Dec 3 (FT) SLTDA Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam yesterday made a strong appeal to the private sector, investors and global partners not to focus solely on post-cyclone relief support, but to actively encourage travellers to visit SL during the ongoing peak season. “The best assistance right now is not donations, it is the tourists. Tourism is the quickest way to revive the economy. The hotels, operators, and communities are ready to more..

Dec 3 (DN) Skipper Rehan Peiris made a superb unbeaten knock of 114 as SL Under 17s finished the day one in a commanding position of 183 for 2 wickets in their second three day cricket fixture against Bangladesh Under 17s played at Bashundara Sport Complex, Dhaka, yesterday. Bangladesh U17’s decided to bat first but they were skittled out for 122 in their first innings just in 30.3 overs during the first session of the day. SL already have a 61-run lead with 8 wickets in hand more..

Dec 3 (FT) Justice for All, a good governance activist group, yesterday stressed the need for collective political leadership in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah. Following the full statement issued by Prof. Jayadeva Uyangoda, Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne PC, Eran Wickramaratne, A.M. Faaiz, M.A Sumanthiran PC, Saliya Peiris PC, Shanakiyan Rasamanickam MP, Bhavani Fonseka, Ermiza Tegal, Nadishani Perera, Jerusha Crosette-Thambiah, Ravinthran Niloshan, and more..

Dec 3 (FT) Hemas Holdings announced upcoming changes to its Board of Directors, reflecting the Group’s commitment to strong governance and a seamless leadership transition. Husein Esufally, who has served Hemas for over four decades in various leadership capacities including Group CEO and Chairman, will retire from the Board with effect from 31 Dec. Under his stewardship, Hemas evolved into one of SL’s most respected and diversified conglomerates, delivering consistent value more..

Dec 3 (FT) Management Club (TMC) has announced the Northern Investment Summit (NIS), a landmark initiative in Jan 2026 aimed at unlocking the full potential of the Northern Province and positioning it as one of the country’s most promising investment frontiers. Summit’s core purpose is to generate widespread awareness of the region’s immense potential, attract both local and foreign investors and create a unified platform for dialogue between Govt Authorities, State Agencies, more..

Dec 3 (TM) With the economy gradually stabilising, the streets of Colombo are returning to the congestion they were known for. The traffic in the capital shows little sign of slowing. Despite efforts by the Govt to address the issue with traffic regulation, congestion occurs for commuters and pedestrians alike. Heavy traffic during rush hour, especially on rainy days, has become a familiar ordeal for Colombo’s residents. more..

Dec 3 (Island) Normally a cyclone develops at a minimum distance of 500 km from the equator, but Cyclone Ditwah broke this norm; it began in the southern sea, near Sri Lanka, located about 650 km north of the equator. Cyclone Ditwah, which swept through Sri Lanka, has caused serious damages to the country. The torrential rainfall has saturated the entire country and the subsequent accumulation of surface water in river basins, triggering massive floods and landslides due to soil saturation, more..

Dec 3 (Island) A story about poetry has come like a ray of sunshine amidst dark clouds hovering above SL. Actually, it is about the use of poetry to dupe AI models. The Guardian (UK) has reported on an experiment conducted by a group of researchers from Italy’s Icaro Lab, as part of an initiative by an ethical AI company called DexAI, to test the efficacy of the guardrails on AI systems. They succeeded in making the AI models respond to harmful prompts, with help of 20 poems they themselves wrote. more..

Dec 3 (ST) So the party is over. I mean the weeks-long talkathon at the Diyawanna Oya abode. For that relief, much thanks. The more one listens to our MPs and advice emanating from the thinking apparatus of supporting staff, the more I recall a biting saying of Napoleon Bonaparte. “In politics, he said, stupidity is not a handicap.” Leaving our representatives (of the people, that is), for both I started writing about but could not conclude, both for short time & space. . I return to the subject of NPP’s claim more..

