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.

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,

“It is my firm belief that our collective resolves to further deepen our relations at all sphere will continue under your esteemed leadership. Please accept Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration for your Excellency and the people of China, and my personal good wishes for your health and happiness.”

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.

Thurairajah Eesan of the TNA was elected as the Deputy Mayor of the Jaffna municipality. 

The stay order preventing legal against Sri Lanka's former defence secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was further extended today until March 28. 

The decision marks the fourth time the order has been kept in place, preventing the Financial Crime Investigations Division (FCID) from taking any legal action against accusations of misappropriating public funds in constructing the DA Rajapaksa Museum and Memorial in Medamulana.

Mr Rajapaksa oversaw the military offensive during the final phase of the armed conflict, where tens of thousands of Tamil civilians were massacred.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is to decide next week on whether or not to support a no-confidence motion against the current Sri Lankan prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

Mr Sumanthiran was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying the party's parliamentary group would meet on April 2 to discuss the issue and decide its position. 

The no-confidence motion, reportedly signed by 55 MPs including a state minister and two deputy ministers, is to be debated in parliament on April 4.