The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has listed persons suspected of the LTTE links, journalists, opposition politicians, political activists, gays and lesbians, as groups of people in Sri Lanka that are “likely to be in need of international refugee protection.”

The updated guidelines also include witnesses and victims of war crimes within the risk profiles, along with diaspora activists and individuals who previously worked in the LTTE’s civil and administrative setup, who did not receive any military training.

The family of British tourist Khuram Shaikh, who was brutally murdered in Sri Lanka last Christmas, has spoken of their distress over the lack of progress in prosecuting those responsible for his killing.

Khuram Shaikh was killed while on holiday in the south of Sri Lanka, after getting into an altercation with a local group. His girlfriend was also attacked and is thought to have been raped by the men.

A politician of the ruling party is one of the eight suspects in the attack, however all were recently released on bail.

Speaking to The Guardian, Khuram’s brother Nasir said the situation was "disheartening, upsetting" and unacceptable.

The head of Amnesty International has reiterated calls for an international independent inquiry into human rights violations committed during the armed conflict in Sri Lanka.

Secretary General Salil Shetty told IANS news agency that the investigations ordered by the Sri Lankan government were not adequate and abuses on the island are ongoing.

British Tamils in London marched in protest on Saturday against the attacks, intimidation and arrests of Jaffna University students.

Carrying placards and shouting out, "Sri Lankan army - get out of Tamil Eelam", "self-determination - for the Tamil nation", and "Let us remember - our heroes", over 100 British Tamils marched from Temple to Downing St, on a very wet winter's day in London.

The Jaffna Army commander, Maj. Gen Hathurusinghe, warned families of detained Jaffna University students, "don't even dream" of getting them released on Friday at a meeting between the army and the university's representatives at Palaali military headquarters.

A doctor working at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital was attacked with a sword as he left work on Thursday night.

The doctor is currently admitted in a critical condition at the hospital.

According to reports, the attack took place at around 9.45pm, by an unknown individual.

Updated 14:45 GMT

British Tamil university students handed over a statement to the British Prime Minister’s residence on Thursday afternoon, condemning the attacks by Sri Lankan state forces on Jaffna university students and call for the immediate release of detained students.

The statement, which was initially drafted by the Tamil Youth Organisation UK, has grown to include 18 university Tamil societies from across the United Kingdom.

The deeds to shops in a newly built shopping complex were handed over to prominent Sri Lankan ‘war heroes’ at an event organised by the Ministry of Defence on Thursday. Secretary of Defence and Urban Development, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, bestowed the legal documents to the new owners of the Ranajayapura shopping centre.