July 22, 2016 Reading Time: 2 minutes
Japanese bank to fund highway project to Kandy. Image credit - fyletto / depositphotos
Reading Time: 2 min read
IDP camps in Jaffna to close
The government has announced that it is planning to close 31 camps that house internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Jaffna, and complete the resettlement of the 971 displaced families by 15 August.
The government granted approval on 20 July for a fund of LKR 971 million for the construction of 204 houses. The houses will be completed in a few months, and land is being identified to build homes for the remaining 767 families.
Japanese bank to fund road project
The Cabinet has approved a loan of USD 1 billion from the Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ bank, to fund the third phase of the central expressway, from Colombo to Kandy.
The loan, which will be repaid over 15 years, will also be used for the construction of an elevated road connecting the Kelaniya Bridge to Rajagiriya.
Pakistan keen to expand trade with Sri Lanka
The Pakistani Minister for Commerce, Khurram Dastgir Khan, has proposed an increase in trade between Pakistan and Sri Lanka during bilateral discussions held at the 14th Session of the UN Conference on Trade and Development in Kenya.
Pakistan is currently Sri Lanka’s second largest trading partner in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. Total trade between the two countries was USD 370.38 million in 2015, compared to USD 353 million in 2014.
UN and IPU sign cooperation agreement
The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, has signed a partnership with the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU). This agreement will increase ties between the organizations, in order to implement the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement.
The IPU is an international organization that promotes inter-parliamentary dialogue, and works for peace, co-operation, and the establishment of representative democracy.
Sports court upholds ban on Russian athletes
The Court of Arbitration for Sport has upheld the decision of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to ban Russian track and field athletes from competitions held under IAAF rules, including the 2016 Olympic Games.
The All-Russian Federation of Athletics has objected to the court’s ruling. The IOC is scheduled to deliver its final decision on whether it will permit Russia to participate in the 2016 Olympics within a week.
Libya opposes French intervention
Protesters in Tripoli have demonstrated against the French military, who are present in the country without the permission of the UN-backed Libyan government. Their presence was discovered following the shooting down of a helicopter carrying three French Special Forces troops in eastern Libya.
The Libyan government also expressed its discontent towards the French government for allegedly funding General Khalifa Haftar, an opponent of the government.
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