Sri Lankan investigators have located more than $2 billion that was secretly transferred to accounts in Dubai by figures close to the administration of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, the government said on Thursday.

Sri Lanka’s new government has announced plans to remove 16 groups and hundreds of Tamils from a list of “foreign terrorists” as part of reconciliation with its largest ethnic minority.

A high-level delegation from the EU will arrive in Sri Lanka next week to hold discussions with the Sri Lankan government on the GSP plus trade concessions which has been withdrawn from Sri Lanka during the previous regime, the Sri Lankan government said on Wednesday.

A sudden fire has erupted in Unity Plaza shopping complex in Bambalapitiya this morning.

President Maithripala Sirisena has reiretated his commitment to abolishing the executive presidential system. This assurance was given at his first meeting with editors of national newspapers at the President’s House on Wednesday.

The Madras High Court Bench here has confirmed the conviction and 12 years of rigorous imprisonment imposed on four individuals for attempting to smuggle 17.384 kg of heroin to Sri Lanka through Pudumadam seashore near Uchipuli in Ramanathapuram district.

In a major reconciliatory move, Sri Lankan President Mathripala Sirisena will be sending a circular to all institutions saying that there is no bar on singing the Lankan national anthem in Tamil, the New Indian Express said on Wednesday (18).

Democratic National Alliance (DNA) MP Arjuna Ranatunga says that he has accepted the membership of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya informed party leaders yesterday it was not consistent with democracy to introduce a new electoral system and then conduct an election under it immediately afterwards.

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday told his predecessor, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to let him conduct the affairs of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), as its Chairman, without any interference.

Former State Minister Rajiva Wijesinha on Tuesday (17) defected and sat in the opposition side of the Parliament citing several issues including the 19th amendment and removal of the Chairperson of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The former Secretary of the Economic Development Ministry Dr Y.D. Nihal Jayathilaka and former Director of People’s Leasing & Finance Mr P. Kudabalage are being questioned by the Fraud Investigations Bureau (FIB).

The Gazette notification on the 19th Amendment to the Constitution has been published and public are allowed to submit their concern within two weeks, the Government Information Department said.