Tamil politicos warn Jaishankar over Pakistani and Chinese presence in north View(s):When India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited the country this week, his office allocated time from his busy engagement with Tamil political leaders from North and Upcountry. During these discussions, northern political leaders regularly express concerns and aspirations, particularly on the devolution of powers to the provinces. One such moment came up this week, though, during Dr Jaishankar’s discussion with Tamil political leaders from the North. At the end of their discussion, Tamil leaders raised the issue of how they are concerned about the presence of new ‘actors’ in the North—the Chinese and Pakistani presence in recent times. He also referred to the recent accident involving Gampaha District MP Ashoka Ranwala, where he was accused of drunk driving.

This is not Gaza; it is Badulla View(s):One month after Cyclone Ditwah, displaced families remain in local schools and will welcome the New Year 2026 in temporary shelters such as these. With schools scheduled to reopen on January 5, these tents are being erected on the premises to house the displaced as they are moved out of classrooms. Pic by Prasad RukmalShare This Post FacebookTwitterEmail × Send Email to FriendSend Please enter valid email WhatsappDeliciousDiggGoogleStumbleuponRedditTechnoratiYahooBloggerMyspaceRSS

Cinnamon Life rings in 2026 with a Night to Remember View(s):As 2025 draws to a close, Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams prepares to welcome the New Year by transforming into one of Colombo’s most vibrant destinations for dining, music and celebration. For a refined culinary journey, Midnight in Tokyo at ‘Yoroko’, Level 23, serves an elegant six-course menu highlighting contemporary Japanese flavours. At ‘Bistro des Marées’, Level 23, Seven Senses of New Year’s Eve offers seven carefully curated courses paired with fine spirits for a luxurious dining experience. For a more social, share-style experience, Family-Style Festivities at ‘Sapphire Dragon’, Level 23, showcases Cantonese and Sichuan specialties served alongside a festive beverage package. At Level 23, Countdown at ‘Gatz’ invites guests to dance to live beats, enjoy exclusive beverage offers, and toast the New Year under the stars.

Predictable predicament View(s):My dear Vraie,I thought of writing to you after hearing that the first budget of the ‘maalimaawa’ chaps at the CMC was defeated by 3 votes. You spoke after that, close to tears, telling your fellow councillors that what was really defeated was not the ‘maalimaawa’ chaps’ budget, but the budget of their conscience. That happened at the previous local election held before the poll in May. Having done that, your ‘maalimaawa’ chaps insisted on secret votes to elect chairpersons for councils. Mujibur acts as if the telephone party won the presidential election and that he has become Prime Minister.

Quiet New Year: Hard reset for Sri Lanka’s economy By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):With the calendar turning to 2026, Sri Lanka enters the New Year-not with bursting firecrackers-but in contemplation and resolve. Despite these challenges, the policy agenda in Sri Lanka continues to pursue long-term resilience. There is also a shift in infrastructure policies to the aspect of resilience. There is flood control, climate-resilient infrastructure, and disaster-proof housing alongside increased infrastructure in ports, logistics, power, and digital infrastructure. MSMEs have been repositioned from survival mode toward global value chain integration, supported by plans for a development bank and export market access.

Problem, that’s not a problem! Urban planningSri Lanka lacks a proper scientific definition of the urban sector, and urban planning remains minimal. As a result, most people continue to live in rural areas, tied to farming communities with limited opportunities for upward mobility. The irony is that China saw the excessive concentration of people in the rural areas as a development problem and initiated policy measures to address it at source. We in Sri Lanka never saw it as a development problem so that we struggle to find answers to development, poverty issues and environmental hazards on the shallow surface.

2025: The good, the bad and the farcical View(s):The year 2025 of the Gregorian calendar ends next week—a year of mixed happenings and emotions for the people swept asunder by a devastating natural disaster, over and above a delicate economy. Last year, we separated the mixed bag of events of that year, and so we will summarise it for 2025. The Bad: Seven major MoUs were signed with India and were asked to be kept secret from Sri Lankans. Despite ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ and ‘system change’, the Government has also shown signs of increasing intolerance, confronting even the Constitutional Council intended to act as a check on executive power. Such are the complexities Lanka’s foreign policy will have to grapple with as major powers prioritise the Indo-Pacific region for their own global objectives and the inevitable geopolitics of humanitarianism behind the altruistic post-Ditwah solidarity.

Sri Lanka’s largest youth and pop culture celebration rescheduled to January 2026 View(s):Gamer.LK, the organisers of Play Expo and Colombo Comic Expo, have been rescheduled to 10 and 11 January 2026 at the Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre. All tickets purchased, existing registrations for the Esports tournaments, cosplay competitions, and other event activities will remain fully valid for the new dates. Gamer.LK is Sri Lanka’s premier Games and Esports organisation with over 15 years of experience in organising Esports activities and tournaments in Sri Lanka. Gamer.LK’s consistent efforts in organising Esports events and creating a holistic ecosystem around Esports and related activities have led to rapid growth in Esports in Sri Lanka. As Sri Lanka focuses on recovery and rebuilding, Gamer.LK stands with all those affected during this difficult time.

