Dec 19 (FT) SJB MP S.M. Marikkar tore into the Govt’s Rs. 500 billion Supplementary Estimate for post-Ditwah recovery in 2026. “The estimates show an allocation of Rs. 250 billion for bridges, railways, roads and highways, irrigation, schools, and hospitals,” MP said, joining the debate at the special Parliamentary session to approve the Rs. 500 billion recovery spending plan. “However, the Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) I chair in this Parliament earlier this week was told that more..

Dec 19 (TM) ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Trophy Tour has been launched over the Adam’s Bridge, culturally revered in India as the Ram Setu, a symbolic gateway linking the two co-hosts, India and SL. 10th edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, featuring 20 teams, 29 days of high-intensity cricket and 8 world-class venues (5 in India and 3 in SL), will take place from 7 Feb to 8 Mar 2026, promising to be one of the most compelling editions yet of the game’s most explosive format. more..

Dec 19 (FT) The Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry disclosed new data compiled by the Industrial Disaster Support Centre (IDSC), highlighting the extensive impact of Cyclone Ditwah on the country’s manufacturing sector and underscoring the urgency of the relief measures now being rolled out. Accordingly, IDSC has received 29,649 data entries and inquiries related to disaster impacts, with information collection concluding after 2 p.m. on 16 Dec. more..

Dec 19 (EN) Sampath Bank said it plans to issue up to 200 million debentures to raise a total of 20 billion rupees. Basel III compliant-Tier 2, listed, rated, unsecured, subordinated, redeemable debentures and/or Green and/or Sustainability Bonds with a non-viability conversion feature will be issued at 100 rupees each. The debentures will be issued in one or more issuances within two years from the date of obtaining shareholder approval at an Extraordinary General Meeting, the bank said. more..

Dec 19 (TM) Cyclone Ditwah swept across SL with destructive intensity, leaving communities submerged, livelihoods disrupted and thousands displaced from their homes. As families struggled to secure food, shelter and safe water, the well-being of pregnant mothers, infants, young children, the elderly and people with disabilities emerged as one of the most urgent humanitarian priorities. These groups face heightened vulnerabilities in emergencies, and safeguarding their nutritional and mental health more..

Dec 19 (FT) Economic think tank Verité Research has cautioned that SL’s move to seek emergency financing from the IMF under the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) could prove costly in the current debt context, urging policymakers to weigh alternative funding options for post-cyclone recovery. In a detailed analysis, Verité Research Executive Director Dr. Nishan de Mel, a critic of SL’s handling of debt repayments during the COVID-19 crisis and the subsequent debt restructuring process, more..

Dec 19 (Island) During a discussion at the Regional Center for Strategic Studies (RCSS) in Sri Lanka on 9 Dec, Dr. Neil DeVotta, Professor at Wake Forest University, North Carolina, USA commented on the “gravity of a geopolitical contest that has already reshaped global politics and will continue to mould the future. For Sri Lanka – positioned at the heart of the Indian Ocean, economically fragile, and diplomatically exposed- his analysis was neither distant nor abstract. more..

Dec 19 (Island) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has accused the govt of interfering with the ongoing disaster relief programmes. Speaking in Parliament, he produced what he described as documentary proof to support his claim that disaster victims were required to have their applications for compensation endorsed by the heads of the Prajashakthi committees controlled by the JVP apparatchiks. Several other Opposition MPs have levelled the same allegation against the govt in Parliament. more..

Dec 19 (ST) The postman trudges up the hill, pushing his battered bicycle to deliver letters and finds (to his horror) the home of a recipient of one of the letters, has disappeared under an earth slip. A CEB worker on top of a light post is electrocuted while trying to restore power in an affected area; an Air Force pilot is killed as his helicopter crashes while trying to avoid casualties during a mercy mission; four officers of the Navy go missing in a boat attempting to rescue civilians; more..

Dec 19 (SO) The question whether new cities and townships could rise from ashes could arise in the face of disasters such as the Ditwah cyclone that struck SL with enormous force a few days ago. But in actual fact such a phenomenon is in the process of materialisation within the relief packages designed by the Govt to confront its disastrous outcomes. Elsewhere in the globe there have been instances when nations have emerged victorious in their struggles against natural disasters of the worst type more..

Dec 19 (TM) Methamphetamine users in SL are predominantly young males with high rates of dependence, polysubstance use including nicotine and heroin, and significant psychiatric morbidity, specifically substance-induced psychosis and depressive disorder. These findings were made in a non-peer reviewed research paper on Methamphetamine use and psychiatric morbidity in SL: Sociodemographic insights from a tertiary care clinic more..

Dec 19 (GV) As a country seeking to address the legacy of its past war and armed conflicts, SL must roll back the overbroad and dangerous laws that have been repeatedly abused to the detriment of its citizens. The Prevention of Terrorism Act of 1979 (PTA), which has wreaked havoc in the lives of Sri Lankans, particularly minority communities, for 45 years, is the most emblematic of these laws. Successive govts have been under domestic1 and international2 pressure to repeal this draconian law. more..

Dec 19 (CT) Cyclone Ditwah left some glaring gaps that need to be filled through social and economic development. Apart from the invaluable lives lost, the damage caused by the cyclone is often measured by the extent of infrastructure development required to recover from the devastation. Understandably, this is a costly affair, and the Government has already released figures showing the scale of loss the cyclone inflicted on some of the major ministries. However, the authorities now find themselves at a crossroads, more..

Dec 19 (TM) Relations between Sri Lanka and Japan have entered a new chapter in terms of security, defence, and economic cooperation following a recent State visit by the SL President to Tokyo, Ambassador of Japan to SL Isomata Akio told The Sunday Morning late last month, before Ditwah Cyclone struck the island. Sharing his views about the visit and the state of bilateral relations between the two nations, Isomata said that Japan remained committed to more..

Dec 19 (DM) Unsuspecting Sri Lankans often fall prey when getting into land deals. There are still some visuals of billboards circulating on social media platforms which carry advertisements of lands for sale in areas which are prone to floods. There is a billboard, submerged two thirds by flood water, which states that the land on sale is the best available in the area. The question posed now is whether the fourth generation of children is ready to let go of land in areas vulnerable to suffer from more..

Dec 19 (DM) The police always face the allegation that law enforcement is not even-handed. The saying ‘one law for the rich and another for the poor’ is commonly heard among the ordinary folks. Or else, they would say big fish escape, small fish get caught. With the politicisation of the police service, people started doubting fairness in law enforcement. The current govt pledged to end politicisation of the law enforcement agencies. At times, the police are used to fear taking action against more..

Dec 18 (FT) Commercial Bank of Ceylon has emerged as the country’s largest lender to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), retaining its position for the fifth consecutive year, according to the Finance Ministry’s Final Budget Position Report for 2024. The report shows that Commercial Bank disbursed Rs. 330.9 billion in SME loans in 2024, representing 30.3% of the Rs. 1.09 trillion provided by 16 State and private sector banks. This places the bank significantly ahead of all other institutions, more..

Dec 18 (FT) The SL Design Festival (SLDF) has announced the launch of Returning Voices: Sri Lanka, a new platform designed to strengthen engagement between Sri Lanka and its global diaspora community. The initiative welcomes diaspora leaders to contribute to areas they care about, from youth empowerment and innovation to entrepreneurship, cultural exchange, and community upliftment. While Returning Voices is envisioned as a broad, multi-focus diaspora movement, more..

Dec 18 (FT) Sri Lanka is set to make history as it hosts South Asia’s first-ever three-day reggae music festival, One Love 2026 – A Tribute to Bob Marley, from 27 to 29 March 2026 on the golden shores of Bentota, the organisers announced on Tuesday. The festival will take place from 5 pm onwards, bringing an unprecedented celebration of global reggae culture to the region. A packed press conference to announce this historic moment more..

Dec 18 (DM) Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), met with the UN Resident Coordinator to SL, Marc-André Franche, at the office of the Deputy Minister of Defence to review ongoing disaster response efforts, institutional reforms, and the coordination of international humanitarian assistance. During the meeting, the UN Resident Coordinator commended the strong national unity and resilience demonstrated by the SL people in responding to the recent disaster. more..

