Chinese envoy says Sri Lanka is ‘unfair’ to term Chinese loans as expensive

China’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Yi Xianliang, on Tuesday, said it was unfair for Sri Lanka to term loans given by China’s EXIM Bank as ‘expensive’ and questioned the government as to why it had sought fresh loans from China if the interest rates were ‘too high’.



Pension benefits for prematurely retired War Heroes

Steps are being taken to provide pension benefits on the directives of President Maithripala Sirisena to the disabled War Heroes who volunteered to retire before the due retirement day owing to medical reasons.



Sri Lanka central bank chief expects rupee to stabilise once port sale completed

The Sri Lankan central bank governor said on Tuesday he expected the rupee to stabilise when the $1 billion sale of a stake in the southern port of Hambantota to a Chinese investor was completed in four to five months.



Classified garbage collection programme inaugurated at President’s Official Residence

The inauguration of the classified garbage collection programme was held under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena at the President’s Official Residence, today (Nov.01).



All cigarette brands increased by a minimum of Rs. 5 each

All cigarette brands has been increased by a minimum of Rs. 5 each. (Approx 15%) from today, the Ceylon Tobacco Company announced.



Jaffna University students to meet President today

President Maithripala Sirisena will meet with Jaffna University students today over the incident in which two university students were allegedly shot at by the police for not complying an order to stop their motorbike.



PHU demands RW’s resignation over CB Bond scam

The Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) today demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe over the Central Bank (CB) Bond sale scam.



Government will bring a People’s Budget with many surprises beneficial to all – Finance Minister

The forthcoming budget that will be presented on Nov 10 will really be a people’s budget as it would incorporate ideas proposed by the people from all corners of the country.



Only segregated garbage from November 1

All the Municipal Councils have decided to collect only segregated garbage from November 1, according to a concept of Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Faiszer Musthapha.



Perpetual Treasuries on buying spree with its billions

Perpetual Treasuries, the controversial primary dealer at the centre of the Central Bank bond scam, is on a buying spree.



Cigarette makers accused of shady game

Minister of Health, Rajitha Senaratne said that with the approval of 15 per cent VAT, the price of a cigarette is expected to rise to Rs. 55. This has been subject to public debate.



Sri Lanka to sell 80 percent of southern Hambantota port to Chinese firm

Sri Lanka will sell to a Chinese company 80 percent of a $1.5-billion port in its south, where China has also been offered an investment zone, in a bid to cut the country’s debt burden, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said.



Mahendran responsible for CB Bond scam: COPE report

Former Central Bank Governor Arjun Mahendran was held responsible for the controversial Central Bank Bond sale scam in the COPE report presented in Parliament a short while ago,



War heroes will even be looked after retirement: President

Measures would be taken to rectify without delay the salary anomalies of war heroes who became differently abled during the war against terrorism, President Maithripala Sirisena promised yesterday.



Sri Lanka eyes incentives, lower taxes to boost investment

Sri Lanka will introduce concessions on investments and a lower tax regime in its next budget to boost faltering investment, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told the parliament on Thursday.



Jaffna incident offenders would be punished after the offence proved – Minister Sagala

The unfortunate incident that occurred recently in Jaffna killing two university students riding a motorbike is an issue that harms the present reconciliation initiativeand the offenders would be charged after the investigations are finished