Sri Lanka's Cabinet unanimously decided to revoke a gazette allowing alcohol sales to women after the president, Maithripala Sirisena overruled the proposal. 

Responding to pressure from senior Buddhist clergy, Mr Sirisena said a move to lift the ban on women purchasing and selling alcohol would endanger 'Sri Lankan family' culture. 

The Cabinet's decision, communicated by the Minister for Ports and Shipping also revoked the gazette to allow liquor shops to extend their opening hours. 

Plans to build a Sri Lanka Navy security and watch post in Kayts has resulted in landgrabs of Tamil-owned private land in the area.

The owner of land in Paruthiyadaippu received a letter from the district survey office saying that his land would be surveyed for appropriation on the 25th, despite the owner having objected to his land being seized.

The Prime Minister of Singapore and the President of Indonesia are scheduled to make separate state visits to Sri Lanka next week.

Sri Lanka's Foreign Affairs Ministry said that the Singaporean Premier, Lee Hsien Loong, will sign a Free Trade Agreement, reports dailynews.lk.

A discussion set to take place at Jaffna University on the proposed new constitution for Sri Lanka was banned by the Election Commission on the grounds that it would disadvantage certain political parties while benefiting others at the upcoming local government elections.

The Tamil People’s Council, an organisation led by the Northern Province Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran, was set to hold a discussion on the interim report of the constitutional assembly at the university on Tuesday.

In a letter to the university’s Vice Chancellor, the Election Commission said it had received a complaint that the event would strengthen some political parties or weaken others.

A local government candidate for the TULF in Mannar said his home was attacked by unknown individuals who surrounded his house, threw rocks, lit firecrackers and pasted ITAK posters on his walls.

The candidate, Soosai Santhan, of Aadkaddiveli in Manthai West, said he telephoned the police several times while the attack was taking place but officers failed to turn up.

He filed a complaint on Sunday, the following day, with Adampan police.

A Tamil woman, who was arrested and remanded in custody for 14 years over her alleged involvement in a LTTE bomb attack on Kollupitiya police station, was sentenced today for two years imprisonment suspended for 15 years. 

The sentencing of Selvakumari Sathyaleela was delivered by the High Court judge Vikum Kaluarachchi. 

Four Sri Lankan police officers were killed on 07 July 2004 when the Black Tiger, 26 year old Jayarani Thiyagarajah detonated a bomb strapped to her inside the police station. 

The TNA MP and party spokesperson, M A Sumanthiran on Sunday stressed the unity government was essential if the constitution making process was to proceed. 

His comments, which were made to reporters following a Thai Pongal celebration at the party office in Colombo, echoed that of TNA leader Mr Sampanthan. 

Mr Sumanthiran added that investigations in corruption should not cause the unity government to end. 

Over 40,000 people in the North-East displaced by the armed conflict remain displaced over eight years on, Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka reported on Tuesday. 

"During its three year period in office the government has resettled only 3,996 people," JDS noted. 

"The ministry of resettlement and rehabilitation says that 40,938 members of 12,674 internally displaced families have not been resettled by the end of October 2017."

Read more here. 

Sri Lankan navy personnel arrested 16 Tamil Nadu fishermen and pounded four fishing trawlers on Monday for allegedly poaching in the island's waters. 

The Pakistani Army Chief is visiting Sri Lanka on the invitation of the Sri Lankan Army Commander.

According to FT.lk, the chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa will also call on the Sri Lankan President and Prime Minister to “discuss issues of regional security and matters of mutual interest.”