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President, Japan FM hold talks on LRT, East Terminal, Central Highway & BIA expansion (Pics)

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Visiting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Yoshimasa Hayashi has paid a courtesy call on President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo a short while ago.

During the meeting, the two dignitaries engaged in discussions concerning the bilateral relationship between Japan and Sri Lanka, with a mutual commitment to further strengthen their traditionally robust ties.

President Wickremesinghe expressed his gratitude to the Japanese Government for its support in the debt restructuring process and shared details of French President Emmanuel Macron’s offer, aiming to play a pivotal role in enhancing the common platform for debt restructuring and expediting the process.

Another significant aspect of their talks revolved around key areas of cooperation, namely the Light Rail Transit (LRT), the East Terminal, the Kandy Development Plan, Central Highway, and the expansion of the Bandaranaike International Airport.

Both parties expressed the importance of expediting the implementation of these projects.

Additionally, they delved into bilateral, regional, and global issues, emphasizing their shared commitment to maintaining the region as a peaceful and stable area.

President Wickremesinghe also highlighted the investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s high-tech industries, envisioning a transformation from a labour market-oriented economy to one that caters to cutting-edge technological advancements.

This strategic move is expected to present significant prospects for Japanese investors.

The high-level meeting took place in Colombo this morning.

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi arrived in Sri Lanka on a two-day official visit last night.

The Japanese Foreign Minister was received by State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya at the Bandaranaike International Airport.

During his stay, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi will also hold discussions with Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Yoshimasa Hayashi is being accompanied by Senior Foreign Policy Coordinator MURAKAMI Manabu, Director General Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs ARIMA Yutaka, Director General International Cooperation ENDO Kazuya, Deputy Press Secretary OKANO Yukiko from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan and a 22 – member delegation consisting of officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

The delegation will discuss the on-going debt restructuring process and also development projects which were discussed during Ranil President Wickremesinghe’s visit to Japan in May.

The delegation will also visit one of the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) sites in Sri Lanka.

This is also the first ministerial visit to Colombo from a Japanese delegation since 2019.

(NewsRadio)

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Showers expected part of the island

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Showers will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Nuwara-Eliya, Kandy, Galle and Matara districts today (June 26), the Department of Meteorology said.

Fairly heavy rains of about 50 mm are likely at some places.

A few showers may occur in the Anuradhapura and Matale districts.

Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva and Eastern provinces during the afternoon or night.

Meanwhile, fairly strong winds of about 30-40 kmph can be expected at times over Western slopes of the central hills and in Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Trincomalee and Hambantota districts.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

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NTC approves 2.5% reduction in bus fares (Update)

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The National Transport Commission (NTC) has approved a 2.5% reduction in bus fares effective from July 01 in line with the annual bus fare revision.

During a discussion between Transport Ministry officials and representatives of private bus associations, the government’s proposal to reduce bus fares by 2% was met by objections raised by bus operators.


(Previous News on 25th June 2025 at 4:51pm)

Bus associations oppose proposal of 2% fare reduction

The government’s proposal to reduce bus fares by a 2% effective from July 01 has led to the strong disapproval of bus associations, reports say.

It was also proposed not to revise the fares of the first two stages.

The announcement was made during a meeting between officials of the Transport Ministry and representatives of private bus associations to discuss the annual bus fare revision, scheduled for July 01.

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2025 A/L exam dates announced

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The Department of Examinations has confirmed that the 2025 G.C.E. Advanced Level (A/L) examination will be held from Nov. 10 – Dec. 05, 2025, 

Accordingly, applications for the 2025 G.C.E. A/L exam will be accepted online from June 26 to July 21, 2025.

It is further stated that students of government schools and government-approved private schools must submit their applications through their respective school principals, while private candidates are required to submit their applications themselves.

A statement by the Department of Examinations noted that private applicants must use their National Identity Card (NIC) number when applying for the examination.

Applicants are advised to visit the official website of the Department of Examinations of Sri Lanka, www.doenets.lk or www.onlineexams.gov.lk/eic, to carefully read the relevant instructions and submit their applications accordingly. After submitting the application, candidates are urged to keep a printed copy with them in case of an emergency.

The username and password required by school applicants to submit their applications have already been provided to the respective school principals.

Applications will not be accepted after 12.00 midnight on July 21, 2025. It is also emphasized that the closing date will not be extended under any circumstances, the statement added.

For further inquiries, applicants are advised to contact the Department of Examinations via the following telephone numbers or email : Tel: 011-2784208, 011-2784537, 011-2785922 / Hotline: 1911 / Email: [email protected]

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