Two Chinese firms have funded the construction of five wells in the North-East, worth over $14,000, after a request by a local NGO.

The China Communications Construction Company Colombo Port City Project Company and the China Harbor Sri Lanka Area Company donated $14,400 towards constructing the wells in the Puthukkudiyiruppu area.

Vice General Manager of China Harbor Sri Lanka Area Company, Deng Bo told Xinhua on Wednesday that while Sri Lanka has made obvious development and progress in the recent years, the dilemma of having clean water in the northern region still existed.

The United National Party (UNP), currently the main constituent of the present government led by the SLFP’s President Maithripala Sirisena, has decided to contest the upcoming general election on its own, according to Plantation Minister Lakshman Kiriella.

The minister said the party's working committee passed a resolution to this effect on Friday morning and had also authorised UNP leader and prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, to make decisions on the election.

Sri Lanka’s foreign minister stressed that his government would lead any investigation of violations of international humanitarian law and that Sri Lanka has an "omnidirectional foreign policy", in an interview with Nikkei Asian Review published on Friday.

Mangala Samaraweera stated that whilst international technical assistance may be accepted, the process to investigate mass atrocities on the island will be "a unique Sri Lankan mechanism".

Tens of thousands of Tamil civilians were massacred during the final phases of the armed conflict, with the United Nations having commissioned an investigation into reports of mass atrocities that occurred.

Stating that Sri Lanka’s parliament would be dissolved in the coming weeks, Mr Samarawera said that the new government "will be able to work out a durable political solution which will address the grievances of the different communities of Sri Lanka and work out the new contours of a nation united in its diversity".

The High Commissioner of Canada to Sri Lanka said that the government “has an opportunity to reap the economic benefits of a peace dividend by fostering a transparent, responsive and pluralistic government”, as a partnership was launched between the Trade Facilitation Office Canada (TFO Canada) and Sri Lanka's Export Development Board (EDB).

The High Commissioner of Canada Shelley Whiting said the newly announced agreement would allow small and medium sized businesses reach the Canadian market, adding that added that "it will support Sri Lankan efforts to harness Sri Lanka's economic potential well into the future".

The Sri Lankan military announced the opening of a newly constructed residence for Buddhist monks, at a temple in the Eastern Province last week.

Sri Lanka’s former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has been refused a prime ministerial portfolio in the upcoming general elections, said the government cabinet spokesperson on Wednesday.

Speaking at a press conference after Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena met Mahinda Rajapaksa, Rajitha Senaratne said,

Sri Lanka’s Finance Ministry, on Wednesday, announced that commodity levies on lentils would be reduced.

A spokesperson from the Ministry told DailyMirror.lk that the decision was taken to reduce the burned on the people to counter a price hike for the commodity in the global market.

The Sri Lankan government has denied it is operating secret detention camps for Tamil political prisoners.

Speaking to The Island, foreign ministry spokesperson Mahishini Colonne asked for individuals with information on any such camps to come forward, so investigations can be made.

"[T]the Government has assured that there are no secret detention camps. However, since concerns continue to be raised, persons who may have information pertaining to such secret detention camps are urged to bring such information to the attention of the authorities or persons at high-level so that arrangements could be made to investigate and even arrange for unannounced visits," she said.

"The Government is committed to investigate and therefore, seek the support of all who may have any information to share such information," the spokesperson added.

The government already handed a list of all detainees to the families and the ICRC, she further said, adding that this list will not be made public.