Dec 7 (ST) SL’s national Women’s Singles champion Ranithma Liyanage delivered one of the finest performances of her young career after claiming the silver medal at the Welsh Int'l Open 2025 held at the Sport Wales National Centre in Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. The world No.113 shuttler, who is sponsored by McLarens Group, put together four straight wins before narrowly missing out on the title in a gripping three-game final. Ranithma opened her campaign with a commanding 21-8, 21-11 victory more..

Dec 7 (TM) The hope of finding more survivors is fading as Sri Lanka enters the second week after Cyclone Ditwah triggered widespread floods and landslides, leaving hundreds dead, hundreds more missing, and thousands displaced. Rescue and evacuation operations by the armed forces, supported by residents, continue, but authorities warn that the chances of finding additional survivors are diminishing. The death toll has reached 618, with 209 people still missing. more..

Dec 7 (Island) A high-level delegation from the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) visited the JVP headquarters in Pelawatta, Battaramulla, on Wednesday (03) as part of an observation tour aimed at strengthening party-to-party cooperation. The group included Kang Shuai, Deputy Director-General of the Information Centre of the CPC Int'l Department; Jiang Wen, Associate Professor at the Party School of the Beijing Municipal Committee; and Zhang Guifeng, more..

Dec 7 (CT) Sri Lanka is poised to host the SAFF Championship next year, according to a reliable source within the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL). The insider revealed that while discussions are still ongoing, SL has now emerged as the leading candidate to stage South Asia’s most prestigious football tournament. “There are talks going on regarding the host of the prestigious event, and SL has emerged as the front runner to host the event completely,” the source said, more..

Dec 7 (ST) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has confirmed that the installation of floodlights at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), one of the three venues selected to host next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, will be completed by January 15. Sri Lanka will co-host the tournament with India from February. SSC has been named alongside the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium as the three SL venues for the event. SSC will stage five matches, more..

Dec 7 (Island) There’s a glut of riveting Test cricket going on around the world, the kind that warms most fans hearts. Joe Root has finally bagged his maiden hundred in Australia after a 12-year vigil – meaning Matthew Hayden no longer has to stroll around the MCG in nothing but his cowboy hat. The big man had vowed to walk naked in Melbourne if Root didn’t reach three figures this Ashes. Elsewhere, the West Indies are digging in to save a game against New Zealand, while more..

Dec 7 (ST) A delegation from the Int'l Dept of the Communist Party of China (CPC) visited the JVP main office in Pelawatte on Monday, but there was no show by party General Secretary Tilvin Silva to greet them. Instead, Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala was at hand to greet them. The Chinese delegation included the Deputy Director General of the Information Center of the CPC’s Int'l Dept, Kang Shuai; Assistant Professor at the Beijing Municipal Committee Party School, more..

Dec 7 (Island) SL has always lived with the moods of the monsoon. For generations, people have grown used to seasonal rhythms of rain, wind and sunshine. Yet what the country has witnessed in recent months feels different. The storms have been stronger, the rainfall more intense, the destruction more widespread and the recovery more painful. The nation has been battered by floods, landslides and hurricane force winds that arrived with little warning and left thousands struggling to rebuild their lives. more..

Dec 7 (Island) An AI-generated video of two rats engaged in a fierce fight, with a clowder of amused cats watching them, is doing the rounds in the digital space. It does not carry any caption interpreting the absurd scene, but, we believe, it can be used to describe the post-disaster situation in SL. The govt and the Opposition are at each other’s throat, oblivious to the danger they as well as the people are in. Cyclone Ditwah may be gone, but the possibility of another spate of extreme weather events more..

Dec 7 (ST) My dear Mother Lanka, I am writing to you at a time when you are in agony, reeling from the effects of the worst natural disaster you ever suffered. The 2004 tsunami may have killed 35,000 people and the ’78 cyclone nearly a 1,000 but they didn’t leave a countrywide trail of destruction that was this widespread. The initial shock of devastation and death across all 25 districts of the country have now sunk in, in some instances quite literally. Since then, we have witnessed a variety of reactions more..

