Dec 20 (CT) Now we have climate refugees and deaths due to climate change and natural disasters, whether we like it or not. The term, however, has no legal recognition under international law. The 1951 Refugee Convention defines a refugee based on persecution due to race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion—not environmental factors. For Sri Lankans, word refugee is already familiar. more..

Dec 20 (DM) This writer has written about three massive flood disasters -- in 1989, 2016 and this year, which affected hundreds of thousands of people in the lower valley of Kelani Ganga. And he was personally a victim of two of these massive floods, the ones that devastated his area in 2016 and 2025. When the Kelani River overflowed in 2016 after 27 years, many people, especially those lived in single-storey houses, left the area before flood water inundated their homes. more..

Dec 20 (CT) SL likes to describe the Port of Colombo as the crown jewel of its maritime economy, a regional hub that keeps trade flowing and the country connected to the world. Yet, in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, that claim rings hollow. What is unfolding at the port today is not merely an operational hiccup. It is a moral failure. An estimated 3,000 to 4,000 containers are reportedly stuck within the port system, among them around 400 consignments of humanitarian aid. more..

Dec 20 (CT) The Sapugaskanda road accident involving former Speaker and NPP MP Asoka Ranwala quickly evolved from a traffic incident into a broader test of governance, institutional credibility, and the ruling coalition’s central promise of equal application of the law. While the injuries sustained by a six-month-old infant and two women understandably generated public sympathy and concern, it was the handling of the aftermath more..

Dec 20 (DM) With a ferocity rarely seen in this country, Cyclone Ditwah hit the country for three days. Our much maligned Met department after a long time got its predictions right.It had begun announcing the landfall of Cyclone Ditwah from two to three days earlier. Unfortunately, like most of us, our government too took the prediction with the proverbial pinch of salt and was caught with its pants down. Within days, the storm triggered lethal landslides, unprecedented flooding, more..

Dec 20 (GV) Sri Lanka’s latest natural disaster once again exposed deep structural weaknesses not only in disaster preparedness but also in governance economic resilience and regional connectivity. Amid this crisis India’s response stood out for its speed scale and restraint. India’s immediate humanitarian assistance extended across the entire island was not merely a gesture of goodwill. It reaffirmed India’s Neighbourhood First policy and its commitment to regional stability. more..

Dec 19 (NF) A British woman narrowly escaped tragedy yesterday after falling nearly 100 feet down a cliff while visiting the picturesque Little Adam's Peak in the Ella Police Division. The incident occurred in the 3rd Mile Post area, a popular vantage point for hikers and nature lovers. The woman had been admiring the breathtaking views when she accidentally slipped and plunged into the ravine. Emergency rescue teams rushed to the scene and carried out a challenging operation more..

Dec 19 (EN) More than 29,600 businesses under Micro, Small & Medium Enterprise categories have registered under the disaster-affected businesses in SL, Minister Sunil Handunnetti told the Parliament. Revealing the businesses hit by the Ditwah-hit devastation, Minister said as of Wednesday, the govt has received information over a total of 29,649 industries hit by the disaster. “I think there are more than 29,000 businesses. They have to fill a small form,” to get registered, more..

Dec 19 (NW) More than 300,000 Sri Lankans have left the country for overseas employment during the course of 2025. As of Dec 19, a total of 300,191 Sri Lankans had migrated abroad for work, marking the third time in the past decade that annual foreign employment departures have exceeded 300,000. In 2024, a total of 314,673 Sri Lankans travelled overseas for employment. Data for 2025 shows that 184,085 male workers more..

Dec 19 (DM) Govt will not seek the support of former leaders who were involved in corruption through disasters, in the fund raising process this time, PM Harini Amarasuriya said today. She told Parliament that the people and the international communities have offered to support SL due to the trust placed by them on the good governance practices of the govt. Responding to a remark by MP Rauff Hakeem that the govt must seek the support of former Presidents in appealing for int'l support more..

Dec 19 (AD) Department of Irrigation has announced that the flood warning issued for several low-lying areas along the Mahaweli River Basin has been extended for a further 24 hours. Accordingly, this warning will be in effect until 5.30 p.m. tomorrow. The warning was initially issued yesterday due to the risk of minor flooding resulting from heavy rainfall in parts of the Mahaweli catchment areas and the release of water from reservoirs located upstream in the Mahaweli Valley. more..

