Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

USAID
  The abrupt suspension of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) programme under President Donald Trump means Sri Lanka “may have to go for alternatives”, according to Cabinet Spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa, as controversy over the projects it funded continues. Trump’s executive order on 20 January 2025 effectively froze all foreign aid disbursed through USAID,…

SL seeks to be involved in Kudankulam monitoring

Sri Lanka will wants greater involvement in the the monitoring mechanism of Kudankulam nuclear power plant, reports the Sunday Times. 

Speaking to the Sunday Times, Karunatilleke Amunugama, secretary to the ministry of external affairs, said,

TNA just making noise - Gota

Gotabhaya Rajapakse has spoken to Uthayan, during his trip to India, regarding his stance on the 13th Amendment, and questions of demilitarisation in the North.

Extracts translated below:

Bread prices to increase

The price of bread may rise to Rs. 60, speculated the Island on Saturday, after bakers at the Association of Bakery Owners met on Friday.

On Friday, officials at Sri Lanka's two main milling companies - Prima and Serendib - said that the price of wheat flour had been raised by Rs.6 and Rs. 4 per kilo, respectively. Both companies said the price hike was due to losses during the importing of wheat flour, following the depreciation of the rupee, and increased transport costs.

Speaking to The Sunday Island, bakers said:

"We don’t want to burden the people, we feel it too. But what can we do with the flour price going up?"

"Everything is going up.. and it is the people who will suffer"

NFF to rally parties against 13th Amendement

The National Freedom Front (NFF) has written to several parties across Sri Lanka, calling on them to rally together and form an alliance against the implementation of the 13th Amendment.

Iran offers Sri Lanka an avenue to bypass sanctions

The Iranian government has offered Sri Lanka the opportunity to purchase crude oil without opening Letters of Credit as a means of bypassing American sanctions on Iran, reported the Island.

Quoting the Iranian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mohammed Nabi Hassanipour, it was reported that the arrangement was part of a package proposed to Sri Lanka to overcome the embargoes imposed by "insensitive global policemen".

Church and mosque vandalised and burnt

A church in Trincomalee was vandalised and mosque in Anuradhapura were both damaged and vandalised by unidentified persons on Friday and Satruday night respectively, reported TamilNet.

A statue at the church, located in Paazhaiyoottu in the Trincomalee district, was defaced with its hands destroyed and lights decorating the statue removed on Friday night.

A mosque in Anuradhapura was set alight, in a case of arson, forcing the Muslim clergy to shift prayers for the Hajji festival to a nearby house.

US asked to 'compensate' SL

Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has said that the US should "compensate" Sri Lanka, due to the adverse effects its sanctions on Iran are having on Sri Lanka, reported the Daily Mirror.

Gota visits Indian counterpart

The Sri Lankan defence secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, met with the Indian Defence minister AK Anthony, after being invited to India by the country's National Security Advisor, Shivshankar Menon.

According to the Indian Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma, the pair discusses military relations, and agreed that joint military training would continue away from the southern states.

 

US coast guard trains SL coast guard in Trinco

The US Coast Guard conducted training exercises for the Sri Lankan Coast Guard in Trincomalee recently, reports Colombo Page.

The training initiative, said to strengthen maritime security, was part of the Export Control and Related Border Security Program.

Addressing the closing ceremony the US ambassador to Colombo, Michele J Sison, said,

Sri Lanka looks to India and China to address troubled economy

Sri Lanka’s Minister for Industry and Commerce, Rishad Bathiyutheen, said the country is taking measures to minimise the impact of the global financial crisis and will look towards India and China to increase their export market, reported ColomboPage.

The country’s exports to its traditional markets in the West have been declining recently and the minister said the government would take efforts to open Asian markets for their products.