Sri Lanka’s ambassador to the United States praised relations between the two governments, stating that they had reached “unprecedented heights”, as he leaves his post to take up a new assignment as the Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“The list of Sri Lanka’s landmark achievements are too many to mention,” said Prasad Kariyawasam at a farewell event held in Washington DC.

Since Sri Lanka’s presidential election in January 2015, Mr Kariyawasam said the government had “engendered a path breaking revival of our bilateral relations, and our partnership has now reached unprecedented heights”.

Sri Lanka's minister of provincial councils and local government, Faiszer Musthapha said that provincial council elections would all be held on one day, which would be next year at the earliest. 

Three provincial councils elections, including that in the Eastern province were due to be held this October. 

"Terms of some of the Councils will end this year, while for some PCs the terms will end in 2019," Mr Musthapha was quoted by Ceylon Today as saying. 

The World Bank Group will partner with Sri Lanka’s Bank of Ceylon to set up a US $100 million financing structure to allow for an increase in lending for renewable energy projects in Sri Lanka, reports Colombo Page.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a constituent member of the World Bank Group, will provide a 7 year finance deal to the Bank of Ceylon to support the expansion of conventional and non-conventional renewable energy projects.

“IFC continues to innovate through our partnership with Commercial Bank by working together on our shared goals of clean, sustainable and inclusive growth,” said the Regional Industry Manager for the IFC Ariane Di Ioria.

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Justice and Buddha Sasana Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe vowed  to regain ownership of the recently leased Hambantota Port.

In an interview with the Sinhala version of Daily Mirror.lk, Mr Rajapashe said the leasing of the port to China was wrong and stressed his commitment to ensure that Sri Lanka’s people regain ownership of the port.

The minister alleged that the sale of the Hambantota port would also reduce docking at Colombo’s port and allow China to extract further wealth from Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Ravi Karunayake resigned from his portfolio on Thursday, after being dogged by allegations of corruption.

Mr Karunayake stepped down from his post, however, maintained his innocence and denied all allegations against him.

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena is to issue 10,000 deeds to settlers this week under the Mahaweli development project, a controversial scheme that Tamils have criticised as Sinhala colonisation.

According to the official President’s Media Division, deeds are to be issued to settlers in Walawa zone and Mahaweli ‘’H’’ Zone in ceremonies on Friday and Saturday.

Sri Lanka’s president and prime minister took part in a Buddhist ceremony last week, presenting religious items to a senior Buddhist monk who has been appointed head of the Amarapura Nikaya order.

Seven Tamil youths including a key suspect in the Kokkuvil sword attack case will be remanded until 22nd August, the Jaffna Magistrate court has ruled.

Jaffna acting magistrate judge, V. T. Sivalingam, ordered for the seven men to be kept in detention until the 22nd August when they will be subjected to an identity parade.

The seven youths were arrested on Monday by Terrorism Investigation Department officers and were subjected to extensive questioning.

The Sri Lankan navy reported it had arrested at least 9 people in Point Pedro this week, claiming that those held had been engaged in “illegal sand mining”. 

The “9 civilians and a tractor” were reportedly held along the Point Pedro – Manatkadu road on Monday. They have since been taken to the Point Pedro Police Station for “further investigations,” according to an official navy website.

The arrest comes as part of a crackdown and a spate of arrests by Sri Lankan security forces in the peninsula.

The Sri Lankan military held a Buddhist ceremony as their Eastern province headquarters “to invoke blessings on troops,” reports an official military website.