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Cyclone Ditwah, which struck Sri Lanka last month, caused an estimated $4.1 billion in direct physical damage to buildings, agriculture and critical infrastructure, according to a World Bank report released Monday.The natural disaster killed more than 640 people, and affected more than 10 percent of Sri Lanka’s population. Floods and landslides caused by the cyclone left extensive damage throughout the South Asian island nation. The total damage estimated by the World Bank is equivalent to about 4 percent of Sri Lanka’s GDP.Infrastructure, including roads, bridges, railways and water supply networks, accounted for the largest share of damage, at an estimated $1.735 billion, according to the World Bank’s Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) report. Housing damage was valued at $985 million, accounting for 24 percent of the total damage.The estimate is limited to direct physical damage and “does not include losses related to income or production, nor the full costs of recovery and reconstruction”.Buildings such as “schools, health facilities, businesses, and large industrial facilities and factories located along major rivers and creeks, were also heavily impacted, accounting for $562 million in estimated damages,” the World Bank said.The Sri Lankan government has also secured a World Bank agreement to repurpose $120 million from an ongoing project for disaster recovery spending. The latest World Bank report comes after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Friday that its board had approved $206 million in emergency financing for Sri Lanka, to help in the country’s recovery.The cyclone struck as the country was emerging from its worst ever economic meltdown in 2022, when it ran out of foreign exchange reserves to pay for essential imports such as food, fuel and medicines.Following a $2.9 billion bailout from the IMF approved in early 2023, the country’s economy has stabilised.

Bangladeshi journalists protested on Monday against arson and vandalism at the offices of two leading newspapers, attacked last week as anger over a student leader’s death spilled into violence.Dozens of journalists and media workers formed a human chain in the capital Dhaka, holding placards condemning attacks on “freedom of the press” and on “democratic values”, as security personnel stood guard.On Thursday, angry mobs attacked the offices of Prothom Alo and the Daily Star, torching parts of the buildings and vandalising the premises of the two publications caught up in surging anti-India sentiment in the wake of popular student leader Sharif Osman Hadi’s death.A staunch India critic, 32-year-old Hadi was a key figure in last year’s pro-democracy uprising that ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.He was shot by masked gunmen earlier this month as he was leaving a mosque in Dhaka and succumbed to his injuries on Thursday at a hospital in Singapore.Protesters, roused by his killing, set fire to several buildings including the offices of the two newspapers deemed to favour India, where Hasina, 78, has taken refuge since fleeing the uprising.Nurul Kabir, editor of New Age daily and president of the national Editors’ Council, said the attackers had tried to burn journalists alive.”They set the buildings on fire while journalists were working inside and prevented the fire service from launching rescue operations,” he said at Monday’s rally.”They made their stance clear — that they would burn dissenters alive.”Kabir, who tried to help journalists trapped on a rooftop, said he was assaulted during the rescue attempt.Dhaka Metropolitan Police said 17 people had been arrested in connection with the attacks on the dailies.- ‘Murder threats’ -Senior police officer S.N. Nazrul Islam defended the force’s response.”There was no loss of life, and I consider that a success,” he said.The violence has drawn sharp criticism from rights groups and media houses, who accused the government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus of failing to prevent the unrest.Anti-India sentiment has been fuelled in part by unconfirmed reports that Hadi’s killers were hiding there.Demonstrators last week also pelted the Indian High Commission in Chattogram with stones and vandalised cultural institutions.Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of the Daily Star, said press intimidation had escalated to dangerous levels.”On social media we have seen messages saying journalists of the Daily Star and Prothom Alo should be hunted down and killed in their homes,” he said. “This is no longer about opinions. These are murder threats.”Members of civil society groups and political parties joined the journalists’ protest.”This is not just a time to express solidarity and unity, we must stop and resist this destructive force,” Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary-general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, told reporters.Bangladesh, a South Asian nation of 170 million people, has been in turmoil as it gears up for general elections in February, the country’s first since the fall of Hasina’s autocratic government.

