The United States president, Donald Trump reauthorised special trade tariffs for a number of countries, including Sri Lanka. 

Signing the US Omnibus Spending Bill on March 23, Mr Trump ensured GSP was authorised until December 2020. The previous programme ended December 31, 2017.  

Sri Lanka's minister of industry and commerce, Rishad Bathiudeen sought to downplay the importance of the trade tarrif however. 

A Sri Lankan police inspecter was arrested today over the killing of 27 inmates at Welikada prison in 2012. 

The inspector, Neomal Rangajeeva was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and is expected to be produced before Colombo chief magistrate tomorrow, Colombo Page reports. 

As tensions between Sri Lanka's coalition government continue and a no-confidence motion against the Sri Lankan prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe is set to be debated in parliament next week, the president, Maithripala Sirisena today took away two key institutions from within Mr Wickremesinghe's remit. 

European Union ambassadors this week visited Kandy, the site of anti-Muslim attacks by Sinhala mobs earlier this month, and reiterated the importance of making sure Sri Lanka addresses religious and ethnic hatred. 

Meeting with senior Buddhist monks of the Asigiriya chapter and the Malwatte chapter, the ambassadors "emphasised the importance of starting a systematic dialogue with other religious leaders to avoid the recurrence of recent violence."

The International Federation of Journalists joined organisations in condemning the detention and threatening of a Tamil journalist by Sri Lanka’s military.

India’s influence in Sri Lanka’s elections cannot be ignored said Namal Rajapska.

In an exclusive interview with the News Minute, Mr Rajapaksa said, 

Sri Lanka's Prime Minister has defended the country's deals with China, while courting investment from India and Japan.

The Tamil National Alliance will vote against a no-confidence motion being brought against the Sri Lankan Prime Minister in parliament next week.

The TNA has informed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Sri Lankan President of the decision, the Daily Mirror reports.

The TNA has sixteen MPs in Parliament.

TNA MP Selvam Adaikalanathan has reportedly been told to cut his tour of China short to return to Sri Lanka by April 1st.

Sri Lankan troops assigned for UN peacekeeping operations have been referred to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka for vetting, on the insistence of the UN's Department of Peackeeping Operations.

Although a batch of 49 troops have already left for Lebanon in February, the remaining 101 army personnel are awaiting clearance from HRCSL due to the change in procedure.

The TNA has taken control of the Point Pedro Urban Council with the support of the EPDP, keeping out the TNPF which won the most seats in the council elections.

With the its five members and the additional two votes from the EPDP, the TNA were able to elect their chosen chairperson Joseph Iruthayaraja with one more vote than the TNPF's six.

Independent council members and smaller parties with just one seat each are reported to have abstained from the vote.

Beijing is spreading its influence across South Asia with huge investments – much to the worry of India and the west, The Guardian has said in a profile of Chinese investment in Sri Lanka and the rest of South Asia.

Describing the Chinese-built airport in Hambantota, the feature’s authors Michael Safi and Amantha Perera write:

The TNA has taken control of the Chavakachcheri Urban Council, despite the TNPF having won more seats, through the support of the EPDP, SLFP and UNP.

The ITAK/TNA chairperson, Sivamangai Ramanathan, was elected with 12 of the votes.

The EPDP, SLFP and UNP are reported to have openly declared their support for the TNA candidate keeping the TNPF, which won the most seats at the local election in February, from controlling the council.

Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena pledged to further deepen bi-lateral relations with China in a congratulatory message to China’s Premier Xi Jinping.

Congratulating Mr Jinping on securing another term as President, Mr Sirisena said,

The Jaffna Muncipal Council has elected Tamil National Alliance candidate Emmanuel Arnold as its Mayor, reports asiantribune.com

Beating candidates from the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) and the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) Mr Arnold received 18 votes with the other two candidates receiving 13 votes each.