Journalists and civil society activists were questioned by army officers on Sunday over news reports published on Saturday that army officers were seen to be collecting information from households and businesses in Mullaitivu district. 

Army officers demanded to know how news of their activities had reached the press. 

The latest army inquiries come as residents remain in fear over the collection of personal details from households and shops in Udayarkaddu, Suthanthirapuram, Kaiveli, Redbaana and Maanikkapuram. 

Soldiers also visited shops and businesses in the area seeking details of owners and employees. 

Sri Lanka’s president announced that five senior Brigadiers of the Army have been promoted to the rank of Major General, as part of a series of promotions issued last month.

The five senior Brigadiers are reported to have been active during the Sri Lankan military offensive which culminated in May 2009 and saw tens of thousands of Tamils massacred.

The Sri Lankan military announced that it had held a “Judo workshop” for Tamil students in Kilinochchi earlier this year, as it continues to expand its much criticised role in civilian activities in the North-East.

Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is setting up a committee to investigate sexual harassment allegations within the ministry, Sri Lanka Guardian reports.

The website said the prevalence of sexual harassment especially against junior female staff was widely known but reporting abuses did not lead to accountability.

A Chavakachcheri trader was attacked with a sword on Friday.

A gang of men on 8 motorbikes forcefully entered a business in Kaithadi North and attacked the owner, while vandalising the shop and assaulting customers as well.

Although emergency services were called the attackers escaped before police came to the scene.

Chavakachcheri Police said they were investigating the incident.

The Sri Lankan cabinet approved the awarding of the contract to construct grid substations in Colombo to a South Korean company, Hyosung Corporation. 

The contract, which is worth Rs 1.2 billion, comes under the government's Green Power Development and Energy Efficiency Improvement Investment Programme. 

The proposal was put forward by Sri Lanka's minister of power and renewable energy, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya. 

Sri Lanka is a key part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese ambassador, Cheng Xueyuan was quoted by Xinhua as saying in an article released by the embassy in Colombo on Friday. 

"The Belt and Road Initiative was a major initiative proposed by the Chinese government and it was aimed at upholding the global free trade system and an open world economy," he said. 

Two Tamil refugees who had previously fled Sri Lanka, were arrested in Rameswaram on Saturday, ANI reported. 

Sayinson, 26, and Jayakumar, 27 were arrested by coastal security near Pamdan. 

The men were accused of attempting to travel to Sri Lanka on an illegal boat. 

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached out to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu,as the veteran party leader M Karunanidhi was admitted to hospital with deteriorating health.

The 94-year old five-time chief minister of Tamil Nadu was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Kauvery Hospital in Chennai on Saturday morning following a drop in his blood pressure. It was reported that he had initially suffered from a urinary tract infection, which led to him being hospitalised.

Mr Modi tweeted that he had spoken to the DMK chief’s son M K Stalin and daughter Kanimozhi and “offered any assistance required”.

The Sri Lankan government claimed that it was “not concerned” over the possible loss of GSP-Plus trade concessions from the European Union over plans to reinstate the death penalty on the island.

Colombo Gazette quoted Sri Lankan cabinet spokesman Dr Rajitha Senaratne as stating that regardless, his government would push ahead with plans to implement capital punishment.