Dec 6 (CT) Minister Harshana Nanayakkara informed Parliament that the legal proceedings before the Singaporean courts regarding the catastrophic 2021 X-Press Pearl marine disaster had been halted. He explained that the case had been stayed because a related matter was pending before the Judiciary in London. Minister recalled that the Supreme Court of SL had delivered a judgment on 24 July against the owners and operators of the MV X-Press Pearl, finding them liable for more..

Dec 6 (DN) SL’s Under-17 team, led by Rehan Peiris, will take the field brimming with confidence as they begin their 3-match One-Day series against Bangladesh tomorrow in Chattogram. Second and third ODIs will also be played at the same venue on Dec 9 and 12. After their victory in the second 3-day match at Bashundhara Sports Complex in Dhaka, SL team travelled to Chattogram yesterday for the limited-overs leg of the tour, which is expected to provide valuable exposure for youngsters. more..

Dec 6 (AD) A special briefing for the diplomatic community in SL was held at Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism, chaired by PM Harini Amarasuriya together with the Minister Vijitha Herath. Senior govt officials, including representatives of Disaster Management Centre (DMC) and SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), also participated. Opening the session, PM expressed her deep appreciation to more..

Dec 6 (FT) A high powered delegation of Indian IT CEOs led by NASSCOM President Rajesh Nambiar is visiting Colombo from 4-6 Dec. NASSCOM is the leading business chamber of Indian IT and software companies. The CEOs are currently in Colombo for their Offsite Executive Meeting and to explore opportunities for strengthening India-SL collaboration in the technology and IT sector. A high level roundtable was organised on 4 Dec to boost collaboration between NASSCOM and more..

Dec 6 (NW) IRD has extended the deadline for filing Returns of Income for the 2024/2025 assessment year, following widespread disruptions caused by Cyclone Ditwah and severe weather across the country. Although returns were originally due by Nov 30, IRD said many taxpayers and representatives were unable to meet the requirement due to the adverse conditions. Dept announced that taxpayers who file their returns on or before Dec 31, will not face penalties, assessments, or more..

Dec 6 (FT) Colombo stock market closed the week in red yesterday with the benchmark index hitting a two-and-half-month low with Rs. 112.3 billion in value wiped out, taking the total loss during the week to nearly Rs. 424 billion. Week on week, ASPI was down 5.35% or 1,215.74 points and S&P SL20 was down 5.45% or 341.4 points. Yesterday, ASPI closed down 1.51% or 329.51 points to 21,497.08 and S&P SL20 fell 1.45% or 87.69 points to 5,942.97 with market turnover nearing Rs. 3.97 billion more..

Dec 6 (FT) Sri Lanka’s export sector is showing renewed momentum with structural reforms, wider product development, and expanded support for small and medium exporters, the Export Development Board (EDB) informed the Committee on Ways and Means during its meeting in Parliament on 26 November 2025. Presenting the latest sector overview, the EDB Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe noted that SL’s exports had remained stagnant between $ 13–15 billion for nearly a decade. more..

Dec 6 (FT) AFC Asia Frontier Fund Co-Fund Manager Ruchir Desai on Tuesday delivered an upbeat assessment of SL’s capital market outlook, noting that the country is entering one of its most promising phases in a decade, with political stability, macroeconomic recovery, and undervalued equities creating a strong platform for growth. Speaking at the SL Economic Summit, Desai said he has tracked SL’s market since 2014, more..

Dec 6 (AD) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says that the proposed property tax will not be imposed in 2026. He stated that the property tax will be considered only from 2027 onward, and that this decision has already been formally communicated to the IMF. Prez revealed this while addressing Parliament today (5) during the third reading of the 2025 Budget. Prez further said that the govt has requested a relief of USD 200 million from the IMF to meet the country’s dollar requirement. more..

