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Navaly marks 31 years since Sri Lanka bombed a church full of refugees
Relatives and clergy have gathered at St Peter's Church in Navaly to mark 31 years since the Sri Lankan Air Force dropped 13 bombs on the church and a neighbouring Hindu temple where hundreds of Tamil civilians, urged by the military itself to shelter in places of worship, had taken refuge, killing…
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Tamil Affairs

Tamil Affairs
Tamil residents intervene to block Sri Lankan military land grab in Maruthankerni
Tamil Affairs
As nearly 300 monks face abuse claims, a prelate cries defamation
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Tamil Affairs
Indian detainee among inmates killed in Negombo prison bloodshed
Tamil Affairs
Amnesty International says Sri Lanka must answer for deaths after prison transfers

Latest Headlines

Tamil residents intervene to block Sri Lankan military land grab in Maruthankerni
A fresh attempt to acquire Tamil land in Vadamaradchi East for reported Sri Lankan military use was suspended on Thursday after the landowner, local residents and activists intervened to block the survey.
Tibetan activist dies after self-immolation outside UN headquarters
A Tibetan independence activist has died after setting himself on fire outside the United Nations headquarters in New York, in a act of protest that Tibetan exile groups described as an appeal for Tibetan independence and unity.
As nearly 300 monks face abuse claims, a prelate cries defamation
As Sri Lanka's Buddhist clergy faces an unprecedented reckoning over child sexual abuse, with nearly 300 monks accused in three years and one of its most senior figures under arrest, the Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter has called on Buddhists to close ranks, casting the mounting allegations as a defamatory campaign against the faith.
Indian detainee among inmates killed in Negombo prison bloodshed
Prison officers responding to the deadly unrest at Negombo Prison were attacked by inmates who allegedly dropped large stones onto their heads, according to Sri Lankan prison authorities, as investigations continue into one of the country's deadliest prison incidents in recent years/ The death toll from the unrest has risen to 29, including eight prison officers and 21 inmates, as Sri Lankan prison authorities claimed inmates attacked officers during clashes linked to drug trafficking and organised crime.
Amnesty International says Sri Lanka must answer for deaths after prison transfers
Amnesty International has called for an urgent and independent investigation into the deaths of two prisoners transferred from Negombo Prison, warning that allegations of torture and ill-treatment against other inmates are “deeply alarming”.
Hamas offers to hand Gaza authority to technocratic committee
Hamas has announced the dissolution of its governing body in Gaza and said it is ready to hand civilian authority to a Palestinian technocratic committee, in a move aimed at reviving a stalled US-backed ceasefire plan as Israel continues to control large parts of the devastated territory.
Families of the disappeared renew call for international justice as more than 400 die waiting
Tamil families of the forcibly disappeared across the North-East have announced an international conference on 30 August, renewing their rejection of Sri Lanka's domestic accountability mechanisms and their decade-long demand for international justice, as more than 400 mothers and fathers have now died without ever learning the fate of their loved ones.
Sri Lankan military agrees to reopen road to Palaly temple after 35 years
The Sri Lankan military has agreed to reopen the permanent road to the Rajarajeshwari Amman Temple in Palaly, blocked for years by an army vehicle-repair depot, and to allow daily worship until 10pm, a concession within one of Jaffna's most militarised zones that nonetheless leaves thousands of displaced families still barred from their land.
Ravikaran demands justice for prison killings, Chemmani and Keppapulavu land
Vanni District MP Thurairasa Ravikaran has called for justice over the Negombo Prison violence, an investigation into former president Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga over alleged Chemmani cover-up claims, and the release of military-occupied land in Keppapulavu.
Protest in Vavuniya over encroachment on a vital irrigation tank
Farmers and residents in Vavuniya have protested against the alleged encroachment of the catchment of the Kovilkulam tank, warning that development on the land threatens the reservoir's water supply and the farming livelihoods of a community reliant on the dry zone's centuries-old network of village tanks.

