Dec 16 (DM) Even amid challenging circumstances, the government remains committed to investing in mothers and children, Women and Child Affairs Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj said today. Addressing the inaugural ceremony for the distribution of a LKR 5,000 nutrition allowance to pregnant mothers, Minister Paulraj emphasized Sri Lanka’s dedication to strengthening the Early Childhood Development sector in all its dimensions. She highlighted the crucial role of maternal more..

Dec 16 (DM) Sri Lanka faces a worrying upswing in HIV/AIDS cases, with over 600 new infections and 13 deaths reported in the first nine months of 2025. SL has logged 639 HIV/AIDS cases from January to September in 2025 (January to March). This represents a 6% increase compared to the corresponding period in 2024, which reported 605 cases. Of the cases, 68 males and three females fall within the age range of 15-24, while the remaining cases are individuals above 25 years old. more..

Dec 16 (FT) Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando said Sri Lanka is on the cusp of reaching a long-sought fiscal milestone, with tax revenue expected to rise to 16% of GDP by the end of this year, reflecting a sharp turnaround driven by record collections and renewed public trust in the management of State finances. Deputy Minister said the tax-to-GDP ratio has already climbed to 15.4% and is projected to touch 16% by year-end, more..

Dec 16 (NW) SL opener Pathum Nissanka was signed by Delhi for INR 4 crore at the IPL auction, adding to a strong showing by Sri Lankan players, with Wanindu Hasaranga and Matheesha Pathirana also securing deals. Nissanka, who has been a regular at the top of SL’s batting order, attracted interest following a run of consistent performances at int'l level. Delhi moved in to bolster their batting options as they fine-tune their squad ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League season. more..

Dec 16 (NW) SL all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga was snapped up by Lucknow Super Giants for INR 2 crore at the IPL mini-auction on Tuesday, a significantly lower figure compared to his previous IPL earnings. Hasaranga, one of the leading white-ball bowlers in world cricket, had commanded a much higher price in earlier editions of the tournament, reflecting his strong performances in both international cricket and the IPL. The reduced price came as a surprise to many, more..

Dec 16 (EN) SL will re-build better and stronger in the recovery from Cyclone Ditwah, Deputy Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando said as the island recovers from the worst natural disater in over two decades that has left more than 800 people dead of missing. “We will re-build better and stronger,” he said. “When we reconstruct, we have to make soemthing that is better than what it was.” SL is giving 5 million rupees to people who more..

Dec 16 (NW) SL fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana became the most expensive Sri Lankan player ever to be auctioned in the Indian Premier League after being picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders for a massive INR 18 crore (about USD 2.2 million) at the IPL mini auction. The 22-year-old speedster attracted strong interest from multiple franchises before KKR secured his services, underlining his growing reputation as one of the most exciting young fast bowlers in T20 cricket. more..

Dec 16 (NW) The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to sign a MoU between the Sri Lanka Postal Department and the Saudi Post Corporation to issue two commemorative stamps. The stamps, featuring historical sites from both countries, are intended to mark fifty years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia in 2024. According to the govt, the initiative aims to further strengthen bilateral ties and foster goodwill between the peoples of the two nations. more..

Dec 16 (AD) Cabinet has granted approval to co-host the 2026 Asian Regional Debt Management Conference in SL. Asian Regional Debt Management Conference, hosted annually by the Asian Development Bank, provides an opportunity for debt managers from the Bank’s member countries to share experiences in the field of public debt management, discuss challenges, and strengthen regional cooperation. 2026 Asian Regional Debt Management Conference more..

Dec 16 (Island) A 10-member delegation from SL’s Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice P. Padman Surasena, departed to New Delhi on the 11th of Dec, for an official visit to the Supreme Court of India as part of the ongoing official visit by the delegation to India. The group was accorded a ceremonial welcome in the Court’s main hall, led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant. CJI Kant told the assembled Judges that the Indian judiciary was honoured to host their SL counterparts, more..

