Category: Local News

Sri Lanka’s main Tamil political party on Monday said it will seek to discuss devolution of powers to the provinces when it meets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Sri Lanka.

BEIJING – China’s loans to Sri Lanka were based on consensus through consultations between the two countries, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday, responding to interest rate concerns.

Police Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana today said face covered helmets used by motor cyclists will be banned with effect from March 21, 2015.

Private bus strikes have been reported today in several areas including Panadura and Kandy.

Responding to a question raised by a journalist from the “Dawn” newspaper, a Pakitani Publication,” whether he still believes in astrology”, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa said, “Now, I don’t” and laughed out loud. “I have to ask you this, do you still believe in astrology?” “Now, I don’t,” he says and laughs out loud.

Having lambasted the government yesterday for what he called its lethargic attitude towards implementing key promises in President Maithripala Sirisena’s election manifesto, Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha thera stressed that the onus was on the President to ensure the implementation of his own pledges.

A private maritime security firm has offered Rs. 300 million, to a prominent minister, to halt the investigation into the floating armoury, Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said.

India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will arrive in Colombo on Friday to set the stage for the visit to Sri Lanka by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 13. During her two-day stay, Ms. Swaraj will meet Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera.

Sri Lanka is concerned with the roughly $5 billion in Chinese loans it has and will send its finance minister to Beijing to discuss the issue, the foreign minister said on Saturday, as he also ruled out future Chinese submarine visits to the country.

Malaysia has proposed to implement several infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka under a government-to-government understanding which, among others, include the Colombo City Monorail by Scomi International, oil pipeline, highways, and housing development.

The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) yesterday said if anyone has a problem about the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe to the office of Prime Minister, they can bring a no-confidence motion against him.

President Maithripala Sirisena is to undertake an official visit to Britain on March 7. He will attend the Commonwealth Week celebrations at Westminster Abbey in London on March 9, as the Chair of the Commonwealth.

China on Friday formally backed a trilateral partnership with India and Sri Lanka to establish a Maritime Silk Road (MSR) and promote the rise of Eurasia.

The court has ordered BMICH to pay a compensation of Rs. 180 million to Dr. Samitha Samanmali. She was paralyzed when a shelter collapsed on her at ‘Deyata Kirula’ exhibition in 2008 at BMICH.

The Police on Thursday said that the Judicial Medical Officer’s report into the mysterious death of former Havelock’s captain and Sri Lankan ruggerite, Wasim Thajudeen, had revealed that his death could not have been due to natural causes.

Former Minister Wimal Weerawansa’s wife Shashi Weerawansa, who was arrested and remanded on charges of falsifying documents to obtain a diplomatic passport, has been granted bail by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.