<p>Members of the Tamil National Alliance have written to Sri Lanka’s president stating that it is “beyond doubt” that Mahinda Rajapaksa does not control the confidence of parliament as prime minister.</p> <p>Rajapaksa, the former president who oversaw a massive military offensive that saw tens of thousands of Tamils killed, was appointed by Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena as prime minister last month, in a move that plunged Colombo into crisis.</p> <p>The group of 14 TNA parliamentarians said that Rajapaksa “has not been able to prove that he commands the confidence of Parliament though one month has lapsed since the said appointment”.</p>

Ten cattle farmers were arrested by Forest Department authorities on November 27 in the Batticaloa border villages of Mayilaththaamadu and Maathavanai. 

Authorities accused the farmers of allegedly destroying forest land in Amparai. 

The farmers were taken to the Department's office in Polunaruwa and charged before being released on bail. 

A petrol bomb was thrown at a house in Jaffna during the early hours of Thursday morning. 

A gang of 8 men were seen throwing the petrol bomb towards the house, before setting alight two auto rickshaws and two motorbikes. 

The police are reportedly investigating the matter. 

 

<p>Amid the ongoing political turmoil Sri Lanka on Thursday signed two deals with Chinese firms for development of the port city project, Reuters reports.&nbsp;</p> <p>An official at Sri Lanka Ports Authority confirmed to Reuters that two contracts were signed worth over $50 million.&nbsp;</p> <p>one of the contracts is with China Harbour Engineering Company for $32 million projecta t the Jaya Container Terminal, which is state run. The second contract is worth £25.7 million, for three cranes from JCT Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co. Ltd.&nbsp;</p>

The leader of the United National Party (UNP), Ranil Wickremesinghe said he was to register a new alliance "soon". 

“We will soon register a new political alliance which we will form together with all parties who stands for democracy and rule of law in the country,” Wickremesinghe was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. 

“The objective of this alliance is to defeat and push those who stage coups out of politics."

Sri Lanka’s parliament has passed a motion earlier today voting to cut the budget for the Prime Minister’s office, in a blow to Mahinda Rajapaksa and his supporters after they boycotted the sitting.

The motion, which was passed 123 to none, means that Rajapaksa will not be able to use government finances for day-to-day expenditure. 

“This means the prime minister will be dysfunctional,” said the UNP’s Ravi Karunayake. “We will bring a similar motion tomorrow to cut down the expenditure of all other ministers,” he added.

Rajapaksa meanwhile denounced the move as “illegal” stating that the “Speaker is acting completely illegally and arbitrarily”. 

Thousands of Swiss Tamils gathered in Zurich on Tuesday to mark Maaveerar Naal, alongside the Tamil nation in the homeland and across this diaspora.

Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city and home to thousands of Tamils, saw a large commemoration event, with people paying their respects before hundreds of portraits of fallen cadres.

Thousands of Canadian Tamils came together near Toronto to commemorate Maaveerar Naal. Proceedings commenced at 6:00, with further events at 13:00 and 18:00. Tamils shops in Toronto were closed out of respect for the remembrance day. Tamils travelled to the location from all across the Greater Toronto Area, with long queues forming at the venue in Markham as snow fell.

Tamils across Kilinochchi commemorated Maaveerar Naal, with services taking place at Visuvamadu and Mulankavil thuyilum illams, as well as at Kanagapuram.

TNA MP Shritharan attended the event at Visuvamadu, while the former NPC council member Ananthy Sasitharan was present at Mulankavil.

Tamils across Australia and in New Zealand marked Maaveerar Naal yesterday, as part of commemorations worldwide to remember those who died fighting for the Tamil struggle.

In Australia events were held in Adelaide, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Queensland and Sydney.