Members of the European Union have agreed to extend economic sanctions on Russia by 6 months, due to its actions in the conflict in Ukraine.
The sanctions, imposed in July 2014, will expire at the end of July this year, and are targeted at Russia's energy, defence and financial sectors.
Ambassadors from the 28 EU states also voted unanimously to extend a ban on investment in Crimea by one year. The peninsula was annexed by Russia in March 2014.
Read more here.
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.