Latest News
Cabinet approves paddy purchase program for 2023/24 Maha season
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies to implement the under mentioned paddy purchase program.
It has been planned to implement a loan scheme through public and private banks under a concessional interest rate for the purchase of paddy.
- Loan funds will be allocated based on the average Maha Season Paddy production of each district during the last 5 years.
- Loans of Rs.09 billion are expected to be issued under the proposed loan scheme.
- A maximum loan of Rs 50 million will be given to small and medium scale rice mill owners and a maximum of Rs 25 million to rice warehouse owners and rice stockists.
- Loan repayment period is 180 days. The annual interest rate is 15% of which 4% will be borne by the Treasury.
The computer system at the Department of Registration of Persons has been rectified and the services are back to normal.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has lost a key referendum on a constitutional reform which had turned into a vote on her government.
The result gives around 54% to the “No” campaign and 46% to the “Yes” vote which Meloni had backed.
In a video posted on social media even before all the ballots were counted, Meloni said Italians had voted “with clarity” and she would respect their decision, but she regretted a “lost chance to modernise” the country.
It is the first significant defeat for Meloni and her right-wing coalition, which has overseen a rare period of political stability for Italy. Opposition parties are hailing the result as a sign that voters are looking for change, with a general election due next year.
When the two-day referendum ended on Monday afternoon, exit polls initially showed the “No” vote leading by a small margin, but that grew to a substantial lead as the count progressed.
Despite the complex question on the ballot paper, turnout was almost 60%. A high figure had been expected to favour the government, but it was not enough to swing the vote.
The reform voters rejected would have inscribed a firm separation between judges and prosecutors into the constitution. It also proposed distinct bodies to govern them and a new disciplinary court.
The government argued the change was critical to improving judicial independence.
The opposition countered that it would shatter a careful balance of powers established following the defeat of fascism, and increase political influence over the courts.
Many Italians struggled to understand the technical details – perhaps a communication failure by Team Meloni – and the vote quickly morphed into a plebiscite on her near-record three and half years in office.
[BBC]
US President Donald Trump announced that discussions are ongoing with Iran to “determine whether a broader agreement can be reached”, saying that “this time, Iran means business; they want to settle. They want peace”.
But Teheran denied that talks with the US are taking place, with Iran’s parliamentary speaker saying such claims are “fake news” and being “used to manipulate financial and oil markets”.
Oil prices dropped by about 11 percent after Trump announced a delay to attacks on Iran’s power plants for five days amid his claims of talks.
Despite Trump’s comments, US Central Command says US forces “continue to aggressively strike” targets in Iran, as Iranian missiles and drones continued to target Gulf countries – including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait – overnight.
Israeli warplanes bombed Beirut’s southern neighborhood as the Lebanese Health Ministry said the death toll from Israel’s attacks on the country had reached 1,039 people, with 2,786 people injured, since March 23.
[Aljazeera]
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News7 days agoCIABOC questions Ex-President GR on house for CJ’s maid
-
News6 days agoBailey Bridge inaugurated at Chilaw
-
Features2 days agoTrincomalee oil tank farm: An engineering marvel
-
News5 days agoCIABOC tells court Kapila gave Rs 60 mn to MR and Rs. 20 mn to Priyankara
-
News6 days agoPay hike demand: CEB workers climb down from 40 % to 15–20%
-
Editorial7 days agoCouple QR-based quota with odd-even rationing
-
Features5 days agoScience and diplomacy in a changing world
-
News4 days agoColombo, Oslo steps up efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation in key environmental priority areas