News
Lanka classified “Difficult” in Global Press Freedom rankings
Sri Lanka has been ranked 139 out of 180 countries in the RSF World Press Freedom Index 2025, ranking among countries where the conditions for practising journalism are “difficult” or “very serious”.
According to the Index, however, Sri Lanka has improved from last year’s ranking of 150.
Norway and Estonia lead the RSF World Press Freedom Index 2025 with good conditions, while China, North Korea, and Eritrea are the countries that have reported the worst decline in press freedom.
The Index indicates that although physical attacks against journalists are the most visible violations of press freedom, economic pressure is also a major, more insidious problem.
The economic indicator on the RSF World Press Freedom Index now stands at an unprecedented, critical low as its decline continued in 2025.
As a result, the global state of press freedom is now classified as a “difficult situation” for the first time in the history of the Index.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished bys the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to extend Visas of those unable to leave Sri Lanka due to the
cancellation of flights to the Middle East from 28.02.2026 for another 14 days without any payments and re-extend the extended Visas for another 14 days without payments if the flights cancellations continue.
Taking into consideration the resolution furnished by the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Council, and Local Government, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided to appoint Sunil Galagama, a Special Grade Officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service, who is currently serving as an Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, as the District Secretary to Badulla Administrative District with immediate effect.
The Cabinet of Ministers, taking into consideration the resolution furnished by the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Council, and Local Government, have decided to appoint Anupama Mangala Wickramaarachchi, a special grade officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service, who is serving as the Additional Commissioner General of Agrarian Development of the Department of the Agrarian Development at present, as the District Secretary , Ampara Administrative district with immediate effect.
Cabinet approves 14 day Visa extension
Sunil Galagama appointed as District Secretary Badulla
Anupama Mangala Wickramaarachchi appointed District Secretary Ampara
Committee on Economic Surveillance to be established
Cabinet nod to include the National Savings Bank for the Interest-Free Loan Scheme for Students
Nepal election 2026: Counting continues with rapper Balendra Shah’s party close to super-majority
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News5 days agoUniversity of Wolverhampton confirms Ranil was officially invited
-
News6 days agoLegal experts decry move to demolish STC dining hall
-
News5 days agoFemale lawyer given 12 years RI for preparing forged deeds for Borella land
-
News4 days agoPeradeniya Uni issues alert over leopards in its premises
-
Business6 days agoCabinet nod for the removal of Cess tax imposed on imported good
-
News5 days agoLibrary crisis hits Pera university
-
News2 days agoRepatriation of Iranian naval personnel Sri Lanka’s call: Washington
-
Business7 days agoDialog partners with Ratmalana Audiology Centre for World Hearing Day 2026