A memorial event was held at the Mannar International Organization on Tuesday, to pay tribute to P.A. Antony Mark, Senior Tamil journalist and human rights activist from Mannar who passed away last month, at the age of 78 due to COVID.

During this event, many politicians and civil society leaders including Mannar Divisional Secretariat, Stanley De Mel paid their respects to the journalist.

Responding to the revelation that members of the Rajapaksa family stashed millions of dollars in anonymous offshore trusts and shell companies, Sri Lankan State Minister of Wildlife and Forest Conservation, C B Ratnayake blamed the Tamil diaspora.

The eighth iteration of the India-Sri Lanka bilateral joint exercise, Mitra Shakiti began in Amparai, Sri Lanka on the 4 October and will conclude on the 15 of October. 

The exercise will include an all-arms contingent of 120 Indian Army personnel and a battalion from the Sri Lankan Army of equal number. The purpose of the exercise is to "establish closer ties between the military of both countries, improver interoperability and share best practices in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations". The exercise is expected to be observed by the Indian Army Chief, General Manoj Mukund Naravane alongside accused Sri Lankan war criminal, Shavendra Silva.

The World Bank reporting out of Colombo has stated that the economy is projected to grow by 3.3% in 2021, but the medium-term outlook is clouded by pre-existing macroeconomic weaknesses and the economic scarring from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Faris Hadad-Zervous, Country director of the World Bank for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka commented on the countries immediate situation, stating,

The Defence attaché of the Embassy of Israel based in New Delhi, affiliated to Sri Lanka, Colonel Assaf Mahler paid a courtesy visit to the war crimes accused Army Chief Shavendra Silva at the Sri Lankan Army headquarters. 

During the brief interaction, both parties discussed bilateral cooperation and the "understanding between both nations for so many years". The meeting also highlighted the importance of further enhancement of close cooperation and exchange of technical expertise between both military organisations. 

Retired Sri Lankan Air Force commander,Sumangala Dias, has been reportedly refused a post as Sri Lanka's Ambassador for Italy following similar rejections in Canada due to concerns over war crimes.

Writing in response to the state of emergency declared by Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, CIVICUS highlights that the emergency measures enable authorities "to detain people without warrants, seize property, enter and search any premises, suspend laws and issue orders that cannot be questioned in court".

"Officials who issue such orders are also immune from lawsuits" they add.

The Sri Lankan police deliberately allowed a violent attacker to escape, residents of a Chunnakam neighbourhood have alleged.

On Monday, a sword-wielding group broke into a house near Ezhalai Sivaguru shop and attacked the occupants of the house and damaged the belongings in the house.

While the mob fled the scene as neighbors gathered upon hearing the commotion, one attacker was apprehended by the locals.

The neighbors admitted one injured person to the Tellippalai hospital and informed the police about the incident. The apprehended individual was handed over to the Chunnakam police who arrived at the scene.

Scottish Justice Minister, Keith Brown, has come under fire for misleading members of Scottish parliament as to why Police Scotland has suspended its training programme with Sri Lanka's police forces, which have implicated in grevious human rights violations.

Heavy rains have been lashing Mannar for several days, causing a flood in the district.