Rewiring Britain

The arithmetic of a grave

Scared of a song

FEATURES
Sri Lanka’s deadliest prison riot in years kills 26
The Isle of the Goddess: Nagapooshani Amman's Mahotsavam and the battle over Nainativu's identity ""
Chemmani lights up with 427 torches to remember the victims of mass graves ""

Tamil News

Tamil residents intervene to block Sri Lankan military land grab in Maruthankerni

Jul 10
A fresh attempt to acquire Tamil land in Vadamaradchi East for reported Sri Lankan military use was suspended on Thursday after the landowner, local residents and activists intervened to block the survey.
As nearly 300 monks face abuse claims, a prelate cries defamation
As Sri Lanka's Buddhist clergy faces an unprecedented reckoning over child sexual abuse, with nearly 300 monks accused in three years and one of its most senior figures under arrest, the Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter has called on Buddhists to close ranks, casting the mounting allegations as a defamatory campaign against the faith.
Indian detainee among inmates killed in Negombo prison bloodshed

Prison officers responding to the deadly unrest at Negombo Prison were attacked by inmates who allegedly dropped large stones onto their heads, according to Sri Lankan prison authorities, as investigations continue into one of the country's deadliest prison incidents in recent years/

Amnesty International says Sri Lanka must answer for deaths after prison transfers
Amnesty International has called for an urgent and independent investigation into the deaths of two prisoners transferred from Negombo Prison, warning that allegations of torture and ill-treatment against other inmates are “deeply alarming”.
Families of the disappeared renew call for international justice as more than 400 die waiting
Tamil families of the forcibly disappeared across the North-East have announced an international conference on 30 August, renewing their rejection of Sri Lanka's domestic accountability mechanisms and their decade-long demand for international justice, as more than 400 mothers and fathers have now died without ever learning the fate of their loved ones.
Sri Lankan military agrees to reopen road to Palaly temple after 35 years
The Sri Lankan military has agreed to reopen the permanent road to the Rajarajeshwari Amman Temple in Palaly, blocked for years by an army vehicle-repair depot, and to allow daily worship until 10pm, a concession within one of Jaffna's most militarised zones that nonetheless leaves thousands of displaced families still barred from their land.
Ravikaran demands justice for prison killings, Chemmani and Keppapulavu land
Vanni District MP Thurairasa Ravikaran has called for justice over the Negombo Prison violence, an investigation into former president Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga over alleged Chemmani cover-up claims, and the release of military-occupied land in Keppapulavu.
Protest in Vavuniya over encroachment on a vital irrigation tank
Farmers and residents in Vavuniya have protested against the alleged encroachment of the catchment of the Kovilkulam tank, warning that development on the land threatens the reservoir's water supply and the farming livelihoods of a community reliant on the dry zone's centuries-old network of village tanks.
Sri Lanka moves Negombo prisoners to North-East after 26 killed in riot
Sri Lankan authorities have transferred more than 100 inmates from Negombo Prison to facilities in Jaffna and Batticaloa after deadly clashes killed at least 26 people
Rewiring Britain
Andy Burnham is set to be Britain's next Prime Minister. In a speech this week, delivered not from Westminster but from Manchester, he pledged to "rewire" the country, promising the biggest transfer of power out of Whitehall in modern times. His optimism and sense of purpose are clearly welcome after years of drift. But if the rewiring is to mean anything, it cannot stop at Britain's shores.
Ranil and former secretary face September hearing over UK trip allegations
Former Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe appeared before court on Wednesday as proceedings over an alleged Rs. 16.6 million misuse of state funds linked to a 2023 UK visit were postponed until September.
Sinhala groups call on Sri Lankan government to prioritise Sinhalese settlements in Jaffna
Addressing a press conference at the Jaffna Press Club, the representatives urged the government to halt any new land allocation programmes in the Jaffna peninsula until what they described as the land rights of displaced Sinhalese had been addressed.
Shasheendra Rajapaksa indicted for allegedly diverting funds meant for the war victims
Shasheendra Rajapaksa, a former state minister of the dynasty that ruled Sri Lanka through the war years, has been indicted for corruption over the alleged manipulation of the Office for Reparations, the body meant to compensate the conflict's victims, the latest in a string of cases against a family that has never answered for the genocide of Tamils.
A 30km route or a 250km detour: Mannar protests over Pallakandal shrine access
Residents of Mullikulam in Mannar have protested the closure of the traditional route to the Pallakandal St Anthony's Shrine ahead of its annual feast, a restriction that would force pilgrims to travel some 250 kilometres rather than 30, reviving a years-long dispute between the conservation of Wilpattu National Park and the religious access of the North-East's Catholics.
Amnesty International urges transparency in screening of Sri Lankan peacekeepers deployed to Haiti
Amnesty International raises concerns over Sri Lanka’s Haiti deployment amid past abuse allegations
Hizbullah demands justice for Easter victims and vindication for Muslims
As Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday investigation gathers renewed political attention, SLMC vice president M. L. A. M. Hizbullah has called for those behind the attacks to be brought before the law and for the Muslim community to be officially cleared of collective blame.
Sri Lanka’s deadliest prison riot in years kills 26
Sri Lanka’s prison system has been thrown back into crisis after two days of violence at Negombo Prison killed 26 people and injured more than 100, just weeks after rights groups warned the United Nations of overcrowding, custodial deaths and torture in detention facilities.
Sri Lanka moves to acquire 27 acres in Maruthankerni in yet another land grab
Sri Lanka’s Survey Department has issued notice of a land survey in Maruthankerni, marking 11.2657 hectares of land in Devathuravu for acquisition under the Land Acquisition Act for an unspecified “public purpose”.
Vavuniya High Court freezes governor's removal of mayor
The Vavuniya High Court has issued an interim order suspending the gazette through which the Northern Province governor removed the Vavuniya mayor, S. Kandeepan, from office, freezing the decision that had triggered protests across the town.
Keppapulavu continues protest demanding return of Sri Lankan military-occupied lands
Residents of Keppapulavu in Mullaitivu protested for the twelfth consecutive day on Sunday, demanding the release of their ancestral lands, which have remained under military occupation since 2009.

