Sri Lanka’s Special Task Force troops have been deployed to patrol areas of Jaffna with police office officials claiming the increased activity is to clamp down on sword attacks and gang violence in the district.

Local and civil society groups have cast suspicion on the annual claims of increased criminal activity in November while Tamils organise around remembrance events.

As part of ongoing Maaveerar remembrance events, a blood donation drive was organised by the youth in Elalai, Jaffna.

Sri Lanka's new Foreign Exchange Act came into affect today, following Act being gazetted last week by the prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

The move comes amid repeat warnings from international financial institutions amount the island's debt burden and economic situation.

The Sri Lankan prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is to embark on an official visit to India tomorrow, into to participate in the opening ceremony of the th Global Conference on Cyberspace to be held in New Delhi. 

Mr Wickremesinghe is expected to meet his counterpart, Narendra Modi and the Indian president, Ram Nath Kovind. 

The Colombo appointed governor of the Northern Province, Reginald Cooray said he would seeking advice from the Attorney General's department regarding the Northern Provincial Council's education minister's refusal to hoist the Sri Lankan flag last week. 

Mr Sarveswaran refused to hoist the flag during a ceremony at a school in Vavuniya on November 16 where he had been invited as the chief guest.

Shops owned by Muslims in Vavuniya were set alight during the early hours of Monday monday by unknown persons. 

Local police commenced investigations this morning. 

Parents of deceased Tamil cadres were honored at an event by the Crusadors for Democracy Party at their head office in Kaiveli on Saturday.

Two further Thuyilam Illams (LTTE resting homes) in Chatty, Jaffna district and Thaavarai, Batticaloa district were cleared by families of the Maaveerar and local residents this week, ahead of remembrance day events on November 27, Maaveerar Naal. 

Forty-one Tamils have been arrested over the last two days in Jaffna district, the police spokesperson Ruwan Gunasekara. 

The arrests come after a spate of reported sword attacks in Jaffna, which the police have blamed on 'Aava group'. 

Police officers carried out searches in Jaffna, Koppay, Manipay and Chunnakam. 

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka on Saturday reiterated the government's position that all army camps in the North-East would not be closed down. 

Speaking in parliament on Saturday, Mr Fonseka stressed that "key army camps in the North will not be closed down", the Sunday Leader reported. 

He accused the Joint Opposition of "spreading false claims". 

The Sri Lankan navy on Sunday arrested eight Tamil Nadu fishermen for allegedly fishing off the cost of Katchatheevu, PTI reported. 

The men have been taken to Kaarainagar, the assistant director of fisheries, Gopinath was quoted by the paper as saying. 

The Sri Lankan prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Sunday visited the Gintota in Galle where Muslim homes and business were attacked amid clashes between Muslim and Sinhala residents. 

The Sri Lankan government has built an apparel village over Menik Farm, the site of a former IDP camp where over 300,000 Tamils were interned by the Sri Lankan army and where rape, torture and enforced disappearances of IDPs were reported to be occuring routinely. 

The village of garment factories was hailed by Sri Lanka's ministry of industry and commerce as a step towards reconciliation. 

The Northern Provincial Council minister of education on reportedly refused to hoist the Sri Lankan flag at an event in Vavuniya. 

S Sarveswaran, who had been invited as the chief guest to an event at a school in Vavuniya, was requested to hoist the flag during the playing of Sri Lanka's national anthem. 

The event was held to distribute bicycles to students at the school.