Jan 7 (NW) Ministry of Transport and Highways says tenders have been invited for the construction of the Central Expressway up to the Rambukkana-Galagedara section. In November last year, Govt announced that it had decided to commence the construction of the Rambukkana-Galagedara section of the Central Expressway Phase III using domestic funds. Presenting the 2026 Budget proposal to Parliament, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said it has been proposed to commence more..

Jan 7 (AD) Minister of Justice and National Integration, Harshana Nanayakkara, has stated that once the Parliamentary Pensions (Repeal) Bill, which seeks to repeal the Parliamentary Pensions Law, is enacted, no Member of Parliament will be entitled to receive a pension. The First Reading of the Bill seeking to repeal parliamentary pensions was held in Parliament today. Minister commented further: “Following the Second and Third Readings, this Bill will be passed into law, more..

Jan 7 (DM) The programme to provide compensation for fully damaged houses and to construct new homes for families affected by the disaster will commence on January 9 in A'pura and Kurunegala, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said. Prez made these remarks while participating in the second meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Finance, Planning & Economic Development of the 10th Parliament, more..

Jan 7 (Island) SJB MP Gayantha Karunathilaka yesterday urged Parliament to assign the chairmanship of the proposed Special Committee to investigate the lack of preparedness for Cyclone Ditwah to an Opposition MP. Raising the matter in the House, Karunathilaka also called for a revision of the committee’s composition, stressing the need for greater Opposition representation. He noted that a formal written request, signed by several MPs, had already been submitted to the Speaker more..

Jan 7 (AD) Opposition MPs have commenced signing a no-confidence motion against Minister of Education Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. A discussion in this regard commenced this morning under the auspices of Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa at the opposition leader’s office in Parliament. According to members of the opposition, no-confidence motion is being planned due to several shortcomings in the current govt’s education reforms, including content deemed more..

Jan 7 (DM) The printing of vehicle number plates, delayed for over eight months, is expected to delay a further three months, with the backlog now approaching 200,000 vehicles since March last year. The delay has created a crisis on the roads, with industry sources estimating that over 200,000 vehicles are currently operating without govt-issued number plates, raising concerns over safety and security especially at a time more..

Jan 7 (AD) The Govt of SL has signed a grant agreement valued at EUR 8 million with the European Union to launch a new initiative under the AgriGreen Initiative – Green Economic Growth through Sustainable Agriculture Practices project. The grant, provided by the European Union, will support a project jointly developed by the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure as lead-Ministry, Rubber Development Department and Rubber Research Institute of SL, more..

Jan 7 (AD) Steps have been taken to prepare a code of guidelines on cyber security for officials involved in curriculum development, as well as the preparation and review of school textbooks. A discussion in this regard was held yesterday at Temple Trees under the patronage of PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, with the participation of the working group on online safety, digital wellbeing, and cyber security operating under the Task Force for the Digitalization of Education for Grades 6 to 13. more..

Jan 7 (CT) The Cabinet of Ministers approved a National Strategic Action Plan to Combat and Prevent Trafficking in Human Beings for the period 2026–2030, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said yesterday (6). He said that Sri Lanka is a signatory to and has ratified the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in Persons, particularly targeting protection of women & children. more..

Jan 7 (CT) Ministerial Consultative Committee on Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources has approved, on 6 Jan, a set of new regulations under the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act and the Fishermen’s Pension and Social Security Benefit Scheme Act, paving the way for their presentation to Parliament. The decision was taken at a committee meeting held at Parliament on 5 Jan, chaired by Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar, with the participation of Dy Minister Ratna Gamage. more..

Jan 7 (EN) SL Customs has set a revenue target of 2,207 billion rupees for this year, 13.5% less than last year as it expects a significant decline in car imports. The Customs collected 2,551 billion rupees in revenues in 2025, higher than its revised target of 2,241 billion rupees for the year. However, the target for this year has been around 344 billion rupees lower than last year. Customs revenue jumped 64% last year compared to more..

