Ajith Parakum As Sri Lanka positions itself to become a more connected and technologically advanced nation, the government has endorsed the National Digital Strategy 2030. This strategy outlines a broad and ambitious plan focusing on infrastructure, connectivity, access, skills, literacy, industries, jobs, and the establishment of a connected digital government. The aim is to foster…
Sri Lanka’s Army Commander, Vikum Liyanage, has initiated legal proceedings under the new Online Safety Act against Thushara Saliya Ranawaka, citing a defamatory social media post. The lawsuit, filed in the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court, also targets Google and YouTube for disseminating a video that allegedly slanders Liyanage with accusations of war crimes and corruption….
In a detailed address to the parliament today, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe presented a comprehensive update on the nation’s economic recovery and restructuring efforts, detailing significant strides made since the implementation of stringent economic reforms in mid-2023. President Wickremesinghe began his address by confirming that these reforms have initiated a period of economic growth,…
Sri Lanka is ranked 150 of 180 states in the 2024 World Press Freedom (RSF) Index of the Reporters Sans Borders. In 2023, Sri Lanka ranked 135 of 180 states. RSF says that press freedom issues are closely tied to the civil war that ravaged the island until 2009, and to the still unpunished crimes…
City of Dreams Sri Lanka is an upcoming large-scale entertainment and hotel project. It’s a partnership between Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited and a company listed in Colombo called John Keells Holdings PLC. Together, they are developing this project, which will feature a casino and a hotel. This development, costing about US$1 billion, will be…
To mark the International Day to End Corporal Punishment in 2024, the Cabinet approved amendments to the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code to prohibit corporal punishment in all spheres. Today’s approval paves the way for legal protections to ensure that no child in Sri Lanka suffers physical or mental violence, aligning with our commitment…
Sri Lanka is experiencing a significant demographic shift as the annual number of births declines while deaths increase, reports from the Registrar General’s Department and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) have revealed. This imbalance is expected to impact the nation’s population structure and economic stability. According to the Registrar General’s Department, the annual…
The newly drafted Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), approved by the Cabinet, will enable judicial custody and the confiscation of crime proceeds, and it will establish an authority to manage such seized assets. It is reported that the government plans to present this new law to Parliament next month and aims for its passage. The…
In a recent interview, Senior Journalist K. W. Janaranjana shed light on the long-standing issues surrounding the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), initially enacted as a temporary measure in 1979 in Sri Lanka. Initially promised as a three-month ordinance, the PTA was made permanent in 1982 and has since been a subject of significant controversy….
The government has recently passed many new laws, among which some are favourable to the public while others restrict the rights of the people, said Mr. Dulan Dasanayake, Attorney-at-law, Secretary of the Journalists for Rights trade union, during a press conference held on April 8, 2024, in Colombo. He further stated: “For the first time…
