The servicing of public debt soaked up all of Sri Lankan government revenue in 2013, The Sunday Times reported.

That the government is having to borrow to meet its debt repayments is itself increasing the debt burden – even as state revenue is falling, the paper said.

Sri Lanka’s much-vaunted growth in GDP “has been achieved by increasing foreign and domestic debt and cutting developmental expenditure [and thus by] undermining macroeconomic fundamentals,” the paper warned.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2013 fell from the year before to US$ 916 million, mostly in hotels, the paper also said.

A tourist from Britain was arrested at Katunayake Airport for having a tattoo of the Buddha on her hand, reported the Daily Mirror.

Michele Calmon, 37, landed in Sri Lanka this morning and was produced before Negombo Magistrates Court today.

Katunayake Airport police told the magistrate that the tattoo was contrary to Buddhism, who then transferred Calmon to the Mirihana detention camp for immediate extradition.

The Bishop of Mannar Rayappu Joseph has been denied access to visit Tamil political prisoners over Easter, as customary in the Catholic Church, the Uthayan reported.

Bishop Rayappu Joseph who was accompanied by the Bishop of Anuradhapura to visit the Tamil detainees in Anuradhapura prison, received permission for the visit from the ministry responsible for prisons.

"It would be unfair to permit any foreigner to live in the country for long periods, let alone journalists,"

"He has stayed in the country for over five years, and we have granted him a further three-month extension on that visa. Granting him any further extension would be unreasonable."

The pass-system, which requires Tamil fisher folk to obtain permission from the military before setting out to sea, has now been re-introduced in Mannar, after being restarted in Jaffna earlier this month, reported Uthayan.

The Mannar district fishermen’s union leader M N Aalam complained that fishermen are facing hardship because of the system. The Mannar Fishing Department said the pass system caused difficulties in the past and re-introducing this is going to cause more difficulties.

A protest was held against the Sri Lankan Navy in Oluvil, Amparai on Thursday, reported Virakesari.

Protestors called for the arrest of a member of the navy, who is said to have broken into a household and threatened women, after which he was captured by civilians.