Dec 16 (DM) In the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, Women and Child Affairs Ministry warned of increased attempts by certain elements for child trafficking and exploitation, a spokesperson said. The spokesperson said a number of children had been affected by the disasters, with some losing one or both parents. The Ministry is planning to put out the exact number related to children affected in a couple of days. “We see attempts at more..

Dec 16 (NW) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has launched volunteer recruitment for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, inviting young men and women aged between 18 and 35 to be part of the global cricket event to be co-hosted by SL and India. According to SLC, walk-in interviews will be conducted on a first-come, first-serve basis in Colombo and Kandy for prospective volunteers who wish to contribute to one of the world’s biggest sporting events. In Colombo, interviews will be held on Dec 20, more..

Dec 16 (FT) Climate risks to SL tourism are multifaceted and uneven, demanding tailored financial solutions that address the specific vulnerabilities of different industry segments rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. The vulnerability of the tourism sector in SL is also not monolithic and uniform. It faces compounded risks stemming from interconnected geographic, structural and economic factors that create systemic financial risks requiring coordinated intervention across all scales. more..

Dec 16 (CT) More than one million birth and marriage certificates belonging to people affected by landslides and floods have been destroyed. Registrar General Shashidevi Jaladeepan stated that mobile service programmes had already been launched to reissue birth and marriage registration certificates to those affected. Dept estimated that of the nearly 2.2 million people impacted by the disaster, at least one million had lost their birth and marriage certificates. more..

Dec 16 (AD) Cabinet has granted approval to the proposal to provide Rs. 150 million to the Judicial Service Commission from the provisions allocated under the Clean Sri Lanka Project to implement the e-Court Project to Digitize the Judicial System. The Govt has reportedly identified the digitalization of the judicial system of Sri Lanka as a national priority strategy and under the first phase of the digital transformation process, a website has been launched for the Supreme Court more..

Dec 16 (NW) Road Development Authority (RDA) has suffered an estimated loss of about Rs. 75 billion due to widespread damage to roads and bridges caused by recent disaster conditions across the island, officials told a parliamentary committee. Officials from the Ministry of Transport and Highways said preliminary assessments indicate that 316 roads & 40 bridges under the RDA’s purview were damaged. more..

Dec 16 (NW) Cabinet has approved a resolution to introduce legal provisions enabling SL to ratify and implement the Int'l Labour Organization (ILO) Convention on Eradicating Violence and Harassment in the World of Work (C190). Adopted at the 108th session of the Int'l Labour Conference in 2019, C190 is the first int'l convention addressing violence and harassment in the workplace. Convention was presented to Parliament in May 2021 following a Cabinet decision earlier that year. more..

Dec 16 (DM) NPP will take disciplinary action against former Speaker Ashoka Ranwala if he has cheated on his doctorate, Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. He said that the party has not decided what action to be taken against him in such an eventuality. The Minister said people who voted and not voted for the NPP have talked about the matter and said that their opinion must be considered when taking action. Jayatissa said MP Ranwala had promised the party that more..

Dec 16 (Island) The Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) has warned that ship owners, operators and local entities responsible for marine pollution will face criminal prosecution, heavy financial penalties and possible blacklisting, MEPA Chairman Samantha Gunasekera said yesterday. Gunasekera said that Sri Lanka would no longer tolerate negligence and regulatory breaches that threaten the country’s marine ecosystems, coastal livelihoods and national economy. more..

Dec 16 (FT) The efforts being taken by the Govt to restore and rebuild the country is quite evident although political detractors are doing their best to capitalise on the misery of millions of people who have and still are suffering. The message for Prez Dissanayake from all well-meaning people no doubt will be, as Prez Putin said recently, look to the future and not the past, and not just do what is necessary, but more importantly, do things you have no right not to do for the sake of the country more..

