The Australian Prime minister Kevin Rudd has announced that all new asylum seekers who arrive by boat will not be allowed to stay in the country and sent to Papua New Guinea for processing and settlement, effectively closing Australia’s borders to refugees.

Papua New Guinea will receive generous aid packages in return.

"From now on, any asylum-seeker who arrives in Australia by boat will have no chance of being settled in Australia as a refugee," Rudd said.

A European Parliamentary Delegation, expressed concern over the Sri Lankan military's economic activities in the North, during a visit to the Northern province this week.  

Jean Lambert, head of the Delegation for Relations with Countries of South Asia, comprised six members from the European Parliament, said:

Commenting on the TNA's choice for chief minister candidate in the Northern Provincial, former Supreme Court judge, C.V. Wigneswaran, the Economic Development Deputy Minister S.M.Chandrasena, called for Wigneswaran's forming judgments to be examined. 

Chandrasena said,

"Former High Court Judge P B Warawewa is also expected to contest the Central Provincial Council Elections from the United National Party (UNP)."

The Sri Lankan army is planning to create business ventures to make profit, according to Army Commander Jagath Jeyasuriya.

The commander told the DailyMirror that the army business could bid for government tenders and said the army was involved in almost all available services and professions.

A crowd of Sri Lankans was protesting outside the French Embassy in Colombo against the movie Flying Fish, which was screened at a French festival on the island.

The protestors objected to the depiction of the military in the movie.

Representatives of Ranaviru Sevana, politicians and members of the public shouted slogans condemning the movie, reported Ceylon Today.

The Sri Lankan cricket captain, Angelo Mathews and Heshani Silva wedded today at the Temple Trees establishment in Sri Lanka, reported Colombo Page.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary, Gotobahya Rajapaksa signed as witnesses of the marriage at the wedding ceremony.

Addressing a press conference held at the External Affairs Ministry in Sri Lanka yesterday, External Affairs Minister G.L Peiris, reiterated that,

"CHOGM will enhance the country's stature in the world."

A report by a parliamentary committee has criticised exports of arms to countries that the Foreign Office has expressed human rights concerns about.

The House of Commons Committees on Arms Export Controls concluded in their 2013 report that over 3,000 export licenses, worth over £12bn, were approved by the UK to the 27 countries in question, including Sri Lanka.

The report says the sales to Sri Lanka, worth over £8mn raised “very serious questions”.

The committee’s chairman, Conservative MP Sir John Stanley, said he was astonished at the scale of the exports, to countries including China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Zimbabwe.