News Room : internet shutdowns hit record high
In 2024, global internet shutdowns reached an all-time high, with governments using digital blockades to suppress protests, dissent and tighten political control. The approach, published by the #KeepItOn organization, is now being followed by a new report that reveals that 54 countries documented 296 shutdowns, up 35% from the previous year’s total. Myanmar, India and Pakistan are among the...
News Room : India, UAE hold talks on India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor
The ambitious intercontinental connectivity project – the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEEC) – launched at the G-20 summit in Delhi in September 2023 with signatories including India, the UAE, the United States, the European Union, Saudi Arabia, France, Italy and Germany – was today given a fresh impetus, a statement from the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi said. The delegation...
News Room : Breaking: GMOA Calls Off Island-Wide Strike After Talks with Health Minister
The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has decided to call off the island-wide strike that was set to begin tomorrow (5 March). The decision follows discussions with Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa. Earlier, the GMOA had threatened to launch the strike if the government failed to address concerns over cuts to additional duty and holiday allowances for government medical officers. According to GMOA...
News Room : EDB Holds Strategic Networking Session to Empower New Exporters
The Export Development Board of Sri Lanka (EDB) recently held a successful networking and knowledge sharing session at its headquarters in Colombo 02. The event was attended by 100 new exporters and entrepreneurs, including small and medium direct and indirect exporters, and industry leaders from five key sectors: gems and jewellery, tea, processed foods, horticulture and fresh fruits. The session...
News Room : Sri Lanka will soon be more attractive to stay than to leave or migrate – IMF’s Peter Breuer
Peter Breuer, Senior Mission Chief for Sri Lanka at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), commended Sri Lanka’s economic recovery in recent years, saying that as economic opportunities return to Sri Lanka, incomes increase and poverty decreases, making it more attractive for people to stay in Sri Lanka rather than leave or migrate. Speaking at a press conference on the completion...
News Room : Pope Francis suffers new breathing crisis
Pope Francis suffered two acute respiratory crises on Monday, prompting doctors to put him back on a non-invasive mechanical ventilator. The 88-year-old pontiff, who had been battling a complicated respiratory infection for more than two weeks, underwent a bronchoscopy to remove a large amount of mucus from his lungs. The Vatican confirmed that the mucus was a reaction to...
News Room : GMOA to launch strike tomorrow over allowance cuts unless … – The Island
Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) leader and SJB MP Mano Ganesan has said that the sudden exit of Adani Green Energy may discourage investments, particularly in the renewable energy and infrastructure sectors. Claiming that Adani’s withdrawal as a major setback, Ganeshan said that it had sent the wrong signal to the world. Speaking in Parliament during the Budget debate on Saturday, Ganesan...
News Room : Petition Filed in Supreme Court Seeking Action to Prevent Elephant-Train Collisions
A Fundamental Rights petition has been filed before the Supreme Court, urging authorities to develop a comprehensive plan to mitigate the rising number of elephant-train collisions in Sri Lanka. The petition was submitted by the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), along with its Chairman and Executive Director, naming several high-ranking officials as respondents, including the Director General of Wildlife...
News Room : WADA expands offensive intelligence and investigations to Oceania
A World Anti-Doping Agency program aimed at building cooperation with law enforcement in Europe led to the seizure of more than 25 tons of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), and now officials hope to see a similar impact in Oceania and Asia. WADA launched the Intelligence and Investigations (I&I) program in Europe in 2022, which is expected to lead to the launch...
News Room : ACME Solar plans to invest Rs 17,000 crore in capital expenditure by 2026.
Renewable energy company ACME Solar Holdings said in a statement on Sunday that it plans to invest Rs 17,000 crore in capital expenditure to increase its renewable energy capacity to 5 GW by 2026 “In a crucial pivot in our business strategy, we intend to focus our new capacity revenue and margin accretion on hybrid and FDRE renewable energy projects,”...