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...
News Room : NPP Cabinet Doesn’t Understand Collective Responsibility: Thalatha Atukorale
United National Party (UNP) General Secretary Thalatha Atukorale has accused the government’s Cabinet of failing to uphold collective responsibility, citing contradictory responses by Prime Minister Harini and Minister Wasanta Samarasinghe in Parliament regarding the SupremeSAT-1 satellite project. Speaking at a media briefing at the UNP political office on Flower Road, Colombo, Atukorale said Article 43(2) of the Constitution clearly states...
News Room : Passport Rule to End Ella Train Ticket Scam Receives Public Praise
The Sri Lanka Railway Department has made it mandatory for foreign tourists booking train tickets to Ella to provide their passport numbers, in a decisive move to dismantle a long-running ticket reselling racket on the scenic Udarata Menike and Podi Menike routes. These trains, especially the stretch between Nanu Oya and Ella, are among Sri Lanka’s most sought-after journeys for...
News Room : PM Confused by Commas or Misled Over ‘Chichi’s Rocket’ Revenue?
A serious discrepancy has emerged in the revenue figures regarding the SupremeSAT-1 satellite, popularly known as “Chichi’s Rocket”, raising questions over whether she was misled by officials or genuinely confused by formatting errors. These figures were presented to Parliament by PM Harini Amarasuriya on 6 August. On 6 August, the Prime Minister stated that Sri Lanka had earned Rs. 343,909...
News Room : Henry takes five again as returning Taylor can’t inspire insipid Zimbabwe
Matt Henry’s sixth Test five-for eclipsed Brendan Taylor’s international comeback, and entrenched questions over Zimbzbwe’s batting in the longest format. Zimbabwe were bowled out for their lowest total in nine innings, and second-lowest since 2023, with Taylor’s 44 and Tafadzwa Tsiga’s 33 the only individual scores over 11. That Taylor and Tsiga never batted together further underlines the issue,...
News Room : Further Reports Ordered in Case Against Monk Accused of Sexually Abusing 11-Year-Old Novice
The case against a chief monk and his brother, accused of drugging an 11-year-old novice monk and committing aggravated sexual abuse, was ordered to be recalled on 29 October. Hingurakgoda Magistrate Duminda Prashasthi Karunaratna also ordered the Polonnaruwa Divisional Crimes Investigation Unit to submit to the court the Government Analyst’s report on several call recordings. These recordings allegedly capture the...
News Room : Showers will occur in the Western, Uva and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Nuwara-Eliya, Kandy, Ampara, Batticaloa, Mullativu, Galle and Matara districts
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 07 AUGUST 2025 Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 07 August 2025 by the Department of Meteorology A few showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Nuwara-Eliya, Kandy, Galle and Matara districts while showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Uva province and in Batticaloa, Ampara and Mullaittivu districts after 1.00...