China is to train Sri Lankan athletes for international games after a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two countries' Olympic committees at the sidelines of the 18th Asian Games this week. 

“China has agreed to help train our athletes in selected sports, not only those which are part of the Summer Olympics, but also in sports which are in the Winter Games,” the president of Sri Lanka's National Olympic Committee, Suresh Subramaniam was quoted by the Sunday Observer as saying. “This is an unprecedented step of support from China. They will not only train our athletes but also coach our coaches.

"It is a broad and open-ended agreement and we can rely on their help for anything. We have their full backing,” he added.

A government minister on Friday denied that state sponsored settlement of Sinhala people into the Tamil areas was taking place under the current administration, claiming instead that it only took place under the previous regime with the former defence secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa. 

"It was during former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s time that Sinhala settlements had been created in the North," Sri Lanka's health minister, Rajitha Senaratne was quoted by The Island as saying. 

"No such thing is happening now," he said. 

A new Sri Lankan constitution is a "fundamental necessity" the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) spokesperson, M A Sumanthiran said whilst speaking at the 7th meeting on constitutional reform, held in in Galle this week. 

"All the problems of the Tamil people won't be solved by a new constitution, but a new constitution is fundamental," he said. "Without this, no issue can be addressed."

Sri Lankan intelligence officials threatened Tamil fishermen from Vadamarachchi East, forcing them to drop plans to protest during the visit of the Sri Lankan president to Myliddy last month.

Union leader Nagarasa Varnakulasingam said he had received threats from intelligence personnel from Colombo as well as from Kankesanthurai.

The local fishermen had planned to protest on August 22nd to raise awareness of the ongoing disputes caused by the illegal activities and encroachment of fishermen from other districts.

A 35-year-old man has been arrested on Friday in connection to the murder of a pregnant Tamil woman in Kilinochchi this week. 

The man, identified as K Krishnakeethan from Vinanayagapuram, Kilinochchi, is understood to be working for a private security company and a father of two children.

He is reported to have confessed to the killing. 

Local resident protested this week calling for the perpetrator to be brought to justice. 

The 32-year-old victim, a Nithiyakala Karuppaiah was found dead inside the Iranaimadu irrigation canal by locals on Wednesday. 

Sri Lanka's Cabinet has decided to arm wildlife officials with AK 47 rifles citing the conflicts between elephants and civilians, the Sunday Times reports. 

The weapons will replace the Chinese-made T-56 rifles previously held.

The recommendation was made by the former army commander, and current minister for sustainable development, wildlife and regional development, Sarath Fonseka. 

Read more here. 

Two acres of land in Achchuveli, belonging to six families, was released on Friday after 23 years of occupation by the Sri Lankan army.

The land was seized by the army in 1995 when locals became displaced.

The landowners have campaigned to have their properties returned for resettlement since 2014.

While two acres were released on Friday, access roads to some of these properties still remain under army control.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said this week it would be committing £3 billion over the next three years to Sri Lanka. 

“From 2019 to 2021, our commitments will total US $ 3 billion, where we plan to disburse US $ 1 billion each year for development of ports, railways, roads, secondary and higher education, electricity transmission and distribution, fisheries, irrigation, wastewater management, drinking water, sanitation and support Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) projects in Sri Lanka,” the ADB Vice President, Wencai Zhang said.

The president of Vavuniya Citizen's Committee, Gopalakrishnan Rajkumar was today summoned for an inquiry by Sri Lanka's Terrorism Investigation Department (TID). 

The chairman has been ordered to attend the TID's 2nd floor office in Colombo on September 6 for the inquiry. 

The TID did not explained the reasons for his summons. 

Earlier this week the TID summoned the chairman of Karaichchi Divisional Council (Pradesiya Sabai) without any reasons given. 

The chairman of the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) said its interim report would be submitted to the Sri Lankan president, Maithiripala Sirisena on September 5, the Daily Mirror reported. 

The report, which is said to include recommendations to the government, was scheduled to be released at an event yesterday in Colombo to mark International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. 

Earlier this week the OMP claimed about 20,000 people are missing since 1983, however said it was yet to finalise the figures.