News

US opposes Iranian President’s visit?

Published

2 weeks ago

April 18, 2024

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Highly placed officers at the US embassy in Colombo have opposed the impending visit of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the ‘Aruna’ newspaper reports.

Highly placed sources have confirmed that officials from the US embassy who had visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Sri Lanka on April 16 and 17 had voiced their opposition, the newspaper adds.

It further notes that a team of Iranian security detail had arrived at Sri Lanka yesterday (17) ahead of President Raisi’s visit.

The Iranian President will arrive in Sri Lanka on April 24 on a one-day official visit to inaugurate the Tehran-assisted Uma Oya multipurpose development project worth $529 million.

The plane carrying the Iranian President is to land at Mattala Airport and the President is to be escorted under strict security to Uma Oya before he leaves the country on the same day, ‘Aruna’ reports.

This is the first time an Iranian President is visiting Sri Lanka since 2008.

The Uma Oya project was originally scheduled to be completed in 2015, but had been delayed several times due funding issues after the US imposed economic sanctions on Iran and the economic crisis in Sri Lanka.

The ‘Aruna’ newspaper further notes :

A special discussion on the security detail of the Iranian President was chaired by the Secretary of the Defence Ministry – General Kamal Gunaratne yesterday (17). Parallelly, a group of MoD officials had gone to the Mattala Airport.

According to diplomatic sources, the US FBI as well as Iraq’s Mossad are keeping a close eye on the Iranian President’s visit.

Speaking to ‘Aruna’, a senior officer has also stated that all intelligence units of Sri Lanka will collaborate to provide security to the visiting Iranian President.

(Source : Aruna)

News

Gazette issued to up estate workers’ daily wage

Published

2 hours ago

May 1, 2024

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The Wages Board has issued a Gazette notification to increase the minimum daily wage of estate workers to Rs. 1700.

The minimum daily wage of workers engaged in the Tea, Rubber Growing and Raw rubber Manufacturing Trades are as follows :

2382-04_E Download

News

Operators say no reduction of bus fare

Published

3 hours ago

May 1, 2024

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Bus operators have said bus fares cannot be reduced despite the reduction of diesel prices.
President of the Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association – Gemunu Wijeratne has said a fare reduction could only be made in July.

Wijeratne said the annual fare revision was in July 2023, based on the pricing formula in the national policy on bus fares.

Wijeratne said for bus fares to be reduced, the diesel prices should be reduced by at least Rs.55.

Noting that there were various price fluctuations over the past 10 months, he said that they’ve been operating at a loss for the past three months with the recent price revision only allowing a profit of Rs.03.

As per the monthly fuel revision, fuel prices were reduced from midnight yesterday.

Related News :

CPC slashes fuel prices

News

Mirissa to be made a Blue Flag Coastal Zone

Published

3 hours ago

May 1, 2024

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Cabinet approval has been granted to convert the Mirissa marine zone into a Blue Flag Coastal Zone and a marine wildlife sanctuary conforming to international standards.

In the meeting held in May 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers discussed the proposal regarding the declaration of the Mirissa Marine Zone as a wildlife sanctuary.

A ministerial sub-committee headed by the Prime Minister was appointed to further study the proposal with the participation of all relevant parties and submit recommendations to the Cabinet.

The sub-committee has made recommendations aimed at increasing the tourism economy of the southern province by five times by turning the Mirissa maritime zone into a Blue Flag Coastal Zone and a Marine Wildlife Sanctuary conforming to international standards.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Prime Minister to implement those recommendations through relevant ministries and institutions.