A Canadian court on Thursday ruled that four Tamil men accused of people smuggling from Sri Lanka were not guilty, stating that the men were asylum seekers. 

Francis Anthonimuthu Appulonappa, Hamalraj Handasamy, Jeyachandran Kanagarajah and Vignarajah Thevarajah were accused of trying to organise the trafficking of asylum seekers via the MV Ocean Lady in October 2009. 

“I am also not satisfied that their actions were to obtain either directly or indirectly a financial or material benefit, or that any of the them obtained one,” Justice Arne Silverman said, concluding the Crown had failed to prove its case. 

A Sri Lankan police officer has reportedly been assaulted by unknown persons in Jaffna, according to the Daily Mirror.

The police officer, identified as Sub Inspector Thinduraja, was reportedly assaulted by four unidentified people on his way home from the local police station.

No serious injuries have been reported as he was wearing a helmet.

The Sub Inspector ran into a nearby forest before taking himself to Chavakachcheri hospital. The Daily Mirror says hospital sources have stated his condition is “not serious”.

The United States has announced $7.4 million will be provided to Sri Lanka through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) as part of a program to “reduce poverty and promote economic opportunity” on the island.

A visiting delegation from the MCC  led by Fatema Z. Sumar, Regional Deputy Vice President for Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America, visited Colombo this week to make the announcement.

The chief minister of Tamil Nadu, E Palaniswami on Thursday wrote to the Indian premier, Narendra Modi, urging him to ensure the release of fishermen detained by the Sri Lankan navy. 

"I request PM Modi to take immediate action for release of 75 Indian fishermen release and 149 boats from Sri Lanka," Mr Palaniswami was quoted by ANI as saying. 

Seventy-five Tamil Nadu fishermen are believed to be detained by the Sri Lankan navy along with 149 boats. 

An arrest warrant has been issued by Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal for a navy officer wanted in connection with the assassination of the Tamil politician, N Raviraj. 

The officer, identified as Prasad Hettiarachchi was issued an arrest warrant as he had failed to appear in court after being summoned along side four others names as respondents in a petition filed by Mr Raviraj's wife. 

The Court of Appeal judge ordered that Officer Hettiarachchi be arrested and produced before Court, Adaderana reported on Thursday. 

The Sri Lankan government may delay the signing of the Hambantota port city deal with China Merchant Port Holdings depending on a parliamentary debate tomorrow, Ceylon Today reported on Thursday. 

The deal was due to be signed on Saturday. 

The reports of a possible delay came only days after the cabinet approved the signing of the deal, which had been subject to protests by locals and the Buddhist clergy who argued the government was selling land to China. 

Sri Lanka's Joint Opposition on Wednesday threatened legal action if the government did not hold Provincial Council elections as planned in October, the Daily Mirror reported. 

In a written letter to the Election Commission chairman, Mahinda Deshapriya, the former minister G L Peiris of the Joint Opposition regarding the postponement and warned that he would take the matter to the courts. 

Preparations are underway for the historic Nallur Kandasamy Kovil’s annual Thiruvizha which will commence tomorrow with the inaugural flag raising ceremony.

Today the temple held 'kodicheelai kaiyalippu', the traditional handing over of the flag silk, with a procession and poosai to bless the flag.

The Defence Attaché of the United States Embassy in Sri Lanka Lt Col Douglas Hess met with the Sri Lankan Minister of Defence earlier on Thursday.

Sri Lanka is set to sell a majority stake in its ‘remote’ Hambantota port to a Chinese company after agreeing on a revised deal to pacify India’s concerns, reports the Financial Times.

With nearly all government revenue currently going to debt servicing, the port is being sold as part of Sri Lanka’s strategy to pay down some of its debt, estimated to be around $65bn (USD), including $8bn to China.

The port is financially unviable due to its remote location with little demand for large-scale freight traffic, although India has expressed concern that China’s long-term interest in the project is strategic rather than commercial.