Sri Lanka’s war crimes accused defence secretary told troops stationed in the Tamil North to “take measures to strengthen security to maintain law and order in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaithivu and Vauniya,” as he concluded a trip to Jaffna this week.

The Sri Lankan navy held a large scale Sinhala Buddhist ceremony in Kankesanthurai this week, as it announced the opening of a berthing facility at its occupying military base.

Senior Sri Lankan navy officers were flanked by Kandyan drummers as they paid respects to Sinhala Buddhist monks at the ceremony, as the military inaugurated the new construction.

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A 24-year-old man has died after being shot and killed by Sri Lankan army soldiers earlier this evening, with locals taking to the streets to protest his murder.

The incident occurred this evening in Muhamalai, at approximately 6:15pm.  

UN Special Rapporteur, Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, has stated that the increasing surveillance in Sri Lanka in 2019, particularly after the Easter Sunday attacks, “is clearly aimed at creating a climate of intimidation," and warned that the North-East remained "heavily militarized".

Australian State MP Hugh McDermott revealed that he was subject to threatening messages of violence and a vicious hate campaign launched by the Sri Lankan government condemning his decision to release a statement in solidarity with the Tamil community on Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day in May this year. 

While he was “shocked at first” at the hate comments he received for his statement, McDermott was thankful for the support of the Tamil community and said he was “very very lucky that the Tamil community rallied behind to show that I wasn’t alone.”

<p>Japan is to grant Sri Lanka Rs. 1.36 billion in support of the country to secure medical equipment to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p>The government of Japan has agreed to grant 800 million Japanese Yen which is equivalent to 1,360 million rupees. The money will be spent on medical equipment such as MRI scanners, CT scanners, Bedside x-ray systems, central monitors, bedside monitors and defibrillators etc, reports the Colombo Page.</p>

During an interview with BBC Sinhala, Sri Lanka’s former President, Maithripala Sirisena, denied responsibility for the Easter Sunday bombing which left over 250 people killed.

<p>The World Bank is granting Sri Lanka 56 million US dollars to Sri Lanka despite concerns over the country’s human rights record, Sri Lankan Minister Bandula Gunewardene reported.</p> <p>Minister Gunewardene claims that the money is for several programs to fight against Covid-19. The grant was initially submitted by alleged war criminal and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his capacity as Finance Minister.</p>

<p>Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) Mullaitivu District organiser was detained under false pretenses on Thursday.&nbsp;</p> <p>Thilakanathan Kinthujan, was detained by four officers of Mankulam police, citing an arrest warrant for 'distracted driving'.</p> <p>The TNPF tweeted that Kinthujan was "detained for allegedly using his mobile phone while driving a bus, when he neither possesses a heavy vehicle license nor drives a bus."&nbsp; He was later released after his lawyers intervened.&nbsp;</p>

Thilini Pavithra, a Sinhala newspaper journalist, has died after a reported suicide attempt in Kurunegala last week.

The journalist had written in Sinhala language papers including Dinamina and Mawbima.

Sri Lankan police said the suicide was caused by a “personal, family issue” according to early reports, but are carrying out further investigations into her death.

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