As Sri Lanka’s financial crisis worsens, economists on the island have called on the government to forego debt repayments and buy crucially needed fuel, food and medicine, with one former official warning riots may soon follow.

Sri Lanka is due to make a US$500 million payment as an international sovereign bond matures on January 18.

Economists on the island however said the government should default on the payment and focus on essential goods instead.

After almost a decade, a Sri Lankan court has sentenced a senior prison official to death over his role in the killing of at least 27 inmates in a massacre at the Welikada prison in 2012.

Sri Lanka’s Prisons Commissioner Emil Lamahewage was found guilty over his role in the killings, which was initially reported as a clash between Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) elite commandos and Sinhala prisoners. It emerged that at least 27 inmates were killed, and at least eight were called out by name and executed.

Marking Pongal, the US State Department and representatives issues messages to celebrate the Tamil harvest festival, Thai Pongal.

The Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs stated on Twitter:

CM @RepGregoryMeeks: This Thai Pongal, I extend my warmest wishes to Tamils and those celebrating the harvest, abundance and renewal around the world.

Pongal Nalvazhthukkal!

The president of Sri Lanka released a Thai Pongal message to "Hindus" in Sri Lanka and across the globe declaring it a “special religious” festival exclusively for “Hindu devotees”.

While world leaders and government officials extended their Thai Pongal wishes to Tamils across the world, the Sri Lanka president’s message failed to mention the word “Tamil” once. Historically, Thai Pongal is a Tamil harvest festival celebrated by Tamils of all religions, not only Hindus.

_{MP Francesco Sorbara, MP Majid Jowhari and MP Gary Anandasangaree celebrate Thai Pongal at the Richmond Hill Hindu Temple}

Several Canadian Parliamentarians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have released messages wishing Tamil Canadians a Happy Thai Pongal and Tamil Heritage Month. 

Writing in the Daily Mirror in advance of his visit to Colombo, Jaffna and Trincomalee, Britain’s Minister for South Asia, Lord Ahmad, stressed the importance of dealing with Sri Lanka’s past to create a “lasting peace and building an inclusive future”.

His visit comes numerous diplomats are expected to visit the island this month. This includes Hungary’s foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, Speaker of the National Assembly of Korea, Park Byeong-seug and Turkey’s foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Amidst a surge in food prices and shortages of basic necessities such as medicine and fuel, Sri Lanka recently launched a  luxury inner-city train circling from the tip of the North Jaffna Peninsula, Kankesanthurai, to Colombo’s Mount Lavinia suburb with the assistance of India’s credit line.

Meeting with British Tamils, the BBC provided special coverage of the ancient Tamil harvest festival, Thai Pongal.

In their coverage, they noted the efforts of Tamil Studies UK to have Tamil reintroduced into the curriculum of the South Oriental and African Studies University. The piece further dove into Tamil culture, food and heritage.

Across the UK, British ministers and politicians met with their Tamil constituents to celebrate the Tamil harvest festival, Thai Pongal.

At least two elephants in Amparai were found dead this week, after eating plastic waste in an open landfill site that conservationists have been warning about for years.

Around 20 elephants have died over the last eight years in the region alone after they consumed plastic waste left at the site, according to the latest reports.