Dec 16 (UCAN) Thousands of SL Christians attended a four-day song-and-prayer meditation program last week, in what organizers described as one of the largest lay-led Catholic faith gatherings in the country in recent years. Some 40,000 people, including priests and nuns, attended the Dec. 11-14 event on a public ground in the Catholic-dominated Negombo town over four evenings, according to Malinda Perera, a member of the Daham Pahana (light of the teaching) movement that organized it. more..

Dec 16 (Kyodo) The Japanese govt decided to extend an emergency grant of $2.5 million to cyclone-hit SL, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Tuesday. The emergency grant will be used to provide humanitarian assistance through international aid agencies, including food and other daily necessities. Landslides and floods caused by a cyclone that hit the island nation in late November have killed more than 600 people. Motegi told a press conference that Japan intends to continue more..

Dec 16 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has proposed to the govt that a separate Cabinet Ministry be established for disaster management and that it be strengthened. He stated that SL does not have a proper, precise, and efficient disaster management program in place, and that the field of disaster management itself has now been struck by a tsunami. Premadasa pointed out that there are no clear institutions, guidelines, operational frameworks, more..

Dec 16 (AD) Cabinet has granted approval to the proposal to enhance storage facilities for the Medical Supply Division under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media. Medical Supply Division is responsible for procuring, storing and distributing medicines, and other medical supplies and pharmaceutical items required for patient treatment to health institutions islandwide. The current storage facilities available for the Medical Supply Division are only sufficient for storing more..

Dec 16 (Island) More than 300 container trucks, loaded with cargo, had been parked within the Colombo Port premises for several days, the Container Transport Vehicle Owners’ Association said yesterday. The congestion has been caused by the influx of relief supplies, following the recent disaster situation, along with increased imports for the festive season, the Association’s Chairman, Sanath Manjula, said. Although clearance of container cargo is currently underway, more..

Dec 16 (DM) Even amid challenging circumstances, the government remains committed to investing in mothers and children, Women and Child Affairs Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj said today. Addressing the inaugural ceremony for the distribution of a LKR 5,000 nutrition allowance to pregnant mothers, Minister Paulraj emphasized Sri Lanka’s dedication to strengthening the Early Childhood Development sector in all its dimensions. She highlighted the crucial role of maternal well-being, more..

Dec 16 (AD) Cabinet has granted approval to co-host the 2026 Asian Regional Debt Management Conference in SL. Asian Regional Debt Management Conference, hosted annually by the Asian Development Bank, provides an opportunity for debt managers from the Bank’s member countries to share experiences in the field of public debt management, discuss challenges, and strengthen regional cooperation. 2026 Asian Regional Debt Management Conference is scheduled to be held over a period of 4-5 days, more..

Dec 16 (FT) Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando said Sri Lanka is on the cusp of reaching a long-sought fiscal milestone, with tax revenue expected to rise to 16% of GDP by the end of this year, reflecting a sharp turnaround driven by record collections and renewed public trust in the management of State finances. Speaking at a ceremony at the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) headquarters to present appointment letters to 100 newly recruited Assistant Commissioners, Deputy Minister said the tax-to-GDP ratio has already climbed to 15.4% and is projected to touch 16% by year-end, more..

Dec 16 (NW) SL opener Pathum Nissanka was signed by Delhi for INR 4 crore at the IPL auction, adding to a strong showing by Sri Lankan players, with Wanindu Hasaranga and Matheesha Pathirana also securing deals. Nissanka, who has been a regular at the top of SL’s batting order, attracted interest following a run of consistent performances at int'l level. Delhi moved in to bolster their batting options as they fine-tune their squad ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League season. more..

Dec 16 (NW) SL all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga was snapped up by Lucknow Super Giants for INR 2 crore at the IPL mini-auction on Tuesday, a significantly lower figure compared to his previous IPL earnings. Hasaranga, one of the leading white-ball bowlers in world cricket, had commanded a much higher price in earlier editions of the tournament, reflecting his strong performances in both international cricket and the IPL. The reduced price came as a surprise to many, given Hasaranga’s more..