Dec 16 (DM) The govt is planning to call for an international donor conference to seek assistance for rebuilding the disaster- hit country, Minister Vijitha Herath confirmed. It will be done after the current need assessment is completed. World Bank is carrying out the assessment at the moment. In addition, govt agencies are carrying out the task at the moment. Asked whether the govt will conduct an international donor conference, more..

Dec 16 (FT) The 16th meeting of the National Council for Disaster Management was held yesterday morning at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. During the meeting, a Cabinet Memorandum was presented on the establishment of a National Integrated Disaster Management Mechanism and on proposed amendments to the SL Disaster Management Act, No. 13 of 2005. Attention was also drawn to reducing landslide risks more..

Dec 16 (ST) Under the proposed Terrorism Act, those who commit an act of terrorism will be handed hefty penalties ranging from a twenty-year jail term with fines to life imprisonment after a High Court trial. The new law titled Protection of the State from Terrorism Act, No. of 2026 has been published by the Ministry of Justice and National Integration and will replace the current Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The proposed bill also defines an offence of terrorism as more..

Dec 16 (DM) National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) has temporarily withdrawn four batches of the Ondansetron injection, a critical medicine used to prevent vomiting and nausea in young children, pregnant women, and patients undergoing surgery or anesthesia, with immediate effect. According to an official letter dated Dec 12, 2025, issued by the Executive Director of the NMRA, the withdrawal follows reports of complications and adverse reactions linked to use of the drug. more..

Dec 16 (NW) Former SL leg-spinner D.S. de Silva, who played in the country’s inaugural Test match in 1982 and later served as Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket, has passed away at the age of 83. De Silva died in London following a brief illness. A respected figure in SL cricket, De Silva represented the national team during the early years of Test cricket and went on to captain SL in two Test matches. After his playing career, he continued to serve the game in multiple capacities, including as a coach, more..

Dec 16 (FT) SL’s economy in the third quarter of 2025 has picked up the pace and maintained the upward trajectory for a second consecutive quarter, after losing momentum since 3Q 2024. The encouraging 3Q 2025 GDP growth news is dampened in the wake of the Ditwah-related damages to lives, livelihoods, businesses, and industry. DCS confirmed that GDP grew by 5.4% in 3Q 2025, up from 4.9% in 2Q, and more..

Dec 16 (TM) The DMC reported that over 20,000 families affected by the recent disaster caused by cyclone Ditwah are still sheltered in relief centres. A total of 70,055 people from 22,522 families are currently sheltered in 762 relief centres across the country. The majority of these centres are located in the Kandy District, where 17,437 people from 5,427 families are staying in 222 relief centres. Large numbers of relief centres are also located in the Nuwara Eliya and Badulla Districts, more..

Dec 16 (DM) Disaster-affected people in Polonnaruwa area are now facing the danger of wild elephants, a crisis worsened after the forest reserves in the low-lying areas of the Mahaweli B Zone, including Polonnaruwa were submerged after heavy rain. Herds of wild elephants in the forest reserves under water are roaming into the villages. Representatives of farmer organisations said that human–elephant conflict has aggravated and that the marauding herds are destroying houses more..

Dec 16 (DN) Hiruki de Silva of Killer Whale Aquatics (KWA) produced a stunning swim to break a decade-old women’s 100m individual medley national record on the final day of the HNB National and Junior National Short Course Swimming Championship, which concluded at the Isipathana College Swimming Pool Complex in Colombo yesterday. De Silva erased the long-standing women’s 100m short course individual medley senior national record by clocking 1:05.82, winning gold medal in style. more..

Dec 16 (DN) Opener Viran Chamuditha (62) and Chamika Heenatigala (51 n.o) made superb half centuries as SL U-19s fought back to record 2 wickets win over Afghanistan U-19s with 4 balls to spare in their Asia Cup cricket fixture played at ICC Cricket Academy grounds in Dubai yesterday. Back to back victories in the series propel SL U-19s led by Vimath Dinsara to reach top of the group ‘B’ entering the semi final in a grand style. SL U-19s chasing a target of 236 started with openers more..