Heavy rains and flooding have struck the island, as a cyclone develops in the Bay of Bengal with Tamils across the North-East preparing to mark Maaveerar Naal on Wednesday.

According to the Disaster Management Centre, over 77,670 people from 22,532 families across 15 districts have been affected by the inclement weather. One person has lost their life, and five others have been injured. Relief efforts are underway, with 2,770 individuals from 821 families currently sheltered in emergency relief centres.

The 70th birthday of Velupillai Prabhakaran, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), was marked at several locations in the North-East earlier today.

In Chavakachcheri in Jaffna, locals at several locations cut cakes and handed out sweets on local buses to celebrate Prabhakaran’s birthday.

The parents of Maaveerar - Great Heroes -  were honoured at an event in Kaithady, Jaffna today. 

A lamp was lit and flowers laid in memory of their children who gave their lives to the armed struggle. 

Events have taken place across the North-East this week to honour the parents and families of fallen LTTE cadres. 

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has reversed his earlier commitment to renegotiate the terms of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout program, as the global body decided to approve the release of $333 million as part of the third review of Sri Lanka’s $2.9 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF).

Tamil children participated in an art competition in Naples, Italy earlier this month to commemorate the Tamil people who gave their lives to the liberation struggle. 

British Tamil students walked 20km from Little Moore Bridge in Loughborough to Abbey Park in Leicester to remember the sacrifices made by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres. 

The students completed the walk in six and a half hours as Storm Bert swept the UK on Saturday. 

Tamils in Mannar are making preparations at Aadkattiveli Thuyilum Illam for Maaveerar Naal which will be marked by the Tamil nation on November 27. 

The volunteers are gathering the remnants of the destroyed gravestones so that families of fallen LTTE cadres and the public are able to commemorate those who gave their lives in the liberation struggle. 

Three young Tamil men from Jaffna and Mullaitivu have found themselves caught in a war they never intended to fight, as they were forcibly recruited into the Russian army in the midst of the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. The men, who initially sought to travel to France and Belgium where they have relatives residing, are now trapped on the frontlines, and their families have urgently appealed to the Sri Lankan government for help in bringing them home.

More events were organised in Vavuniya this week, in the run-up to Maaveerar Naal on November 27, a day to commemorate those who gave their lives in the struggle for Tamil liberation.

A Heroes' Parents Honoring Event was held in the Kanagarayankulam Periyarkulam area of Vavuniya in the lead up to Maaveerar Naal. The event was organized by the Vavuniya North Divisional Branch of ITAK.

Tamil students studying at universities in Copenhagen and Odense in Denmark, held events last week to commemorate fallen Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres. 

The Tamil Eelam national flag was raised at the events and students lit candles in remembrance of the cadres who sacrificed their lives.