Dec 19 (AD) Supplementary Estimate of Rs. 500 billion to restore the livelihoods of those affected by the sudden disaster situation and to rebuild destroyed infrastructure, presented to Parliament yesterday for the approval of Parliament, was approved in Parliament today. The said Supplementary Estimate was presented to Parliament yesterday by PM Harini Amarasuriya. Accordingly, following the debate held today from 10 am to 6.10 pm, Supplementary Estimate more..

Dec 19 (FT) Varna Ltd, has achieved a landmark industry milestone, becoming the only flexible-packaging company in SL to secure 10 national awards within a single year. The recognition spans four leading institutions – CNCI Achiever Awards, FCCISL Entrepreneur of the Year, Chamber of Lankan Entrepreneurs and The Great HR Awards organised by CIPM —marking the strongest national performance by any organisation in the sector. Achievement reflects Varna’s deep more..

Dec 19 (PMD) GovPay, Govt Digital Payment Platform concluded the year 2025 by surpassing Rs. 2 billion in total digital transaction value, marking a major milestone in the country’s digital transformation journey. Notably, GovPay doubled its collections from Rs. 1 billion to Rs. 2 billion in just 45 days, reflecting rapid adoption, growing public trust, and strong institutional uptake across the public sector. more..

Dec 19 (NF) Colombo High Court scheduled Feb 16 for the hearing of the case filed against former Minister Namal Rajapaksa, who is accused of misappropriating Rs. 70 million received through the controversial Krrish transaction. Case was called before High Court Judge Aparna Suwadurugoda. During today’s proceedings, prosecution handed over several key documents required for trial to the defense. After considering submissions, the judge fixed the next hearing date for February 16. more..

Dec 19 (NF) Sri Lanka’s rebuilding efforts have received a boost, with the Treasury confirming that contributions have now surpassed Rs. 4,286 million. This includes Rs. 4,263 million in direct deposits and Rs. 23 million in foreign currency, amounting to an equivalent of USD 13.86 million. Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, announced the update, noting that foreign currency contributions alone have exceeded USD 6 million. These funds have come from well-wishers more..

Dec 19 (TM) SL female sumo wrestlers won the Bronze Medal in the Open Weight category at the Commonwealth Sumo Cup 2025 held in Moscow, Russia. The athletes met Minister of Sports Sunil Kumara Gamage on Thursday, where he congratulated the team on their achievement and assured continued support for future international competitions in 2026. Discussions also focused on promoting sumo in SL, enhancing athlete development, and providing int'l more..

Dec 19 (PMD) A discussion on the restoration of religious, cultural and archaeological sites affected by Cyclone Ditwah was held yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of Minister Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, with the participation of the Most Venerable Mahanayaka Theras of the three Chapters and other religious leaders. Addressing the meeting, Minister stated that more than one thousand religious, cultural & archaeological sites across the country had more..

Dec 19 (CI) Dasun Shanaka will be SL's T20I captain until the end of the forthcoming T20 World Cup. The move to replace Charith Asalanka as captain in the format had been bloated by the previous selection committee under Upul Tharanga, whose term expired this month. But new chief selector Pramodya Wickramasinghe confirmed that Shanaka would lead the team as he announced the preliminary squad for the tournament. more..

Dec 19 (CT) Cyclone Ditwah has caused severe damage to the country’s transport infrastructure, with 572 sections of Category A and B roads under the Ministry of Transport completely destroyed, Deputy Minister of Transport Prasanna Gunasena told Parliament. Deputy Minister said the Ministry of Transport was the institution that suffered the highest level of damage as a result of the cyclone. He noted that the total length of damaged roads amounts to 1,450.64 kilometres. more..

Dec 19 (CT) MP Namal Rajapaksa expressed gratitude to all volunteers who have come forward to assist at a time when the country is facing a major disaster. Speaking in Parliament, Rajapaksa noted that many people rendered helpless by the disaster are still residing in relief camps, highlighting the continued suffering of affected communities. He accused the Govt of attempting to normalise the scale of destruction through its public statements, rather than addressing the seriousness of more..

