Sri Lanka approves 2017 budged aims to raise revenue through taxes

Sri Lanka’s coalition government on Saturday won the final vote on its 2017 budget which aims to boost revenue and cut the fiscal deficit to 4.6 percent of GDP from this year’s 5.4 percent with a more than two-thirds majority.



Cocaine haul largest in South Asia

The 800kgs of cocaine detected at the Colombo Port yesterday morning (09) is the largest haul of cocaine detected in the South Asian region, Police said.



Japanese vehicle carrier, crew held at Hambantota port

Hambantota port workers held a Japanese vehicle carrier Hyperion Highway and its crew for four days in protest against the proposed agreement between the government and state owned China Merchants Port Holdings Company Ltd to operate the port as a public-private partnership.



Debate on COPE report will be given priority: Minister

State Minister of Finance Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana said the COPE report on the ‘Treasury Bond Issue’ would be taken up for debate on priority basis at the very first session of Parliament in 2017



Sri Lanka president cancels colonial-era order amid falling popularity

Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena on Thursday rescinded a colonial-era British order naming 19 nationals as “traitors” for leading a rebellion nearly 200 years ago, his office said



Sri Lanka to invite private investment in higher education sector

Sri Lanka would open up the higher education sector for private investment, an official said here on Wednesday.



Sri Lanka to ink JV with Chinese firm to develop southern port

Sri Lanka will take part in a joint venture with China Merchants Port Holdings Company Limited to develop a port in its south, where China has also been offered an investment zone.



U.N. rights watchdog calls on Sri Lanka to investigate torture

A U.N. rights watchdog called on Sri Lanka on Wednesday to investigate documented allegations of torture and rape of detainees by security forces and to rein in broad police powers.



Karuna Amman released on bail

The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today granted bail to former Deputy Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, better known as Karuna Amman



Illnesses mentioned in Duminda’s diagnosis card false: Hirunika

The illnesses mentioned in the prison hospital diagnosis card of former Parliamentarian Duminda Silva are all false, said UNP MP Hirunika Premachandra.



Taxing telecom a tragedy!

Slapping higher taxes on data is a regressive move that could discourage ecommerce development in Sri Lanka, an expert said yesterday



First priority should be national security – Gotabaya

The first priority of a country should be the national security, former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa asserts.



LSEG Facility stamps investor confidence for Sri Lanka

The investment in Sri Lanka by London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) technology facility is a clear example of the investment confidence foreign countries have on Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said.



Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa dies

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa passed away at 11.30 p.m. on Monday at the Apollo Hospitals, Chennai. She was 68.



India’s Jayaram Jayalalitha still ‘critical’ after heart attack

One of India’s most popular and powerful politicians, J Jayalalitha, remains in a critical condition after suffering a heart attack on Sunday night, the hospital treating her said.



Tissa Attanayake released on bail

The Colombo High Court granted bail to former General Secretary of the United National Party Tissa Attanayake, who was in remand custody.