Dec 24 (FT) International Labour Organisation (ILO) said that the floods and landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah have put around 16% of national GDP at risk, valued at around $ 16 billion, with impacts concentrated in a limited number of districts. “This spatial concentration increases the likelihood of uneven recovery and prolonged local economic disruption if not addressed through targeted interventions”, ILO said more..

Dec 24 (AD) The Northern Railway Line will be fully reopened for train operations from today. Accordingly, from today, the Yal Devi Express will operate on the Northern Railway Line from Colombo Fort to Kankesanthurai, as scheduled. Additionally, seat reservation facilities will be made available in the first class and second class compartments of the Yal Devi Express. Meanwhile, train operations on the Eastern Railway Line up to Batticaloa are also scheduled to commence today. more..

Dec 24 (DM) The number of Sri Lankans seeking foreign employment has declined sharply, Association of Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies (ALFEA) said, blaming fraud and mismanagement by politicians of the previous govt. ALFEA member Muhammad Azam said prospects for foreign employment have been blurred due to past fraudulent practices, discouraging many job seekers. Issue was discussed at a recent meeting of the Association of Registered Foreign more..

Dec 24 (FT) The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resumption of eight major health infrastructure projects that were previously suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic crisis, accepting revised cost estimates and extended completion timelines that will raise the total State expenditure to Rs. 16.2 billion. The projects were halted following recommendations by the Re-strategising more..

Dec 24 (NW) India’s PM Narendra Modi has written to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, reaffirming India’s commitment to support Sri Lanka’s relief, recovery and rehabilitation efforts following Cyclone Ditwah. The letter confirms that External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has been sent as Special Envoy to discuss continued cooperation and a comprehensive assistance package. The Special Letter addressed to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake by PM of India, more..

Dec 24 (CI) A quick glance at the head-to-head record is enough to show the gulf between India and Sri Lanka in women's T20Is. Despite that, the manner in which India have swept SL aside two games in a row would have surprised watchers and the hosts alike. The story in the second T20I followed a similar script to the first. Once again, India's spinners squeezed SL's middle order before one of their top-order batters made easy work of the chase. Left-arm spinners Vaishnavi Sharma more..

Dec 24 (FT) The Govt has commenced the first phase of relief assistance to industries affected by Cyclone Ditwah, with the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development initiating a recovery program to restore industrial activity disrupted by the severe weather conditions and nationwide impact of the disaster. As an initial stabilisation measure, a one-time financial grant of Rs. 200,000 per industrial unit has been authorised to support the revival of affected businesses. more..

Dec 24 (Island) Sprinter Lakshima Mendis and triple jumper Pasindu Malshan won the best athlete titles at the track and field championship of the National Youth Sports Festival which saw ten meet records being renewed at Diyagama over the weekend. ‎Lakshima and Malshan both established new meet records in their pet events. Malshan cleared a distance of 16.11 metres to win the men’s triple jump with a new mark. In the women’s 400 metres, Lakshima clocked 54.12 seconds to win more..

Dec 24 (NW) China is prepared to extend all necessary assistance to Sri Lanka at all times and is ready to share its experience with Sri Lanka under the Rebuilding Sri Lanka programme, stated Wang Junzheng, Member of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Secretary of the CPC Committee of Xizang Autonomous Region. Wang Junzheng made these remarks during a meeting with Prez Anura more..

Dec 24 (FT) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said Sri Lanka has not yet fully assessed the overall economic impact of Cyclone Ditwah, stressing that the damage estimates released so far are based only on an initial assessment and that a comprehensive evaluation would take at least another four weeks. He noted that the recent findings released by the World Bank reflect a rapid, preliminary assessment carried out soon after the disaster, and should not be interpreted as more..

Dec 24 (NW) SriLankan Airlines has launched a one-month international destination promotion campaign on 16 December 2025, aimed at restoring global confidence in Sri Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah and reaffirming the country’s readiness to welcome travellers. The campaign will run across Meta and the Google platforms, promoting Colombo as the gateway to Sri Lanka, and will target key source markets in Europe (London, Paris, and Frankfurt), Australia, and Pan-India. more..