Dec 3 (CT) Built on a slope, paid with lives: This week’s devastation — floods and landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah — laid bare a truth too long ignored: when we carve, concrete and crowd our hills without science, the hills fight back. The heavy rains exposed fragile slopes, toppled homes and killed neighbors in the central highlands and around Colombo. Experts have repeatedly warned that unregulated construction, tree clearing and excavations on steep terrain dramatically more..

Dec 3 (GV) On the morning of Nov 30, a desperate message surfaced from Pattiyagama, Deltota, one of many remote hill country communities devastated by Cyclone Ditwah. The message, typed in haste under failing phone signal, described a level of isolation and fear echoing across the island. “There is no current here and the network is also bad. Roads are still blocked. No one has come yet. Food items cost very high. more..

Dec 3 (DM) Cyclone Ditwah has passed. But the damage it has caused is irreversible. With over 400 recorded deaths and more people still marked as missing, the Cyclone had affected over a million people in the country. Following the 2004 tsunami, people became aware of the extent of a natural disaster. In fact the name tsunami itself was unheard of for a majority of people in the country. It was following the tsunami that policymakers started taking disaster management more seriously. more..

Dec 3 (DM) As Sri Lanka reels from the worst-ever natural disaster since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, there are legitimate questions about whether a better organised pre-emptive disaster response could have saved many hundreds of lives lost to landslides and floods in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah. As of 10 am yesterday, the death toll had risen to 410, and another 336 were still missing, according to the DMC. The districts and areas where the highest number of deaths and more..

Dec 3 (TM) If there are no major external shocks, Sri Lanka may be able to muddle through and meet its debt repayment obligations by 2028 as pledged by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, says Advocata CEO Dhananath Fernando. “But the world is full of uncertainties. Our economy is still vulnerable. A shock can disrupt cash flows, trigger rating downgrades, and increase borrowing costs sharply. Debt servicing becomes easier more..

Dec 3 (TM) Cyclonic storm Ditwah, one of the most devastating weather events to hit SL in recent years, has already taken more than 400 lives. Hundreds more remain missing or injured. While the death toll can be certified with relative accuracy, the true number of missing persons remains uncertain and the lack of clarity around this issue shows one of the most serious challenges that the country must confront in the aftermath of the disaster. Beyond the immediate tragedy, the unresolved status of more..

Dec 3 (CT) There is no doubt that Cyclone Ditwah has caused the most -serious damage the country has seen in at least two decades, and the scale of loss has been devastating with more than 360 lives taken, homes destroyed and entire villages swallowed by landslides. Nevertheless, the disaster has not shaken the humanity of the people, because even before the rains stopped, there was a quiet but determined movement of support from those who were not affected as they came together to more..

Dec 2 (NW) Opposition MP Mujibur Rahman has urged the govt to engage in discussions with India to allow Pakistan’s special relief aircraft carrying humanitarian assistance to SL to cross its airspace. MP said that the Indian Govt’s partial flight clearance for the aircraft, which is carrying emergency supplies for flood-affected Sri Lankans, is insufficient. “According to current reports, India has allowed a window of 6 hours for Pakistani aircraft to deliver their relief supplies and return. more..

Dec 2 (CT) Ministry of Foreign Affairs has instructed SL’s foreign missions to work closely with diaspora organisations and accredited authorities to mobilise urgently needed relief items for communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah. Ministry stressed that all donations must be pre-coordinated with the relevant authorities in each country and with recognised SL organisations to ensure proper accreditation and smooth processing. The newly established Emergency Coordination Unit, more..

Dec 2 (TM) A new facility has been introduced through GovPay with the aim of providing relief to people affected by the prevailing adverse weather conditions in SL. This mechanism has been implemented to make donations to the Disaster Relief Fund, established by Finance Ministry, more convenient and transparent. Anyone can now make instant donations at any time through the State payment portal, GovPay. Donations are credited to the Fund in real time, enabling the public more..

Dec 2 (TM) Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has warned that people are hoarding goods in large quantities due to the current disaster situation in SL and emphasised that there is no need to create unnecessary panic. Authority has urged the public to avoid excessive stockpiling and to purchase only the quantity of goods they actually need. CAA has also requested supermarkets and traders to distribute goods in a controlled manner, ensuring that only the required amounts are issued to consumers. more..

