President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed Sri Lanka’s deep appreciation to the United Arab Emirates for its swift humanitarian assistance to communities affected by recent floods and heavy rainfall across the country. The President conveyed his gratitude during a telephone conversation held today (19) with UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, thanking the UAE for its continued support to Sri Lanka during times of crisis. During the call, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed extended his heartfelt condolences to President Dissanayake and the people of Sri Lanka over the loss of lives caused by the floods and conveyed his…
The Sri Lankan Report
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a disbursement of SDR150.5 million (about US$206 million, equivalent to 26 percent of quota) for Sri Lanka under the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI). This emergency support will help address urgent balance-of-payments and fiscal pressures arising from the catastrophic Cyclone Ditwah, which hit the country on November 28. The Sri Lankan authorities remain committed to their economic reform program supported by the Extended Fund Facility (EFF). The cyclone hit when the Fifth Review under the EFF was nearing completion. Given the time needed to assess the economic impact of the cyclone…
ECONOMYNEXT – The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved emergency financing under the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI), providing Sri Lanka with immediate access to about US$206 million, the IMF said. “The RFI will help Sri Lanka address the urgent needs arising from the catastrophic Cyclone Ditwah and preserve macroeconomic stability,” it said. Here is the full statement: IMF Executive Board Approves US$206 Million in Emergency Financial Support for Sri Lanka December 19, 2025 The IMF Executive Board approved emergency financing under the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI), providing Sri Lanka with immediate access to about US$206 million. The…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka will use a 1,200 billion rupee cash buffer in the Treasury for cyclone relief and recovery, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said, seeking parliamentary approval for extra spending of 500 billion rupees in 2026. The Treasury cash buffer had expanded to 1,202 billion rupees by November 2025. “If we did not have the cash buffer we would have had to look for other ways to finance the spending,” he said. About 250 billion rupees will go for infrastructure, 150 billion rupees for business recovery and 100 billion rupees for relief and housing. In About 130 billion rupees…
ECONOMYNEXT – More than 17,600 houses are either damaged or have become unsuitable for living anymore due to possible risks of landslides, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told the Parliament. He revealed the number when he addressed the parliament before the voting for the Rs. 500 billion supplementary budget to rebuild the disaster hit area in the island nation. He said the assessment has shown 6,228 houses have been fully damaged and 4,543 houses have been partially damaged while National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has advised not to use them as habitats. Apart from that, the President said, the NBRO has…
A potential railway accident was narrowly averted at a level crossing in Ja-Ela on Friday after the quick action of a bystander helped save several lives. A van travelling from Ja-Ela towards Minuwangoda became stranded at a railway crossing when one of its wheels got stuck between the rails. At the same time, a train travelling from Negombo to Colombo was approaching the crossing. With the level crossing closed and the train fast approaching, a man at the scene ran along the railway track and signalled the oncoming train to stop. The train was brought to a halt just about…
No traces of alcohol were detected in blood and urine samples obtained from former Speaker and National People’s Power (NPP) Parliamentarian Ashoka Ranwala, according to tests conducted by the Government Analyst’s Department, police said on Friday Police Spokesman said the samples were taken following a recent road accident involving Ranwala and were tested to determine whether alcohol had been consumed at the time of the incident. (Newswire) The post Ranwala clears alcohol test – Police appeared first on Newswire.
More than 500 newly qualified Sri Lankan attorneys have been trained in trial advocacy and criminal law best practices through a program conducted by the United States Department of Justice at the Bar Association of Sri Lanka. The U.S. Embassy in Colombo said the program focused on continuing legal education for new attorneys and was carried out under the Department of Justice’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT). According to the Embassy, the training is part of U.S.–Sri Lanka legal cooperation aimed at addressing transnational crime and criminal networks that threaten the security and economic prosperity of…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka will re-finance bank loans of up to 25 million rupees for large business and million rupees for small business for cyclone struck businesses, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said. “The government will give the funds to the banks,” President Dissnayake said. “Bank will give the loans to the businesses based on the damage they suffered. “Banks will charge about 2 to 3 percent to administer the loans. The government will not charge anything.” The funds will be for working capital. Small businesses will get 250,000 to a million rupees. Industries that registered with the Ministry of Industries…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka government has decided to compensate chicken farmers affected by the recent Cyclone Ditwah devastation with Rs. 500 per layer chicken and Rs. 250 per broiler chicken and a maximum of 1 million rupees per farmer, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told the Parliament. Concluding the supplementary estimate debate, Dissanayake announced that each farmer will be compensated 500 rupees per died layer chicken up to maximum of 2,000 birds or up to 1 million rupees. He also said each farmer will be compensated 250 rupees per died broiler chicken up to maximum of 4,000 birds or up to…
In the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, while Sri Lanka Police officers worked tirelessly to safeguard lives and property across the country, many of their own families endured significant hardship. Recognizing this silent struggle, Prime Group launched a national-level initiative to support the children of affected police families, providing essential educational supplies and ensuring that their education could continue uninterrupted despite the challenges they faced. Prime Group supplied essential school materials to children affected by Cyclone Ditwah, helping them resume their studies with confidence and dignity. Through this initiative, undertaken as a responsible corporate citizen, 1000 students across Sri Lanka received…
The Supplementary Estimate of Rs. 500 billion to restore the livelihoods of those affected by the sudden disaster situation, presented to Parliament yesterday for the approval of Parliament, was approved in Parliament today (19). The said Supplementary Estimate was presented to Parliament yesterday (18) by the Prime Minister. Accordingly, following the debate held today from 10.00 a.m. to 6.10 p.m., the Supplementary Estimate of Rs. 500 billion was approved without a vote. (Newswire) The post Rs. 500 billion Supplementary Estimate approved in Parliament appeared first on Newswire.