The fragile global legal framework for nuclear weapons control faces further setbacks in 2026, eroding guardrails to avoid a nuclear crisis.The first half of the year will see two key events: the US-Russia bilateral treaty, New START, expires on February 5, and in April, New York hosts the Review Conference (RevCon) of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) — the cornerstone of global nuclear security frameworks.The RevCon, held every four to five years, is meant to keep the NPT alive. But during the last two sessions, the 191 signatory states failed to agree on a final document, and experts expect the same outcome in April.”I think this is going to be a difficult RevCon,” said Alexandra Bell, head of US-based global security nonprofit the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, at a UN-hosted online conference in early December. “In terms of the current state and near future prospects of nuclear arms control architecture, things are bleak,” she added.Anton Khlopkov, director of Russian think-tank the Center for Energy and Security Studies (CENESS), took an even starker point of view, saying at the same event that “we are at the point of almost complete dismantlement of arms control architecture”.”We should be realistic in the current circumstances. At best, I think we should try to preserve what we have,” he said.- ‘Crumbling’ safeguards -From US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites to Russia’s test of the new Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile and US President Donald Trump’s remarks about possibly resuming nuclear tests — the international nuclear landscape darkened in 2025. At the same time, “the arms control architecture is crumbling”, Emmanuelle Maitre of France’s Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS) told AFP. A key challenge hinges on a shift in global relations. Nuclear control had been built over decades around a Moscow-Washington axis, but China’s growing power and rapid technological advances have shifted the international playing field, which is simultaneously increasingly strained.”The growing interlinkage between nuclear and conventional forces and the emergence of disruptive technologies (such as the US Golden Dome defence system and new hypersonic weapons) have transformed traditional nuclear deterrence into a multi-domain concept, especially in a multipolar world,” said Peking University’s Hua Han.”This trilateral configuration introduces complexities far beyond the Cold War-era bilateral model. Increasing China-Russia cooperation further complicates deterrence calculations, particularly in the two main theatres of concern: Europe and the Asia-Pacific,” she added, according to the minutes of an April event held by Pakistan’s Center for International Strategic Studies. A likely result of the changing landscape is the lapse of New START, which sets weapon limits and includes inspection systems.”The entire inspection component is no longer functioning, the notifications when a missile is moved, etc, all of that has vanished. What remains is only the voluntary commitment to stay within the limits,” said Maitre.- ‘Collective solutions’ -But allowing New START to lapse is “in American interest”, according to Robert Peters of the influential Heritage Foundation, reflecting the stance of much of the US strategic community to avoid tying Washington’s hands to Moscow alone. Beijing, which currently has fewer weapons, has so far refused to engage in trilateral disarmament talks.”China is the fastest growing nuclear power on the planet. It’s building 100 new warheads a year and now has more ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) silos than the US has active Minuteman III silos,” Peters said at a recent online International Institute for Strategic Studies event. “New START does nothing to address” that issue, he added. However, Maitre said, a New START lapse doesn’t mean the world should expect serious consequences as early as February 6. In both Washington and Moscow, “there is a small margin to bring some weapons back into service, but the numbers cannot be very significant. There are bottlenecks” that will slow any buildup, she said.Nor will the lack of a final document from the RevCon cause “immediate or damaging consequences” to the NPT, she said. But, she warned, fewer safeguards risks leaving the world without diplomatic tools to resolve tensions.”The less functional the NPT becomes, the harder it is to forge collective solutions in the event of a crisis.”

