Despite ongoing criticism of their involvement in civilian affairs in the North-East, the Sri Lankan state continues the expansion of the state owned large retail chain, Sathosa with the opening of a store in Batticaloa.

File Photograph: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin

^{Hashem Asjazadeh (pictured left) and G.L. Periris (pictured right)}

Sri Lanka Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris met with the ambassador of the Iran, Hashem Asjazadeh where discussions surrounding greater economic cooperation were held.

Freedom Now, a rights organisation dedicated to the fight against arbitrary detention and associated human rights abuses, has filed a petition to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concerning Muslim poet, Ahnaf Jazeem. He has been under arrest for over 480 days under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) without charges.

Last month, British Tamils participated in various sports events organised by the Tamil Coordinating Committee (TCC). The sports competitions commenced following tribute to the fallen freedom fighters and the hoisting of the Tamil National Flag. 

The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, condoned the “vague” terrorism charges under which Sri Lankan Muslim human rights lawyer, Hejaaz Hizbullah, has been arbitrarily detained under. 

Photo of Ambassador Teplitz meeting with families of the disappeared

Speaking to reporters, outgoing United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Alaina B Teplitz stressed that the US will remain “full engaged” with Sri Lanka on the issue of reconciliation.

On Monday, Police arrested three people distributing Rs. 20 million in cash to residents on Udupidi Wadiriyan Road in Jaffna for violating quarantine protocols.

One of the men was sent Rs. 20 million in remittance from overseas, by his son with instructions to distribute Rs. 2000 each to families in need.

Infectious disease expert and the first healthcare official to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Sri Lanka has resigned from the Covid Prevention Technical Committee, as he claimed  that the vaccination program in Sri Lanka is not being implemented as per the recommendations of the experts.

^{Deputy High Commissioner - Vinod K. Jacob}

The Indian High Commission in Colombo has facilitated a visit of 39 Sri Lankan military officers to New Delhi, in a visit aimed to promote India's "Neighbourhood First" policy. 

In his first speech to parliament, Sri Lankan finance minister, Basil Rajapaksa, admitted that coutry was facing a foreign exchange crisis and had lost an estimated Rs. 1.6 trillion in revenue across the pandemic, but maintained that the country would not borrow from institutions which would “attach conditions that impact the country’s sovereignty”.