🚨 Sri Lanka threatens legal action over Hindu worship at Kurunthur Malai Sri Lanka's acting head of archaeology has claimed that no evidence exists of a Hindu temple ever having stood at Kurunthur Malai in Mullaitivu, and refused permission for the Tamil shrine at the site to be rebuilt, in the latest move in a years-long state-backed effort to seize the hilltop for Sinhala Buddhism. The hill is home to the Athi Aiyanar temple, where Tamil families have for generations worshipped Adi Sivan Aiyanar, a local Siva deity, gathering each year for Pongal observances and other rites. Over the past several years the site has been the target of a sustained appropriation effort, in which Sinhala Buddhist monks, backed by the Department of Archaeology and the Sri Lankan military, constructed a Buddhist vihara on the hilltop and consecrated a Buddha statue there, in defiance of a Mullaitivu Magistrate's Court injunction barring any new construction.

The average terror suspect arrested in England and Wales is now a white woman in her 50s as a result of the Palestine Action ban 2,800 arrests were made for supporting the group in 6 months -surpassing number of terror suspects detained in previous decade inews.co.uk/news/politics/uk…

🪔 Flowers, lamps and prayers mark 40 years since Verugal massacre The 40th anniversary of the Verugal massacre was commemorated at the Poongar Thaan Thoontreeswarar Temple in Eechchilampattu, Trincomalee District, on Friday, with relatives, civil society activists and residents gathering to remember the 21 people killed while transporting food supplies to displaced Tamil families in 1986. The remembrance included collective prayers, floral tributes, the lighting of lamps and candles, and a minute’s silence for the victims. The massacre took place on 12 June 1986, during a period of intense violence across the North-East. At the time, displaced residents from the Verugal divisional area had taken refuge in camps in Eechchilampattu, Poomarathadichenai and Maavadichenai. Relief supplies for the camps were being distributed through the Seruvila Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society. Three government officials and a group of civilians travelled from Seruvila after collecting supplies for displaced families. While returning to Eechchilampattu, they were intercepted at Mahindapura by armed individuals. The victims were reportedly taken about 50 metres off the main road, forced to kneel, and then hacked and shot dead. Twenty-one people, including three government officials, were killed.

🚨 Joint-statement from Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire expressing their “profound disappointment” following the recent comments made by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin arguing the expanded World Cup will create “uninteresting” games. “We respectfully but firmly reject these comments. “For our countries, there is no such thing as an unimportant World Cup match. “For Cape Verde, Curaçao and Uzbekistan, qualification for the FIFA World Cup represents a historic achievement and the realization of a dream shared by generations. “For nations such as Congo and Haiti, returning to football’s biggest stage after a long absence carries a special meaning for millions of supporters who have waited years, and in some cases decades, for this moment. “To suggest that these matches are somehow less important is deeply disappointing and fails to recognize the efforts, sacrifices and aspirations of players, coaches, clubs, football leaders and supporters across the world. “Behind every qualification stand years of work and investment. Behind every national team stand entire communities and millions of people who see football as a source of pride, hope and unity. “Football does not belong to a select group of nations. Its strength comes from its universality. The FIFA World Cup is the world’s greatest football competition precisely because it brings together different cultures, different histories and different football journeys. “For many countries, participation in the FIFA World Cup is not only a sporting achievement. It is a moment that inspires a generation, accelerates football development and creates memories that last a lifetime. “We believe that every nation that qualifies deserves respect. Every team has earned its place on merit. Every supporter has the right to dream. Every match carries meaning for millions of people around the world. “We therefore reject the UEFA President’s comments and reaffirm our belief that the growth of football must continue to create opportunities, inspire new generations and strengthen the truly global nature of our game. “Every team qualified on merit. “Every match matters.”

Whenever I see Ecuador play I remember how traumatised I was as a child by what happened to their player Andres Escobar.

These are Sri Lankan soldiers.

They should really vet people better

Yes this is going to be a shittalking North American sports culture account for the whole World Cup

Mind boggling to see proper ultras in Toronto

Then why did you defend the government against these accusations in Geneva?

It does not feel like there’s a World Cup match in this city today. And it’s Canada playing!

There’s no point blaming the U.S., Qatar etc for their practices when it’s FIFA that’s the problem

Haiti have been forced to change their kit design just days before their World Cup opener against Scotland after FIFA banned a depiction of a war scene on the shirts. u.afp.com/Szkv

NEW: For The North-Eastern, Abarna Selvarajah traces the stories around Sivanagar, where memories of conflict, displacement, and resistance remain etched into the landscape.

Chemmani Mass Grave Excavation – Phase 3, Day 21 During today’s excavation at the Chemmani mass grave site, 12 more human skeletons were identified, 7 skeletons were fully exhumed Today. The skeletons fully exhumed today include one young Huma skeleton , four children, and two infants. With these latest findings, the total number of human skeletons identified across all three phases of the Chemmani mass grave excavation has risen to 339, of which 318 have been fully exhumed. #ChemmaniMassGrave

Uma coisa que torna o Mundial especial é a sua capacidade de suspender, ainda que de forma parcial e ritualizada, as hierarquias habituais do poder internacional. No futebol, podemos ver um árbitro da Somália a mostrar cartão vermelho a um jogador americano. 1/3

Eight out of nine skeletons unearthed today (9) from Sri Lanka's second largest mass grave are of children. By day 74 of excavations at the Chemmani, Jaffna crime site, 327 bodies have been found. 311 of them have been excavated under the guidance of Archeologist Raj Somadeva.

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