From fleets of private trailers to personal chefs and sprawling entourages, Bollywood stars’ “obnoxious” demands are driving up production costs and putting a strain on the Indian film industry’s finances, insiders say.Bollywood has long been unpredictable at the box office and the pandemic compounded problems, but producers argue that today’s losses stem less from creative failure and more from top artists’ runaway expenses.”It is not so much about production cost — it is more about star fees,” says producer Ramesh Taurani, best known for the successful Race action franchise.Actors, filmmakers say, increasingly arrive on set with a dozen-strong entourage — including makeup artists, hairdressers, stylists, gym trainers and assistants — all billed to production.Stars are paid hefty fees of up to $22.18 million per film but additional requests for first-class travel, five-star hotels, multiple private trailers and work-shy hours have become routine.”Expansive support teams, premium travel and luxury accommodations often inflate budgets without proportionate creative impact,” said veteran producer Mukesh Bhatt. “The kind of demands stars make is obnoxious.”Distributor and trade analyst Raj Bansal added: “One actor usually comes with 10 to 15 staff members.”Earlier, actors wouldn’t mind sharing one vanity van. Then they decided to give one vanity van each to a big star — and demand went on increasing.”A single trailer hired for the duration of a film shoot can cost as much $18,000. For some actors, insiders say, demanding more has become a status symbol.- ‘Self-respect’ -Bollywood has always been considered high-risk, producing more flops than hits, but producers say the balance has tipped sharply as star-driven costs spiral beyond what box office returns can sustain.The fragile model was shaken after the pandemic, when streaming platforms bought films at inflated prices. When those deals dried up, producers faced a painful course correction as income plunged but actors’ demands stayed elevated. And that problem continues today.Competition has also intensified. “Audience behaviour has matured, streaming platforms have broadened horizons and regional cinema has elevated creative standards,” says Bhatt.”Yet, alongside this progress, rising production costs — particularly talent-driven budgets — have introduced a significant strain. It is not the films that falter, but the economics that lose balance.”Actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan slammed stars for burdening producers with these costs.”You earn in crores (tens of millions of rupees),” Khan said, in a September interview with the YouTube show Game Changers. “Where’s your self-respect?”- ‘Power of storytelling’ -Industry insiders say actors’ demands also have a cascading effect, as stars seek to exceed each other’s perks.”A measured approach will allow us to redirect resources toward what truly defines cinema — the power of storytelling,” said Bhatt.Producers have pushed for partnership-style compensation models.”When a film thrives, every contributor should benefit,” Bhatt said. “When it struggles, the weight should not rest solely on the producer, who shoulders risk from the very beginning.”The 2024 science fiction action film Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (“Big Mister, Little Mister”), starring Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff, reportedly cost about $42 million. After poor ticket sales, producers were reported to have mortgaged property to cover debts.There have been exceptions.Actor Kartik Aaryan waived his fee for the 2023 action-comedy Shehzada, which tanked at the box office.”If your star value and the entire project’s value gives profit to the entire team, I think then the math adds up,” Aaryan said. “If it doesn’t, then you should take a cut.”Some producers argue that the industry must confront its own excesses.”If the star fee and entourage is affecting your budget, then don’t take stars,” says actor-writer-producer Viveck Vaswani.”I have made 40 films with 40 newcomers and have prospered. I took SRK (Shah Rukh Khan) when nobody wanted him. I cast Raveena Tandon when nobody knew her.”Vaswani, a longtime friend of Khan, notes that “SRK has no entourage cost, he pays his own”, as does Akshay Kumar.”Lots of them do that, they don’t burden the producers,” he said. “If you think your star is stronger than your script, you are wrong.”

What lies ahead after Myanmar’s forthcoming elections?The answer is hidden in the alignment of the stars, the occult flame of black magic candles and sacred geometry visible only to the third eye — if you believe the country’s spiritual soothsayers.”The question most people ask is clear. When will Myanmar prosper?” said astrologer Linn Nhyo Taryar.Five years ago, Myanmar’s future seemed more certain. The country had enjoyed a decade-long democratic experiment after a history of hermetic military rule.But a 2021 military coup toppled the government, triggering civil war and precarity — from regular internet outages to life-or-death combat zone crises.December 28 presents fresh uncertainty, as voting is set to start in a phased election being rejected by rebels and criticised abroad as a ploy to rebrand military rule.Myanmar has a rich culture of fortune-telling, and many believe the future can be discerned by mystics.The poll’s outcome, some reckon, could even be swayed with “Yadaya” — magic rituals thought to steer fate.”People struggling with trouble turn to fortune-telling and Yadaya, seeking the power and belief derived from it,” said Linn Nhyo Taryar.”What people really want is a safe and secure life and future,” the 30-year-old told AFP.- Dissident divination – Linn Nhyo Taryar’s past has been anything but safe and secure, thanks to his prophesying profession.As protests erupted after the coup — which he claims to have seen coming — he put a “Nine Swords, Nine Needles” hexon military chief Min Aung Hlaing, calling on social media for other mystics to do the same.The ritual of candles arranged atop knives set out in a star pattern earned him two years in Yangon’s Insein Prison — notorious for alleged brutal rights abuses — for “causing fear or alarm” and inducing others to attack the state.Post-release he lives in self-exile in Bangkok, communing online with clients back in Myanmar.Myanmar’s culture is profoundly influenced by Buddhism-inflected supernaturalism.Astrologers consult a national zodiac, palm readers ring pagodas, would-be alchemists attempt to transmute mercury into gold and SIM card companies advertise dial-a-diviners.”They treat a whole host of maladies,” said Thomas Patton, a professor at New York state’s Union College who has studied Myanmar’s mystics.”In Myanmar, I think it’s tied with its lack of development,” he added. “There’s not much else to fall back upon.””You have an entire landscape of uncertainty and vulnerability and you have this 1,000-year-old tapestry of spells and medicines and occult knowledge that just has seeped into the Burmese consciousness.”