Sri Lanka’s prime minister and accused war criminal Mahinda Rajapaksa claimed that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are “very active” and poses a “great threat to the national security of any country,” as he called on British authorities to ensure a ban was kept on the organisation after a ruling found that the decision was “flawed” and unlawful.

Bollywood actor Salman Khan, who has previously campaigned for Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2014, expanded his interests in Sri Lanka this week, by purchasing the Kandy Tuskers cricket franchise in the Lanka Premier League.

In 2014 the Bollywood actor Salman Khan and Sri Lankan actress Jacqueline Fernandez campaigned for Rajapaksa as he sought re-election as president on the invitation of Rajapaksa's son Namal. It was the first time that a Bollywood actor promised to campaign for a Sri Lankan leader. When Salman was asked about his views of Mahina Rajapaksa at the time, he stated "the president is an amazing man and he is one of the most humble people that I have met."

India and Sri Lanka’s navies conducted a three-day military exercise off the coast of Trincomalee from the 19-21 Oct as part of the 8^th anniversary of the bilateral agreement known as SLINEX.

Ahead of US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo’s, visit to Sri Lanka, the country’s opposition leader Sajith Premadasa has urged the government to push for a repeal on the US travel ban imposed on Sri Lankan army commander, Shavendra Silva, and his immediate family.

A senior education official, who was arrested for sexually harassing a married woman, was released on bail by Jaffna Magistrate Court on Thursday.

The assistant director of education of the Kilinochchi Education Zone stands accused of sexually harassing a married woman through the phone. The woman, who works at the Northern Province Trilingual Learning Centre, went to submit a complaint at the Jaffna Police station when she was refused by the officer in charge due to a political intervention.

The complaint was finally submitted after a complaint was lodged with the General Inspector through the Jaffna headquarters’ police website.

Sri Lanka’s parliament passed the 20^th Amendment to the Constitution on Thursday, a move that will see the presidential office currently occupied by Gotabaya Rajapaksa significantly strengthened, as Opposition parliamentarians were amongst those joining the regime to vote in favour.

Amnesty International have called on the US Secretary of State to address the 'deteriorating human rights situation' in Sri Lanka during his visit next week.

The 33^rd anniversary of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) massacre was marked at the Jaffna Hospital, with staff and family members holding a commemorative ceremony on Wednesday, in memory of the dozens killed.

At least 68 civilians, including 21 medical personnel, were killed by Indian troops as they stormed the hospital building on 21 and 22 October 1987, throwing grenades and firing indiscriminately at staff and patients. The building had been shelled by artillery before the raid.

Several Tamil fishermen in Mullaitivu have set sail in search of two missing colleagues, as the district's Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the Sri Lankan Navy failed to take action on the disappearances.

Two fishermen have not returned to shore since they left for the sea in the early hours of Tuesday (October 20^th); their colleagues have gone to sea in 19 boats in search of them.