All photos: Tamil Guardian

US Tamils gathered in New York City and San Francisco on Friday, to commemorate Maaveerar Naal.

Tamils from New York, New Jersey and surrounding states gathered at Glen Oaks school in Queens to mark the annual Tamil remembrance day.

Britain announced that it will provide £6.6 million over 3 years to Sri Lanka in order to support “military reform, displaced persons and reconciliation” on the island and deliver on committments set out in a UN Human Rights Council resolution.

The announcement was made as British Prime Minister David Cameron met with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Malta on Friday.

A press release from 10 Downing Street said the funding would “help to deliver the commitments set out in the historic UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution that was adopted in October including demilitarisation and land returns”.

“The UK is clear that credible investigations into alleged war crimes during Sri Lanka’s civil war are vital,” added the press release. “We are already playing a key role in encouraging progress on this, including through the UNHRC resolution which set Sri Lanka on a new path towards reconciliation and a more prosperous and inclusive future.”

“Britain is committed to standing up for those affected by Sri Lanka’s civil war”, said Mr Cameron. “This £6.6 million funding is part of a long-term UK commitment to supporting stability and prosperity in Sri Lanka.”

A Sri Lankan government minister told parliament on Friday that President Maithripala Sirisena is to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Tourism and Christian Affairs Minister John Amaratunga said that Mr Sirisena’s nomination was being discussed by several countries, as he told MPs “we can all go and witness President Sirisena accepting the Nobel Peace Prize if we work together for the betterment of the country”.

Mr Sirisena, who was elected as Sri Lanka’s president in January, is the former secretary general of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, who was also sworn in as the acting defence minister in May 2009 as Sri Lankan troops carried out their final assault during the armed conflict.

The best way the Sri Lankan government can pay tribute to the Tamil youth that took his own life calling for the release of political prisoners would be to respect his genuine feelings, the Chief Minister of the Northern Province has said.

Singapore’s prime minister Lee Hsien Loong presented India’s prime minister Narendra Modi a copy of the Tamil Murasu, which first reported on India’s recognition of Singapore as an independent country in 1965.