Dec 9 (AD) A Yellow Anaconda hatchling has reportedly gone missing from the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens. Officials of the Dehiwala Zoo have lodged a complaint with the Dehiwala Police regarding the disappearance of the hatchling housed at the zoo. The hatchling, along with six snakes of three other species, was illegally brought into the country from Thailand by a SL woman on Sept 12, 2024. The snakes were subsequently seized by Customs at the BIA and handed over to more..

Dec 9 (NF) Sri Lanka Navy celebrated its 75th anniversary today with a historic gesture of recognition and advancement, granting promotions to 2,086 naval personnel across ranks. According to the Navy, the promotions were made on the recommendation of Navy Commander Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, reflecting both merit and dedication within the force. Among those elevated were 17 officers, who advanced to their next rank, reinforcing Navy’s senior leadership cadre. more..

Dec 9 (FT) CHEC Port City Colombo Deputy Managing Director Thulci Aluwihare said Colombo Port City is now positioned as SL’s first dedicated services export zone and has already attracted $ 1.3 billion in foreign investment, with more in the pipeline. Speaking during a panel discussion at the SL Economic Summit last week, Aluwihare outlined the project’s evolution, highlighting China Harbour Engineering Company’s (CHEC) more..

Dec 9 (AD) A MI-17 helicopter provided by the Indian govt arrived at the SLAF Base in Katunayake at 11.50 a.m. today, following the return of two previously deployed MI-17 helicopters to India for essential maintenance. The two helicopters that were sent back had collectively rescued 270 Sri Lankans affected by the floods caused by Cyclone Ditwah. The two helicopters had also transported approximately 50 metric tons of relief goods to distribution centers assisting communities more..

Dec 9 (NW) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa requested Russia’s support to rebuild livelihoods, restore the damaged railway and road systems, and rehabilitate infrastructure affected by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka. The request was made during a special meeting between the Russian Ambassador to SL, Levan Dzhagaryan, and MP Sajith Premadasa at the Opposition Leader’s office in Colombo today. During the meeting, MP Premadasa explained to the Russian Ambassador the challenges faced more..

Dec 9 (FT) The floods that washed over SL were not the fury of nature only even if it is easier to think so. They were the clash of global climate disruption with local infrastructure incapable of bearing the brunt, governance delayed and systems never designed for the world we now inhabit. It was a joint failure, global, national, institutional. Cyclone Ditwah converted homes to islands and wiped out familiar landscapes. Over 1.4 million people in all the 25 districts of SL lost their homes more..

Dec 9 (FT) The Cabinet has sanctioned the establishment of the Rebuilding SL Fund as a statutory mechanism under the Presidential Secretariat. The Fund is designed to finance the nation’s medium- and long-term recovery in the aftermath of the recent Cyclone Ditwah. This initiative is both urgent and indispensable, as it seeks to mobilise resources for the reconstruction of destroyed homes, the repair of partially damaged dwellings, the rehabilitation of roads & bridges, more..

Dec 9 (AD) Aim of the govt is to ensure a safe life for every citizen and that it is everyone’s responsibility to act with proper supervision during the resettlement of the people, according to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Prez has also instructed all officials and relevant sectors to complete necessary repairs before Dec 31, by utilising the allocations given by the govt for infrastructure development and not to return more..

Dec 9 (EN) Reconstruction of key roads and bridges in the island after Cyclone Ditwah, which are under the Road Development Authority , is estimated to cost 190 billion rupees, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has said. “The preliminary estimate by the RDA is 190 billion rupees for the entire country,” Prez told a meeting of officials in Nuwara Eliya. “There is an idea that about 40 billion rupees can be used from existing allocations. We have to find 150 billion rupees. We can provide that.” more..

Dec 9 (ST) SL now faces a potentially crippling economic damage from the recent cyclone and floods and early figures from industry leaders may be a conservative start. The initial loss estimates range from US$ 200 million to $ 2.9 billion, with the final toll likely to reach 1-3% of GDP (approx Rs, 300 -900 billion). Given compounding effects on infrastructure, agriculture, supply chains and livelihoods, a more comprehensive independent assessment accounting for reconstruction more..

