<p>Sri Lanka’s former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has struck out at the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) for their support of the current government, as he reiterated his opposition to the devolution of power to the North-East.</p> <p>Rajapaksa, who led a military offensive that killed tens of thousands of Tamils in 2009, spoke out against a new constitution for the island, that the TNA had pledged would see a devolution of power to the Tamil North-East.</p> <p>“They should not be allowed to achieve through Constitution what they could not achieve through war,” he told a crowd at Nochchiyagama on Sunday.</p>

<p>Reports that the devastating flooding in Kilinochchi was due to negligence are to be investigated by a three member committee, following complaints from residents that Iranamadu tank was allowed to overfill before the all sluice gates were opened at once.&nbsp;</p> <p>Locals had criticised government officials for allowing such a situation, pointing out that the damage was caused by the large body of water had been allowed out at one time, and that residents were not warned the gates were to be opened.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sri Lanka's president, Maithripala Sirisena has retained the police department, the armed forces and the government printing department, under the Defence Ministry, which remains with the president.&nbsp;</p> <p>All state media institutions have meanwhile been allocated to the ministry of finance and media, headed by the UNP minister, Mangala Samaraweera.&nbsp;</p> <p>The gazette notification, published December 24 and released yesterday, lists Rupavahini television, ITN television and Lake House.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A former Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP for Batticaloa was subjected to over three hours of questioning by Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over Maaveerar Naal and the killings of two police officers in the district.</p> <p>Former MP and ITAK organiser P. Ariyanenthiran was questioned on December 22 about his involvement in Maaveerar Naal commemorations in Batticaloa, particularly those that took place at the destroyed LTTE cemetery in Mavadi Munmari.</p>

<p>The European Union has banned imports of Sri Lankan curry leaves due to 'citrus greening' bacterium.&nbsp;</p> <p>Highlighting the large revenue Sri Lanka earned from curry leaves exports, Dr Wickramaarachchi, from Sri Lanka's National Plant Quarantine Service, said, "Based on journal reports the EU amended its rules and came up with new regulations in 2014 with regards to the potential biodiversity threats which can have an effect on other countries. Before its 2014 update was finalised, the EU found this bacterium infection among plants of the citrus family.</p> <p>The ban was imposed for the protection of biodiversity in those countries."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sri Lanka's prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe today met with senior Buddhist clergy and reassured them that the government would ensure Buddhism's foremost place in the country, despite any change in the constitution.</p> <p>“I informed the Mahanayaka Theras that I have already spoken to opposition political parties and have come to an agreement not to change the wordings of Article 9 of the Constitution which gives the foremost place to Buddhism,” Wickremesinghe said.&nbsp;</p> <p>“I also told the Prelates that we will shortly launch a programme of granting concessions to people in rural areas.”&nbsp;</p>

Muslims should reconstruct vandalised Buddha statues to prove their ‘sincerity’ and ‘innocence’, a United National Party (UNP) MP has said, following the arrest of a Muslim man accused of vandalising a Buddha statue in Mawanella in the Kegalle district.

“The Muslims should do so as a gesture of goodwill and to show their willingness to co-exist in peace and harmony with other ethnic groups,” said UNP MP S M Marikkar according to Daily Mirror, adding that he would attend to any repairs if he got a chance.

There have reportedly been a series of attacks on Buddhist places of worship in Mawanella.

The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) this month urged states party to the UN Genocide Convention to take legal action against Sri Lanka at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). 

Addressing an event in UK's Houses of Parliament, marking the 70th Anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the TGTE's prime minister, Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran said, 

"To give meaning to the Convention as it relates to Sri Lanka, we call upon one of the States party to the Genocide Convention to bring legal action against Sri Lanka in the International Court of Justice. In many instances, as is the case with Sri Lanka, it is not just individuals but the whole state apparatus that is used to commit this heinous crime."

<p>Forty-seven displaced people from the North-East, together with 132 concerned individuals and organisations urged Sri Lanka's president, Maithripala Sirisena to keep his promise and release all occupied land by December 31.&nbsp;</p> <p>In a letter to Sirisena, the People's Alliance for Right to Land (PARL), called for him to "fulfill his promise to the people, and let them return home in time to dawn the new year."</p>

<p>Over 3000 Tamil Nadu fishermen were chased away by the Sri Lankan navy during the early hours of Thursday morning, PTI reports.&nbsp;</p> <p>The fishermen were allegedly fishing near Katchatheevu island.&nbsp;</p> <p>The navy forced the men to return to shore without a catch.&nbsp;</p> <p>Earlier this month 8 Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested by the navy and produced before court, before being released.&nbsp;</p> <p>The arrest and chasing away of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy remains a regular occurence despite attempts by India's Central Government to attempt to resolve the issue.&nbsp;</p>