Sri Lanka’s new tax bill, demanded by the IMF as a condition for a third tranche of aid disbursed this week, will seek to ensure that all citizens pay direct taxes and cut indirect taxes, top finance ministry officials said on Friday.

President Maithripala Sirisena says the present Government gave a proper meaning to the free health service by providing all the facilities in the health service free of charge.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today (20) congratulated the Sri Lankan Government for setting up an Office of Missing Persons (OMP), “an important step for all Sri Lankans who are still looking for the truth about their loved ones.”

Giving India its second Dalit president, former Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind today won the presidential election with a comfortable margin against Opposition nominee Meira Kumar.

The GSP plus concession is the lynchpin to build our outward-looking, export-oriented economy which will provide jobs and increase incomes, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said.

Australia announced programs on Wednesday to help control dengue fever in Sri Lanka, where the mosquito-borne disease killed more around 250 people in the first half of this year.

Former Navy Spokesman Commodore D.K.P. Dassanayake, who was further arrested last week over abduction and disappearance of 11 youth, was remanded till August 2 by Fort Magistrate’s Court today.

During Sri Lanka’s May floods, rescue crews in Kiriella, a small town in Rathnapura District, spotted a remarkable sight.

National Policies and Economic Affairs Deputy Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva yesterday implied relaxing of the telecommunication levy on internet services shortly.

Singaporean Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said the efforts made by President Maithripala Sirisena to strengthen reconciliation in Sri Lanka are laudable.

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has completed the second review of Sri Lanka’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement, which enables the disbursement of about US$ 167.2 million.

Sri Lanka’s economy will rebound in coming months as the island nation begins to rebuild after devastating floods, and it could still expand by 4.5 to 5.0 percent for the full-year, central bank Governor Indrajith Coomaraswamy said on Monday.

Vice Chancellor of the University of Moratuwa Prof. A.K.W. Jayewardene has denied a role in the inhumane killing of dogs and cats at the premises, and instead, blamed a private contractor.

The government officially took over the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital (NFTH) after an agreement signed by the Health Ministry secretary and NFTH Chairman Dr. Neville Fernando before President Maithripala Sirisena a short while ago.