The targetting of Tamil journalists in the North-East contradicts the Sri Lankan government's claims of media freedom, the Jaffna Press Club has said.

Releasing a statement on Sunday, the press club condemned the detention and questioning of a group of journalists by Sri Lankan soldiers in Mullaitivu this weekend.

"On one hand Tamil journalists are forced to work in an unsafe environment," the organisation said. "On the other hand those behind the attacks and threats are never put before the law."

The chief of India's air force arrived in Sri Lanka on Sunday for a four day visit which include discussions on regional security. 

Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa is expected to hold meetings with Sri Lankan air force officials, as well as visiting the army and navy headquarters. 

"The visit of the Indian Air Chief would provide impetus towards increasing defense cooperation between the two Air Forces and pave the way for greater interaction in the future," the Sri Lankan ministry of defence said. 
 

Sri Lanka's Constitutional Assembly debate was postponed after the ten MPs who were tasked with discussing the Interim Report of the Constitutional Assembly failed to arrive. 

The debate was scheduled to take place on Monday, reported Ceylon Today.

It has been postponed until the third week of January 2018. 

India's Congress party elected Rahul Gandhi as its new president on Monday, to replace Sonia Gandhi - his mother - as the party leader. 

Mr Gandhi was voted in unopposed with 89 nominations in his favour and no other contenders. 

Ms Sonia Gandhi, who has held the position for 19 years, will hand over power on December 19. 

Protestors in Jaffna and Batticaloa staged a rally on Sunday to mark International Human Rights Day and demand answers to the whereabouts of their disappeared relatives.

Eight Tamil journalists gathering research on Sinhalisation in Mullaitivu were detained by Sri Lankan soldiers and police on Saturday.

The journalists were questioned about their identities by a soldier who approached them on a bicycle. When told that they had come from Jaffna, the soldier left and returned with another solider who detained and questioned them further.

Despite identifying the journalists, the soldiers detained them for over half an hour and called the police to the scene.

Sri Lanka's prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe asserted it is the government's responsibility to spread the message of Buddhism across the world. 

"Sri Lanka has always acted as a beacon of Theravada Buddhism for devotees across the world," Mr Wickremesinghe was quoted by the Ada Derana as saying. 

Mr Wickremesinghe made these comments whilst visiting a Buddhist vihara on Saturday. 

A Catholic shrine in Jaffna was attacked by unknown persons during the early hours of Sunday morning. 

The glass casing which housed a statue of St Anthony was smashed. 

Following weeks of contentious discussions and fracturing of the Tamil National Alliance, Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), PLOTE and TELO confirmed on Sunday they would be submitting nominations for the upcoming local government elections as the TNA. 

The coalition will be contesting under the house symbol of the ITAK. 

Earlier this week there were reports that TELO had decided to leave the TNA for the upcoming polls over disagreements about the allocation of seats. However, the issues were later resolved. 

A Tamil journalist was attacked in Mullaitivu on Friday night.

Three people on a motorcycle attempted to block the journalist, Subramaniam Baskaran while he was driving his motorcycle in the Pandiankulam area of Mankulam in Mullaitivu.

Although Mr Baskaran attempted to swerve the assailants and continue driving, he was chased by the motorcycle, which he noted did not have a registration plate.

Mr Baskaran sustained injuries to his head and arm as the attackers attempted to beat him with clubs.

After managing to flee, Mr Baskaran sought refuge in the three-wheeler park at Mankulam junction.