Following a brutal crackdown on demonstrators and the establishment of "high-security zones" in Colombo, Human Rights Watch has urged the Sri Lankan government to reverse course and respect people's right to protest.

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong reportedly told Sri Lanka’s president Ranil Wickremesinghe that his government was “looking forward to investing in Sri Lanka once again,” as the two met in Tokyo yesterday.

In the aftermath of devastating floods in Pakistan that have killed more than 1,600 people and displaced millions, Sri Lanka responded by handing over a “Ceylon Tea consignment”.

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, Vice Admiral Mohan Wijewickrama, handed the consignment to the Director of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of Pakistan Col. Sajid Rafiq.

The Northern Province Fisheries Network and the National Fisheries Cooperation Organization held a meeting with the Indian Deputy Consul General for Jaffna on Tuesday to discuss continued difficulties over fishing.

A ceremony was held in Batticaloa this week to mark 50 years since Father Chandra Fernando, a Tamil activist that was assassinated in 1988, was ordained as a priest.

Speaking before the UN General Assembly during its 77^th session, Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Ali Sabry gave a wide-ranging address touching on issues of democracy, economics, and defending Palestinian’s right to self-determination.          

Sri Lanka’s president Ranil Wickremesinghe is in Japan today, as he attended the second international state funeral since he took office earlier this year and also engaged in discussions with senior Japanese officials.

The Sri Lankan navy arrested 12 persons, including women and children, who tried to flee the island and escape to a  foreign country via sea through Mannar on September 22nd. 

The apparent confessions of three Tamil political prisoners were today rejected by the Vavuniya High Court, and the case has been fixed for trial on October 14^th.

Senior US Ambassador Cindy McCain met with the Sri Lankan president and other officials in the country, as she highlighted the “United States’ long-standing commitment to the people of Sri Lanka,” on a visit to the island.

The Chinese Government donated eight Chronic Kidney Disease screening vehicles worth LKR 660 million to the Sri Lankan government to screen for the disease in Trincomalee, Amparai, Vavuniya and other parts of the island.

The United Kingdom has announced a £3 million humanitarian package of food and farming support for Sri Lanka, which it said would be “lifesaving” as the island continues to struggle with soaring food prices.

Sri Lanka’s notorious Buddhist monk Galagodaatte Gnanasara of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) had participated in the Saudi National Day event organised by the Saudi Arabia Embassy in Colombo.

He was seen seated with diplomats and holding discussions with them and others at the event.