Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa today participated in the donation of medical equipment worth Rs. 2.8 million to the Aralaganwila Regional Hospital in Polonnaruwa under the Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s “Husma” program. The donated medical supplies included five patient monitors, one syringe pump, and one infusion pump. Addressing the event, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said the government has no vision, program, or roadmap to rebuild the country, and instead is focused on abolishing democratic rights. He stressed that the government’s responsibility is not to undermine democracy but to bring relief to the motherland struck by disaster and to strengthen people’s lives with…
The Sri Lankan Report
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s rupee closed at 309.85/95 to the US dollar in the spot market Monday, weaker from 309.65/75 on Friday, dealers said, while bond yields closed up. A bond maturing on 15.12.2026 closed at 8.40/70 percent. A bond maturing on 15.02.2028 closed at 9.00/06 percent. A bond maturing on 15.12.2029 closed at 9.70/75 percent. A bond maturing on 01.10.2032 closed at 10.30/35 percent, from 10.32/35 percent. A bond maturing on 01.11.2033 closed at 10.50/60 percent, from 10.45/60 percent. (Colombo/Dec29/2025)
Cinnamon Grand Colombo said that it has not filed, initiated, or participated in any police complaint, legal action, or administrative process in connection with the Ne-Yo concert or its organizers.
The Kandy Municipal Council has decided to remove all pavement hawkers in the city after December 31. Mayor of Kandy Chandrasiri Wijenayake said the decision to remove payment hawkers had been taken in June this year, but they were given time till December 31 on sympathetic grounds.
At least 13 people died and almost 100 were injured after a train derailed in Mexico’s south-western Oaxaca region, the Mexican navy said.
The Free Lawyers’ Association, representing the Joint Opposition, has announced plans to file a petition before the Supreme Court by January 15, challenging the government’s failure to inform the public in advance about the dangers of cyclone “Ditwah” and to take proper safety measures.
Alongside India, China is also likely to play a key role in Sri Lanka’s post-disaster rebuilding efforts, according to a top source.
ECONOMYNEXT – Colombo Dockyard and banking shares pushed the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) All Share Price Index to close 0.29 percent higher from Friday while the S&P SL20 was marginally down, data on its site showed. The broader ASPI)closed 63.49 points up at 22,132.33 while the S&P SL20 marginally declined by 0.06 percent, or 3.74 points to close at 6,037.79 on Monday. Investor interest in banks and retail shares were seen in the market. The top contributors to the ASPI were Colombo Dockyard (up 40.25 rupees at 171.75 rupees), HNB (up 2 rupees at 390.25 rupees), Richard Pieris & Company…
The opposition political parties have opposed the government’s move to take action against media which had reported on the recent disaster.
Chinese scientists have achieved a milestone in magnetic levitation technology. Researchers at China’s National University of Defence Technology successfully propelled a one-tonne vehicle to 700 kilometers per hour in just two seconds on a 400-meter test track, setting a new world record for superconducting electric maglev systems.
The death of another wild elephant in the human-elephant conflict was reported yesterday from Handapanagala in Moneragala. The wild elephant that roamed into the village had been electrocuted when it attempted to enter a cultivated land at Kottagashandiya area in Handapanagala. The carcass had been recovered by the wildlife officers who arrived on information from the residents of the area.
Police have intensified raids on brothels allegedly operating under the guise of spas in Colombo, after dozens of foreign women were arrested in December alone for involvement in illegal activities in Sri Lanka.
ITAK General Secretary M. A. Sumanthiran told media that the land which was allocated for the international cricket stadium has gone under water during the recent floods.
ECONOMYNEXT – Apparel exports fell 1.9 percent from a year ago to 367.60 million in November 2025, Sri Lanka’s Joint Apparel Association Forum said, though exports to the US and European Union grew. “Particularly encouraging is our 13.07% growth in the European Union market, which demonstrates the success of our strategic focus on strengthening relationships with EU buyers and meeting their increasingly stringent sustainability and compliance requirements,” JAAF said. During the first eleven months of 2025, cumulative exports reached 4,571.99 million dollars, marking a 5.42 percent increase over the same period last year, according to JAAF data. Apparel exports in…
This year began following the NPP’s electoral victory, signaling a decisive shift away from corrupt political elites towards a more hopeful future, built on social justice and economic relief for the working class. However, as the year comes to a close, the excitement of the NPP’s electoral triumph has dissipated, facing the reality of a nation still grappling with its past and an increasingly volatile future – particularly in the wake of the recent devastation of Cyclone Ditwah. Events throughout the year have shown that Sri Lanka is still haunted by unresolved legacies of the civil war and systemic ethnic…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals exceeded the previous high reached in 2018 with Indian visitors being feted for taking the country over the threshold, but the island nation is on track to fall short of the 3 million target set for 2025. India remains the leading source market of tourists coming into Sri Lanka, with a flight from Thiruvananthapuram bringing the latest arrivals. Prof Felix Beslin Pereira, Reena Fernandez, and Ann Cristina Pereira arrived on SriLankan Airlines flight UL 162, were the 2,333,797th and subsequent guests, Sri Lanka Tourism said. Sri Lanka’s National Peoples Power government had aimed at…
Investigations have revealed that two emails threatening a bomb explosion at the Kandy District Secretariat have been sent to its official address, originating from a South Asian country, it was reported. According to the state newspaper Dinamina, investigations have also uncovered that similar emails had been sent from the same country in December. The Criminal Investigation Department has now launched an inquiry into the incident. It is reported that one of the emails was received on December 23, but the District Secretary was informed about it only on the morning of December 26. Following a complaint made by District Secretary…
ECONOMYNEXT – Galadari Hotels has entered into an agreement with the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka to extend the project implementation period of its ongoing refurbishment by another 12 months to November 9, 2026. A previous Supplementary Agreement with the BOI saw the company increase the refurbishment cost to 48.5 million dollars from 33.5 million dollars. Galadari Hotels said last month that it hopes to reopen its Colombo city hotel in the second quarter of 2026. The hotel has been undergoing refurbishment since February 2024. Last year Galadari Hotels entered into agreements with its parent, Dubai-based Galadari Brothers LLC…
The Department of National Zoological Gardens says the transport of elephants to the Ma Oya river from the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, which had been temporarily suspended due to adverse weather conditions in recent days, has now resumed. Issuing a statement, the department explained that the suspension was due to the drying up of water in the Ma Oya area, the accumulation of sand and muddy debris at the bathing site, and the presence of hazardous materials such as glass shards and metal fragments within the sand, which posed risks to the elephants. Considering these conditions, the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage temporarily…
Sri Lanka has welcomed its 2,333,797th tourist in 2025, surpassing the previous all-time record of 2,333,796 arrivals set in 2018. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement today, hailed the milestone as “a defining moment in the nation’s tourism journey, demonstrating resilience and renewed confidence in Sri Lanka as a premier global destination.” The achievement is particularly significant when viewed against past records. In 2018, Sri Lanka recorded its highest arrivals at 2,333,796 tourists, while in 2024 the country welcomed 2,053,465 tourists. Surpassing these figures in 2025 demonstrates not only recovery but also growth, positioning Sri Lanka as a…