Dec 12 (FT) Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and Embassy of Viet Nam in SL co-organised the Viet Nam–Sri Lanka Business Forum on 9 Dec, in conjunction with the 3rd Viet Nam–SL Subcommittee on Trade co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Viet Nam Phan Thi Thang and Secretary of Ministry of Trade, Commerce & Food Security of SL, K.A. Vimalenthirarajah. The event drew strong participation from across the local business community. more..

Dec 12 (TM) As SL is struggling to emerge from the immediate dangers posed by cyclone Ditwah, the country is now confronting the harder and longer path of rebuilding. The storm did not only tear through houses, bridges and roads. It also disrupted daily lives and community routines, consequently placing new burdens on already vulnerable households. Recovery, therefore, must extend beyond repairing or rebuilding buildings. It must include the physical and mental well-being more..

Dec 12 (CT) The devastating Cyclone Ditwah that struck SL has left many homeless, forcing thousands to evacuate. The impoverished communities living below the Mavil Aru Tank were no exception. Their hopes and livelihoods were shattered when the tank’s bund — a vital source of sustenance for them — was breached. Having lost their possessions to the floods, these residents are now seeking refuge in temporary shelters. Seruwila, Muttur & Kinniya DS Divisions were severely affected more..

Dec 12 (TM) SL is to introduce loan schemes for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, between Rs. 250,000 and Rs. 1,000,000 for a period of 3 years, at a 3% interest rate, in an effort to rebuild businesses within the segment that have been affected by adverse effects of cyclone Ditwah, Govt said. “Under the proposed scheme, it is expected to take measures to provide required funds for a period of 3 yrs under interest rate of 3% per annum” more..

Dec 12 (TM) SL was one of the four Asian countries to be hit by cyclones at virtually the same time. The international media reported that cyclone-fueled downpours battered parts of Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia while SL was struck by a separate storm. In those countries too, which are visited more regularly by cyclones than SL, the death toll reached the 100s. The death toll is presently over 600 with over 200 remaining missing. The full scale of the disaster wreaked on SL by more..

Dec 12 (GV) The devastation left by Cyclone Ditwah across SL was immediate and immense, affecting over a million lives and triggering widespread landslides. Amidst the chaos of rising waters and tragic loss, a parallel crisis emerged – one of information. As official systems struggled to cope, the internet became a sea of decentralised, desperate posts: scattered WhatsApp screenshots, untraceable images and pleas for missing relatives. It was in this moment of digital disarray that more..

Dec 12 (Island) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is apparently determined to have one of his loyalists appointed Auditor General though the Constitutional Council (CC) has prevented him from doing so. The govt is apparently playing a waiting game. Sri Lanka has never been short of self-proclaimed messiahs who promise to deliver people from suffering and secure enough votes to win elections. It is only after being ensconced in power that they lay bare their true faces. more..

Dec 12 (Island) When Cyclone Ditwah roared across the island on November 27 and 28, 2025, it left behind a landscape scarcely recognisable to its own inhabitants—homes reduced to rubbles, vital infrastructure torn apart and entire communities engulfed by floodwaters that surged with terrifying speed. The storm’s ferocity carved deep scars into the island’s social and economic fabric, displacing thousands and severing lifelines that families had relied upon for generations. more..

Dec 12 (SO) SL’s Armed Forces and essential services suffered painful losses during Cyclone Ditwah, as Navy personnel, an Air Force officer, and a CEB technician died while carrying out rescue and relief operations in the midst of the country’s worst natural disaster. Their deaths, while saving civilians, restoring power, and holding collapsing communities together, have highlighted the enormous risks borne by those more..

Dec 12 (ST) Last week, Cyclone Ditwah brought severe devastation to Sri Lanka, unleashing deadly floods, landslides, and widespread destruction. Hundreds of lives were lost, many remain missing, and thousands of families were displaced as homes, roads, and transport networks were heavily damaged. It was a historic catastrophe, marked by rainfall exceeding 500 mm in some districts, gale-force winds reaching 100 km/h, and mass displacement of communities. more..

