ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s official remittances rose 27 percent to 673.4 million dollars in November 2025, while the total in the first 11 months reached 7.2 billion dollars rising 20.7 percent from a year ago, central bank data showed. The island nation has already surpassed the 2017 record high remittances of USD 7.16 billion in the first 11 months this year with more inflows from Sri Lankan expatriates expected in the festive December of the year. The worker remittances hit a six-year high in 2024 after a record number from the island nation’s labour force left the country searching for…
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A fuel leak has been reported from a pipeline connected to the first buoy used for fuel unloading at the Colombo Port, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) said. In a statement, the CPC said fuel unloading through the affected pipeline has been temporarily suspended following the detection of the leak. Repair work on the pipeline has already commenced, it said. Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) and the Sri Lanka Navy are jointly conducting cleanup operations to remove fuel that mixed with seawater following the incident. MEPA said the leak occurred in the early…
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressed the commissioning and passing-out parade at the Trincomalee Naval and Maritime Academy yesterday (13), emphasizing the importance of unity and dedication in rebuilding the nation after the recent disaster. He paid tribute to the Sri Lanka Navy for its rescue operations at the Kala Oya, honoring personnel who risked their lives and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The President also commended the Navy’s role in combating drug trafficking. Eight directly commissioned officers of Intake 2024/03, 33 officers from the 40th intake of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, and 25 officers of the…
The UAE Relief Team has departed Sri Lanka following the successful completion of its humanitarian mission, carried out in response to the severe impact of Cyclone and subsequent landslides. The deployment formed part of the United Arab Emirates’ emergency response initiative, launched under the directives of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to assist communities affected by the disaster. During the mission, UAE relief teams delivered 116 metric tons of humanitarian assistance, including food supplies, tents, shelter materials and relief kits, aimed at easing the hardship faced by affected families. In parallel, the UAE Search and Rescue Team…
A motor vehicle travelling on the Southern Expressway caught fire near the 170.1 kilometre post this morning (14), police said. The vehicle was completely destroyed in the fire, however no injuries were reported. Expressway security personnel and fire services responded promptly and brought the blaze under control. (Newswire) The post Vehicle destroyed in fire on Southern Expressway appeared first on Newswire.
Five people were killed in a series of road accidents reported from several parts of the country yesterday (13), police said. The accidents occurred in the Boralesgamuwa, Wellawa, Dankotuwa, Maduragoda and Kadawatha police areas. In Boralesgamuwa, a motorcycle collided with a lorry near Pirivena Junction on the Colombo–Horana road when the lorry attempted to turn into a by-road. The rider, a 19-year-old from Moratuwa, died after being admitted to hospital. In the Wellawa police area, a tipper truck veered off the Gonagama–Rangama road in the Rathmale area and overturned. The driver, a 50-year-old resident of Wariyapola, died after being admitted…
Former Sri Lanka Chairman of Cricket Selectors Pramodya Wickremasinghe is likely to return to the post, with the Minister of Sports set to appoint a new five-member national selection committee in the coming days, the Sunday Times reported. Wickremasinghe, who first assumed office in April 2021, was removed following Sri Lanka’s disappointing campaign at the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. However, with Sri Lanka entering another crucial phase in international cricket, his name has once again emerged as the frontrunner to lead the country’s selection process, the newspaper added. According to the Sunday Times, Sports Minister Sunil Kumara held…
A Sri Lankan air passenger was arrested in the early hours of today (14) at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake, while attempting to leave the airport with a stock of heroin valued at Rs. 69.24 million. The suspect, a 28-year-old resident of Rambukkana, had arrived at BIA around 12.30 a.m. from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on AirAsia flight AK-047. Officers of the Airport Police Narcotics Bureau discovered 2 kilograms and 308 grams of heroin concealed in a false bottom of the suspect’s travel bag, leading to his arrest. Authorities are conducting further investigations. (NewsWire) The post Sri Lankan arrested at…
