Tamil press clubs in the North-East launched a book in Batticaloa and Jaffna to mark the 18th anniversary of Tamil journalist Aiyathurai Nadesan's assassination. 

The book is a collection of essays by Nadesan's family, colleagues and friends, compiled to remember Nadesan's work. 

Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, announced today that the 21^st Amendment will be passed and will strengthen parliament however the leader of Sri Lanka’s opposition, Sajith Premadasa, denounced the move.

In a meeting with US Ambassador, Julie Chung, Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris thanked the US for its continued support whilst claiming that the government was “fully committed to addressing reconciliation-related issues” and would respect “rights of all to the freedom of expression and assembly”.

Amidst Sri Lanka’s ongoing political and economic crisis, Tamil National Alliance MP, MA Sumanthiran, has demanded the dissolution of parliament and for fresh elections.

Responding to a question posed on the current political and security situation in Sri Lanka, Britain’s Minister for South Asia, North Africa, the United Nations, and the Commonwealth, stressed that “fundamental rights including the right to peaceful protest, must be protected”.

From May 22 until May 27 in 1958, Sinhala mobs began to attack, rape and murder Tamils across the island, in what was to become another in a series of deadly anti-Tamil pogroms.

Estimates range from between 300 and 1,500 Tamils murdered in the days of violence which resulted in many more injured and the arson, looting and destruction of Tamil homes and businesses.

The Sri Lankan military continued its militarisation of Tamil schoolchildren in the North-East with at least two further public events this last week.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Tamil culture and language in a speech delivered in Chennai today, as he also spoke on how his government was assisting Sri Lanka.

"It is always special to come to the state of Tamil Nadu,” he began his address at the Nehru stadium in Chennai. “The land is a special one. The people, culture, language are all so good."

^{R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo (Harshadewa Ariyasinghe)}

Despite repeated long-lasting power cuts across the island, Sri Lanka has reportedly confirmed that a series of floodlit day/night cricket matches with the Australian team will still be going ahead.

The Sri Lankan navy reportedly detained 67 people who had attempted to flee the island by boat in Trincomalee on Monday.

Sri Lanka’s war crimes accused army chief Shavendra Silva claimed that the participation of troops in United Nations peacekeeping missions was “an endorsement of the acceptance of your professional capabilities,” as he saluted off another contingent of soldiers to Mali this week.  

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he would look to strip government expenditure down to its “bare bones” this week, but did not comment on Colombo’s massive military budget which continues to dominate spending.