"The last seven years, attacks on this newspaper [Uthayan], the incidents are over 30. Three zero. I don't think any other media institution in this country has suffered this amount of attacks."

"Two of their employees were shot dead, inside the premises. Gunmen came and opened fire, three others were seriously injured. Two died. That has not been inquired into. Nor has that crime been resolved. This was some time ago."

"If one is to look at the recent incident, just this year alone, their newspaper distributor was attacked, then their distribution centre in Kilinochchi was attacked by armed personnel, and you know you can't have an armed group in Kilinochchi doing this kind of operation and getting away. The highly militarised environment in Kilinochchi... if that can happen, it can only be an act of the government."

Sri Lanka’s Power and Energy Ministry’s Secretary MMC Ferdinando has said that his government is in discussions with Japan for a $600mn loan to fund a coal fuelled power plant in the south of the island.

"The cost is estimated at $600 million. This will be from a 40-year concessional loan. We have proposed a 600 MW capacity plant. But all will be decided after the feasibility study," the Secretary said.

The delegation of Indian politicians from the Bharatiya Janata Party, currently visiting Sri Lanka, has said that India cannot solve the political problems on the island.

Sri Lanka will be one of nine countries that have been granted exemptions from sanctions on Iranian oil purchases by the US State Department.

In a statement, Secretary of State John Kerry said that China, India, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Taiwan have again qualified for an exemption to sanctions as these countries had significantly reduced purchases from Iran.