Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was appointed as prime minister by the Sri Lankan president on Friday, assumed duties today. 

According to Colombo news reports several Member of Parliaments, secretary to the prime minister, Sirisena Amarasekara and members of the Maha Sanga were present at the event. 

The spokesperson for the prime minister told reporters a new cabinet would be sworn in later today. 

A 64-year-old Tamil man who was injured after stones were thrown at his train carriage as he travelled from Kurunegala to Jaffna died today, sixty days after being admitted in hospital. 

The man, named as P Sivachelvan from Vadamaradchchi East was admitted to Anuradhapura hospital following the attack, which took place near the Sinhala area of Mathavachchi on August 31. 

The attack was one of a series of similar train attacks targetting trains departing from Tamil areas. 
 

A demonstration was held in Nelliady on Saturday by locals demanding the release of Tamil political prisoners, who have been held largely without charge indefinitely. 

Earlier this month the TNA met with the Sri Lankan president, Maithripala Sirisena urging him to release the prisoners. 

Amnesty International expressed concern over events in Sri Lanka, stressing that "human rights must not become a casualty of Sri Lanka’s political crisis". 

"The authorities must ensure that key freedoms are respected and protected at this time. People should be allowed to exercise their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association," Amnesty's Minar Pimple said. 

Amnesty International is also concerned by reports that journalists working at government-controlled media outlets were subject to threats, intimidation and harassment.

In his first address since Sri Lanka's current political crisis unfolded, the Sri Lankan president, Maithripala Sirisena explained at length the reasons for him sacking Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointing Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new prime minister. 

Pointing to the current UNP's lack of nationalism, the corruption of Ranil and his associates and an alleged assassination plot against him, Sirisena said "only alternative I was left with was to establish a new government with Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister." 

The UN Secretary General urged all parties to exercise restraint and ensure the safety and security of all Sri Lankans, as the island remained in political turmoil following the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister by the president. 

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) expressed concern on Thursday over the intimidation of The Hindu's journalist in Sri Lanka, Meera Srinivasan following the publishing of an article stating that President Sirisena had told a cabinet meeting that India's RAW was attempting to assassinating him. 

"The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Free Media Movement – Sri Lanka (FMM) in expressing concerns over the intimidation and urges the Sri Lankan authority to ensure no further threat is made," the organisation said in a statement. 

Mahinda Rajapaksa has called for parliamentary elections to be conducted as soon as possible in a presser released on Sunday, as his first statement since he was appointed prime minister by the Sri Lankan president, Maithripala Sirisena. 

The Inspector General of Police has withdrawn ousted Prime Minsiter Ranil Wickremesinghe’s security detail, leaving only 10 police officers to protect Wickremesinghe.

Tweeting the IGP order earlier today, Sri Lanka’s minister of economic affairs, Harsha de Silva said Wickremesinghe’s life was being placed under threat by these actions.

Mr De Silva added that there were mounting rumours of an imminent shut down of the island’s 3G and 4G networks to create an internet blackout.

One person has died and two were injured after bodyguards of a Sri Lankan minister opened fire on a crowd in Colombo, amid the island's deepening political turmoil following the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister. 

Petroleum minister and former Sri Lankan cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga's bodyguards opened fire at crowds of Sirisena supporters on the streets as the minister was attempting to enter a government building.

AFP quoted witnesses as saying Ranutunga rushed from the scene with police commandos in helmets and body armour. He was subsequently photographed disguised wearing STF uniform and surrounded by heavily armed personnel.