The next US - Sri Lanka Partnership Dialogue is to be held in November, with the US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Ambassador Thomas Shannon visiting Sri Lanka, Economy Next reported. 

Eleven companies have put in bids to explore the Mannar oil basin, Sri Lanka's Director Benefits and Mechanical Engineer at the Petroleum Resources Development Secretariat Preeni Withanage told The Sunday Leader.

The block was formerly due to be developed by Cairn India Ltd, however the company chose to exit the area in 2015. 

A Tamil man has been reported missing from Mannar, reports Tamilwin.

Anthonipillai Saint Nicholas Gunabal of Andankulam who runs a barbershop in the area has not been seen since Wednesday afternoon.

Mr Gunabal’s wife filed a missing report with Adamban police on Friday.

The Sri Lankan government said it would study the statement by the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Pablo de Greiff "carefully" and would continue to engage with him. 

The Sri Lankan government on Saturday expressed its support for a united Spain in response to the Catalan government declaration of independence. 

"Sri Lanka and Spain enjoy an enduring friendship, and Sri Lanka considers Spain as an important member in Sri Lanka's partnership with the European Union," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The chief minister of Tamil Nadu, K Palaniswami on Saturday urged the Indian premier to secure the release of the 54 fishermen currently detained in Sri Lanka. 

A young mother in Jaffna committed suicide along with her three children on Friday unable to cope with heavy debts, which caused her husband to commit suicide one month ago. 

Sri Lanka's paramilitary leader and former chief minister of the Eastern Province, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan has been indicted over the assassination of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Joseph Pararajasingham, the attorney general told the Supreme Court on Thursday. 

Mr Pararajasingham was shot dead by two gunmen in Batticaloa as he attended a Christmas mass on December 24, 2005. 

Sri Lanka's finance minister Mangala Samaraweera rejected a statement by the former commander of the security forces in the Vanni, that those supporting the new constitution were traitors and should be killed, stating that 63 lakhs of people had voted in favour of a new constitution. 

Mullaitivu residents protested against landgrabs in Mullivaikkaal, forcing surveyors to turn back from the area.

A Sri Lankan Navy camp in Jaffna was searched by police on Thursday in connection with the murder of a Tamil man in Ariyalai last week.

24-year-old Don Bosco Rikman was shot in Ariyalai East on Sunday afternoon and later died from internal bleeding while receiving treatment at Jaffna Teaching Hospital.

A Tamil political prisoner has been acquitted after a decade of detention and repeated attempts at conviction by the Sri Lankan state.

Kanagarathnam Jeevaratnam was acquitted of charges under the Prevention of Terrorism Act by the Colombo High Court on Thursday morning.

Mr Jeevaratnam was abducted by Karuna’s paramilitary group in Trincomalee on 23rd June 2007 and handed over to Sri Lankan police.

Navy personnel from India and Sri Lanka embarked on the second phase of a joint exercise on Thursday to map Sri Lanka's maritime boundary. 

The first phase was completed in May 2016. The current phase is expected to be completed by December 21, the media coordinator for the Sri Lankan navy, Commander Lankanatha Dissanayake was quoted by Adaderana as saying. 

Sri Lanka's minister of Megapolis and Western Province Development Champika Ranawaka said that 50% of land reclamation for the Port City project, 134.5 of a proprosed 269 hectares was now complete. 

"All land reclamation and preparation in the first stage will be completed by 2019," Mr Ranawaka was quoted by the Colombo Page as saying.