- ‘Nightmares of the past’ – But mysticism also holds sway behind the closed door of politics.Previous military ruler Ne Win changed the rules of the road, requiring vehicles to swap driving lanes — supposedly the result of misconstrued astrological advice to shift his left-wing regime to the political right.An avid numerologist, in 1987, he issued new currency in denominations of nine — a digit considered auspicious, but bewildering shoppers with mental arithmetic.Demonstrations forced Ne Win’s resignation, but Myanmar’s military chain of command continued to Min Aung Hlaing, also rumoured to be motivated by superstition.With ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi jailed incommunicado and her party dissolved, analysts suggest the month-long poll will prolong Min Aung Hlaing’s rule under a civilian banner.But the country’s most popular horoscope forecasting the Buddhist new year starting in early 2026, touted by street vendors nationwide in recent days, contains clashing portents.Myanmar Calendar Advisory Board members predict those born on Tuesday under a lionzodiac — like both Min Aung Hlaingand Suu Kyi — “will find that the more opposition they face, the more successful they become”.”They are likely to be well and gain special privileges wherever they are,” it says, advising Yadaya practitioners to leave buttered rice at a home Buddha shrine.- Mystic vigilance -In Yangon, Min Thein Kyaw has read the cards.”Myanmar holds good potential for the coming year,” proclaims the 73-year-old. “However, for any prediction to fully succeed, three factors must align: time, place and the individual.”But in tumultuous Myanmar, even clairvoyants urge caution.”There are also many things that need to be watched out for. Vigilance is key,” says Min Thein Kyaw.”Just as every individual needs to possess mindfulness, morality and wisdom — people in power must also possess these.”burs-jts/sco/fox

Massive crowds gathered in Bangladesh’s capital on Saturday for the funeral of a slain student leader, held under tight security after two days of protests and violence.Tens of thousands of people joined the funeral procession to pay their respects to Sharif Osman Hadi, a key figure in last year’s pro-democracy uprising who was set to contest the general elections in February.He was shot by masked gunmen last week while leaving a mosque in Dhaka, and died in a hospital in Singapore on Thursday.”You are in our hearts and you will remain in the heart of all Bangladeshis as long as the country exists,” interim leader Muhammad Yunus said in an emotional speech in front of the parliament building, where funeral prayers were held.Police wearing body cameras were deployed in the area, and flags were flown at half-mast to mark a day of state mourning.Hadi’s body was then buried at the central mosque of Dhaka University.Hadi, 32, was an outspoken critic of India, where Bangladesh’s ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina has taken refuge since fleeing Dhaka in the wake of the 2024 uprising.Iqbal Hossain Saikot, a government employee who travelled to the capital to attend the funeral, told AFP that he believed Hadi was killed because of his staunch opposition to India.”The millions of Bangladeshi people who love the land and its sovereign territory” will carry on Hadi’s legacy, said Saikot, 34.Hadi’s death has triggered unrest, with protesters across the South Asian nation demanding the arrest of those responsible.Bangladeshi police said they had launched a manhunt for his killers but have yet to report progress.As news of Hadi’s death spread on Thursday, people set fire to several buildings in Dhaka including the offices of leading newspapers Prothom Alo and the Daily Star, accused by critics of favouring India.- ‘Anarchy’ -Cultural institutions and the residence of a former minister were also attacked by rampaging mobs.Fuelled in part by growing anti-India sentiments in the majority Muslim nation, the violence this week also saw a Hindu garment worker killed following allegations of blasphemy.Yunus said seven suspects had been arrested in connection with the killing of the worker, Dipu Chandra Das, in the central district of Mymensingh on Thursday.Rights group Amnesty International on Saturday expressed alarm over Das’s “lynching”, while urging Bangladesh’s interim government to carry out “prompt, thorough, independent and impartial” investigations into Hadi’s killing and the violence that followed.Political parties across the spectrum condemned the violence and expressed concern over public order and security in the build-up to the elections — Bangladesh’s first polls since Hasina’s autocratic government was ousted.The Bangladesh Nationalist Party accused a “long-identified group” — a likely reference to Hasina’s Awami League party — of “trying to push the country towards anarchy”.Awami League has been banned from contesting in the upcoming polls.Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party set up largely by students who took part in the 2024 uprising, slammed the government for failing to rein in rogue elements.”There are elements within the government opposed to the mass uprising, and they are actively at play,” he said in a statement.Ties between neighbours Bangladesh and India have deteriorated since the uprising, with Dhaka demanding New Delhi extradite Hasina, who has been sentenced to death in absentia after being charged with crimes against humanity.Hasina, 78, has denounced her trial and the verdict, calling it a “travesty of justice” and vowed to continue serving her people.At a protest on Friday, a 20-year-old student told AFP he believed Hadi’s killers were also hiding in India.

