Security staff at the Eastern University in Batticaloa were attacked by Sinhalese students when a protest against the university’s administration turned violent on Tuesday, reports Battinatham.com.

Two of the security staff were hospitalised, including one female member of staff.

The Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) on Tuesday said the government should hold a referendum before the 20th Amendment to the constitution allowing provincial council elections to be held on one day was implemented. 

The chief minister of Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday condemned what he described as the Sri Lankan navy's "unwarranted display of military might against poor innocent Indian fishermen" as "unacceptable". 

In his latest letter to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Palaniswami urged that the matter be taken up with the Sri Lankan government. 

Discussion of the no-confidence motion submitted against the incumbent Minister of Foreign Affairs Ravi Karunanayake has been delayed by 8 days reports aadaderana.lk.

The Parliamentary Secretary General of Staff Neil Iddawela stated that any motion of this nature must be analysed by the speaker to ascertain its compliance and legitimacy.

Protesters gathered in Kilinochchi today to call for the release of all Tamil political prisoners who are currently detained in prisons across Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka's president, Maithripala Sirisena paid a visit to Kandy to seek blessings at the Sacred Tooth Relic site which is holy for Sinhala Buddhists. 

The Buddhist monk accused of vandalising Sri Lanka's health ministry building was granted bail on Tuesday by the High Court in Colombo. 

Tempitiye Sugathananda was arrested on June 22 in connection with the protests against SAITM and was accused of vandalising the building. 

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The Sri Lankan government has issued a gazette on the 20^th Amendment to the island’s Constitution that will see all provincial council elections held on the same day.

As a result of the gazette elections in the Eastern, North Central and Sabaragamuwa provincial councils which were due to be held in September and October have now been postponed.

Mangala Samaraweera said his government has been able to “successfully address” both the island’s debt burden and issues of human rights, both of which had tarnished Sri Lanka’s international reputation, in a speech last week.

Mr Samaraweera, who recently became the government’s finance minister having previously held the foreign minister post, said his government would continue to make progress on those issues.

Almost 50 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu have been arrested by the Sri Lankan navy in yet another incident, reports the Times of India.

Sri Lanka’s Naval spokesman Commander Chaminda Walakuluge accused the fishermen of bottom trawling and said those arrested have been taken to the fisheries inspection office in Jaffna.

A protest was held in Jaffna today calling for the release of Tamil political prisoners who are being held in Sri Lankan prisons.

Ministers from Myanmar and Sri Lanka pledged their governments take steps to have closer defence co-operation this week.

At the side-lines of the ASEAN summit in Manila, Sri Lanka’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs Vasantha Senanayake met with  H.E. U Kyaw Tin, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs for Myanmar, where the two discussed co-operation in areas of tourism, education and defence.

A 22-year-old Tamil man, reportedly a main suspect in the sword attack on police in Kokkuvil, was arrested by the Terrorism Investigation Department, along with six other Tamil youths on Monday.

A police spokesperson claimed that all seven youths were part of the 'Aava' criminal gang.

The youths underwent extensive interrogation by TID officers and are to be presented to the Jaffna Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The Australian government deported at least 13 asylum seekers to Sri Lanka on Friday, according to a press release from the Australian High Commission.

“These non-citizens have been found not to engage Australia’s protection obligations, and have no lawful basis to remain in Australia,” said the statement.