An armed robbery took place at a finance company in Chavakachcheri this morning, with the suspect stealing approximately Rs 1.7 million in cash.

The suspect, who was wearing a full face helmet, was reportedly armed with a large knife. Adaderana states that he threatened employees as the safe was being emptied and then proceeding to steal the cash before fleeing on a motorcycle.

Chavakachcheri has suffered from rising crime, with local Tamils alleging the Sri Lankan police have failed to tackle the situation.

There was a tense situation in Vadamarachchi on Monday after Sri Lankan police threatened local fishermen, who had apprehended eight Sinhala fishermen engaged in illegal fishing activities, that the Special Task Force (STF) would be called unless the men were handed over. 

The local fishermen demanded that authorities find a solution to stop illegal fishing before the men were handed over. 

Last month there were prolonged protests in Mullaitivu after local fishermen accused police of releasing sinhala fishermen without charge despite clear evidence presented to them of their illegal fishing activities.

Mullaitivu fishermen have also protested over government officials accepting bribes to turn a blind eye to illegal activities. 

Sri Lankan police were caught taking photographs of a Tamil lawyer inside Jaffna court on Friday, who they had sought to arrest two days previously, apparently for wearing a saree with a Buddha face print on it. 

On Wednesday police officers reportedly waited outside the court to arrest her and only abandoned the attempt when her colleague's intervened. 

On Friday a female police officer was seen taking photographs of the lawyer. When the lawyer initially confronted her, the officer denied it until senior lawyers intervened and the officer's phone was checked, revealing photographs of the lawyer. 

Marking the fourth day of Lt. Col. Thileepan's hunger strike 31 years ago, residents in Kiraan, Batticaloa yesterday held an awareness event, condemning the genocide of the Tamil people by the Sri Lankan state. 

On Saturday Tamils across the North-East held events marking the 31 years since Thileepan commenced his fast unto death, demanding that the Indian government upheld its promises to the Tamil people. 

Over 100,000 people gathered at the Nallur temple in Jaffna on September 15, 1987 to hear his words as he began the hunger strike. 

Two Sri Lankan army officials were caught showing their genitals to two Tamil schoolgirls on Monday in the Karaichchi residential area of Mullaitivu. 

The officials, both from 59th Division, were seen flashing at the schoolgirls by locals who apprehended the individuals and called the police. 

Both men were taken to the police station. 

Sri Lanka’s multiple ministries, agencies and regulations make implementing policy difficult and the country’s red tape hinders trade and investment, the resident representative of the International Monetary Fund said.

According to EconomyNext, resident representative Eteri Kvintradze said, "Sri Lanka compared to other emerging markets has more restrictive FDI and trade regulatory environment.”

"Sri Lanka's export structure is frozen it's because it is highly protected and regulated and there is no space for innovation. To be competitive and innovative Sri Lanka needs a less restrictive regulatory environment.”

Sri Lanka has stopped crude oil imports from Iran in anticipation of US sanctions against the Iranian government.

"We stopped as soon as the sanctions were announced. We didn’t buy [directly] from Iran. We buy from Singapore, Dubai, Fujairah,” Sri Lankan petroleum resources development minister Arjuna Ranatunga said, according to The National.

All Indian fishing trawlers confiscated by the Sri Lankan navy since 2015 are to be released, The Hindu reports.

The Tamil Nadu fisheries department received the Sri Lankan government order last week and will be sending a team of fishermen, mechanics and officials to assess the condition of the 173 trawlers which are held in Karai Nagar, Kankesanthurai, Trincomalee, Kalpatti and Mannar.

However the order states that trawling equipment in the boats would not be released.

The Sri Lankan military carried out a series of mock raids in the East this week, alongside troops from Sudan and Indonesia, despite concerns over human rights abuses committed by Sri Lanka troops.

Though Tamils in Kopay have been hit by a drought, the Sri Lankan military has maintained a steady access to water supplies from wells in bases across the region.