A total of 15,780 people were reported missing to the ICRC until the end of last year.

In its annual report, the ICRC president Jakob Kellenberger said that "thousands remained unaccounted for, leaving relatives without definitive information about their fate".

The missing individuals include 1494 children and 754 women.

Sri Lankan police have arrested 53 people for failing to clear stagnating water and other mosquito breeding grounds around their homes.

The United States has decided to not change the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) benefits to Sri Lanka.

The GSP country practice review of Sri Lanka was closed based on the Sri Lankan government’s efforts to address worker rights issues over the past few years.

“The GSP country practice review on worker rights in Sri Lanka has closed without any change to Sri Lanka’s GSP trade benefits,” Ron Kirk, Trade representative for the US said.

Six Tamil political prisoners, who were transferred from Vavuniya prison to Anuradhapura prison in amidst of the recent attacks, have been attacked by prison officials, reported Uthayan on Saturday.

Families of the attacked prisoners told TNA MP P.Airyenthiran that four have been injured severely, with one in a very critical condition. Families state that the injured are yet to receive adequate medical attention.

The deputy leader of Sri Lanka’s main opposition party, Karu Jayasuriya of the United National Party, has called for an end to arbitrary rule stemming from the constitution.

Legal analysts say that the 1978 constitution, which made the president the sole appointing authority and disciplinarian, was a key factor in allowing the current arbitrary rule to exist.

The Heads of Mission of the European Union has expressed its concern over Friday’s raid on opposition websites.

“Freedom of the media is a vital element in democratic societies and journalists must be able to carry out their legitimate work without fear of harassment or intimidation.

"Any action intended to intimidate independent journalism and or limit freedom of expression is in contradiction to UN human rights standards," the EU said in a statement.

The US has called on Sri Lanka to end media harassment, after police shut down opposition websites on Friday.

In a press release, issued on Saturday, the US Embassy in Colombo said it is following the case closely.

A report by the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, David Anderson Q.C., has recommended the British government to review its policy of proscribing and de-proscribing organisations.

India’s National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon refused to commit to a stance on India’s satisfaction with the peace and reconciliation process, while speaking to Indian reporters on Friday.

Sri Lankan police have raided offices of two news websites on Friday.

The offices of Sri Lanka Mirror and Sri Lanka X News, which are housed in the same building, were sealed and nine people, mostly journalists, were arrested.

The defence ministry said that the websites were carrying false information.

"The CID sealed the offices of two websites carrying false and vulgar reports,"