Protestors in Jaffna and Batticaloa staged a rally on Sunday to mark International Human Rights Day and demand answers to the whereabouts of their disappeared relatives.

Eight Tamil journalists gathering research on Sinhalisation in Mullaitivu were detained by Sri Lankan soldiers and police on Saturday.

The journalists were questioned about their identities by a soldier who approached them on a bicycle. When told that they had come from Jaffna, the soldier left and returned with another solider who detained and questioned them further.

Sri Lanka's prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe asserted it is the government's responsibility to spread the message of Buddhism across the world. 

"Sri Lanka has always acted as a beacon of Theravada Buddhism for devotees across the world," Mr Wickremesinghe was quoted by the Ada Derana as saying. 

A Catholic shrine in Jaffna was attacked by unknown persons during the early hours of Sunday morning. 

The glass casing which housed a statue of St Anthony was smashed. 

Following weeks of contentious discussions and fracturing of the Tamil National Alliance, Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), PLOTE and TELO confirmed on Sunday they would be submitting nominations for the upcoming local government elections as the TNA. 

The coalition will be contesting under the house symbol of the ITAK. 

A Tamil journalist was attacked in Mullaitivu on Friday night.

Three people on a motorcycle attempted to block the journalist, Subramaniam Baskaran while he was driving his motorcycle in the Pandiankulam area of Mankulam in Mullaitivu.

Although Mr Baskaran attempted to swerve the assailants and continue driving, he was chased by the motorcycle, which he noted did not have a registration plate.

Tamils in Qatar held a commemoration event to mark Maaveerar Naal last month.

See photos from the event below.

Events were held in Malaysia to mark Maaveerar Naal last month, joining Tamils across the world to remember those who fought for the liberation of the Tamil nation.

See photos from the various events below.

Dozens of events were held across Tamil Nadu last month to mark Maaveerar Naal, with thousands attending memorial services across the state.

See a selection of pictures from events organised by politicians and local community groups in various locations below.

Sri Lanka's prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday assured the former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa of his security during the upcoming elections. 

Mr Wickremesinghe said 154 police personnel had been assigned to Mr Rajapaksa, including one ASP, one chief inspector and nine inspectors. 

The former president, Chandrika Kumaratunga has 61 police personnel assigned to her, he added. 
 

Sri Lanka's parliament on Friday approved tax exemptions for the Chinese led development of Hambantota port. 

“Today the parliament approved two motions... to grant certain tax incentives to those two companies operating the Hambantota port,” the country's Ports Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe told Reuters.

The development is to take place as a joint venture between China Merchants Port Holdings and Sri Lanka Ports Authority, who have a 70 - 30 stake respectively. 

Despite the Sri Lankan government's claims it had significantly improved press freedom, a report published by Groundviews on Friday revealed that 13 news websites had been blocked since 2015, when the present Sirisena and Ranil led unity government came to power. 

The International Monetary Fund approved a disbursement of US $251.4 million to Sri Lanka following the completion of the third review of the 3 year Extended Fund Facility arrangement which was set up in June 2016. 

Approving the latest tranche of funds, the IMF warned that further fiscal consolidation was needed given Sri Lanka's high debt burden and weakly performing state owned enterprises. 

Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror reported on Friday that seven nominees for the Office of Missing Persons had been selected by the Constitutional Council. 

The list of nominees, which remains undisclosed, was reportedy submitted to the president for approval. 

According to the paper over 100 applications were received for the posts.