Ahead of the upcoming presidential election, more than 200 of Sri Lanka’s parliamentarians have been armed with two repeater shotguns each, issued by the Defence Ministry.

The Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) will formally announce its decision on whom to support in the upcoming election on the 14th or 15th of this month, senior leader Mavai Senathiraja told reporters, adding that the party will issue an official statement confirming its stance.

The government of Sri Lanka has once again rejected Human Rights Council Resolution 51/1 at the United Nations Human Rights Council, claiming the report exceeds its mandate on human rights and that the Council should focus on more pressing humanitarian crises that require urgent attention.

Tributes were paid to the revolutionary Tamil poet Subaramani Bharathi in Vavuniya today on the 103rd anniversary of his death.  The event involved floral tributes laid on the iconic Bharathi statue in Nallur, the poet's songs sung by Tamil students and coconut saplings distributed in the poet's honour.

India has granted 65 million USD for the development of Kankesanthurai (KKS) port, Sri Lanka's Minister of Aviation and Shipping, Nimal Siripala de Silva. reportedly told a rally in Jaffna. 

Sri Lankan Member of Parliament Mujibur Rahman from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has alleged that over 80 government ministers and parliamentarians are planning to flee the country on September 21, the date of the upcoming presidential election, over fears of a massive defeat.

Sri Lanka police have launched an investigation into a wedding pre-shoot, after a couple had taken photos inside the Sri Dalada Maligawa, angering the island’s Sinhala Buddhists. 

Sri Lankan police have arrested a Tamil school principal in Mullaitivu for photographing his ballot after voting for the Tamil common candidate.

A Sri Lankan government minister, Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, forcibly entered a police station in Badulla and engaged in a verbal altercation with officers, ultimately forcing them to release 34 government supporters who had been detained over violating election laws. 

British Tamils demanded a boycott of the Sri Lankan cricket team on Sunday, as they demonstrated outside the Oval as Sri Lanka played England in London.