Japanese businesses must take advantage of Sri Lanka’s strategic location, preferential market access into key economies, and be an early mover in the country’s new growth drive, remarked Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama at an investor forum in Tokyo.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday called for greater economic and trade cooperation with China and hoped China’s assistance and aid would benefit more ordinary people in the island country.

President Maithripala Sirisena instructed the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) to lift the blockage imposed on Facebook with immediate effect, a short while ago.

Facebook said Wednesday it was responding to Sri Lanka’s concerns over incendiary material shared on its platform and hoped internet restrictions imposed during anti-Muslim riots last week would be lifted soon.

President Maithripala Sirisena, who is on a state visit to Japan, made an observation tour of modern waste management centre in Shinagawa in Tokyo, yesterday (14).

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated that he would work towards providing funds without loans anytime possible while giving assistance to the development progammes of Sri Lanka.

Prime Minster Ranil Wickramasinghe said he is responsible for introducing the internet to Sri Lanka for the very first time.

Xenophobic forces have mobilised themselves and seem to have identified a new enemy in post-war Sri Lanka, says the cabinet minister

Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) Leader, Megalopolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka yesterday stressed the importance of controlling social media by implementing existing laws or enacting new laws.

Sri Lanka has operationalised the Office on Missing Persons, an special office set up for determining the status of all persons who went “missing” during the war against the LTTE.

Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena, who is on a state visit to Japan to further strengthening the long standing bilateral relations between the two countries, met with Emperor Akihito today (13).

Social media platforms, including the Facebook, which were blocked last week, would be accessible by Friday morning, Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Minister Harin Fernando said today.

JEDDAH – A Sri Lankan woman was killed by gunfire in Saudi Arabia Saturday morning. A Saudi man who was accused of opening fire on the woman later committed suicide by shooting himself.

The State-imposed thorny ban on social media looks set to drag on till at least Thursday (15 March), after a high-level meeting yesterday failed to agree on a timeline for restrictions, despite numerous pleas from the private sector, rights activists and top diplomats.

President Maithripala Sirisena after attending the Founding Conference of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in New Delhi met with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.