Tamil fishermen in Mullaitivu complained that their main source of livelihood has been choked off, after a Tamil Canadian businessman reportedly blocked them from going about getting their daily catch, claiming he owns the beach and waters stretching across the coast.

Local fishermen in the area allege that Charlesjanthan Antony, the head of private Canadian company Canbe Foods Inc, has claimed a 2.5km stretch of coast in the Thiyogunagar area, Silawathai.

Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katch (ITAK) leader S Shritharan has vowed to press ahead with his brand of Tamil nationalist politics, as the Jaffna District Court issued an injunction order preventing the ITAK from holding its general convention on the 19th of this month. 

The Deputy Asia Director at Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned that Sri Lanka is "going in reverse" on issues relating to human rights and social justice. 

Despite serious concerns over the human rights record of Sri Lanka's military, Sri Lanka's army has deployed a contingent of military personnel to the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). The South Sudan-bound contingent comprises of 64 Army personnel, including 14 Army Officers, 01 Naval Officer, and 49 Other Ranks.

The Sri Lankan Army claims to have suspended general recruitment whilst the Navy and Airforce have pledged to continue, with the Airforce also seeking to expand its fleet. 

Journalists in Batticaloa who went the cover the Batticaloa District Coordination Committee meeting were denied permission to attend or report on the meeting, which led to a collective of journalists protesting outside the District Secretariat. 

A Sri Lankan Airlines flight from Melbourne, Australia, that was bound for Colombo was forced to U-turn, following technical difficulties.

Former commander of Sri Lanka's notorious Special Task Force, Nimal Lewke, has pledged his support to Sri Lanka's main opposition party the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), led by Sajith Premadsa, making him the fourth high-ranking defence personnel to join the party. 

He is joined by the ranks of Daya Sandagiri a former Navy Commander, Daya Ratnayake, a former Army Commander, and Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, who has long been a stalwart support of the SJB. The local press reports that Nimal Lewke obtained the party membership from leader Sajith Premadasa today. Lewke had previously pledged his alliance to the SJB in 2016.

^{(Pic courtesy: Glassdoor)} 

The plight of Eelam Tamils who are languishing in makeshift camps in Diego Garcia has remained the same, even after the United Nations refugee agency said the remote British territory in the Indian Ocean is "not a suitable location" for migrants to be held long-term, and as reports of sexual assault after being sent to Rwanda for medical treatment emerge.

K Manikandan seems to be carving a niche for himself by sensibly selecting well-written and unique indie scripts, which has found him on a deserved hot streak in the industry. Coming off the success of yesteryear’s rom-com darling ‘Good Night,’ Manikandan’s latest release is ‘Lover,’ a romantic drama directed by debutante Prabhuram Vyas. The film also stars Sri Gouri Priya, whose work in the first episode of Modern Love: Chennai ‘Lalagunda Bommaigal’ proved her capability to perform. These two stars shoulder the painful romantic drama deftly between them. 

Nine years since her last film, Aishwarya Rajinikanth returns with ‘Lal Salaam,’ a film that unsuccessfully melds numerous genres. It stars Vishnu Vishal, Vikranth and the director’s father Rajinikanth in an extended cameo. 

“As a political party we strongly opposed the Indo-Lanka Accord decades ago, and dedicated our initiatives to safeguarding Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, at the cost of many lives," said Vijitha Herath of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) led National People’s Power (NPP). "This stance has not changed and will not change,” he told reporters in Colombo.