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. 

In an Extraordinary Gazette the Central Bank and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) were moved from the National Policies and Economic Affairs Ministry, led by Mr Wickremesinghe, to the Ministry of Finance. 

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.

Shanmugam Thavaseelan, of ABC media network was detained for more than two hours by the military and was only released after the newsroom contacted the military spokesperson in the capital Colombo, said the IFJ in a press statement.

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, 

"India's influence in Sri Lankan elections cannot be ignored. India is important in regional politics and several sectors see mutual involvement of both India and Sri Lanka. We cannot ignore India's influence. We cannot ignore India.”
He added, 

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

In an interview in Colombo, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe defended a deal last year that gave a joint venture led by state-owned China Merchants Port Holdings Co Ltd. a 99-year lease to the southern port of Hambantota, Bloomberg reports.

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.

The motion will be debated on April 4th.

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.

Advocacy groups have highlighted that Sri Lanka has sent army officials accused of human rights abuses and war crimes to peacekeeping operations in the past.

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:

“Built to handle one million passengers each year, Mattala Rajapaksa saw just over 50,000 people in 2017. Since it opened four years ago the gleaming facility in Hambantota district, on Sri Lanka’s south coast, has become known as the emptiest international airport in the world.”

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.