Sri Lanka has raised import duties on small hybrid cars by more than 50 percent, the government said on Wednesday, aiming to boost state revenue and curb a sharp fall in the rupee currency.

Health Minister Dr.Rajitha Senaratne yesterday said that the prices of 25 essential drugs would be reduced with immediate effect.

The import duty on vehicles which are less than 1000cc has been increased with effect from today (August 1), the Finance Ministry said.

The Rs 10,000 salary increment for state employees has not yet been carried out properly, says MP Namal Rajapaksa.

The Finance Ministry announced the increase on excise duty on Cigarettes by Rs.3.80 per stick with effect from midnight yesterday, the Finance Ministry said.

The United States today assured Sri Lanka’s minority Tamil community that it will continue to support the UN Human Rights Council resolutions for an independent international probe into alleged rights abuse during the war in Sri Lanka.

China will donate warships to Sri Lanka and the Philippines in the latest effort to boost its military influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

The New Zealand immigration office in Mumbai that handles Sri Lankan applications received a tip off at the start of the year.

A discussion should be held with the Examinations Department and other relevant parties with reference to installing signal jammers at examination centres, Telecommunication, Digital Infrastructure and Foreign Employment Minister Harin Fernando said yesterday.

Representatives of Sri Lankan President, Maithripala Sirisena on Monday visited the Kauvery hospital to meet the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.

Earlier this month, Sri Lankan civil aviation minister Nimal Siripala de Silva had told the Parliament that the government had asked the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to submit its business plan to operate the loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport.

The Sri Lankan government on Monday issued certificates, approved by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), to over 750 tuk tuk drivers in the capital who have been trained as tour guides as well as drivers to local and foreign tourists.

The Officer In-Charge of the Ingiriya Police, Inspector Ananda Piyadasa had been suspended with immediate effect over the alleged assault on two civilians by the three Police officers of the Ingiriya Police.

Former Southern Provincial Councilor Ajith Prasanna published a post on his Facebook page today, (July 29) stating that he has withdrawn from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna and will function as an independent politician.

Two suspects have been arrested at Buttala-Okkampitiya road while transporting a stock of Ceylon Ebony wood, commonly known as ‘Kaluwara’, in a lorry.