Farmers in Hambantota protested this week against the leasing of land in the district to a Chinese company, the Daily Mirror reported. 

Over 1000 farmers took part in the protest which began as a march towards the Administration Complex, vowing they would never vacate their ancestoral lands. 

Aprons and oven gloves with a depiction of Buddha were seized by Sri Lankan customs officials on Thursday who said the items were "offensive". 

The goods were a consignment on a shipment from India heading towards Slovenia. 

Sri Lankan troops stationed in Poonakari distributed spectacles to Tamils living in the area last week.
 

The Sri Lankan government is to introduce a development programme in Trincomalee with Indian assistance, to mirror that of Hambantota port, the minister of development policies and international trade Malik Samarawickrama said on Wednesday. 

The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) on Thursday called on the Sri Lankan government to reveal its deal with a Chinese company which was due to be responsible for Hambantota port, the Daily Mirror reported. 

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will offer worship at the Lord Venkateswara temple near Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh, after landing in Tamil Nadu on Thursday.

The Prime Minister, along with his wife and officials will arrive in India on December 21st. His last visit to the temple was in his capacity as Prime Minister in 2002.

Photograph: BBC Sinhala

Sri Lanka’s justice minister met with Buddhist monks from the extremist Bodu Bala Sena organisations in Batticaloa on Wednesday.
 

A renewed amnesty by the Sri Lankan army has led to more than 3,000 deserting soldiers returning and obtaining legal discharge, reports the Ministry of Defence.

Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena reiterated that his government would not be removing any military camps from the North-East, as he lashed out at the media during a speech in Malaysia.

Starting in 2017, January 8th to 14th will be recognized as National Integration and Reconciliation Week.

The Japanese government is to provide a naval craft and training to Sri Lanka, the Daily Mirror reported. 

The announcement came as the Japanese vice minister of defence, Hiroyuki Miyazawa visited the island, attending the 'Japan-Sri Lanka Defence Cooperation Dialogue 2016' in Colombo. 

The chief minister of the Northern province, C V Wigneswaran on Monday called on the government to implement pledges it had made to the Tamil people without delay. 

“The government should implement without delay the pledges made regarding the Tamil people while entering into pacts,” Mr Wigneswaran said at a press briefing held outside the Jaffna library. 

Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Tuesday called on Indian Prime Minister Norendal Modi to send a “firm, clear and unambiguous message” to the Sri Lankan government following further arrests of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy.

"A firm, clear and unambiguous message should be sent out by the Centre to Lanka to ensure that this trend needs to be reversed and that the Centre is firmly committed to protect the livelihood of the poor and innocent fishermen from Tamil Nadu engaged in fishing in their traditional waters of the Palk Bay," said Mr Panneerselvam.

The commander of Sri Lanka’s air force visited India this week, becoming the first official in his position to officiate over a commissioning parade of the Indian Air Force.