President arrives at Parliament

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake arrived at Parliament a short while ago to deliver the government’s Policy Statement during the ceremonial sitting of the first session of the 10th Parliament.

Sajith Premadasa accepted as Opposition Leader

Speaker Dr. Ashoka Sapumal Ranwala informed Parliament that nomination of Sajith Premadasa, leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), has been accepted as the Opposition Leader of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka.

Parliament adjourned until 11:30 a.m.

Parliament adjourned until 11:30 a.m., and the Speaker requested one representative from each political party that contested the election to attend a party leaders’ meeting in his official room.

Mohammed Rizvi Sally elected as deputy speaker

NPP MP Mohammed Rizvi Sally was elected Deputy Speaker following a proposal by MP Nalinda Jayatissa, seconded by MP Saroja Savithri Paulraj.

Elected MPs sworn in

The swearing-in ceremony of newly elected Members of Parliament (MPs) took place at the 10th Parliament today.

Ashoka Sapumal Ranwala elected as new Speaker

National People’s Power (NPP) Gampaha MP Dr. Ashoka Sapumal Ranwala was elected as the Speaker of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka a short while ago.

10th parliament session commences

The ceremonial opening of the tenth Parliament commenced a short while ago marking a significant change after more than half a century.

Half of child population may be nearsighted by 2050 due to screen use

Thirty percent of children are nearsighted due to prolonged use of digital screens, and the World Health Organisation predicts that this figure will rise to 50 percent by 2050, Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital (LRH) Ophthalmologist Dr. Anusha Thennekumbura said.

Appointment of PM and Cabinet before Parliament meets is constitutional- Saliya Pieris PC

Former President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), Saliya Pieris, PC, stated that there is no basis for claims made by certain factions that the Prime Minister and Cabinet could not have been sworn in prior to the meeting of Parliament, rendering their appointments legally invalid.

Ceremonial opening of 10th Parliament to go down in the history

The ceremonial opening of the tenth Parliament today will go down in history for a number of reasons as it is set to be different after more than a half a century.

Man gunned down in Dikwella

A 48-year-old man riding a motorcycle was shot dead in Walasgala, Dikwella, this morning.

U.S. indicts Indian billionaire Gautam Adani in $265 million bribery scheme

An Indian businessman who is one of the world’s richest people has been indicted in the U.S. on charges he duped investors by concealing that his company’s huge solar energy project on the subcontinent was being facilitated by an alleged $265 million bribery scheme.

10 arrested with 160kg of narcotics

Ten suspects have been arrested in Gandara, Matara with 160 kg of crystal methamphetamine (ICE) and 60 kg of heroin by the Matara Divisional Crimes Detective Bureau (DCDB).

SL targets US $ 36bn in annual exports by 2029

The government has set its sights on an ambitious annual export revenue target of US $ 36 billion to be achieved by 2029, according to the Export Development Board (EDB).

Former CB Governor confident of IMF review completion by February

Senior Economist and former Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy expressed optimism about the completion of the third review of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package by mid-February next year, as stipulated by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

CEB reports turnaround performance in 3Q despite tariff cuts

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) reported a turnaround performance in the three months through September 2024, at both top and bottom-line levels, as the state-owned power behemoth turned to black, helped by the repeatedly raised tariffs in the last two years, despite the cuts to power tariffs earlier in the quarter.

Katkolam Army Camp land in North disbanded

In a move under the Army’s restructuring plan, an 8-acre land of the Katkolam Army camp in the north will be returned to civilians, the Army said.

’I am eligible for national list slot’: Hirunika

Hirunika Premachandra said today that she is eligible for the National List slot in the event the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) decides to allocate one of its five slots to a woman.

Vietnamese women indulging in the ‘oldest profession’ nabbed by Immigration sleuths

A group of Vietnamese women engaged in running two high end brothels in Colombo by charging up to Rs.35,000 to 50, 000 from their clients were taken into custody by the Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) today.

A/L exams cannot be postponed, all preparations finalised: Ministry

Despite requests from several parties to postpone the 2024 GCE Advanced Level (A/L) examinations, the Education Ministry announced today that it cannot be delayed, as all preparations have been finalised to conduct the exams as scheduled.

Higher priority for education, schools to follow systematic approach: Harini Amarasuriya

According to the new government policies, higher priority has been given to education, and school education should be implemented in a proper, systematic manner and according to a well-defined schedule, Education Minister Harini Amarasuriya said.

Government to import 70,000 tonnes of Nadu rice

The government has decided to import Nadu rice subject to maximum of 70,000 tonnes as a solution to the shortage of rice in the market, Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe said today.

Information desk for fresh Members of Parliament concludes successfully

The Information Desk set up for the newly elected Members of Parliament for the inaugural sitting of the First Session of the Tenth Parliament, held at the Parliamentary Complex yesterday (19) and today (20), concluded successfully.

Pilleyan leaves CID after giving 5-hour long statement

Former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, also known as Pilleyan, left the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) a short while ago after giving a 5-hour long statement about the controversial Channel 4 documentary on the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks in Sri Lanka.

Low pressure area likely to form over southeast Bay of Bengal by Saturday

A low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeast Bay of Bengal around Saturday (23) and is likely to intensify into a depression over southwest Bay of Bengal during the two days, the Meteorological Department said.

Israeli PM Netanyahu offers $5m reward for captives freed from Gaza

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said $5m will be given as a reward for each captive released from Gaza and those that help free Israelis held by Hamas will be given a way out of the war-torn Palestinian territory.

Schoolboy dies following earth slip in Medamahanuwara, two injured

A 16-year-old schoolboy, who was trapped under a mound of earth after an earthslip, died after being rescued early this morning.

X-Press Feeders hits out at long-term detention of master in Sri Lanka

X-Press Feeders has hit out at the “bureaucratic and legal hurdles” that have caused severe delays in the case of the X-Press Pearl, a boxship that caught fire in 2021 causing one of Sri Lanka’s worst-ever environmental disasters. The master of the ship has not been able to leave the Asian island for the past 1,280 days.

Probe underway into death of pregnant woman at Mannar Hospital

The Ministry of Health has initiated an investigation into the tragic death of a pregnant woman and her unborn child at the Mannar District General Hospital.

Mahinda Siriwardana assumes duties as treasury secretary

K M Mahinda Siriwardana assumed duties as the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development today.