Sri Lankan rupee trades steady; dollar selling by foreign investors eases pressure

The Sri Lankan rupee held steady for a seventh straight session on Tuesday, with dealers hesitating to trade in the local currency below 145.50 per dollar anticipating central bank intervention to defend the currency, dealers said.



Speaker signs Office of Missing Persons Act

The Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya has signed the Bill establishing the Office of Missing Persons, the Speaker’s Office said.



MR says anyone has a right to form new party

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said nobody had a right to prevent the formation of new political parties.



US backs out of undertaking to medically examine ex-LTTE cadres

The United States has backed out of an undertaking to medically examine former combatants of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who had allegedly been injected with a poisonous drug when they were in detention or undergoing rehabilitation in camps.



UN denies report Sri Lanka temple may lose heritage tag

The UN’s cultural agency has denied reports it is considering taking an ancient Sri Lankan cave temple off a list of world heritage sites, as a local conservation official Saturday renewed fears about its status.



Sri Lanka President made to wait as driver fails to turn up in time

INDIA: Senior officials of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) on Sunday faced embarrassment as the visiting Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena was forced to wait in his car as the driver did not turn up in time.



Import tax on Big Onions increased

Import tax on Big Onions has been increased from Rs 25 to 40 per kg with immediate effect, the Finance Ministry said.



I won’t let those who crowned with fraud & corruption to rule this country again – President

President Maithripala Sirisena emphasizes that he would not let those who crowned with the fraud, corruption, waste and robbery to rule this country again.



‘Tamil diaspora can help rebuild Sri Lanka’

An atmosphere conducive to find a permanent political solution to the Sri Lankan Tamil issue is emerging now and it is the moral responsibility of the Tamil diaspora to join in reconstruction efforts, according to a group of Tamil MPs from the island nation.



55 Sri Lankan Tamil kids face bleak future

Chennai: The future of 55 Sri Lankan Tamil children aged between 11 and 18 hangs in balance as the Kancheepuram district administration has launched probe into complaints that they were falsely labelled as refugees and war survivors to get admission in government and private schools at Acharapakkam in the district.



2012 Welikada riot Govt. should investigate delay at Justice Ministry

Good governance activists called on the Government to investigate the delay of the Ministry of Justice to inform the relevant authority or authorities of the course of action to be taken with regard to meting out justice for the 27 killed at the Welikada Prison in 2012.



Sri Lankan rupee steady; importer demand offsets exporter dollar sales

The Sri Lankan rupee was steady for a fifth straight session on Friday as dollar sales by exporters and banks were offset by demand for the U.S. currency from importers, dealers said.



Dullas resigns

UPFA MP Dullas Alahapperuma says he will resign from the Matara District SLFP leadership post. He said this addressing a press conference a short while ago.



Northern Governor defends building places of worship

The Governor of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, Reginold Cooray, has defended the building of Buddhist temples in the province saying that it is only part of a boom in the building of places of worship there.



State lands for landless war heroes

Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal made by the Minister of Defense, President Maithripala Sirisena to grant state lands for landless war heroes revising the shortcomings of the prevailing process.



UN voices concern over Dambulla cave temple

The UN’s cultural agency expressed concern Wednesday over the poor maintenance of a centuries-old cave temple in Sri Lanka, which risks being struck off the list of world heritage sites.