Sri Lanka’s treasury has released funds to distribute dry food rations amongst drought affected people in 15 districts, reports Colombo Page.

The President’s office has also issued instruction to the Army to produce a performance report on how dry aid is distributed by the Divisional Secretaries across the island.

Under the President’s directive, the Ministry of Disaster Management will distribute rations in the regions of Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Ampara, Badulla, Hambantota, Vavuniya and Mannar.

China’s Ambassador pledged to help Sri Lanka's south reach development standards of Shanghai reports Colombo Page.

Speaking at an event celebrating the 70^th anniversary of China and Sri Lanka's friendship Ambassador Yi Xianliang said China will help establish a technology university in the South and also initiate a housing project for fishing communities in the area.  

The ambassador went on to call on the people of Sri Lanka to support the government to develop the country, adding that China would continue to provide assistance to the island to develop the region in similar fashion to Singapore within15 years.

Sri Lanka's prime minister told the president on Tuesday to expel the country's justice minister, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, accusing him of deliberately preventing the investigation of corruption and fraud committed by the previous government. 

The communication from the prime minister follows a meeting by the UNP Working Committee who requested My Rajapaksa to explain his position to the party, the Daily Mirror reported. However, he failed to reply, prompting the UNP to call for his expulsion. 

Officers from Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) have continued to harass Mariyasuresh Easwary, who is one of the key figures of the Mullaitivu protest against disappearances which passed 150 days. 

The press rights organisation, JDS said in a statement on Monday that CID officers "have repeatedly  visited Mariyasuresh Easwary", who was earlier this month assaulted by three men who threatened to kill her. 

Special Task Force troops have been deployed in Thunnalai again since Sunday, recreating a tense situation in the Vadamaradchi area.

STF motorcycle teams patrolled Thunnalai and surrounding villages throughout Sunday and Monday as well as carrying out checking activities on the streets.

In a previous operation in early August, over 40 Tamil youths were arrested in search and round-up operations and dozens of motorcycles and other vehicles seized.

"We had breathed a sigh of relief when the troops and police withdrew after the last round of searches, but now they are back again to scare us," a Thunnalai resident said.

Sri Lanka’s cabinet ministers are planning to curtail powers of the independent Auditor General to hold those responsible for fraud accountable warned anti-corruption organisation Transparency International.

The anti-corruption organisation called on the government to keep in line with international best practices and maintain the powers vested to the Auditor General, and expressed concern at the attempts by Sri Lanka’s cabinet to edit key parts of the National Audit Bill.

Sri Lanka is hoping to complete steps towards accession to the Madrid Protocol, and international trademark registration system by next August, LBO reports. 

The system would allow Sri Lankan brands to register their trademarks across jurisdications through a single process, providing greater protection internationally to the brands. 

New members were appointed to the body assigned the task of securing the accession, the Intellectual Property Advisory Commission (IPACSL) last week. 

Twenty-seven Indian nationals were arrested on Sunday during a special raid in Jaffna by the Intelligence and Investigation Unit of Sri Lanka's Immigration and Emigration Department for allegedly violating their visa conditions. 

The 22 men and 5 women were reportedly engaged in employment whilst on tourist visas, Colombo Page reported. 

Earlier this month 3 Indian nationals were arrested in the East by the Special Task Force and the Navy for violating their visas. 

Sri Lanka's proposed Inland Revenue bill woudl be presented to Parliament on August 25th, the finance minister, Mangala Samaraweera was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying on Monday.  

The announcement follows a similar announcement last week, however the bill was not presented. 

The bill, which has been strongly backed by the International Monetary Fund, had to be amended after the Supreme Court said parts of it violated the country's constitution. 

The European Union on Monday reiterated its support for credible justice and full implementation of the UN Human Rights Council resolution co-sponsored by Sri Lanka. 

"There is no change in the EU support for the full implementation of the UN HCR resolution #EU4HumanRights #lka," the EU's delegation to Sri Lanka tweeted this morning. 

"But the critical element is that justice has the victims at its heart and facilitates national healing #lka," it added.