Dec 23 (FT) Cyclone Ditwah has inflicted an estimated $ 4.1 billion (Rs. 1.3 trillion) in direct physical damage to buildings, agriculture, and critical infrastructure across SL, equivalent to around 4% of GDP, according to the highly anticipated Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) report released yesterday by the WB. The cyclone, among the most intense and destructive in SL’s recent history, severely affected more..

Dec 23 (NW) Ruling NPP has lost the budget vote at the Colombo Municipal Council, dealing a political setback to the party despite it continuing to control the council. Although the NPP did not secure an outright majority at the LG election, it was able to form the administration of the Colombo MC with the support of smaller groups. However, the council’s budget was defeated after the joint opposition voted against it. 60 councillors voted against the budget while 57 supported it. more..

Dec 23 (TM) Vedda Chieftain, Uruwarige Wannila Aththo said the Vedda community is facing serious economic hardship following Cyclone Ditwah, despite not being directly affected by floods or landslides caused by the disaster. He said the impact of the cyclone has been felt indirectly, particularly through the sharp decline in tourism, which is the main source of income for many families in the community. “There were no floods or landslides in our areas, but the effects of more..

Dec 23 (DM) SL’s exports rose 5.56% year-on-year (YoY) in Nov 2025 to US $ 1.36 billion, supported by a steady growth in both merchandise shipments and services earnings, as the exporters sustained momentum amid the fragile global trade conditions. Total exports in November, including merchandise and services, reached an estimated US $ 1.36 billion, reflecting what the authorities described as the effectiveness more..

Dec 23 (DM) Toll collection at the Kerawalapitiya Interchange on the Colombo Outer Expressway will be discontinued from today. This change ends the inconvenience faced by drivers who previously had to obtain and pay for two tickets at separate locations. The RDA has taken this step to prevent unnecessary traffic congestion. Vehicles entering the Katunayake Expressway from the Outer Circular Road can now proceed without stopping at the Kerawalapitiya Interchange. more..

Dec 23 (TM) Environment Ministry has detailed the damage to elephant fences caused by the cyclonic disaster Ditwah. Deputy Minister Anton Jayakody said that 838 km of electric fences have been destroyed by the floods and their aftermath. The number of damaged electric fence units is nearly 148. Electric fences all over the country have been damaged, with the most damage reported from the Polonnaruwa District. DWC is actively restoring the damaged electric fences, more..

Dec 23 (DN) Veteran artist Sathischandra Edirisinghe has passed away while receiving treatment for an illness at a private hospital, family members confirmed. He was 84 years old at the time of his death. Sathischandra Edirisinghe, elder brother of renowned singer Sunil Edirisinghe, was a distinctive and respected figure in SL’s art world, making significant contributions as both an actor and a director. Born on Feb 10, 1941, in Kelaniya, Sathischandra enjoyed an artistic career that more..

Dec 23 (FT) Wildlife & Nature Protection Society of SL (WNPS) has warned in a formal letter addressed to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake that the development of the proposed Jaffna International Cricket Stadium and Sports Complex on Mandaitivu Island is not only unlawful, but poses a serious threat to Mandaitivu’s fragile ecosystems and local communities. In its letter, WNPS highlights that the site contains ecologically sensitive habitats, including mangroves, seagrass beds, more..

Dec 23 (NW) More details have emerged into the fatal shooting of a manager at a commercial establishment in Ambalangoda on Monday, as police investigations point to organised crime links and longstanding criminal associations. The victim, a resident of Ambalangoda, was shot dead inside the premises where he was employed at around 8.30 a.m. on Dec 22. CCTV footage examined by investigators shows a gunman arriving at the location and more..

Dec 23 (AD) The Minister of External Affairs of India, Dr. S. Jaishankar, who arrived in the country last evening (22), is scheduled to meet President Anura Kumara Dissanayake this morning (23). During this visit, Minister Jaishankar is also scheduled to meet Sri Lanka’s PM Dr. Harini Amarasooriya and Minister Vijitha Herath. Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar arrived in Sri Lanka last evening (22) in a special aircraft belonging to the Indian Air Force. The Ministry noted the visit underscores more..

