Protests have taken place in Hambantota over a proposed deal that will see a Chinese state owned company control an 80% stake in the town's port.

Port workers and local residents blocked a main highway leading into the town to demonstrate against the $1.1 billion deal that will see China Merchants Port Holdings Company gain an 80% share of the port and adjoining land.

Today marks 10 years since the passing of Anton Balasingham, the chief negotiator and political strategist of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Sri Lanka's military approached senior TNA MP Maavai Senathirajah to gather "information" on Sunday night, according to sources in the North-East.

Two men visited the ITAK office at Martin Road in Jaffna on Sunday at around 7:30pm, asking security guards, in Sinhalese, to speak to the MP, who is also the leader of ITAK. As he wasn't in the office, the men waited until his arrival soon after.

Rejecting the UN Committee Against Torture's call on Sri Lanka to investigate the former intelligence chief, Sirisa Mendis, the state minister of defence, Ruwan Wijewardene told The Sunday Leader MR Mendis would not be investigated. 

Mr Wijewardene was quoted as saying "he does not see any need to investigate Mendis as the allegations against him are baseless." 

The newly appointed Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu O Panneerselvam, has written to India’s prime minister to call for action against the Sri Lankan navy after yet another reported attack on Tamil Nadu fishermen this weekend.

Families of the disappeared living in Vavuniya marked international Human Rights Day on Saturday with a demonstration followed by a discussion forum. 

The event was organised by the'Forum for Families of Searching, Handed, Kidnapped and Forcibly Disappeared Relatives - Tamil Homeland'. 

Photograph Sunday Times

Sri Lanka's navy commander, Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne assaulted a journalist on Saturday, who had been reporting on protests at Hambantota Port. 

Wearing civilian attire, Mr Wijegunaratne marches up to the journalist before launching a strike aimed at the cameraman. 

Sri Lanka’s Justice Minister told parliament that a resolution passed by the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) condemning the building of Buddhist places of worship in the North-East has “no legal standing”.

Russia’s ambassador to Sri Lanka urged Colombo to look to his country for the purchase of military equipment, at a press conference last week.

The Island quoted Ambassador Alexander Karchava as telling journalists that “Sri Lanka is searching for a number of products in the air, sea and land”.

“We can accommodate everything,” the ambassador said. “Russia has the originals and they are durable, unlike the duplicates."

The Constitutional Assembly Steering Committee has decided to obtain the views of parliamentarians on drafting the new constitution on January 9th 2017 reports Colombo Page.

The Sri Lankan government must end impunity for torture by holding those responsible accountable said Amnesty this week. 

Families of the missing demonstrated in Jaffna town on Saturday marking international Human Rights Day.