Speaking at an event organised by the European Chamber of commerce, Sri Lanka's prime minister promised liberalisation of the economy prior to the next budget, expressing his support for breaking down barriers for competition. 

The Sri Lankan President signed the gazette for the Office of Missing Persons today.

Announcing on his official Twitter account that he had signed the gazette, President Sirisena said “this marks another step forward in Sri Lanka’s path to sustained peace.”

“OMP being gazetted is a significant step forward for the people of Sri Lanka,” the UN resident coordinator, Una McCauley said on Twitter.

The UN is to ensure soldiers from Sri Lanka are vetted prior to joining the UN Peacekeeping force. 

Singapore’s Foreign Minister said Jaffna “holds special significance” for his country, during a visit to the region today.

The United Nations Under Secretary General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman arrived in Sri Lanka on Wednesday, undertaking a three-day visit to the island where he will discuss peacebuilding with government officials and members of the Tamil National Alliance.

Rejecting the report by the UN Special Rapporteur for human rights and counter-terrorism, Ben Emmerson, Sri Lanka's cabinet spokesperson said on Wednesday that the foreign ministry would going forward answer to the country's defence ministry and the Prison Commissioner General before  foreign officials undertook any future similar visits. 

Five parliamentarians, led by Wimal Weerawansa, announced this week their decision to leave the constitutional assembly, Adaderana reported. 

The TNA leader, R Sampanthan told the visiting foreign minister of Singapore, Vivian Balakrishnan that the unity government was essential to ensuring the success of the constitutional change process. 

Urging both the UNP and SLFP to "put their petty political agendas aside", Mr Sampanthan said, "this is an urgent need for the whole country and all its people."

The Sri Lankan navy on Sunday arrested another four Indian fishermen for allegedly crossing into Sri Lankan waters, reported TNN and The Hindu. 

Singapore and Sri Lanka committed to arriving at a free trade agreement by the end of this year, Singapore's foreign minister, Vivian Balakrishnan said following his meeting with his Sri Lankan counterpart in Colomb

Sri Lankan police detained an Indian citizen from Tamil Nadu who was on a family holiday in the island for wearing a dress with the image of Buddha on it, The Hindu reported. 

She was only released after she signed a statement and apologised. 

Sri Lankan police officers visited the Colombo office of the Tamil diaspora TV station, IBC Tamil two times over a four day period and sought the personal details of staff members. 

A US $167.2 million disbursement has been approved by the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after completing the second review of Sri Lanka’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF).

The IMF Executive board completed the review on Monday, allowing for the release of US $167.2 million which forms part of a 3 year arrangement to provide up to US $1.45 billion of assistance during Sri Lanka’s monetary reform process.

Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena reportedly questioned his cabinet on how the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism Ben Emmerson was allowed to meet Tamils detained as alleged Liberation Tamil Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighters.