GMOA strike today

The GMOA yesterday announced that they will resort to an all island trade union action from 8 a.m. to 12 noon today in protest against the attack on medical students who engaged in a street protest in Colombo.



COPE report won’t be the basis for AG’s decision

The much touted COPE report that dealt with the alleged Central Bank bond scam involving primary dealer Perpetual Treasuries in Feb 2015 couldn’t be the basis for the Attorney General’s Department decision whether to proceed with a criminal or civil case, authoritative sources said.



Minimum salary of migrant workers increased

Minimum salary of the migrant workers is increased from 1st February as proposed by the budget 2017, Minister of Foreign Employment Thalatha Athukorala said.



Rajapaksa accuses Sirisena govt of dropping guard on LTTE

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has accused the Sri Lankan government of dropping its guard on the LTTE by scaling down intelligence operations in the island’s Tamil-majority north and east.



Lankans detained at JFK

In the chaotic aftermath of US President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration ban, news has emerged that 71 individuals from 20 , including Sri Lanka



PM launches second phase construction of Central Expressway

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday inaugurated construction work on the second phase of the Central Expressway at a ceremony held at Kudagammane on the Giriulla – Alawwa road.



China’s ‘Silk Road’ push stirs resentment and protest in Sri Lanka

China signed a deal with Sri Lanka late last year to further develop the strategic port of Hambantota and build a huge industrial zone nearby, a key part of Beijing’s ambitions to create a modern-day “Silk Road” across Asia.



Four more men accused of smuggling 72 Sri Lankans into Canada go on trial

Less than a week after four men accused in a human smuggling case involving Tamil migrants walked free, four more men charged in a similar case saw their trial open in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver.



VAT increases on alcohol has no effect on consumption – Fitch

Fitch Ratings believes firm demand will absorb higher prices caused by the introduction of value added tax (VAT). The government introduced VAT of 15% on alcoholic beverage manufacturers on November 1, 2016.



Massive Divulapitiya Sand Scam stopped

Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) officials have ordered D.W.L. Appuhamy, the father of MP Indika Anuruddha, to stop soil mining in Ihala Madampella, Divulapitiya



Australia name experimental T20 squad for Sri Lanka series

Australia named uncapped batsman Michael Klinger and bowlers Jhye Richardson, Ashton Turner and Billy Stanlake in their Twenty20 squad on Wednesday for their series against Sri Lanka this month.



Trump fires Sally Yates after acting attorney general contradicted travel ban

Donald Trump has fired the acting US attorney general after she told justice department lawyers not to defend his executive order banning entry for people from seven Muslim-majority countries.



SAITM medical degree is lawful – Appellate Court

The South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) is legally eligible to issue medical degrees to the students, the Court of Appeal has ruled on Tuesday.



Presence of Chinese submarines in Sri Lanka purely for economic reasons: Navy chief

Sri Lankan Navy chief Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne has assured India that the presence of Chinese nuclear submarines in his country was “purely economic reasons” even as India’s views the development with suspicion.



Regaining GSP Plus, a boost to econmoy : PM

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said that regaining the GSP Plus tariff concession will help boost the country’s economy in a significant manner.



Tax burden to ease once economy improves – Ravi

Tax will be reduced to give relief to the people in the near future once the economy gains momentum through the current strategies, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said.