News Room : Xi meets Ranil – The Island
IMF staff and the Sri Lankan authorities have reached a staff-level agreement on economic policies to conclude the first review of the 48-month EFF-supported programme. Sri Lanka will have access to SDR 254 million (about 330 million U.S Dollars) in financing once the review is approved by the IMF Management and IMF Executive Board. Macroeconomic policy reforms are starting to...
News Room : President Wickremesinghe meets Chinese President Xi Jinping – The Island
Judith Raanan and her daughter Natalie have been released from Gaza, as confirmed by Israeli officials. Judith and Natalie were part of a large extended family caught up in the attack. They were in Israel to celebrate the 85th birthday of Judith’s mother, Tamar Raanan, and Natalie’s graduation from high school. They had planned to fly home to the US earlier,...
News Room : INS ‘Airavat’ arrives at port of Colombo
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) ‘Airavat’ arrived at the port of Colombo on a formal visit on Wednesday (18). The visiting ship was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in compliance with naval traditions. INS ‘Airavat’ is a 124.8m long, Landing Ship Tank – Large (LST – L) vessel manned by a crew of 170 and the ship is commanded...
News Room : An investment zone for the fishing industry will be established in Northern Province – State Minister
Minister of State for Fisheries Piyal Nishantha, during a press briefing held on Wednesday (18) at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) under the theme ‘Collective Path to a stable country’ announced the development of a specialized investment zone in the Northern Province, which will be tailored to the fishing industry. This strategic endeavour aims to attract investments related to the...
News Room : UN chief finally calls for a ceasefire – The Island
Chinese President Xi Jinping has warned Western states against “decoupling” from his country’s economy, insisting amid declining foreign investment that China’s development should be viewed as not a threat but an asset. Xi’s caution came as he opened the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) forum in Beijing on Wednesday. He also used his speech to laud the scheme, which was...
News Room : Antony Blinken holds talks with Prime Minster Netanyahu in Israel – The Island
Indigenous Australians have called for a “week of silence” and mourning after a referendum on giving them more political representation was rejected by the country’s white majority. With more than 70 percent of ballots counted on Sunday, about 61 percent of Australians said “no” when asked if the country’s 1901 constitution should be changed to recognise the country’s original inhabitants....
News Room : Afghanistan hit by third earthquake in a week
A new earthquake has hit western Afghanistan – several days after two large tremors in the region killed more than 1,000 people. The US Geological Survey (USGS) says the magnitude 6.3 quake struck near the city of Herat. It was at a depth of 6.3km (four miles). In its report, the USGS said the epicentre of the latest tremor was...
News Room : US to move second aircraft carrier to Mediterranean – The Island
Washington’s deployment of a second aircraft carrier to the Eastern Mediterranean is a sign of the US’s “ironclad commitment to Israel’s security”, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has said. Sending the USS carrier Dwight Eisenhower and its strike group to join the USS Gerald R Ford carrier in the region demonstrates Washington’s “resolve to deter any state or non-state...
News Room : Government has taken significant steps to combat gender-based violence and enhance social welfare – State Minister – The Island
By Shamindra Ferdinando The Opposition is agreeable for the abolition of the executive presidency if parliamentary election could be held instead, top Opposition spokesperson Prof. G.L. Pieris said. The former External Affairs Minister mentioned this when The Island asked whether the rebel SLPP group, styled as Nidahas Janatha Sabhawa, would seek a consensus with Opposition parties in that regard. The presidential election...
News Room : Colombo YMBA Buddhist Panel discussion in English
The next Buddhist Panel Discussion in English of the Colombo YMBA will be held on Sunday (15) from 9.30 am to 11.05 am in the Conference Room of the Association at the Third Floor of its Borella Building. Facility available to participate via Zoom. Subject – “LOOKING VS SEEING, THE BUDDHIST: PERSPECTIVE The Panelists are Ven. Dhammakusala Thera and Retired Accountant...