Reports have surfaced that the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture is likely to visit Sri Lanka this year.

According to the Sri Lanka director at the International Crisis Group (ICG) Alan Keenan, Special Rapporteur Juan Mendez may visit Sri Lanka in the near future.

Mr Mendez was formerly the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and Special Adviser to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

Sri Lanka continues 'multifaceted assault of terror' on Tamils under new government (28 Jul 2015)

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce reiterated its support towards the proposed Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India in a statement issued on Friday.

The Chamber noted concern at the level of opposition to the trade agreement with India surfacing in Sri Lanka’s press.

Sri Lanka's first annual partnership dialogue with the United States concluded in Washington DC earlier today.

In a media release, the US State Department said,

"Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon led the U.S. delegation for discussions on democratic governance, development cooperation, people-to-people ties, economic cooperation, security cooperation, international and regional affairs, and other issues of mutual interest.

Sri Lanka’s finance minister Ravi Karunanayake announced that a newly proclaimed ‘Colombo International Financial Centre’ will be governed by British law.

Speaking at a Business forum in Colombo, Mr Karunayaka said,

“We want to position Sri Lanka as a mini-financial centre. This  why we want to have a Colombo international Finance Centre, showcasing the Hong Kong model with a British legal system. In the next couple of months you will see the exchange controls being completely opened up not to the extent of the capital markets being opened up – because you need a certain safety when we integrate ourselves.