• UK remains Sri Lanka’s second biggest trade partner

    The UK is Sri Lanka’s second biggest trade partner by volume after India. 2012 saw Sri Lanka export £907m worth of goods to the UK, 13% higher than the previous year, while imports from the UK were worth £146m.

  • Uniformed men assault woman in Kilinochi
     A 38-year-old mother of three was sexually assaulted by two uniformed men in Poonakari, Kilinochi, reports Veerakesari.

    The woman who sells palm-leaf crafts by trade was attacked while gathering palm leaves on Wednesday.

    The assaulters who reportedly had their faces covered with cloths and were wearing 'uniform', escaped after the attac.
  • Rajapaksa appoints disappearance commission
    Mahinda Rajapakse on Wednesday appointed a commission to investigate wartime abductions and disappearances, reports the Associated Press.
  • Must move past conversations on political and humanitarian reforms: SL Ambassador

    A Sri Lankan official today outlined that the Sri Lankan government and the United States are not at odds with each other.

  • African nations pledge support for CHOGM

    Several new African heads of missions to Sri Lanka pledged the support of their countries for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) taking place in Colombo this year, reported Sri Lankan news sources.

  • Chinese envoy meets new SL Army Chief
    The Chinese Ambassador Wu Jianghao met Sri Lanka's recently appointed Army chief, Commander Daya Ratnayake on Tuesday, reports the DailyMirror.lk.

    Visiting the Army Headquarters, Jianghao was part of a four member delegation including Li Chen Glin, the newly appointed Defence Attaché.
  • US - SL military engineers do DIY in Jaffna
    In an operation named PACANGEL (Operation Pacific Angel - Sri Lanka), the US military's engineers from the Air Force, Army and Marine Corps, has joined hands with its "Sri Lankan counterparts", to do a spot of DIY in Jaffna.
  • EU concerned over incidents in Sri Lanka
    The EU has added to a number of international voices calling for an independent investigation into the violence at Weliweriya.

    The EU delegation in Colombo expressed concern over recent incidents including the Weliweriya shootings as well as the mob attack on a Colombo mosque.

    In a statement, the EU said that justice should be ensured "through speedy, impartial investigations" and added:
  • Solheim calls for international inquiry

    The former Norwegian minister Eric Solheim has called on the international community to hold an investigation into the “tens of thousands” of deaths during the end of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka.

    Solheim, who used to be heavily involved during the peace process between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Government, said in an email to Xinhua, that the Tamil diaspora can play a key role in Sri Lanka.

  • Weliweriya factory to be relocated
    Mahinda Rajapaksa assured residents of Rathupaswala, Weliweriya, that the factory accused of contaminating their ground water would be relocated.

    A Presidential spokesperson said that the regional authorities would prioritise ensuring people receive safe water.

    See the Island for full report.
  • Attacked mosque to be relocated

    The Sri Lankan police has imposed a curfew, for the second day running, to prevent religious clashes in the Grandpass area of Colombo, following anti-Muslim violence outside a mosque, sources reported.

  • US concerned at mosque violence

    The US embassy in Colombo has expressed concern at the attack on a mosque by a Buddhist mob on Saturday and called for the prosecution of the perpetrators.

    See full statement below:

  • Muslim politicians demand action
    Muslim politicians from the coalition called upon the government to take action against those responsible for the Saturday attack on a Colombo mosque.

    The politicians blamed the 'communal violence' on lack of swift and decisive action by law enforcement authorities during previous attacks on places of worship over the past several months.
  • US would even issue a statement when an insect flies past': Weerawansa

    A Sri Lankan minister, Wimal Weerawansa, accused the US Embassy of issuing statements that would even condemn a 'common cold'.

  • 17 year old girl missing in Mannar
    A 17 year old girl has been reported missing in Mannar.

    The girl, named Suganya, was last seen by a member of her family, at a bus stop in Mannar midday on Thursday, when she'd come to see her parents.

    Her parents reported her missing to the local police station on Friday.
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