Thai Pongal was celebrated across the Tamil homeland this morning, with festivities taking place despite concerns about rising food prcies, food shortages and the plight of farmers caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Tamil News
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Dozens of British Tamils gathered in Downing Street this weekend to protest against the 13th 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...
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The state of Minnesota has declared January Tamil language and heritage month following a signed proclamation by the Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz.
The proclamation which coincided with Thai Pongal, notes
"Whereas: Tamil is the longest surviving classical language in the world, with a traceable history...
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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.
According to a “government source” that spoke to the newspaper, the initiative from New Delhi is part of a strategy of “winning “outstanding demands” of the Tamils in Sri Lanka [to] further enhance its status” in...
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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.
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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.
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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:
CM @RepGregoryMeeks: This Thai Pongal, I extend my warmest wishes to Tamils and those celebrating the harvest, abundance...
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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”.
His visit comes numerous diplomats are expected to visit the island this month. This includes Hungary’s foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, Speaker of the National Assembly of Korea, Park Byeong-seug and Turkey’s foreign minister,...
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Meeting with British Tamils, the BBC provided special coverage of the ancient Tamil harvest festival, Thai Pongal.
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Across the UK, British ministers and politicians met with their Tamil constituents to celebrate the Tamil harvest festival, Thai Pongal.
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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.
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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...
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Across the world, foreign embassies and world leaders have offered messages celebrating the Tamil harvest festival, Thai Pongal.
பொங்கலோ பொங்கல்! அனைவருக்கும் இனிய பொங்கல் நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்!#HappyPongal #ThaiPongal...
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Sri Lankan courts issued an order this morning to extend the remand of 43 Tamil Nadu fishermen for another two weeks.
In December, the Sri Lankan navy announced that 55 fishermen had been arrested near Neduntheevu “as part of the Navy’s effort to prevent poaching by Indian fishing trawlers in Sri Lankan territorial waters”.
The case was taken up in court for the third time since the initial arrests and the fishermen and their boats will remain under the states custody...
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Last month, anti-apartheid leader Archbishop Desmond Tutu passed away aged 90.
We take a look at his association with the Tamil liberation struggle and calls for justice, equality and accountability in Sri Lanka.
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The Sri Lankan government was handed a much-needed financial reprieve earlier today when India agreed to a deferment of US$500 million and currency swap of US$400 million, as an economic crisis on the island worsens.
The announcement, made today after the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo met Sri Lanka’s Central Bank governor, comes...
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A Pongal event titled “Freedom Pongal” was organised in Jaffna today, demanding the release of Tamil political prisoners.
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A protest was held in Jaffna after the body of a prominent Tamil activist who was killed by the Sri Lankan navy was brought ashore to his home village this morning.
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Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence has declared that all marriages between Sri Lankan citizens and foreigners will now require military approval, sparking fears across the more than million-strong Tamil diaspora over its ties to the homeland.
The new law, which came into effect from January 1, 2022, requires all foreign nationals who are seeking to marry Sri...
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Marking a major diplomatic visit to Sri Lanka, Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced the country’s largest road construction project whilst turning a blind eye to Sri Lanka’s deteriorating human rights record.
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Without warning, Facebook has deleted the verified account of prominent Tamil Nadu activist, and founder of the May 17 movement, Thirumurugan Gandhi.
Responding to the removal of his account Gandhi noted that his account had already been deleted three times and called for the democratic forces “to condemn the pro-Hindu Facebook organisation that runs without...
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China has lifted the ban on the People's Bank in Sri Lanka following its payment of almost US$6.9 million over a dispute involving imported organic fertiliser.
The Economic and Commerical Office of the Chinese embassy in Colombo lifted the ban implemented last October following the payment of the requested sum by the Chinese company Seawin Biotech Group.
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Sajith Premadasa, the leader of the opposition and head of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) party, paid a visit to Jaffna on Tuesday.
During his visit, he attended special prayers in the Nallur Kandaswamy Temple, a site of great cultural significance for Tamils.
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Protests have been planned in Jaffna after widespread outrage over the killing of a prominent Tamil protestor by the Sri Lankan navy yesterday.
Local Tamil fishermen said that 31-year-old Edward Mariyaseelan was killed at sea on...