Dec 9 (DN) PM Harini Amarasuriya stated that the Govt stands ready to support the Peradeniya University in rebuilding that is stronger, safer, and more resilient than before. She made these remarks while visiting the uni on Sunday, where she met with student representatives and Heads of Departments affected by the sudden floods that swept through the campus on Nov 27. Her visit aimed to personally inspect the damage, which caused extensive more..

Dec 9 (Island) Sri Lanka’s construction sector one of the country’s largest economic drivers, continues to bleed billions due to weak cost-control mechanisms, ad-hoc estimating practices and the absence of internationally recognised methodologies, warns veteran Chartered Quantity Surveyor Mafahir Shuhood, a global authority in building economics whose work has shaped industry standards across continents. A member of IQS (SL), AIQS (Australia), ASAC (USA) and CIRB (UK), more..

Dec 9 (TM) Land & Irrigation Ministry stated the Govt is working on short-, medium-, and long-term measures to strengthen the country's irrigation network so that it can better withstand extreme weather events and future climate challenges. Deputy subject Minister, Aravinda Senarath noted that officials had no prior experience or data to anticipate the scale of rainfall brought by Cyclone Ditwah, with several areas receiving more than 500 millimetres (mm) within a short period. more..

Dec 9 (CT) The management of the massive volume of refuse generated by the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah had emerged as an extremely complex national challenge, with environmentalists issuing stark warnings that improper disposal could trigger serious health and social crises in the months ahead. Chairman of CEA, Prof. Thilak Hewawasem, said that an unprecedented quantity of refuse had been generated islandwide following widespread flooding triggered by torrential rainfall. more..

Dec 9 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake used his Newsweek interview to outline a reform agenda aimed at dismantling SL’s most controversial security laws and rebuilding trust in the country’s human rights record. He said laws such as the PTA and the Online Safety Act have no place in a democratic system. “These laws have been used as tools of repression. They are out of place in a democracy. We are committed to comprehensive reform. On the PTA, we are committed to repealing and more..

Dec 9 (FT) Moody’s Investors Service has warned that the recent climate-driven natural disasters across South and Southeast Asia pose its most significant credit impact for Sri Lanka because of the country’s limited fiscal capacity and high vulnerability to physical climate risks. In a 5 Dec dated statement Moody’s said: “Since mid-November, countries in South and Southeast Asia have been pummelled by several tropical more..

Dec 9 (EN) Cyclone Ditwah has fully destroyed 108,000 hectares of rice paddies, 11,000 other field crops and 6,600 hectares of maize, Secretary Ministry of Agriculture, DP Wickremesinghe has said. About 6,143 hectares of vegetables have been destroyed. Out of 5,893 hectares of upcountry vegetables 2,613 fully destroyed. Out of 8,990 of low country vegetables, 3,530 fully destroyed. Out of 27,600 hectares of other field crops, 11,000 hectares have been fully destroyed. more..

Dec 9 (FT) Tourism industry has posted a strong opening week for December, welcoming 43,329 visitors in the first seven days of the month despite the disruptions caused by Cyclone Ditwah, reflecting a 5.2% YoY increase. Performance also pushes YTD arrivals to over 2.14 million, marking a 16.3% growth compared with the same period last year. India continued its lead as SL’s largest tourist source market during the first week of Dec, contributing 8,890 arrivals, or 21% of the total. more..

Dec 9 (DM) Sri Lanka’s tourism authorities are expecting to roll out the long-delayed visa-free facility for 40 countries starting coming January, as the island nation aggressively positions itself for a strong winter season recovery following the cyclone impact. SLTDA Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam revealed that the scheme is now expected to come into effect from January, following necessary legislative clearances. more..

Dec 9 (ST) As the deadly cyclone Ditwah continued to batter large swathes of the country last week, the tri-forces and police mounted one of the most extensive disaster responses in recent years, with air, naval, and ground teams operating around the clock to reach civilians trapped in rubble and marooned in rising water. A total of 31,064 tri-force troops were deployed on the ground alone for search-and-rescue and humanitarian support. Despite improvements in several districts, more..