Dec 19 (EN) Around 58,340 hectares of paddy lands in Trincomalee and Batticaloa alone were affected by floods brought on by Cyclone Ditwah, according to data maps compiled by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and Dept of Agriculture. The maps show flood-affected areas of paddy, vegetables, and other field crops, with the most significant damage concentrated in several major agricultural districts. New data from the Department of Agriculture, compiled with FAO support, more..

Dec 19 (AD) Measures have been taken to suspend the official duties of Dr. Rukshan Bellana, who served as the Deputy Director of the Colombo National Hospital. The relevant letter has been issued under the official letterhead of the Ministry of Health and Mass Media. According to preliminary investigations carried out by the Ministry, Dr. Bellana, while serving as a government official in a position of responsibility, is alleged to have made statements through various media platforms more..

Dec 19 (AD) Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) has approved a supplementary estimate of Rs. 500 billion to restore the livelihoods of those affected by the sudden disaster. Accordingly, the supplementary estimate is scheduled for approval in Parliament today. The above approval was granted yesterday at a meeting of the CoPF held under the chairmanship of MP Dr. Harsha de Silva. more..

Dec 19 (AM) Independent MP Ramanathan Archchuna raised a complaint in Parliament, expressing outrage over what he described as the lack of food available at the parliamentary canteens. Raising a point of order, Archchuna said that when he went to the canteen to have a meal, only red rice and gravy were available. “I went to the canteen to eat and there were only red rice and gravy. What is this? How are we supposed to eat like this? What kind of Parliament is this? more..

Dec 19 (FT) Sri Lanka’s tourism sector is being steered towards a more integrated, community-focused, and strategically branded future, with revenues from Tourism Development Levy (TDL) continuing to rise and a renewed policy emphasis on positioning the country under a single national brand, Minister Vijitha Herath told Parliament. Minister revealed that TDL generated Rs. 2.58 billion in 2024, while collections for the period from Jan to Sept 2025 have already reached Rs. 2.4b more..

Dec 19 (NW) PM Harini Amarasuriya says steps are being taken to abolish Executive Presidency, and the govt intends to draft a new Constitution. PM said that measures are underway to establish a parliamentary system of govt, including the appointment of a Prez without executive powers. She further stated that steps are currently underway to hold the Provincial Council elections, which have been stalled due to provisions in PC Elections more..

Dec 19 (AD) Bar Association of SL (BASL) expressed its deep concern regarding the treatment of an Attorney-at-Law who faced obstruction and hindrance while representing an Animal Welfare Association at an inquiry conducted by the Mayor of the Kaduwela Municipal Council, Ranjan Jayalal. As evidenced by audio recordings circulating on social media and reported by the media, the Mayor is heard claiming to be an Unofficial Magistrate, implying that he was exercising judicial more..

Dec 19 (FT) President’s statement that the current Disaster Management Act is flawed may have been a feint to divert attention away from his acts of omission on disaster risk reduction as the Minister responsible. But he was not factually incorrect. Aside from all else that must be done, it is important that the discussion on developing a new law starts now. The present law’s imperfections were caused by the inordinate rush of its enactment in 2005 intended to get external parties to fund more..

Dec 19 (EN) Official Credit Committee (OCC) which is involved with SL’s debt restructuring has agreed to the island nation’s proposal for the state-owned Srilankan Airlines’ debt repayment, Treasury Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma said. SriLankan had issued a sovereign guaranteed US$ 175 million bond to raise cash as the firm made losses after the then Prez Mahinda Rajapasksa ousted Emirates as the managing shareholder. Airlines last month informed market that pending OCC approval, more..

Dec 19 (FT) Friday (12) was a special day for millions of Tamil movie fans. It was the 75th birthday of popular Tamil cinema actor Rajinikanth. The evergreen filmstar has in a film career spanning fifty years, acted in 172 films. He is currently working on his 173rd movie. Even as Rajinikanth fans celebrated the actor’s diamond birthday on a widespread scale, they were in turn provided with a special treat by their idol. A re-mastered version of the star’s 1999 film Padayappa more..