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:

The president of Sri Lanka released a Thai Pongal message to "Hindus" in Sri Lanka and across the globe declaring it a “special religious” festival exclusively for “Hindu devotees”.

_{MP Francesco Sorbara, MP Majid Jowhari and MP Gary Anandasangaree celebrate Thai Pongal at the Richmond Hill Hindu Temple}

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”.

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.

Meeting with British Tamils, the BBC provided special coverage of the ancient Tamil harvest festival, Thai Pongal.

Across the UK, British ministers and politicians met with their Tamil constituents to celebrate the Tamil harvest festival, Thai Pongal.

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.

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 Daily Mirror that a “priority list of drugs” had already been drawn up that needed to be imported “with immediate effect” and called for letters of credit to be opened for drug purchases.

The UK Prime Minister released a video message to mark Thai Pongal this morning, stating it was an opportunity to “celebrate our fantastic Tamil community”.

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. 

Across the world, foreign embassies and world leaders have offered messages celebrating the Tamil harvest festival, Thai Pongal.

????? ??????! ???????????? ???? ?????? ????????????????!#HappyPongal #ThaiPongal #HarvestFestival pic.twitter.com/7uHTVtUQtl

— Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka (@ChinaEmbSL) January 14, 2022

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.

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”.