Sri Lanka's minister for law and order, Sagala Ratnayaka on Thursday attempted to explain the government's failure to investigate and prosecute the killing of five Tamil students by Special Task Force officers, by claiming they were unable to proceed as the main witness was abroad. 

The paramilitary leader and former chief minister of the Eastern Province, Pillayan, and several of his associates appeared at the Batticaloa High Court on Wednesday over the 2005 assassination of the TNA MP, Joseph Pararajasingham.

The five students summarily executed by Sri Lankan Special Task Force troops 12 years ago were remembered on Tuesday by locals on the Trincomalee beach on which they were killed.

The US ambassador to Sri Lanka, Atul Keshap called for justice for the killing of 5 Tamil students by Sri Lankan task force officers 12 years ago.  

"Justice delayed is justice denied", Mr Keshap tweeted, quoting a tweet by USTPAC calling for justice.

Three senior board members of a disputed Tamil temple in Trincomalee who were arrested and produced in court on charges of “damaging an archaeological site” have been remanded until Thursday.

S. Jegatheeswaran, T. Nijanthan and E. Chandramohan - chair, secretary and treasurer, respectively, of the board of the Kuntrathur Mathalamalai Murugan temple in Soodaikuda were arrested on Monday when they answered a summons by Sampur police.

Sri Lanka's minister of local government and provincial councils, Faizer Musthapha warned that hotels that only cater for "foreigners" would be prosecuted by the tourism police and local government bodies. 

Highlighting hotels that have boards stating 'Tourist Only' was a violation of the constitution and human rights. 

China's state owned company, China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd, is to invest $1 billion into the development of three office towers within the Port City area, Sri Lanka's minister of regional development was quoted by Reuters as saying on Tuesday. 

“It will be part of the new financial city,” Mr Champika Ranawaka told reporters. 

The leader of the Tamil National Alliance said he had “no regrets” over his party’s decision to back Maithripala Sirisena in Sri Lanka’s 2015 presidential elections, despite criticism from several human rights groups and civil society organisations over the lack of progress on the island.

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe signed a new proposal that sets guidelines for “media ethics” ahead of the island’s local government polls next month.

A British national was found dead at a ground in Maligawatta, Colombo, under what local papers have described as 'suspicious circumstances'. 

The body of the man, believed to be 37 years old was found with a wound to his face. 

The Former Sri Lankan navy spokesperson was further remanded until January 16th over the disappearance of Tamil youths, Ada Derana reports. 

Commodore D.K.P. Dassanayake is accused of aiding and abetting in the disappearance of 11 Tamil youths between 2008 - 2009. 

Mr Dassanayake was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in July 2017. 

Sri Lanka's army commander, Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake on Monday said the army "must have information on the candidates contesting the Local Government elections". 

In an interview to BBC Sinhala, Lt General Senanayake claimed the information was needed to for the protection of the candidates, not to monitor them. 

In the space of 24 hours, Sri Lankan police have arrested 68 individuals for reported violations of election laws, according to ColomboPage.

From Monday morning until Tuesday Morning Sri Lankan police said they had arrested the various individuals though did not clarify where the arrests had taken place.

Almost 300,000 people are set to be affected by a major drought in Sri Lanka, reports Xinhua, noting that the majority of the victims will be in the island’s North.

Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said on Monday that as many as 293,764 people would be affected overall, including in the Tamil dominated districts of Vavuniya and Mannar.