The Sri Lankan government on Monday signed a US$ 100 million credit agreement with the World Bank to support the island's higher education sector. 

The Accelerating Higher Education Expansion and Development (AHEAD) operation is aimed at increasing enrollment in priority disciplines, improving the quality of degree programs, and promoting research and innovation in the higher education sector. 

The Sri Lankan government rejected reports that new visa screening processes would result in visas not being issued, stating that visas would be issued "without any special test or delay irrespective of their country of origin". 

Sri Lanka's prime minister and UNP leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday called for the SLFP and UNP to continue to work together as a unity government, arguing it was necessary for the country's development. 

His comments came as Sri Lankan papers were increasingly dubious over the longevity of the unity government. 

The United States and Sri Lanka are to renew a defence agreement which was signed in 2007, according to reports in the Sri Lankan press.

The Sunday Leader and Colombo Gazette report that Sri Lanka’s cabinet was informed of the decision to renewal a defence deal by Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, who was acting in his capacity as Minister of Defence.

Microfinance loans with soaring interest rates have left the community in Batticaloa trapped in a cycle of debt, reports The Hindu.

In a piece entitled “Getting sucked into a quicksand of debt”, villagers in the Eastern town described how microfinance loans have left many trapped.

“First, it was the tsunami that destroyed our community,” said one villager. “Then came the war. Now, it’s microfinance.”

Another spoke of how he was planning on selling his kidney to repay microfinance loans. “They say I will get LKR 8-9 lakhs (about INR3.7 lakhs), but even that won’t be enough to fully repay our loan,” he said.

The Sri Lankan government had advised its ambassadors to lobby the UK, Canada and Australia over travel advisories that it feels "placed the country in poor light and threatnes to scare off foreign visitors", the Sunday Times reported. 

"These advisories fall short of diplomatic protocol that is enjoyed among friendly nations, and this should never be the case. We will be seeking to rectify this at the very earliest," the paper quoted a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as saying. 

UK

The Sri Lankan government has introduced screening for tourists from Syria, Pakistan, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon prior to the issuing of visas. 

The minister of internal affairs, S B Navinna was quoted by the Sunday Leader as saying, "the screening will be carried out in light of national security concerns."

According to the paper the screening will include ISIS links for those coming from Syria and Egypt, illegal immigrants from Nigeria and Ghana; and refugees from Pakistan. 

The leader of the National Freedom Front and MP Wimal Weerawansa condemned the arrest of the former Sri Lankan navy spokesperson saying that he was a talented officer who had been arrested over the disappearance of "terrorists". 

Commodore D K P Dassanayake was arrested this month of the disappearance of 11 Tamil youths in 2008. 

Rejecting the conclusions of the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism, Ben Emmerson following an official visit to Sri Lanka, the country's justice minister, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe described Mr Emmerson as someone who "lacked cailbre and diplomacy" and accused him of using "false facts" about the Prevention of Terrorism Act. 

Also critical of the previous visit the UN Rapporteur, Monica Pinto, Mr Rajapakshe said, “she also said Tamil are mistreated. These are the type of special rapporteurs who visit Sri Lanka today."

Senior Deputy Inspector General Lalith Jayasinghe has been arrested for allegedly helping a suspect in the murder of schoolgirl Sivaloganathan Vithya evade arrest in Jaffna.

The incident sparked widespread condemnation in the North-East.

The trial is set to be in Jaffna, after a request by the defendants to be transferred to Colombo sparked strong opposition from the local community.

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