The Sri Lankan Navy detained 37 Chinese fishermen on Sunday night, prompting China to call for their immediate release, reported the China's state news agency, Xinhua.

"The Chinese embassy ... has urged Sri Lankan authorities to handle the issue in accordance with the law, sort out the truth and release the Chinese fishermen as soon as possible," reported Xinhua.

The director of the Coordination and Response Division of the UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), John Ging, made a number of comments following a 3 day official visit to Sri Lanka.

The UN official visited the North-East, where many people still lack basic services and facilities, following the Sri Lankan government onslaught in 2009.

According to OCHA people in the region have asked for basic assistance such as sanitary facilities, clean water, shelter, electricity and livelihoods support.

Commenting on the situation, Ging said:

“In 2012, it is absolutely unacceptable that tens of thousands of people are living in such appalling conditions without access to the most basic services,”

American retailer J Crew has decided to pull orders from Sri Lankan manufacturer Mirrai PVT Ltd failed to follow industry regulations and correct violations, reported the Sunday Times.

The move was hailed by IndustriALL Global Union, who commented that the move showed that codes of conduct were "more than paper tigers".

Civil officials in the Amparai district have stated that over 3,500 families have been driven from their land, with over 12000 acres of land being seized from the Tamil population, reported TamilNet on Sunday.

Since 2007, over 20 Saiva temples have been destroyed, with suspected backing by Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) commandos.

The Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa instructed the army to remain alert of groups working to "destabilise" the country reported Xinhua.

Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said,

The secretary of the Patriotic National Movement of Sri Lanka (PNM), condemned the resumption of India-Sri Lanka talks on CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) and stressed it should not be signed.

Warning that the CEPA agreement would pave the way for "mighty India" to exploit the Sri Lankan market, PNM stressed that 'businessmen and intellectuals' should be "vigilant".

The UNP councillor for the Southern Province, Krishantha Pushpakumara was arrested for obstructing police officers in the Akmeemana region.

Sri Lankan police have arrested a total of five local government politicians within 24 hours - two on charges of assault, including a health minister that assaulted a doctor.

Sri Lanka's inflation has continued to rise, reaching new heights, as it continues to inch towards double digits, reported the Sunday Times.

Inflation reached 9.8% last month reported the paper, with speculation that the rise will continue unless food prices begin to fall.

This follows from a Reuters poll of 13 analysts, who suggested an increase to 9.4% was possible and the IMF predicting inflation to rise to 9.5%, a 42-month high.

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A provincial health minister, Sunil Kithisiri Amaratunga, was arrested on charges of assaulting a community health specialist - Dr Sapumal Danapala, reported the spokesperson of Kandy police force.

Doctors in the area have also accused him of verbally threatening the Health Services Director, Dr Shanthi Samarasinghe.

The Sri Lankan Air Force may use a shipment of 14 helicopters ordered from Russia for commercial purposes, according to cabinet spokesperson Keheliya Rambukwella.

The Mass Media and Information Minister stated that a feasibility study was currently being conducted over the deal and said,

“I do not know when the study would be completed, but I don’t think the SLAF would utilize the entire facility and purchase 14 helicopters.”