Health Ministry launches lightning dengue eradication program

UK tells Lanka to respect human rights

The British government says it continues to look to Sri Lanka to demonstrate its commitment to upholding the Commonwealth values of good governance and respect for human rights. Senior Minister of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government and Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, said that a decision has not been taken yet on Britain?s attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November. She said this in reply to a question posed on Sri La

13 Mar, 2013

Sri Lanka hopeful of Indian backing at UNHRC

Sri Lanka said it remained hopeful of India’s backing against a U.S. sponsored resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, the Xinhua Chinese news agency reported. Sri Lanka’s Foreign Secretary Karunatillaka Amunugama told Xinhua that India is likely to make its decision however at the very last minute when the final document is presented. “Of course we will remain hopeful that India will back us. Even we are waiting to see what their response is,” Amunugama said. India had

13 Mar, 2013

No new Pope after first ballot

The 115 voting cardinals will need at least one more day to decide the new leader of the Catholic Church. The conclave cast its first ballot for a pope Tuesday night and the smoke was black. Shortly after nightfall, the first signs of smoke filled the air above the Sistine Chapel. There was no doubt to the thousands who had gathered on St. Peter?s Square to stand vigil on a damp and rainy night that it was black smoke billowing from the chimney. A Vatican official quoted by one news service says

13 Mar, 2013