Talks have begun between Sri Lanka and Myanmar regarding establishing direct air connectivity between the two countries, the FT Lanka reported., as ties between the two governments continue to expand.

Nalin de Silva, the Ambassador-designate of Colombo to Myanmar has been reported to have had a meeting with the top echelons of the Myanmar Airways International, a privately owned airlines based in Yangon, and discussed the possibility of flying passenger planes without the need for a transit.

The Maha Sangha of the three Nikayas extended their blessings to the newly appointed government held by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party for their victory in Sri Lanka’s general election last week, following the party’s staunchly Sinhala nationalist campaigning.

Sri Lanka’s newly announced cabinet was sworn in at the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy this morning, amidst an elaborate Sinhala Buddhist ceremony overseen by the clergy and the military.

Taking place at the Temple of Sacred Tooth Relic premises in Kandy, dozens of the senior Sinhala Buddhist clergy were present, whilst senior military officials overseeing the swearing in.

^{Photograph: Army.lk}

The US Defence Attaché in Sri Lanka, Lt. Colonel Travis Cox, met Sri Lankan army chief and credibly accused war criminal Shavendra Silva for a ‘periodical review’ meeting on Friday, the day after Sri Lanka's parliamentary elections results were announced.

Sri Lankan troops have been deployed at the Nallur Kandasamy Temple in Jaffna this week, as the temple’s annual festival – thiruvizha – began last month.

Another parent who was involved in a series of protests by the families of the disappeared has passed away in Mullaitivu.

Based on a tip-off that a youth group in Araly, a town north of Jaffna, was in possession of guns and swords, Sri Lankan police conducted a search in the town yesterday and arrested at least ten people.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivered his congratulations to newly appointed Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, following the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna’s (SLPP) election victory in parliamentary elections last week, as Beijing looks to expand ties with the regime.

The two leading Tamil nationalist parties in the North-East announced the appointment of parliamentarians through Sri Lanka’s National List, as the new parliament gets ready to convene later this month.

The Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) appointed its General Secretary Selvarajah Kajendren.

Sri Lanka’s newly appointed ministers are to be sworn in at the ‘Temple of the Tooth’ in Kandy this week, in what looks set to be another overtly Sinhala Buddhist ceremony for Sri Lankan politicians.

Sri Lanka’s newly-appointed prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa claimed that his government had done a “great deal” for the Tamil people during his previous tenure, as he spoke of livelihoods and irrigation for the Northern Province but not of devolution.