Dec 12 (FT) SL Tourism Advisory Committee Chairman Dileep Mudadeniya stressed that nation branding and destination marketing are fundamentally different, whilst urging the policymakers and industry stakeholders to clearly understand this distinction when shaping SL’s long-term tourism strategy. He made these remarks recently during a panel discussion organised by Australia’s Market Development Facility more..

Dec 12 (CNA) Singapore govt will contribute US$100,000 (S$129,000) as seed money to support the Singapore Red Cross' (SRC) public fundraising efforts for the humanitarian crisis resulting from the recent cyclone in SL. The contribution will supplement the SRC’s pledge of S$50,000 to support the immediate needs of affected communities in SL. Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan have also written to more..

Dec 12 (NW) SL Police have issued an official statement regarding a road accident involving NPP MP Ashoka Ranwala in the Sapugaskanda Police area on Thursday night. According to the police, the accident occurred at around 7.40 p.m. on Dec 11 near the Denimulla junction on the road stretching from Galvala Junction to Power House Junction. A jeep driven by MP Ranwala collided with a motorcycle travelling ahead of it, police said. Police said that while attempting to steer the jeep more..

Dec 12 (AD) Former Speaker and NPP MP Asoka Ranwala, who was involved in a vehicular collision in Sapugaskanda last night, has been arrested by the police. Police said he was taken into custody on charges of dangerous driving and failing to prevent an accident. PM is currently receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital and remains under police custody. Accident occurred yesterday when the jeep in which more..

Dec 12 (DM) Sinopec has mobilised to support relief efforts by donating 75,000 litres of bottled drinking water to the flood-affected regions. The initiative was launched nationwide through Sinopec’s filling stations network located in areas deeply impacted by the disaster. With many parts of the country facing disruptions to essential services, access to safe drinking water has emerged as a priority need. After ensuring uninterrupted fuel supply to its filling station network, more..

Dec 12 (NW) Minister K.D. Lal Kantha has called for scientific and practical proposals to address access issues in areas affected by Cyclone Ditwah, particularly the Meemure area. Responding to criticism over a proposal to open an old route through the Knuckles Reserve, the Minister questioned whether the protection of World Heritage status should take precedence over immediate humanitarian needs. “Now the World Heritage is in pieces. The flood destroyed the barrier more..

Dec 12 (FT) SL’s microfinance and money lending sector is poised for a major transformation with the introduction of the Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Act 2025. This landmark legislation replaces the Microfinance Act No. 6 of 2016, introducing a far more comprehensive and structured regulatory framework aimed at protecting borrowers, strengthening institutions, and enhancing transparency across the financial ecosystem. Microfinance has long played a vital role more..

Dec 12 (FT) SL’s 2025 floods, intensified by Cyclone Ditwah, have forced the country into one of the most consequential fiscal conversations of the decade: how to finance resilience at a scale that matches the growing magnitude of climate loss. This is no longer an environmental debate. It is an economic one. The scale of the damage and the cost of rebuilding now position SL among the clearest examples of why developing economies cannot adapt to climate extremes without massive, predictable more..

Dec 12 (FT) UN & humanitarian partners yesterday launched a Humanitarian Priorities Plan (HPP) seeking $ 35.3 million (around Rs. 10.9 billion) to scale-up life-saving assistance for communities devastated by Cyclone Ditwah. Plan aims to support 658,000 of the most vulnerable people between Dec 2025 and April 2026, as SL grapples with what the UN describes as its worst natural disaster in at least two decades. more..

Dec 12 (Island) Commissioner General of Examinations, Indika Liyanage has said that GCE A/L exam answer scripts have not been damaged by the recent weather disasters. Examinations Dept has said that the public could get in touch with the Department via 1911 or through telephone numbers: 0112 78 45 37, 0112 78 66 16 or 0112 78 42 08 regarding any issue pertaining to the examination. Such matters can also be reported via fax at 0112 78 44 22 or via the Examinations Dept’s email more..

Dec 12 (NW) Govt confirmed that the inaugural Sri Lankan Day national programme, scheduled to take place from Dec 12 to 14, has been postponed in light of the severe cyclone disaster and ongoing recovery efforts across the country. The event, which was to be held across the Colombo Municipal Council Grounds, Viharamahadevi Park, and surrounding main roads, was designed as a large-scale national celebration featuring four zones with the participation of both public and private sectors. more..

Dec 12 (TM) The NBRO has inspected a total of 494 landslide-prone sites following recent heavy rainfall. The public has meanwhile requested inspections for an additional 2,198 locations. Meanwhile, although weather conditions have improved, Level Three (Red) Landslide evacuation warnings remain in effect for 37 DS Divisions (Udapalatha, Gangawata Korale, Udadumbara, Doluwa, Minipe, more..

Dec 12 (AD) The Colombo High Court today (11) ordered that the case filed by CIABOC against former Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne and two other accused—regarding alleged losses caused to the govt by leasing the Mutwal Fisheries Harbor to a private company in 2014—be taken up again on January 29, 2026. The case was called today (11) before High Court Judge Mohamed Mihal. During the hearing, the Bribery Commission informed Court that it sought permission to amend more..

