Latest Sri Lanka News
Houses of worship attacked with deadly frequency in 2019
On Dec. 1, a band of assailants opened fire on worshippers at a small-town Protestant church in Burkina Faso, an impoverished West African country where the Christian minority is increasingly a target of attacks. The victims included the pastor and several teenage boys; regional authorities attributed the attack...
Maldives wants to restructure debt to China
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The Maldives foreign minister says his country needs to restructure its massive debt to China, which he says has put the Indian ocean archipelago in a difficult situation. Abdulla Shahid said the country's Chinese debt currently totals about $1.4 billion. He told reporters in...
Sri Lanka rejects Swiss request to fly staffer for treatment
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s foreign minister said Wednesday that the government has rejected a request from the Swiss Embassy to allow one of its local employees to be flown out for medical treatment after a group allegedly abducted and threatened her to disclose embassy information....
Sri Lankan court blocks Swiss Embassy worker from leaving
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — A Sri Lankan court on Tuesday blocked a Swiss Embassy employee from leaving the country until she gives a statement to police about allegations that she was abducted and threatened in order to disclose embassy information. Colombo’s chief magistrate issued an order at the...
Sri Lanka’s new president ends session of Parliament
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s new president has ended the parliamentary session and has set the opening of a new one for Jan. 3. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has issued an order to end the session effective at midnight Monday. Rajapaksa won the Nov. 16 presidential election comfortably but...
Sri Lanka wants to query Swiss Embassy worker over threat
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankan authorities have told the Swiss Embassy in Colombo that they want to question an embassy worker who was allegedly forced into a car and threatened to establish the veracity of her claims. The embassy has said the employee, who allegedly was ordered by her abductors to...
India offers credits to boost Sri Lankan economy, security
NEW DELHI (AP) — India offered a $400 million credit line to Sri Lanka for development of its infrastructure and economy during a visit Friday by the island nation’s newly elected president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced another $50 million credit line to...
Sri Lanka’s new government announces tax cuts
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka's new government has announced sweeping tax cuts and reforms in a bid to provide relief to the masses ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for early next year. The Cabinet decided Wednesday to cut the value added tax to 8% from 15%, effective Dec. 1, and...
Swiss decry ‘attack’ on local embassy employee in Sri Lanka
GENEVA (AP) — Switzerland’s foreign ministry said Thursday that unidentified men seized a local employee of the Swiss Embassy in Sri Lanka’s capital and threatened her “at length” to force her to disclose diplomatic information. The ministry said Swiss authorities have demanded...
Buddhist nationalists claim victory in Sri Lankan election
KANDY, Sri Lanka (AP) — In this mountain city that was for centuries home to Sri Lanka’s kings and in recent years has been riven by religious violence, Buddhist nationalists are rejoicing the election of the country’s newest leader. They hope he ushers in another golden era for the...
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