Tamil farmers rallied through Batticaloa today on Patti Pongal to highlight their ongoing plight as illegal Sinhala settlers continue to destroy their livestock and grab their lands. 

Patti Pongal, also known as Maatu Pongal, is a festival celebrated by Tamils to give thanks to cattle for allowing farmers to cultivate and harvest their crops. Cows are often bathed and adorned with flower garlands and bells. 

Today marks 31 years since the death of Sathasivam Krishnakumar alias Colonel Kittu, and nine other LTTE cadres, who committed suicide after being surrounded by Indian navy warships in 1993.

Watch live as as hundreds of British Tamils are joined by politicians and other members of the public to celebrate to celebrate Thai Pongal, the secular Tamil festival that gives thanks to the sun and for the harvest and to mark Tamil Heritage Month.

British Conservative MPs joined the UK Prime Minister in sending their Thai Pongal wishes to the Tamil community in the UK. 

In his Thai Pongal message, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sent a "huge thank you" and stated that the community has made an "amazing contribution" to the country.

^{Image courtesy of Lankanewsweb}

A Sri Lankan police officer from Mannar, stationed at the Kopay Police Station, was arrested in Trincomalee in possession of 50 grams of methamphetamine, commonly known as the drug "ice."

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sent a "huge thank you" to British Tamils in a message released to mark Thai Pongal today, stating the community has made an "amazing contribution" to the country.

Marking Thai Pongal, Britain's Leader of the Opposition, alongside numerous other MPs have issued statements celebrating the contribution of British Tamils to life in the UK and reaffirming their commitment to supporting Tamils in their struggle for self-determination, truth, justice and accountability.

His full statement is reproduced below:

To mark Thai Pongal, the Tamil harvest festival, British Labour MPs have issued statements expressing gratitude for the contribution of British Tamils to the UK and renewing their commitment to justice and accountability in Sri Lanka.

In his statement, Kier Starmer, leader of the Labour Party noted that:

Thai Pongal, the secular Tamil festival that gives thanks to the sun and for the harvest, is being celebrated across the North-East today. 

The 18-year-old football player has just penned a two-and-a-half-year contract at Barnsley, making him English football's first ever Tamil professional player. Yoganathan spoke with the Tamil Guardian about the journey so far.

From a small village in North Wales, Vimal has navigated the youth systems up through the academy level and has become the first Tamil footballer to play professionally in English football. He is ecstatic 

“It’s a big day for me and my family, a culmination of all the hard work that has been put in over the last 10 years… It’s just the start of a long career to come and I am proud of this moment”

 A four-year-old playing indoor football at Holywell Leisure Centre to playing at academies at Prestatyn and Liverpool, to now signing his first professional contract at Barnsley, Vimal spoke about the support he has received from his parents. 

“They have been amazing, for the last 10 to 11 years they have had to drive me to training and training centres and have always tried to attend my games”