In the Eastern province of Kalmunai, dozens of Sri Lankan Muslims gathered after Friday prayers to protest ongoing war in Gaza and express their support for Palestinians.

Image of UNHCR camp by UKAID

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR) has announced that it will close its offices in Colombo before the end of this year, leaving hundreds of refugees uncertain over their future.

In a historic court case, the Appeal Court of Sri Lanka issued a notice to the Sri Lankan army to appear before the judge on March 28th for intentionally concealing information on the number and names of the LTTE cadres who surrendered during the final phase of the war. 

The case was prompted by a Right to Information (RTI) request filed by a former journalist in 2019. The Sri Lankan army despite having the information detailing the figures, the names, the gender, and to whom these surrenders were handed over or where they were sent, has maintained silence over the details. Tamil families of the disappeared have repeatedly demanded the release of these details during their years-long protests.

The Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) Batticaloa district organiser Kanapthipillai Gukakumarajah and his son have been released on bail after they were arrested for trying to commemorate Maaveerar Naal. 

Sri Lanka is aiming to negotiate a debt restructuring with holders of its defaulted US dollar bonds within “a couple of months”, the bankrupt south Asian nation’s central bank governor said, despite complaints by private creditors that no "substantive engagements" have occurred and that there is a "lack of transparency" with government creditors.

Five Eelam Tamils including three children from the same family reached Dhanushkodi yesterday, after undertaking a journey by boat from Mannar to seek refuge in Tamil Nadu. 

Tamil fisherfolk in Jaffna have been protesting for three days over alleged attempts by the Department of Fisheries to obstruct the usage of Savalkattu Fisheries harbor, demanding that their incomes and livelihoods have been severely impacted. 

The UK have raised their concerns over the recently gazetted Online Safety Bill's impact on the "freedom of expression" on the island. 

In a written question to the UK government, Bob Blackman, MP for Harrow East, asked about the potential impact the bill will have on freedom of expression and religion in Sri Lanka, 

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Daya Sandagiri, the 14th Naval Commander of Sri Lanka has pledged his support for the Opposition Party Samagi Jana Balawagaya (SJB) headed by Sajith Premadasa today, becoming at least the third senior Sri Lankan military figure to join the party.

The Suwa Seriya 1990 free ambulance service, which has been a lifeline across the island, has been suspended in Mankulam for three months, leaving residents in dire situations during emergencies.

The Sri Lankan government held a massive parade with thousands of troops to showcase its military firepower on Independence Day over the weekend, whilst Tamils in the North-East raised black flags and faced arrests as they protested.

Transparency International has spoken out against Sri Lanka's controversial Online Safety Bill that was signed into law last week, issuing a statement that said many of the amendments proposed by the Supreme Court are not in the final bill. 

The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) has appealed to the Office of the Independent Police Review Director to investigate the Peel Regional Police Chief’s recent controversial visit to Sri Lanka where he had an audience with Tiran Alles, Public Security Minister and Acting Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon, and pledged to increase co-operation with country's notorious police force. 

TGTE says they are “appalled” by Nishan Duraiappah’s visit since it was only a week before the Acting IGP Tennakoon was handed a conviction of torture by Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court.