Dec 6 (Island) Weather forecasts are useful. People attentively listen to them but complain that they go wrong or are not taken seriously. Forecasts today are more probabilistically reliable than decades ago. The advancement of atmospheric science, satellite imaging, radar maps & instantly updated databases has improved art of predicting weather. Yet can we predict weather patterns precisely? A branch of mathematics known as chaos theory says that weather can never be foretold with certainty. more..

Dec 6 (DN) SL created history yesterday in Malé City, Maldives, when national player Tashmila Kavindi defeated India’s national champion L. Keerthana, marking the first time since 2016 that a Sri Lankan has defeated an Indian player in any international competition — a historic victory at the 7th Carrom World Cup. SL’s women, competing in Group ‘B’, began their campaign with an unlucky defeat to hosts Maldives in the group stage. That setback sent them into a tough semifinal more..

Dec 6 (DM) Sri Lanka is no longer facing isolated natural events. Each crisis now arrives as a multi-dimensional security threat—climate shocks, economic stress, misinformation, cyber disruptions, and social tensions converging at once. This is the new reality across Asia, and Sri Lanka must adapt quickly, drawing from the lived lessons of the Philippines, Indonesia, and regional disaster leaders. Annual floods and landslides are intensifying. Urban drainage failures multiply losses, more..

Dec 6 (FT) The Trade, Commerce & Food Security Ministry is preparing to introduce a comprehensive national tariff policy by mid-2026, replacing what officials described as decades of patchwork, sector-specific, and discriminatory protection that has suppressed competitiveness, discouraged entrepreneurship, and hindered integration into global value chains. Ministry Secretary K.A. Vimalenthirarajah speaking during more..

Dec 6 (Island) NPP govt’s Budget 2026 was passed yesterday with a 157-vote majority. Its passage was a foregone conclusion, given the NPP’s supermajority in Parliament, but whether it can be implemented as previously planned is in doubt. When Budget 2026 was presented on 7 Nov, it outlined revenue plans and expenditure allocations for 2026, based on the situation prevalent at the time, but Cyclone Ditwah has upended revenue and expenditure projections to the extent of more..

Dec 6 (CT) Nature has its own unpredictable ways, and Cyclone Ditwah devastated the nation like none other since the Boxing Day Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. Of course, as with any national disaster, natural or man-made, tsunami or insurgency/war, the political Opposition has always tried to get the goat of the Govt, for allegedly failing in its duties. This one is no exception. In Parliament since, and outside even when the disaster was happening, multiple Opposition parties and leaders criticised more..

Dec 6 (GV) For people across South and South East Asia, the convergence of two cyclones and a typhoon over the past few weeks has dominated the news. As the storms and their associated flooding tore through community after community in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, the cost of the disaster has continued to rise exponentially. However, outside the region, it has taken a long time for Western media outlets to begin their reporting. more..

Dec 6 (GV) SL is once again grappling with the devastating consequences of a natural disaster that, despite weeks of scientific forecasts, struck a nation structurally unprepared to withstand it. Cyclone Ditwah, which made landfall in late Nov 2025, has become the country’s most destructive calamity since the 2004 tsunami. With fatalities surpassing 400, thousands still missing and more than one million people affected, this tragedy is not merely a force of nature it is a reflection of more..

Dec 6 (DM) Cyclone Ditwah that struck SL recently left behind a trail of devastation, plunging many regions into severe crisis. We continued to report from places where communication was possible, but there were areas from which no information emerged. One such place was Gampola. Early reports suggested extensive destruction. We learned that electricity and water supplies were completely cut off, and the roads leading to Gampola more..

Dec 6 (CT) Today the country resembles a vast moving carpet of water. Cyclone Ditwah was a tropical cyclone that formed in the Bay of Bengal and brought heavy rains and strong winds to Sri Lanka and southern India, particularly Tamil Nadu. It’s ferocious and destructive powers consumed Sri Lanka, almost every district, as never before. From Dondra Point to Point Pedro, the destruction it caused was unprecedented; its beginning could be forecast, yet there was no forewarning. more..

