<p>The Sri Lankan president yesterday reiterated his pledge to push ahead with the implementation of the death penalty for those convicted of drug trafficking, despite widespread criticism over the decision.&nbsp;</p> <p>Meeting with law enforcement officials at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday, amid the island's ongoing political crisis, Sirisena said "necessary steps should be instantly taken to implement the recently taken decision to enforce the death penalty against the persons who still engaged in drug trafficking activities even after they have been convicted, for the future of the country, the nation and future generation."</p> <p>"Due to the failure of the relevant institutions to submit the required documents related to the persons that the death penalty should be implemented, the decision to implement the death penalty has been delayed and an investigation will be held in this regard in the near future," he further added.&nbsp;</p>

A house in Chunnakam earmarked to be converted into a police station was attacked with a petrol bomb and vandalised yesterday. 

<p>The Chennai High Court has summoned an officer from the Foreigners Regional Registration over the deportation of an asylum seeker to Sri Lanka.&nbsp;</p> <p>S Anand was born and raised in India after his family fled Sri Lanka, and went to Australia in 2013. He was returned to India last month where he was detained upon arrival by Indian immigration authorities and deported to Sri Lanka.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sri Lanka's president, Maithripala Sirisena said today the Sri Lankan-Singapore Free Trade Agreement was signed without adequate consent, pointing to the findings of his expert committee.&nbsp;</p> <p>The committee was appointed by the president in August following a Joint Opposition protest against the FTA, who claim it was 'illegal'.&nbsp;</p>

The Sri Lankan army showcased its weaponry to a military delegation from Bangladesh last month, as various militaries from around the world continue to visit Sri Lanka, despite reports of human rights abuses.

Tamil families of the disappeared gathered in Mullaitivu on Monday, where they marked Human Rights Day with a protest demanding justice and accountability.

A demonstration was held in Jaffna against a planned land-grab to relocate a police department notorious for human rights violations.

The protest outside Uduvil district secretariat on Monday condemned attempts to relocate Chunnakam police station to privately-owned land in a residential neighbourhood.

Tamils in Trincomalee protested for the release of all lands under Sri Lankan military occupation, in a demonstration to mark International Human Rights Day today.

A local government official in Mullaitivu is facing disciplinary proceedings for using his position to target a former LTTE cadre and another individual.

The official, a village officer (grama sevakar) within the Thunukkai division was accused of abuse of power, acting on personal likes and dislikes, revenge, and irregular use of state funds.

Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange reserves continued to fall this month as the political crisis in Colombo continues.

Forex reserves reportedly fell by 884.9 million US dollars in November 2018, to 7,018.38 million dollars, though the data does not include forex reserves released through swap agreements to maintain a peg or transactions with the Treasury.

President Maithripala Sirisena, Ranil Wickremesinghe and Mahinda Rajapaksa are all racists and whoever comes to power will not advance the Tamil people, the Democratic People's Congress leader and former minister under Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prabha Ganesan has said.

The Norwegian government has partnered with UNDP Sri Lanka and agreed to support projects on “Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions”, in an announcement this week.

Supporters of Mahinda Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party held a rally in Mannar on Friday.

Participants in the rally in Mannar town called for a general election, and said a new government was needed to address the development needs of Mannar district.

<p>The reconstruction of the Iranaimadu tank could be a precursor to further Sinhala colonisation under the Mahaweli scheme, former Northern Provincial Council (NPC) member P Aingaranesan has alleged.</p> <p>The reconstructed tank was opened by the Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena last week.</p>