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Sri Lanka’s deadliest prison riot in years kills 26
Sri Lanka’s prison system has been thrown back into crisis after two days of violence at Negombo Prison killed 26 people and injured more than 100, just weeks after rights groups warned the United Nations of overcrowding, custodial deaths and torture in detention facilities.

Tamil Affairs

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Tamil Affairs
Sinhala groups call on Sri Lankan government to prioritise Sinhalese settlements in Jaffna
Tamil Affairs
Shasheendra Rajapaksa indicted for allegedly diverting funds meant for the war victims
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Tamil Affairs
A 30km route or a 250km detour: Mannar protests over Pallakandal shrine access
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Tamil Affairs
Hizbullah demands justice for Easter victims and vindication for Muslims

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Sinhala groups call on Sri Lankan government to prioritise Sinhalese settlements in Jaffna
Addressing a press conference at the Jaffna Press Club, the representatives urged the government to halt any new land allocation programmes in the Jaffna peninsula until what they described as the land rights of displaced Sinhalese had been addressed.
Shasheendra Rajapaksa indicted for allegedly diverting funds meant for the war victims
Shasheendra Rajapaksa, a former state minister of the dynasty that ruled Sri Lanka through the war years, has been indicted for corruption over the alleged manipulation of the Office for Reparations, the body meant to compensate the conflict's victims, the latest in a string of cases against a family that has never answered for the genocide of Tamils.
A 30km route or a 250km detour: Mannar protests over Pallakandal shrine access
Residents of Mullikulam in Mannar have protested the closure of the traditional route to the Pallakandal St Anthony's Shrine ahead of its annual feast, a restriction that would force pilgrims to travel some 250 kilometres rather than 30, reviving a years-long dispute between the conservation of Wilpattu National Park and the religious access of the North-East's Catholics.
Hizbullah demands justice for Easter victims and vindication for Muslims
As Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday investigation gathers renewed political attention, SLMC vice president M. L. A. M. Hizbullah has called for those behind the attacks to be brought before the law and for the Muslim community to be officially cleared of collective blame.
Sri Lanka moves to acquire 27 acres in Maruthankerni in yet another land grab
Sri Lanka’s Survey Department has issued notice of a land survey in Maruthankerni, marking 11.2657 hectares of land in Devathuravu for acquisition under the Land Acquisition Act for an unspecified “public purpose”.
Vavuniya High Court freezes governor's removal of mayor
The Vavuniya High Court has issued an interim order suspending the gazette through which the Northern Province governor removed the Vavuniya mayor, S. Kandeepan, from office, freezing the decision that had triggered protests across the town.
Keppapulavu continues protest demanding return of Sri Lankan military-occupied lands
Residents of Keppapulavu in Mullaitivu protested for the twelfth consecutive day on Sunday, demanding the release of their ancestral lands, which have remained under military occupation since 2009.
Seventeen years on, Kepapilavu residents still blocked from ancestral lands
Tamil families in Kepapilavu have continued their protest for a ninth consecutive day, demanding the immediate release of 59.5 acres of ancestral residential land still occupied by the Sri Lankan military more than 17 years after the end of the armed conflict.
Sri Lanka attends Khamenei funeral as Iran's allies gather to mourn
The Sri Lankan government will be represented at the state funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran this weekend, in another sign of the island’s long-standing ties with Iran, a state that provided military, financial and diplomatic support to Colombo during its war on Tamils.
Valikamam North landowners protest for 11th week against military occupation
Displaced Tamil landowners from Valikamam North staged their 11th consecutive weekly protest on Friday, demanding the release of hundreds of acres of privately owned land that remain under Sri Lankan military occupation more than three decades after they were forced from their homes. The demonstration was held outside the military Commander’s Bungalow in Myliddy, where protesters once again called for the release of approximately 651 acres of private land still retained within the Valikamam North High Security Zone.

The arithmetic of a grave

Scared of a song

Monks above the law

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The Isle of the Goddess: Nagapooshani Amman's Mahotsavam and the battle over Nainativu's identity ""
Chemmani lights up with 427 torches to remember the victims of mass graves ""
K Bhagyaraj: Tamil cinema’s ‘screenplay king’ who lent his voice to Eelam Tamil causes

Tamil News

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Sinhala groups call on Sri Lankan government to prioritise Sinhalese settlements in Jaffna