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Sri Lankan authorities claimed that a woman who died under police custody committed “suicide” after jumping off the 5th floor of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters in Colombo.
The 46-year-old woman had reportedly been detained over fraud allegations.
The CID headquarters, and especially its ‘4th floor’, is notorious for the...
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As tennis player Novak Djokovic left an Australian hotel where he was being detained by immigration authorities this week, asylum seekers have hoped the incident, which has received international attention, will shed light on the conditions and system in which they remain trapped.
“I couldn’t believe that Djokovic...
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Standard and Poor’s has hit Colombo with yet another credit rating downgrade, from ‘CCC+’ to ‘CCC’, stating that Sri Lanka’s “external position continues to weaken owing to elevated external obligations and uneven access to financing”.
The latest downgrade comes in the midst of a financial crisis on the island, which has seen foreign reserves drop and the cost of basic goods skyrocket.
“Foreign exchange resources will be further pressured over the coming quarters by additional...
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A Sri Lankan court has ordered the release of 5 Tamils who had been detained under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act since 2019.
The Colombo Magistrate's Court ordered that the 5 Tamils, who had been detained in Magazine prison on the southern capital, were to be freed.
The five were from Pallai, Kilinochchi and...
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Sri Lankan police officers have begun learning Hindi, courtesy of the Indian government, despite ongoing discrimination against the Tamil language across the island.
A ‘Hindi Proficiency Course’ for Sri Lanka police personnel was launched by the High Commission of India this week at an event attended by 70 senior Police officers and officials...
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As the Sri Lankan financial crisis continues, representatives from the UK, Hungary, Turkey and Korea are set to visit the island.
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Today marks 32 years since the passing of Major Sothiya, the commander of the LTTE's first female unit.
Maria Vasanthi Michael, known by her nomme de guerre ‘Sothiya’, was born on 20 September 1963. She first joined the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 1984.
A formidable fighter, Sothiya took part in many battles, as female cadres began to take...
World News
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A former senior Spanish police officer has claimed that Spanish intelligence services knew about the plans of the terror cell responsible for the 2017 Barcelona attacks but failed to act in a bid to destabilise Catalonia before a crucial independence vote.
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Five former Guatemalan paramilitaries are currently on trial for the rape of 36 Indigenous Mayan women during the 1980s.
Indigenous people were often targeted and harassed by the military government for allegedly backing the left-wing guerrillas during the conflict that took place between 1960 and 1996. In 2018, the five former paramilitaries were arrested along with three others. However, the case was dismissed and the magistrate released them. One died before being released. After...
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Responding to Russia’s military reinforcement of Kazakhstan security forces to quell nationwide unrest, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has raised concerns over the alliance.
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In a landmark case, 19 Uighur Muslims have filed a criminal complaint with a Turkish prosecutor against 112 Chinese officials accusing them of crimes of genocide, torture, rape, and crimes against humanity.
“Turkish legislation recognises universal jurisdiction. Torture, genocid, rape [and] crimes against humanity can be prosecuted in Turkish courts and criminals can be tried”...
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President Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia who is leading the war against TPLF.
Thousands of Tigrayan migrant workers in Saudi Arabia who were deported to Ethiopia by Riyadh have been locked up in detention camps and forcibly disappeared, a latest Human Rights Watch (HRW)...
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Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has resigned following continued mass pro-democracy protests at the capital Khartoum.
His resignation grants Sudan’s military full control over the country as they continue their violent crackdown on democratic protesters.
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Former Columbian military official, Mario Antonio Palacios, has been arrested by Panama authorities under allegations of forming part of a mercenary group that assassinated Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise.
Palacios was detained during a stopover flight in Panama and asked to “voluntarily” board a flight to the US, the Hindu reports. After refusing the request, Panamanian officials told him that they would enforce an Interpol red notice issued by the US, which is addition to one Haiti...
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Photo Credit: UN Women
In a rare joint statement, the five permanent members of the UN Security council (the US, Russia, China, the UK, and France) pledged to address to “create a security environment more conducive to progress on disarmament” and avoid nuclear conflict...
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Save the Children has confirmed that two of its staffers have been killed in a Christmas Eve massacre conducted by Myanmar’s military and killed at least 35 people, including women and children.
The massacre occurred on a highway in Kayah state, in eastern Myanmar, where prodemocracy rebels have been confronting the military.