Indian selectors dropped Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill on Saturday from the T20 squad for the World Cup in February after a prolonged form slump.Gill, 26, has scored only 291 runs in his past 15 matches in the game’s shortest format at an average of 24.25.”Shubman Gill is short of runs at the moment,” chief selector Ajit Agarkar told reporters in Mumbai.  However, batter Suryakumar Yadav was retained as captain despite similar concerns over his form.A T20 specialist, Suryakumar has managed just 244 runs across his last 22 innings in the format, without a single fifty.”We have full faith in our captain to deliver during the World Cup,” Agarkar said.Suryakumar acknowledged that his “rough patch” had been going on for too long.”I know what to do. I have time to fix it. We will definitely see Surya the batter,” the captain said.All-rounder Axar Patel was named as Suryakumar’s deputy.Wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan was rewarded for his stellar form in domestic cricket with a spot in the 15-member squad. Kishan last played for India in 2023.The same team will also play five home T20Is against New Zealand from January 21, the last round of international matches before the World Cup.The 10th edition of the tournament, which will be hosted by Sri Lanka and India, will feature 20 nations.India are the defending champions, having beaten South Africa in a thrilling 2024 final in Barbados.World T20 squad:Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Axar Patel (vice-capt) Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan.

Tens of thousands of mourners gathered in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on Saturday for the funeral of a student leader, after two days of violent protests over his killing.Huge crowds accompanied the funeral procession of Sharif Osman Hadi, a key figure in last year’s pro-democracy uprising who died in a hospital in Singapore on Thursday after being shot by masked gunmen while leaving a Dhaka mosque.Police wearing body cameras were deployed in front of the parliament building where the funeral prayers were held.Hadi’s body, which was brought to the capital on Friday, was buried at the central mosque of Dhaka University.”We have not come here to say goodbye,” interim leader Muhammad Yunus said in an emotional speech. “You are in our hearts and you will remain in the heart of all Bangladeshis as long as the country exists.”Hadi, 32, was an outspoken critic of India and was set to contest the general elections in February.Iqbal Hossain Saikot, a government employee who travelled from afar to attend the prayers, said Hadi was killed because he staunchly opposed India.He will continue to live “among the millions of Bangladeshi people who love the land and its sovereign territory”, Saikot, 34, told AFP.Hadi’s death has triggered widespread unrest, with protesters across the South Asian nation demanding the arrest of those responsible.Late Thursday, people set fire to several buildings in Dhaka including the offices of leading newspapers Prothom Alo and the Daily Star.Critics accuse the publications of favouring neighbouring India, where Bangladesh’s ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina has taken refuge since fleeing Dhaka in the wake of the 2024 uprising.Rights group Amnesty International on Saturday urged Bangladesh’s interim government to carry out “prompt, thorough, independent and impartial” investigations into Hadi’s killing and the violence that followed.It also expressed alarm over the lynching of Hindu garment worker Dipu Chandra Das following allegations of blasphemy.Yunus said seven suspects had been arrested in connection with Das’s killing in the central district of Mymensingh on Thursday. 

