The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) criticised what it described as "lots of talk but little progress in Sri Lanka over journalist murders' as the government commenced its 4th year in power. 

Sri Lanka's former foreign minister, Mangala Samaraweera said the government was committed to delivering justice for the assassination of the former Sunday Leader editor, Lasantha Wickrematunga, as the family of the murdered journalist criticised the government's failure to bring the perpetrators to justice. 

Sri Lanka's prime minister sought to allay criticism of the government's lack of progress on key issues in a special statement released today, marking the third anniversary of the unity government's election win. 

A former Sri Lankan navy spokesman has been granted bail after being held in remand custody over the abduction of 11 Tamil youth.

D.K.P. Dassanayake and five others were granted a cash bail of Rs.100,000 with three sureties of Rs.1 million each.

The Sri Lankan military announced that it held more Christmas events in churches across the North-East this year, as military involvement in civilian activities ramped up in the Tamil homeland during the festive period.

The head of Sri Lanka’s army has been accused of bearing responsibility for the alleged loss of military intelligence records regarding disappeared journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda.  

Speaking to BBC Sinhala, Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake said that it was not "practical" for military records on the abduction of the journalist to still have been kepy "if the military intelligence was intelligent".

Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary will be able to access a proposed new electronic identity card system without the need for any court orders, reports EconomyNext.

The new system, which is being challenged in Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court later this month, is reportedly being designed without any privacy laws in place.

EconomyNext reports fears over the security of data held by the government, reporting that there have been hacks in similar electronics citizens databases in India.

A Tamil National Alliance candidate in the upcoming Local Government polls was allegedly assaulted by a supporter of the paramilitary group, EPDP, on Saturday. 

The assault took place as the victim, 67 year old Kasilingham Satkunathevan, was campaigning door to door with leaflets.

The EPDP supporter became angered that Mr Satkunathevan had come to his house to campaign, hitting him with a broom stick and an axe handle. 

Sri Lanka's police force is to increase security operations across the island ahead of the upcoming local government elections, the police spokesperson Ruwan Gunasekara was quoted by the Colombo Page as saying. 

The deputy chief minister of Tamil Nadu on Saturday told reporters he was confident that all the fishermen currently detained by Sri Lankan authorities would be released. 

Speaking to reporters in Rameswaram, a day after the chief minister sent a letter to Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, Mr O Panneerselvam said the state government would prevail on Delhi to take up the issue. 

The Sri Lankan military declared open a new Officer’s Mess at its 621 Brigade Headquarters this week, as the army continues to consolidate its presence in the North-East.

Sri Lanka’s commander in the Vanni Major General Kumudu Perera declared open the new building in a military ceremony that took place, complete with Kandyan dancers.

Three board members of a Tamil temple who were arrested on charges of damaging an archaeological site have had their remand extended until January 11th to give more time to Sri Lanka’s archaeology department and Sampur police to produce actual evidence that the location in question was a designated archaeological conservation site.

Sri Lanka is planning to carry out an island wide household debt survery, the country's Central Bank Governor, Indrajit Coomaraswamy was quoted by Economy Next as saying. 

Thirteen Tamils accused of fraud, falsifying documents, extortion and money laundering in order to fund the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are to stand trial in Switzerland on Monday.

The men, from Germany, Switzerland and Sri Lanka, are accused of sending $15.3 million to the LTTE.