The Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena said on Monday that due to the country's "middle path" foreign policy, "Sri Lanka has only friends in the world today", reported the Daily Mirror.

"The country extends a hand of friendship to all countries in the world," he added whilst speaking to envoys.

He thanked countries for extending their support to Sri Lanka, especially noting the "close cooperation" given at international forums.

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The Sri Lankan government pledged that the killers of the murdered Sunday Leader editor, Lasantha Wickrematunge would be brought to justice by next January.

"I assure that we will carry out the investigations and bring justice for Wickrematunge before next January," the Sri Lankan minister Ravi Karunanayake was quoted by UCA News as saying on the 7th anniversary of his death on January 8th, 2009.

The new government's failure to bring the perpetrators to account has been criticised by the former editor's wife, who said, "The police have taken such a long time with this investigation. We're wondering if somebody is dragging their feet or putting some restrictions on the investigations."

The ministry of defence announced an initiative to provide special privilege cards to ‘War Heroes’ in Sri Lanka, reports Lankabusiness.

This meeting was held under by of State Minister of Defence, Ruwan Wijewardene, who said the privilege card project would provide families of war heroes with special benefits including scholarships, discounts on products and services and priority services of other facilities.

Commanders of the Army and Air Force, officials from the MoD and Sri Lanka’s police were also present at the event.

Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena on Saturday announced that the country’s constitution needed to be changed to suit the present era for the development of the country.

Addressing a special session of parliament, Mr Sirisena said the draft constitution must fulfill the needs to eliminate poverty and achieve prosperity through economic development and strengthen unity among all ethnic religious groups.

The perpetrators of the killing of journalists in Sri Lanka “need to be brought to justice” said the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, adding that the United Nations is aware of an ITJP report on-going torture and sexual violence by Sri Lanka’s security forces.

Responding to a question from Inner City Press, Stéphane Dujarric told a press briefing,

“You know, obviously, unsolved cases of harassment and killings of journalists need to be solved and the perpetrators need to be brought to justice”.

Mr Dujarric also confirmed that “I know our human rights colleagues are aware of the reports put forward by the NGOs that you'd mentioned,” referring to a recently released report by the International Truth and Justice Project, detailing ongoing torture in Sri Lanka.