Category: Local News

The Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, announced today (December 18) that he endorsed certificates on December 17, 2025, for three key Amendment Bills, namely the Social Security Contribution Levy, the Betting and Gaming Levy, and Strategic Development Projects, bringing them into law.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) reports that over 90,000 tourists arrived in Sri Lanka during the first two weeks of December 2025.

United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, praised American companies and institutions for aiding Sri Lanka’s recovery following Cyclone Ditwah.

Investigations have revealed that several police officers, including the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) and the Traffic OIC of the Sapugaskanda Police Station, failed to properly handle a road accident involving former Speaker and MP Asoka Ranwala.

Mr. D.D. Priyantha Ranasinghe, a work assistant in the maintenance department, has made history as the first entry-level staff member at the University of Ruhuna to earn a university degree.

Indra Traders (Pvt) Ltd has made a financial contribution of Rs. 100 million to the Government’s ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, established to provide relief to those affected by Cyclone Ditwah.

The renovated children’s park and new Sensory Garden at the Senehasa Education, Resource, Research and Information Centre (SERRIC), which strengthen care and therapy services for children with special needs from military families, were inaugurated yesterday (December 17) by Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd).

The Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Bangkok, working closely with Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, and the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Myanmar, has successfully rescued and repatriated 25 Sri Lankan nationals who were trafficked into cybercrime centers in Myawaddy, Myanmar, with their safe return to Sri Lanka completed on December 16, 2025.

A Police Sergeant serving as the Acting Officer-in-Charge (Traffic) at the Chilaw Headquarters Police Station was arrested on December 17, 2025 for allegedly accepting a Rs. 3,200 bribe to return a motorcyclist’s driving licence without taking legal action.

Sri Lanka Army Engineers have restored essential connectivity following the complete collapse of the Nayaru main bridge in Mullaitivu, which was severely damaged by intense flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

China has pledged its fullest support to Sri Lanka’s efforts to rebuild public life after the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah, with senior Chinese leader Wang Dongming expressing confidence that the country will return to normal swiftly under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s leadership.

A progress review meeting on the implementation of interoperability among digital systems in Sri Lanka’s agriculture sector was held yesterday (December 16) at the Govijana Mandiraya, according to a statement by Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, K.D. Lal Kantha.

A foreign-manufactured pistol, two magazines used for T-56 weapons, and 267 rounds of live T-56 ammunition belonging to organized underworld criminal “Kehelbaddara Padme” were recovered by officers of the Police Special Task Force (STF) Kelaniya Camp.

A police constable serving at Nilaveli Police Station was arrested yesterday (December 16) for soliciting a bribe of Rs. 10,000 in exchange for providing a police clearance report.

Cabinet Spokesperson and Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, announced that a supplementary budget estimate of Rs. 500 billion will be presented to the Parliament of Sri Lanka tomorrow (December 18).

Hatton National Bank (HNB) has contributed Rs. 100 million to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, which was launched to support communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah.