A forty-year-old statue of Jesus was destroyed in a vandal attack on a roadside Christian shrine in Mannar yesterday.

Local carollers discovered the shrine in Manthai West, on the Aatkativeli – Paruppukadanthan road, had been attacked on Christmas day.

The statue of Jesus in the locally important and iconic shrine was destroyed, as well as photos of Hindu deities which were also placed at the shrine.

Adampan police said they were investigating the attack.

<p>A Sri Lankan navy officer was arrested for possession of cannabis according to Kankesanthurai (KKS) police.</p> <p>The officer, a 23-year-old from Galle attached to the KKS navy camp in was arrested with over 27 grammes of cannabis.</p> <p>KKS police said he would be produced before a court shortly.</p>

A Muslim man was arrestedin Hingula, Mawanella today accused of vandalising a Buddha statue.  

The suspect, Mohammed Ashfar, is to be produced in court, police said, adding that another man was also involved in the attack. 

The incident is part of a series of attacks on Buddhist places of worship in Mawanella. 

The attacks have been condemned by Minister Kabir Hashim. 

Flood reliefs by local civil society organisations, student bodies and diaspora funded charities continued as thousands of Tamils remain affected by extreme flooding in the Vanni area with key roads cut off and houses still immersed in water. 

Commemorative events were held today across the Tamil homeland to remember the 35,000 victims of the catastrophic tsunami on December 26, 2004. 

<p>The Sri Lankan High Commission in London has £371,003 in unpaid congestion charges and outstanding National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR), the UK Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt noted in a written statement to parliament this week.&nbsp;</p> <p>“The majority of diplomatic missions in the UK pay the NNDR due from them," Hunt pointed out.&nbsp;</p>

Tamil Christians celebrated Christmas today in the homeland, with church services and private celebrations. 

The assassinated Tamil MP Joseph Pararajasingham was remembered across the Tamil homeland today, marking the 13th anniversary of his killing.

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

<p>The chair of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) has called on the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to take urgent action to stop Sinhalisation and land-grabs in the Northern Province.</p>

<p>An altercation occurred between Tamil Nadu fishermen and the Sri Lankan navy on Sunday morning as a navy officer attempting to board and search a boat was pushed overboard by the fishermen, Dinamani reports.</p> <p>The Sri Lankan navy attempted to apprehend the fishermen in the sea between Kachaitheevu and Neduntheevu. An officer who boarded and attempted to search one of the boats was pushed overboard by the fishermen.</p>

British Tamil students held the 'Breaking The Silence' series last month, raising awareness on the stuggles of maintaining Tamil culture and traditions amid ethnic and cultural oppression by the Sri Lankan state. 

Across Maaveerar Week (Great Heroe's Week) in November, the Tamil Students Initiative (TSI) held a series of events at universities across London, which included an art exhibition on displacement, talks on the ongoing military oppression in the North-East and discussions on identity within the diaspora, as well as a book club. 

<p>Sri Lanka's government is looking to restart talks on funding that was stalled during the two months of political turmoil following the president's sacking of the prime minister and attempted dissolution of parliament.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sri Lanka's Election Commissioner has said the provincial council polls must be held before April 31, 2019.&nbsp;</p> <p>"It would be a violation of human rights if the polls are not held within the said time frame," Mahinda Deshapriya told Sunday Times.&nbsp;</p> <p>Deshapriya noted that 60 days is sufficient to organise the election, and Rs 4000 million would be required.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Two Tamil youths were arrested on Friday by police in Palai, Jaffna.&nbsp;</p> <p>According to the police the youths were found in possession of swords and were involved in gang fights.&nbsp;</p> <p>Officers raided a house during the early hours of Friday, following a tip off. Some youths managed to escape the police arrest.&nbsp;</p>