Tamil Families of the Disappeared have hailed the United Kingdom’s decision to impose sanctions on senior Sri Lankan military officials accused of war crimes, stating that the move affirms the long-standing demands of Tamil families for international justice and recognition of the genocide committed against Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Three state agencies in Sri Lanka have launched investigations into the Tamil-owned UK-based Lyca Group over its acquisition of a network of 12 media companies on the island, with questions raised over the legality of the transactions and the processes by which licences were granted.

China and Russia have reaffirmed their deepening ties during a high-level visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Moscow, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

During a three-day visit to Russia, which began on 1 April, Wang Yi met with senior Russian officials and declared China and Russia are “friends forever, never enemies”.

Sources from both the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) government and the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels have stated that the two are aiming to hold direct talks for the first time on 9 April. 

The meeting in Doha would be the first direct negotiations since M23 rebels seized eastern Congo’s two largest cities.

Pro-Sri Lankan government paramilitary leaders Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, also known as Karuna Amman, and Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan laso known as Pillayan, have formally reunited after 21 years, signing a memorandum of understanding in Batticaloa on 22 March 2025 to work together under a new political alliance.

The move saw the formation of the Eastern Tamil Alliance.  

Fifteen Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers, including at least one United Nations employee, were killed by Israeli forces “one by one” and buried in a mass grave eight days ago in southern Gaza, the UN has said.

The Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, visited Colombo from 19 to 21 March 2025, reinforcing the growing military relationship between the United States and Sri Lanka. 

Tamil diaspora groups and international human rights organisations have welcomed the United Kingdom’s decision to impose targeted sanctions on four individuals implicated in grave human rights violations during Sri Lanka’s armed conflict.

Eid al-Fitr was marked in Tamil Eelam this week, as Muslims in the Tamil homeland joined those around the world to celebrate the festival.

See footage from across the North-East below.

Mannar