Cyclone Ditwah, which struck Sri Lanka in late November, has caused an estimated US$4.1 billion in direct physical damage to buildings and contents, agriculture and critical infrastructure, according to a World Bank Group Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) report released today. This damage is equivalent to about 4 percent of Sri Lanka’s GDP. The cyclone, among…
SLASSCOM has released its 2025 Compensation & Benefits Survey Report, a comprehensive industry benchmark on salaries, benefits, and workforce trends across Sri Lanka’s IT, BPM, and tech-enabled sectors. Independently conducted by Deloitte, the report features insights from IT, BPM, dual-sector, and non-IT organisations with IT functions, with 72% of participants returning from the 2024 survey—underscoring…
China plans its socioeconomic development on 5 year cycles or five year plans (FYPs). The recommendations for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026 – 2030 FYP) of the Peoples Republic of China have been released outlining priorities for national socioeconomic development. These includes views of industry experts in; science & technology, ecological civilization & ecosystem conservation…
By Dr Nisha Arunatilake, Director of Research, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) The Ditwah Cyclone ranks second only to the December 2004 Tsunami in terms of damage to housing in Sri Lanka’s recent history. According to the government’s Disaster Management Centre, as of 9th December 2025, 86,488 houses were partially or fully…
Human civilization is at the dawn of a multi polar world rising with new leaders. Among them China is paramount & its Belt & Road Initiative (BRI – 21st Century Silk Road) is networking others such as Russia, South Africa, Brazil, Germany & India etc. Some were shocked & critical after seeing Chinese armed forces…
By Dr Manoj Thibbotuwawa and Chandula Idirisinghe Cyclone Ditwah destroyed early-stage Maha season paddy, vegetables, and perennial crops, disrupting both current and upcoming harvests. Together, rising prices, lower production, and declining purchasing power are likely to intensify food insecurity and further undermine nutrition. Restoring transport links, supporting farmers to replant, protecting vulnerable households and strengthening…
Fitch Ratings – Surging IT investment and wealth effects from buoyant equity markets are cushioning the impact of higher tariffs on the US economy, Fitch Ratings says. We have raised our world growth forecasts in our December Global Economic Outlook (GEO) but still expect growth to slow to 2.5% this year and to 2.4% in…
The barometer’s record high loses momentum as pre-budget caution weighs on sentiment The beginning of November saw the presentation of Budget 2026, which largely mirrored the previous year’s proposals. While the budget did not introduce any major reforms, the president assured that Sri Lanka is on track to regain the economic output lost during the…
By Dr Pulasthi Amarasinghe and Usha Perera Cyclone Ditwah exposed critical gaps in Sri Lanka’s health and disaster response systems. Health and disaster agencies lack integrated dashboards and real-time data, forcing frontline workers to rely on informal, siloed information during emergencies. Building integrated coordination platforms and climate-health surveillance systems can create climate-resilient health systems. As Sri…
Electric 3 Wheeler Market worth $3.85 billion by 2032 | MarketsandMarkets™ The electric 3 wheeler market is projected to grow from USD 2.68 billion in 2025 to USD 3.85 billion by 2032, registering a CAGR of 5.3%, according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets™. The electric 3 wheeler market is accelerating rapidly because operators are chasing dramatically lower operating…
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