Dec 26 (ST) “I felt utterly betrayed by the ocean—it gave me palpitations just to look at it, which felt wrong, as though a lifelong friend, integral to my identity, had suddenly turned on me and taken almost everything I had,” says tsunami survivor Shamali Dickumburage. On Thursday, a week away from the 20th anniversary of the Boxing Day tsunami, that left a trail of death and destruction, the Sunday Times visited the southern coast to more..

Dec 26 (Island) Power not only corrupts but also makes the wielders thereof cherish the delusion that popular mandates are cartes blanches for them to do as they please and be above the law. This fact has been borne out by the despicable manner in which the President’s Fund has been misused, if not abused, under successive governments. Thankfully, the President’s Fund is now under the microscope, and numerous questionable fund allocations have already come to light. more..

Dec 26 (DN) SL’s rugby team is set for a defining moment as they face Malaysia in a one-off playoff match on April 19, 2025, at Johor Rugby Stadium, Malaysia. The match will determine which team secures promotion to the prestigious top-tier Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship (AREMC) and keeps their hopes alive for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, Asia rugby announced. Sri Lanka earned this opportunity after a stellar performance in the 2024 Asia Rugby competition, winning Division 1 more..

Dec 26 (DN) An Eighteen member squad has been selected to represent the over 50 SL Cricket team for the upcoming World Cup tournament, organised by the Lanka Masters Cricket Association, which will be held in Sri-Lanka from the 09th to the 23rd of February 2025. Shane Fernando has been appointed to lead the over 50 Sri-Lanka team with Ruvin Peiris being appointed as his deputy. Suwanji Madanayake who showcased his talents as one of the finest all rounders in recently concluded more..

Dec 26 (DM) SLPP had decided to go to court over reducing the strength of security provided to former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa. National Executive Member of the SLPP Attorney at Law Ravindra Jayasinghe said that if the strength of police officers was reduced as a requirement of service, it could have been justified, but reducing the security force personnel as a matter of economy was not acceptable. “The statement of NPP MP Nilanthi Kottahachchi’s statement as a lawyer was more..

Dec 26 (EN) The cost of key ingredients for making SL’s Christmas cake, fell 7.3% in 2024 amid deflationary policy and currency appreciation followed by the central bank under Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe, retail price data show. The difference in the cost of ingredients from 2022, when deflationary policy started showing up in the balance of payments and Nov 2024 was only 0.8%. The widely watched Colombo Consumer Price more..

Dec 26 (AD) Former President of SLPP Education Services Union, Wasantha Handapangoda, has passed away. Reports indicate that she succumbed to a sudden illness. She had been hospitalized while visiting her daughter in England recently, where she had been receiving treatment for two days before her death. Handapangoda was a teacher by profession and had gained considerable attention in society following the violent incidents that took place during Galle Face protests on May 9, 2022. more..

Dec 26 (AD) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, in her Christmas message, emphasized the essence of the season as a time for togetherness, gratitude, and peace. She highlighted the importance of family and community bonds during this period of national transition, stating that “Coming together, sharing meals, and supporting one another strengthens not only our bonds but also our resilience. These moments remind us that building a healthy community; a strong nation begins at home.” more..

Dec 26 (TM) Govt is planning to transform SL Postal Dept into a more innovative and efficient service by using modern technology, said Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa. The minister made these remarks during a recent visit to SL Postal Dept headquarters. The visit was aimed at reviewing the department’s current services and its future plans. He also met trade union representatives to discuss their professional concerns at a meeting more..

Dec 26 (DN) WSO2 Founder and CEO Sanjiva Weerawarana called for radical reforms to modernize SL’s financial system, proposing a cap on cash transactions at Rs 2.5 lakhs and the demonetization of the Rs 5,000 note. Speaking at a CB lecture on Unleashing the Digital Economy in SL, Weerawarana emphasized the urgent need to accelerate digital adoption to foster economic growth and improve transparency. Weerawarana himself was solicited for a cash payment when more..

Dec 26 (EN) SL has received 2,234 tourists from Israel in the 52 days from Nov 1, despite threats over possible attack on a Eastern coastal tourism hotspot where more Israeli tourists gather. The number of tourists from Israel has increased to 24,147 as of Dec 22, compared to 21,913 at the end of Oct 31, the latest weekly tourism data showed. The island nation saw 19,517 Israeli tourists last year. Israel on October 23 asked its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Sri Lanka, more..

Dec 26 (AD) A group of suspects who broke into more than 21 houses and jewellery shops in various parts of the island and stole valuables and property including cash, gold items, mobile phones, etc. worth millions of rupees have been arrested by the Galaha Police in Kandy. The suspects have been identified as residents of the Jaffna area, aged 19, 21, 22, 23 and 26. It has been revealed that this group had been involved in breaking into houses, temples and jewellery shops in Jaffna, Vavuniya, more..