Dec 6 (DM) Sri Lanka’s rice industry is similar to Yo-yo dieting; sometimes it gains and it equally loses. Hence a close look at Sri Lanka’s rice industry merits an in-depth analysis, especially during adverse weather conditions experienced at present. Unlike any other regular product that we consume, people are so concerned when there is a rice scarcity in the market. This is because we consume rice at least twice a day and use the wheat for other purposes. Right now the present flood situation more..

Dec 5 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake today announced a comprehensive housing assistance package for families affected by the recent floods and landslides, unveiling a series of financial grants and long-term support during his address to Parliament. He stated that the govt will ensure immediate and long-term relief for displaced households, prioritising safer relocation away from landslide-prone and high-risk flood zones. more..

Dec 5 (EN) Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) said the sector is working closely with all member organizations to identify disaster-affected employees and provide assistance. “Across the country, companies are already providing emergency support, including food, clothing, temporary shelter, transport assistance & other essential supplies for displaced workers, their families and the local community,” it said in a statement. Most factories across SL have resumed normal operations, more..

Dec 5 (FT) Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma said that as of Tuesday (2) over 19,000 Sri Lankans working abroad have contributed to the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund, established to support national recovery efforts following the extensive damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah. Delivering a special statement, Secretary explained the ongoing initiatives undertaken by the Ministry in collaboration with other state institutions. “A large number of our citizens are currently suffering more..

Dec 5 (NF) Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams has been officially awarded the esteemed 5-Star Certification by SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), underscoring its status as a landmark in SL’s hospitality landscape and a benchmark for excellence in the region. As South Asia’s largest and first fully integrated resort, Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams represents a transformative investment in SL’s tourism and leisure economy. Developed by John Keells with a historic USD 1.2 b more..

Dec 5 (CT) Minister Susil Ranasinghe said that 146 of the 156 water supply systems that became inactive due to the adverse weather have now been restored, while work is underway to repair the remaining 10 systems. He noted that out of the 342 water supply systems operating across the country, 156 systems were affected across all districts, with 17 of them completely destroyed due to the extreme weather conditions. Minister also acknowledged the assistance provided by the Armed Forces, more..

Dec 5 (AD) Govt of SL held discussions with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to mobilize a policy-based loan amounting to USD 100 million to implement the Power Sector Reforms and Financial Sustainability Program. This policy-based lending program will support the establishment of independent and financially sustainable electricity utilities. It will also support the streamlined and more..

Dec 5 (FT) CH17 has announced plans to issue 10,000 special digital privilege cards to individuals, groups, organisations supporting the ongoing rescue and disaster relief work. Additionally, CH17 has developed a program that could assist agencies who are in control over any type of aid relief work, to monitor on real time basis, the process and to take immediate action should there be shortcomings. CH17 has launched a special nationwide initiative to honour & support everyone working tirelessly more..

Dec 5 (NF) As SL battles the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, Operation Sagar Bandhu continues to deliver critical support on the ground. A fully operational field hospital is being established by the Indian medical team in Mahiyanganaya, near Kandy, bringing advanced trauma care, surgical facilities, ambulances, and essential medical services directly to one of the hardest-hit communities. This initiative ensures that disaster-affected residents have immediate access to life-saving treatment, more..

Dec 5 (FT) DC Group, SL’s leading independent digital and creative powerhouse, has made history by becoming the first SL agency ever to win Gold – Digital Innovation Agency of the Year (South Asia) at the prestigious Campaign Agency of the Year Awards 2025. In a landmark moment for the country’s creative and digital industry, DC Group also secured Gold – Digital Innovation Agency of the Year (Rest of South Asia), making it a double-Gold victory and positioning homegrown agency more..

Dec 5 (NW) A Tanzanian passenger in transit at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) gave birth to a baby boy on Friday with the assistance of the airport’s medical team. The mother, a transit passenger from Tanzania, gave birth while en route through BIA. Airport officials said the delivery occurred safely on-site, and both mother and child are reported to be in good health. BIA officials praised the medical team for their swift action and professionalism during the incident. more..