Markham City Council passed a motion to enter into a friendship agreement with Mullaitivu in late November. Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council C.V. Wigneswaran and Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti will sign the agreement on January 14th, 2017 at the Markham Civic Centre.

The City of Markham’s Culture and Economic Development Department will host a networking event prior to the signing ceremony with 80 to 100 Canadian Tamil business leaders – with a focus on how to do business in both Markham and Mullaitivu.

Tamil paramilitary leader Pillaiyan and a Sri Lankan army intelligence officer have been further remanded by a Sri Lankan court, over the 2005 murder of Tamil National Alliance MP Joseph Pararajasingham.

Pillaiyan, real name Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, was the former chief minister of the Eastern province and head of the government aligned TMVP paramilitary group. He was arrested over the murder of the parliamentarian in October last year.

Alongside an army intelligence officer, Pillaiyan and two other TMVP members have been further remanded until 11 January 2017.

Sri Lankan troops handed out dry rations and vegetables to the “needy people of Jaffna” in a military-run ceremony on Thursday.

The United National Party condemned remarks made by one of its MPs, the State Minister for Child Affairs , Vijayakala Maheswaran who praised the leadership of the LTTE head, V Prabhakaran, before reiterating the benefits of the 'good governance' government. 

“We condemn this statement,” UNP MP Hector Appuharmy told media on Thursday. 

“Ms Maheswaran may have come out with her own opinion but it is not the opinion of the rest of us in the party," he added. 

Sasikala Natarajan has been appointed as the general secretary of the AIADMK party today, following the death of the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalithaa earlier this month. 

Sasikala was previous known as a friend of the late chief minister, though she had no official role. 

She will officially take over on January 2. 

O Panneerselvam was appointed as chief minister of Tamil Nadu following Jayalalithaa's death on December 5. 

Fishermen of Thalvupada, Mannar, held a road-block protest against obstruction from the Sri Lankan Navy.

Tamils in Belgium marked Maaveerar Naal last month, with a ceremony held to remember fallen Tamil fighters.

Held at a festival hall in Antwerp, hundreds of people came together in commemoration of the lives lost.

See a selection of photographs and video from the event below.

Hundreds of Tamils gathered in Auckland last month at a ceremony held to remember fallen Tamil fighters.

Held at the Mt Roskill War Memorial Hall, hundreds of people came together to lay flowers and pay their respects to those who lost their lives in the Tamil liberation struggle.

See a selection of photographs from the event below.

Hundreds of Tamils in Scotland marked Maaveerar Naal last month, as part of commemorations held to remember those killed fighting for Tamil liberation.

Tamils in Helsinki observed Maaveerar Naal last month, as part of worldwide commemorations to remember fallen Tamil fighters.