Latest Sri Lanka News and Top Stories

Sri Lanka’s new proposed counter-terrorism legislation does not go far enough to remedy the defects of the country’s draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), UN experts said today (October 18), urging the Government to ensure the new law meets international human rights standards.

Sri Lanka is close to reaching a vital staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund to get funding, while it’s also assessing debt restructuring terms from foreign holders of its dollar bonds, according to junior Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe.

Sri Lanka’s president on Wednesday said debt relief for low-income countries should be part of the green transition and inaction on debt could pose an existential threat to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena informed the Sri Lanka Parliament this morning (October 18) that the Supreme Court has received 45 petitions against the Online Safety Bill.

Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided to grant service extension of 03 weeks to Inspector General of Police (IGP) C.D. Wickramaratne, despite the rejection of the Constitutional Council.

Chinese tech giant Huawei technologies has expressed its willingness to support an annual study programme aimed at nurturing software and hardware engineers in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan national Anula Jayathilake, who was previously reported missing in Israel, was confirmed dead by the Israeli authorities, Sri Lankan Ambassador to Israel, Nimal Bandara said.

Defence Adviser of the High Commission of India for Sri Lanka Captain Vikas Sood paid a courtesy farewell call on Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne at the Defence Ministry in Sri Jayewardenepura, Kotte on Monday (October 16).

Steps are being taken to introduce a pension scheme for those who are self-employed in Sri Lanka, State Minister of Social Empowerment Anupa Pasqual said.

A Sri Lankan woman has given birth to sextuplets at the Castle Street Hospital for Women (CSHW) in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) announced that it plans to release a set of guidelines and recommendations on the protection of human rights defenders in Sri Lanka and that it would engage in a consultative process to finalise these guidelines and recommendations.

Fitch Ratings has affirmed the National Insurer Financial Strength (IFS) Ratings of several Sri Lankan insurers and removed them from Rating Watch Negative (RWN). The outlook is ‘Stable’.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has written to Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar urging him to take diplomatic measures for the release of 27 fishermen and their five boats detained by the Sri Lankan navy on Saturday.