News Room : US-Sri Lanka ties poised for growth in biotechnology and energy: Policy expert
Sri Lanka has significant opportunities to collaborate with the United States in the biotechnology and energy sectors, according to a US policy expert. As the administration seeks to restructure trade policies under President Donald Trump, Sri Lanka could benefit from stronger ties, particularly in biotechnology, to reduce crop losses that threaten food security, said Eric Hontz, director of the Center...
News Room : Cyclone Alfred lashes parts of eastern Australia, bringing rains, waves
Tropical storm Alfred has begun to lash Australia’s eastern coast, bringing large amounts of rain and record-breaking waves to a heavily populated region rarely hit by such storms and prompting evacuation orders in some areas. Schools have been closed and public transport suspended as the region braces for the first cyclone in eastern Australia since 1974. Alfred was 250km (155 miles)...
News Room : Couple sentenced to death for torturing and murdering two-year-old adopted boy
By A. J. A. Abeynayake Colombo High Court Judge Sujeewa Nishshanka, yesterday (6), sentenced to death a man and his wife for torturing and murdering a two-year-old boy whom they had adopted. The convicted individuals, Mohamed Ali Mohamed Ushwan and Mohamed Sipana, aged between 35 and 40, are residents of Maligawatta, Colombo. The Attorney General had filed charges against them, which...
News Room : Rajitha vs. Rohitha: Battle Over Preferential Vote Recount Heads to Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has scheduled 30 September to hear a fundamental rights petition filed by former Minister Rajitha Senaratne, challenging the preferential vote count of New Democratic Front (NDF) candidates in the Kalutara District during the last General Election. A three-judge bench comprising Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, Janak de Silva, and Sampath Abeykoon took up the petition today and set...
News Room : SriLankan Airlines partners with Telangana Tourism for FAM tour
SriLankan Airlines, in collaboration with Telangana Tourism, organized a Familiarization (FAM) tour with 14 Sri Lankan delegates, including top travel agents and outbound tour operators. The selected itinerary included both ancient Buddhist heritage sites and modern attractions, which provided a deeper understanding of the cultural and historical richness of Telangana. The tour included visits to UNESCO protected sites such as the...
News Room : China says ready to fight US to the end
China said it is ready to fight “any kind of war” with the United States as President Donald Trump continues to exert economic and political pressure on the country. “If the United States wants a war, whether it is a tariff war, a trade war or any other kind of war, we are ready to fight to the end,” the...
News Room : Breaking: Couple Sentenced to Death for Torturing and Killing Adopted Child
Colombo High Court has sentenced a couple to death after finding them guilty of torturing and murdering a two-year-old child they had taken for adoption. The verdict was delivered today following a prolonged trial, with the ruling handed down by the Colombo High Court Judge. A case was brought before the court by the Attorney General concerning an incident in Maligawatta...
News Room : Europe ‘at turning point in history’, French president warns
EU leaders are gathering in Brussels today for a special council on defence, as France’s President Emmanuel Macron warned that the continent was at a “turning point of history”. As well as rearmament, leaders are expected to discuss how the body can further support Kyiv in the face of US President Donald Trump’s announcement on Monday that he would...
News Room : Substandard coconut oil has entered local market – The Island
By Saman Indrajith Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe told Parliament yesterday that substandard coconut oil unfit for human consumption had entered the local market. Responding to a query raised by SJB Badulla District MP Chaminda Wijesiri, Minister Samarasinghe said that market sample tests conducted by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) had confirmed the presence of inferior-quality coconut oil in the market. “The CAA...
News Room : Health Professionals Call Off Planned Strike After Talks with Minister
The Federation of Health Professionals has called off its planned token strike scheduled for tomorrow, 6 March, following discussions with Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, according to Joint Convenor Ravi Kumudesh. Earlier, the trade unions had announced their decision to proceed with the strike, despite the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) withdrawing their protest after talks with the minister. The unions...