News Room : Profit-booking pushes gold to all-time high
Gold fell on Thursday as investors booked profits after gold hit an all-time high earlier in the session, as U.S. restrictions on chip sales to China and continued tariff uncertainty boosted safe-haven demand for the metal. Spot gold was up 0.1% at $3,338.81 an ounce by 0436 GMT, after hitting a record high of $3,357.40 earlier in the session. Gold...
News Room : Home Alone 2 Director Fears Deportation If Trump Cameo Cut
In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Chris Columbus shared that he wants to remove Donald Trump’s cameo from Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Home Alone 2 director Chris Columbus has expressed his desire to remove US President Donald Trump’s cameo from the popular film, calling it a “curse” and an “albatross.” In an interview with the San...
News Room : Maldives bans tourists with Israeli passports due to Gaza war
The Maldives has changed its immigration law to ban people with Israeli passports from entering the country in a show of anger over the war in Gaza. According to a statement from the presidential office, the amendment was passed by parliament on Monday and approved by President Mohamed Muuse on Tuesday. The Maldives Immigration Service clarified that Israeli citizens with a...
News Room : Sanctions on Chinese refiner over purchase of more than $1 billion worth of Iranian crude
The United States imposed sanctions on Wednesday on Chinese refiner Shandong Shengxing Chemical Co. Ltd for purchasing more than $1 billion worth of Iranian crude, as President Donald Trump’s administration seeks to increase pressure on Tehran. The move will increase pressure on Chinese importers of Iran, including efforts to bring its oil exports to zero, the U.S. Treasury Department said...
News Room : Schoolboy Dies After Falling from Grease Pole (Lissana Gaha)
A 16-year-old schoolboy has died after falling from grease pole (Lissana Gaha) while helping prepare for an Avurudu festival scheduled to be held in Elpitiya today (17 April). The tragic incident took place at the playground near Siriwijayaramaya Temple in Amugoda, Pitigala, during festival preparations. According to Pitigala Police, the boy fell from a 40-foot-tall grease pole and later succumbed...
News Room : Delhi Capitals win an IPL classic in Delhi after Super Over drama
Nine runs needed, six wickets in hand — it should’ve been a routine finish for Rajasthan Royals (RR) against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025, But Mitchell Starc flipped the script, delivering five pinpoint yorkers in a sensational final over. Dhruv Jurel couldn’t find two runs off the last ball, and Starc dragged the game into a dramatic Super Over. RR...
News Room : What Is a Woman? – UK Supreme Court Gives Its Verdict
In a landmark judgment delivered on Wednesday, the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court ruled that under the Equality Act, the term “woman” refers strictly to individuals who are biologically female. The unanimous decision by five judges has ignited a new wave of debate over the legal recognition of transgender individuals and the scope of sex-based rights in the UK. Supreme Court...
News Room : EPF announces 11% interest after assets rise to Rs 4.38 trillion in 2024
The Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) consolidated its position as the leading institution in the pension sector, accounting for 81.0% of the sector’s total assets at the end of 2024. The fund’s net worth increased by 12.6% year-on-year to Rs 4,375.7 billion, up from Rs 3,886.7 billion in 2023, mainly due to strong investment returns and net contribution returns. Total contributions...
News Room : China faces tariffs of up to 245% in retaliation, White House says
The United States announced that China will face new tariffs of up to 245% in retaliation, according to a White House statement late Tuesday. The White House’s latest administration order, revealed late Tuesday, has initiated a national security investigation into imports of essential resources. The order also included clarifications for the reciprocal tariffs announced on April 2. “China now faces tariffs...
News Room : Pilleyan Wept Asking What He Did Wrong – Gammanpila Asks, ‘Is This How We Treat Heroes?’
Udaya Gammanpila, leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) held a press conference today at the party headquarters to address his meeting with Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pilleyan, at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on 13 April 2025. Gammanpila accused the government of violating Pilleyan’s legal rights under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), politicizing the police, and orchestrating a separatist...