Sri Lanka’s Finance  Minister Mangala Samaraweera, who is in London with Sri Lanka’s delegation to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the trip would be a platform to expand trade ties beyond the GSP+ concession of the European Union.

Speaking at the side-lines of the summit, Mr Samaraweera said,

“The summit which is being held at the heart of CHOGM London, will bring us many benefits. On Monday, we had discussion to strengthen financial and trade relation at Guildhall, London where the Commonwealth Business Forum’s first session was commenced.”

Sri Lanka’s former ambassador to the United States claimed that he was prevented from leaving the country by the Department of Homeland Security, who stopped him boarding a flight and questioned him on war crimes committed by Sri Lankan troops during the island’s armed conflict.

In an interview to The Island, Jaliya Wickramasuriya claimed that he had attempted to board a flight from Atlanata to Chile late last year, when he was stopped by Homeland Security officials.

 A Tamil asylum seeker who fled Sri Lanka to seek safety in Canada has been found killed, reportedly murdered by an alleged serial killer in Toronto.

Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam arrived in Canada in 2010, one of 492 Tamils aboard the MV Sun Sea, a dilapidated vessel that docked into British Columbia.

Canadian police announced that Mr Kanagaratnam was probably killed by accused serial killer Bruce McArthur sometime between early September and mid December 2015.

Yet the 37 year old was never reported missing. Police said an  undisclosed international agency ultimately helped identify him from his remains.

Police Scotland has come out in defence of a contract with the Sri Lanka, which included training of Sri Lanka’s notorious Special Task Force, despite continued concerns over the use of torture by security forces.

In response to a freedom of information request submitted by The Ferret, Superintendent Shaun McKillop, head of Police Scotland’s International Development and Innovation Unit, defended the relationship with Sri Lankan security forces, that has reportedly stretched back to nearly 10 years.

Reginald Cooray has been reappointed as Governor of the Northern Province, instead of being transferred to a different province as was previously announced by the Sri Lankan government.

A Tamil man working in Colombo has been reported missing after failing to return home to Kilinochchi over the new year holiday period.

46-year-old Velayutham Vikneswaran who works at a private company in Colombo was reported by his employers to have last been seen at work on April 11.

A petition calling for the release of a Tamil political prisoner who's wife died recently leaving two young children alone has gained 300,000 signatures and has been sent to the Sri Lankan President.

Campaigns for the release of Anantha Suthaharan gained traction across the North-East last month after photographs of emotional scenes from his wife's funeral went viral on social media.

The Ceylon Tamil Teacher's Union sent off their petition with 300,000 signatures from students, teachers and community members across the North.

A Tamil man who spent almost 9 years in a Sri Lankan prison claimed that many Tamil youths who were forcibly disappeared remain in Sri Lankan custody.

Navaratnam Nishanthan, who was released from Boosa prison in December, told reporters in Vavuniya that during his time in custody, he saw many others Tamils held at the detention centre.

The 31 year old was arrested on April 26 2009 and held for almost 9 years. He was acquitted of all charges and released in December.

A delegation from Iran, headed by the Iranian speaker of parliament, will arrive in Sri Lanka this week to discuss the ongoing conflict in Syria, according to reports.

Iran's Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani  told reporters that the trip to Asia, where the delegation will visit Vietnam and Sri Lanka, will discuss the conflict amongst other talks on bilateral co-operation.

"One of the key issues to be discussed with Vietnamese and Sri Lankan officials is the Syrian situation," said Mr Larijani.

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena visited a Buddhist vihara in London, as the first official stop in his trip to the country.