The Sri Lankan government has publicly accused prominent Tamil journalist and human rights defender Kumanan Kanapathipillai of “terrorist activities and financial crime” during a UN session, in what has been described as a deliberate smear campaign to intimidate him.

At the Committee on Enforced Disappearances in Geneva on Friday, a Sri Lankan government representative claimed there was “reliable information” linking Kumanan to “terrorist activities and financial crime,” alleging that he had “provoked protestors against government forces for personal gain.”

Japan has formally launched military grant aid to Sri Lanka, marking a significant expansion of its security cooperation with Colombo by providing surveillance drones to the Sri Lankan navy.

The U.S Department of State's Investment Climate Statement on Sri Lanka has noted that foreign investment on the island is limited and 'difficult' due to minimal progress on 'structural reforms' and 'stronger governance mechanisms' across the state.

Despite the electoral victory of a new government under President Anura Dissanayake and the outward commitment of his National People's Power coalition to encourage Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), investors remain wary. The report states that, 

On 24 September 2025, a United Nations delegation led by Resident Coordinator Marc-André Franche met with Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha at the Ministry of Defence in Colombo.

The discussions focused on enhancing the Sri Lankan military’s involvement in international peacekeeping operations. Key areas included expanding participation in UN missions, expediting the deployment screening process, and implementing specialised training programmes.

Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake has said that one or two former army officials will soon be arrested in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.

Speaking to members of the Sri Lankan diaspora in the United States during his ongoing visit, Dissanayake claimed that investigations under his government were moving forward after years of political interference.

The Mannar district came to a standstill on Monday as thousands of people took part in a general strike against the controversial wind farm project and to condemn the brutal Sri Lankan police assault on Tamils last week.