Students and staff at University of Jaffna marked the first day of Mullivaikkal remembrance week by laying flowers and lighting candles at the university's monument. 

The Association of Relatives of Enforced Disappearances in the North and East have joined other organisations across the Tamil homeland in distributing Mullivaikkal Kanji to commemorate Tamil Genocide Week today.

A flame was lit at Nandikadal lagoon today to mark the beginning of Mullivaikkal remembrance week. 

Ranil Wickremesinghe has been sworn in as Sri Lanka's Prime Minister today before Sri Lanka's President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Wickremesinghe has served as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 1993 to 1994, 2001 to 2004, 2015 to 2015, 2015 to 2018, and 2018 to 2019. With this announcement, Tamil Guardian takes a look back at the veteran United National Party (UNP) leader who has become Sri Lanka's Prime Minister for the 6th time with just one seat in Parliament.

Sri Lanka's Fort Magistrate’s Court issued a travel ban on former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and several others this morning, reportedly as part of investigations into the violence against anti-government protestors that took place earlier this week.

Tamils across the North-East marked the first day of Mullivaikkal Remembrance Week by boiling and serving kanji to commemorate the tens of thousands of Tamils killed by the Sri Lankan state 13 years ago.

Kanji - a porridge of rice and water - was the only food available to Tamils trapped in the Sri Lankan government declared 'No Fire Zones' as food, medicines and other necessities were heavily restricted from entering the Vanni during the final phase of the armed conflict. 

The Sri Lankan government denied the delivery of food into the conflict zones, to use starvation as a weapon of war. Even as Tamils stood in long queues to get a bowl of kanji, the Sri Lankan military continued their daily bombardment, slaughtering many. 

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has encouraged Sri Lankan stakeholders  to "find a solution to the current challenges through dialogue" as the island continues to grapple with a growing crisis. 

In a special address to the country, embattled Sri Lankan President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, refused to step down insisting that would appoint a new Prime Minister and cabinet this week.

Sri Lankan military have been heavily deployed to the capital, Colombo as anti-government protests and violence continues on the island. 

Responding to the resignation of Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, amidst escalating violence between supporters of the government and anti-government demonstrators, the Hindu notes that the larger message is that muscular nationalism and majoritarian mobilisation may not be an endless reservoir of support”.

The Indian High Commission to Sri Lanka has denied rumours circulating that "political persons", namely the Rajapaksas, have fled to India as theh island plunges into further turmoil. 

The High Commission dismissed rumours that have been circulating on social media claiming that Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family "had fled to India in a helicopter sent by the Indian government". 

Reacting to the rumours, the High Commission tweeted that "these are fake and blatantly false reports, devoid of any truth or substance and that the Commission "strongly denies" them.

UN High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet called on Sri Lanka to "prevent further violence, and urged restraint and meaningful dialogue" to address the worsening violence on the island. 

The human rights chief said she was "deeply troubled" by the violence that broke out yesterday between pro and anti- government supporters.