News Room : By 2030, 1.8 Billion in South Asia Face Extreme Heat Threat, Sri Lanka Among Worst Hit: Report
Nearly 1.8 billion people across South Asia – including Sri Lanka – will face extreme heat risks by 2030, but income constraints and market failures are leaving many to rely only on basic coping strategies, according to a new World Bank report. South Asia is the most climate-vulnerable region among emerging market and developing economies, according to the report titled...
News Room : South Korea’s new president has a Trump-shaped crisis to avert
South Korea’s new president, Lee Jae-myung, has secured a storming victory, but his honeymoon will barely last the day. The former opposition leader is not getting to enjoy the two-month transition period usually afforded to new leaders, so they can build their team and nail down their vision for the country. Instead he is entering office immediately, to fill the hole...
News Room : England rush to 3-0 series win as Smith, Buttler star in rain-reduced chase – The Island
England were held up by the late arrival of the West Indies team bus at the Kia Oval, then charged to victory like a team determined to beat the traffic. Jamie Smith’s 25-ball half-century, his first in ODIs, led them to 100 for 1 in a reduced eight-over Powerplay, and they cruised to a DLS-adjusted target of 246 with...
News Room : Vavuniya Man Murders Pregnant Wife, Brings Severed Head to Police Station
Trigger Warning: This news contains descriptions of graphic violence, including gender-based violence and femicide, which some readers may find distressing. A gruesome case of femicide was reported this morning (3 June) from Puliyankulam in the Vavuniya District, where a 34-year-old man surrendered to police after killing his pregnant wife by beheading her. According to police, the victim has been identified as...
News Room : Student’s Suicide Attempt After Alleged Ragging: Four Arrested at Kuliyapitiya Technical College
Four students of the Kuliyapitiya Technical College have been arrested in connection with an incident where a first-year female student attempted to take her own life. The incident occurred yesterday (2 June) during the afternoon, when the student reportedly jumped into a lake close to the college premises. Bystanders at the scene were able to rescue her, and she was...
News Room : Collateral-Free Loans for Entrepreneurs: Govt Launches National Credit Guarantee Institution (NCGI)
In a step to strengthen Sri Lanka’s small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, the National Credit Guarantee Institution Limited (NCGI) was officially launched today (6), creating new financing opportunities for entrepreneurs who struggle to access credit due to lack of collateral. Announcing the launch via social media, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe described the new...
News Room : Keheliya More Capable than Nalinda in Health Administration – Ravi Kumudesh
Ravi Kumudesh, Chair of the Joint Council of Supplementary Medical Professionals, has stated that former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella was more competent in health administration than the current minister, Dr Nalinda Jayatissa. Speaking on an online talk show yesterday (2), Kumudesh emphasised that merely being a medical professional is not sufficient for someone holding the position of Health Minister. He...
News Room : Mount Etna erupts as large plumes rise from volcano – The Island
Expectations were low even before the talks started, with both sides remaining deeply divided on how to end a war that has been raging since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.Moscow currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory, including the southern Crimea peninsula it annexed in 2014. Speaking at a briefing after the meeting, Ukrainian Defence...
News Room : “Miss World Was My Dream”: Anudi Gunasekara Says Goodbye to Beauty Pageants
Anudi Gunasekara returned home today after a standout performance at the 72nd Miss World pageant, held at the HITEX Convention Centre in Hyderabad, India. While she didn’t make the final Top 40, Gunasekara left a lasting impression on the international stage, becoming the first Sri Lankan in recent memory to qualify for the finals in three of the pageant’s...
News Room : Ravi K Loses SC Appeal in Bribery Case Over Arjun Aloysius Paying His Rent
The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal filed by former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, in relation to a bribery case involving the payment of rent for a luxury apartment by Arjun Aloysius. Karunanayake had appealed to the Supreme Court, challenging a case filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) before the Colombo High Court. The...