Dec 7 (ST) Like a thief at night, Cyclone Ditwah came and devastated countless homes and property to the tune of billions, leaving a trail of destruction rarely seen before in living memory. It was quick; it was savage. It left 611 dead, 213 still missing—and still counting. The difference, however, was that it didn’t come stealthily unannounced. It telegraphed its arrival, ringing all the bells. Cyclonic havoc had already hit parts of Indonesia (Aceh province) and southern Thailand more..

Dec 7 (CT) SL has known disasters before. The island still carries the psychic scar of the 2004 tsunami, the shock of Easter 2019, and the long economic collapse that followed the pandemic years. Yet even against that battered historical canvas, the devastation unleashed by Cyclone Ditwah has carved out a moment of rare national rupture. This was not a tragedy confined to a coastline or a river basin. It was a catastrophe that swept across the entire island at once more..

Dec 7 (GV) Just forty eight hours after Cyclone Ditwah unleashed its worst flooding, SL revealed a fracture in its collective conscience. On one screen, families salvaged their belongings from the mud, their grief broadcast live as communities stitched together survival. On another, a trending post debated the best Black Friday deals, untouched by the devastation. This was not malice but something more insidious: a protective tone deafness. For many outside the flood zones, more..

Dec 7 (TM) SL stands today not merely in the wake of another natural disaster, but amidst a damning indictment of State failure – one that has unfolded in real time, in panoramic view, with no room for excuses. The unprecedented floods and landslides that tore through cities, towns, and villages have left behind a trail of devastation that will cost billions to repair: shattered bridges, washed-out roads, crippled rail lines, collapsed riverbanks, broken dams, ruined irrigation channels, more..

Dec 7 (TM) A national disaster or a crisis is most often considered a blessing in disguise since such situations provide an opportunity for any nation to rise stronger and better. The reason being the opportunities such incidents provide for the nation to unite, casting aside differences, while also gaining the ability to use the goodwill of the international community to channel support in many ways towards the rebuilding process. SL has faced many disasters, more..

Dec 7 (CT) Sri Lanka finds itself again under water, but this time the devastation feels heavier, more permanent, like a wound that will take years to heal. The rains have stopped in some places, but the suffering has not. Villages remain submerged, families are huddled in temporary shelters, and the grief of those who have lost loved ones lies like a shadow over the island. We are looking at more than a natural disaster. We are staring at the beginning of a prolonged humanitarian crisis that more..

Dec 7 (SO) When the Indian Ocean Boxing Day tsunami hit Indonesia, SL and around 12 other countries in Asia and Africa nearly 22 years ago, the death toll and physical infrastructure damage were unprecedented. There was an immediate need to get infrastructure and critical services back on track (literally so in the case of railways). But instead of restoring the damaged infrastructure to their previous condition, there was a universal consensus among the affected countries to go the extra mile more..

Dec 6 (FT) Rejecting calls to present an interim Budget to deal with the post-Ditwah recovery, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday told Parliament that the Govt has presented a Rs. 50 billion supplementary estimate to finance urgent disaster relief, with another to be presented for Rs. 500 billion in Jan 2026. He asked MPs to approve the measure, noting that it forms part of a broader package of reallocations to address more..

Dec 6 (FT) Tourism Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe yesterday confirmed Sri Lanka’s tourism sector is “fully back to normal” following last week’s severe weather, with major attractions open, transport links restored and no significant incidents reported involving foreign visitors. Speaking after returning from inspections in Badulla and other affected districts, Prof. Ranasinghe said Cyclone Ditwah, the strongest storm to impact Sri Lanka in nearly two decades, caused serious flooding, more..

Dec 6 (AD) The Third Reading of the 2026 Appropriation Bill was passed with a majority of 157 votes in Parliament, a short while ago. A total of 158 Members of Parliament voted in favour of the 2026 Budget while only one MP voted against it. Another two MPs abstained from voting. All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) MP G.G. Ponnambalam was the sole MP to vote against, while S. Shritharan and Thurairasa Ravikaran of Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) abstained from voting. more..

Dec 6 (CT) The severe weather catastrophe has gripped SL, leaving a trail of devastation across the island as the death toll rose significantly. As of 6 p.m. on Friday (5), 607 people had died and 214 remained missing due to the adverse weather conditions linked to the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah. The crisis impacted over two million people, specifically 2,082,195 individuals from 586,464 families island-wide. more..

Dec 6 (DN) Action will be taken soon to recruit graduates into the teaching service with the conclusion of the Court case that prevented the appointment of Development Officers as teachers, Prime Minister and Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya told Parliament yesterday. She informed the House that the age limit will be revised and swift action will be taken to recruit graduates into the teaching service by conducting an examination. more..

Dec 6 (FT) Over 25,000 tourists have arrived amidst and post-Cyclone Ditwah prompting officials to express confidence that the country’s resilience despite natural disasters bodes well. The inflow of tourists during the past five days was revealed by SL Tourism Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam at the presentation of Five Star certification to Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams yesterday. He also said that around 250 tourists who were stranded in flood stricken areas were brought back to the city more..

Dec 6 (EN) Central Bank has announced relief measures for individuals and firms hit by the Cyclone Ditwah-hit disaster after considering the proposals of the SL Banks’ Association (SLBA). The Central Bank has issued a circular on the need to grant effective relief to those affected without unduly compromising financial system stability to all licensed banks. Accordingly, licensed banks have been requested to provide following relief measures, upon receiving a request from such borrowers in writing more..

Dec 6 (DM) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake assured Parliament today that emergency regulations will not be invoked to suppress freedom of expression or criticism of the govt. Addressing concerns triggered by recent remarks from Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala, Prez said the reaction to the statement had caused unnecessary uproar. He said that public opinion would not be restricted under emergency law and added that neither he nor the govt is troubled by criticism. more..

Dec 6 (EN) Sri Lanka has sought US$ 200 million (150.5 million special drawing rights) from the IMF through a Rapid Financing Instrument, in addition to the existing program. “The SL authorities have requested financial assistance from the IMF under the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) for SDR 150.5 million,” Mission chief Evan Papageorgiou said in a statment. “This request is currently under consideration and more..

Dec 6 (NW) Rehan Jayawickreme has resigned from SJB, stating that his personal views no longer align with the party’s direction. Jayawickreme, SJB’s Weligama organiser and former Mayor of Weligama, announced his decision in a letter dated 6, addressed to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa. In the letter, he said his decision followed considerable self-reflection, adding that the country’s current challenges require fresh ideas, actions without constraint & forthright engagement. more..

Dec 6 (SLN) Sri Lanka Navy on 5 Dec, conducted extensive humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations across multiple districts, continuing its dedicated programme to support citizens affected by recent severe weather. Working in the districts of Puttalam, Anuradhapura, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Trincomalee, Badulla & Mullaitivu, naval personnel executed a wide range of tasks to restore infrastructure, provide essential services, and aid in community recovery. more..

Dec 6 (CT) Minister Harshana Nanayakkara informed Parliament that the legal proceedings before the Singaporean courts regarding the catastrophic 2021 X-Press Pearl marine disaster had been halted. He explained that the case had been stayed because a related matter was pending before the Judiciary in London. Minister recalled that the Supreme Court of SL had delivered a judgment on 24 July against the owners and operators of the MV X-Press Pearl, finding them liable for more..

Dec 6 (DN) SL’s Under-17 team, led by Rehan Peiris, will take the field brimming with confidence as they begin their 3-match One-Day series against Bangladesh tomorrow in Chattogram. Second and third ODIs will also be played at the same venue on Dec 9 and 12. After their victory in the second 3-day match at Bashundhara Sports Complex in Dhaka, SL team travelled to Chattogram yesterday for the limited-overs leg of the tour, which is expected to provide valuable exposure for youngsters. more..

Dec 6 (AD) A special briefing for the diplomatic community in SL was held at Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism, chaired by PM Harini Amarasuriya together with the Minister Vijitha Herath. Senior govt officials, including representatives of Disaster Management Centre (DMC) and SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), also participated. Opening the session, PM expressed her deep appreciation to more..

Dec 6 (FT) A high powered delegation of Indian IT CEOs led by NASSCOM President Rajesh Nambiar is visiting Colombo from 4-6 Dec. NASSCOM is the leading business chamber of Indian IT and software companies. The CEOs are currently in Colombo for their Offsite Executive Meeting and to explore opportunities for strengthening India-SL collaboration in the technology and IT sector. A high level roundtable was organised on 4 Dec to boost collaboration between NASSCOM and more..