<p>China’s embassy in Colombo has objected to a decision by Sri Lanka authorities to permit a German research vessel to dock on the island amidst a one year ban on foreign research vessels.</p> <p>China’s objections follows a refusal from Sri Lanka authorities to permit a Chinese vessel to dock in Sri Lanka in February. The one-year ban on foreign vessels docking on the island came amidst heavy security concerns from both India and the United States after&nbsp;the visit of two Chinese research vessels.&nbsp;</p>

India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka detailed how his government was “taking the first steps” to construct a land corridor between the two regions, calling it a “game-changing initiative”.

Speaking at the annual dinner of the Sri Lanka-India Society Santhosh Jha spoke of connectivity between the two regions, in the wake of several recent initiatives by New Delhi.

“Connectivity undoubtedly is the central pillar of our emerging partnership,” said Jha.

The Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) commemorated Annai Poopathy today to mark 36 years since she began her fast unto death to protest the atrocities committed by the Indian Peace Keeping Forces (IPKF). 

TNPF members lit a flame and laid flowers at Annai Poopathy's resting place in Navalady, Batticaloa.  

Sri Lanka’s former finance minister Basil Rajapaksa received a warm welcome on his return to the island from the USA earlier this month, as he called for elections to be held.

Rajapaksa was greeted at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) by several members of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) including Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam and MP Sarath Weerasekara.

The Jaffna regional office of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) has initiated an investigation over the murder of a youth in Karainagar, in which the Sri Lankan Navy have been accused of being complicit in. 

T. Kanagaraj, the regional coordinator for the HRC confirmed that they had launched an investigation into the incident where a violent mob had ambushed a couple who were on their way home in Karainagar on March 11th. 

Sri Lanka’s fisheries minister and government-aligned paramilitary leader Douglas Devananda has faced backlash over a cabinet paper that proposes Tamil civilians in the North-East being recruited to a force that patrols the sea alongside the Sri Lankan navy and wards off Tamil Nadu fishermen.

The force – known as the “sea guards” – will see Tamils monitor and assist the Sri Lankan navy in warding off Indian fishermen who have been accused of illegally fishing in Northern waters.

Tamil lawmakers launched an impromptu protest during a parliamentary session in Colombo earlier today, calling on the Speaker to summon the Inspector General of Police and seek redress over the arrest of eight Tamil devotees who were attempting to pray at Vedukkunaari earlier this month.

The parliamentarians brought out placards as proceedings came to a standstill. MP Charles Nirmalanathan said “police have filed fabricated charges against these individuals”.

“We want all eight of them released,” he demanded.

Sri Lanka’s president Ranil Wickremesinghe claimed there was “no evidence” to prosecute many who were accused of corruption during his predecessors’ regime, stating that cases were only “filed against a few”.

Responding specifically to questions regarding corruption under the govenrments of both Mahinda and Gotabaya Rajapapksa, Wickremesinghe said, “during our Government, cases were filed against a few but there was no evidence against others”.

India’s newly appointed Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santhosh Jha confirmed the his government would provide a grant of US $61.5 million to “fully develop” the Kankesanthurai (KKS) Port.

The Jaffna District Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Unions has launched a hunger strike today demanding that the Sri Lankan government offer a lasting solution to the protracted Indian fisherfolk poaching issue. 

The protestors are presently in front of the St. John Bosco Vidyalayam in Jaffna. They had intended to launch the hunger strike in front of the Indian consulate in Jaffna but police asked that they be moved away from the consulate premises.