As the 43rd annual Chennai Book Fair got underway this month, vendors reported that books related to the LTTE and Eelam Tamils were still in high demand, despite opposition from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

A number of books emblazoned with the image of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran were evident throughout a number of stalls, whilst vendors continued to have books on the genocide in Sri Lanka and the Tamil Eelam struggle. 

Sri Lanka’s defence secretary called on the British government to share military intelligence and technology to combat “terrorism”, as he slammed the Tamil diaspora in a meeting with Britain’s High Commissioner on Tuesday.

The Sri Lankan military declared it was launching a search operation in Jaffna this morning, stating it was seeking to arrest a group of “young suspects” in Point Pedro following an alleged clash with soldiers.

British Tamil rapper and activist M.I.A received an MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for services to music from Prince William at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, and highlighted how her mother who fled Sri Lanka as a refugee helped stitch the very medal she received.

Tamils in Eelam and around the world celebrated the festival of Thai Pongal on Wednesday.

A Chinese woman who came forward as a victim of gang rape that was reportedly led by a Sri Lankan Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) politician is still awaiting justice, more than 10 months after the assault.

Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised the contribution made by British Tamils to life in the UK, stating that their “fantastic contribution makes a real difference” in a Thai Pongal message released this morning.  

The leader of the UK Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn thanked the British Tamil community and commemorated “sacrifices made by the Tamil people for their human rights, for peace and for justice in Sri Lanka” in a message to mark Thai Pongal this morning.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Tamil community in the UK for the many important contributions it’s made and continues to make all over the country,” said the video messaged released by the Labour leader.

The United National Party (UNP) has suspended the membership of parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake for statements “made against Buddhism and Buddhist monks,” reportedly on the orders of former Prime Minister and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The General Secretary of the UNP, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam told reporters that the party would inquire into Ramanayake’s time as State Ministers during which he reportedly publicised “critical videos of Buddhist monks”. 

The US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs met with Sri Lanka’s president Gotabaya Rajapaksa and prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo earlier today and pledged stronger ties between the two governments, despite the Sri Lankan leaders being accused of overseeing war crimes.

China’s foreign minister said Beijing “will not allow any outside influences to interfere with matters that are essentially internal concerns of Sri Lanka,” after meeting with Sri Lanka’s president in Colombo earlier today.

Sri Lanka’s prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is set to visit India next month, after foreign minister Dinesh Gunawardena visited Delhi and held talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar on the relationship between the two governments.

A Sri Lankan navy pick-up truck collided with another vehicle on the A9 highway near Panikankulam on Sunday night leaving a victim in a serious condition at Maankulam Hospital. 

Sri Lankan counter terrorism officers arrested two Tamil men yesterday in Udaiyarkaddu, Mullaitivu, accusing them of having links to a former LTTE cadre who they claimed to have found in the possession of explosives.

The officers from Puthukkudiyiruppu Police Station in Mullaitivu were reportedly instructed to arrest the two men by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID).

Sri Lankan police are reportedly carrying out further investigations.