Dec 16 (EN) SL will re-build better and stronger in the recovery from Cyclone Ditwah, Deputy Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando said as the island recovers from the worst natural disater in over two decades that has left more than 800 people dead of missing. “We will re-build better and stronger,” he said. “When we reconstruct, we have to make soemthing that is better than what it was.” SL is giving 5 million rupees to people who have completely lost their houses more..

Dec 16 (NW) SL fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana became the most expensive Sri Lankan player ever to be auctioned in the Indian Premier League after being picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders for a massive INR 18 crore (about USD 2.2 million) at the IPL mini auction on Tuesday. The 22-year-old speedster attracted strong interest from multiple franchises before KKR secured his services, underlining his growing reputation as one of the most exciting young fast bowlers in T20 cricket. more..

Dec 16 (NW) The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to sign a MoU between the SL Postal Department and the Saudi Post Corporation to issue two commemorative stamps. The stamps, featuring historical sites from both countries, are intended to mark fifty years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia in 2024. According to the govt, the initiative aims to further strengthen bilateral ties and foster goodwill between the peoples of the two nations. more..

Dec 16 (DM) Sri Lanka faces a worrying upswing in HIV/AIDS cases, with over 600 new infections and 13 deaths reported in the first nine months of 2025. SL has logged 639 HIV/AIDS cases from January to September in 2025 (January to March). This represents a 6% increase compared to the corresponding period in 2024, which reported 605 cases. Of the cases, 68 males and three females fall within the age range of 15-24, while the remaining cases are individuals above 25 years old. more..

Dec 16 (Island) A 10-member delegation from SL’s Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice P. Padman Surasena, departed to New Delhi on the 11th of Dec, for an official visit to the Supreme Court of India as part of the ongoing official visit by the delegation to India. The group was accorded a ceremonial welcome in the Court’s main hall, led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant. CJI Kant told the assembled Judges that the Indian judiciary was honoured to host their SL counterparts, more..

Dec 16 (DM) In the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, Women and Child Affairs Ministry warned of increased attempts by certain elements for child trafficking and exploitation, a spokesperson said. The spokesperson said a number of children had been affected by the disasters, with some losing one or both parents. The Ministry is planning to put out the exact number related to children affected in a couple of days. “We see attempts at child trafficking and exploitation. more..

Dec 16 (NW) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has launched volunteer recruitment for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, inviting young men and women aged between 18 and 35 to be part of the global cricket event to be co-hosted by SL and India. According to SLC, walk-in interviews will be conducted on a first-come, first-serve basis in Colombo and Kandy for prospective volunteers who wish to contribute to one of the world’s biggest sporting events. In Colombo, interviews will be held on Dec 20, more..

Dec 16 (Island) The Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) has warned that ship owners, operators and local entities responsible for marine pollution will face criminal prosecution, heavy financial penalties and possible blacklisting, MEPA Chairman Samantha Gunasekera said yesterday. Gunasekera said that Sri Lanka would no longer tolerate negligence and regulatory breaches that threaten the country’s marine ecosystems, coastal livelihoods and national economy. more..

Dec 16 (CT) More than one million birth and marriage certificates belonging to people affected by landslides and floods have been destroyed. Registrar General Shashidevi Jaladeepan stated that mobile service programmes had already been launched to reissue birth and marriage registration certificates to those affected. Dept estimated that of the nearly 2.2 million people impacted by the disaster, at least one million had lost their birth and marriage certificates. more..

Dec 16 (AD) Cabinet has granted approval to the proposal to provide Rs. 150 million to the Judicial Service Commission from the provisions allocated under the Clean Sri Lanka Project to implement the e-Court Project to Digitize the Judicial System. The Govt has reportedly identified the digitalization of the judicial system of Sri Lanka as a national priority strategy and under the first phase of the digital transformation process, a website has been launched for the Supreme Court more..