Dec 26 (Island) Close on the heels of the conclusion of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s three-day official (Dec. 15-17) visit to New Delhi, the Indian High Commission here announced the planned visits by Indian Coast Guard vessels OPV (Offshore Patrol Vessel) Vaibhav and FPV (Fast Patrol Vessel) Abhiraj to Colombo and Galle, respectively. According to an Indian HC press release, dated Dec. 20, OPV Vaibhav would be here from Dec. 23 to 27 and FPV Abhiraj from Dec. 29 to Jan 2, 2025. more..

Dec 26 (DM) Pastor Jerome Fernando recently shared a nostalgic Facebook post recalling the role of the Cardinal brand in his childhood Christmas traditions. He fondly remembered how his mother would use the Cardinal brand to give their home floors a gleaming shine during the Christmas season. He even admitted to hopping onto his mother’s cleaning brush as she scrubbed, turning her hard work into a playful joyride until more..

Dec 26 (Island) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya visited the Chinese Navy hospital ship Peace Ark at the Port of Colombo Tuesday. Chinese Ambassador to SL Qi Zhenhong and the Secretary to the Prime Minister, Pradeep Saputhanthri too were present. The Peace Ark arrived at the Port of Colombo on 21 December and will provide free medical examinations and treatment services to the people of Sri Lanka from 22 Dec to 27 Dec. During her visit, PM commended the humanitarian efforts more..

Dec 26 (DM) There will be a definite salary increase for govt sector employees, including teachers, by next year, Deputy Minister of Economic Development Anil Jayantha Fernando said. He said that the full details of the salary increments will be included in the 2025 budget proposals. "We are working to increase the salaries of state employees not for political gain, but because everyone knows that people are facing significant hardships with the current economic situation in the country. more..

Dec 26 (CT) The 20th anniversary of the 2004 tsunami will be commemorated across Sri Lanka today (26) on the theme National Safety Day – Jathika Surakshitha Dinaya, according to Pradeep Kodippili, Assistant Director of Media and Public Relations at the Disaster Management Centre (DMC). The commemoration events will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Kodippili stated that the main event has been organised at the DMC Head Office, with Dy Minister of Defence, more..

Dec 26 (DN) Excise Commissioner General Udaya Kumara Perera has notified the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) to submit a report on licensed excise permit holders who have paid taxes for the year 2025. With approximately 2,000 permits set for renewal next year, the Commissioner General has requested details of both taxpayers and defaulters to ensure a streamlined process. According to Commissioner General, IRD has already forwarded 1,636 applications for permit renewals, more..

Dec 26 (DM) Making a fresh approach towards the stagnating tax issue of staggering Rs.5.8 billion defaulted by the local liquor giant W. M. Mendis and Co. Ltd. the newly appointed Excise Chief has proposed a way-out to settle 50% of the arrears to reactivate its suspended production licence. Termed as the most practical means to regain massive tax arrears to the state coffers and also to safeguard livelihoods of 600 more..

Dec 26 (AD) SL Police says legal action has been taken against a total of 8,747 motorists for violating traffic laws, including 251 individuals driving under the influence of liquor, during the last 24 hours. In accordance with instructions from the Acting IGP, the special island-wide traffic operation aimed at reducing road accidents will continue throughout the festive season. SSP Buddika Manathunga said that no fatal accidents have occurred in the island within the last 24 hours. more..

Dec 26 (DN) “Today an atmosphere has arisen in which humanity is measured by selfish human yardsticks such as wealth, power, social status and contribution to the production economy, which do not consider spiritual values,” said Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, participating as the chief celebrant at the Christmas Midnight Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Ja Ela, on Tuesday. He said that the people spend their lives without any goal, meaning or freedom. more..

Dec 26 (Island) The majority of cases filed by the CIABOC had been withdrawn primarily on technical grounds, mainly the absence of sanction of all three commissioners, those familiar with the process told The Island. In terms of the previous bribery Act, the sanction of all commissioners was a must, sources said. Act made written sanction of three commissioners compulsory before an indictment was drafted, more..

Dec 27 (DM) With the advent of media and social media, people today are flooded with information, misinformation and disinformation, and it entails both upsides and downsides, particularly in a democratic society. Instant, regular flow of information has revolutionised social order with people becoming better armed with information to make informed decisions and rationalise their choices. The flow of information helps build public opinion on a particular thing in quick time, more..

