Sri Lanka 2025: The complete year-in-review in one read

This year-in-review offers a complete, easy-to-read summary of the defining events that shaped Sri Lanka from January 1st to December 31st, covering politics, the economy, society, diplomacy, sports, and the impact of Cyclone Ditwah.

India’s AI Surge: A Wake-Up Call For Sri Lanka

While Western headlines remain transfixed by Silicon Valley’s latest iterations, a more profound tectonic shift is accelerating in New Delhi. India is no longer merely a consumer of global technology; it is aggressively architecting “Sovereign AI”, a domestic brain powered by 38,000 GPUs and vast local datasets. For Sri Lanka, the upcoming India AI Impact Summit represents a critical junction.

IMC Campus Hosts Annual Graduation Ceremony at BMICH

IMC Campus successfully conducted its Annual Graduation Ceremony on December 8, 2025 for the third consecutive year, at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), celebrating the academic achievements of its graduating students.

PROMOTERS OF FOREIGN FERTILIZER LOW QUALITY TROUBLE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY

The use of organic and liquid fertilizers in agriculture drew increased attention during Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s regime. Due to the sudden ban on chemical fertilizer and other agrochemicals, the focus shifted heavily toward organic fertilizer. However, the use of substandard organic fertilizer in cultivation led to the destruction of farmland cultivation done using organic fertilizer. As a result, the country experienced a serious food shortage dur

MALDIVES: A NATION OF TRUE FRIENDS

A tropical Paradise with crystal clear water, stunning beaches, more than 1200 tiny islands spread all over the ocean is the Republic of Maldives with a population of just 400,000 people. Maldivians continue to hold Sri Lanka as their second home, as the older generation yet values the contributions made by Sri Lanka to Maldives to commence growth with all the limited infrastructure and natural resource.

Right of Reply Paradise Cove Midigama responds to Daily Mirror article

‘We are issuing this statement to correct several material inaccuracies published about Paradise Cove Midigama and to provide the verified context that was not checked prior to publication.

Mr. Lakshman Balasuriya – Not Just My Boss, but a Father and a Brother

It is with profound sadness that we received the shocking news of the untimely passing of our dear leader, Mr. Lakshman Balasuriya.

Rebuilding SL through Astro-numerology, nameology in 2026

Astrology - In my humble opinion, astrology is the logic behind the planets and their movements. Astrology is all about the planetary positions in your natal chart and facilitates the study, reading and offering predictions for your life journey. To prepare your natal chart, your full name, the names of your parents, your time of birth, and the place of birth are required.

India and the Hierarchies of Power in South Asia: The Elephant That Refuses to Be Named

In international politics, power is rarely controversial in its possession; it is controversial in its use. Rising states are not judged merely by the scale of their capabilities, but by the political orders they construct around them. In South Asia today, India stands at such a moment of reckoning - its ascent unmistakable, its intentions carefully articulated, yet its regional conduct increasingly questioned.

Voice of the People: Mixed Sentiments Ahead of the New Year

As Sri Lanka approaches the New Year, many have expressed concerns about how ongoing economic pressures, combined with the aftermath of recent floods that severely affected the country, may impact the festive spirit.

Latha Walpola: High-pitched singer Latha lowers her voice to rest

Music plays a defining part in a nation’s history. There are those singers who become representative of a given country’s musical culture. Latha Walpola, alongside great contemporaries such as Rukmani Devi, Sunil Shantha, C.T. Fernando, Sujatha Aththanayake,

Constantino de Sa was doomed by war dreams Kandy: The elusive jewel in the Portuguese crown

As we have seen, the Portuguese were saved from king Senarat’s siege of Colombo in 1630 with their artillery firepower and help sent from Goa. But their suffering was great, undergoing starvation, disease and a crippling loss of revenue.

Year Review 2025

Looking beyond rebuilding and healing minds after Ditwah

As Sri Lanka continues to recover from Cyclone Ditwah, communities in affected districts face various challenges not only from damaged homes and infrastructure, but also from the psychological and emotional impact of the disaster. Mental health professionals and government authorities are emphasising the need for targeted psychosocial support and measures to ensure the safety and security of displaced and vulnerable populations

A lunch in Midigama and an unexpected Euro Bill

I went to Paradise Cove in Midigama for a late lunch with three friends on December 26, 2025, expecting nothing more than a relaxed meal by the sea. Instead, the experience left me unsettled and questioning how such practices can take place in Sri Lanka without scrutiny

How Cyclone Ditwah stole the beauty of upcountry railway line

The upcountry railway, which is also called the main line, runs through an attractive countryside from Rambukkana to Badulla through Peradeniiya, where the railway branches off to Kandy-Matale and Badulla.

