Sri Lanka has announced a four-day working week for state institutions as authorities move to conserve fuel amid fears of prolonged disruption to global energy supplies caused by the war in the Middle East.

The Jaffna Magistrate’s Court has ordered that the third phase of excavation at the Chemmani mass grave will commence on 20 April, as investigations into one of the most significant mass burial sites in the Tamil homeland continue.

Volunteer activities have commenced in Batticaloa ahead of the annual remembrance of Annai Poopathy, with locals coming together to clean and restore her memorial site and its surrounding area.

Farmers and fishermen staged a protest on Sunday in the Tamil border village of Kokkuthoduvai in the Mullaitivu District, opposing attempts to establish a salt production facility on lands traditionally owned by Tamil farmers in the Kunjukkalveli paddy fields.

International human rights organisations have warned the United Nations Human Rights Council that Sri Lanka continues to evade accountability for serious violations of international law, urging the Council to appoint a dedicated Special Rapporteur for Sri Lanka that will ensure “measurable progress” towards justice.

Sri Lanka has reintroduced its “Fuel Pass QR code” system, a rationing mechanism first implemented during the island’s 2022 economic crisis, as authorities warn that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could disrupt global energy supplies and impact the island’s fragile economic recovery.

A Sri Lankan court has ordered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Colombo to take over the investigation into the shooting death of a 17-year-old Tamil boy by police in Jaffna, after lawyers representing the family raised serious concerns about the integrity of the police inquiry.

Five fishermen from Tamil Nadu have been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy after their boat was intercepted while fishing in waters between Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar, in the latest incident to heighten tensions between fishermen across the Palk Strait.

Cleaning work began yesterday at the site of Kittu Park in Jaffna, marking the first stage in a long-delayed effort to renovate the historic public space.