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 14 DECEMBER 2025 Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 14 December 2025 A few showers may occur in Northern, North-Central, Eastern, Uva and Central provinces. Showers or thundershowers may occur at several places in the other areas of the island after 1.00 p.m. Fairly strong winds of about (30-40) kmph can be expected at times over Eastern slopes of the central hills, Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Trincomalee, Hambantota and Monaragala districts. Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Sabaragamuwa, Central provinces and in Galle and Matara districts during the early hours of the…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Speaker has issued a notice convening parliament on December 18 at 10.30 am on the instruction of Prime Minster Harini Amarasuriya. “I, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, Speaker of Parliament do hereby notify that in pursuance of Standing Order 16 of the Standing Orders of Parliament, I have summoned the Parliament to meet on Thursday the 18th of December 2025 at 9.30 a.m. having been requested so to do by the Hon. Prime Minister,” the notice said. The session will consider a supplementary estimate for Cyclone Ditwah related recovery work, an official source said. President Anura Dissanayake said…
Photo courtesy of Brookings Institution In his lecture on US-China rivalry and its implications for the Indo-Pacific, organised by the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS), Professor Neil DeVotta began with an exposition on The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, Paul Kennedy’s superb work on the trajectory of empires, the reasons for their rise and their later decline. DeVotta noted that Kennedy’s work came as a counter to the narratives that were being peddled by American political and foreign policy elites during the Reagan presidency. Whether the US has ever recovered from its decline or whether it has come…
Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said that damages caused by the recent flooding at the Chilaw General Hospital exceed Rs. 1,200 million.
Hubpoint Global has presented a Token of Appreciation to H.E. Masood Imad, High Commissioner of the Republic of Maldives to Sri Lanka, in recognition of the humanitarian assistance extended by the Maldivian government and its people following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah. The presentation took place at the High Commission of the Republic of Maldives in Colombo, acknowledging the timely support and solidarity shown during a period of national emergency in Sri Lanka. The gesture recognised the contribution of the Maldives towards relief and recovery efforts, with Maldivians collectively extending more than USD 2 million in assistance to support…
The US-based Starlink company has donated 100 Starlink units to support disaster management operations in the country, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development said. Secretary to the Ministry, Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, said the donation will help strengthen communication and connectivity, enabling relief and response efforts to be carried out more effectively. He made these remarks while addressing the media today (13), noting that the hardware units have already arrived in the country and steps are underway to hand them over to the Disaster Management Centre to further enhance the efficiency of disaster response operations. The post Starlink donates…
The Ministry of Child and Women Affairs has urged the public and media institutions to refrain from sharing photographs, video footage, or personal details of children affected by the prevailing disaster situation through social media or mainstream media platforms.
Almas Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, a long-term investment holding company with interests in the capital market and real estate sectors, has pledged Rs. 225 million to support flood relief and post-disaster rebuilding efforts, underscoring growing private sector participation in national recovery initiatives.
A circular has been issued authorizing a special advance payment of up to Rs. 4,000 for public sector employees in view of the festive season.
A total of Rs. 13 billion has so far been provided to deliver relief to people affected by disasters, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma said. He stated that this total includes funds received as donations for relief efforts as well as allocations made from the Treasury, all of which have been directed towards providing assistance. Dr. Suriyapperuma made these remarks while participating in a media briefing held today (13). He further noted that the funds have been utilised to restore the livelihoods of affected communities and to support business owners in restarting…
Lakbima Rice Mills (Pvt) Ltd, based in Polonnaruwa, has contributed Rs. 100 million to the Government’s ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, established to provide relief to communities affected by Cyclone Ditwa.
US President Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Sri Lanka has told lawmakers that Washington will focus on maritime security, economic reforms and countering China’s expanding influence in the Indian Ocean, as Sri Lanka continues its recovery from the 2022 economic crisis and a deadly cyclone this year.