A Tamil woman tearfully called on the Northern Province Governor Jeevan Thiyagarajah to release her husband, who was detained by Sri Lankan authorities under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) more than 12 years ago.

“My children are living without a father for 12 years now,” she told reporters.

Newly built statues of Swami Vipulananda and Bharathiyar were unveiled in Jaffna earlier this month.

The inauguration ceremonies for the opening of the statues were attended by local figures including Mayor of Jaffna, Viswalingam Manivannan and Vice Chancellor of the University of Jaffna Professor S. Srisatkunarajah.

A commemoration event was held to commemorate the victims of 1987 massacre by the Indian Peacekeeping Forces (IPKF) in Jaffna.

Makkal Needhi Maiam party leader Kamal Haasan met with Tamil National Alliance MP Sivagnanam Shritharan, where the two discussed the Sri Lankan military occupation of the North-East and the prospect of autonomy for Eelam Tamils.

The US Department of Defense has donated medical equipment to the Sri Lankan Health Ministry to support the urgent medical needs of the country.

Tamils from the Polikandy area of Jaffna who continue to live in a refugee camp in Mannar have slammed the ongoing Sri Lankan military occupation of their land.

As they attended an event where dry rations were being distributed to the displaced, the families called for their land to be released.

Bangladesh remains hopeful that Sri Lanka will repay a debt of US$200 million that it owes to the country by March 2023, even as the economic crisis on the island continues and Colombo defaults on other loans.

In a rare catch on Sunday evening, fishermen in Jaffna caught a group of 14 sharks.

The total weight of the catch was estimated to be over 2,000kg, with the fish being valued at several thousands dollars.

Several people have been arrested in recent weeks having found to be in possession of illegal drugs, as illicit drug usage continues to plague the North-East.  

Last week, at least two persons were arrested by Sri Lankan police for possessing 2 grams of ice (methamphetamine), one gram of heroin and several syringes.

British authorities have come under fire for placing the lives of Tamil refugees, including children, at risk by enabling those stranded in Diego Garcia to travel onward in vessels that lacked basic safety equipment.

More than 150 relatives of men, women and children who have been forcibly disappeared by the Sri Lankan state came to Colombo today, where they demonstrated outside the United Nations office in the capital and continued to call for justice.

Over a dozen protesters have been detained by heavily armed Sri Lanka police as they demonstrated against a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) rally featuring disgraced former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Despite the unrest earlier, the former prime minister reassured the crowd of his confidence that his party could win a general election.

With staggering levels of inflation, shortages of basic necessities, and record levels of people living below the poverty line, Sri Lankan bakers have called on the government for a reprieve through price controls on wheat flour.

As Sri Lanka continues discussions with the International Monetary Fund and its creditors, Sri Lankan opposition MP Patali Champika Ranawaka has warned of social unrest in response to proposed tax increases.