Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena told soldiers that the army had been “recognised by the UN” at a seminar delivered to more than 2,000 troops last week.

Sirisena’s address to troops was delivered as he appeared alongside Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, Sri Lanka’s most senior military officer, who was arrested over the cover up of the disappearance and murder of 11 Tamil youths, before being released on bail.

Locals in Trincomalee have written to the Divisional Secretariat of Kuchchaveli, calling for an end to an attempt by Sri Lanka’s archaeology department to seize land in the region.

A Sri Lankan military officer accused of involvement in the cover up of the disappearance and murder of 11 Tamil youths has been released on bail.

Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne is accused of helping the main suspect accused of conducting the disappearances evade arrest and was held on remand last week.

Journalists were attacked outside last week’s hearing, which Wijegunaratne attended in full military regalia.  As Chief of Defence Staff he is Sri Lanka's highest ranking military officer.

<p>The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has hit back at global credit agencies for their decision to downgrade Sri Lanka’s ratings amidst a deepening political crisis on the island.</p> <p>In a <a href="https://www.cbsl.gov.lk/en/news/cbsl_disputes_the_rating_agencies_lates…">statement</a> released after both by Fitch Ratings and Standard and Poor’s (S&amp;P Global Ratings) announced they were downgrading Sri Lanka, the CBSL lashed out at the agencies’ assessment of the island.</p>

Sri Lanka’s president declared that the island’s political crisis will “not drag on beyond seven days”, as he pledged to take action on Tuesday.

Speaking during a Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) convention that was being held in Colombo, Maithripala Sirisena reportedly reiterated his opposition to United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

<p>Sri Lanka security forces including police, special task forces (STF) and the army, have ramped up search operations in Batticaloa, creating a&nbsp;climate of fear among local communities.</p> <p>In an operation by the three different forces in Eravur’s police division, the homes of several former LTTE cadres were searched.</p> <p>Random stop and searches were also reported by locals in other parts of Batticaloa.</p> <p>The increased operations come after two Sri Lankan police officers were killed at a checkpoint in Batticaloa.</p> <p>The killings have lead to a number of arrests and investigations of former LTTE cadres.</p>

The UK's All Party Parliamentary Group on Tamils (APPGT) today met with the Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Mark Field, urging him to take action on Sri Lanka. 

Highlighting Sri Lanka's failure to implement commitments agreed to in the co-sponsored UN Human Rights Council resolution 30/1, the delegation of cross party MPs called for more pressure to be applied ahead of the next Council session in March 2019. 

Tamil Nadu's MDMK party leader yesterday protested in Chennai, calling for the prompt release of the seven people convicted for their alleged association in the killing of the Indian premier, Rajiv Gandhi. 

The MDMK was joined by opposition parties, DMK, CPI and CPI-M. 

"The governor should release the seven convicts under Article 161 of the Constitution," MDMK leader, Vaiko said.

Vaiko was later detained for picketing outside the governor, Raj Bhavan's house and shouting "get out governor!" 

The seven people, Perarivalan, Nalini, Murugan, Shanthan, Jayakumar, Ravichandran and Robert Pyas have been imprisoned for 27 years. 

Canada's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, David McKinnon today met with former LTTE fighters in Mullaitivu and discussed ongoing Tamil concerns. 

The former fighters, who have formed a political party, met McKinnon in Puthukkudiyiruppu.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka (AmCham) today called for an end to ongoing political crisis in the country. 

In a statement that followed today's downgrading of Sri Lanka by Standard and Poor, and Fitch Rating's, AmCham said it "expressed concern of the impasse reached". 

"While stating that this sends a worrying signal to the business community, locally as well as internationally - AMCHAM Sri Lanka also raised the concern highlighted by potential investors.