Dec 27 (DM) We love the police despite these law enforcement officers wearing an intimidating colour like khaki. Former IGP Pujith Jayasundara once mooted the idea of changing the police uniform to light blue, which is the colour of the police uniform in most European countries. But that idea never came to being implemented. By the way, light blue is a much friendlier colour than khaki. The word implement is so closely imbedded in the policeman’s jargon. Whether one likes it or not more..

Dec 27 (DM) Twenty years ago on a day like today (26), people in Hambantota were getting ready to go to the Sunday fair during the early hours of the morning. The fair was usually at the beachside and back then, there were many families that lived along the coast belt in the Hambantota town itself. It would have been around 7am when Mohamed Zain Airudeen left home to obtain his daily catch. The weather had been strange, but more..

Dec 27 (CT) In a landmark decision, the Australian Federal Court has fined Himalee Arunatilaka, SL’s current Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, over AUD 117,000 for exploiting a domestic worker during her tenure as Deputy High Commissioner in Canberra. From 2015 to 2018, Priyanka Danaratna, a SL national, was employed by Arunatilaka in Canberra. During this period, Danaratna worked extensive hours, often from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., more..

Dec 27 (GV) The tsunami that struck Sri Lanka 20 years ago on December 26, 2004 was the most destructive natural disaster in living memory. It claimed over 39,000 lives and destroyed thousands of houses and livelihoods. In recent years, SL has witnessed a surge in natural disasters, prompting an urgent need to strengthen and enhance Disaster, Risk and Reduction (DRR) policy and practices at community and national level. Since 2010, approximately 13 million people in SL more..

Dec 27 (CT) The grand and ostentatious Indian tour, hosted by India for Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Minister Vijitha Herath following their sweeping victories in the recent Prez and Parliamentary Elections, concluded successfully. However, it prompted numerous questions from various political parties regarding the assurances exchanged between India and Sri Lanka, which the NPP govt has sought to clarify over the past few days. more..

Dec 27 (SO) Where were you at 9.36 a.m. on Dec 26, 2004? That has become one of the definitive questions such as where were you on Nov 22 1963 when John F. Kennedy was shot?. It is a moment that we will all remember, as long as we live. Indeed, the Indian Ocean tsunami is the most catastrophic event in living memory for many of us. And we are on the cusp of marking 20 years since that fateful day, which saw the deaths of nearly 240,000 people across 14 countries in Asia and Africa. more..

Dec 27 (TM) One of the key failures in governance of SL, is the lack of rule of law. SL has had a systematic failure to enforce the laws which govern the land for decades. As such, lawlessness, crime and corruption reign. One of the key issues which has been a part of the problem is the lack of integrity and professionalism in the law enforcement agencies. Today, many have little or no respect for the Police. Police Dept is widely believed to be ineffective, and a haven for crooks, more..

Dec 27 (CT) As Sri Lanka approaches the 20th anniversary of the devastating 2004 tsunami, which claimed over 35,000 SL lives and 250,000 across the Indian Ocean, the country’s readiness for a similar disaster warrants critical evaluation. Despite advances in early warning systems and evacuation mechanisms, significant gaps in implementation raise concerns about overall preparedness. SL’s vulnerability to natural disasters is underscored by the fact that 96% of such events in SL more..

Dec 27 (Island) The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot. Cassandra quotes below a poet she never could enjoy – Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809 – 1892). He was 1st Baron Tennyson and Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria’s reign. To her he sounds pompous but his Ring Out Wild Bells is a simple poem and she found it apt at this time. Two stanzas of the poem go thus: Ring out the want, the care, the sin, / the faithless coldness of the times; Ring out, ring out my more..

Dec 27 (FT) Top ministers yesterday outlined the Govt’s progress in economic stability and debt restructuring plans and its proposed relief measures for the public. Labour Minister and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma at a press briefing, explained on efforts taken to stabilise the economy and initiatives way forward. more..

Dec 27 (Island) A cascade of tectonic shifts triggered by the 2022 uprising or Aragalaya during the Gotabaya Rajapaksa govt has reshaped SL’s politics in such a way that more than 6,000 politicians have so far gone out of circulation, according to an election monitoring outfit. Executive Director of PAFFREL Rohana Hettiarachchi has reportedly said those politicians were left with no alternative but to call it quits because they knew that they had absolutely no chance of re-election. more..

Dec 27 (TM) Sri Lanka will have only two Test series to play in 2025, as per the Future Tours Programme (FTP) that has been formulated by the ICC, in conjunction with its stakeholders, a perusal of the schedule by The Daily Morning Sports, shows. Dhananjaya de Silva’s men will kick off their red-ball assignments in the new year, by hosting reigning ICC Test world champions Australia for a two-match series in January. Afterwards the Test team will have a break of five months, more..