The Sri Lankan army announced that 131 new recruits had completed their training last month, as the military continues to expand its numbers despite calls for demilitarisation.

The Sri Lankan military organised yet another series of seminars for Tamil schoolchildren last month, as it continued with its militarisation of the North-East.

Despite opposition to military presence in schools, soldiers have ramped up their activities with Tamil schoolchildren across the North-East.

<p>A court case has been filed against Ranil Wickremesinghe, accusing him of part ownership in a company that does business with the Sri Lankan government, which could see him potentially lose his seat as a parliamentarian.</p> <p>Wickremesinghe is accused of owning 1.33 percent of equity in Lake House Printers &amp; Publishers, a publicly listed company, that reportedly supplies cheque&nbsp;books to two state-banks. In effect, this means Wickremesinghe’s company engages in business with the government, which would disqualify him from holding a seat as an MP.</p>

The revolutionary Tamil poet Subramani Bharathi or Bharathiyar was celebrated on the 137th anniversary of his birth by the Indian Consulate in Jaffna on Tuesday.

Prominent local figures including politicians, local government officials and elected representatives, and religious leaders attended the event held at the iconic Bharathiyar statue in Nallur.

Bharathi, popularly known as Mahakavi or great poet for his pioneering influence on Tamil literature, was born in Thoothukudi in British India in 1882 and died in Chennai in 1921.

Sinhalese and Tamil residents of Colombo protested at Fort on Monday, to mark International Human Rights Day and demonstrate solidarity with ongoing protests around the North-East and by up-country Tamils.

<p>Former LTTE cadres living in the Nanattan division of Mannar have expressed their frustration at the lack of support they have received in rebuilding their lives, despite meeting with local and central government officials to discuss their needs.</p> <p>Over 60 male and female former cadres live in the division, among whom at least 15 have lost limbs or are otherwise disabled.</p> <p>Speaking to local press, the cadres said they had been called to discuss their needs more than twice with the Nanattan divisional secretariat and with officials of the presidential secretariat.</p>

<p>The Sri Lankan president yesterday reiterated his pledge to push ahead with the implementation of the death penalty for those convicted of drug trafficking, despite widespread criticism over the decision.&nbsp;</p> <p>Meeting with law enforcement officials at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday, amid the island's ongoing political crisis, Sirisena said "necessary steps should be instantly taken to implement the recently taken decision to enforce the death penalty against the persons who still engaged in drug trafficking activities even after they have been convicted, for the future of the country, the nation and future generation."</p> <p>"Due to the failure of the relevant institutions to submit the required documents related to the persons that the death penalty should be implemented, the decision to implement the death penalty has been delayed and an investigation will be held in this regard in the near future," he further added.&nbsp;</p>

A house in Chunnakam earmarked to be converted into a police station was attacked with a petrol bomb and vandalised yesterday. 

The attack came just hours after a protest was held outside the site by locals protesting against the relocation of Chunnakam police station, which is notorious for torture and human rights violations, to the site. 

The house, situated along KKS road, was being used as a gym. 

<p>The Chennai High Court has summoned an officer from the Foreigners Regional Registration over the deportation of an asylum seeker to Sri Lanka.&nbsp;</p> <p>S Anand was born and raised in India after his family fled Sri Lanka, and went to Australia in 2013. He was returned to India last month where he was detained upon arrival by Indian immigration authorities and deported to Sri Lanka.&nbsp;</p> <p>Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice Abdul Quddhose questioned why Anand was deported to Sri Lanka when he was born in India and his father had fled Sri Lanka in 1987.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sri Lanka's president, Maithripala Sirisena said today the Sri Lankan-Singapore Free Trade Agreement was signed without adequate consent, pointing to the findings of his expert committee.&nbsp;</p> <p>The committee was appointed by the president in August following a Joint Opposition protest against the FTA, who claim it was 'illegal'.&nbsp;</p> <p>Yesterday evening the expert committee presented their report to Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat.&nbsp;</p> <p>Sirisena's comments will do little to reassure investors, already nervous amid the country's ongoing political crisis.&nbsp;</p>