Dec 18 (NW) The Mahaweli Authority announced that sluice gates at three major reservoirs were opened this morning (18) at 10:20 a.m. as part of regulated water release operations. According to the Mahaweli Authority, six sluice gates at the Victoria Reservoir were opened by 70 cm each. At the Randenigala Reservoir, two gates were opened, one by 2.5 meters and the other by 1 meter. Meanwhile, at the Rantembe Reservoir, two gates were opened by 2 meters and 2.5 meters, respectively. more..

Dec 18 (DM) “We became highly suspicious when a large passenger aircraft was flying unusually low and circling several times in the sky. Because of that, we paid close attention. Everyone in our family went up to the upper floor of the house and observed the aircraft. We were all afraid that it would crash. Many people in the village had woken up and were watching the sky. When the aircraft flew directly over our houses, our fear doubled more..

Dec 18 (DM) An Attorney-at-Law was today discharged subject to a formal warning by the Supreme Court after pleading guilty to an act of professional misconduct, with the court cautioning him to exercise greater diligence in the future to avoid conduct that could undermine the integrity of the legal profession and the administration of justice. The rule (charges) relates to a case before the Kaduwela District Court in which the respondent Attorney-at-Law had filed a proxy on behalf of more..

Dec 18 (NW) SL’s economy will not collapse and there will be no shortage of cooking gas, Minister Vijitha Herath told Parliament, dismissing claims circulating in recent weeks as fear-mongering. Herath said the govt has made arrangements to ensure uninterrupted gas supplies through a new supplier, with the first shipment scheduled to arrive in SL on Jan. 5. “The economy is not collapsing. Some in the opposition are engaging in a very low and irresponsible attempt to frighten public” more..

Dec 18 (DM) A fierce fight between two wild elephants on the forest road near Singha ulpotha in Kebithigollewa caused tense situation on Tuesday, as a private bus carrying garment factory workers came under attack and was forced off the road. According to police, the two fully grown wild elephants were engaged in a fierce fight when the bus, carrying around 20 female workers from a garment factory in Welioya, was passing through the area. “Smaller vehicle transporting workers more..

Dec 18 (AD) A proposal seeking to establish a Parliamentary Select Committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the alleged lack of preparedness to minimise the damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah has been submitted to the Speaker of Parliament. Signed by 25 Opposition MPs, including the Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, the proposal seeks the appointment of a select committee to examine the govt’s response and the alleged failure to minimize damages more..

Dec 18 (DM) The Colombo High Court on Dec 10 permitted the CIABOC to withdraw the indictments filed against former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal in connection with the controversial Greek bond transaction, subject to stringent conditions recommended by the CIABOC. Colombo High Court Judge Mohammed Mihal granted permission under Section 67(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act, allowing the withdrawal of more..

Dec 18 (SLN) SL Navy has successfully concluded specialized diving and technical operations to clear vital infrastructure obstructed by severe flooding from Cyclone Ditwah, while continuing extensive Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations across the island. Adverse weather from the cyclone caused a significant rise in the Mahaweli River, sweeping large quantities of debris, including logs and tree remains, into key bridges. This obstruction posed a dual threat, more..

Dec 18 (DM) SL’s mineral export potential is as much as US $ 778 million annually where the realized amount is only US $ 389 million as estimated by the ITC Export Potential Map, a report compiled by the Pathfinder Foundation says. The report says that primary data suggests that the potential could increase even up to US $ 2 billion with more investments in downstream space. Australian High Commissioner Matthew Duckworth said investing in minerals and renewable more..

Dec 18 (NW) The world‑famous beverage from SL, Ceylon Tea, is set to enter a new era with the infusion of Biotechnology 4.0, marking a knowledge‑based export drive for the country’s botanical market. A major milestone in this science‑led industrialization was reached this week when the BOI granted formal approval for a state‑of‑the‑art botanical extraction facility by Natex Extracts (Pvt) Ltd. The project, backed by foreign direct investment (FDI) of USD 1.5 million more..

Dec 18 (TE) Two SL fishing vessels were seized near Kelaa in Haa Alifu Atoll yesterday during an operation conducted by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) based on intelligence shared by foreign sources. MNDF said today that the vessels were detained by the Coast Guard for illegally entering the Maldives’ Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The seizure was carried out during a joint surveillance operation involving the Coast Guard and Air Corps, following intelligence more..