The Sri Lankan rupee closed firmer on Thursday, as exporter dollar sales and inward remittances exceeded demand for the U.S. currency by importers, dealers said.

The government had decided to amend Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance to implement life imprisonment for those found guilty of killing wild elephants.

The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was commenced under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena in Colombo, yesterday (20).

The Department of Forest Conservation emphasized yesterday (20) that they had not released any land within the environment and eco system belonging to Wilpattu National Sanctuary, which has been under the supervision of the Department, since 8 May 2013.

The abrupt and unplanned decision taken by the previous regime to remove the Defence Headquarters from Colombo has cost an annual rent of Rs. 5 bn for 15 buildings, the defence forces are occupying at present.

PETALING JAYA: Axiata Group Bhd through its subsidiary, Dialog Axiata PLC, has invested over US $ 2.2 billion (RM9bil) in Sri Lanka, the telecommunications company said.

Russia’s agriculture safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor plans to discuss restricted tea imports with Sri Lanka at the end of December, it said in a statement on Tuesday.

United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Gampaha district MP and Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nimal Lanza resigned from his ministerial portfolio today.

Proper economic management policies adopted by the government have enabled the country to overcome the debilitating effects of the unfavourable climatic conditions experienced in recent times. If not for the government led by President Maithripala Sirisena, the country would never have been able to overcome the economic difficulties caused by the adverse weather conditions, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said.

Minister of Megapolis and Western Development Patali Champika Ranawaka stated that the public transportation network requires expansion to resolve the problems faced by the general public.

The Local Government election would be held on February 10, 2018, Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Desapriya announced today.

The official meeting between President Maithripala Sirisena and the visiting Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak was held at the Presidential Secretariat, this morning (18th Dec.)

Joint Trade Union Alliance of the Ceylon Electricity Board yesterday warned that they would launch a countrywide strike if the government failed to provide solutions to their problems today (18).

Fifty couples from China tied the knot in the Sri Lankan capital on Sunday in a mass wedding ceremony, conducted in the island’s Buddhist traditions, as the island aims to woo more tourists.

President Maithripala Sirisena instructed the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) to ban the use of polythene during the upcoming election campaigns.

Former captain Angelo Mathews has been Sri Lanka’s best batsman on this tour having notched up two hundreds so far. The 30-year-old in an interview with ‘Sunday Island’ spoke about the technical adjustments he has done to his game and the misconception among people that his attitude is wrong when he goes through a lean patch.