Business
Lions Club 306 B2 help establish 160-bed Ayurvedic Covid-19 wards

Two Ayurveda Covid-19 treatment centres in Borella and Kanduboda were recently established by the Lions District 306 B2 in collaboration with the State Ministry of Indigenous Medicine. The two centres named, ‘Suwasetha Arana’ and funded by a special Lions’ fund-raising programme titled, ‘Oba Wenuwen Api’ provided 160 beds for the treatment of patients infected with Covid-19.
“The facilities help in the treatment of Covid-19 patients as well as the protection of hospital medical staff from the effects of the pandemic,” said Lion Indhra Kaushal Rajapaksa, District Governor of Lions District 306 B2. “We have provided beds, medical equipment and consumables worth Rs. 2.8 million.”
The Lions of District 306 B2 are currently working to establish a training workshop for the Sandagala Special Needs School in Uhumeeya, Kurunegala. This school has 150 students with visual and hearing impairments. The training workshop will assist these children to overcome their disabilities and effectively contribute to society. The project is expected to cost around Rs. 3.1 million.
State Minister of Indigenous Medicine, Sisira Jayakody commenting on the initiative said, “This is a great gesture by the Lions of District 306 B2 and I thank them very much for coming forward to help the people during the pandemic. Numerous service organisations, business organisations and individuals have risen to the occasion and assisted the government to grant speedy and effective relief to those infected by the Covid-19 virus and to protect the frontline workers and especially the health workers. We are very grateful to the Lions for coming forward to assist the Indigenous Medicine Ministry.”
Rajapaksa continued, “Our motto is, ‘We Serve’. We help the people when there is a need. District 306 B2 is engaged in humanitarian work from Colombo to Medawachchiya. We have already completed 2,576 service projects and served 3,226,955 people since July 2021. As Lions, we mainly serve in the areas of Vision, Hunger, Environment, Childhood Cancer, Diabetes, and Service for Children. However, we are not limited to these and also provide services in other segments.”
“I thank the Health and Wellness Team of District 306 B2 for their commitment in speedily implementing the ‘Suwasetha Arana’ intermediate treatment centre project,” Rajapaksa concluded. END.
Business
Stealer malware leaked over 2 million bank cards

Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence estimates that 2.3 million bank cards were leaked on the dark web, based on an analysis of data-stealing malware log files from 2023-2024. On average, every 14th infostealer infection results in stolen credit card information, with nearly 26 million devices compromised by infostealers, including more than 9 million in 2024 alone. Kaspersky released its report on the infostealer threat landscape while the technology world gathers at MWC 2025 in Barcelona.
Kaspersky experts estimate that approximately 2,300,000 bank cards have been leaked on the dark web. This conclusion is based on an analysis of the log files from data-stealing malware, dated 2023-2024, that were leaked on the dark web market. While globally the share of leaked cards is well below one percent, 95% of the observed numbers appear technically valid.
Infostealer malware is not only designed to extract financial information, but also credentials, cookies and other valuable user data, which is compiled into log files and then distributed within the dark web underground community. An infostealer can infect a device if a victim unknowingly downloads and runs a malicious file, for example one disguised as legitimate software, such as a game cheat. It can be spread through phishing links, compromised websites, malicious attachments in emails or messengers and various other methods. It targets both personal and corporate devices.
On average, every 14th infostealer infection results in stolen credit card information. Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence experts found that nearly 26 million devices running Windows were infected with various types of infostealers in the past two years.
“The actual number of infected devices is even higher. Cybercriminals often leak stolen data in the form of log files months or even years after the initial infection, and compromised credentials and other information continue to surface on the dark web over time. Therefore, the more time passes, the more infections from previous years we observe. We forecast the total number of devices infected with infostealer malware in 2024 to be between 20 million and 25 million, while for 2023, the estimate ranges between 18 million and 22 million,” says Sergey Shcherbel, expert at Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence.
In 2024, Redline remained the most widespread infostealer, accounting for 34% of the total number of infections.
The most significant surge in 2024 was in infections caused by Risepro, whose share of total infections increased from 1.4% in 2023 to almost 23% in 2024. “RisePro is a growing threat. It was first discovered two years ago but seems to be gaining momentum. The stealer primarily targets banking card details, passwords and cryptocurrency wallet data, and may be spreading under the guise of key generators, cracks for various software and game mods,” explains Sergey Shcherbel. Another rapidly growing stealer is Stealc, which first appeared in 2023 and increased its share from nearly 3% to 13%.
Business
UTE Delivers Sri Lanka’s Largest Cat D8 Tractor to NEM Construction

Caterpillar equipment dealer UTE has delivered the country’s largest Cat D8 Track-Type Tractor to NEM Construction Pvt. Ltd., marking a significant milestone in heavy machinery. This delivery strengthens the long-standing partnership between UTE and NEM Construction, which spans over 45 years. The Cat D8 is expected to boost operational efficiency in large-scale projects. As the sole authorized dealer for Caterpillar in Sri Lanka, UTE continues to provide top-tier machinery and after-sales support. The handover is particularly notable as Caterpillar celebrates its 100th anniversary. NEM Construction’s Chairman, Raja Nanayakkara, praised the Cat D8’s superior performance and UTE’s unmatched service and parts support, which have been key to the company’s long-term collaboration. This purchase highlights the continued trust in both Caterpillar and UTE’s expertise in supporting Sri Lanka’s construction industry.
Business
ComBank’s 2023 Annual Report tops Banking sector at ACCA Sustainability Reporting Awards

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon’s prowess in comprehensive disclosure of sustainability-related information to stakeholders has won its 2023 Annual Report two top awards at the 2025 Sustainability Reporting Awards presented by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
The Bank was adjudged the overall runner-up and the winner in the Banking category at these awards, repeating the achievement of its 2022 Annual Report which was similarly honoured by the ACCA last year.
The ACCA Sustainability Reporting Awards recognise Annual Reports that clearly acknowledge and explain the economic, environmental and social impacts of the business to internal and external stakeholders, demonstrating the organisation’s policies, targets and long-term objectives towards the goal of sustainable development.
Commercial Bank’s 2023 Annual Report also won two Golds, a Silver and a Bronze at CA Sri Lanka’s ‘TAGS’ Awards 2024, excelling in the key aspects recognised by the awards programme which is dedicated to Transparency, Accountability, Governance, and Sustainability – TAGS.
The Bank won the Gold for ‘Corporate Governance Disclosure’ in the Financial Services sector, the Gold for the Best Annual Report among the private sector banks, the Silver for ‘Digitally Transformative Reporting’ across all sectors, and the overall Bronze award for Excellence in Corporate Reporting.
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