Former Sri Lankan Health Minister, Rajitha Senaratne, was not present at his residence when CID (Criminal Investigation Department) officials came to arrest him in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The CID had been a granted a warrant for his arrest following a controversial press conference in which the former Minister spoke alongside men who claimed to be involved in the ‘white van’ abductions. 

The assassinated Tamil MP Joseph Pararajasingham was remembered across the Tamil homeland today, on the 14th anniversary of his killing.

A senior Tamil National Alliance (TNA) figure and MP for Batticaloa district, Pararajasingham was shot and killed by two armed paramilitary men whilst he was attending Christmas midnight mass in 2005, at the St Mary's church in Batticaloa town.

Christmas was celebrated across the Tamil homeland today.

Thousands of Christians attended midnight mass and special services in churches across the North-East, while celebrations were held in homes and workplaces too.

 (Pictured: Midnight mass at St Mary's Cathedral, Jaffna and at St Sebastian's Cathedral, Mannar)

The Sri Lankan government confirmed that its national anthem will be sung in Sinhala only for next year's independence day celebrations in Colombo. 

As in previous years, an elaborate military parade is set to be held through Colombo's Independence Square, with thousands of troops and military hardware on display.

Malaysia’s High Court will now take over the case of six Tamil men, who have been charged with posting supportive material of the LTTE on Facebook.

The charges come with serious implications under Section 130J(1)(a) of Malaysia's Penal Code, which can lead to punishments such as a 30 years jail sentence or even a life sentence.

In addition, as the defendants were arrested under the 2012 Security Offences Act, they were denied the ability to record their plea. 

Read more from The Malaymail here.

Senior Sinhala Buddhist monks called on the public to support Sri Lanka’s new president Gotabaya Rajapaksa last week, as he met with members of the clergy in Colombo.

“The Maha Sanga invoke their blessings and provide guidance towards the efforts being taken by the President to lead the country on the right path to make Sri Lanka a developed and prosperous nation,” Elle Gunawansa was quoted as saying, as monks blessed Rajapaksa on Friday.

The BJP’s Tamil Nadu state secretary warned that if citizenship was granted to Eelam Tamil refugees then Sri Lanka would become a “a complete Buddhist land” and claimed that the DMK was conspiring with Sri Lanka’s prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.