A young Tamil man has been admitted to the Tellippalai hospital after allegedly being attacked by a Sri Lankan soldier. 

According to the police, the incident took place in the Chunnakam police division earlier this month. Sivalingam Kamildas, 22, from Uduvil Aaladi initially told the hospital that he was attacked by Sri Lankan soldiers who were travelling on a motorcycle. 

However, when the Sri Lankan police arrived at the hospital to investigate the incident and interrogate Kamildas, he testified that instead he sustained the injuries through a fall and that he "could not remember" anything else. 

Maha Shivaratri poojas took place in Mullaitivu and Mannar temples amidst the presence of Sri Lankan police, army and special forces this month.

Shivaratri events were carried out with special hygiene practices in line with the island’s coronavirus health guidance.

Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Saad Khattak condemned Sri Lanka’s Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekara’s recent plans to ban burka and other face coverings on grounds of "national security".

On Monday, Khattak opined that the ban will offend Muslims around the world and will exacerbate divisions amongst communities on the island. He tweeted, 

Following a damning report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and increasing calls for a ban on deploying Sri Lanka troops for UN peacekeeping missions, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to he UN, Mohan Peiris, has applauded its twelve women serving in South Sudan.

A rally was held in Jaffna this morning, as students, civil society organisations and families of the disappeared came together and demanded that Sri Lanka be referred to the International Criminal Court over charges of genocide.

After waiting more than five years for the return of her land after it was seized by Sri Lankan authorities, a Tamil woman in Mannar took direct action as she entered a District Coordinating Committee earlier this month and demanded immediate action.

Following a visit by Indian diplomat, Gopal Beglay, to the North-East of Sri Lanka, the Indian High Commission has awarded Sri Lanka’s Navy 22 million rupees worth of training aid, despite human rights concerns.

The Sri Lankan government has announced a substantial fund specifically for the development of Buddhist temples in the Northern Province, sparking further concerns about Sinhalisation of the Tamil homeland.

Sri Lanka's Foreign Secretary Jayanath Colombage has slammed the daughter of a murdered journalist, labelled her plea for international action an “attempt to destroy Sri Lanka and see its downfall”.

Colombage's comments follow Ahimsa Wickrematunge's Op-ed in the Washington Post last week, which called on the international community to ensure “murderous autocrats pay a price”.

China has approved a 10 billion yuan ( US$1.54 billion) currency swap deal with Sri Lanka, amidst Colombo's rising debt levels and dwindling foreign reserves.

The deal would allow Sri Lanka to address “present difficulties”, the State Minister of Money and Capital Market and State Enterprise Reforms, Ajith Nivard Cabraal said. The announcement follows contested reports of negotiations breaking down for another IMF credit facility last year due to Sri Lanka’s obligations on “debt sustainability” not being met.