The Sri Lankan navy declared open a new ‘Tactical Room’ at its Naval and Maritime Academy in Trincomalee last week.

Three Muslim men were arrested last week following an attack on a Catholic shrine in Mannar.

A roadside shrine to Saint Michael Sammanasu (Angel) in Tharavan Kottai, Ezhuthoor was found with its protective glass shattered and the icon of the saint smashed last Sunday morning.

The attack took place in the context of a dispute over a plot of land belonging to the Catholic Church in Thoddaveli, an area which has seen demographic change from predominantly Catholic to majority Muslim through purchases and settlements.

Sri Lankan Airlines launched new services from Colombo to Tamil Nadu’s second largest city on Sunday.

The airline will operate four flights per week, from Colombo to Coimbatore.

The state supported airline has been under a reform process seeking to expand its network of flights, after it suffered heavy losses whilst previously being a fully nationalised airline.

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The Sri Lankan government has requested the assistance of Interpol in arresting a Sri Lankan army officer who has gone into hiding after absconding from the Sri Lankan embassy in Washington, reports ColomboPage.

The officer, who served as a security advisor at the embassy, reportedly “disappeared” after his tenure ended last year. He was due back in Sri Lanka to report back to the army.

His whereabouts are currently unknown and Sri Lanka’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has reportedly called on Interpol to assist in arresting the officer.

Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan will meet the Chief Minister of the Northern Province CV Wigneswaran during his 3 day visit to Sri Lanka.

After meeting Mr Wigneswaran in Jaffna, Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister will participate in a donation ceremony at Jaffna Library and launch the Lee Foundation-Singhealth Orthopedic Development Programme at the Jaffna University Medical Facility.

Singapore’s Foreign Minister is also set to meet  Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake on Tuesday for bilateral talks, followed by official statements to the media in Colombo.

Talks on establishing a Free Trade Agreement between Sri Lanka and China are to reach their seventh round said Sri Lanka’s Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen.

Speaking at the launch of the China Guangxi Products Expo in Colombo on Friday, Mr Bathiudeen highlighted that 42% of Sri Lanka’s imports where from China, adding,

“Our talks with China are progressing smoothly, the sixth round of talks were successfully concluded in March in Beijing. We are working for the seventh FTA round next.”

Photographs: Tamil Guardian

Hundreds of Tamils protested in Mullaitivu against Sri Lankan state-organised resettlement schemes for Muslims that that locals say are intended to alter the ethno-demography of the area and destroy hundreds of acres of forest planted and preserved by the LTTE.

Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announced that she will be visiting Sri Lanka later this month where she will hold talks with government leaders.

In a press release on Monday, Ms Bishop said she will meet with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena to “discuss progress on the implementation of Sri Lanka's reconciliation process, which is critical to its long-term security and prosperity”.

Sri Lanka's police spoke publicly this week about what they described as "cogent evidence" against the former navy spokesperson over the disappearance of 11 Tamil youths in 2008. 

Speaking at a press conference, the police spokesperson was quoted by Ceylon Today as saying, "on 28 May, 2009 Former Navy Commander Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda submitted a written complaint against his Chief Security Officer, Lieutenant Commander Sampath Munasighe."

The Sri Lankan government on Monday signed a US$ 100 million credit agreement with the World Bank to support the island's higher education sector. 

The Accelerating Higher Education Expansion and Development (AHEAD) operation is aimed at increasing enrollment in priority disciplines, improving the quality of degree programs, and promoting research and innovation in the higher education sector.