Sri Lanka will sign a $1.1 billion deal on Saturday to lease the southern Hambantota port to China on Saturday, reports the New York Times.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe confirmed that the deal would be signed this weekend, speaking at a press conference on Friday.

“We will sign the Hambantota agreement tomorrow. We are giving the country a better deal without any implications on security,” said Mr Wickremesinghe.

The Sri Lankan army is to receive Rs 148 million towards the construction of a new army complex in Mullaitivu as an incentive to release 100 acres of private land in Kepappilavu. 

The new complex is reportedly earmarked for 'state land'. 

"Once the money is allocated from our Ministry, the private lands will be released within six months. But the representatives of the Keppapilavu village stressed that the six months plan was too long and wanted the lands released much earlier," the minister for resettlement, Mr Swaminathan was quoted by Ceylon Today as saying. 

The wife of the former Sri Lankan president, Shiranthi Rajapaksa on Thursday evaded a summons by the Criminal Investigation Department over the murder of the rugby player Wasim Thajudeen. 

Her son, Yoshitha Rajapaksa has been summoned to appear before the CID tomorrow, Colombo Page reported. 

Ms Rajapaksa had been called to give evidence regarding a jeep from the Siriliya Saviya Foundation that had been handed over to her son, Yoshitha. 
 

Sri Lanka's local election monitors, PAFFREL and CaFFE on Thursday expressed concern over the Cabinet's decision to postpone Provincial Council polls from the agreed date of October 2017. 

"If the government intended to conduct elections to all 9 provinces, the government must disclose the time frame it expects to hold polls to all provinces whether it would be after September to October of 2017 or after October 2018, after April 2019 or October 2019?" PAFFREL Executive Director, Rohana Hettiarachchi was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. 

A Canadian court on Thursday ruled that four Tamil men accused of people smuggling from Sri Lanka were not guilty, stating that the men were asylum seekers. 

Francis Anthonimuthu Appulonappa, Hamalraj Handasamy, Jeyachandran Kanagarajah and Vignarajah Thevarajah were accused of trying to organise the trafficking of asylum seekers via the MV Ocean Lady in October 2009. 

“I am also not satisfied that their actions were to obtain either directly or indirectly a financial or material benefit, or that any of the them obtained one,” Justice Arne Silverman said, concluding the Crown had failed to prove its case. 

A Sri Lankan police officer has reportedly been assaulted by unknown persons in Jaffna, according to the Daily Mirror.

The police officer, identified as Sub Inspector Thinduraja, was reportedly assaulted by four unidentified people on his way home from the local police station.

No serious injuries have been reported as he was wearing a helmet.

The Sub Inspector ran into a nearby forest before taking himself to Chavakachcheri hospital. The Daily Mirror says hospital sources have stated his condition is “not serious”.

The United States has announced $7.4 million will be provided to Sri Lanka through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) as part of a program to “reduce poverty and promote economic opportunity” on the island.

A visiting delegation from the MCC  led by Fatema Z. Sumar, Regional Deputy Vice President for Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America, visited Colombo this week to make the announcement.

The chief minister of Tamil Nadu, E Palaniswami on Thursday wrote to the Indian premier, Narendra Modi, urging him to ensure the release of fishermen detained by the Sri Lankan navy. 

"I request PM Modi to take immediate action for release of 75 Indian fishermen release and 149 boats from Sri Lanka," Mr Palaniswami was quoted by ANI as saying. 

Seventy-five Tamil Nadu fishermen are believed to be detained by the Sri Lankan navy along with 149 boats. 

An arrest warrant has been issued by Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal for a navy officer wanted in connection with the assassination of the Tamil politician, N Raviraj. 

The officer, identified as Prasad Hettiarachchi was issued an arrest warrant as he had failed to appear in court after being summoned along side four others names as respondents in a petition filed by Mr Raviraj's wife. 

The Court of Appeal judge ordered that Officer Hettiarachchi be arrested and produced before Court, Adaderana reported on Thursday. 

The Sri Lankan government may delay the signing of the Hambantota port city deal with China Merchant Port Holdings depending on a parliamentary debate tomorrow, Ceylon Today reported on Thursday. 

The deal was due to be signed on Saturday. 

The reports of a possible delay came only days after the cabinet approved the signing of the deal, which had been subject to protests by locals and the Buddhist clergy who argued the government was selling land to China.