Tamil actor Vijay Sethupathi has seemingly announced that he will no longer play controversial Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan in a biopic, by posting a letter from Muralitharan himself asking him to withdraw.

Sri Lanka’s Force Protection Company (SLFP-Coy), a military unit serving under the United Nations’ Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) conducted jointed military exercises with the Lebanese army despite human right concerns relating to Sri Lanka’s military.

Sri Lankan troops are currently deployed in UN missions based in Lebanon, South Sudan, Mali and the Western Sahara. This deployment follows a ban of all “non-essential” Sri Lankan troops deployed on peacekeeping missions, in response to the appointment of accused war criminal Shavendra Silva as head of the country’s military.

Sri Lanka’s military has been accused of a litany human rights abuses both within Sri Lanka as well as abroad during peacekeeping operations.

Fisherman from Tamil Nadu, India were threatened and chased away by Sri Lankan navy patrol boats on Saturday, causing tense conflict in the coastal villages of Tamil Nadu.

^{** CN - Blood/murder/violence **}

The bodies of two Tamil men were found in a house in Vavuniya on Saturday, with another man hospitalised in critical condition.

The men were discovered by the Omanthai Police department, who revealed the bodies were both found with massive cuts to the head.

The Sri Lankan army announced that two of the country’s “internationally-famed professional cricketers” have been commissioned as majors in the military, as accused war criminal Shavendra Silva pinned rank insignia on them last week.

As criticism of Muttiah Muralitharan grows following the announcement that Kollywood actor Vijay Sethupathi would play the controversial Sri Lankan cricketer in a biopic, he hit back with a statement claiming that he has helped Eelam Tamils more than his own Malayaga Tamil community and that Tamils on the island should “throw away your insecurities”.

Director-General of the Department Nalaka Kaluwewa has advised all journalists who attended the press conference, which took place at 9.30 a.m. on 13^th October 2020 to self-isolate until the medical reports of the journalists suspected to have contracted the coronavirus are received. 

Prominent human rights lawyer and outspoken government critic, Hajeez Hizbullah’s continued incarceration has raised concerned amongst rights groups. 

The chief commando of Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa’s security force, has stated that India’s counter-terrorism force, NSG, had trained provided training to members of the Prime Minsiter's personal security team. 

The Pirampadi massacre in Kokkuvil was remembered for the 33^rd year on Monday. Over fifty Tamil civilians were shot dead or crushed with an armoured vehicle by Indian Peacekeeping Forces (IPKF) during the massacre. 

_{MP Rishad Bathiudeen} 

Sri Lanka’s defence secretary Maj. Gen. Kamal Gunaratne said the state does not want to show any mercy to Bathiudeen or his associates,” as he pledged to arrest the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) “very soon”.

_{Kopika (left) and Tharunicaa (right)}

A Tamil asylum-seeking family-of-four is fighting another hurdle to stay in Australia, after a new deportation appeal from the government which is being heard before the Full Federal Court.

Amidst the uproar over Kollywood star Vijay Sethupathi’s impending appearance as Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan, came the news that Eelam Tamil singer and actor Teejay Arunasalam had already declined a major role in the film.

The London-based artist who made his Kollywood debut last year, starring in Asuran alongside Dhanush, revealed earlier this week that he had been approached by the makers of the controversial ‘800’ biopic to play the young version of Muralitharan.

The president of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Thol. Thirumavalan, has expressed his concern over the Tamil actor, Vijay Sethupathi’s role in the upcoming ‘800’ movie in which he is to act as former cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan, as controversy around the upcoming film continues to grow.