Dec 12 (SO) In the pre-dawn haze of Nov 28, as Cyclone Ditwah’s eye wall clawed its way ashore near Trincomalee, the people never thought it is going to change the country’s destiny. Mahaweli River, that ancient lifeline of the island’s heartland, had swollen into a monstrous serpent, its waters churning with debris and fury on this day. By midday, villages near Trincomalee were a memory swallowed by mudslides, one of countless hamlets erased in what Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake more..

Dec 12 (TM) Cyclone Ditwah finally left SL’s territorial waters a few days ago, but its impact lingers on. Thousands of people have been misplaced, hundreds are dead, and those who survived now face a rising risk of a possible food scarcity in the near future. Given the panic buying which ensued at markets, the damage done to crops, and inundated paddy fields, food insecurity in some form in the near future is inevitable. more..

Dec 12 (DM) Just as Canada’s social justice activist and writer Naomi Klein, in her highly celebrated book The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, explains the relations between disasters—manmade or natural—and vulgar capitalism driven by inhumane greed, so too can we see an inviting link between disasters and geopolitics. In her 2007 book, she argues that disasters and wars are like honeypots for capitalist bees—or flies. A follow-up book could similarly expose geopolitics’ more..

Dec 12 (DM) Chairman of the UNP Wajira Abeywardena has said that SL’s conviction rate remains as low as 2%, as reported in the media. While SL records only a two-percent conviction rate, Japan’s stands as high as 98%, according to him. This stark contrast exposes a troubling reality. Most individuals arrested in SL are eventually acquitted of the charges brought against them. After prolonged detention—often raising serious human-rights concerns—they ultimately walk free without more..

Dec 11 (NW) SL will introduce a consolidated loan program to support micro, small and medium-scale entrepreneurs affected by recent disasters, govt announced, as part of a wider effort to revive the MSME sector. Proposed scheme, named RE–MSME Disaster Relief, brings together several existing concessionary loan facilities, including SMILE III for industrial and production investments, E-FRIEND II for environmentally friendly financing, and the current RE–MSME program financed by govt. more..

Dec 11 (Island) Investigations have revealed that the govt’s controversial easing of environmental regulations appears closely aligned with the interests of a small but powerful coalition of politically connected investors, environmentalists have alleged. The move weakens key Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements and accelerates approvals for high-risk projects, has triggered a storm of criticism from environmental scientists, civil society groups and more..

Dec 11 (NW) The Integrated Task Force of the Shatrujeet Brigade of the Indian Army yesterday restored an essential communication infrastructure in the Mahiyanganaya region, one of the worst-affected areas near Kandy. According to the Indian HC, following Cyclone Ditwah, a major disruption had occurred in the Mahiyanganaya region, where the cyclone severely damaged the Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) network, more..

Dec 11 (DM) The decision to release Former CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal from the Greek Bonds case, under strict conditions, reflects how Sri Lanka’s justice system is evolving under the new Anti-Corruption Act, Former Minister Ali Sabry said. Sabry noted that Section 67 of the Anti-Corruption Act, No. 9 of 2023 allows indictments to be withdrawn before judgment—not as leniency, but through a structured process that can require restitution, public apology, accountability more..

Dec 11 (CT) Tourist Police have arrested several Chinese nationals suspected of operating a cybercrime and extortion racket in Dharga Town, Aluthgama, following a complaint from a Chinese man who said his wife had been taken hostage. Officers seized approximately 200 mobile phones, 50 SIM cards and 13 laptops during the operation, according to the Tourist Police. ASP Prabath Vidanagama, Acting Director of the Police Tourist Division, said the complainant had alleged more..

Dec 11 (NW) Sri Lanka is set to deepen cooperation with the Maldives through two new MoUs approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, focusing on postgraduate medical education and youth and sports development. One MoU is to be signed between the University of Colombo and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Maldives to expand collaboration in postgraduate education. Under the agreement, Sri Lanka will provide training for Maldivian medical officers & dental surgeons, more..

Dec 11 (EN) Sri Lanka is offering an UDA land at Perahera Mawatha, Kollupitiya, Col 3, on a 99-year lease basis for a mixed development project, minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. The cabinet approved a proposal to look for investors for the land measuring 2 roods, 23.1 perches, to implement a mixed development project, including residential development. “The cabinet has approved inviting investment proposals for the use of the relevant land for hotel or commercial purposes, more..

