Dec 15 (TM) SL’s education system is among the casualties of Cyclone Ditwah, with severe damage to school and preschool infrastructure, while some have been converted into shelters, disrupting the resumption of learning nationwide. According to UNICEF’s SL Situation Report of 5 Dec, “Over 1,185 schools across all nine provinces are located in flood-affected areas, affecting the learning of over half a million children.” more..

Dec 15 (DM) Cyclone Ditwah tore through Sri Lanka with a frightening force, leaving behind washed-out villages, broken roads, drowned fields, and thousands of families trying to rebuild their lives from the mud. But as the waters recede and statistics slowly replace human stories, one uncomfortable truth remains pertinent. Disasters like Ditwah do not fall from the sky fully formed. They are shaped long before the clouds gather, and the damage they cause is written into more..

Dec 15 (DM) There is a familiar sinking feeling Sri Lankans experience every time news breaks about a politician involved in a road accident or public incident allegedly linked to alcohol. It does not shock anymore. It is weary recognition, another headline, another explanation, another promise that the law will take its course. And then, almost inevitably, silence. The recent accident involving MP Asoka Ranwala has once again forced the country to confront an uncomfortable truth. more..

Dec 15 (DM) Ambuluwawa’s iconic tower is under fresh scrutiny after Cyclone Ditwah triggered deadly landslides across the central highlands. Rockfalls, cracked roads and years of ignored warnings have intensified fears about the mountain’s stability. Officials raised these concerns directly with Prez last week, prompting a call for a full geotechnical audit. At the centre of the controversy is the Ambuluwawa Trust Act more..

Dec 15 (CT) Sri Lanka is facing a health crisis on top of a humanitarian emergency. As the country grapples with the aftermath of devastating floods caused by the recent monsoon and Cyclone Ditwah, another threat has emerged: a sharp rise in dengue fever cases. It is a wave that now risks drowning our recovery efforts in suffering, sickness and strain on an already fragile health system. The country has recorded 47,371 dengue cases and 24 dengue-related deaths so far in 2025. more..

Dec 15 (DM) The following is a keynote address delivered by Prof. G.L. Peiris at the Int'l Research Conference of the Faculty of Law, Uni of Colombo held on Dec 12. One of the great challenges of modern public law is to reconcile traditional principles relating to the rule of law and the separation of powers with the exigencies of crises which threaten the destruction of society itself. To what extent must protective mechanisms developed by systems of law over the ages give way more..

Dec 14 (ST) In the wake of the widespread destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah, the country has had to depend heavily on the generosity and goodwill of its friends and partners in the international community. While India was the first to step in to provide much-needed assistance for the rescue and recovery work in areas devastated by the floods and landslides, China, US, Pakistan, Russia, UAE were among others that rushed more..

Dec 14 (ST) The CIABOC is considering whether to call two of the accused who were discharged from the Greek bonds case as prosecution witnesses in a fresh case to be filed against former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal, should he fail to pay back the estimated loss to the state within three months. This comes as the Commission mulls bringing a fresh indictment against Mr Cabraal and amid moves by his lawyers to make legal representations regarding the condition more..

Dec 14 (ST) A US Special Operations team boarded a cargo ship in the Indian Ocean, several hundred miles off the coast of SL, and seized military-related articles headed to Iran from China, the Wall Street Journal has reported. The incident had occurred last month and was a rare interdiction operation at sea aimed at blocking Iran from rebuilding its military arsenal, the WSJ reported on Friday. It said the troops attached to the US Indo-Pacific Command carried out the raid on the ship more..

Dec 14 (AD) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed officials to give top priority to restoring the livelihoods of communities affected by the disaster. He emphasized the need to expedite compensation payments for damages and to take immediate measures to revive the agriculture, fisheries, and industrial sectors. Prez further directed that all compensation payments for crop damage more..

Dec 14 (SO) Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious & Cultural Affairs will renovate, rebuild and relocate over 1,000 temples, churches, mosques and kovils damaged by Cyclone Ditwah – the country’s largest post-disaster religious reconstruction program. Ministry sources said the initiative follows direct orders from Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake to the Ministry to fast-track repairs to damaged religious sites across all nine provinces. Minister Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi yesterday said that more..

