The tax on imported potatoes and onions was halved today by Sri Lanka's Finance Ministry, amid the country's ongoing political turmoil and despite today's court order preventing the functioning of cabinet. 

The special commodity level, which was at 40 rupees per kilogram of imported potatoes and onions, was cut to 20 rupees at midnight tonight. 

The cabinet under Rajapaksa has made a number of tax cuts since his appointment following President Sirisena's sacking of Ranil Wickremesinghe, including tax on fuel and sugary drinks. 

<p>The former president Mahinda Rajapaksa rejected a court order issued by the Court of Appeal earlier today preventing Rajapaksa from functioning as prime minister and holding cabinet meetings.</p> <p>Rajapaksa was appointed as prime minister in October by President Sirisena following the sacking of the UNP leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe as premier.&nbsp;</p> <p>"We are not in agreement with the interim stay order issued by the Appeal Court suspending the functioning of the Cabinet of Ministers," Rajapaksa said in a statement today, pledging to lodge an appeal with the Supreme Court tomorrow.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), a constituent party of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA)&nbsp;said that any form of support given to the United National Party (UNP) should be based on a written agreement to address issues concerning Tamils, reports <a href="https://b.marfeelcache.com/amp/www.dailymirror.lk/article/TNA-support-f…">DailyMirror.lk</a>.</p> <p>Following a meeting on Sunday, TELO, one of the four main constituent parties of the TNA, called for a written agreement based on five central points to be made with the UNP before any further support.</p> <p>A central committee member of the party, MK Shivajalingam, speaking to the Daily Mirror, said,&nbsp;“we know it is difficult for a minority government to find a solution to the Tamil national question. We are looking for an interim solution at least to begin with. If the TNA supports the UNP, it should be conditional and an agreement needs to be signed. Unless the TNA agrees to this demand of ours we will take our own decision on it separately.”</p>

<p>Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena will take “necessary action” in the next 24 hours and will meet with the national security council on the issue of political prisoners, said the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) after a court order this morning barred Mahinda Rajapaksa from acting as prime minister.</p> <p>The TNA said that its “leadership” had met with Sirisena, who said that there was no prime minister or government at present.</p> <p>“Accordingly he will take necessary action within the next 24hrs,” the TNA <a href="http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sqo34u">tweeted</a>.</p>

Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal has issued an interim order preventing Mahinda Rajapaksa from functioning as prime minister and holding cabinet meetings. The order is a blow to the former president’s attempt to hold the prime minister’s office and forms the latest twist in Colombo’s political turmoil.

Judge Preethipadhman Surasena said the stay was issued as "irreversible damage could be caused" if Rajapaksa continued to function as Sri Lanka’s prime minister.

“An interim order is granted against the first respondent functioning as the prime minister...also issuing interim order against 30 other respondents functioning in their offices,” the judge said.

Tamil Americans in several states commemorated Maaveerar Naal over the past week.

In New York City hundreds of Tamils gathered in Queens. Events were also held in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Ohio, North Carolina, Florida, Massachussets, Washington DC, amongst others. 

<p>The Sri Lankan army holds all information about rehabilitated LTTE cadres, and therefore there was no ‘threat’ to national security, the army’s commander warned.</p> <p>Speaking to Ada Derana about the killing of two Sri Lankan police officers in Batticaloa, the commander Mahesh Senanayake said that although the killing was a lone incident it could not be ignored in the current situation.</p> <p>The army holds all information on ‘rehabilitated’ LTTE cadres, which the public should not have any doubt about he added.</p>

Two former LTTE cadres are being held in police custody over the killings of two Sri Lankan police officers in Batticaloa, while around twenty people, including former cadres and local organisers have been questioned and released.

Sri Lankan police media division announced earlier in the week that three former cadres from Batticaloa and one from Kilinochchi had been arrested.

Rumours that a former cadre from Kilinochchi had surrendered to the police admitting to the killings were refuted.

The grave of an LTTE fighter, Lt. Bosan, was discovered in Thanjavur last week.

A local of the area stumbled upon the neglected gravestone during his daily morning walk in the area.

After alerting local activists, the gravestone was cleared and tributes laid on Maaveerar Naal.

<p>An estimated $1.7 billion loan from Japan to Sri Lanka has been put on hold as political turmoil on the island continues, claimed the leader of the Sinhala extremist Jathika Hela Urumaya party.</p> <p>Champika Ranawaka, who was the Cabinet Minister of Megapolis and Western Development until Sri Lanka was plunged into crisis in October, was quoted by&nbsp;<a href="https://economynext.com/Sri_Lanka_political_crisis_derails_US$1.7bn_LRT…">Economy Next</a>&nbsp;as saying&nbsp;the loan has now been “derailed”. The payment was reported to have funded the construction of a light rail transit system in Colombo.</p> <p>"The loan was to have been signed in November 22," he told parliament, stating that other loans to Colombo &nbsp;have also been put on hold.</p>