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...
News Room : “I Would Never Have Held Your Hand If I Had Known How Sinister You Are” – Visually Impaired MP Responds to Dayasiri
Sri Lanka’s first visually impaired MP, Sugath Wasantha de Silva of the NPP, delivered an emotional response in Parliament today (5 March) to Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Dayasiri Jayasekara’s derogatory remarks against him. Jayasekara, at a recent public gathering, criticized the NPP’s political slogan referring to Sri Lanka’s political history as a ‘76-year curse’. In his statement, Jayasekara singled...
News Room : Breaking: Daisy Forrest Arrested by CID Over Money Laundering Case
Daisy Forrest, grandmother of Yoshitha Rajapaksa, has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) a short while ago. She arrived at the CID this morning to provide a statement in connection with a money laundering case. She will be produced before the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court. Daisy Forrest was named a suspect in the case following investigations into a Rs. 59 million...
News Room : RTI Commission Chairman Upali Abeyratne Resigns
Retired Supreme Court Judge Upali Abeyratne, Chairman of the Right to Information (RTI) Commission, has submitted his resignation letter to the Presidential Secretariat. Abeyratne also served as the Chairman of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Political Victimization, appointed by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. His appointment to the RTI Commission was met with significant controversy at the time. The Supreme Court...
News Room : Breaking: Indian PM Modi to Visit Sri Lanka in April
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to travel to Sri Lanka in April. According to Sri Lankan sources, the visit is still being finalised and could take place around 5 April, focusing on a range of issues, including connectivity and economic ties. During President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to India, he officially invited PM Modi to visit Sri Lanka.
News Room : Human Immunoglobulin Case: SC Dismisses FR Petition of Former Health Ministry Official
The Supreme Court today dismissed a Fundamental Rights petition filed by former Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Health, Saman Ratnayake, challenging his arrest over the alleged import of substandard Human Immunoglobulin injections. A three-judge bench comprising Justices Gamini Amarasekera, Kumudini Wickremasinghe, and Sobhitha Rajakaruna dismissed the petition in limine.
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...