Tamil Nadu's MDMK party leader yesterday protested in Chennai, calling for the prompt release of the seven people convicted for their alleged association in the killing of the Indian premier, Rajiv Gandhi. 

The MDMK was joined by opposition parties, DMK, CPI and CPI-M. 

"The governor should release the seven convicts under Article 161 of the Constitution," MDMK leader, Vaiko said.

Vaiko was later detained for picketing outside the governor, Raj Bhavan's house and shouting "get out governor!" 

The seven people, Perarivalan, Nalini, Murugan, Shanthan, Jayakumar, Ravichandran and Robert Pyas have been imprisoned for 27 years. 

Canada's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, David McKinnon today met with former LTTE fighters in Mullaitivu and discussed ongoing Tamil concerns. 

The former fighters, who have formed a political party, met McKinnon in Puthukkudiyiruppu.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka (AmCham) today called for an end to ongoing political crisis in the country. 

In a statement that followed today's downgrading of Sri Lanka by Standard and Poor, and Fitch Rating's, AmCham said it "expressed concern of the impasse reached". 

"While stating that this sends a worrying signal to the business community, locally as well as internationally - AMCHAM Sri Lanka also raised the concern highlighted by potential investors. 

Standard and Poor's swiftly became the third credit ratings agency to downgrade Sri Lanka's sovereign rating in recent weeks, as the political crisis in Colombo deepened in recent days.

S&P followed moves by Fitch earlier today, and Moody’s two weeks ago, in downgrading Sri Lanka citing refinancing risks and an uncertain policy outlook.

Sri Lanka’s president has stated that he had deferred dealing with the issue of Tamil political prisoners until the political crisis in the country has resolved, according to a report in the Daily Mirror.

Maithripala Sirisena met with members of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) yesterday, and according to the Daily Mirror “the meeting did not last long”. The newspaper also quoted an “informed source” as stating that Sirisena told the TNA "He was the only one remaining in the government now”.

In another blow to Colombo, Fitch Ratings became the second credit agency in two weeks to downgrade Sri Lanka’s long-term debt rating as political upheaval continues on the island.

Fitch announced on Tuesday that Sri Lanka's long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating was to be downgraded to ‘B’ from ‘B+’.

“Fitch believes the ongoing political upheaval, which has disrupted the normal functioning of parliament, exacerbates the country’s external financing risks, already challenged by the tightening of global monetary conditions amid a heavy external debt repayment schedule between 2019 and 2022,” the agency said in a statement.

<p>Sri Lanka’s President remains adamant that he will not reappoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister, causing parliamentarians to call negotiations between the president and the UNF a failure.</p> <p>“The talks were a failure,” UNP MP Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said, according to Economy Next. “The president insisted that he will not make Ranil Wickremesinghe the prime minister even if 225 MPs support him.”</p> <p>The UNP however has also stuck to its position that Wickremesinghe would be the UNF nominee for prime minister.</p>

Germany's ambassador to Sri Lanka, Joern Rohde, visited the site of the Mannar mass graves on November 27. 

Over 230 skeletons have been recovered from the site, with excavation work ongoing. 

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>