Dec 21 (SO) CDB’s commitment to education, digital literacy and inclusive development is at the heart of its Smart Computer Lab Project. Citizens Development Business Finance (CDB) set itself a goal in 2004 – to empower students across the country by developing digital literacy and giving equal access to technology. The ambitious initiative of establishing a Smart Computer Lab began with single step of presenting one computer to Gonagala North Junior School in Ruwanwella. more..

Dec 21 (TM) What a govt does in silence often tells the public more about its intentions than what it proclaims loudly from podiums. The gazetting of the Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill in mid-December, quietly uploaded to the Ministry of Justice website during the holiday season, is one such revealing moment. It arrives wrapped in the language of reform and modernisation, but burdened by a history of broken promises, procedural cynicism, and a disconcerting continuity with more..

Dec 21 (TM) Despite Cyclone Ditwah’s departure from the country after causing much destruction to human lives and property weeks ago, SL continues to be in the eye of a socioeconomic and political storm in Ditwah’s aftermath. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake seems to be shouldering the heavy burden of rebuilding the country, with a majority of the JVP-led NPP Govt engaged in verbal clashes with members of the Opposition. more..

Dec 21 (Island) SL has a very promising govt and a perennially protesting Opposition. The govt makes various promises, which are like piecrusts made to be broken. The Opposition in a perpetual state of agitation bursts into protests at the drop of a hat. The two sides have been clashing in Parliament instead of sinking their political differences and cooperating at least in the aftermath of a disaster. Opposition has requested Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee more..

Dec 21 (ST) After Cyclone Ditwah had left these island shores to a visible sight of great relief that the worst was over and the enormous task of rebuilding a new Sri Lanka could begin, a myriad more storms, not from the skies but from an earthly political realm, awaited to break at the govt’s door in a catastrophic deluge to wash away the thousand and one hopes and promises the JVP gave to ride the wave to power. The first storm to lash the JVP’s Pelawatte HQ is its dogged insistence more..

Dec 21 (Island) The 2004 Asian Tsunami erupted the day after Christmas. Like the Boxing Day Test Match in Brisbane, it was a boxing day bolt for Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and Maldives. Twenty one years later, in 2025, multiple Asian cyclones hit almost all the old victims and added a few more, including Malayasia, Vietnam and Cambodia. Indonesia and SL were hit hard both times. Unlike the 2004 Tsunami, the 2025 cyclones made landfalls weeks before Christmas, more..

Dec 21 (CT) Repressive govt actions that restrict citizen behaviour undermine political legitimacy and fuel anti-govt sentiment, as history has repeatedly demonstrated, the 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, govts must involve citizens in reforms, foster consensus through public engagement, and prioritise more..

Dec 21 (ST) DMC came under heavy criticism in the recent past over its handling of Cyclone Ditwah and its delay in issuing critical warnings on time, particularly regarding the opening of sluice gates of dams and reservoirs—a lapse some politicians and environmentalists argued made matters worse, causing severe floods even on high ground. One of the shortcomings of the DMC was the lack of communication means to more..

Dec 21 (ST) Not for the first time has a single member embarrassed his political party so much in the public eye as the fake doctorate holder who last Friday crashed into fellow motorists, sending them to hospital. In the year since the incumbents waltzed into office, it may be unfair to single out this one party man as the solitary embarrassment to the ruling party. Others too have made their contributions in varied ways towards this exercise, individually and collectively. more..

Dec 21 (SO) When Parliament approved a Rs. 500 billion Supplementary Estimate on Friday without dissent, it represented a rare moment of national consensus. The country must now transform this consensus into a genuine paradigm shift on its climate destiny. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s comprehensive address, outlining unprecedented compensation for victims of Cyclone Ditwah is a blueprint for finally treating our climate vulnerability with the seriousness it demands. more..

Dec 20 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday sought to counter the alarmists and doomsayers claiming the economy would crash as a result of the additional Rs. 500 billion the Govt plans to spend in 2026 on the post-Ditwah recovery. Pointing to SL’s strongest fiscal performance on record, he said it had created the space to deploy the Rs. 500 billion supplementary estimate for post-Ditwah recovery without more..

