by alarming statistics. more..

Dec 30 (Island) In the immediate aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, the govt has moved swiftly to establish a Presidential Task Force for Rebuilding SL with a core committee to assess requirements, set priorities, allocate resources and raise and disburse funds. Public reaction, however, has focused on the committee’s problematic composition. All eleven committee members are men, and all non-government seats are held by business personalities with no known expertise in more..