Sri Lanka has moved up from 29th to 28th 'most failed state' this year, scoring almost as bad as the state did in 2010 on key markers, in the Failed State Index, by the Fund for Peace and Foreign Policy. See here for results.

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Two Sri Lankan defence officers receiving, Indian government sponsored, training in Tamil Nadu have left the state, following strong opposition form political parties  and other organisations.

The discontent climaxed yesterday, when over 200 workers from the Naam Tamizhar Katchi organisation protested at the military campus of the Madras Regiment Centre.

An Indian minister has defended the decision to continue the training of officers form the Sri Lankan Army.

Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Sudarsana Natchiappan said consequences on the strategic relationship between Sri Lanka and India have to be considered.

Writing in the Financial Times, Gideon Rachman said leaders of Commonwealth nations should "feel sick about accepting hospitality from a government with so grim a rights record".

See extracts below, for full article click here.

The world is so busy cheering on the emergence of democracy in Myanmar that it is in danger of averting its eyes from the assault on democracy in another Asian state – Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan government is working towards the prohibition of state or private land to non-Sri Lankan citizens.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, the president, and the Minister of Finance and Planning, has submitted proposed legislation to a Cabinet of Ministers to impose the restrictions, reports the ColomboPage.

The Sri Lankan government warned the British government and Scotland Yard of a 'possible threat to Sri Lanka's cricket team from the Tamil Tiger terrorist supporters in England', according to a report in the Sunday Leader.

The External Affairs Ministry's Secretary, Karunatalika Amunugama, has requested a report into the possibility of 'security lapses' which allowed Tamil protesters to disrupt the Sri Lanka's cricket match against India at Swalec stadium in Cardiff.

Amunugama said:

The UNP Pradeshiya Sabha member for Chavakachcheri, Kumar Sharvendran, has applied for the SLFP nomination to contest the proposed Northern Provincial Council election to be held later this year.

Sharvendran is one of 53 applicants that was interviewed for the position on Saturday, including TNA Jaffna Municipal councillor Remedius Mudiappu, and Daya Master, as well as businessmen and lawyers.

Minister A.H.M Fowzie, who was on the interview panel said:

According to Nation.lk, Sri Lankan cricket spokesman said that the Sri Lankan cricket fans had given the Tamil #BoycottLKA protesters "the medicine they deserved".

See here. Extract below:

After bumping into Sri Lankan cricket player Lasitha Malinga, a Tamil Guardian reporter asked him a few quick questions.

Sri Lanka and Canada are locked in dispute regarding posting of envoys as High Commissioners in their respective capitals.