Dec 24 (CT) The Fort Magistrate’s Court, yesterday (23), issued a warrant for the arrest of Jaffna District Independent MP Ramanathan Archchuna for failing to appear in Court in connection with a case alleging the intimidation of a Police officer attached to the Fort Police and violations of the Motor Traffic Act. Fort Magistrate Isuru Neththikumara issued the warrant when the case, filed by the Fort Police, was taken up for hearing, and the suspect MP was absent. more..

Dec 24 (DN) Two defending champions Viren Nettasinghe and Ranithma Liyanage once again qualified to play men’s and women’s finals after their semi finals in the 73rd National Badminton Championships played at S.Thomas Gymnasium yesterday. Nettasinghe the most experienced shuttler of the tournament played men’s open semi final with bottom seed Thilina Rajakaruna and 34 minutes two setter game ended in favour of Nettasinghe 21-12 ,21-6. more..

Dec 24 (FT) SJB MP Harsha de Silva strongly criticised renewed calls to suspend SL’s external sovereign debt repayments following Cyclone Ditwah, warning that such a move would jeopardise the country’s fragile recovery, undermine investor confidence, and derail access to climate financing needed for long-term reconstruction. His remarks came after a group of 121 prominent int'l economists & academics more..

Dec 24 (FT) The Cabinet approved a set of targeted trade and tariff reforms aimed at addressing the critical shortage of bait fish required by the deep-sea fishing fleet, while safeguarding the interests of local fishing communities. Accordingly, the Cabinet decided to introduce a new Harmonised System (HS) code specifically for the import of milk fish and to restrict such imports to registered fishing societies. In addition, special tax of Rs. 180 per kg will be imposed on imported Wekkaya fish, more..

Dec 24 (DN) Former SL fast bowler and skipper Lasith Malinga tipped to be appointed National team’s fast bowling consultant for the National squad which is getting ready for the forthcoming T-20 World Cup. The former captain Malinga has previously served the National side in a consultative role on multiple occasions offering his experience and expertise to support the player development. A senior official of SLC confirmed that Malinga is already with National team training sessions more..

Dec 24 (ST) SL’s booming vehicle import sector, which played a pivotal role in driving tax revenues to record highs in 2025, is bracing for a notable slowdown next year, raising concerns about potential fiscal gaps. An analysis by the COPF shows that nearly Rs. 600 billion of the Rs 1 trillion increase in total tax revenue this year came from taxes on vehicle imports, surpassing govt expectations by over Rs. 200 billion. more..

Dec 24 (ST) The CIABOC has directed its officials to consider legal representations made on behalf of Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody on allegations against him on the misappropriation of funds while serving at the Fertiliser Corporation in 2015, and submit its report within next week. Minister has requested permission for his counsel to call over and make submissions, but the Commission gave permission to make written submissions. The action is to be filed in the HC against the minister more..

Dec 24 (CT) From the crowded streets of Colombo to the professional football pitches of the Maldives, Praveena Perera’s journey is a powerful story of determination, courage, and breaking long -standing stereotypes in South Asian sport. A standout figure in Sri Lankan women’s football, Praveena recently made headlines by signing with TC Sports Club in the Maldives league. Her move not only marked a major milestone in her own career but also signalled a significant step forward for more..

Dec 24 (Island) Stripped of the captaincy on the eve of a World Cup, Charith Asalanka finds himself skating on thin ice. Suddenly, runs are not just runs; they are legal tender. In a game that is brutally transactional, weight of runs is the only currency that guarantees a seat on the flight. The soft will curse their luck and sulk in the corner. The tough roll up their sleeves, take guard, and play the long innings. History, as ever, offers a handy cue card. Take Arjuna Ranatunga. Axed as captain after more..

Dec 24 (CT) Ministry of Health has decided to abolish the requirement of spousal consent for sterilisation procedures. Indeed, it is a meaningful step towards recognising the elective order of the individual. Although the policy introduced in 1983 appeared neutral on the surface, applying equally to men and women, its real effect was to place adult bodily decisions within the authority of marriage, thereby allowing a non-statutory rule to limit a right that the law itself never restricted. more..

