The European Union (EU) Commission announced that Sri Lanka has been kept on its blacklist of governments at risk of money laundering and terrorist financing this week.

Sri Lanka has been added to the list as a “high-risk” third country, which means the EU will not have to carry out additional checks on payments involving entities from the island.

The United States Coast Guard has completed a program of training Sri Lankan port officials in Colombo this week, as relations between the two governments continue to grow, despite Sri Lanka’s history of rights abuses.

A march took place in Jaffna on Thursday with demonstrators calling for an end to all forms of violence and aggression against women.

The US Embassy in Sri Lanka inaugurated two school construction projects in Amparai and Trincomalee this week.

The director of Sri Lanka’s archaeology department has denied in court that the department granted permission for a Buddhist shrine to be built in Mullaitivu, despite a Buddhist monk previously submitting documents purporting to show approval from the department.

The Sri Lankan security forces have stepped up their presence in Jaffna, deploying extra officers and troops, ahead of the prime minister's three day visit today. 

The European Union stressed the importance of human rights and reconciliation during the 22nd meeting of the Joint Commission between the EU and Sri Lanka, held in Brussels today, highlighting the need for "further progress" on the UN Human Rights Council resolution 30/1. 

Pakistan’s president has awarded the country’s highest military award to a Sri Lankan navy officer who is currently on bail over aiding a key suspect involved in the abduction and murder of 11 Tamil youths.

The United Kingdom and European Union this week reiterated their opposition to Sri Lanka's proposed implementation of the death penalty. 

The Sri Lankan navy announced that it had arrested an Indian national in Mannar on Thursday.