Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Nepal Ruwanthi Delpitiya yesterday handed over a financial contribution of USD one million to the Government of Nepal.

The Foreign Ministry said that Sri Lanka stands in solidarity with the Government and people of Nepal following the devastating Bhote Koshi River floods on 26 August 2026, which resulted in significant loss of life and widespread damage in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and other districts. The financial contribution is in fulfilment of the commitment made by the Government of Sri Lanka, under the direction of President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, to extend support to Nepal.

The financial contribution was formally handed over to Foreign Minister of Nepal Shisir Khanal at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kathmandu.

Sri Lanka has urged the Human Rights High Commissioner, Volker Türk, to end the country-specific mandate in respect of Sri Lanka where national processes demonstrated progress.

Addressing the 63rd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, on 08 September, 2026, during the General Debate under the Agenda Item 2, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Sumith Dassanayake emphasised that no Council mandate should be regarded as indefinite.

The written update on human rights situation in Sri Lanka was presented to the Council on 08 September and the General Debate was attended by the United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner, Volker Türk.

Dassanayake emphasised that at a time when the international community is confronted with grave and urgent human rights situations, including armed conflicts, displacement, and humanitarian crises, the Council must ensure its work and resources are directed towards the most pressing global challenges.

Dassanayake also emphasised to the High Commissioner that all mandates, particularly country-specific ones, should be subject to periodic review against clearly defined objectives and measurable outcomes. He called for sunset clauses and phase-out provisions to be explicitly incorporated into country-specific resolutions where appropriate.

Dassanayake stressed that when a country demonstrates progress through national processes, dialogue, cooperation, and technical assistance, the Council should provide a credible pathway towards concluding the relevant mandate.

The Supreme Court has dismissed about 40 fundamental rights petitions filed by nearly 1,050 police officers who were overlooked for promotions and challenged the promotion of other officers to various ranks in the Sri Lanka Police Service.

The judgment was delivered on Tuesday (08) by Supreme Court Justice Mahinda Samayawardhena, with Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justice Sampath Wijeratne concurring.

The petitions challenged promotions made in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023 during the tenures of former Inspectors General of Police Pujith Jayasundara, C.D. Wickramaratne and Deshabandu Tennakoon.

The promotions under challenge included those from Police Constable to Police Sergeant, Police Sergeant to Sub-Inspector and Sub-Inspector to Inspector.

In its judgment, the Supreme Court held that the petitioners had failed to provide sufficient material to satisfy the Court that there had been irregularities in the promotion process.

The Court also held that the petitioners had failed to establish that their fundamental right to equal protection of the law, guaranteed under Article 12(1) of the Constitution, had been violated.

Accordingly, the Court dismissed the petitions (SI)