News

Authorities were forced to use tear gas to bring a tense situation under control at the Pallansena Open-Air Correctional Centre in Dalupotha, Negombo, after a group of inmates launched a protest from the prison roof.

According to reports from the scene, the protesting inmates allegedly threw stones at prison officers during the incident, escalating tensions within the facility.

Security operations at the correctional centre have since been strengthened, with multiple units deployed to manage the situation. Police, the Police Special Task Force (STF), the Police Riot Control Unit, and Sri Lanka Air Force personnel have been mobilised as part of efforts to restore order.

Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation at the facility while further details regarding the cause of the protest are awaited.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has alleged serious irregularities in the recruitment process for Sri Lankan youth seeking employment in Israel, claiming that job seekers are being overcharged through private agencies while official channels remain underused.

He raised the issue yesterday (06) during a meeting with a group of youth staging a peaceful protest at Polduwa Junction over delays and costs linked to overseas job placements.

Addressing the media at the protest, Premadasa said thousands of young Sri Lankans aspired to secure employment abroad in order to earn a stable income and support their families, noting that migrant workers made a significant contribution to the country's foreign exchange earnings an economy.

He referred to the bilateral labour agreement signed between Sri Lanka and Israel in 2023, which had been designed to facilitate 14,000 employment opportunities, and alleged that the recruitment mechanism originally agreed upon had since been altered.

According to Opposition Leader, the original arrangement had envisaged 70 percent of workers being recruited through government channels and 30 percent through private agencies, but claimed that this ratio had been reversed in 2025 and 2026.

Describing the development as a serious fraud, he alleged that applicants recruited through government channels paid around Rs. 400,000, whereas those who went through private foreign employment agencies were charged approximately Rs. 4.5 million, with private agencies said to be earning around US 5,000 dollars for every worker they recruited.

Premadasa said approximately 3,500 qualified applicants were currently awaiting deployment to Israel and pledged to raise the matter in Parliament.

He called on the government to restore the original recruitment ratio of 70 percent through official channels and 30 percent through private agencies, arguing that doing so would ensure greater fairness and ease the financial burden on workers.

He also urged the government to negotiate with Israeli authorities to expand official recruitment channels, enabling more Sri Lankans to access employment opportunities at significantly lower cost, adding that applicants ought to be able to secure such placements by paying Rs. 400,000 rather than Rs. 4.5 million.

Authorities have increased security at Pallansena Prison in Negombo after reports of a tense situation developing inside the facility, police said.

Several police teams have been sent to the area in response to the reported unrest, with officers taking steps to monitor the situation and maintain order.

Police have not yet released further information regarding the nature of the incident or details of those involved.

Further updates are expected as authorities continue to assess the situation at the prison.

A claim that the monthly salary of Members of Parliament has been increased by Rs. 60,000 sparked a heated exchange in Parliament.

Ramanathan Archchuna told the House that an MP's monthly salary now stands at Rs. 484,000. Holding up what he said was his payslip, he criticised the salary increase, questioning why lawmakers' pay could be raised while lower-income public sector employees had not received similar increases.

The remarks prompted an intervention from government MP Upul Kithsiri, who called on Archchuna to confine his speech to the matter under discussion.

In response, Archchuna alleged that he was being treated differently from other members, claiming that others were allowed to speak more freely while he was repeatedly interrupted.

Presiding over the sitting, MP Kithsiri subsequently announced that any statements made by Archchuna in violation of the Standing Orders would be removed from the official parliamentary record.

Archchuna responded by stating that he believed government members would one day be held legally accountable.

India has urged Sri Lanka to hold its long overdue Provincial Council elections without further delay, the Ministry of External Affairs of India said.

The request was made by Indian Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs Vikram Misri during a meeting with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (5), as part of a one day official visit to Colombo.

Alongside his meeting with the President, Misri held discussions with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, and representatives of Tamil political parties.

Bilateral cooperation featured prominently in the talks. India's support for Sri Lanka's recovery following Cyclone Ditwah was discussed alongside a broader range of ongoing initiatives, including energy cooperation, the modernisation of the Kankesanthurai Port, development of Trincomalee as a regional energy hub, and progress on the digital identity project.

The two sides also touched on updating the existing bilateral trade agreement, reflecting efforts to deepen economic ties between the two countries.

Misri concluded his official visit and departed for New Delhi yesterday evening.

SJB MP Rohini Kavirathna has called on the government to immediately establish a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to investigate the emerging controversy surrounding the retirement date of Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena.

Addressing Parliament, Kaviratne alleged that the government is attempting to retain the Chief Justice in office for an additional two years in order to keep a puppet at the helm of the judiciary who can be manipulated at will.

She pointed out that according to an official document issued during the tenure of former Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya—which is currently circulating on social media—Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena was scheduled to retire on 12 January 2026.

She noted that while all other judges mentioned in that document have retired on their due dates, this issue has arisen solely with respect to the Chief Justice.

"Eight vacancies in the higher courts have remained unfilled for seven months. However, by failing to appoint qualified judges, the government is operating on the premise that the law is merely the ruler's will. If this document is false, an immediate investigation must be conducted to reveal the truth to the country," she said.

Meanwhile, NPP MP Nilanthi Kottahachchi raised a strong objection to Rohini Kavirathna’s statement.

She pointed out that under Parliamentary Standing Orders, the conduct, personal affairs, or tenure of judges cannot be debated in Parliament without a formal motion.

Litro Gas Lanka Limited has confirmed that the prices of its domestic LP gas cylinders will remain unchanged throughout August 2026.

The company said it had opted against increasing prices despite pressures from higher international gas prices and ongoing exchange rate challenges, with the decision aimed at easing the burden on consumers.

As a result, customers will continue to pay the current rates during the month.

The price of a 12.5 kg domestic cylinder will remain at Rs. 4,465, while the 5 kg cylinder will continue to be sold at Rs. 1,792. The price of the 2.3 kg cylinder will also stay unchanged at Rs. 835.