Noting that no official consultations had been held, Sri Lanka’s acting Foreign Minister Ajith Perera, said,

Responding to questions on Mr Samaraweera’s interviews for Japanese press, Sri Lanka’s foreign affairs spokesperson Mahishini Colonne, said that Mr Samaraweera had expressed Sri Lanka’s intention to win back allies that have been traditionally close since independence.

Sri Lanka's state-owned Ceylon Shipping Corporation said it is considering a plan to re-establish a ferry service between India and the island's North-East.

Authorities said the service, which would run between Mannar and Rameswaram, would need the permission of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the island earlier this year breathed new life into the project. The Northern Provincial Council also passed a resolution earlier this year, demanding the recommencement of transport links between the North-East and Tamil Nadu.

The United Nations refugee agency earlier this year also called on Sri Lanka to resume ferry services between India and Sri Lanka to help Tamil refugees in India return to the North-East of Sri Lanka.

Earlier this week it emerged that India submitted a feasibility proposal to the Asian Deveopment Bank for a bridge across the Palk Strait. Sri Lanka however said it has not had any discussions with the Indian government regarding this matter.

Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena has sacked a local SLFP official for his role in organising a party rally in support of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Devinuwara organiser Kanchana Wijesekera was replaced with Suneth Nilanga Hendavitarana, party sources told The Island.

The Sri Lankan army organised a musical show for Tamil villagers at a school in the North-East, reports the Kilinochchi Security Forces official website.

Soldiers from the Sri Lankan army were on stage, complete in uniform, whilst Tamil villagers from Mulankavil watched on and sang.

The Sri Lankan government held a military ceremony in Jaffna on Wednesday 17 June, to commemorate soldiers from the Sri Lankan army.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena praised Buddhist monks on the island in a speech this week, declaring that the Buddhist clergy have “always stood to protect our Motherland by sacrificing their lives”.

Two Chinese firms have funded the construction of five wells in the North-East, worth over $14,000, after a request by a local NGO.

The China Communications Construction Company Colombo Port City Project Company and the China Harbor Sri Lanka Area Company donated $14,400 towards constructing the wells in the Puthukkudiyiruppu area.

Vice General Manager of China Harbor Sri Lanka Area Company, Deng Bo told Xinhua on Wednesday that while Sri Lanka has made obvious development and progress in the recent years, the dilemma of having clean water in the northern region still existed.

The United National Party (UNP), currently the main constituent of the present government led by the SLFP’s President Maithripala Sirisena, has decided to contest the upcoming general election on its own, according to Plantation Minister Lakshman Kiriella.

The minister said the party's working committee passed a resolution to this effect on Friday morning and had also authorised UNP leader and prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, to make decisions on the election.