The owner of the Lorenzo Putha-4 Francis Milroy Perera is concerned about their fate. The pirates attacked on 27 January, but the Seychelles Coast Guard thwarted their action. The Sri Lankan government has failed so far to repatriate them. The skipper's mother appealed to AsiaNews.
Centred on oil, the visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian from 19 to 21 February anticipates that of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi at the end of the year. The minister and his Sri Lankan hosts also discussed nanotechnology, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals, as well as the two countries’ “tea for oil” barter deal.
On the occasion of the annual event dedicated to children at the Tewatta basilica, the Archbishop of Colombo reminded children of the invitation addressed to them by Pope Francis: "In today's world, do not be afraid of holiness".
Seven years after the beginning of the struggle to get the truth from the government about the fate of 200,000 people forcibly disappeared during the war in the north and east of Sri Lanka, a procession brought family members and activists to the streets. "Rajapaksa will answer before an international court for these people who disappeared".
The initiative was promoted by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Office to attract visitors from Buddhist communities. The President and Foreign Minister also announced a twinning programme between the country's temples and those in the South East Asian region.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe's 'Urumaya (legacy) of the president' programme grants Sri Lankan farmers the right to their land: 'But this deed is not granted for agriculture, but only for commercial cultivation for export,' explains Chinthaka Rajapaksa of the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reforms