Dec 9 (AD) Indian Navy has deployed four more warships to support relief efforts in cyclone-hit regions of SL as part of the ongoing Operation Sagar Bandhu, which aims to provide urgent Search & Rescue (SAR) and Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR) aid. The deployment includes INS Gharial and three Landing Craft Utility (LCU) vessels — LCU 54, LCU 51, and LCU 57 — tasked with delivering nearly 1,000 tons of essential relief supplies to affected coastal areas, more..

Dec 9 (DM) The legendary Sinharaja rainforest is one of the last remaining vestiges of widespread lowland rainforests that pay homage to an exceptionally concentrated biome consisting of endemic and threatened species. Sinharaja covers unforgiving mountainous terrain of Rakwana hills in the South-Western region of the country and is under constant study in a quest to discover its mysteries. As it is a treasury of biological wealth, the entire region was declared a National more..

Dec 9 (ST) All arrangements have been set afoot by Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB) to hold the 73rd National Badminton Championship 2025 from December 17 to 23 at the S. Thomas’ College Indoor Sports Complex in Mt. Lavinia. Organised and conducted by SLB, the country’s core domestic badminton event will take place at Mount Lavinia for seven consecutive days, with an expected high participation of top ranked and leading shuttlers of the country, in different categories. more..

Dec 9 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake used an interview with US publication Newsweek to outline the Govt’s priorities at a moment when the country is attempting to stabilise an economy hit by debt distress and a climate disaster. He said the greatest challenge is breaking the cycle in which progress is followed by repeated setbacks. “Our biggest challenge is achieving sustainable and equitable development while dealing with more..

Dec 9 (DM) Odel PLC has scrapped plans for luxury apartments at its flagship Odel Mall project in Ward Place, pivoting instead to office space as part of a broader remedial strategy to address severe financial headwinds that have seen the retailer placed on the Colombo Stock Exchange’s Watch List. The strategic shift was disclosed alongside the company’s annual report for the 2024/25 financial year, where Odel reported a net loss of Rs.4.45 billion. more..

Dec 9 (FT) HNB PLC has been awarded the title of Strongest Bank in Sri Lanka for 2025 by TAB Global. The recognition was confirmed following the release of the TAB Global World’s 1000 Largest and Strongest Banks Rankings, with the announcement made recently in Frankfurt during SWIFT’s annual Sibos conference. HNB CEO Damith Pallewatte said the accolade underscores the bank’s unwavering commitment to sustained financial strength and strategic resilience, more..

Dec 9 (ST) Both the epics of yesteryear and the management books of today are full of stories of adversity that make – and sometimes break – the protagonist of the parable. In Thanura Abeywardena’s case, a painful injury in his final year in school set the course of his future career. Playing rugby for his school S. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia against Wesley College, he tore a ligament in his knee. He was taken to a govt hospital, which did an x-ray. more..

Dec 9 (FT) Abu Dhabi-headquartered Lulu Group Chairman Yusuff Ali has led the UAE residents supporting ongoing cyclone relief and recovery efforts in SL, following the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah. He handed over financial assistance of Rs. 32 million ($ 100,000) from the retail group to Ambassador of SL to the UAE Arusha Cooray at the Embassy of SL in Abu Dhabi. The contribution will go towards the national relief and recovery fund to help affected families more..

Dec 9 (FT) Over 3,200 industries across all categories have so far reported damage from Cyclone Ditwah, according to preliminary data compiled by the Industry Ministry, which stressed that the numbers remain subject to updates as assessments continue. Industrialists have reported losses across 138 large-scale industries, 718 medium-scale industries, 1,134 small-scale industries, 1,009 micro-scale industries, more..

Dec 9 (Island) Some opposition political parties have striven hard to turn the disaster of Cyclone Ditwah to their advantage. A calamity of such unanticipated proportions ought to have enabled all political parties to come together to deal with this tragedy. Failure to do so would indicate both political and moral bankruptcy. The main issue they have forcefully brought up is the govt’s failure to take early action on the Meteorological Dept’s warnings. The Opposition even convened a meeting of more..

Dec 9 (Island) Perhaps the unfolding political drama in Sri Lanka could be considered an even better example of the Theatre of the Absurd than Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot or Eugčne Ionesco’s seminal absurdist work, The Bald Soprano. Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe has called for legal action against Opposition politicians for what he describes as their failure to warn the public about extreme weather events in the lead-up to the landfall of Cyclone Ditwah. more..