Dec 23 (FT) BOI said Cyclone Ditwah has left SL dealing with a national disaster of unprecedented scale, causing severe economic disruptions across multiple sectors. Significant disruptions to industrial operations, supply chains, and export activities underscore the urgent need for coordinated recovery efforts. In response, the BOI has taken a leading role in assessing the extent of damage to BOI-registered enterprises and identifying the support needed for a speedy recovery. more..

Dec 23 (FT) Vidullanka said it has emerged as the lowest-cost bidder for a contract relating to the expansion and upgrading of a 100 kW mini hydropower facility at Buca Village in the Fiji Islands, although the selection process of the final contractor is ongoing. It said the determination was made on 19 Dec and relates to a contract issued by Fiji’s island power company for the development of the renewable energy project. The company noted that being identified as the lowest-cost bidder more..

Dec 23 (AD) The Minister of External Affairs of India, Dr. S. Jaishankar has arrived in Sri Lanka this evening (22) on an official state visit. He was received by Deputy Minister of Tourism, Ruwan Ranasinghe, upon arrival in the country. In a post on X, EAM said that he would meet Sri Lankan leadership on Tuesday. “Landed in Colombo this evening. Thank Deputy @TourismMin Ruwan Ranasinghe for the warm reception. Look forward to my meetings with SL leadership tomorrow.” more..

Dec 23 (TM) National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) stated that incidents involving substandard medicines are reported across many countries and are not unique to SL or to medicines imported from a particular country. NMRA Chairperson, Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama said that SL follows a structured regulatory process before granting market authorisation for medicines. "Laboratory test reports are obtained for more..

Dec 23 (ST) National Olympic Committee of SL (NOC) successfully concluded the third edition of the Sport Administrator’s Course (SAC) for 2025, conducted under the auspices of Olympic Solidarity, from December 11 to 14 at Olympic House in Colombo. A total of 35 sport administrators representing National Sports Federations and Associations, the tri forces, and universities participated in the programme. Notably, 60% of the participants were female, reflecting more..

Dec 23 (FT) George Steuart & Company has participated in a series of high-level engagements organised by the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) in Africa during the latter part of 2025. The engagements in Kenya were held in Nairobi in December, led by CWEIC Deputy Chairman Lord Swire. The visit encompassed the Manufacturing Africa CEO Forum, hosted by Strategic Partner BDO East Africa; the Kenya Int'l Advisory Council (KIAC) meeting; more..

Dec 23 (FT) SL faces an economic setback from Cyclone Ditwah that could wipe out between 2.5% and 5% of GDP, widen the balance of payments (BOP) gap by about $ 700 million over the next year, and push inflation higher and over CB's 5% limit in 2026. This is according to an IMF staff assessment released last week which noted that the cyclone’s impact is expected to be significant, though subject to a high degree of more..

Dec 23 (ST) Finance Ministry has approved the payment of performance-based bonuses to staff of commercial corporations, statutory boards and govt owned companies for 2025. Treasury secretary has issued the relevant circular laying out the proposed bonus payment scheme. For employees of institutions which earned profits during the 2024 financial year and paid at least 30% of the profit after tax to the Consolidated Fund as a dividend or levy will be paid Rs. 30,000 as bonus. more..

Dec 23 (SO) The country is beginning to scale down emergency shelter operations and move towards recovery following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah, with the number of safety centres expected to be reduced to around 200 in the coming weeks, Deputy Minister Namal Sudarshana said. Efforts are under way to reunite displaced children with relatives and families where conditions permit, while arrangements will remain in place for those still unable to return home. more..

Dec 23 (Island) A prominent feature of the first year of the NPP govt is that it has not engaged in the institutional reforms which was expected of it. This observation comes in the context of the extraordinary mandate with which the government was elected and the high expectations that accompanied its rise to power. When in opposition and in its election manifesto, the JVP and NPP took a prominent role in advocating good governance systems for the country. more..

Dec 23 (FT) Jetwing Hotels is joining TiECON Colombo 2026 as the Official Travel and Hospitality Partner. Event is powered by TiE Colombo, part of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE); a worldwide network with 60 chapters across 16 countries, bringing together a rich mix of entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, policy makers and educators, visionaries and innovators, global leaders, private equity and venture capital leaders, and global brand builders. It will be held on 9 Jan 2026 in Colombo. more..

