Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Tamil culture and language in a speech delivered in Chennai today, as he also spoke on how his government was assisting Sri Lanka.

"It is always special to come to the state of Tamil Nadu,” he began his address at the Nehru stadium in Chennai. “The land is a special one. The people, culture, language are all so good."

^{R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo (Harshadewa Ariyasinghe)}

Despite repeated long-lasting power cuts across the island, Sri Lanka has reportedly confirmed that a series of floodlit day/night cricket matches with the Australian team will still be going ahead.

The Sri Lankan navy reportedly detained 67 people who had attempted to flee the island by boat in Trincomalee on Monday.

Sri Lanka’s war crimes accused army chief Shavendra Silva claimed that the participation of troops in United Nations peacekeeping missions was “an endorsement of the acceptance of your professional capabilities,” as he saluted off another contingent of soldiers to Mali this week.  

“You, members of 12 Regiments of the Army have to keep in mind that this UN mission is an endorsement of the acceptance of your professional capabilities,” he told troops.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he would look to strip government expenditure down to its “bare bones” this week, but did not comment on Colombo’s massive military budget which continues to dominate spending.

“We need to find the dollars,” Wickremesinghe said in an interview with Al Jazeera, as senior officials engage in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). “The IMF will not bring in the entire thing,” he added. “But if we start with the IMF, it will be easier for others to help us.”

Australia’s cricket players have reportedly raised ethical concerns over a scheduled tour of Sri Lanka, with an economic crisis and political turmoil still raging on the island.

With the Australian cricket team due to fly next week, there has been “unease about the morals around touring Sri Lanka in the current circumstances,” reports The Guardian.

The Chief of Staff for Sri Lanka’s army, Vikum Liyanage, is set to replace the current war crimes accused Commander of Sri Lanka’s army, Shavendra Silva, who will take on the post of Chief of Defence Staff.

Liyanage, of the notorious Gajaba Regiment, had previously served as Commandant of Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force.

In an interview with Sky News, Ranil Wickremesinghe joked that tourists can come to Sri Lanka for an “exciting time” can join the anti-government demonstrations.

“Those who want to have and maybe they could even take part in the demonstrations.

The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund has blamed “mismanagement” in Sri Lanka for the ongoing economic crisis, which has seen the prices of basic goods soar and a shortage of essential medicines.

“It is breaking my heart to watch the pictures of what is happening in the country, that was once quite prosperous,” Kristalina Georgieva told India’s NDTV at Davos.

Immediately following the week of Mullivaikkal commemorations, the Sri Lankan Navy continued its occupation of the Tamil-inhabited North-East under the guise of a mangrove planting drive. 

The planting drive was conducted in coastal areas of Mandaitivu Island and Ponnalai Lagoon, Jaffna "under the leadership of Commander Northern Naval Area, Priyantha Perara".