Jan 7 (TM) Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala told Parliament today that investigations have uncovered information suggesting that Pulasthini Mahendran, also known as Sarah Jasmine and connected to the 2019 Easter attacks, is still alive. Minister stated that there is currently no evidence to indicate that Sarah Jasmine is in India. He also emphasized that the Govt is prepared to seek a warrant for her arrest if necessary. Minister confirmed that investigations into more..

Jan 7 (DM) My dear PM and Opposition Members, To the Opposition - It is with a certain sense of humour that I have been patiently watching your remarks before the media in recent days, as well as in Parliament, where collectively you have been calling for the resignation of PM Harini Amarasuriya over the mess up in the Grade Six English Language module. This is indeed a grave issue, especially since PM Amarasuriya is an educated scholar who was entrusted with the Education Ministry. more..

~Jan 7 (Island) Chairman of the CoPF, MP Dr. Harsha de Silva, told Parliament yesterday that Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake had personally telephoned him in response to a letter highlighting the prolonged delay in appointing an Auditor General, a vacancy that has remained unfilled since 07 Dec. Dr. de Silva said the Prez had contacted him following the letter he sent, in his capacity as CoPF Chairman, more..

Jan 7 (FT) A new study by Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) has revealed the extent and nature of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) experienced by SL female migrant domestic workers in the Middle East. The research underscores the urgent need for stronger protection frameworks to safeguard this vulnerable group and reduce their exposure to exploitation and abuse. Study, titled: Empirical evidence on sexual and gender based violence faced by migrant female domestic workers, more..

Jan 7 (ST) Thisuri Wanniarachchi won the State Literary Award for Best English Novel at just 16 with her first book Colombo Streets. Her new book The Department of Chosen Ones is an eye-opening insider’s account of how power truly operates inside the SL state set against SL’s recent political upheavals. Published by Vijitha Yapa Publications, the book traces Thisuri’s journey from a childhood shaped by war and ambition to the centre of govt, where she served in more..

Jan 7 (NW) A SL passenger carrying a consignment of Kush‑type narcotics valued at around Rs. 700 million was arrested at BIA. The arrest was made this morning by officials of the Customs Narcotics Control Unit while the suspect attempted to take the drugs out through the airport’s Green Channel. The suspect is a 24‑year‑old businessman from Ja‑Ela, who operates a tourist hotel in Kudapaduwa, Negombo. He had brought the narcotics from Bangkok, Thailand, to New Delhi, India, more..

Jan 7 (DM) The newly established sperm bank at the Castle Street Hospital for Women in Colombo has received an adequate supply of sperm donations to meet current demand and therefore, prospective donors are requested to be patient until further notice, hospital authorities said. Hospital Director Dr. Ajith Kumara Danthanarayana said that the facility has already received sufficient donations and will call for additional donors only if and when the need arises. more..

Jan 7 (AD) U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung will depart Colombo on January 16 after almost four years of dedicated service, marking the conclusion of her tenure as the United States’ top diplomat in the country, according to the U.S. Embassy in SL. Ambassador Julie Chung commenced her tenure in Colombo in Feb 2022. “I have loved every moment of my time in Sri Lanka,” said Ambassador Chung. more..

Jan 7 (AD) A seaplane that was preparing to land plunged into Gregory Lake in Nuwara Eliya at around 12:30 p.m. today. The two pilots on board were injured in the crash and were admitted to the Nuwara Eliya District Hospital. Police stated that the aircraft met with the accident while it had arrived to transport a group of tourists visiting Nuwara Eliya. The two pilots were rescued from the reservoir by individuals engaged in boat rides on the lake. Cinnamon Air said it is working closely with more..

Jan 7 (AD) Sri Lanka and Germany have entered into a bilateral agreement in relation to the external debt restructuring process, Ministry of Finance said. The agreement marks a significant milestone and reflects SL govt’s continued commitment to conclude the debt restructuring process successfully in order to restore debt sustainability and revamp the economy, the Ministry added. Following bilateral discussions after the conclusion of the MoU with the Official Creditor Committee (OCC), more..