Sri Lanka enters 2026: Cyclone shocks test growth and resilience By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):Sri Lanka steps into 2026, focusing on economic recovery with forecasts of 5 per cent growth driven partly by post-cyclone reconstruction, leveraging its ports as regional hubs, developing its tech/AI sector, Finance Ministry sources said. The government is optimistic in introducing national strategies and rebuilding tourism with strategic plans for sustainable, purpose-driven travel, while managing challenges like recent cyclone recovery and long-term development goals. By late 2025, a state with a historical peculiarity had been attained by Sri Lanka that of having policy credibility. Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe has repeatedly stated that “price stability is a precondition for sustainable growth”, signalling that policy discipline would not be relaxed lightly. His caution reflects growing concern within the government that the fiscal space is thin, capital spending had already been compressed, and Sri Lanka entered the disaster season without a fully funded programme.

Indo-Lanka committee to oversee post-Ditwah reconstruction View(s):Indian experts and technicians coming to carry out projects under US$450 million recovery packageBy Damith WickremasekaraA joint official committee consisting of Sri Lankan and Indian officials will be entrusted with handling India’s US$450 million post-disaster reconstruction package, a senior government official said. The joint committee would decide on reconstruction projects to be carried out, purchases to be made under the Indian credit line and deployment of manpower from India to expedite projects, the official said. Indian teams, including technical support, are expected to be here for reconstruction projects related to housing, medical, education, railway and road construction. The first meeting is due next week, where a list of prioritised reconstruction projects will be identified. India’s US$450 million assistance package consists of US$350 million in concessional lines of credit and US$100 million as grants.

Love shines bright as Christmas lights this season View(s):By Dilushi WijesingheSri Lanka found room for hope, gratitude, and togetherness as families gathered to celebrate Christmas, even as thousands continued to grapple with the aftermath of widespread destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah. Colombo’s roads, which typically transformed in December into corridors of extravagant colour, carried a more modest glow. A few carefully strung lights traced the outlines of buildings, and small clusters of decorations appeared at key junctions. Churches, meanwhile, balanced long-planned services with relief work. In many parishes, volunteers spent the days leading up to Christmas packing dry rations and essential goods.

Viren, Ranithma retain Open titles at 73rd Nationals badminton View(s): View(s):Title holders Viren Nettasinghe and Ranithma Liyanage made a fitting end to their campaigns of the 2025 season, by defending the Men’s and Women’s Open Singles titles, joined by Varangana Jayawardana and Rashmi Mudalige, who defended the Women’s Open Doubles title at the 73rd National Badminton Championship 2025, which concluded at the S. Thomas’ College Indoor Sports Complex in Mount Lavinia. Three titles – the Men’s Open Singles, Women’s Open Singles and Women’s Open Doubles – were up in the guard as respective holders, Olympian Viren Nettasinghe, Ranithma Liyanage and doubles pair Varangana Jayawardana and Rashmi Mudalige were defending their titles earned from last year’s nationals. The country’s top Men’s Singles shuttler continued his form against Rasindu Hendahewa in the Men’s Open Singles final, to end his final bout for the year, again in straight sets to defend the title. Ranithma defended her Women’s Open Singles title by recording a comfortable straight win against Rashmi Mudalige in an absorbing final that lasted nearly 45 minutes. But the gritty pair of Sanuda and Thisath maintained their composure to overcome the favourites 21/15 in the decider and claim the Men’s Open Doubles title.

FTA committee report by end 1Q next year By Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera View(s): View(s):The Cabinet-appointed committee to evaluate ongoing free trade agreements (FTA) and explore potential new ones is slated to come out with an evaluation report by the end of the 2026 first quarter, Secretary for the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security K.A. He added that the African FTA discussions are at an initial stage and the committee will come out with recommendations in the coming quarter. Industrialists have been calling for an African FTA for the past year. Sanjeewa Wickramanayake – Chairman EWIS, a Company exporting computer components to Africa, said that such an FTA could facilitate the country’s transformation into an electronics hub. Mr. Vimalenthirarajah also said that the government is preparing to introduce a comprehensive overhaul to the national tariff policy by mid-2026.

‘Midnight in Havana’ at MLH View(s):Mount Lavinia Hotel will ring in the New Year with a grand beachfront celebration titled ‘Midnight in Havana- New Year’s Eve by the Sea’ on 31st December, featuring the energetic sounds of Rajiv and The Clan and Breeze Latin Jazz Band. With the sound of the waves as a backdrop, guests can look forward to welcoming 2026 in true Havana style, where rhythm, romance and revelry come together by the sea. Designed as an unforgettable year-end experience, ‘Midnight in Havana’ promises an evening of glamour, indulgence and non-stop entertainment. The dining experience will be further enhanced by a free-flow rum and daiquiri bar, offering classic and tropical flavours synonymous with Havana’s vibrant nightlife. As the clock strikes midnight, guests will gather by the sea to witness a spectacular fireworks display, ushering in the New Year in dazzling style.

Rains to intensify in several provinces from tomorrow View(s):The Meteorology Department has warned that with an active easterly wave expected to move across the country from tomorrow, rainy conditions are likely to intensify, particularly in the Northern, North-Central, Eastern, Uva, and Central provinces over the next few days. The department also said a few showers may occur, meanwhile, in the Northern, Eastern and Uva Provinces as well as in the Polonnaruwa, Matale and Nuwara Eliya districts. Showers or thundershowers will occur at a few places in the Galle, Matara, Ratnapura and Kalutara districts after 2 p.m. Early morning misty conditions can be expected in parts of the Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central Provinces, as well as in the Badulla, Galle and Matara districts, the Met Department said, urging people to stay attuned to its forecasts. Share This Post FacebookTwitterEmail × Send Email to FriendSend Please enter valid email WhatsappDeliciousDiggGoogleStumbleuponRedditTechnoratiYahooBloggerMyspaceRSS