‘Chithha’ tears out the viewer’s heart and holds it ransom - an impressive feat. SU Arun Kumar has delivered a gut-wrenching thriller, displaying a little horror whilst insinuating a lot.

Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, a Member of Parliament from the Illangai Tamil Arasu Katchi, has raised concerns regarding the Sri Lankan Government's alleged attempts to obstruct the initiation of a ferry service between India and Sri Lanka.

In a session of the Sri Lankan Parliament, Rasamanickam conveyed fears that the government was preventing the launch of a ferry service that would enable Sri Lankan refugees residing in Tamil Nadu to return to Sri Lanka, along with their goods, which cannot be easily transported by air.

The Byline Times has revealed that former British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, had proposed resettling a group of Tamil refugees stranded on Diego Garcia due to concerns of “mass suicide”.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Sri Lankan affiliates have urged the government to reconsider its Online Safety Bill due to growing concerns over its impact on freedom of expression.

On Sunday, October 1st, Sri Lankan police removed protestors in Trincomalee who were demonstrating against the illegal construction of a Buddhist temple. The police action came after reading out a court order that banned eight individuals from protesting in the area on that day, citing section 106 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Sri Lankan police have filed a false report at the Vavuniya Magistrate Court, alleging that activists associated with the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) intimidated and attacked the police. This incident is related to the memorial float organised by the TNPF to commemorate the death of Thiyagi Thileepan, which began its journey around the North-East on September 15th, the 36th anniversary of Thileepan's fast.

A human chain protest took place in Jaffna, condemning the death threats made against former Mullaitivu District Judge T. Saravanajah, which ultimately led to his resignation from all his judicial positions.

On October 4th, a joint protest was organised by a youth group from Mannar and various civil society organisations, demonstrating their solidarity with the ongoing protests in the North-East condemning the death threats faced by former Mullaitivu District Judge T. Saravanarajah.

On October 3rd, the Batticaloa Bar Association added their voices to the ongoing protests, which condemn the lack of independence of the judiciary. This movement has gained momentum following the resignation of Mullaitivu District Judge T. Saravanarajah, who stepped down from all his posts due to receiving death threats.

On October 4th, the French Tamil organisation Organisation de Réhabilitation Tamoule (TRO France) extended their support to 50 farmers, primarily women, in Mullaitivu. The aid distribution event took place at the Kokkuthoduvai Agrarian Services Centre.