Over 300 officers from Sri Lanka's tri-forces have taken part in a week-long operation, an amphibious training exercise dubbed “Seagull” in the Northern Sea area in the Jaffna peninsula, as tens of thousands of troops remain stationed in the region, which remains one of the most militarised per capita in the world.

A demonstration organised by the Jaffna Christian Union in front of the Jaffna Bus stand took place yesterday, as Sri Lanka's parliament debated and passed the controversial Online Safety Bill. 

An islet off the coast of Jaffna will be host to up to 8,000 people from Tamil Nadu and across the island next month, as officials began preparations for the annual festival of St. Anthony's Church in Katchatheevu.

Sri Lanka's State Minister of Water Supply, Sanatha Nishantha and his security officer died in an accident in the early hours of this morning when the vehicle they were travelling in collided with a container truck along the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway near Kandana. 

Commemorations were held in sites across the Tamil homeland today to mark the 18th anniversary of the tragic death of journalist Subramaniyam Sugirdharajan, including at the very site where he was fatally shot on January 24, 2006, whilst waiting for transport to get to work.

Sri Lanka's State Minister Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon claimed "90% of lands" in the Eastern Province previously under army occupation had been handed back to locals, as he responded to a question raised by Ilankai Thamil Arasuk Katchi (ITAK) parliamentarian Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam in parliament, who told him that he was "incorrect" and to "come and see for yourself".

The Sri Lankan Bar Association (BASL) has raised concerns over the escalating incidents of police brutality resulting in killings by the police, and called for an 'independent inquiry' into the matter.

Despite appeals by international organizations to drop investigations against Tamil journalists Punniyamoorthy Sasikaran and Valasingham Krishnakumar, both journalists were summoned before a Sri Lankan courts for further questioning today.

Both journalists were questioned today in the presence of Judge Dharshika Annanthurai at the Eravur Magistrate Cour, over their overage of a protest in Batticaloa in October. The protest coincided with Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremasinghe’s visit to Batticaloa. 

The Indian government is reportedly likely to carry a feasibility study for the construction of a 23-kilometer bridge connecting Tamil Nadu’s Dhanushkodi to Tamil Eelam’s Talaimannar, according to a report in the Times of India.

The controversy-rigged Online Safety Bill was passed in Sri Lanka's parliament today, despite international concern and opposition claims that it is inconsistent with a Supreme Court determination.