Dec 20 (EN) SL will use a 1,200 billion rupee cash buffer in the Treasury for cyclone relief and recovery, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said, seeking parliamentary approval for extra spending of 500 billion rupees in 2026. Treasury cash buffer had expanded to 1,202 billion rupees by Nov 2025. “If we did not have the cash buffer we would have had to look for other ways to finance the spending,” he said. About 250 billion rupees will go for infrastructure, 150 billion rupees for business recovery more..

Dec 20 (FT) Transparency Int'l SL (TISL), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the other activists have expressed serious concern over the continued failure of the President to ensure the timely appointment of the Auditor General, leaving SL’s supreme audit institution without stable leadership for an extended period of time. “This delay comes at a moment when public trust, financial accountability, and robust oversight are not only constitutionally required, but urgently needed,” more..

Dec 20 (FT) Executive Board of the IMF yesterday approved a disbursement of SDR 150.5 million (about $ 206 million, equivalent to 26% of quota) for SL under Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI). This emergency support will help address urgent balance-of-payments and fiscal pressures arising from the catastrophic Cyclone Ditwah, which hit the country on 28 Nov. IMF said: The SL authorities remain committed to more..

Dec 20 (EN) The govt has decided to compensate for damaged fishing boats with a new boat through Cey Nor Foundation amid insufficient insurance claims due to undervaluation, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake told the Parliament. He said this when he explained the method of compensation for lost or damaged fishing boats. He said all those engaged in marine fishing cannot operate without insuring their boats and the Ministry of Fisheries issues fishing licences only if the boats are insured. more..

Dec 20 (AD) Police Spokesman has stated that no traces of alcohol were detected in the blood and urine samples obtained from NPP MP Asoka Ranwala. Samples were tested by the Govt Analyst’s Dept. Earlier, Police had requested a medical report to determine whether any of the drivers involved in the incident were under the influence of alcohol. The accident occurred on Dec 11 when the jeep in which the MP was travelling collided with a car in the Denimulla area of Sapugaskanda. more..

Dec 20 (NW) A potential railway accident was narrowly averted at a level crossing in Ja-Ela on Friday after the quick action of a bystander helped save several lives. A van travelling from Ja-Ela towards Minuwangoda became stranded at a railway crossing when one of its wheels got stuck between the rails. At the same time, a train travelling from Negombo to Colombo was approaching the crossing. With the level crossing closed and the train fast approaching, a man at the scene ran more..

Dec 20 (CT) The impact of Cyclone Ditwah on SL’s upcountry and plantation regions dominated discussions when Indian High Commissioner to SL Santosh Jha met CWC General Secretary and MP Jeevan Thondaman at India House in Colombo on Tuesday evening (16). During the meeting, both sides reviewed the damage caused by the cyclone and the humanitarian assistance extended by India in its aftermath. Special attention was given to the challenges faced by plantation communities, more..

Dec 20 (ST) The Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens will not know with certainty whether the plants in its nurseries will survive after floodwaters swept through the gardens. The overall damage to the gardens is estimated at more than Rs 120 million. The gardens are open to the public while the cleanup continues. Employees said that some damaged orchids in the nursery had been named in honour of female foreign & local dignitaries. more..

Dec 20 (FT) HNB PLC has announced a partnership with Prime EV Automobiles Ltd, a subsidiary of Senok Trade Combine Ltd, to expand access to Deepal brand electric vehicles in SL. The agreement was signed recently with the aim of strengthening national EV adoption while offering customers structured financial solutions through HNB Leasing. “This partnership aligns with our long term commitment to expand access to advanced mobility in SL,” said HNB SVP Kanchana more..

Dec 20 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed SL’s deep appreciation to the UAE for its swift humanitarian assistance to communities affected by recent floods and heavy rainfall across the country. Prez conveyed his gratitude during a telephone conversation with UAE Prez His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, thanking the UAE for its continued support to SL during times of crisis. During the call, Sheikh extended his heartfelt condolences to Prez Dissanayake more..

