The Sri Lankan government has begun “informal discussions” with the Tamil National Alliance and other parties on a political solution to the ethnic conflict, according to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The government is contemplating a new law to regulate social media, particularly in a bid to curb posting of sexual images and defamatory material.

Through the Gazette notification No. 1933/16 pertaining to imposing Customs duties, the government has announced new Customs duties on Japanese motor vehicles like Toyota and others imported to Sri Lanka.

2015 Grade 5 scholarship exam results have been released. The results could be obtained via www.doenets.lk or www.results.exams.gov.lk, the Examinations Chief said.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged aid to Sri Lanka on Tuesday in a meeting with his counterpart, Ranil Wickremsinghe, and reiterated a promise to help Sri Lanka bolster its maritime security and to provide patrol ships.

Chief Opposition Whip Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday in Parliament questioned the measures taken by the government with regard to the Coca Cola Company for allegedly polluting the Kelani river. Dissanayake was raising a question under Standing Order 23(2).

Central Provincial Minister Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon says that his father former Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Chennai: PMK’s chief ministerial candidate Dr Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday urged all the political parties to set aside their egos to join hands and press for an international probe into the war crimes committed by Sri Lanka against Tamils and demanded that the state government take forward the issue.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe who is on an official visit to Japan commenced addressing the Japanese Parliament this morning.

Sri Lanka’s former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that even though the United Nations resolution against Sri Lanka on war crimes sponsored by the US without a vote is being hailed as a diplomatic victory, he is unable to share the same view.

Japan will act as a sincere friend of Sri Lanka during challenging times the latter may have to go through, Japanese Prime minister Shinz Abe said yesterday.

Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake has invited Sri Lankans and Indians who had to take back their deposits from banks in Switzerland to place their funds in Sri Lanka.

Expressing concern over repeated incidents of fishermen from the State being captured by the Sri Lankan Navy, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his personal intervention to secure their release and safeguard the traditional fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen.

Price of a cigarette has been increased by Rs 3 from Rs 30 to Rs. 33 while a liter of beer by Rs. 40 (alcohol below 5%) and a liter of beer by Rs 60 (alcohol over 5%) from today, the Finance Ministry said.

Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) leader Dinesh Gunawardena, MP, yesterday, said that the country could bring to the notice of the war crimes court envisaged for Sri Lanka, the circumstances under which the armed forces had brought the LTTE to its knees in May 2009.

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday (2) said that the country had achieved a great victory at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) as the international community expressed high appreciation of the steps taken by the government since January.