Jan 7 (EN) SL’s stock market was closed with all deals cancelled after an error trade on shares of Wealth Trust Securities, which debuted on Wednesday. “Based on the request made by industry participants and to ensure a fair and orderly market the CSE in consultation with the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) has decided to close the market for the day,” CSE said. “As notified earlier CSE has cancelled all orders and more..

Jan 7 (EN) Wealth Trust Securities says the error share trade on its debut on the Colombo Stock Exchange had nothing to do with the firm or its pre-IPO shareholders. “The Company further confirms that no shares have been sold by pre-IPO shareholders in the market,” firm said. “There is no impact on the Company’s fundamentals, operations, or previously disclosed information.” “We urge the Capital Market Regulatory Authorities to investigate and act on this incident to ensure more..

Jan 7 (DM) The Education Ministry has informed all national school principals of the release of transfer orders under the 2025 Annual/Compulsory National School Teacher Transfer scheme and outlined the procedure for submitting appeals, Ministry Secretary said. According to a notification issued by Additional Secretary (Teachers’ Institutions) A.J.S.S. Edirisuriya, transfer orders for teachers in the Primary (General) subject category will be made available online from Jan 6. more..

Jan 7 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his 2026 New Year message stated, “We can collectively recreate a country far better than the one we inherited.” It is a powerful and hopeful statement, one that resonates deeply with a nation repeatedly tested by economic collapse, governance failures, and now yet another natural disaster. The real question is not whether we can rebuild SL better. The question is whether we are learning from past mistakes and rebuilding in the right way, more..

Jan 7 (FT) The United States Govt launched its final assault on Native Americans in the area around Wounded Knee Creek, a tributary of the White River in South Dakota. In December 1890, the US army massacred around 300 Lakota people, many of them women and children, ending Native American resistance to land-grabbing and forced assimilation. With First Nation resistance crushed, the US Census Bureau declared that there was no longer a land frontier to conquer. more..

Jan 7 (TM) The Opposition is likely to commence preparing a no-confidence motion (NCM) against the Minister of Education PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, in connection with her alleged responsibility regarding the error in the Grade Six English language module prepared by the National Institute of Education (NIE), it is learnt. According to SJB MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Opposition will commence collecting MPs' signatures for more..

Jan 7 (TM) Education Ministry has stated that changes to the Grade Six English language module, which was found to contain a reference to an inappropriate website, can be carried out before 22 January, when education reforms are due to commence. Ministry Secretary, Nalaka Kaluwewa said that the State Printing Corporation (SPC) has informed the Ministry that whatever changes are proposed could be implemented within that time frame. He said that several options more..

Jan 7 (CT) The annual St. Anthony’s Festival at Katchatheevu Church is scheduled to take place on 27 Feb 2026. The initial preparatory meeting for the festival was held yesterday at the Neduntheevu DS. The meeting, chaired by Neduntheevu Divisional Secretary N. Prabhakaran, was attended by the Neduntheevu Naval Command Officer and officials from the Divisional Secretariat. During the discussion, officials reviewed issues from last year’s festival, focusing on addressing the difficulties more..

Jan 7 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday reviewed the progress of the national anti-narcotics drive at the third meeting of the A Nation United National Steering Council, a body set up to coordinate efforts to eradicate drug abuse in the country. Addressing the Council, the Prez noted that just as the country’s physical development is important, wellbeing and stability of society are equally vital, and that more..

Jan 7 (DM) Cabinet has approved proposals to expand advanced diagnostic services and hemodialysis facilities in govt hospitals through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mechanisms, subject to performance-based payment schemes. Demand for advanced diagnostic services within public health system has increased significantly due to the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases and the expansion of comprehensive healthcare services at all levels. more..

Jan 7 (FT) Cabinet of Ministers at their first meeting for 2026 held on Monday approved calling for expressions of interest (EOIs) from investors to lease 24 identified bungalows and houses under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, aiming to ensure more productive and economically viable use of underutilised State assets. The selected properties will be offered on a 30-year lease basis, with the Government noting that the process will be carried out without creating social concerns. more..