Hardik Pandya led India’s batting assault with his 16-ball 50 to set up a 30-run win over South Africa and clinch the series 3-1 in the fifth T20 on Friday.A punishing 105-run fourth partnership between Pandya, who hammered 63 off off 25 balls, and Tilak Varma (73) swept India to 231-5 at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.In reply, South Africa started strongly thanks to a 35-ball 65 by Quinton de Kock, who played his 100th T20 for the national team, but the opener’s departure triggered a collapse and the Proteas ended on 201-8.The win sealed India’s eighth consecutive T20 series triumph, a streak that began in December 2023.”From the start of the series, we wanted to stick to a particular brand of cricket and we did exactly that,” said India skipper Suryakumar Yadav.”We wanted to express ourselves in all departments and the results are right there in front of everyone.”South Africa began the tour with a stunning 2-0 triumph in the Test series but the white ball contests proved disappointing as they also lost the one-day series 2-1.Pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah returned figures of 2-17 including the key wicket of De Kock who chipped a yorker straight back to him.Spinner Varun Chakravarthy took four wickets, bowling Donovan Ferreira and George Linde. He returned with 10 wickets in four matches to be named player of the series.The series was part of the build-up for the T20 World Cup which starts in February in India and Sri Lanka.Put in to bat after the fourth match was abandoned due to fog in Lucknow, Indian openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma started briskly before Pandya tore into the opposition attack.Seam bowler Corbin Bosch cut short left-handed Abhishek’s knock on 34 and Samson fell for 37, bowled off left-arm spinner Linde.- Suryakumar’s batting flop -India lost their third wicket when Suryakumar got out for five to extend his lean run with the bat.T20 specialist Suryakumar has managed just 244 runs across his last 22 innings in this format with no fifties.”Only thing is we couldn’t find Surya the batter, I think he’s missing somewhere,” said Suryakumar. “But he’ll come back strong.”Pandya walked in and smacked Bosch for a six to signal his intent with the bat and in the next over hammered Linde for two sixes and two fours and was named player of the match.The middle-order batter registered India’s second fastest T20 fifty, behind Yuvraj Singh’s record 12-ball half-century in 2007.The left-handed Varma also impressed with his clean hitting but Pandya’s carnage that included five fours and five sixes stole the show.Pandya finally fell to Ottneil Baartman and Varma got run out on the penultimate ball but the pair helped India add 116 runs from the last eight overs.Vice-captain Shubman Gill missed the match after he injured his right foot while batting in the nets in Lucknow.In the South African chase, De Kock’s 51-run second-wicket partnership with Dewald Brevis, who made 31 off 17 balls, gave the Proteas hope but regular wickets and a rising asking-rate proved too much.”230 was always gonna require a near-to-perfect chase,” said South Africa skipper Aiden Markram. “Top three set it up, middle-order couldn’t take it forward. But these lessons could prove to be very valuable looking ahead to the World Cup.”

The International Monetary Fund said Friday that its board has approved $206 million in emergency financing for Sri Lanka, to help in the country’s recovery from the devastating Cyclone Ditwah.The natural disaster killed more than 640 people, and affected more than 10 percent of Sri Lanka’s population. Floods and landslides caused by the cyclone left extensive damage throughout the South Asian island nation.”The disaster has created urgent humanitarian and reconstruction needs, generating significant fiscal pressures and balance-of-payments needs,” IMF deputy managing director Kenji Okamura said in a statement.The IMF’s emergency aid — which comes under the Washington-based lender’s rapid financing instrument — is meant to help address these pressures, he added.The announcement comes a day after Sri Lanka’s government unveiled plans for $1.6 billion in additional spending next year to fund cyclone recovery.While it is still early for a firm assessment, the fund’s mission chief for Sri Lanka, Evan Papageorgiou, flagged a likely hit to economic activity in the short-term.”Agriculture and tourism are key sectors in Sri Lanka’s growth and are being hit the hardest,” he told reporters in a briefing.”Inflation is likely to rise due to supply disruptions, and the current account deficit will likely widen over the next year,” he added.The government had also secured a World Bank agreement to repurpose $120 million from an ongoing project for disaster recovery spending.Separately, it got a $200 million loan from the Asian Development Bank to finance water management, the first such funding since the cyclone.The IMF said Friday that Sri Lankan authorities are still committed to their economic reform program aided by support of around $3 billion.A further tranche of this rescue package known as the Extended Fund Facility was coming up when the cyclone hit.The IMF said it has deferred the fifth review of the package, with a team set to visit Sri Lanka in early 2026 to resume discussions. It noted this deferment took place due to the time needed to assess the cyclone’s economic impact and examine how an IMF-supported program can best support Sri Lanka’s recovery and reconstruction efforts — while preserving policy priorities.