Marking Sri Lanka’s 75^th Independence Day, Eelam Tamils in Australia launched a mass protest in front of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Canberra and continued their demands for accountability for the genocide Tamils suffered and the recognition of Eelam Tamil’s right to self-determination.

Tamils in Batticaloa held a rally to reject Sri Lanka's 75th Independence Day, the unitary state structure and the 13th Amendment. 

Tamils rallied through Mullaitivu this morning to reject Sri Lanka's 75th Independence Day, arguing that the Tamil nation are denied basic rights.

Tamils in Jaffna are rallying through the town today in protest of Sri Lanka's 75th Independence Day, which is regarded as a 'black day' for Tamils. 

The style of the film outweighs the substance by a large margin. Despite the director’s incessant references to Hemingway novels, Bruce Lee films and Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam, the film is outclassed by them all. When almost all the departments of a film fail miserably, there is only one person to blame - the director. ‘Michael’ crumbles under its own lofty ambitions, a hollow shell of a film which dissipates upon any scrutiny. 

During the 4th cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva, Sri Lanka was urged by the several members in the international community to both repeal the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and decriminalize same-sex relationships. 

After a forced resignation following leaked footage of presidential advisor Ashu Marasinghe sexually abusing a dog, he has been reappointed to his position.

Meeting with India’s Foreign Minister, S Jaishankar, in New Delhi, several BJP officials from Tamil Nadu, including the President of Tamil Nadu’s BJP branch, K. Annamalai, have urged India to press for the full implementation of the 13^th amendment in Sri Lanka without change to the letter or spirit.

Ahead of Sri Lanka’s 75^th Independence Day, Tamil National People’s Front leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, has written and met with US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland, and stressed the need for a federal solution.

Ahead of Sri Lanka's 75th Independence Day, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, and Under Secretary Victoria Nuland,  met with Tamil and Muslim political leaders to discuss reconciliation and a political solution to Sri Lanka's history of ethnic conflict.

On Twitter the Ambassador tweeted:

Tamil diaspora groups are asking Ottawa to bring Sri Lankan officials to international tribunals.

Earlier this month the Canadian government imposed sanctions on four Sri Lankan state officials. This includes two of Sri Lanka's former presidents, Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa, as well as two former Sri Lankan soldiers.

Photo credit: Andy Sillett

Marking Tamil Heritage Month and Thai Pongal, British Tamils held a vibrant festival in the streets of New Malden within the borough of Kingston.

Speaking before Sri Lanka’s All-Party Conference, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe maintained a “middle position” on the 13^th amendment is no longer tenable and stressed that “either we ought to get rid of the 13th amendment or should implement it”.