Dec 20 (DN) Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe said that Cyclone Ditwah caused extensive damage to over 106,800 hectares of paddy fields and the Govt is offering farmers a compensation of Rs. 150,000 per hectare for crop losses. It is estimated that around 80,000 hectares (nearly 235,000 acres) of the flood-damaged paddy fields can be replanted. A compensation of Rs.150,000 per hectare for maize and other field crops will also be provided to cover investments and restoration costs. more..

Dec 20 (ST) Owners of grocery shops, eateries, and clothing stores in flooded areas are bearing financial losses and rebuilding their businesses. Some are waiting for govt support. Many retailers had abandoned their goods and moved to higher ground when the Kelani River breached its banks on Nov 28 and caused floods in low-lying areas. The roads are still muddy, while marks in the shops show the level of flooding. One such shop is Kelanimulla Hotel, a small eatery, which was inundated. more..

Dec 20 (CT) The ongoing severe congestion at the Port of Colombo—where an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 containers are currently stuck, including around 400 humanitarian aid shipments—has raised concerns over delays to critical relief efforts following Cyclone Ditwah. Emergency aid from international donors has reportedly been delayed for the past five days. However, SL Customs has rejected claims that hundreds of more..

Dec 20 (NF) Japan has handed over emergency shelters worth USD 1 million to Sri Lanka through the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as part of a larger USD 2.5 million emergency grant announced on Dec 16. The official handover took place with Akio Isomata, Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka, and Kristin Parco, Chief of Mission for IOM Sri Lanka, presenting the aid to Chathura Liyanarachchi, Director (Preparedness) of the Disaster Management Center (DMC). more..

Dec 20 (DN) Unbeaten half-centuries from Aaron George (58) and Vihaan Malhotra (61) powered India Under-19s to an eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka Under-19s with two overs to spare in their rain-affected Asia Cup semi-final played at the ICC Academy Grounds in Dubai yesterday. The match was reduced to 20 overs per side due to wet ground conditions. Invited to bat first, Sri Lanka posted 138 for 8, a total that proved insufficient despite an early breakthrough by their bowlers. more..

Dec 20 (DM) SL recorded over 3.9 million local malware incidents in the third quarter of 2025 alone, with nearly a quarter of users encountering offline threats, new data from global cybersecurity firm Kaspersky reveals. Findings highlight a persistent vulnerability in the country’s digital landscape: the heavy reliance on removable media. 23.2% of users in SL faced local threats during this period, placing the island nation 53rd globally for exposure to malware spread through offline vectors. more..

Dec 20 (ST) Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence imposed on an LTTE member convicted over the assassination of UNP MP T. Maheswaran. Court of Appeal had earlier upheld the sentence and rejected an appeal filed by the accused, Johnson Valentino alias Vasanthan against the death sentence imposed on him by the Colombo High Court over the assassination. The accused had then filed a special leave to proceed in the SC requesting it to vacate the Court of Appeal’s order. more..

Dec 20 (DM) Of the country’s approximately 2.3 million hectares of agricultural land, 175,000 hectares or 7.6% of land has been damaged in Sri Lanka due to the recent cyclone causing a setback in harvest, output levels and driving price hikes for locally produced food, according to the Dept of Agriculture compiled with FAO. It has triggered concerns over food security of SL unless these lands are re-cultivated immediately. more..

Dec 20 (Island) Disciplinary action has reportedly been taken against several police officers for their alleged failure to conduct a proper investigation into a recent accident caused by NPP MP Asoka Ranwala in Sapugaskanda. This move, we believe, has the trappings of a diversionary tactic. The police would have incurred the wrath of the government if they had conducted a breathalyzer test on Ranwala and produced him before a Judicial Medical Officer immediately after the crash more..

Dec 20 (Island) The Universities Act is back in the news – this time with the present govt’s attempt to reform it through a proposed amendment (Nov 2025) presented by the Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Harini Amarasuriya, who herself is a former academic and trade unionist. The first reading of the proposed amendment has already taken place with little debate and without much attention either from the public or the university community. more..