Memorial events were held across the North-East to mark the 16th anniversary of murdered Tamil journalist, Dharmeratnam Sivaram. 

^{The 'reconstructed' monument unveiled last week, missing sculptures of Sri Lankan shells landing on the outstretched arms.}

As authorities at the University of Jaffna unveiled a supposedly reconstructed monument to those massacred at Mullivaikkal last week, there was controversy as key elements of the memorial depicting Sri Lankan military shelling had been entirely removed.

Valvettithurai Police recovered LTTE explosives in Puthuvalavu near Polikandi, early Saturday morning.

^{Accused War Criminal, Air Marshal Sumangala Dias}

Former Air Force Commander, and accused war criminal, Sumanagala Dias has had his placement as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Canada rejected, as the Canadian government did not agree to his appointment following protests lodged by Tamil Canadians and parliamentarians alike calling to reject the ‘Génocidaire’.

The Sri Lankan police have arrested the chairman and secretary of the Nachimar Temple, Jaffna based on allegations that the celebration of the annual chariot festival that took place on Sunday violated the COVID-19 restrictions in place in the country.        

An explosion near the Vadduvakal bridge in Mullaitivu killed one Tamil teenager and severely injured another young man yesterday. 

Kumarasamy Chandramohan, aged 19, died on the spot while Selvakumar Sayantharoopan, aged 20, wad sent to Jaffna Teaching hospital for intensive care treatment. 

The Sri Lankan army has erected sign boards claiming ownership of private lands in Kankesanthurai (KKS) which were released to the owners in 2018 after 27 years of occupation as a 'high security zone' (HSZ).

Tamils across the North-East remembered S.J.V Chelvanayakam, also fondly referred to as 'Thanthai Chelva' and the father of Tamil nationalism, to mark 44 years since his death. 

Chelvanayakam was responsible for spear heading the Vaddukoddai resolution, which was overwhelmingly ratified by the Tamil votes in the 1977 parliamentary elections.

Trincomalee

The annual Nachimar Kovil chariot festival took place today in Vannarpannai, Jaffna as devotees flocked to worship goddess Kamatchi Ambal, ensconced in her iconic chariot.  

State celebrations of the Buddhist festival of Wesak, a national holiday in Sri Lanka, will go ahead on the Jaffna island of Nainathivu as planned, despite rising coronavirus infections and restrictions across the North-East.

At a press meet about the increasing risks of COVID-19 Jaffna District Secretary K. Mahesan said that he had not been instructed to cancel the festivities.