<p>Dozens of people have died after Cyclone Gaja hit Tamil Nadu early Friday morning, pounding the state with extreme rainfall, 125kmph cyclonic gusts and widespread flooding, as per the Indian Metereological Department, which declared a Red Alert for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.</p> <p>The state urged residents residing in coastal towns to evacuate immediately and move inland, with 46 reported deaths and several more injuries as of Tuesday.</p>

The British government must suspend deportations to Sri Lanka, “to ensure that we do not deliver anyone into [Mahinda] Rajapaksa’s lethal hands”, the chief executive of Freedom from Torture has said, echoing calls from British MPs earlier this week.

Writing in The Observer this week, chief executive Sonya Sceats said “President Maithripala Sirisena, [Rajapaksa’s] successor, was never the human rights champion he claimed to be, and it was foolish of western governments to buy this lie.”

<p>The number of Tamil Nadu tourists to Sri Lanka has fallen in recent weeks following the island's political turmoil, Times of India reported this month.&nbsp;</p> <p>The paper reported that tour operators had received the highest number of cancellations since the end of the armed conflict.&nbsp;</p> <p>"Of the 6,000 tourists from Tamil Nadu, nearly 2,000 cancelled their trip in October. The prospective tourists, largely travelling in groups to the island nation, are exploring other options," president of Tamil Nadu Tour Travel and Hospitality Association told TOI.&nbsp;</p>

Residents and locals continued clearing Alampil Thuyilum Illam (LTTE cemetries) today, which remains under military control. 

The NPC councillor, T Ravikaran and TNPF's General Secretary, S Kajendran also took part in the preparations which are taking place ahead of Tamil Remembrance Day (Maaveerar Naal) on November 27. 

Condemning the military ongoing hold on the North-East, Ravikaran said, "many thuyilum illams across the North-East are occupied by the military". 

"They should all be released," he urged. 

 

Sri Lanka's Speaker, Karu Jayasuriya remained defiant despite two days of violence in the parliamentary complex, stating he "would safeguard the democracy even by sacrificing his life". 

He added that "would not be intimidated by any threats or obstacles placed in his way" and urged "people of the country who loved their motherland to maintain peace in the country".

Sri Lanka has been at a state of political turmoil for several weeks following the president's sacking of the prime minister last month and the appointment of the former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new premier.

<p>The Sri Lankan president, Maithripala Sirisena today called for a cross party conference to discuss a way forward to the island's ongoing political crisis.&nbsp;</p> <p>The conference is expected to be held tomorrow at the Presidential Secreteriat.&nbsp;</p> <p>It is not known which parties will send representatives.&nbsp;</p> <p>Sri Lanka has been at a state of political turmoil for several weeks following the president's sacking of the prime minister last month and the appointment of the former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new premier.</p>

<p>Schools in the Northern Province were closed on Friday due to adverse weather conditions caused by the cyclonic storm ‘Gaja’.</p> <p>Although Sri Lanka’s meteorology department predicted that the storm would move away from the island this evening, the North-East, particularly the Jaffna peninsula, has been hit by severe rains and windy conditions.</p> <p>Fisherman were advised not to venture into the sea, from Trincomalee in the East, to Kankesanthurai in the North, and Mannar in the North-West.</p> <p>The storm is reported to have caused over twenty deaths in coastal Tamil Nadu.</p>

The United National Party (UNP) has urged Facebook not to disclose user data to the ‘illegal’ administration of Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena citing concerns that data would be misused by the government.

Amidst Sri Lanka’s ongoing political crisis over Sirisena’s attempts to instate former president Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister, the Sirisena administration “continues to tighten control of traditional media”, the UNP said in a letter to Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

<p>Senior US policy figure Samantha power called for “ramped up international pressure” on Sri Lanka this week, amidst violence in parliament between lawmakers.</p> <p>Stating that the proposed prime minister appointee Mahinda Rajapaksa stands “credibly accused of war crimes,” Power noted that “institutions in SL are bending but not breaking”.</p> <p>“Ramped up international pressure is key,” she added.</p> <p>In a tweet on Thursday, Power went on to state that the continued chaos in parliament was a “a crisis of President Sirisena’s own making”.</p>

<p>The MDMK leader, Vaiko on Thursday rejected an order from the Chennai High Court instructing the burning of over 1700 copies of a book, compiling the speeches of the Tamil nationalist, Pazha Nedumaran.&nbsp;</p> <p>“The comments made by Justice V. Muralidharan in his judgment dismissing the appeal are quite strong. They also shake the very base of the freedom of expression,” Vaiko was quoted by <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/vaiko-opposes-hcs-ord…">The Hindu</a> as saying.&nbsp;</p>