News Room : Priyantha Weerasooriya Approved as 37th IGP
The Constitutional Council has approved President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s proposal to appoint Priyantha Weerasooriya as the 37th Inspector General of Police (IGP). Weerasooriya was first appointed Acting IGP on 27 September 2024, filling the position that had been vacant for nearly three months following a Supreme Court interim injunction preventing Deshabandu Tennakoon from holding the post. Tennakoon was dismissed earlier...
News Room : Govt Outlines Conditions for Cannabis Cultivation Approval
Cabinet Spokesperson Nalinda Jayatissa today confirmed that seven foreign investors have been granted approval to cultivate cannabis exclusively for export, under strict government regulation. The announcement was made at the weekly Cabinet media briefing, marking the first time such a project will be implemented in the country. Jayatissa said the approval was first granted in April 2024 by former State...
News Room : Govt Dares Rohitha Rajapaksa to Reveal the Truth about SupremeSAT
Cabinet Spokesperson Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding the “SupremeSAT” satellite—widely dubbed “Chichi’s Rocket” on social media—during today’s (12) weekly Cabinet media briefing. He provided detailed clarifications on the satellite’s status, the company’s financial records, and dismissed allegations of internal government conflicts. He was responding to a query of a journalist. Dr. Jayatissa explained that the Prime Minister’s recent...
News Room : Former PS Member Dies After Meegoda Shooting
A former member of the Homagama Pradeshiya Sabha succumbed to his injuries today after being shot in Meegoda earlier in the day, police confirmed. The 46-year-old councillor was rushed to hospital following the shooting but unfortunately passed away while receiving medical treatment. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, and no further details have been released at this time.
News Room : SJB Submits NCM Against Dy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara
The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has formally submitted a no-confidence motion against Deputy Minister of Defence Major General (Retd) Aruna Jayasekara to the Speaker of the House, officials confirmed today. The motion accuses Jayasekara of failing to take appropriate action during his tenure as the Security Forces Commander in the Eastern Province, the region where the chain of events leading...
News Room : Colombo Magistrate’s Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Rajitha Senaratne
The Colombo Magistrate’s Court today (12) issued an arrest warrant against former Minister Rajitha Senaratne after the Bribery Commission informed the court that Senaratne has been evading summons and refusing to record his statement in connection with an ongoing investigation. The investigation concerns allegations that Senaratne caused a loss exceeding Rs. 26.2 million to the government by awarding a sand...
News Room : Steep decline in Dhamma school attendance
There has been a steep decline in Dhamma school attendance, with nearly 2.2 million students having discontinued their Dhamma education, says Deputy Minister Gamagedara Dissanayake. Statistics reveal that close to 2.2 million students in Sri Lanka have discontinued their education in Dhamma schools, Deputy Minister Gamagedara Dissanayake told The Island. While around four million students attend 10,096 government schools, approximately...
News Room : No-faith motion against Deputy Defence Minister to be handed over today – The Island
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake chaired a meeting on Monday (11) morning at the Presidential Secretariat to review projects implemented under the 2025 budget allocations for the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, and to discuss budget proposals for 2026. The President held separate discussions with officials on agriculture, livestock, land and irrigation, issuing directives to expedite the resolution of...
News Room : SLPP Files Petition Challenging Bill to Slash Ex-Presidents’ Privileges
A petition has been filed by the SLPP member before the Supreme Court challenging the government’s bill seeking to revoke privileges granted to former Presidents. The petition was submitted by Renuka Perera, Administrative Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), with the Attorney General named as the respondent. The petitioner stated that the government had presented this bill to Parliament...
News Room : Sri Lanka Railways Installs CCTV to Curb Elephant-Train Collisions
The Sri Lanka Railways Department has launched a new initiative to reduce the growing number of elephant-train collisions, installing 24-hour CCTV systems at high-risk elephant crossing points along key railway lines. The solar-powered cameras, operational since two months ago, have been placed in areas regularly used by wild elephants, including near the Ambalakanda railway tunnel, and in the Gal Oya...