Buddha statues at four locations in Trincomalee were found vandalised on Sunday morning.

The founder of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) called on the Indian government to push for an international war crimes tribunal to be held in Sri Lanka, following Colombo’s repeated refusal to allow in international investigators.

In a statement released this week, Dr S Ramadoss said “with the Sri Lankan government refusing to agree to an international war crimes investigation, there will be no justice to Tamils who suffered under the Sri Lankan government armed forces”.

Sri Lanka’s army organised more Christmas carols for Tamils in the North-East over the festive season, by holding an event in Mannar last week.

The Sri Lankan prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe announced on Saturday that China would be investing US $5 billion into the country over the next 2-3 years. 

“I would like to thank the Chinese Ambassador for confirming this investment," Mr Wickremesinghe was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. 

Sri Lanka missed benchmarks set out by the International Monetary Fund for December, Economy Next reported. 

The benchmarks included introducing a formula to price fuel, as well as automatic market pricing of electricity. 

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The international community must act to “ensure justice and lasting peace in Sri Lanka” said a statement signed by ten Tamil diaspora groups to mark the New Year.

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena claimed his government would regain the GSP+ trade concession by next week, in a speech delivered on Friday.

Joint opposition party supporters, locals and Buddhist monks marched in Amabalantota on Saturday protesting against the government's deal to lease land in an industrial zone in Hambantota port to a Chinese company. 

Sri Lanka's state minister of finance, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene this week reiterated that the president, Maithripala Sirisena rejected the inclusion of foreign judges in any probe and under no circumstances would the government target 'war heroes' for war crimes charges. 

People cannot be prohibited from entering any Maaveerar Thuyilum Illam - LTTE cemeteries - a Kilinochchi court has ruled.

The Kilinochchi magistrates court has rejected Kilinochchi police's call to bar people from entering the cemeteries, with the judge also stating that people had the right to remember and pay tribute to their dead relatives.

Thousands of Tamils gathered at LTTE cemeteries across the North-East to mark Maaveerar Naal.

Sri Lanka's justice minister, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshes said on Friday that he had "no confidence" in the Consultation Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms (CTF), which was appointed by the prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

The Sri Lankan air force is currently in the process of finalising the purchase of further jets, reported the Daily Mirror. 

The ministry of defence was granted permission to proceed with the purchase by the president and Cabinet. 

“Contemporary aircraft which would be suitable for the coming years would be purchased,” SLAF Spokesman Group Captain Gihan Seneviratne was quoted as saying. 

Kumar Ponnambalam, the human rights lawyer and former leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), who was assassinated 17 years ago was remembered by the Tamil National People's Front today.

The TNPF held a remembrance event at their headquarters in Kandharmadam.

Tamil children at a nursery in Jaffna were taken on a tour of a Sri Lankan air force base by the military last week.