Dec 23 (ST) Hospitals are still struggling to cope with the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah, three weeks into the recovery effort, while facing endless challenges. District General Hospital Chilaw, Base Hospital Mahiyanganaya, Divisional Hospital Wattegama, and Spring Valley Divisional Hospital Badulla were among the worst affected hospitals by floods and landslides between Nov 27 and Dec 2. more..

Dec 23 (DN) All seeded players have qualified to play men’s and women’s singles quarter finals in the 73rd National Badminton championships which is now in progress at S. Thomas Gymnasium Mt Lavinia. The 8-day tournament is conducted by SL Badminton with over 1500 shuttlers including junior age groups from Under 11 to 19. Masters events will also be conducted in this tournament. Open events will see most of the higher ranking shuttlers battle for singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles. more..

Dec 23 (ST) At first blush, draft law to replace SL’s odious Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) presented by the NPP Govt released by Minister of Justice last week reflects the broad conceptual brushstrokes of highly problematic public security drafts proposed by the Ranil Wickremesinghe Govt (2018, 2023), albeit with some noticeable differences. Worrying question is whether those differences will be enough to blunt the overall adverse impact of the draft law if it is operationalised as is? more..

Dec 23 (Island) What’s this world coming to when the police cringe and cower before politicians? The JVP has a history of attacking the police. It even murdered the family members of the police personnel who dared defy its illegal orders during its reign of terror in the late 1980s. Old habits are said to die hard. A policeman attached to the Suriyakanda police station has complained that a gang led by a NPP MP assaulted him following a raid on a cannabis cultivation in Bulutota in more..

Dec 23 (TM) Following the extremist terror attack in Bondi Beach, Australia, international news has once again shone a light on a dormant issue which plagues many democracies: violent extremism. The attack took the lives of 15 individuals of the Australian Jewish community, including a child. Public outcry after the attack in Australia sounds eerily like what was echoed following the 2019 Easter Sunday Bombings across SL. Questions remain unanswered about how the accused more..

Dec 23 (TM) Gelioya is washing off the sediments that have stubbornly latched onto the roads, walls, homes, and almost everything that was touched by the floods and mud that ravaged the area. Although the monsoon rains are now falling more gently, they are not making it any easier for those who must continue cleaning layer after layer of debris and mud, discarding unusable items and salvaging what little is left. more..

Dec 23 (GV) Repressive government actions that restrict citizen behaviour undermine political legitimacy and fuel anti-govt sentiment as history has repeatedly demonstrated, Soviet Union being a case in point. Rather than quelling dissent, repression often invigorates social movements and political participation. For democracy to succeed and sustainable governance to take root, governments must involve citizens in reforms, foster consensus through public engagement and prioritise more..

Dec 23 (CT) It was reported yesterday that the NBRO had announced that it had completed landslide risk assessments at more than 720 schools in the Central Province, following a sharp rise in inspection requests after recent heavy rainfall. In fact, the statement appeared, at first glance, to reflect institutional alertness in the face of adverse weather. However, this development, like many similar responses before it, also serves as a reminder of how disaster preparedness in SL more..

Dec 23 (CT) Christmas smiles its widest in the cool of December. As it approaches every doorstep with that familiar grin, the entire country, indeed the world, begins to prepare in a cheerful rush. There is an old saying that still rings true across generations, that Christmas is truly Christmas only in Little Rome. In Negombo, that saying fits like a glove. Christmas arrived in Negombo during the Portuguese colonial period. more..

Dec 23 (DM) SL’s worst flood disaster in a decade has exposed an uncomfortable truth that transcends any single administration: the catastrophic impact of Cyclone Ditwah reveals not merely the current govt’s inability to protect its people, but the bankruptcy of an entire political class that has systematically failed the nation through decades of mismanagement and negligence. The scale of devastation is staggering. More than 2.4 million people across 22 districts have been affected, more..

Dec 23 (DM) The fourth name submitted by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake for the post of Auditor General in permanent or acting capacity has also been rejected by the Constitutional Council last week. The nominee, O.R. Rajasinghe, a member of the Audit Division of the Army was proposed by PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya had the backing of only four members in the ten-member CC -- namely, Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake and MPs M. Athambawa & S. Shritharan apart from PM. more..