Dec 24 (FT) The acquisition of Indocean Developers Ltd, (IDPL), the developer behind the Altair Colombo apartment and retail complex, was completed recently through Blackstone India’s acquisition of South City Projects (Kolkata) Ltd, IDPL’s parent company, which owns one of India’s most prominent retail destinations. TWC Development Management Ltd., the real estate advisory arm of TWC Holdings owned by Chairman more..

Dec 24 (Island) A new batch arrived at our Faculty again. Students representing almost all districts of the country remind me once again of the wonderful opportunity we have for promoting social and ethnic cohesion at our universities. Sadly, however, many students do not interact with each other during the first few semesters, not only because they do not speak each other’s language(s), but also because of the fear and distrust that still prevails among communities in our society. more..

Dec 24 (Island) Climate change has upended long-held theories about cyclones in the equatorial regions, and SL, which was once considered reasonably safe from such severe weather phenomena, is becoming increasingly vulnerable, as evident from the devastating impact of Cyclone Ditwah. All signs are that the worst is yet to come, and the need for a multi-pronged national strategy to prepare SL to face future natural disasters linked to climate change cannot be overstated. more..

Dec 24 (GV) Forests play a crucial role far beyond simply absorbing water. For generations, people viewed them as sponges but we now understand they are sophisticated water management systems. Forests support plant growth, regulate climate, prevent soil erosion, cool the atmosphere, recycle moisture, replenish groundwater and supply water to entire ecosystems. Yet despite recognising these benefits, global freshwater demand continues to rise. It is worsened by frequent droughts. more..

Dec 24 (ST) Now we know where we stand, don’t we? Well, some may be sure of it, but I am not sure that everybody in the JVP that steers the NPP ship itself knows where they stand. If they do, then they have dumped their Marxist mask that saw them through some bad times and are now unceremoniously clinging to their leader, who seems to be grabbing everything in the waters, hoping to catch some fish. Actually our northern fishermen are desperately trying to do the same, but Prez more..

Dec 24 (TM) Govt has signalled it will press ahead with SL’s long-delayed education reforms in Jan 2026, insisting that preparations are largely complete and manageable despite mounting opposition from teachers’ unions and Opposition lawmakers. Ministry of Education Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewe said that the administration was prepared to proceed with the introduction of the new module-based education system, even as critics more..

Dec 24 (FT) In a significant step toward accelerating SL’s digital transformation, eMudhra, a global leader in digital identity and security solutions, has entered into a strategic partnership with LankaSign the only Certification Service Provider (CSP) in the country that complies with the Electronic Transactions Act No. 19 of 2006, operated by LankaPay, SL’s national payment network. LankaSign–eMudhra partnership brings together the strengths of LankaPay’s legally recognised digital signing certificates more..

Dec 24 (SO) Every December, as lights sparkle across homes and churches, as choirs rehearse familiar carols, and as Nativity scenes glow softly in candlelight, we enter into the heart of one of humanity’s most beautiful global celebrations – Christmas! Beyond the decorations and festivities, Christmas carries a timeless message that resonates deeply with both Christians and followers of other religions alike: it is, above all, a celebration of human life – its beauty, sanctity, and more..

Dec 24 (SO) As the curtain comes down on every passing year, Christmas, the silver lining as it were in the closing clouds glitters like a beacon of hope that human dignity is ever riding in the crest of the human horizon with its perennial call to all humanity to embrace and espouse universal fraternity across cultures, languages, races and civilisations. For, put simply, Christmas is that extraordinary event of the birth of the Child more..

Dec 24 (CT) A young squash champion taking the microphone at Colours Night in one of Colombo’s most prestigious girls’ schools has ripped the veil off a system of quiet corruption, injustice, arbitrary power and humiliation that many Sri Lankan students have endured for years. Her courage is a reminder that what is broken is not one ceremony or one principle, but an entire culture in big schools and sports, where reputation is protected, and children are sacrificed.​ more..

Dec 24 (GV) Recent engagements between ITAK and TNFP, together with earlier discussions involving Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, have once again brought Sri Lanka’s Tamil political question into public focus. After years of stalled political processes, postponed elections and unmet commitments, these interactions have generated renewed expectations among Tamils in the North and East while simultaneously reviving long standing scepticism shaped by experience. more..