The Sri Lankan military announced the opening of a newly constructed building at its Eastern Province headquarters last week, as it continued to expand its presence in the region.

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is to visit Jaffna next week, as part of a visit to Sri Lanka. 

The 3 day visit will include discussions with the Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena and prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe on August 31. 

A Tamil political prisoner, who was admitted into Jaffna Teaching Hospital, escaped from Sri Lankan police on Wednesday night.

The prisoner, identified as 37 year old Rasaiya Anantharaja, was admitted into Jaffna Hospital on 14 Aug, following a transfer from Anuradhapura prison hospital.

Sri Lanka’s president has denied reports that he demanded bribes for construction project contracts to be granted on the island, following the leak of internal emails and an ongoing Australian police investigation.

Maithripala Sirisena, said in an overnight statement that he had "no knowledge of the incident" and instead requested further details of the case.

A Red Cross officer was detained and interrogated by the Sri Lankan military after visiting the relatives of a missing person who was a high-ranking member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, reports IPS. 

Speaking to IPS anonymously, the officer was reported to have been "detained by the military for over three hours". 

Sri Lanka's army commander, Lieutenant General Crishantha de Silva this week rejected statements made by politicians that military camps in the North would be scaled back, stating that no decision had been made. 

One of Scotland’s most senior judges had criticised the current British Prime Minister for dismissal of a Tamil asylum claim last year.

Former Lord Advocate Lord Boyd of Duncansby said that then Home Secretary Theresa May had “acted unreasonably” and was “too ready to dismiss” letters from the asylum seeker’s family who insisted his life was under threat in Sri Lanka.

The body of a Muslim businessman who was abducted last week has been found, some 100km north of the southern capital Colombo.

Mohammed Sakeem Sulaiman, a 29 year old from Bambalapitiya, was reported missing on Sunday. He had recently complained to the CID about fraud committed by other business people amounting to Rs 70 million, the Daily Mirror reported. The abductors had kidnapped him from his home.

His body was discovered on Wednesday.

A major corruption scandal has revealed that Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena demanded a “political donation” be paid by an Australian company, in order to secure construction contracts on the island.

Displaced Tamil families in Paravipanchan, Kilinochchi last week ended their hunger strike against the Sri Lankan military's occupation of their land, after the Tamil National Alliance leader, R Sampanthan assured them the land would be released within two weeks. 

A new Sri Lankan constitution would be put to a referendum after being presented in parliament, the leader of the House, and the minister of higher education and highways, Lakshman Kiriella said last week. 

Attempts by officials to survey land in Pallimunai, Mannar were halted on Tuesday after villagers protested against further land grabs and refused entry to the officials. 

The land which originally belonged to 19 Tamil families is currently under the the military's control and houses a navy base. 

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) R Sampanthan called for the release of Tamil political prisoners, stating that their continued detention was impeding hopes of reconciliation and criticised Sri Lanka's draconian Prevntion of Terrorism Act.

A Hindu festival in Vaharai saw Sri Lankan soldiers overseeing proceedings last week.