Dec 14 (SM) The Parliament of SL will convene on Dec 18, at 9.30 a.m., Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne announced. Speaker said the House was summoned through an Extraordinary Gazette issued under Standing Order 16 of Parliament, following a request made by PM Harini Amarasuriya. Meanwhile, SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa has also made a written request to the PM, urging that Parliament be convened urgently to take necessary measures to provide relief to people affected more..

Dec 14 (DM) Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama yesterday imposed a compensation order of Rs. 50,000 and a fine of Rs. 5,000 on a young girl, after she pleaded guilty to digitally altering several photographs of a young woman from the Colombo area into obscene images and circulating them on the internet. Magistrate ordered the accused to pay a fine of Rs. 2,500 and compensation of Rs. 25,000 for each of the two separate charges, extracting the victim’s more..

Dec 14 (NW) 26 suspects, including four women, were arrested with narcotics after police raided a social media-organised party, Teldaniya Police said. The raid was carried out in the early hours of today (13) at a hotel near the Victoria Reservoir, within the Teldaniya Police area, where the party was being held. Police recovered 4,134 milligrams of ice (crystal meth), 1,875 milligrams of hashish, 2,769 milligrams of kush, 390 milligrams of cocaine, 804 milligrams of mushrooms, more..

Dec 14 (TM) An inquiry had been initiated into the conduct of a Sapugaskanda Police officer for not administering a breathalyser test or producing the suspect – NPP MP Asoka Ranwala – before a Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) in accordance with standard protocol, Police Media Spokesperson ASP F.U. Wootler confirmed yesterday. He said disciplinary action would be taken against the officer concerned for failing to more..

Dec 14 (DM) The previous govt completed the concept paper for the establishment of an international climate change university in Sri Lanka, and a Cabinet paper was presented at that time to seek approval for land demarcation for the project, an official attached to the then Climate Change secretariat said. He said several rounds of discussions were held with foreign experts in the field. Minister of Environment Dammika Patabedi said he had no clear idea of the proposal, more..

Dec 14 (AD) Ministry of Industry & Enterprise Development has reported that the Industry Disaster Support Center (IDSC) has received data on 13,698 businesses affected by the recent adverse weather conditions in SL. Ministry provided a breakdown of the affected businesses reported to the Disaster Support Centre: Micro-scale businesses: 5,639; Small-scale businesses: 4,636; Medium-scale businesses: 2,986; Large-scale businesses: 437. Ministry has introduced the telephone number more..

Dec 14 (DM) US Prez Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to SL has told lawmakers that Washington will focus on maritime security, economic reforms and countering China’s expanding influence in the Indian Ocean, as SL continues its recovery from the 2022 economic crisis and a deadly cyclone this year. Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, nominee Eric Meyer said SL’s strategic position along more..

Dec 14 (TM) The Govt is urgently pursuing official information regarding the reported detention of crew members, including SL nationals, aboard a foreign-flagged oil tanker seized by Iranian authorities in the Gulf of Oman, according to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Arun Hemachandra. “Our embassies in Tehran and Muscat have reached out to the respective authorities seeking official information. We are awaiting further feedback, and appropriate steps will be taken in accordance with more..

Dec 14 (AD) Treasury Secretary, Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, says that the Treasury has so far disbursed more than Rs. 13 billion to provide relief to the people affected by the disaster situation. “Our objective is to further strengthen the mechanism to share this information as early as possible as to what are the amount of funding that we are receiving,” he said. He detailed that all the financial aid received by the country at this moment is collected to the Treasury and more..

Dec 14 (NW) Minister Bimal Rathnayake on Saturday inspected the Yaka Palama bridge in Peradeniya, Kandy District, which was damaged due to the recent extreme weather conditions caused by Cyclone Ditwah. During the visit, the minister stressed the need for an urgent damage assessment of the bridge, noting that debris and waste accumulated around the structure must be removed promptly to facilitate a proper technical evaluation. Rathnayake held discussions with more..

Dec 14 (Island) Star shuttlers Viren Nettasinghe and Ranithma Liyanage will be in action among over 1500 competitors lined up for the 73rd National Badminton Championship 2025 set to take place from Dec 17th to 23rd at the S. Thomas’ College Indoor Sports Complex in Mount Lavinia. Organised and conducted by Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB), the country’s main domestic badminton event will take place at Mount Lavinia for seven consecutive days, with an expected high participation of top more..

