News Room : Showers in Eastern, Western, Sabaragamuwa and Uva provinces and in Polonnaruwa, Matale, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts – The Island
Weather forecast issued at 05.30 a.m. on 15 February 2024 by the Department of Meteorology Several spells of showers will occur in Eastern and Uva provinces and in Polonnaruwa, Matale, Nuwara-Eliya and Hambanthota districts. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts after 2.00 p.m. Winds will be...
News Room : Education, reforms and double whammy – The Island
Much is being spoken about educational reforms, these days. President Ranil Wickremesinghe has stressed the need to gear the education system to the much-needed economic transformation the country is seeking to achieve. A former Minister of Education, the President is au fait with global trends in the field of education, and one cannot but agree that the education sector...
News Room : Kansas City shooting: One dead and 21 injured near Super Bowl parade
One person has died and 21 people were wounded in a shooting in Missouri at the end of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory parade. Officials said they treated eight victims who were in immediately life-threatening condition and seven others who had suffered injuries that could prove life-threatening. Nine children were among the wounded – all are expected to...
News Room : Two Thai journalists arrested for reporting on temple vandalism – The Island
Two Thai journalists who were arrested for reporting about the vandalism of a temple in Bangkok with anti-monarchist graffiti have been released on bail, a lawyer’s group has said. Nattaphol Meksobhon, a reporter from the independent online news outlet Prachatai, and freelance photographer Nattaphon Phanphongsanon were arrested on Monday, nearly a year after the incident in Bangkok. The Royal Palace police...
News Room : NSB, Gold Sponsor for 34th APB Convention
NSB (National Savings Bank) proudly declares its role as a Gold Sponsor for the 24th Annual Convention hosted by the APB (Association of Professional Bankers). The convention is scheduled to take place from 13th – 14th February, at Hilton Colombo, bringing together the banking professionals, industry leaders, and stakeholders from around the globe. In a symbolic gesture of commitment and...
News Room : Qatar frees eight ex-Indian navy officers previously on death row
A Qatari court has released eight former Indian naval officers previously on death row for unspecified charges. Seven of the men have already returned to India, Delhi’s foreign ministry said on Monday. In January, authorities said their death penalty had been converted into prison sentences of “varying” lengths. Neither Qatar nor India revealed the charges against the men, who were working...
News Room : Hosts Ivory Coast defeat Nigeria with Haller goal to win AFCON – The Island
Ivory Coast have won the Africa Cup of Nations after a 2-1 victory over Nigeria at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Sunday. Sebastian Haller scored the winning goal for the hosts in the 81st minute with an instinctive finish after excellent work from Simon Adingra on the wing. William Troost-Ekong had given Nigeria the lead in the...
News Room : Marathon world record holder dies in road accident – The Island
A fearsome four-pronged pace attack, spearheaded by the thunderous Callum Vidler and Mabli Beardman who had Anrich Nortje transfixed to the action, led Australia to Under-19 World Cup glory in Benoni. The pace pack snuffed out six Indian wickets to bring their unbeaten campaign to a juddering halt after the top order had no answer to Australia’s heat and hostility....
News Room : Fair weather will prevail over the island – The Island
Weather forecast issued at 05.30 a.m. on 11 February 2024 by the Department of Meteorology Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts during the morning. Mainly fair weather will prevail over the island. Winds will be north-easterly and wind speed will be (25-35)kmph. Fairly strong winds about (30-40) kmph can...
News Room : Enactment process of Online Safety Act raises questions on law-making: CPA – The Island
ECONOMYNEXT —The process followed in enacting Sri Lanka’s controversial Online Safety Act (OSA) raises serious questions on law-making and its impact on constitutional democracy, the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) said, urging the government to replace the act with a law that “genuinely addresses” concerns on online safety. Claiming that the process of drafting the OSA was shrouded in secrecy,...