World News

Tibetan activist dies after self-immolation outside UN headquarters

Jul 10
A Tibetan independence activist has died after setting himself on fire outside the United Nations headquarters in New York, in a act of protest that Tibetan exile groups described as an appeal for Tibetan independence and unity.
Hamas offers to hand Gaza authority to technocratic committee
Hamas has announced the dissolution of its governing body in Gaza and said it is ready to hand civilian authority to a Palestinian technocratic committee, in a move aimed at reviving a stalled US-backed ceasefire plan as Israel continues to control large parts of the devastated territory.
German police arrest Rwanda genocide suspect accused of ordering killings
German prosecutors have arrested a German-Rwandan national on suspicion of complicity in genocide and 25 counts of murder during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda.
Somali woman jailed for three years over social media criticism
Sadia Moalim Ali, a 27-year-old nursing graduate and rickshaw driver from Somalia, has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment after being convicted of insulting government institutions over comments she made on social media.
UN experts demand independent investigation into death of Indigenous leader in Nicaragua
UN human rights experts have demanded an independent investigation into the death in state custody of Indigenous Miskito leader Brooklyn Rivera, warning that his prolonged enforced disappearance and death may amount to crimes against humanity for which the Nicaraguan government bears legal responsibility.
Baloch activists accuse state-backed death squads of new killings
A fresh wave of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances has been documented across Balochistan this month, as Baloch rights groups recorded the recovery of several bodies of men who had earlier been forcibly taken, and appealed once more to international institutions that have largely ignored the province.
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.
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.

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.
'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).
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INTERVIEW
'If we do not tell our own stories, others will' - Ana Pararajasingham on Uprooted
'This will waken things up' - Scottish MSP on Tamil genocide recognition
From Vadamaradchi to the Élysée - the Tamil baker who conquered Paris