The JVP Secretary General Tilvin Silva yesterday denied social media claims that he had been attacked at the party head office at Pelawatte by a member.

Silva said so in response to social media posts shared regarding an alleged incident at Pelawatte. In an interview with a YouTube channel, he stated that there was absolutely no basis for these claims. Silva found fault with the Opposition for the social media campaign against the JVP.

Silva alleged that posts created by some mentally retarded social media activists were shared by others and used by Opposition politicians.

The Tamil National Council (TNC) has formally congratulated new Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Joseph Vijay, following his electoral victory, expressing hope that his leadership would strengthen support for the political aspirations of Tamils living in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka.

In a letter dated 6 May, 2026, addressed to the President of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the TNC described Vijay’s victory as a significant political moment for Tamils across the Palk Strait.

The letter, signed by TNC President and Jaffna District parliamentarian Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, stated that Vijay was “set to assume the high responsibility of Chief Minister with the immense support of the people”.

It described the election result as “a new milestone in the political history of Tamil Nadu”.

The TNC used the occasion to reflect on the longstanding relationship between Tamil Nadu and the Tamil nation in the North-East, recalling the support extended during the Tamil liberation struggle.

“The boundless love and immense support shown by them toward the National Leader, His Excellency V. Prabhakaran, who led the Eelam liberation struggle, and toward our people, are etched in our history in golden letters,” the letter stated.

The Council added that, just as Tamil Nadu had stood alongside Eelam Tamils historically, it now expected “the same firm support” from Vijay’s administration amid the continuing political grievances faced by Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Referring to the aftermath of their claimed Mullivaikkal genocide, the TNC said the political aspirations of Eelam Tamils remained unresolved, despite decades of struggle for “Tamil national recognition and security”.

“We hope that this political change in Tamil Nadu will bring new strength to our struggle for political rights,” the letter read.

The Council also urged Vijay to raise the question of a political solution for Eelam Tamils with the Indian central government and at international forums.

Invoking what it described as an “umbilical cord relationship” between Tamils in Tamil Nadu and the Tamil homeland, the TNC expressed hope that Vijay’s leadership would extend support “toward the dawn of our homeland”.

The letter concluded by wishing Vijay success in his future political work.

An Australian sea captain has said that his yacht is detained in Sri Lanka for six years, in what he describes as a “bureaucratic Catch-22” involving the Ceylon Fisheries Harbour Corporation (CFHC).

According to a statement issued by the affected party, Captain Paul Saliba’s vessel, Sea Wolf, arrived in Sri Lanka on 3 March, 2020, enroute to Europe. Mechanical failure shortly after departure coincided with the global outbreak of COVID-19, leaving the vessel stranded.

The text of the statement: “Captain Saliba was directed by the Australian Government to return home in April 2020 and entered hotel quarantine in Sydney. During his absence, Sea Wolf was placed on the hardstand at Walkers Shipyard in Colombo. The yard subsequently went bankrupt during the pandemic.

Since returning in September 2022, Captain Saliba has made seven trips to Sri Lanka in attempts to relaunch the yacht. He was repeatedly informed that the shipyard’s shiplift was inoperable and that no qualified operator was available.

In May, 2025, written permission to launch was granted. However, police allegedly intervened and attempted to arrest the operator engaged to run the lift, halting the process.

On 16 February, 2026, the Presidential Secretariat summoned CFHC officials and instructed that the vessel be allowed to depart without port charges, with launch fees to be deducted from a US$5,000 security deposit paid in 2020. At the subsequent CFHC board meeting on 26 February, 2026, no decision was recorded.

Captain Saliba says he has contacted the office of his local member of Parliament, Tanya Plibersek, and sought assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Efforts to file a local police report in Colombo were unsuccessful.

“I cannot walk away because fees will keep mounting,” Captain Saliba said. “I cannot leave because they won’t put my boat in the water. It’s the worst kind of Catch-22.”

Captain Saliba is now calling for international media attention, hoping public scrutiny will resolve, what he describes as, an unjust and protracted detention of private property.