Donations to ’Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund’ surpass Rs. 4 bn

The total donations received by the ’Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund’ has increased up to Rs. 4.2 billion as of today, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Harshana Suriyapperuma said today.

Former leaders’ support will not be sought in fund raising due to their corrupt practices: PM

The government will not seek the support of former leaders who were involved in corruption through disasters, in the fund raising process this time, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said today.

Rs. 25,000 paid to 257,000 affected families so far: Minister

The initial grant of Rs. 25,000 paid for flood affected families to clean their houses have been paid to 257,000 families out of the total of 493,000 entiled to the payment so far, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said today.

Trump suspends US green card lottery in wake of Brown University and MIT shootings

The homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, has ordered the suspension of the green card lottery program at Donald Trump’s direction, saying it allowed the suspect in the Brown University and MIT shootings to come to the US.

NPP MP blames police, Opposition for spreading falsehood

National People’s Power (NPP) MP Shantha Pathmakumara today accused the police and the Opposition of spreading falsehoods about him and thus violating his parliamentary privileges.

New Zealand Cricket chief quits after split over new T20 league

The boss of New Zealand cricket resigned on Friday after a long and bitter dispute with players and member associations over the future of T20 cricket in the country.

Australia’s ’Bondi Hero’ handed $1.65 mln collected from fundraising

A man credited with saving lives for wrestling a gun from one of the alleged attackers during a mass shooting at Australia’s Bondi Beach received a cheque for more than A$2.5 million ($1.65 million) on Friday, after tens of thousands of people contributed to a donation website.

Mahaweli water level rises in Manampitiya

The water level in the Manampitiya area of the Mahaweli River basin has risen above the minor flood level due to heavy rainfall, according to Irrigation Director (Hydrology and Disaster Management) Engineer L.S. Sooriyabandara.

GovPay surpasses Rs. 2 billion in transactions

GovPay, Sri Lanka’s government digital payment platform, surpassed Rs. 2 billion in total transaction value, the Ministry of Digital Economy said.

Moragahakanda Reservoir to release water tonight

Authorities have issued a warning to residents living along the Amban River as the Moragahakanda Reservoir is set to release water tonight.

Dasun Shanaka to lead Sri Lanka until 2026 T20 World Cup

Sri Lanka Cricket’s newly appointed Selection Committee Chairman, Pramodya Wickremesinghe said today (19) that Dasun Shanaka will continue as captain of the Sri Lankan national team until the 2026 ICC Twenty20 World Cup.

Executive Presidency will be abolished in new Constitution: PM assures

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya today assured that the Executive Presidency will be abolished as promised in the National People’s Power (NPP) manifesto.

US warns travellers to Sri Lanka over chikungunya

The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Level 2 travel notice for Sri Lanka, advising travellers to “practice enhanced precautions.”

73 children lose parents due to Cyclone Ditwah

Seventy three children have lost their parents – one or both - due to disasters triggered by Cyclone Ditwah as reported by December 16.

175,000 hectares of croplands destroyed, will there be a food security crisis?

Of the country’s approximately 2.3 million hectares of agricultural land, 175,000 hectares or 7.6 percent of land has been damaged in Sri Lanka due to the recent cyclone causing a setback in harvest, output levels and driving price hikes for locally produced food, according to the Department of Agriculture compiled with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Bondi Beach gunman originally from India, police say

One of the two men suspected of carrying out a mass shooting at Bondi Beach was originally from southern India but had ’’limited contact’’ with his family there, police sources have said.

Over 90 drugs fail quality tests in 2025; majority from India

A total of 93 drugs have failed quality tests so far in 2025, according to the Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry.

TikTok owner signs agreements to avoid US ban

TikTok’s Chinese owner ByteDance has signed binding agreements with US and global investors for the majority of its business in America, TikTok’s boss told employees on Thursday.

Deputy Director of Colombo hospital suspended

The Health and Mass Media Ministry has taken steps to suspend Dr. Rukshan Bellana, who served as the Deputy Director of the Colombo National Hospital.

Ex-Nascar driver and his family among seven killed in US plane crash

A former Nascar driver and his family were among the seven people killed in a plane crash at a regional airport in North Carolina, the car-racing organisation has said.

Violence breaks out in Bangladesh after death of youth protest leader

Violence has erupted in Bangladesh following the death of a prominent leader of the youth movement that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Sri Lankan woman arrested at BIA for cigarette smuggling attempt

A Sri Lankan woman has been arrested by Airport Customs officers at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) for attempting to smuggle a large consignment of foreign-made cigarettes into the country.

Sri Lanka After Cyclone Ditwah: The Full Scale of the Disaster in Numbers

Cyclone Ditwah left Sri Lanka facing a national disaster of extraordinary scale. The numbers tell the story of a country confronting one of its most severe crises in recent memory.

Tourism sector signals rapid recovery post-Ditwah; luxury segment sees strong momentum

Sri Lanka’s hospitality sector is witnessing a swift return to normalcy following the passage of Cyclone Ditwah, with industry leaders confirming that operational disruptions were minimal and booking trends are

Bob Marley tribute reggae festival in March 2026

Sri Lanka will host South Asia’s first three-day reggae music festival, One Love 2026 – A Tribute to Bob Marley, from March 27 to 29, 2026, on the southern coastal town of Bentota.

Sri Lanka U19 Target Historic Upset Against Unbeaten India in Asia Cup Semi-Final

Sri Lanka U19 will look to pull off a memorable upset when they face an unbeaten India U19 side in the first semi-final of the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2025 on Friday at the ICC Academy Ground, Dubai.

WADA names India worst doping offender for third straight year

India tops the rankings of global sports drug cheats for a third straight year, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said, marking a dubious hat-trick for the country.

Former Olympic champion Dujardin continues dressage comeback after whipping ban

Former Olympic dressage champion Charlotte Dujardin made her return to high-level competition in Britain on Thursday following the one-year ban over a horse-whipping controversy that led to her withdrawal from the Paris Games.

Deaths due to substandard medicine; NMRA faces legal action

The Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) had initiated legal action against the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), raising serious concerns about patient safety, an official said.

Flood waste cleanup halfway complete, CEA says

The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) has announced major progress in clearing waste generated by recent floods, signaling a positive step in post-disaster recovery efforts.