Jul 07
Addressing a press conference at the Jaffna Press Club, the representatives urged the government to halt any new land allocation programmes in the Jaffna peninsula until what they described as the land rights of displaced Sinhalese had been addressed.
Shasheendra Rajapaksa indicted for allegedly diverting funds meant for the war victims
Shasheendra Rajapaksa, a former state minister of the dynasty that ruled Sri Lanka through the war years, has been indicted for corruption over the alleged manipulation of the Office for Reparations, the body meant to compensate the conflict's victims, the latest in a string of cases against a family that has never answered for the genocide of Tamils.
A 30km route or a 250km detour: Mannar protests over Pallakandal shrine access
Residents of Mullikulam in Mannar have protested the closure of the traditional route to the Pallakandal St Anthony's Shrine ahead of its annual feast, a restriction that would force pilgrims to travel some 250 kilometres rather than 30, reviving a years-long dispute between the conservation of Wilpattu National Park and the religious access of the North-East's Catholics.
Amnesty International urges transparency in screening of Sri Lankan peacekeepers deployed to Haiti
Amnesty International raises concerns over Sri Lanka’s Haiti deployment amid past abuse allegations
Hizbullah demands justice for Easter victims and vindication for Muslims
As Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday investigation gathers renewed political attention, SLMC vice president M. L. A. M. Hizbullah has called for those behind the attacks to be brought before the law and for the Muslim community to be officially cleared of collective blame.
Sri Lanka moves to acquire 27 acres in Maruthankerni in yet another land grab
Sri Lanka’s Survey Department has issued notice of a land survey in Maruthankerni, marking 11.2657 hectares of land in Devathuravu for acquisition under the Land Acquisition Act for an unspecified “public purpose”.
Vavuniya High Court freezes governor's removal of mayor
The Vavuniya High Court has issued an interim order suspending the gazette through which the Northern Province governor removed the Vavuniya mayor, S. Kandeepan, from office, freezing the decision that had triggered protests across the town.
Keppapulavu continues protest demanding return of Sri Lankan military-occupied lands
Residents of Keppapulavu in Mullaitivu protested for the twelfth consecutive day on Sunday, demanding the release of their ancestral lands, which have remained under military occupation since 2009.
Remembering the Black Tigers

21 Black Tiger elite commandos who took part in the raid on a Sri Lankan airbase in Anuradhapura, 2007

'We have to keep this revolution alive' - Rebecca Devika Dharmpalan

Seventeen years on, Kepapilavu residents still blocked from ancestral lands
Tamil families in Kepapilavu have continued their protest for a ninth consecutive day, demanding the immediate release of 59.5 acres of ancestral residential land still occupied by the Sri Lankan military more than 17 years after the end of the armed conflict.
Sri Lanka attends Khamenei funeral as Iran's allies gather to mourn
The Sri Lankan government will be represented at the state funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran this weekend, in another sign of the island’s long-standing ties with Iran, a state that provided military, financial and diplomatic support to Colombo during its war on Tamils.
Valikamam North landowners protest for 11th week against military occupation

TNC urges Vijay to unite behind Eelam Tamil self-determination
TNC's memorandum calls for a federal constitution recognising the Tamil nation, rejects Sri Lanka's unitary framework, criticises the 13th Amendment, and urges an all-party initiative in Tamil Nadu
Sanctioned ex-Navy chief Karannagoda arrested over Rajapaksa recruitment probe
Former Navy commander Wasantha Karannagoda, a UK- and US-sanctioned figure accused of serious human rights violations, has been arrested over allegations that he helped alter naval recruitment procedures to benefit Yoshitha Rajapaksa.
Court orders Sallay to hand over passwords in Easter Sunday probe

The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court has ordered former State Intelligence Service Director Major General (Retired) Suresh Sallay to provide the Criminal Investigation Department with the passwords to his mobile phone and computer as part of the ongoing investigation into the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.

The Isle of the Goddess: Nagapooshani Amman's Mahotsavam and the battle over Nainativu's identity
The annual Mahotsavam of the historic Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple concluded this week, its closing days drawing thousands of devotees to an island whose ancient Hindu and Naga heritage is increasingly being overshadowed by a state-driven project of Sinhala Buddhist majoritarianism.
Ceylon Teachers' Union condemns delays investigating Tamil schoolgirl's death
More than a year after Dilshi Amshika, a 15-year-old Tamil student at Colombo's Ramanathan Hindu Ladies' College, died by suicide following alleged sexual abuse by a teacher, the investigation into her death remains incomplete, prompting renewed criticism of the delays in Sri Lanka's justice system.
'Stay the course' - IMF presses Sri Lanka to continue with austerity
The International Monetary Fund has urged Sri Lanka to "stay the course" on its austerity programme, after the Middle East war and a surge in fuel prices knocked the island's recovery, at the close of a fund mission to Colombo.
Pillayan remanded until 13 July, dismisses allegations as 'false'

The former Sri Lankan state minister and paramilitary leader Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, widely known as Pillayan, has been remanded until 13 July after appearing before the Batticaloa Magistrate's Court on Tuesday in connection with five killings carried out in the Eastern Province in 2008.