“The military forced people from their...
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Egypt's State Security Emergency Misdemeanor court has issued jail sentences to three prominent human rights activists who engaged in anti-government protests in 2019.
The activists detained were Alaa Abd El Fattah, rights lawyer Mohamed el-Baqer, and the blogger Mohamed Ibrahim (also known as Mohamed Oxygen). El Fattah was sentenced to five years whilst the others were sentenced to four years each.
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In meetings with Lebanon's religious leaders, President, Prime Minister, and Parliamentary Speaker, UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, urged the country's leaders to address the dire economic situation Lebanon finds itself in and to resume negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout programme. -
A BBC investigation has revealed that Myanmar's military carried a mass killing of at least 40 civilians in four separate incidents in Kani Township - an opposition stronghold in Sagaing District in Central Myanmar.
Eyewitness accounts detail that boys as young as 17 were tortured first before being buried in shallow graves. The BBC reports that these kills appear "to be a collective punishment for attacks on the military by civilian militia groups in the area, who are demanding that...
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With historic turnouts, left-wing candidate Gabriel Boric has won the presidency in Chile securing 56% of the votes compared to the 44% secured by his rival Pinochet-admirer, Jose Antonio Kast.
In accepting the speech he pledged to be “the president of all Chileans” and was immediately recognised as the victor by Last who phoned him to...
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On Friday the UN Human Rights Council voted to establish an international probe to investigate atrocities committed by both sides of the conflict in Ethiopia and prosecute those responsible. -
Human rights campaigners have welcomed the announcements of US sanctions on Bangladesh's notorious paramilitary unit, the Rapid Action Battalion, as well as the country's national police chief, but have called for further action. -
Faced with the threat of further US sanctions over the aggressive posturing of China and Russia, Chinese President Xi Jingping and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a virtual conference in which they sought to “more effectively safeguard the security interests of both parties”.
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Writing in the Guardian, Tamil human rights lawyer at MTC Solicitors, Naga Kandiah, slammed the British government’s proposed Clause 9 to the nationality and borders bill which could see dual nationals stripped of their citizenship without notice.
The New Statement’s research, based on the 2011 census, reveals that as many as 5.6 million people living in England and...
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Last week Hindu-nationalist Chief Minister of Haryana offered support to Hindu vigilantes who have been harassing Muslim worship in the city of Gurgaon by claiming that namaz, Muslim prayer, "would not be tolerated" in the open. -
Responding to sweeping US sanctions imposed on dozens of people and entities tied to China, Myanmar, North Korea and Bangladesh; China's Foreign Minister, Wang Wenbin, urged America to "immediately withdraw the relevant wrong decision and stop interfering in China’s internal affairs".“If the US acts recklessly,...
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Gen Bipin Rawat, the Indian Chief of Defence Staff, died in a helicopter crash that took place in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, along with his wife and eleven others who were travelling in the chopper.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) confirmed the deaths and said it was a “tragic accident” in a Twitter...
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On Wednesday Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, announced that Australia would join the US in its diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics in February 2022, over concerns of the genocidal treatment of Uighur Muslims. -
French police announced on Monday that they had arrested a suspect in the murder and dismemberment of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi and former member of the Saudi royal guard, Khalid Alotaibi. -
Photo Credit: Stop Killer Robots
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On Monday India Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a $5.4 billion dollar missile defence system sale to India despite warnings from the United States of sanctions. -
Speaking at the White House press briefing, US Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, announced that “the Biden administration would not send any diplomatic or official representation to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic games given...
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The north district court in San Francisco has received a class action complaint, on behalf of estimated 10,000 Rohingya Muslims, against the social media giant Facebook for enabling and fomenting genocidal violence in Myanmar. -
Myanmar’s military-ruled court has halved their sentence of deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi, from four to two years, as international criticism continues to mount.
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Responding to the reported executions of over 100 former Afghan security officials by the Taliban, the US, EU and 20 other countries have released a joint statement condemning the killings.
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Following a meeting with Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken reaffirmed American support for the "territorial integrity of Ukraine" and warned Russia that it...
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On Tuesday US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, revoked the designation of the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) rebel group as a "foreign terrorist organisation" but proscribed two splinter organisations of FARC, "FARC-EP and Segunda Marquetalia".