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has written to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake raising concerns over the functioning and independence of the Right to Information Commission, citing serious understaffing, inadequate funding and proposed legal changes that could weaken citizens’ constitutional rights. In a letter dated Dec. 19, the BASL said the commission, established under the Right to Information Act No. 12 of 2016, plays a “vital role in safeguarding the constitutional right of citizens to access information under Article 14A of the Constitution” . The association warned that current resource constraints were directly affecting the commission’s ability to function…
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, addressing Parliament, rejected claims that the proposed Rs. 500 billion supplementary allocation would lead to national bankruptcy by April 2026. He said the government maintains strong financial discipline and clear fiscal targets. “For a long time, the Treasury account was in overdraft. In 2018, it was Rs. 180 billion, in 2019 Rs. 244 billion, in 2020 Rs. 575 billion, and in 2021 it rose to Rs. 821 billion,” the President said. “In contrast, by November 2025, under our government, the Treasury account showed a positive balance of Rs. 1,202 billion—a Rs. 2 trillion improvement,” he said.…
SJB MP Rohana Bandara has criticized the manner in which death certificates of those who died during the recent disaster situation were handed out in the Kandy district. Speaking in Parliament, he referred to a viral video showing officials calling out the names of the deceased and handing certificates to grieving families while photographs were taken. “Like a graduation or awards ceremony, the death certificate is handed over after calling out names. Photographs were clicked, some were even clapping,” he said. Bandara questioned why a formal event was held for such a sensitive process. (Newswire) The post MP slams ‘ceremonial’…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s rupee closed at 309.50/60 to the US dollar in the spot market Friday, weaker from 309.40/55 the previous day, after having depreciated over the week, dealers said, while bond yields closed up. The rupee closed at 309.05/15 last Friday. Sri Lanka’s rupee has fallen from around 292 to the dollar in December 2024, amid record current account surpluses and narrowing budget deficits as the the central bank selectively denied convertibility to private importers after buying dollars and creating liquidity. RELATED : Sri Lanka’s exchange rate depreciation by ‘Political Ravishment’ A bond maturing on 15.12.2026 closed flat…
The post WATCH : Special Statement from President in Parliament appeared first on Newswire.
More than 300,000 Sri Lankans have left the country for overseas employment during the course of 2025, official data showed. As of December 19, a total of 300,191 Sri Lankans had migrated abroad for work, marking the third time in the past decade that annual foreign employment departures have exceeded 300,000. In 2024, a total of 314,673 Sri Lankans travelled overseas for employment. Data for 2025 shows that 184,085 male workers and 116,106 female workers left the country for jobs abroad during the year. Of the total departures, 194,982 workers migrated through self-arranged channels, while 105,209 left through licensed foreign…
Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekara claims the Director General of the Department of Meteorology is under house arrest. Addressing the Parliament today, MP Jayasekara said that the Met Department Director General is not even allowed to speak to his own daughter. MP Jayasekara pointed out that the Department of Meteorology and Disaster Management both fall under the purview of the President. “I challenge the DG to conduct a media briefing at the Defence Ministry. He has been placed under house arrest. This is because this government is afraid he might reveal something. Some have asked him to resign. But he has…
An HR executive who went viral globally after being caught on a stadium screen cuddling her boss at a Coldplay concert has spoken out about the fallout, saying the online abuse has been relentless and life-altering. In an interview that first appeared in The Times, Kristin Cabot broke her silence months after footage from a July Coldplay show in Boston showed her embracing Andy Byron, then the chief executive of tech firm Astronomer. The pair were seen swaying to the music before abruptly ducking out of view when they realised they were on the big screen. The moment exploded online…