Dec 2 (Island) Sixteen project proposals have been submitted for the development of infrastructure facilities in the state universities under the Ministry of Education. These proposals have been included in the Government’s Investment Plan 2026-2030, to be implemented after the recommendations of the Dept of National Planning. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the PM, more..

Dec 2 (DM) SL Navy has confirmed that the five naval personnel who went missing during a flood response mission in the Chalai Lagoon have died. The group included the Officer-in-Charge of the Chalai Naval Sub-unit attached to SLNS Wettalekeni. The personnel went into the Chalai Lagoon on Friday to cut off water flowing toward the naval sub-unit as flood conditions worsened. Communication with the team was lost shortly after they entered the area, prompting an more..

Dec 2 (NW) General Manager of the CEB, Shirley Kumara, stated that electricity supply to households in disaster‑affected areas will not be disconnected. He emphasized that the CEB will not carry out disconnections in these areas due to unpaid bills, and that the relevant charges will instead be added to future billing cycles. At this stage, no form of electricity disconnection will take place. Kumara further explained that in many affected areas, meter readings cannot be taken & bills cannot be more..

Dec 2 (CT) Govt Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has launched a series of mobile medical clinics and temporary relief camps across the Northern Province as part of its disaster-response efforts to support communities affected by the severe weather conditions sweeping the country. Medical teams are now operating in all five Districts — Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya & Mannar providing essential healthcare services to residents impacted by flooding & related emergencies. more..

Dec 2 (EN) Cabinet have approved a proposal by the Minister of Foreign Affairs to resume operations in the SL Consular General Office in Chengdu in China after being closed for nine years, the govt said. SL Consular General Office in Chengdu in China was established in Chengdu, China in Dec 2009, but was closed from June 2016 due to the limitations of financial and other resources. The move comes after the official Chinese trip by Prez Dissanayake in January this year. more..

Dec 2 (CT) SL continues to receive an extraordinary outpouring of international assistance as Cyclone Ditwah — one of the most devastating natural disasters to strike the island in decades — leaves over 1 million people affected across all 25 districts. India has launched one of the largest-ever regional disaster responses under Operation Sagar Bandhu. Indian Air Force Mi-17 and Chetak helicopters operating from INS Vikrant more..

Dec 2 (TM) National Blood Transfusion Service’ (NBTS) National Blood Centre/Central Blood Bank has appealed for continued blood donations in the coming days, emphasising that despite a recent surge in volunteerism, the current high demand for blood necessitates further donor support. Dr. Lakshman Edirisinghe said that while a recent short-notice appeal saw an overwhelming public response, pushing processing capacity to its near peak, last on 29 November, the need remains critical. more..

Dec 2 (AD) SL Railways Station Masters’ Association states that office train operations have been significantly disrupted due to the inability to bring 39 train power sets to Colombo for service as a result of recent landslides and flooding in the country. The 39 train power sets that operated to the Rambukkana, Polgahawela, Kurunegala, Kandy, Chilaw, Puttalam & Ganewatta railway stations on the day prior to the recent heavy rains followed by landslides and flooding have not returned to Colombo, more..

Dec 2 (EN) As SL currently counts human and economic costs of Cyclone Ditwah, the images are both disturbing and somewhat familiar: flooded hospitals, access roads buried by landslides, evacuation centres overflowing with displaced families, and officials in health and disaster management services scrambling to meet everyone’s needs. The death toll is at 355 and rising, with hundreds more missing and over 200,000 displaced, with effects being borne more..

Dec 2 (AD) The UAE has initiated an urgent humanitarian response to assist communities affected by devastating floods and landslides across SL. The relief effort, coordinated through the Joint Operations Command, the UAE Aid Agency and the Emirates Red Crescent, was announced on Dec 1. UAE’s response includes search and rescue missions in affected areas, undertaken by teams from Abu Dhabi Civil Defence, along with the delivery of urgent relief supplies, more..