As Sri Lanka’s Sinhala nationalist parties tussle over their support for current president Ranil Wickremesinghe ahead of presidential polls next month, the Rajapaksa-led Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is reported to be considering announcing Namal Rajapaksa as its own official candidate.

Sri Lankan MP and leader of the United National Party (UNP) Wajira Abeywardana warned of a “third civil war” if political parties on the island continued to follow what he termed “'traditional ideologies”.

Bangladesh’s Prime Minsiter, Sheikh Hasina, was forced to resign and flee the country earlier today amidst protests which have seen the deaths of over 300 people.

The protests originated in response to a decision by Bangladesh’s Supreme Court which saw the revival of a quota system that awarded 56% of civil service jobs for the descendants of those who fought in Bangladesh’s independence war. Whilst the decision was later scrapped, the protests morphed to encompass a wide range of issues.

Seven Tamil People’s Party representatives who met in Jaffna at a private hotel said they would announce the name of the Tamil Common candidate by next Thursday.

The representatives who gathered in the afternoon deliberated for four long hours but failed to reach a consensus during this meeting. Some members who were present and spoke to the press following the meeting said that former TNA parliamentarian Chandrakanthan Chandraneru’s name has been shortlisted and may likely be chosen. 

The Indian government summoned Sri Lanka’s representative and lodged a “strong protest,” after one Tamil Nadu fisherman was killed and another remains missing, following a confrontation with the Sri Lankan navy last week.

^{File photograph. Eelam Tamil fishermen protesting in 2021.}

In the last two months alone, Sri Lankan authorities have arrested 84 foreigners who were allegedly operating online scamming compounds in the south if the island – including in hotels along the tourist-filled coasts.

The latest announcement comes as the island seems to be the latest base of activity for online fraud, similar to those in Myanmar and Cambodia.

Ahead of Sri Lanka’s presidential election, US Ambassador, Julie Chung, met with accused war criminal and candidate for the presidency, Sarath Fonseka.

On X, Chung claimed that they discussed the "political and economic environment" ahead of the election. Fonseka expressed his gratitude for her visit and noted that he looked forwards t further working with the US.

Following a collective agreement amongst Tamil political parties, leader of the Tamil Makkal Thesiya Kootan(TMTK) CV Wigneswaran has accused Tamil lawmaker MA Sumanthiran of being the sole opponent of fielding a common Tamil canidate at the upcoming presidential election, which will be held on 21st   September.