Sri Lanka’s president praised the “experience and leadership” of Shavendra Silva, the military’s latest chief of staff and commander who led an army unit accused of committing grave crimes against humanity, in an offensive that killed tens of thousands of Tamils.

Sri Lanka's state minister of defence, Ruwan Wijewardene yesterday denied the numerous credible reports of the military's use of cluster bombs and chemical weapons against Tamils during the final stages of the armed conflict in 2009, and rejected the need for an international investigation into the matter. 

“We are capable of conducting our own probe into allegations such as these, but there is no such need,” Wijewardene told parliament. 

<p>The Sri Lankan army’s new chief of staff&nbsp; risks arrests “every time he travels abroad” warned the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP), in a press release that called for him to be indicted for crimes against humanity.</p> <p>Major General Shavendra Silva, who oversaw the Sri Lankan army’s 58 Division in 2009 and the killing of tens of thousands of Tamils, sparked outrage after he was appointed as the military’s new chief of staff.</p>

The killing of eleven Tamils by Sri Lankan police officers at the 1974 World Tamil Research Conference in Jaffna was remembered today. 

Residents and former members of the Northern Provincial Council gathered 45 years on by the memorial in Jaffna town, erected in memory of the victims of the massacre. 

Residents in Alampil, Mullaitivu protested today against the Sri Lankan army's attempt to survey land in the area, including land on which the Alampil Thuyilum Illam (LTTE cemetery) is sited. 

<p>Following weeks of political crisis and falling rupee, which dropped to record levels, the Sri Lankan prime minister today announced a plan to obtain US$ 1.9 billion from 'international sources' to stabilise the currency.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Indian officials visited Jaffna on Monday to check on the status of an India-funded cultural centre being built in the town.</p> <p>A team led by Deputy High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Shilpak Ambule visited the site alongside officials from the Consulate in Jaffna as well as the district government agent N Vethanayagam, and municipal commissioner Jeyaseelan.</p>

<p>Sri Lanka's finance minister, Mangala Samaraweera is to travel to Washington tomorrow with the aim of getting the next stage of the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) External Fund Facility (EFF).&nbsp;</p> <p>The visit comes after weeks of Sri Lanka's political crisis left the country with a falling rupee and halting of international funding.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/Image/pictures/2019/North-East/190109%20mother%20of%20disappeared%20Vijayaluxmi%20Shanmugarajah.jpg"></p> <p>Another mother of the disappeared has passed way on Monday due to ill health, still in search for her son, who disappeared after surrendering to the army.&nbsp;</p> <p>Vijayaluxmi Shamugaraja, aged 68, from Thevipuram, Mullaitivu had been searching for her son, Shanmugaraja Arjun, who surrendered to the army in May 2009, at Valaincharmadam.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Two Tamil men and a woman have been arrested in relation to the military search conducted in Vavuniya last week.&nbsp;</p> <p>A Tamil youth from Nedunkeni, Karthik and a 20 year old man from Alamkulam, Jegatheeswaran Kajendran, and a 35 year old woman from Puthukkulam, Tharshiny Srikanth were arrested on Sunday.&nbsp;</p> <p>Kajendran is accused of possessing a locally made hunting gun.&nbsp;</p>

Dutch soldiers, alongside troops from Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Maldives and Pakistan, are amongst those currently undergoing a course on “Asymmetric Warfare”, conducted by the Sri Lankan navy in Trincomalee this week.

Sri Lanka’s former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has officially been recognised as the leader of the Opposition by Speaker of parliament Karu Jayasuriya, despite calls from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to not to allow him to take up the post.

The Speaker’s decision was announced by Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri when parliament met on Tuesday.

Shavendra Silva, a Sri Lankan army commander who headed a division accused of war crimes, has been appointed as the army’s Chief of Staff, according to several reports in the Colombo press on Wednesday.

Adaderana and the Daily Mirror stated that the army confirmed Silva was the 53^rd chief of staff of the Sri Lankan army.

Last year, the commander, who headed the notorious 58th Division of the Sri Lankan Army during the final stages of the armed conflict were tens of thousands of Tamils were massacred, was promoted by the current government to the post of Adjutant General.

<p>The Sri Lankan govenrment is having discussions with China regarding the importing of hybrid buses for the island's public transport &nbsp;system.&nbsp;</p> <p>Sri Lanka's State Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Ashoka Abeysinghe said a procurement plan "had been finalised" for hydrogen powered and hybrid buses.&nbsp;</p> <p>“I went to China a couple of months ago and visited the Chinese companies,” Abeyshinghe said.</p>