Sri Lanka has been ranked 95 offering its citizens visa-free access to 44 countries in the world by the latest Henley Passport Index released in October 2024.

According to this year’s rankings, Singapore has been once again named as the world’s most powerful passport with its citizens offered visa-free access to 195 countries.

The Sri Lankan passport has been placed in the 95th position in the index out of 105 countries that have been ranked by the Henley Passport Index for 2024.

The Henley Passport Index released its rankings of the world’s most powerful passports in October 2024 where the rankings are evaluated based on the number of countries each country’s citizens can travel to without a visa, their international agreements and the country’s diplomatic ties.

According to this year’s rankings, Singapore has been once again named as the world’s most powerful passport with its citizens offered visa-free access to 195 countries. Second place has been shared by France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Spain with each country’s passport granting visa-free access to their citizens to 192 countries, based on the latest rankings.

The third most powerful passport in the world providing free entry to its citizens to 191 countries has been shared by Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea and Sweden. The United States of America (USA) has been ranked eighth, offering its citizens visa-free access to 186 countries. India has been ranked 83rd granting visa-free entry to its citizens to 58 countries. Meanwhile, Afghanistan has been placed at the bottom of the latest Henley Passport Index ranked 105 offering only 26 countries visa-free access to its citizens, making it the weakest passport in the world.

For the first time in Sri Lanka, the government is to establish a mechanism to supervise and advice ministries in the implementation of policies, a source said.

A tense situation was reported at the UNP party headquarters in Sirikotha when a group of UNP supporters arrived to hand over a document on reviving the party.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Harsha de Silva said today that an NPP MP has told him that the Parliament canteen will not be closed but the government will see that no one will abuse the facility.

Two fishermen were seriously injured and hospitalised after a parcel floating on the sea exploded while they were checking it off the coast of Mannar.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) and the Examinations Department have initiated a joint programme to mitigate potential disasters during the 2024 Advanced Level examinations.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressed the inaugural session of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka today. Following are 11 key points from the President’s Government Policy Statement;

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.

Jaffna District Independent MP Archuuna Ramanathan refused to move away after he sat on the Opposition Leader's seat inside the chambers despite requests by Parliament staff to move.

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. Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya proposed his name, and the nomination was confirmed by Vijitha Herath.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake adjourned the Sri Lankan Parliament until 9:30 a.m. on December 3. The adjournment followed the President’s delivery of the government’s policy statement during the inaugural session of the 10th Parliament earlier today.