Temperatures are rising, impacting women led businesses in the north writes Amita Arudpragasam for the Himal Southasian, as extreme heat events linked to climate change become more frequent.

Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, better known as Pillayan, a former chief minister and current head of the paramilitary Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), was arrested by Sri Lankan police in Batticaloa on Tuesday night.

Sri Lanka’s newly released preliminary census figures from 2024 illustrated how the Tamil North-East, particularly the Vanni region, remains the worst-affected part of the island in terms of population loss and stagnation.

Throughout the past few weeks the Sri Lankan military's activities in civilian spheres in the Tamil homeland continued unabated.

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) General Secretary Vaiko has strongly condemned the recent defence cooperation agreement signed between India and Sri Lanka during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Colombo.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Vaiko criticised the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed between the two countries as part of a broader package of agreements reached during Modi’s official visit to the island.