The World Bank has committed $200 million to improve Sri Lanka's public health services.

The development project will be aimed at improving Sri Lanka's performance on controlling non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, malnutrition and enhancing health systems. 

The International Development Association will be financing the projecting, Sri Lanka's minister for health, nutrition and indigenous medicine, Rajitha Senaratne told participants of the Second Health Sector Development Project in Colombo on Sunday. 
 

Sri Lanka's president, Maithripala Sirisena, who recalled the country's ambassador to Austria for not answering his call said this week that he did so in order to "send a message to other embassies as well". 

Ambassador Priyanee Wijesekera and five other embassy staff were recalled from their service for leaving Sirisena's phonecalls "unanswered for several hours". 

Commenting on the incident, Sirisena said that he had tried to contact the embassy for four and half hours. 

Police arrested a Tamil youth in Mullaitivu, accusing him of being involved in sword attacks in the Puthukkudiyiruppu area. 

Officers claimed they had received 'secret' information connecting the 25-year-old man to the crimes.

A sword was allegedly found in his possession. 

Sri Lanka's Terrorism Investigation Division on Sunday took statements from the editors of the three Jaffna based newspapers in relation to a Tamil homeland display at a temple festival in Aanaikkottai. 

The editors of Uthayan, Valampuri and Thinakkural were questioned following approval by Jaffna Magistrate Court. 

Last month the TID summoned five Tamils along with a journalist, Uthayarasa Shalin to their Colombo office for an inquiry. 

Sri Lanka’s Central Bank has come out to reject a report by Nomura, which placed most at risk of an exchange rate crisis earlier this month.

Instead Sri Lanka’s central bank has claimed the ‘Damocles score’ published by Nomura is a “rudimentary attempt” and that the “report has not undergone a thorough review before publication”.

A new monument commemorating the 2001 Pongu Tamil declaration was unveiled at Jaffna University on Monday.

A joint military exercise between Sri Lankan and India in Trincomalee concluded this week, as the Sri Lankan government continues to build military relations despite human rights concerns.

Sri Lanka’s president will ask the United Nations not pursue accountability for war crimes committed by Sri Lankan troops and will instead call on the Human Rights Council to “remove these charges”.

Speaking to reporters in Colombo last week, Maithripala Sirisena said that he "will also make a written request to the Human Rights Council to settle the allegations against our troops".

The latest figures from Sri Lanka’s census department reveal that unemployment has almost doubled over the past two years across the Jaffna district, as Tamils across the North-East continue to struggle with their livelihoods.

Unemployment in Jaffna in 2015 was 5.7 percent, but has steadily risen to 7 percent in 2016 and now to 10.7 percent.

Meanwhile, unemployment in Mullaitivu has also risen from 3.7 percent in 2016 to 4.8 percent in 2017.

Fishermen in Mullaitivu today held a demonstration demanding action against ongoing illegal fishing in the area. 

Condemning the widespread practice of accepting bribes in exchange for allowing illegal fishing, the fishermen demanded that any corrupt officials face justice.