The Sri Lankan government has pledged to build 2500 houses in Mullaitivu district as part of the 'Samata Sevana' national housing scheme. 

The chairman of the Housing Development Authority was quoted by Colombo Page as saying the houses would be complete within two months and will cost Rs 12.5 million. 

One thousands houses are being built in Vavuniya, the paper stated. 

A concert set to take place in Jaffna featuring Tamil Nadu-based singer Unnikrishnan was cancelled after threats from supporters of EPDP leader, Douglas Devananda.

Posters saying the singer had insulted Douglas and could not “sing on our soil” until he had apologised, were pasted on promotional walls all over Jaffna town.

Organisers cancelled the Jaffna concert planned for Friday night, fearing disturbances from EPDP supporters.

Sri Lanka is to make its fuel pricing system reflect international prices said the Finance Ministry in a statement today.

“The finance minister Manglaa Samaraweera will be introducing pricing formulae to reflect international prices and give the benefit to consumers,” said State Minister for Finance Eran Wickramaratne.

As part of an agreement with the International Monetary Fund to receive US $1.5 billion Sri Lanka committed to re-introduce an internationalised fuel price formulae by the end of 2016 in and missed the deadline.

Sri Lankan soldiers and army officers dominated a temple chariot festival in Jaffna district last week.

The Sri Lankan military declared open a new accommodation block for troops in Kilinochchi this week, declared an official army website.

The General Secretary of the Asgiriya Chapter warned the Sri Lankan government that it had failed to heed the advice given by the chief monks of the island’s three major Buddhist orders, reports The Island.

Dr Medagama Dhammananda Nayaka said that a month had passed since Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena met with the chief monks, but “no action had been taken”.

In particular he cited the SAITM dispute and Central Bank Bond scams as areas of concern.

The Sri Lankan Air Force celebrated the 6^th anniversary of establishing bases in Mullaitivu and Iranamadu last week, with a series of events in the Tamil North-East.

Sri Lanka is to review an US$ 205 million Indian investment proposal to operate Sri Lanka’s second international airport in the southern town of Mattala, reports The Hindu.

The Sri Lanka government gave clearance to its Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Sri Pala de Silva to set up a committee to study the Indian government’s proposal. India proposes to “operate, manage, maintain and develop” the airport and hold 70% equity for 40 years, in a US $205 million investment.

The building and expansion of two Buddhist shrines in close proximity to Hindu temples in Point Pedro has left locals fearing further Sinhalisation of their area.

India's minister of external affairs Sushma Swaraj held a meeting on Friday with Sri Lanka's State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vasantha Senanayake in Kathmandu. 

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the Bay of Bengal Initiatives for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). 

Mr Senanayake represented Sri Lanka after the country's foreign minister was forced to resign over corruption allegations. 

According to Colombo Page, "both ministers exchanged views on mutual relations but have not discussed regional issues."