World News

German police arrest Rwanda genocide suspect accused of ordering killings

Jul 02
German prosecutors have arrested a German-Rwandan national on suspicion of complicity in genocide and 25 counts of murder during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda.
Somali woman jailed for three years over social media criticism
Sadia Moalim Ali, a 27-year-old nursing graduate and rickshaw driver from Somalia, has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment after being convicted of insulting government institutions over comments she made on social media.
UN experts demand independent investigation into death of Indigenous leader in Nicaragua
UN human rights experts have demanded an independent investigation into the death in state custody of Indigenous Miskito leader Brooklyn Rivera, warning that his prolonged enforced disappearance and death may amount to crimes against humanity for which the Nicaraguan government bears legal responsibility.
Baloch activists accuse state-backed death squads of new killings
A fresh wave of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances has been documented across Balochistan this month, as Baloch rights groups recorded the recovery of several bodies of men who had earlier been forcibly taken, and appealed once more to international institutions that have largely ignored the province.
UN experts demand investigation following Israel’s killing of Lebanese journalists
Three UN experts called for a full and independent investigation following Israel's killing of three Lebanese journalists.
Sudan hospital ‘drone strike’ kills 64, including children
At least 64 people, including 13 children, have been killed in an attack on a hospital in Sudan’s Darfur region, as violence continues to devastate the already collapsing healthcare system.
FIFA fines Israel for racism and discrimination but clears settlement clubs
On Thursday, FIFA sanctioned the Israel Football Association over breaches of racism and discrimination, but cleared Israeli clubs playing in settlements.
UK jury acquits woman of terrorism charge over Hamas comments
A woman who told a protest crowd that Hamas is “fighting for freedom” has been found not guilty of expressing support for a proscribed organisation, following a closely watched case in a British court.
Two Indian journalists detained for filming docked Iranian warship
Two Indian journalists were detained for filming a docked Iranian warship in Kochi, Kerala.
Spain withdraws ambassador from Israel amid Gaza genocide and Iran war tensions
Spain has withdrawn its ambassador to Israel in the latest escalation of a deepening diplomatic dispute between Madrid and Tel Aviv over Israel’s assault on Gaza and the recent United States and Israeli attacks on Iran.
UN peacekeepers refuse order to leave South Sudan opposition stronghold

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has said it will keep its peacekeeping force in the town of Akobo despite an order by the South Sudanese military to vacate the area ahead of a planned offensive.

Former Syrian colonel charged with crimes against humanity in landmark UK case
A former colonel in Syria’s Air Force Intelligence has appeared before a London court charged with crimes against humanity, in what prosecutors say is the first case of its kind brought under British law.
'India stands with Israel,' Modi says during state visit
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded a two-day state visit to Israel on Thursday, bolstering cooperation in multiple areas, including defence, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and agriculture.
'Journalists being killed in record numbers' - 129 press members killed in 2025
A record 129 press members were killed in 2025, according to the latest report by the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Scotland’s ‘independence within reach’ says first minister
Scottish independence is “within reach”, First Minister John Swinney has said, as a new poll projects the Scottish National Party just one seat short of a majority ahead of this year’s Holyrood election.
UN investigators warn RSF assault on El Fasher bears ‘hallmarks of genocide’
A United Nations fact-finding mission has determined that atrocities carried out during the siege and takeover of the Sudanese city of El Fasher bear the “hallmarks of genocide”, condemning the conduct of paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fighters in Darfur during the ongoing conflict.
UK moves toward new law to ban Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
As international criticism mounts over the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) involvement in Tehran's fatal suppression of anti-government protests, the UK government reportedly set to introduce legislation that would enable it to officially outlaw the organisation. The action comes after the European Union made the decision last month to put the IRGC to its official list of terrorist organisations, adding groups like Islamic State, Hamas, and al-Qaeda. 
Tibetan diaspora votes worldwide for government-in-exile
Tibetans around the world began a global election on Sunday to choose a parliament and political leadership for the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).
'Mother of all deals’ - India and EU forge landmark trade and security pact
India and the European Union have announced a sweeping free trade agreement that both sides have hailed as the “mother of all deals”, concluding nearly two decades of intermittent negotiations.
Syrian government and SDF forces agree on four-day ceasefire
The Syrian government has announced a four-day ceasefire with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) after the army continued to seize territory in the country’s northeast.
OPINION
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CULTURE & COMMUNITY
'We have to keep this revolution alive' - Rebecca Devika Dharmpalan
Tamil Fight Nights launches with landmark combat sports showcase
Con City - Thieves and scorpions
INTERVIEW
'If we do not tell our own stories, others will' - Ana Pararajasingham on Uprooted
'This will waken things up' - Scottish MSP on Tamil genocide recognition
From Vadamaradchi to the Élysée - the Tamil baker who conquered Paris