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Gotabaya Rajapaksa also confirmed that he wants to renegotiate the agreement with China about the strategic Hambantota port south of Colombo that serves the key shipping lanes between Europe and Asia. (Photo: File)

Invest in Sri Lanka to keep China at bay, says Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa

Sri Lanka has traditionally been allied to India but became close to China, securing about USD 7 billion in loans and investment.

02 Dec 2019 12:37 PM

MDMK leader Vaiko and his party workers staged a protest at Jantar Mantar on Thursday morning against newly elected Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, police said. (Photo: Twitter/ ANI)

MDMK stages protest against newly elected Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa

The Sri Lankan President will be on a three-day visit to India from November 28-30.

28 Nov 2019 1:16 PM

Mahinda Rajapaksa has returned to power as prime minister after leading his younger brother's successful election campaign. (Photo: FIle)

Top detective, who probed officials under Mahinda's rule, flees Lanka after ‘threats’

Inspector Nishantha Silva has sought asylum in Switzerland, according to media reports.

26 Nov 2019 2:06 PM

Rajapaksa said he wanted to work very closely with both India and China. (Photo: File)

Sri Lanka won’t do anything that will harm India’s interests: Gotabaya Rajapaksa

Rajapaksa, who is considered pro-China, said he wanted Sri Lanka to be a 'neutral country' and work with all the countries.

26 Nov 2019 9:15 AM

Sri Lanka's newly-elected President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was on Thursday absolved of all corruption charges linked to the embezzlement of nearly USD 185,000 by a high court which also lifted the overseas travel ban on him and released his impounded passport. (Photo: File)

Lankan court drops corruption charges against Gotabhaya, orders lifting travel ban

Gotabhaya will embark on his first foreign tour with a visit to India on November 29 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

21 Nov 2019 2:37 PM

Mahinda Rajapaksa is credited with a military victory ending a 26-year separatist civil war with ethnic Tamil rebels during his presidency from 2005 to 2015. (Photo: ANI)

Credited with ending civil war, Mahinda Rajapaksa sworn-in as Lanka Prime Minister

Ranil Wickremesinghe stepped down as prime minister earlier Thursday to clear the way for the president to form his government.

21 Nov 2019 2:16 PM

Mahinda Rajapaksa has served as president from 2005 to 2015. (Photo: File)

Sri Lanka's Mahinda Rajapaksa will be sworn as PM today

Leaders of the parties that backed Gotabaya during the presidential polls will be given preference in the Cabinet.

21 Nov 2019 10:32 AM

Sri Lanka's controversial wartime defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa will take oath as the seventh executive president of Sri Lanka on Monday at the Ruwanweli Seya precincts in the ancient north central town of Anuradhapura. (Photo: File)

Gotabaya Rajapaksa to take oath as Sri Lankan President on Monday

Rajapaksa, 70, defeated Sajith Premadasa, 52, by more than 13 lakh votes, the election commission announced on Sunday.

18 Nov 2019 11:02 AM

Voters can choose up to three candidates in their preferential order. The candidate who polls 50 per cent plus one vote as the first preference will be declared the winner. (Representational Image)

In 1st polls since Easter attacks, Sri Lankans up for tomorrow's showdown

Nearly 16 million people are eligible to vote for the president from among a record 35 candidates.

15 Nov 2019 1:07 PM

Sri Lanka's president has pardoned a death-row prisoner who murdered a Swedish teenager just a week before he leaves office, officials said Sunday, in a move that sparked national outrage. (Photo: File)

Anger in Lanka as President pardons death-row killer who shattered Swedish teen’s skull into 64

Sirisena, who is stepping down after Saturday's presidential election, announced last month he was considering to grant Jayamaha a pardon.

10 Nov 2019 12:51 PM

Sri Lanka's economy was slowly recovering from the impact of the Easter Sunday suicide bombings that killed hundreds and crippled the booming tourism sector, the International Monetary Fund said Saturday. (Representational Image)

Sri Lanka economy slowly recovering from Easter attacks: IMF

Furusawa's comments coincided with the latest tranche of a USD 1.5 billion IMF bailout package for Sri Lanka first approved in 2016.

02 Nov 2019 3:09 PM

Lanka ruling party presidential candidate Premadasa assures devolution of power

SL had a Senate which was abolished in 1971 before the formulation of the 1972 Constitution whereby Sri Lanka left the British sovereign.

31 Oct 2019 7:40 PM

The family of four has been held at the Christmas Island detention facility for the past month while their fight to stay in the country is before the courts. (Photo: Facebook)

Australia rejects UN call to release Tamil family held at Christmas Island

A Federal Court judge ruled last month there was enough evidence for the toddler’s case to go to trial, though a date has not yet been set.

05 Oct 2019 2:55 PM

Raja’s owner said the government has allocated troops to provide security for his pet as it ambles along main roads to attend temple festivals across the island. (Photo: Facebook)

Here's why Sri Lanka's tallest celebrity elephant has his own armed guards

Nadungamuwa Raja, 65 years old, is a celebrated elephant towering around 10.5 feet in height, the tallest tamed tusker in Lanka.

27 Sep 2019 12:52 PM

Sri Lanka: 70-year-old elephant whose photos sparked outrage dies

The animal was withdrawn from the finale of the annual pageant in Kandy after a social media firestorm erupted against parading it.

25 Sep 2019 2:51 PM

Sri Lanka's leading presidential candidate, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, would "restore relations" with the country's top lender China if he wins the November 16 vote, his adviser said on Thursday. (Photo: File)

Sri Lanka Presidential front-runner will restore ties with China: Adviser

The following year, the Sirisena government allowed Chinese projects to resume after demanding changes in some.

20 Sep 2019 10:46 AM

There was no immediate comment from the government. (Photo: Representational image)

Doctors in Sri Lanka go on srike over salary 'injustice'

The strike caused hardships to the patients who arrived at state-run hospitals, where doctors were providing only emergency treatment.

18 Sep 2019 3:33 PM

The island nation was put under a state of emergency for a period of four months from April to August. (Photo: File)

293 suspects arrested in connection with Lanka's Easter Sunday attacks

'Moves were also underway to freeze 6 billion Sri Lankan rupees worth of assets belonging to the suspects,' the police spokesman said.

06 Sep 2019 10:14 AM

Tamil toddlers moved to remote island detention centre in Australia

The family's neighbours from rural Queensland have campaigned for them to stay.

31 Aug 2019 2:50 PM

Man suspected to have terror links nabbed in Kerala

He is being interrogated by top police officials at a police guest house in the city.

24 Aug 2019 7:56 PM

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Kishwar Desai