Latest News
Death toll in southern China highway collapse rises to 36
The death toll in a highway collapse in southern China has risen to 36, as emergency teams continue efforts to recover cars from the scene.
“As of 5:30am on May 2, 36 people have died, and 30 people have been injured,” state news agency Xinhua reported, adding that the injured were not in life-threatening condition.
The road collapsed in the early hours of Wednesday morning as China began its major May holidays, traditionally one of the busiest times of the year on the roads.
Aerial photographs showed the left carriageway of the S12 highway between Meizhou city and Dabu county had fallen away as the earth beneath it collapsed, sending mud tearing down the forested hillside.
State broadcaster CCTV said the incident was a “natural geological disaster that occurred under the impact of persistent heavy rain”.
A 17.9-metre (58.7-foot) stretch of the road collapsed, it said, with 23 vehicles plunging into the muddy pit.
Rescuers used cranes to pull the cars from the mud (Aljazeera/ Xinhua)
Several people who witnessed the incident told local media they heard “sounds of cars falling” followed by “a huge explosion”.
“We stopped and got out of the car to check and had no idea the road had collapsed,” one told the Guizhou Evening News.
The highway was closed in both directions and some 500 emergency personnel including firefighters and mine rescue experts deployed to the site to help with the rescue operation. Photos from the scene show damaged cars being pulled from the mud by a giant crane, with excavators on standby.
The incident is the latest in a series of disasters linked to extreme weather events in Guangdong in recent weeks.
Massive downpours last month sparked floods in a different part of the province that killed four people and forced the evacuation of more than 100,000 residents.
Last week, a tornado tore through part of the megacity of Guangzhou killing five people.
The downpours have been much heavier than would normally be expected this time of year and have been linked to accelerating climate change.
(Aljazeera)
Latest News
National minimum monthly salary for private sector employees raised to Rs. 27,000/-, minimum daily wage to Rs. 1080/-
Parallel to salary hike of public sector officers by the budget proposals 2025, it has been proposed to increase the salaries of private sector employees as well.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Labour to revise the national minimum monthly salary and national minimum daily wage and follow other legal actions as follows:
• To raise the minimum national monthly salary by rupees 9,500/- from rupees 17,500/- to rupees 27,000/- with effect from 01.04.2025
• To raise the minimum national daily salary by rupees 380/- from rupees 700/- to rupees 1,080/- with effect from 01.04.2025
• To raise the minimum national monthly salary by rupees 3,000/- from rupees 27,000/- to rupees 30,000/- with effect from 01.01.2026
• To raise the minimum national daily salary by rupees 120/- from rupees 1,080 /- to rupees 1,200/- with effect from 01.01.2026
Latest News
Cabinet nod to recruit 30,000 gradates and youth to fill essential vacancies in the government service
Considering a proposal furnished by the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Governments, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided that immediate actions should be taken by the relevant Ministry to call for applications as per the recruitment schemes prescribed under “the Programme to Recruit 30,000 Unemployed Graduates and Youth to the Government Service Proposed by the Budget 2025”.
An officials’ committee chaired by the Secretary to the Prime Minister has been appointed to present recommendations to make essential requirements, by reviewing staffs of various institutions in the state sector once again. Based on the recommendations furnished by the said Committee, As as at now the Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval for 18,853 new requirements to the state service.
Business
Cabinet approves submission of the Annual Economic Analysis of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka for the year 2024 to the Parliament
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal forwarded by the President in his office as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to submit the Report on the Annual Economic Analysis of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka for the year 2024 to the Parliament.
As per section 80 (3) of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Act No. 16 of 2023, the Minister in – charge of the subject of Finance shall submit a report on the economic situation which prevailed within the particular financial year, within four months after completion of each financial year. Accordingly, the report in relation to the financial review of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka for the year 2024 has been submitted to the President. The report has envisaged macro economic trends of Sri Lanka, situation of the financial system, as well as the major developments and a review of the policies of Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
[DGI]
Submission of gazette notifications for the concurrence of the Parliament.
Cabinet approval to prepare new Act for securing the rights of plant species
National minimum monthly salary for private sector employees raised to Rs. 27,000/-, minimum daily wage to Rs. 1080/-
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