The apparent confessions of three Tamil political prisoners were today rejected by the Vavuniya High Court, and the case has been fixed for trial on October 14^th.

The confessions were filed by the political prisoners Rasathurai Thiruvarul, Mathiarasan Sulakshan and Ganeshan Tharshan in 2013.

Senior US Ambassador Cindy McCain met with the Sri Lankan president and other officials in the country, as she highlighted the “United States’ long-standing commitment to the people of Sri Lanka,” on a visit to the island.

McCain, the US Permanent Representative to the UN Food and Agriculture Agencies in Rome, will reportedly “assess humanitarian needs, inspect US-funded assistance, and advocate for long-term strategies to build food security for all Sri Lankans” during her trip.

The Chinese Government donated eight Chronic Kidney Disease screening vehicles worth LKR 660 million to the Sri Lankan government to screen for the disease in Trincomalee, Amparai, Vavuniya and other parts of the island.

The Chinese Embassy in Colombo said, "Sri Lankan people especially in the rural area are suffering in relation to CKD, known as the “silent killer”, as patients live with the disease for years before showing symptoms. Early screening and detection will spare the patients with limited healthcare access from pain."

The United Kingdom has announced a £3 million humanitarian package of food and farming support for Sri Lanka, which it said would be “lifesaving” as the island continues to struggle with soaring food prices.

 British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Sarah Hulton said that the new package “will provide multipurpose cash, livelihoods and other support to those most in need across the country including: pregnant and nursing mothers, children, low-income fisherman and daily wage labourers”.

Sri Lanka’s notorious Buddhist monk Galagodaatte Gnanasara of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) had participated in the Saudi National Day event organised by the Saudi Arabia Embassy in Colombo.

He was seen seated with diplomats and holding discussions with them and others at the event.

The BBS said that the the Gnanasara was invited to attend the event as a special guest.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian M A Sumanthiran said Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe did not have the authority to declare parts of the Colombo as High Security Zones under the country's Official Secret Act.

"A president without a people's mandate is trying to implement non-existent laws to suppress public dissent," Sumanthiran told reporters in Jaffna.

Lt Col Thileepan was commemorated in Tamil Nadu today on the 35th anniversary of his death. Thileepan was a political wing leader of the LTTE who fasted to death in a protest appealing to the Indian government to honour pledges made to the Tamil people.

The memorial was organised by Tamil Nadu political party Naam Thamilar Katchi (NTK) and led by the party's leader Senthamizhan Seeman.

Lt Col Thileepan, a political wing leader of the LTTE who fasted to death, in a protest appealing to the Indian government to honour pledges made to the Tamil people was commemorated in Nallur today.

Marking the 35^th anniversary of Lt Col Thileepan’s hunger stike onto death, British Tamils held a memorial event in London.

In Germany’s capital, Tamils have gathered to commemorate the sacrifice of Lt. Col. Thileepan on the 35^th anniversary of his hunger strike.