Former Sri Lankan president and credibly accused war criminal Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has refused to travel to Jaffna to testify in the case concerning the enforced disappearances of political activists Lalith Kumar and Kugan Murugananthan.

The US Embassy, Russian Embassy, British High Commission and Australian High Commission in Colombo have cautioned its personnel and warned its citizens from travelling to Arugam Bay in the East, stating there is "credible information warning of an attack targeting popular tourist locations in the Arugam Bay area." 

 

Tamil asylum seekers stranded on Diego Garcia have been excluded from a new agreement between the UK and St Helena governments to transfer asylum seekers arriving at the Chagos Islands to St Helena.

Tamils protested outside the Tissa Raja Vihara, a Buddhist temple which was illegally constructed and encroaches on the lands owned by local residents in Thaiyiddy, Jaffna. 

Every Poya (full moon) day, Tamils gather at the site to protest the Buddhist temple which was illegally constructed on land that is occupied by the Sri Lankan army. 

P. Ariyanenthiran, who contested Sri Lanka's recent presidential elections as the Tamil 'common candidate' has been summoned by Sri Lanka's Terrorism Investigation Division (TID), alongside supporters of his campaign, for interrogation by the authorities.

Jaffna’s own 29-year-old Satkunarasa Pushanthan achieved an outstanding feat at the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championship 2024, winning an overall silver medal at the international competition. Pushanthan had a total lift of 827.5 kg, smashing three national records to solidify his place as one of the island's top powerlifters.

Karunanidhi Yasodini, a former LTTE combatant, officially launched her campaign in Mannar as a candidate for the upcoming parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka. Representing the Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA) in the Vavuniya electoral district, Yasodini is contesting under the conch symbol and has garnered significant support from fellow former combatants.

Mullaitivu Press Club has called for a 'judicially empowered probe' with the participation of international media watchdogs and legal experts to investigate the killings and disappearances of journalists in Sri Lanka. 

S. Nilanthan, a Batticaloa-based Tamil journalist, was arrested for his reporting on alleged corruption involving a local Sri Lankan government official in 2020 earlier today.

Nilanthan, who is also a correspondent for the Tamil Guardian, was later released on bail by the Eravur Magistrate but has been ordered to appear in court at the next hearing.