Dec 11 (NW) Sri Lanka has approved the purchase of a new fleet of vehicles to strengthen the island’s primary health care system, supported by a USD 150 million World Bank financing agreement aimed at improving community-level services from 2024 to 2028. The govt said the project focuses on preventing and managing non-communicable diseases, expanding elderly and palliative care, and boosting resilience to climate-related more..

Dec 11 (DM) Cyclone Ditwah left Sri Lanka facing a national disaster of extraordinary scale. In a matter of days, the storm triggered lethal landslides, unprecedented flooding and the collapse of critical infrastructure that millions rely on. Entire districts were cut off, thousands were displaced and the economic impact continues to grow. The numbers tell the story of a country confronting one of its most severe crises in recent memory. The storm left a devastating human toll. more..

Dec 11 (NW) Mahiyanganaya Base Hospital, one of the health facilities hardest hit by the flooding triggered by Cyclone Ditwah, has returned most services to normal while urgent repairs continue on several critical units, officials said following an on-site inspection. Deputy Minister Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni and Health and Media Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe visited the hospital to assess the damage and review ongoing recovery efforts. Hospital sustained significant losses to more..

Dec 11 (CT) Colombo Additional Magistrate Oshadhi Maharachchi, yesterday, issued a warrant for the arrest of Ven. Uvathenne Sumana Thera, the Chief Incumbent of the Sri Bodhirajarama Temple in Maligawatta, for failing to appear in Court in connection with an alleged fraud of nearly Rs 60 million involving a coconut oil company in Dematagoda. The warrant was issued after the Court took into consideration the monk’s absence in four cases linked to several complaints more..

Dec 11 (Island) The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is a global campaign observed annually from 25 Nov to 10 Dec, beginning on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and concluding on Human Rights Day. The campaign aims to raise awareness and inspire collective action to end all forms of violence against women and girls. This year, in line with this, UNDP, together with its key partners through ongoing flagship project initiatives, more..

Dec 11 (ICC) The ICC today announced the opening of ticket sales for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, pricing entry-level tickets at historic lows to drive accessibility for the pinnacle event. Sales will begin at 18h45 IST with prices starting at just ₹100 (approx $1.11) at some venues in India and LKR1000 (approx $3.26) in Sri Lanka. The landmark 10th edition of the tournament will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, more..

Dec 11 (NW) Several former Cabinet Ministers have been questioned by the Bribery Commission in connection with an investigation regarding the leasing of a building in the Rajagiriya area for the functioning of the Ministry of Agriculture. Opposition MP Gayantha Karunathilaka appeared before the CIABOC this morning to provide a statement in this regard. Karunathilaka, who served as a Cabinet Minister at the time of the incident, was summoned by the Commission to give a statement. more..

Dec 11 (PMD) Secretary to the Treasury, Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma stated that the Dept of National Planning has launched a programme to collect information and data on businesses and properties damaged by Cyclone Ditwah. Secretary to Ministry of Finance further noted that this information will be compiled in coordination with Divisional Secretariats and other relevant institutions. Dr. Suriyapperuma added that teams will visit the affected locations to gather the data more more..

Dec 11 (DM) Germany has announced emergency aid worth approximately €500,000 to support SL in the wake of the devastating impact of Cyclone Ditwah. The assistance has been provided under European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (EU UCPM) as part of the collective EU emergency response. Initial needs were identified through the EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). Financed by the German Federal Foreign Office and delivered via the Federal Agency more..

Dec 11 (TM) Dept of Motor Traffic (DMT) has met its revenue targets for the year with the rise in vehicle imports seen this year, Motor Traffic Commissioner General Kamal Amarasinghe said. Accordingly, the dept was given a target of Rs. 16 billion and it has surpassed this figure by recording Rs. 17.8 billion as of 30 November. Amarasinghe further stated that the Treasury has set a revenue target of Rs. 18 billion for next year, adding that the DMT is fully capable of achieving that target. more..