Dec 16 (NW) Road Development Authority (RDA) has suffered an estimated loss of about Rs. 75 billion due to widespread damage to roads and bridges caused by recent disaster conditions across the island, officials told a parliamentary committee. Officials from the Ministry of Transport and Highways and Urban Development said preliminary assessments indicate that 316 roads and 40 bridges under the RDA’s purview were damaged. more..

Dec 16 (NW) Cabinet has approved a resolution to introduce legal provisions enabling SL to ratify and implement the Int'l Labour Organization (ILO) Convention on Eradicating Violence and Harassment in the World of Work (C190). Adopted at the 108th session of the Int'l Labour Conference in 2019, C190 is the first international convention addressing violence and harassment in the workplace. Convention was presented to Parliament in May 2021 following a Cabinet decision earlier that year. more..

Dec 16 (DM) NPP will take disciplinary action against former Speaker Ashoka Ranwala if he has cheated on his doctorate, Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. He said that the party has not decided what action to be taken against him in such an eventuality. The Minister said people who voted and not voted for the NPP have talked about the matter and said that their opinion must be considered when taking action. Jayatissa said MP Ranwala had promised the party that he would submit the certificate soon, more..

Dec 16 (FT) Climate risks to SL tourism are multifaceted and uneven, demanding tailored financial solutions that address the specific vulnerabilities of different industry segments rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. The vulnerability of the tourism sector in SL is also not monolithic and uniform. It faces compounded risks stemming from interconnected geographic, structural and economic factors that create systemic financial risks requiring coordinated intervention across all scales. more..

Dec 16 (FT) The efforts being taken by the Govt to restore and rebuild the country is quite evident although political detractors are doing their best to capitalise on the misery of millions of people who have and still are suffering. The message for Prez Dissanayake from all well-meaning people no doubt will be, as Prez Putin said recently, look to the future and not the past, and not just do what is necessary, but more importantly, do things you have no right not to do for the sake of the country more..

Dec 16 (DM) The govt is planning to call for an international donor conference to seek assistance for rebuilding the disaster- hit country, Minister Vijitha Herath confirmed. It will be done after the current need assessment is completed. World Bank is carrying out the assessment at the moment. In addition, govt agencies are carrying out the task at the moment. Asked whether the govt will conduct an international donor conference, more..

Dec 16 (FT) The 16th meeting of the National Council for Disaster Management was held yesterday morning at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. During the meeting, a Cabinet Memorandum was presented on the establishment of a National Integrated Disaster Management Mechanism and on proposed amendments to the SL Disaster Management Act, No. 13 of 2005. Attention was also drawn to reducing landslide risks more..

Dec 16 (ST) Under the proposed Terrorism Act, those who commit an act of terrorism will be handed hefty penalties ranging from a twenty-year jail term with fines to life imprisonment after a High Court trial. The new law titled Protection of the State from Terrorism Act, No. of 2026 has been published by the Ministry of Justice and National Integration and will replace the current Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The proposed bill also defines an offence of terrorism as more..

Dec 16 (DM) National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) has temporarily withdrawn four batches of the Ondansetron injection, a critical medicine used to prevent vomiting and nausea in young children, pregnant women, and patients undergoing surgery or anesthesia, with immediate effect. According to an official letter dated Dec 12, 2025, issued by the Executive Director of the NMRA, the withdrawal follows reports of complications and adverse reactions linked to use of the drug. more..

Dec 16 (NW) Former SL leg-spinner D.S. de Silva, who played in the country’s inaugural Test match in 1982 and later served as Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket, has passed away at the age of 83. De Silva died in London following a brief illness. A respected figure in SL cricket, De Silva represented the national team during the early years of Test cricket and went on to captain SL in two Test matches. After his playing career, he continued to serve the game in multiple capacities, including as a coach, more..