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UNP rallies to defend Buddhist institutions amid clergy misconduct controversy

Sri Lanka's United National Party (UNP) has accused the National People's Power (NPP) government of attempting to undermine Buddhism and interfere in the affairs of the Buddhist clergy, as controversy continues over proposed reforms aimed at addressing misconduct within the Buddhist Sangha.

Chemmani mass grave toll rises to 283 as more remains unearthed
Investigators identified eight additional skeletal remains at the Chemmani mass grave site on Thursday, bringing the total number of victims uncovered during ongoing excavations to 283.
41 years on, Tamils still await justice for the Vattavan massacre
Relatives of victims and members of the public gathered in Verugal this week to commemorate the 41st anniversary of the Vattavan massacre, one of a number of deadly attacks on Tamils in the region, as families renewed calls for truth, justice and accountability.
‘Jail for a song?’ Protest grows over Tamil rapper's PTA detention
Calls for the release of Tamil rapper HipHop Sangee continued to grow this week, with Tamil civil society organisations planning a protest in Kilinochchi and parliamentarians from both Tamil and Sinhala parties raising concerns over his detention under Sri Lanka's Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
Thirty Indian fishermen return to Chennai after release from Sri Lankan prisons
Thirty Indian fishermen detained in Sri Lanka return to Chennai following their release and repatriation after diplomatic intervention
Another $695 million from the IMF, but Sri Lanka's economic woes remain
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a further US$695 million disbursement to Sri Lanka following the completion of the fifth and sixth reviews of the country's Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme, bringing total IMF support since the island's 2022 sovereign debt default to approximately US$2.4 billion.
Transfer of Jaffna judge raises fresh fears over pressure on the judiciary
The Jaffna Bar Association has written to Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressing "complete disbelief and shock" over the transfer of Jaffna High Court Judge A. G. Alexraja, while the Northern Province Governor's Office has denied any connection to the move.
Chemmani mass grave toll rises to 262 as excavations resume
Court-supervised excavations at the Chemmani-Siththupathy mass grave site in Jaffna resumed on Monday, with investigators uncovering another human skeleton and bringing the total number of skeletal remains identified at the site to 262.
Jaffna University students condemn Vesak lantern vandalism
Student unions at the University of Jaffna have condemned the vandalism of a Vesak lantern displayed during a recent Buddhist celebration and rejected attempts to portray the incident as an act carried out by the Tamil student community.
Nearly 300 Sinhala Buddhist monks accused of child abuse over last three years
Nearly 300 Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka have been accused of abusing children over the past three years, with charges filed against 27 of them, according to a report published by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).
TNPF halts survey aimed at acquiring land for military camp in Kilinochchi
Tamil landowners and activists from the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) have successfully blocked an attempt by Sri Lankan authorities to survey lands in Iyakkachchi, Kilinochchi, which residents say are being targeted for permanent acquisition by the Sri Lankan military.
Protesters in Vavuniya condemn release of Sinhala Buddhist monk accused of child sexual abuse
Residents and activists in Vavuniya staged a protest condemning the granting of bail to a monk accused of sexually abusing a minor girl
Another Sinhala Buddhist monk jailed for child sexual abuse

A Sri Lankan court has sentenced a Sinhala Buddhist monk to 30 years of rigorous imprisonment after finding him guilty of sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy at a temple.

Buddhist majoritarianism remains at root of ethnic conflict, says Valikamam East chairman
Valikamam East Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Thiyagarajah Nirosh has criticised the Sri Lankan government’s response to allegations of child abuse involving the Sinhala Buddhist clergy, warning that the state remains constrained by Buddhist majoritarianism and is failing to uphold the principle that all citizens are equal before the law.
Families accuse Sri Lankan state of abandoning search for four missing Tamil fishermen

Fishermen in Point Pedro, Jaffna have accused Sri Lanka's government of neglecting search efforts for four Tamil fishermen who went missing at sea, while alleging that claims made by Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar regarding naval and aerial search operations are false.

Tamil and Muslim women in the North seek justice for abused child victims

Tamil Women’s groups joined by representatives of Muslim women’s organisations, local government representatives and civil society activists from the North staged a protest in Mannar on Friday calling for justice for survivors of sexual abuse and protection for children and women.

Batticaloa honours Nadesan as impunity over Tamil journalist killings persists

The 22nd remembrance of slain senior Tamil journalist Aiyathurai Nadesan was held on Sunday at the memorial for murdered journalists in Gandhi Park, Batticaloa, with journalists, politicians and civil society representatives paying tribute and renewing calls for justice.

Keeping the flame alive - Tamil Eelam's musical legacy honoured at Eluchikuyil 2026

A commemorative event honouring artists whose works contributed to the Tamil liberation struggle was held in Switzerland with the 11th edition of the Ezhuchikkuyil 2026 Tamil Eelam patriotic song competition.