Dec 12 (FT) Lanka Thriposha Ltd, on Wednesday paid Rs. 100 million in dividends to the General Treasury, reinforcing the State-owned nutrition provider’s financial contribution despite recent speculation about its future. The cheque was officially handed over to Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando by Thriposha Chairman Amal Attanayake and senior company officials. Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe was also present at the occasion. Dr. Fernando dismissed more..

Dec 12 (NW) SL racing prodigy Yevan David has dedicated his historic Euroformula Open triumph to the nation, presenting his championship trophies to Minister of Sports Sunil Kumara Gamage in Colombo. David, who delivered a breakthrough performance in the 2025 Euroformula Open Championship, became the first Sri Lankan to win the Rookie Championship while also finishing second overall in the series. His achievements mark a major milestone for SL in int'l motorsport. more..

Dec 12 (FT) SL Export Development Board (EDB), in collaboration with the SL Embassy in Berlin, Germany, has organised SL’s participation at Productronica 2025 which was held from 18–21 Nov, at the Messe München Trade Fair Center in the Messestadt Riem, Germany. EDB has earlier organised a SL Pavilion at Productronica in 2019 for the first time. Productronica 2025 Messe München is a World’s leading Biennial Trade Fair with Innovative Solutions and products for entire value chain more..

Dec 12 (Island) The CIABOC has initiated an inquiry into the shifting of the Agriculture Ministry situated at Rajamalwatte, to a building belonging to the D.P. Jayasinghe Group of Companies, at Rajagiriya, during the Yahapalana govt. The building was rented for a five-year period at a cost of over Rs 1 bn by the yahapalana govet within months after the then President Maithripala Sirisena declared opened the 10-storey building complex. more..

Dec 12 (DN) SL U-17 cricket team aims to maintain their momentum in the deciding one-day game against Bangladesh U-17 today at Chattogram Cricket Stadium. Bangladesh U-17 won the first game by 78 runs, but SL bounced back to level the series with a six-wicket victory in the second game. The team now seeks to end the tour on a high note, with batsmen and bowlers needing consistent performances to secure the series. In the first one-dayer, SL’s batsmen struggled to reach more..

Dec 12 (FT) The visiting US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker has conveyed to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake that the US has drawn its attention to restarting tariff negotiations with SL. While affirming that the US stands ready to provide any necessary support to assist SL’s post-Ditwah recovery, Hooker expressed support for enhancing tourism between the US and SL, as well as for the growth of trade and maritime operations between the two nations. more..

Dec 12 (HRW) Sri Lanka is suffering a series of floods and landslides brought upon by Cyclone Ditwah this past November. Climate experts believethe intensity of seasonal storms, which also recently devastated Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, are likely to have been supercharged by rising sea temperatures. SL authorities and civil society organizations are now struggling to bring relief to millions of affected people. more..

Dec 12 (NW) The Illegal Assets Investigation Division has launched a probe into properties allegedly acquired by a 52-year-old drug trafficker from Thanamalwila, Hambegamuwa, following a complaint filed by the Police Narcotics Bureau under the Prevention of Money Loundering Act. Police said the suspect has previous records relating to narcotics possession and drug trafficking, and has been arrested and produced before courts by several police stations across the country. more..

Dec 12 (ST) The caring nature of Sri Lankans was on display again during the floods which affected domestic pets and urban wildlife. While some people fled to safety with their pets, others abandoned them. Welfare organisations and some residents, using makeshift boats, tyre tubes, and boats, rescued the abandoned pets, risking nervous reactions from animals in panic. Some animals had fled to higher ground, while others were stuck in balconies, concrete slabs of partly built more..

Dec 12 (DM) NPP MP and former Speaker Asoka Ranwala was hospitalised this evening following a road accident in the Sapugaskanda area, police said. Accident occurred in the Deniyamulla area in Sapugaskanda when the MP’s vehicle collided with a car. MP was reported to have been driving his vehicle at the time of the incident and was admitted to the Ragama Hospital for treatment. A woman and a child travelling in the car also sustained minor injuries and received medical attention. more..

Dec 12 (FT) National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has warned of fraudulent moves of certain individuals and organisations offering help for displaced children due to the Ditwah disaster and requests to inform about such offers to the NCPA’s hotline. “The Authority has noticed about messages circulating on social media claiming that certain individuals or organisations are willing to take full responsibility for the education, food, and more..

Dec 12 (NW) CIABOC has initiated an investigation into former MPs Nandana Gunathilake and Udaya Gammanpila following a complaint that the duo committed contempt against the commission. The inquiry was launched based on a complaint submitted by the civil society organisation Citizen Power Against Bribery, Corruption, and Waste. CIABOC said the probe centres on remarks or actions attributed to the two former MPs that may amount to contempt of the commission. more..

Dec 12 (DM) Colombo Dockyard PLC (CDL) has secured a critical six-month extension on the trading of its shares, averting an immediate suspension as it finalises a strategic takeover by India’s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. The company announced on Wednesday that the Securities and Exchange Commission of SL (SEC) has granted a deferment of the trading suspension - originally slated for Dec 11, 2025 - until June 11, 2026. The potential suspension was linked to the company’s non-compliance more..

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..