The Sri Lankan president, Maithripala Sirisena has been filmed stating Mahinda Rajapaksa was unable to get the 113 MPs needed for a majority as many were quoting high prices.

He added that he personally knew some MPs asking for Rs 50 million to cross over. 

Many analysts have said the extraordinary new video amounts to admission of bribery and corruption by the president. 

The former United States ambassador to Sri Lanka, Robert O. Blake warned the country should expect greater scrutiny following the US mid term elections and in view of "serious questions" raised by actions of President Sirisena and Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

In an op-ed published in the Daily Mirror, Blake, who was also served as the former assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, encouraged Rajapaksa to step down from his appointment of prime minister, and focus on building up the SLPP ahead of any election. 

<p>UK's minister of state for human rights, Lord Ahmad said developments in Sri Lanka were being watched closely and emphasised the need to protect human rights, rule of law and good governance.&nbsp;</p> <p>In his interim statement on the human rights situation in 2018 in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) 30 human rights priority countries, Lord Ahmad noted: "the UK is following developments in Sri Lanka closely and is aware of the concern felt by many about the potential impact on human rights defenders."</p>

<p>A group of three different international business chambers have issued a joint statement stating that they are “gravely concerned about the present political uncertainty and upheaval” in Sri Lanka.</p> <p>The European Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (ECCSL), the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) and the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka) warned that there would be “adverse economic and social consequences” and that “foreign investors and potential businesses are increasingly losing confidence in the reliability of the business environment of Sri Lanka”.</p> <p>“Most of our members who are established in Sri Lanka and whom have been surveyed are already experiencing negative impacts on their businesses,” the statement added.</p>

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has extended a stay against the dissolution of parliament, which was initially issued by Maithripala Sirisena last month as Colombo was plunged into political turmoil.

The decision, taken this morning, means that the stay order has been extended until December 10.

A seven member bench is currently hearing the fundamental rights petition filed against the president's dissolving of parliament.

Tamil parliamentarian Vijayakala Maheswaran, who was arrested by Sri Lankan police in October over a speech where she mentioned the LTTE, has had her court case postponed until February 2019.

Maheswaran faced criticism from cross-party Sinhala politicians for calling for a resurgence of the LTTE in order to curb rising crime rates in North-East and was forced to resign her ministerial post.

Sri Lanka's Attorney General had advised the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to file a case at the Court of Appeal against the UNP MP, but Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne said that the court had received no further instructions as he announced the postponement.

<p>Sri Lanka’s prolonged political turmoil is continuing to impact on tourist numbers as cancellations to the island continue in the middle of peak tourist season, reports Reuters.</p> <p>Despite Sri Lanka currently being at peak tourist season, flights and hotel bookings are being cancelled after Colombo was thrown into crisis in late October, with the attempted appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister.</p>

A Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP has raised suspicion about the timing of the killings of two police officers in Batticaloa, claiming the killings were instigated to create political chaos.

“This incident occurred after the [TNA] parliamentary group announced in writing that it would support a United National Front government,” parliamentarian for the Vanni district Charles Nirmalanathan said in parliament on Wednesday. “We are of the opinion that this could have been carried out purely to cause chaos in the country.”

Several thousand Indian fishermen were reportedly chased away by the Sri Lankan navy this week, whilst fishing near Katchatheevu on Thursday.

Rameswaram Fishermen Association President P Sesuraja told reporters that over 3,300 fishermen in approximately 500 boats were chased away by the Sri Lankan navy, whilst over 4,000 were harassed earlier this week.

Homes in Jaffna were vandalised earlier this week, as crime continues to take place across the peninsula.

The gates of homes, fences and water boring in Columbuthurai were damaged earlier this week, in yet another episode of vandalism.