Dozens of British Tamils gathered in Downing Street this weekend to protest against the 13^th Amendment in Sri Lanka – a provision within the constitution of Sri Lanka agreed with India that calls for limited devolution of powers – and instead, call for a complete end to the occupation of the Tamil homeland.

The protest comes as Tamil politicians have been engaged in discussions over the 13^th Amendment and devolution of powers in recent weeks. A joint letter is reportedly being prepared to be sent to the Indian government, outlining Tamil demands.

A joint letter that is to be signed by Tamil political parties and sent to Indian prime minister Narendra Modi comes following a request from New Delhi to formally ‘“place on record” Tamil demands for a “starting point”, according to a report in Sri Lanka’s Sunday Times.

As Sri Lanka’s financial crisis worsens, economists on the island have called on the government to forego debt repayments and buy crucially needed fuel, food and medicine, with one former official warning riots may soon follow.

Sri Lanka is due to make a US$500 million payment as an international sovereign bond matures on January 18.

Economists on the island however said the government should default on the payment and focus on essential goods instead.

After almost a decade, a Sri Lankan court has sentenced a senior prison official to death over his role in the killing of at least 27 inmates in a massacre at the Welikada prison in 2012.

Marking Pongal, the US State Department and representatives issues messages to celebrate the Tamil harvest festival, Thai Pongal.

The Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs stated on Twitter:

The president of Sri Lanka released a Thai Pongal message to "Hindus" in Sri Lanka and across the globe declaring it a “special religious” festival exclusively for “Hindu devotees”.

_{MP Francesco Sorbara, MP Majid Jowhari and MP Gary Anandasangaree celebrate Thai Pongal at the Richmond Hill Hindu Temple}

Writing in the Daily Mirror in advance of his visit to Colombo, Jaffna and Trincomalee, Britain’s Minister for South Asia, Lord Ahmad, stressed the importance of dealing with Sri Lanka’s past to create a “lasting peace and building an inclusive future”.

Amidst a surge in food prices and shortages of basic necessities such as medicine and fuel, Sri Lanka recently launched a  luxury inner-city train circling from the tip of the North Jaffna Peninsula, Kankesanthurai, to Colombo’s Mount Lavinia suburb with the assistance of India’s credit line.

Meeting with British Tamils, the BBC provided special coverage of the ancient Tamil harvest festival, Thai Pongal.

Across the UK, British ministers and politicians met with their Tamil constituents to celebrate the Tamil harvest festival, Thai Pongal.

At least two elephants in Amparai were found dead this week, after eating plastic waste in an open landfill site that conservationists have been warning about for years.

Around 20 elephants have died over the last eight years in the region alone after they consumed plastic waste left at the site, according to the latest reports.

Sri Lanka may face a shortage of drugs within two months warned a government official, as a worsening economic crisis threatens to endanger even more livelihoods on the island.

Dr. R. M. Saman Kusumsiri Ratnayake, Secretary to the State Ministry of Drug Production, told the Daily Mirror that a “priority list of drugs” had already been drawn up that needed to be imported “with immediate effect” and called for letters of credit to be opened for drug purchases.

The UK Prime Minister released a video message to mark Thai Pongal this morning, stating it was an opportunity to “celebrate our fantastic Tamil community”.