Sri Lanka arrests Tamil youths for photographing Thaiyiddy Vihara

The occupying Sri Lankan police force has arrested two Tamil youths from Jaffna after reportedly taking photographs in the vicinity of the controversial Thaiyiddy Vihara, a Buddhist shrine at the centre of a long-running dispute over the colonisation of Tamil land in the Valikamam North region.

45th anniversary of Jaffna Library burning commemorated

A commemoration marking the 45th anniversary of the burning of the Jaffna Public Library was held there today, to remember its destruction by Sri Lanka's security forces and state-backed mobs.

World News

UN experts demand investigation following Israel’s killing of Lebanese journalists

Three UN experts called for a full and independent investigation following Israel's killing of three Lebanese journalists.
Sudan hospital ‘drone strike’ kills 64, including children
At least 64 people, including 13 children, have been killed in an attack on a hospital in Sudan’s Darfur region, as violence continues to devastate the already collapsing healthcare system.
FIFA fines Israel for racism and discrimination but clears settlement clubs
On Thursday, FIFA sanctioned the Israel Football Association over breaches of racism and discrimination, but cleared Israeli clubs playing in settlements.
UK jury acquits woman of terrorism charge over Hamas comments
A woman who told a protest crowd that Hamas is “fighting for freedom” has been found not guilty of expressing support for a proscribed organisation, following a closely watched case in a British court.
Two Indian journalists detained for filming docked Iranian warship
Two Indian journalists were detained for filming a docked Iranian warship in Kochi, Kerala.
Spain withdraws ambassador from Israel amid Gaza genocide and Iran war tensions
Spain has withdrawn its ambassador to Israel in the latest escalation of a deepening diplomatic dispute between Madrid and Tel Aviv over Israel’s assault on Gaza and the recent United States and Israeli attacks on Iran.
Former Syrian colonel charged with crimes against humanity in landmark UK case
A former colonel in Syria’s Air Force Intelligence has appeared before a London court charged with crimes against humanity, in what prosecutors say is the first case of its kind brought under British law.
UN peacekeepers refuse order to leave South Sudan opposition stronghold

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has said it will keep its peacekeeping force in the town of Akobo despite an order by the South Sudanese military to vacate the area ahead of a planned offensive.

'India stands with Israel,' Modi says during state visit
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded a two-day state visit to Israel on Thursday, bolstering cooperation in multiple areas, including defence, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and agriculture.
'Journalists being killed in record numbers' - 129 press members killed in 2025
A record 129 press members were killed in 2025, according to the latest report by the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Scotland’s ‘independence within reach’ says first minister
Scottish independence is “within reach”, First Minister John Swinney has said, as a new poll projects the Scottish National Party just one seat short of a majority ahead of this year’s Holyrood election.
UN investigators warn RSF assault on El Fasher bears ‘hallmarks of genocide’
A United Nations fact-finding mission has determined that atrocities carried out during the siege and takeover of the Sudanese city of El Fasher bear the “hallmarks of genocide”, condemning the conduct of paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fighters in Darfur during the ongoing conflict.
UK moves toward new law to ban Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
As international criticism mounts over the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) involvement in Tehran's fatal suppression of anti-government protests, the UK government reportedly set to introduce legislation that would enable it to officially outlaw the organisation. The action comes after the European Union made the decision last month to put the IRGC to its official list of terrorist organisations, adding groups like Islamic State, Hamas, and al-Qaeda. 
Tibetan diaspora votes worldwide for government-in-exile
Tibetans around the world began a global election on Sunday to choose a parliament and political leadership for the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).
'Mother of all deals’ - India and EU forge landmark trade and security pact
India and the European Union have announced a sweeping free trade agreement that both sides have hailed as the “mother of all deals”, concluding nearly two decades of intermittent negotiations.
'Old world order is not coming back' - Carney calls for middle power unity at Davos
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has warned that the global order that shaped international politics for decades “is not coming back”, urging “middle powers” to act collectively as great power rivalry intensifies.
Syrian government and SDF forces agree on four-day ceasefire
The Syrian government has announced a four-day ceasefire with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) after the army continued to seize territory in the country’s northeast.
UN court begins hearing on Myanmar Rohingya genocide case
This week, the charge that Myanmar committed genocide against the Rohingya went before the International Court of Justice for three weeks of testimony. 
US bombs Venezuela and 'captures' President Maduro

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United States President Donald Trump has said the US has carried out a “large scale strike” against Venezuela and “captured” the country’s leader, President Nicolas Maduro.

ICJ to hear Rohingya genocide case in January

 

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced on last week that it will hold hearings in a case accusing Myanmar of committing genocide against its Rohingya minority.