The Sri Lankan rupee closed little changed in thin trade on Tuesday as dollar selling by foreign banks offset importer demand for the U.S. currency

At least 600,000 people in Sri Lanka have been hit by the worst drought since 2006 in nearly 13 of the 25 districts, disaster management officials said.

COLOMBO: American beverages major Coca-Cola Co may set up a plant in Sri Lanka to feed demands in India, which has the highest demand of the firm’s products in South Asia, the Sri Lankan finance ministry on Monday said.

Beijing: India should rethink its opposition into Chinese investments in Sri Lanka and join the port development in the island nation instead of feeling “jealous”, China’s state media said on Monday.

Senior consultant to the President and MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera said he has set up a ‘National Council’ with the participation of people from all walks of life – especially professionals, intellectuals and academics.

Former world-class cricketer Roshan Mahanama, at the request of the Army, sponsored the establishment of a new school in Weherathenna village in Vavuniya district.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will leave for Switzerland today to attend the World Economic Summit to be held in Davos City from 17 to 21 January.

The Sri Lankan government declared a state of alert in response to what is already considered the worst drought in four decades, implementing measures such as water-use restrictions.

Foreign exits from the Government Securities Market (GSM) amounted to massive Rs 16,063.18 million in the week ended Wednesday (11 January), Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) data showed.

The former Deputy Minister of the Construction Engineering Services and Housing Ministry has same charges as MP Wimal Weerawansa, MP Namal Rajapaksa said.

The previous regime failed to introduce any constructive changes to the education sector. Hence, the dark shadows of that regime still haunt the education sector, Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said.

The Sri Lankan rupee ended marginally weaker on Friday on importer dollar demand and with the central bank adjusting the spot reference rate to a record low of 150.15 rupees per dollar, dealers said.

Contradicting former president Mahinda Rajapaksa who said that Sri Lanka would have been better without the GSP Plus facility, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday that it would help the country to capture a market with a population of 500 million.

About 40 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees from various camps located across Tamil Nadu will be leaving for the island nation on Friday under the voluntary repatriation programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake yesterday tipped his hat to foreigners assuring that the Government would provide a range of incentives including a five-year resident visa for a minimum investment of $ 300,000 and rights to lease land for those investing over $ 1.5 million.