The UK government funded culture and education body, the British Council, concluded a program of teaching English to Sri Lankan troops stationed in the Vanni.

“The aim of the course was to improve the speaking, writing, listening and reading capacity” of troops, declared an official Sri Lankan military website.

Sri Lanka's cabinet on Tuesday increased tax on foreign commercials, films and TV dramas. 

The move follows the proposal outlined in the 2018 budget by the finance ministry. 

According to new rules, a foreign film or TV drama will have to pay Rs 160,000 per slot, compared with Rs 90,000 previously.

See here for more. 

The British High Commission in Sri Lanka distanced itself from statements made by MP Lord Naseby in parliament, reports island.lk.

Responding to a query made by the island.lk, the high commission said,

Two Sri Lankan police officials charged with the shooting and killing of a Tamil man in Vadamarachchi have been granted bail by the Jaffna High Court.

On July 9, police opened fire on a hunter vehicle in Thunnalai, killing 24-year-old Yogarasa Thinesh.

The killing sparked protests in the Vadamarachchi region, with locals venting their anger on police vehicles and buildings.

Human Rights Watch this week called on the Sri Lankan government to take firm steps towards tacking sexual and gender identity biases. 

Highlighting the Sri Lanka's contradictory public statements, HRW wrote: 

Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal on Wednesday extended the injunction preventing any legal action against the former defence secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID). 

The Court had previously issued a stay order preventing action under the Public Property Act until December 6. 

The order has now been extended until December 15. 

A Sri Lankan government body has rejected a Right to Information request questioning why a news website was blocked in Sri Lanka.

Access to London-based news website lankaenews.com, which had been critical of the Sri Lankan government, was blocked from Sri Lanka last month.

Military-run preschools in the Vanni should be brought under the control of the Northern Provincial Council, council members have said.

Sri Lankan military forces continue to interfere in Tamil civilian life through the Civil Security Department, Emmanuel Arnold, NPC member for Kilinochchi said.

Teachers at CSD preschools are forced to undergo military training, Mr Arnold said, perpetuating the militarisation of the Tamil homeland.

Only two Tamil nurses were appointed to serve the Northern Province in the latest batch of appointments.

Out of 110 nurses appointed to the Northern Province by the Sri Lankan government, 108 were Sinhalese nurses.

When questioned about the hugely disproportionate rates of Sinhalese nurses being appointed to serve a Tamil province, the Northern Province health minister said that there were not enough trained Tamil nurses to appoint.

Photograph: Sunday Times

A Sri Lankan court in Puttalam has remanded a group of asylum seekers who attempted to flee the island last month.

The United States and Sri Lanka agreed an amendment to a 2002 Open Skies Agreement this week, which will see the movement of cargo goods carried out “more efficiently and profitably,” according the US Embassy in Colombo.

Twenty-five Mannar fishermen who were detained by the Sri Lankan navy on Monday, were released on bail today after residents protested against their arrest. 

The men were initially detained at the navy camp prompting angry protests by residents from Thalvupadu who said the community was frequently harassed and intimidated by navy personnel. 

The tense situation led to local police taking custody of the men. 

^{Photograph @UKMissionGeneva}

Meeting with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein on Tuesday, the UK FCO Minister for Human Rights, Lord Ahmad reiterated the UK's commitment to working with Mr Zeid's office, the OHCHR. 

The UK Mission in Geneva tweeted: 

"Lord @tariqahmadbt meets @UNHumanRights High Commissioner #Zeid to discuss a range of topics related to @UN_HRC. The UK remains firmly committed to #OHCHR, and the #HumanRights rules-based international system."

Members of the Northern Provincial Council on Tuesday commemorated the first anniversary of the death of the Tamil Nadu chief minister, J Jayalalithaa.