Damaged suspension bridges should be treated as heritage

Along with other bridges in Sri Lanka, old suspension Bridges, too, suffered from Cyclone Ditwah floods. People used to enjoy walking along these old bridges or “sangilipalam” as they were called in Sinhala.

Prime Minister inspects flood damage to Uni. Of Peradeniya

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarsuriya had an in-depth discussion with the Vice Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya Prof. Terrance Mudajith about the situation at University.

Away in a Manger The boy who slept in the stable

It was the night of Christmas. All was calm, all was bright, as the perennial hymn has it. But all was not bright in the Perera family with their five year old struck down by a terminal illness. His time too was running out, as time was running out for the current year, but prematurely. His doctors had fore-warned about his condition and so he was sent home for Christmas.

PATHFINDER NATIONAL SECURITY BRIEF From Extremism to Terrorism: Lessons for Sri Lanka from Bondi Beach

The December 2025 terrorist attack at Bondi Beach underscores a lethal shift toward family-based micro-cells and self-radicalized violence. For Sri Lanka, the incident serves as a critical reminder that early intervention, intelligence integration, and monitoring behavioral indicators are essential to disrupting the transition from extremist ideology to mass-casualty terrorism.

A voice of sympathy for an oppressed group Code of ethics on media reportage of sex workers

A code of ethics and principles pertaining to reportage on sex workers in Sri Lanka was released recently at KYN ROOK Airport Hotel, Katunayake, with Senior Journalist Lasantha De Silva as the resource person.

‘Peace on Earth’ wasn’t the Christmas message

Every Christmas we see and hear the message “Peace on earth and goodwill among men” in Christmas cards, newspapers, magazines, display material on radio and television. Even wars are halted by mutual consent of the parties concerned. Such temporary ceasefires are considered to represent the ‘peace on earth’ significance of Christmas.

Maris students restore beauty of Maha Oya-Kammalthota Estuary after floods

A successful environmental clean-up programme was carried out at the Maha Oya–Kammalthota Estuary in Kochchikade, on December 20 (Saturday)from 8.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m., responding to the pollution caused by recent floods that deposited garbage and waste along the riverbank and estuarine waters.

Christmas 2025 Finding “God-With-Us” in the Ruins of Cyclone Ditwah

The Feast of Christmas celebrates a truth so immense that it redefines human destiny: God became one like us – ‘man’. The Mystery of the Word made flesh: This is not merely a Theological event but a profound social and psychological declaration - – God’s affirmation that every human life is sacred, meaningful, and loved.

BOC leads historical breakthrough in Sri Lanka’s financial markets

Bank of Ceylon’s inaugural Basel III–compliant Tier II Listed Sustainability Bond issue, the largest sustainability bond issuance ever undertaken in Sri Lanka, was oversubscribed and closed on the opening day, 22 December. The issue was the maiden sustainability bond launched by a state-owned bank.

Cyclone Ditwah: US $ 4.1 billion damage, replacement cost even higher

Cyclone Ditwah, which struck Sri Lanka in late November, has caused an estimated US $4.1 billion in direct physical damage to buildings and contents, agriculture and critical infrastructure, according to a World Bank Group Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) report released . This damage is equivalent to about 4 percent of Sri Lanka’s GDP, the World Bank said.

Aranayaka landslide victims have no hopes of returning home

Landslides are not a new phenomenon for people in Aranayaka, a town in Kegalle District. In 2016, following the Samasara Kanda landslide, at least a 100 people succumbed to injuries while over 150,000 people were impacted. But this time, as many as 68 landslides have been triggered in this district since the Lower Kadugannawa incident, displacing many people and forcing them to look for alternative places to settle.

National Cadet Corps marches into Jaffna

On December 27 and 28, the Alfred Duraiappah Grounds in Jaffna will transform into a theater of discipline and athletic prowess. Under the resonant theme “Never be unprepared,” the National Cadet Corps (NCC) is set to host the ‘Cadet Sports Meet,’ marking a significant milestone for the institution and the region.

Artist Dinesh hopes to serve art through his home gallery

Dinesh Perera is an artist who has done many years of research into art. He painted a lot when he had spare time and watched and learnt from other artists and their works.

Why the Global Digital Rights Conversation Matters for Sri Lanka: A Sri Lankan in a Global Community of Digital Defenders

The presence of Sri Lankan digital rights practitioners in global forums is not symbolic; it is strategic and essential. Sri Lanka stands at a critical intersection: rapid digital transformation clashing with political sensitivities, misinformation, and a vulnerable civil society.