The US Senate has approved the nomination of veteran US diplomat Julie Chung to be the next Ambassador to Sri Lanka.

Confirmed by voice vote: Exec. Cal. #517 Julie Chung, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister Counselor, to be Ambassador of the United States to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

Nine Muslim prisoners who were transferred from Batticaloa to Badulla prison in 2019, have been brutally assaulted inside the premises of the prison earlier this month, leaving many requiring hospitalisation.

Attacked by fellow prisoners, one Musim prisoner had his jaw broken and another suffered a heavy blow on his head which required at least 13 stitches. Seven other inmates also have been gravely injured as a result of the attack.

A protest was held in Mullaitivu today, demanding justice after a 13-year-old Tamil girl was found dead last week.

The child, who has been identified as 13-year-old Yogarasa Nidarshana, was discovered in a dilapidated plot of land just a few hundred meters from her family home.

According to an autopsy carried out on her body, her body had signs of injuries to her genitals. It also revealed that she was approximately 2 months pregnant at the time.

The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has written to India’s External Affairs Minister, as protests were launched in Rameswaram today, after the Sri Lankan navy seized at least eight boats and arrested 55 fishermen on the charge of poaching.

During a graduation ceremony, students at the University of Colombo refused to accept their degree certificates from the newly appointed University Chancellor, and Rajapaksa-aligned, Buddhist monk Muruththettuwe Ananda.

The act of protest follows a statement by the University of Colombo’s Science Teachers’ Association (UCSTA) expressing their opposition to Ananda's appointment as Chancellor.

Responding to a joint letter signed by seven UN Special Rapporteurs calling for a moratorium on the use of Sri Lanka's Prevention of Terrorism Act; the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) has dismissed the statement as "factually incorrect" and noting that they were only provided 48 hours to comment.

Addressing the letter the GOSL notes that the fundamental right petitions against the PTA are still being considered by Sri Lanka's Supreme Court and further claimed that they were adopting a "two-pronged approach towards amending counter-terrorism legislation". 

Responding to the ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka, Fitch Rating agency has downgraded the country’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘CC’, from ‘CCC’, a move that reflects the dire state of Colombo's finances.

“The downgrade reflects our view of an increased probability of a default event in coming months in light of Sri Lanka's worsening external liquidity position, underscored by a drop in foreign-exchange reserves set against high external debt payments and limited financing inflows. The severity of financial stress is illustrated by elevated government-bond yields and downward pressure on the currency” the report notes.

Responding to a joint letter by seven UN Special Rapporteurs urging Sri Lanka to suspend their draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act, until amended to meet international obligations, Human Rights Watch has urged the European Union "to not allow itself to be hoodwinked by a sham PTA reform".

Several UN experts have written to Sri Lanka's President urging for an immediate moratorium on the continued use of Sri Lanka's draconian "Prevention of Terrorism Act" (PTA) until the legislation is brought in line with international legal obligations.

In their letter, the UN experts stress their concerns that "enforcement of the PTA and subsequent regulations have resulted in significant and detrimental impacts on the promotion and protection of several fundamental freedoms". 

A Pillaiyar statue was found vandalised in Amparai this morning, after it was reportedly damaged by a group of unknown persons on Thursday night.