Yala National Park closes zones due to drought; Leftists to contest Tamil Nadu by-elections

Yala National Park in Sri Lanka has temporarily closed its first and second zones until October 15 due to severe drought conditions caused by El Niño. The Department of Wildlife Conservation stated that the closure aims to minimize human interference with wildlife as animals struggle to find food and water. To mitigate the crisis, authorities are using solar-powered pumps and water tankers to supply approximately 200,000 liters of water daily to the park's water bodies.

In India, by-elections are scheduled for October 6 in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram constituencies of Tamil Nadu. Leftist parties, including the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), have announced they will contest these elections independently. The CPI will contest in Dharapuram, while the CPI (M) will contest in Madurantakam, opting not to join existing coalitions.