Senior UNP member, MP Ravi Karunanayaka, called on Sajith Premadasa to take a lead at the Southern Provincial Council election next year, whilst announcing his intention to contest as UNP, for the Western Provincial Council.

The head of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, has said that neither he nor any of the bishops on the island will indulge in politics or affiliate themselves with a political party or group, reported The Island.

Sri Lanka’s Special Task Force (STF) has the provision to expand to up to 10,000 troops stated the STF Commandant earlier this week, as training continued to take place with more troops being recruited.

Speaking to theIsland, STF Commandant DIG R. W. M. C. Ranawaka stated that 300 were undergoing training at the moment, with provision for recruitment for a further 600 troops next year.

Despite a recent announcement by the head of Sri Lankan Army in Jaffna, that armed personnel would not enter inside the premises of the University of Jaffna, two armed, uniformed soldiers were seen inside the university grounds today, reported the Uthayan.

According to the paper, the two soldiers were seen at 2.30pm walking around the memorial in front of the Kailaasabathi Hall.

India’s ministry of defence has called on the lower house of Parliament to disallow a debate on the issue of training Sri Lankan Armed Forces personnel, in a memorandum.

The Hindu reported that the note, issued on 13th of December by Defence Minister A.K. Antony, stated,

Sri Lanka’s deputy minister for labour and labour relations called for a ban of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on Tuesday, reports the Island.

Speaking in parliament, Sarath Weerasekara claimed that the TNA were still propagating the ideology of the LTTE and said:

"We are paying the price for not banning them then and we made a mistake by not doing so as can be seen clearly now.”

A Sri Lankan minister has refuted allegations of war crimes while talking to Japanese envoy Yasushi Akashi, reported the Colombo Telegraph.

Akashi had criticised Sri Lanka's failure to act on human rights issues during his visit.

During a visit by the head of the Pakistan Navy, Sri Lanka and Pakistan held discussions regarding improving the security relations over the weekend.

Pakistani Naval Chief Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila held a meeting with the Commander of the Sri Lankan Navy, vice Admiral Jayanath Colombage, and other senior Naval officers where he was given a guard of honour.