Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, leader of the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) and Member of Parliament, has sharply criticised the continued existence of the illegally expanded Tissa Vihara in Thaiyiddy, describing it as a manifestation of the Sri Lankan military’s role in the genocide of Tamils.

Several United Nations Special Rapporteurs have issued a joint warning to Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake over the government’s proposed ‘Protection of the State from Terrorism’ Bill, stating that the draft legislation fails to remedy longstanding flaws in the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and falls short of international legal standards.

Residents of Myiliddy have voiced deep concern that they may once again be prevented from conducting the annual feast at the historic Kaanikkai Maatha Church, as the Sri Lankan military continues to delay granting permission for worship at the site.

The Oxford Union has cancelled a planned address by Sri Lankan MP Namal Rajapaksa, following mounting pressure from British Tamils and student organisations across the country.

A protest was held in Jaffna to demand justice for a Tamil teenager who was shot dead by Sri Lankan police earlier this month. 

The Oxford Union is no stranger to controversy. Over the decades, the prestigious student debating society has hosted a range of deeply divisive figures, from far-right agitators such as Tommy Robinson and Nick Griffin, to Holocaust deniers such as David Irving. It has justified these invitations under the banner of free speech and intellectual challenge, insisting that debate must remain open, however uncomfortable the speaker may be. The decision to invite Namal Rajapaksa to address the Union next week, however, is particularly disappointing – platforming a defender of mass atrocities and putting the welfare of its own students at risk.

Raju Murugan has had a shaky career of late. Setting aside his fun romantic-comedy episode of ‘Modern Love: Chennai’ ‘Lalagunda Bommaigal’, his last two feature films were the heavily censored 2022 Jiiva starrer ‘Gypsy’ and 2023’s Karthi starrer ‘Japan’ – easily his worst effort to date. Murugan returns with his latest film ‘My Lord’ starring M Sasikumar and Chaithra J Achar as the lead duo in a satirical drama which hearkens back heavily in tone to his sophomore film, the heavily acclaimed and awarded 2016 film ‘Joker.’

Director of last year’s breakaway hit ‘Tourist Family’ Abishan Jeevinth turns from starring in an extended cameo in his own debut to leading role in ‘With Love,’ a romantic comedy directed by Madhan (one of the co-writers of 2024’s romantic drama ‘Lover’). Also starring Anaswara Rajan, RJ Ananthi and Saravanan, ‘With Love’ is an attempt at a quirky take on the genre. 

Accused war criminal Sarath Fonseka has reignited controversy over the final days of the armed conflict, alleging that senior figures within the Rajapaksa administration explored the possibility of allowing senior LTTE leaders to surrender through international mediation in May 2009.

Sri Lankan military construction work to establish a permanent access road to the Palaly Raja Rajeshwari Amman Temple in Jaffna has been suspended following objections from local landowners, in the latest dispute over civilian land use within the High Security Zone in Valikamam North.