Visiting Matale district, which was one of those affected by recent floods and landslides, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse promised to provide 'alternative lands' to those living in areas at risk of landslides or other natural disasters.

The President also pledged financial assistance to the 94 families affected with each receiving 50,000 rupees as well as food rations, garments etc. Those whose houses had been damaged would recieve 100,000 rupees each.

The Sri Lankan defence secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse claims that foreign and local elements are attempting to use the judiciary to destabilise the country.

Speaking at an exhibition in Kurunegala, Gota said that a conspiracy was being hatched abroad to topple his brother and president, Mahinda Rajapakse.

A 4-year-old girl has been raped and strangled to death in Mandaitheevu reported the Jaffna based newspaper Uthayan.

The girl’s body was discovered dumped in a well, in Mandaitheevu 2nd division, reportedly 200m from her home. The initial post-mortem was carried out by Legal Medical officer S.Sivarooban from Jaffna Teaching hospital.

She has been identified as Suthanthini Surenthiran who was reported missing two days ago by her parents.

Addressing a meeting at a vihara, Sri Lanka’s Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena praised the country’s Maha Sangha for protecting the country during times of crisis, and called for more children to come join the Buddhist clergy.

Speaking at Malwatte in Kandy, Abeywardena applauded the Maha Sangha for saving the country, exclaiming,

The former chief cricket writer for Australia’s The Age newspaper Trevor Grant has slammed leading Sri Lankan cricket player Kumar Sangakkara for his continued efforts to paint Sri Lanka as a ‘haven of peace and tranquility’.

See below for selected extracts of his article ‘Sangakkara, batsman and propagandist extraordinaire’.

Leading Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara is currently in Australia to play cricket but he also appears to be auditioning for a job in Mahinda Rajapaksa’s propaganda unit.

As he did on the England tour last year, Sangakkara takes every opportunity in Australia to suggest that his homeland has become a haven of peace and tranquility.

He did so again this week when sending a message to the protesters who plan to gather at the MCG on Boxing Day, calling for an Australian cricket boycott on future tours and matches against Sri Lanka.

British Tamils continue to be held in Sri Lankan jails without charge under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, despite pleas from parents to transfer them to British prisons if found guilty of any crime.

The renewed plea comes as TNA MP Suresh Premachandran’s appeals to Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem were batted away, with Hakeem responding that the British Foreign Office had to approach the Sri Lankan government over the issue of any potential transfers.

Heavy rains that began on 16th December have had a devastating effect on the North-East, with Batticaloa and Puttalam the worst affected, said IRIN on Friday.

The rains and ensuing floods have displaced at least 31,000 people and killed 39, according to the Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre.

The Sri Lankan president Mahinda rajapakse has offered the services of a Sri Lankan doctor to ailing Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, saying that the doctor will be “significantly instrumenta” to his recovery.

In a letter to President Chavez, Rajapakse said the government and the people of Sri Lanka are praying for his well being.

See extracts from letter: