The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has confiscated 300 kilograms of banned sea cucumbers that were to be smuggled to Sri Lanka. They have also arrested and jailed seven persons involved in the smuggling incident and seized over 24 boats worth over 2 million rupees used for smuggling. 

Due to the proximity of Rameswaram to Sri Lanka, a large number of banned sea cucumbers, including sea lizards and dolphin paddles have been smuggled across the Gulf of Mannar in recent times.

Following the appointment of Basil Rajapaksa to the position of Finance Minister, Germany’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Holger Seubert, meet with the Finance Minister despite ongoing human rights violations.

Earlier this year, Germany voted in favour of the UN resolution mandating the collection of evidence that could be used in a future war crimes trial. The resolution highlighted the deterioration of human rights in Sri Lanka and follows a scathing UN report which detailed the ongoing abuses in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan Minister of Public Security, Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara, has called for mandatory military training for those above the age of 18, despite increasing concerns over the intensifying militarisation of the state. 

The Batticaloa District Tamil Journalists Association has written a letter to Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa demanding to ensure press freedom in the island. 

This comes following the Terrorism Investigation Department’s (TID) interrogation of Selvakumar Nilanthan, a journalist based in Batticaloa.

The subject line of the letter read, “Stop suppression of journalism! Ensure protection of journalists!!”

The letter started by explaining the circumstances of the investigation of Nilanthan. 

The Canadian government has announced that it will grant tens of millions of dollars in funding towards the construction of a ground breaking Tamil Community Centre (TCC) in Toronto, marking a milestone in decades of committed work from local community activists.

Surgeons at Mullaitivu District Hospital performed the hospital's first successful knee replacement surgery on Tuesday. 

Three different Catholic shrines were found attacked this morning by unidentified persons in Mannar. 

The suspects had allegedly hurled stones at the shrines, shattering the glass shield covering the idols, according to locals.

Heavy Sri Lankan police and security presence was deployed yesterday to surveil the annual Pongal festivities hosted at Neeraviyadi Pillaiyar temple in Semmalai, Mullaitivu. 

The Government of Switzerland donated $4 million to Sri Lanka last month to combat the spread of the coronavirus on the island.

The relief included half a million antigen tests, 50 ventilators, 150 oxygen concentrators and testing materials. 

Sri Lankan military security forces across the districts of Mannar, Mullaitivu, Jaffna and Vavuniya administered COVID-19 vaccines for locals over the last two weeks.

Military personnel facilitated and administered vaccines and oversaw the operations across the North-East.