Dec 14 (ST) Chandika Hathurusinghe has filed fresh legal action against SLC in the Swiss based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the termination of his contract as Head Coach of the men’s national team in 2019. The latest move revives a long running dispute that began when the Board removed him citing disciplinary concerns and poor on field results. After he was shown the door, Hathurusinghe invoked more..

Dec 14 (ST) Minagi Rupesinghe of Killer Whale Aquatics (KWA) shattered the 11-year-old Women’s 100m Backstroke Senior National record on Day 3 of the 5-day HNB National and Junior National Short Course Swimming Championship, held at the Isipathana College Swimming Pool Complex in Colombo yesterday. 20-year-old Rupesinghe clocked 1:03.17 to claim the gold, erasing the previous mark of 1:03.28 set by Olympian Kimiko Raheem in 2014. This is Rupesinghe’s second individual more..

Dec 14 (TM) Indian Cultural Association (ICA) recently unveiled the official race route for the Janashakthi Life-ICA Int'l Half-Marathon 2025, scheduled to be held today in Colombo. Endorsed by the Indian HC and SL’s Ministry of Sports, along with other statutory bodies, the event will commence at the Galle Face Green, bringing together athletes and communities in a celebration of endurance, unity, and philanthropy. Following the overwhelming success of its inaugural edition, more..

Dec 14 (ST) SL Under-19s opened their Asia Cup campaign in emphatic fashion with a commanding 8-wicket victory over Nepal Under-19s in their Group B encounter in Dubai on Saturday. After opting to field first, SL’s bowlers set the tone early and never allowed Nepal to settle. The standout performance came from paceman Sethmika Seneviratne, who delivered a superb spell to dismantle the Nepal batting line up, finishing with a five wicket haul (5/25) that effectively decided the contest more..

Dec 14 (ST) Former SL Chairman of cricket Selectors Pramodya Wickremasinghe is likely to return to the post, with the Minister of Sports set to appoint a new five-member national selection committee in the coming days. Wickremasinghe, who first assumed office in April 2021, was removed in the aftermath of SL’s disappointing campaign at the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. However, with SL entering another crucial phase in international cricket, his name has once again more..

Dec 14 (CT) Stories of unexplained disappearances at the Dehiwala National Zoo have been doing the rounds for a while now. The latest concerned a young yellow anaconda that had vanished from the reptile enclosure. It was said to be the only one of its kind in SL. The matter came to light after the zoo administration lodged a complaint with the Dehiwala Police. The yellow anaconda was not a long-term resident of the zoo. more..

Dec 14 (Island) Cyclone Ditwah has come and gone, leaving a trail of extensive damage to the country’s infrastructure, including buildings, roads, bridges, and 70% of the railway network. Thousands of hectares of farming land have been destroyed. Last but not least, nearly 1,000 people have lost their lives, and more than two million people have been displaced. The visuals uploaded to social media platforms graphically convey the widespread destruction Cyclone Ditwah has caused more..

Dec 14 (Island) The govt has announced a sweeping compensation package for the Ditwah disaster victims, and the disbursement of money for cleaning the flood-affected houses, is already underway. It is spending funds that belong to the people and not the JVP or the NPP. It must therefore not only disburse state funds responsibly but also be seen to be doing so. Transparency is the most potent antidote to all forms of financial malpractice. Worryingly, complaints abound that govt politicians more..

Dec 14 (ST) In what seems a quirk of fate, the Govt’s Sri Lanka Day planned for this weekend and intended to celebrate national reconciliation did indeed turn out to be a time when the nation stood together—but for a different reason; the entire country is still counting the dead, searching for the missing, and mopping up the debris from Cyclone Ditwah. Up next is a massive exercise in relocation of people, reconstruction of destroyed property and infrastructure, and more..

Dec 14 (ST) My dear Anura sahodaraya, I am writing to you as you criss-cross the country, visiting landslide affected areas, meeting with officials, asking them questions, and urging them to come up with urgent solutions. Much has been said about what happened – and the response afterwards. That is what I wanted to write to you about. As you must surely be aware, there is a big debate about whether the damage from this disaster, the worst ever the country has faced in terms of extent and more..