The TNA leader has urged the Prime Minister of Thailand to encourage Thai companies to invest in the North-East.

At a meeting between TNA leader R. Sampanthan and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha in Colombo said that Thai investment could help increase employment opportunities and uplift the economy of the North-East.

According to a TNA press release, the Thai Prime Minister responded favourably to the suggestion and requested the TNA leader to help facilitating future investments.

Sri Lanka's Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) has sought information regarding all babies born from May 25th to 30th in Kilinochchi district from the Northern Provincial Council health department.

The reason for the enquiries remains unknown however local residents have expressed concern and fear over the reports.

"Why does the TID want to know about babies," one mother who had recently given birth said, speaking anonymously. 

Asked by journalists about the TID enquiries, the secretary to the NPC health ministry, S Thiruvarangkan said, "they asked us to hand over specific details [but] we do not permission to disclose that."

The habeas corpus case on two disappeared activists was adjourned by Jaffna Magistrates Court on Friday until October, after the state's senior legal representative failed to appear. 

The two activists, Lalith Kumar Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganathan, who disappeared in 2011, were organising protests on behalf of families who have had relatives gone missing. 

They were last seen in Avaragal near Jaffna as they were making their way to a protest in December 2011. 

Supporters state Sri Lankan Security forces were responsible for the mens' disappearances and said that one of the victims motorbikes was later spotted at a police compound.

The United National Party (UNP) is to recommence discussions on the proposed 20th Amendment to the constitution on Monday which looks to abolish the executive presidency. 

Sri Lanka's Speaker informed parliament last year that the proposed 20th Amendment would need a two third majority in parliament before being put before the public via a referendum in order to be implemented following a Supreme Court ruling. 

Discussions on the amendment have been stalled for weeks follow fierce opposition from a variety of groups for differing reasons. 

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka admitted that Sri Lankan policemen and Special Task Force troops have carried out torture and demanded ransoms, as he criticised plans to involve the military in drug enforcement activities.  

"They throw chili powder on the face of suspects, cover their heads with plastic bags and assault them”, said the former head of the Sri Lankan army, who is a minister in the current government. “This is unhuman. These are the tactics used by Gotabhaya Rajapaksa when he was in power.”

Speaking to Colombo papers following what he described as a 'fact finding mission' in Jaffna, Sri Lanka's law and order minister, Ranjith Bandara, said he had concluded that it was Tamil films that was fuelling the gang violence in Jaffna. 

"These Tamil youths were emulating the violent scenes to instill fear before carrying out their criminal activities such as robberies," he was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. 

"They brandish swords to terrorise the people," he added. 

Colombo Chief Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake has ordered Sri Lanka’s state translation department to translate into Sinhala and English a speech by former UNP minister Vijayakala Maheswaran, where she stated that the LTTE was needed in the North-East to prevent the rising violence and anti-social behaviour that is taking place in the region. 

The Chief Magistrate’s Court also issued an order demanding full video footage from the event earlier this month, reports The Island.

The order comes follow a request made by Sri Lanka’s Organised Crimes Prevention Division.

Sri Lanka's former cricket captain T.M. Dilshan on Friday praised the president, Maithripala Sirisena for deciding to implement the death penalty for drug traffickers. 

"There is no purpose in safeguarding human rights if we cannot save the country. Cases of drugs use and child abuse has increased at an alarming rate today. So is is essential to carry out the death sentence,” Mr Dilshan was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. 

Families from Keppapulavu today marked 500 days of protest against the occupation of their lands by the military. 

"International community are you also closing your eyes? Are you too devoid of justice," banners read, as families campaigned for their lands to be released.

Tamil families of the disappeared protested at the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) hearing in Jaffna this morning.

Boycotting the hearing, families said they have no faith in the commission, which they believe will be like the several commissions before it in which they have also testified.

A significant presence of intelligence officers were noted at the protest and meeting, who were seen taking photographs and noting down information about the protesters.