Victims of the massacre by Sri Lankan police at the 1974 World Tamil Conference, held in Jaffna, were remembered today.

Nine civilians including a teacher, three students and a doctor were killed when police violently attempted to break up a cultural event at the conference.

A memorial service was held at the massacre’s remembrance monument in Jaffna.

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party called for the retention of the island’s executive presidency, alongside the continued demerger of the Northern and Eastern provinces and the foremost place on the island to be granted to Buddhism, in a series of decisions regarding constitutional reform, at a meeting of minister last week.

The Jaffna Library recorded an increased number of new members in 2016.

The public library's head librarian, Mrs S Sathasivamurthy, reported that membership had increased in all areas except in the children's section.

The library has for decades been at the centre of Tamil cultural life, leading to it being set ablaze by state security forces and state-sponsored mobs in 1981. It has often hosted foreign dignitaries visiting the North-East.

Special action will be taken to guard Buddha statues in Trincomalee, the Uthayan reports.

The Eastern Province's governor, Austin Fernando, led a special discussion with Buddhist monks from Trinco's viharas, stressing the need to place special protections on the Buddha statues around the district.

The chief minister of Tamil Nadu, O Panneerselvam wrote another letter to the prime minister, Narendra Modi, seeking the release of ten fishermen who were arrested by the Sri Lanka navy on Monday. 

The renewed call for action comes just days after Sri Lanka agreed to release 51 fishermen who are currently detained. 

Sri Lanka's foreign affairs minister, Mangala Samaraweera left on Monday for the UK to commence a five day official visit. 

This is the first such visit since the current British prime minister, Theresa May was appointed. 

Buddha statues at four locations in Trincomalee were found vandalised on Sunday morning.

The founder of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) called on the Indian government to push for an international war crimes tribunal to be held in Sri Lanka, following Colombo’s repeated refusal to allow in international investigators.

In a statement released this week, Dr S Ramadoss said “with the Sri Lankan government refusing to agree to an international war crimes investigation, there will be no justice to Tamils who suffered under the Sri Lankan government armed forces”.

Sri Lanka’s army organised more Christmas carols for Tamils in the North-East over the festive season, by holding an event in Mannar last week.

The Sri Lankan prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe announced on Saturday that China would be investing US $5 billion into the country over the next 2-3 years. 

“I would like to thank the Chinese Ambassador for confirming this investment," Mr Wickremesinghe was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. 

Sri Lanka missed benchmarks set out by the International Monetary Fund for December, Economy Next reported. 

The benchmarks included introducing a formula to price fuel, as well as automatic market pricing of electricity. 

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The international community must act to “ensure justice and lasting peace in Sri Lanka” said a statement signed by ten Tamil diaspora groups to mark the New Year.

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena claimed his government would regain the GSP+ trade concession by next week, in a speech delivered on Friday.

Joint opposition party supporters, locals and Buddhist monks marched in Amabalantota on Saturday protesting against the government's deal to lease land in an industrial zone in Hambantota port to a Chinese company.