The Sri Lankan Army is demolishing houses and buildings in unreleased lands in Myliddy and using those materials for further construction on the Thalsevana resort, a  military-run resort built on occupied land in Kankesanthurai, the Vali North resettlement committee has said.

In the majority of cases where Tamil lands have been released from high security zones and general army occupation, the residents have returned to destroyed homes and infrastructure, the committee said.

Sri Lanka’s navy provided interest free loans to forty sailors this week as part of a range of benefits provided for its troops, as defense spending continues to dominate Sri Lanka’s budget.

Loans worth Rs. 500,000 each were granted to the sailors, reports an official military website. The loans are part of a range of benefits granted to the military.

The Sri Lankan military continued to intrude on Christmas festivities in Jaffna this month, despite government pledges to withdraw the military from civilian activities.

Sri Lanka received its first instalment from China for Hambantota Port totalling US$ 292.1 million, the Central Bank confirmed on December 26. 

The sum was credited to Sri Lanka by China Merchant Port Holdings (CMPort) in line with the long lease of Hambantota Port to the Chinese state owned company. 

The whole programme is expected to see a US$ 1.12 billion investment by CMPort. 

The Sri Lankan government has sought an emergency supply of fertiliser from Pakistan after farmers raised concerns of supplies running out. 

The government's news portal reported that the Sri Lankan president, Maithripala Sirisena "immediately contacted Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi" requesting assistance. 

The Indian government offered Sri Lankan officials training towards understanding India's method of governance, PTI reports. 

Forty-five day long training courses have been introduced, starting on January 15, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said in a statement. 

"The training courses aim to give Sri Lankan government officials an understanding of India’s approach towards governance and rural and urban development," the statement noted. 

The residents of a Mullaitivu village are still unable to return to their homes despite announcements by the Sri Lankan Army that their lands have been released.

Sri Lanka's Department of Archaeology has been given the authority to take control of land in Sampur which is claimed to be the site of a Anuradhapura era Buddhist stupa. 

A team of archaeologists claimed to have made the discovery on November 11 during an excavation. 

One day after the alleged discovery, the site was reportedly demolished by unidentified persons. 

The Sri Lankan government attempted to play down the impact of the decision by the United States to end its preferential duties from January 1, 2018. 

"The US GSP applies to 120 countries and there is nothing special or significant to Sri Lanka. Once it was removed, the cost of exports will rise only by about 3% in tariff," Sri Lanka's national policies and economic affairs deputy minister, Harsha De Silva was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. 

Despite repeated calls for the military to withdraw from civilian life in the North-East, Sri Lankan soldiers involved themselves in a religious ceremony held at a Saiva temple in Trincomalee last week.

The United States announced that from January 1 2018, Sri Lanka will not receive any preferential duties under Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program.

In a press release today, the US Embassy in Colombo said that in the case of Sri Lanka, “the United States Congress did not re-authorize GSP before adjourning for the year”. 

Sixty-nine Tamil Nadu fishermen who were being detained in Sri Lankan jails were ordered to be released by courts in Jaffna and Vavuniya on Thursday, the Deccan Chronicle reports. 

The men were arrested previously by the Sri Lankan navy for allegedly poaching in the island's waters. 

Japan's minister of foreign affairs is to visit Sri Lanka on January 5th, 2018. 

Mr Taro Kono's visit will be the first visit of a Japanese foreign minister to the island in 15 years. 

He expected to hold discussions with the Sri Lankan president, prime minister and his counter part, Tilak Marapana. 
 

The former justice minister and UNP MP, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe has resigned from Sri Lanka's constitutional council, local papers reported on Thursday. 

Mr Rajapakshe, who was removed from the position of justice and Buddha Sasana minister for his criticism of government policies, submitted a letter of resignation to the president.