New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully is to discuss human rights concerns on Sri Lanka when he visits the country next week.

The Otaga Daily Times reported that in Sri Lanka, McCully will meet the ministers of External Affairs and Economic Development.

“This is a good opportunity to discuss Sri Lanka’s hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November, as well as prospects for our quarter-billion dollar dairy trade.”

The British government’s human rights record since the attacks of 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq is facing ferocious criticism from a United Nations panel, which warns that prompt action is needed to ensure the country meets its obligations under international law, the Guardian reports.
In a report published on Friday, the UN Committee against Torture recommends more than 40 separate measures which it says will need to be taken if the UK is to be given a clean bill of health.

While the committee has focused on the f

The international police INTERPOL has been asked to assist in the investigations into the Matale mass grave, the Matale Magistrate said today.

The Magistrate said this when the case into the mass grave found at Matale last year was taken up for hearing once again today.

The Magistrate said that INTERPOL assistance had been sought and once that is obtained then DNA tests will be carried out on the skeletal remains found at the grave site.

Tamil Nadu political parties CPI and MDMK today objected to a Sri Lankan naval ship being reportedly stationed near the contentious Katchatheevu, with MDMK chief Vaiko writing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard, the Economic Times reported.

Vaiko said following the end of the 45-day fishing ban period, Tamil Nadu fishermen who ventured out were “threatened” by the Sri Lankan navy who, he claimed, had stationed its ship in Katchatheevu.

The US government has not found any progress in Sri Lanka where the implementation of the resolution adopted at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in March.

The second US backed resolution on Sri Lanka that was adopted in March is to be subjected to an interim review during the September sessions in Geneva.

The US is currently engaged in monitoring the progress made by the government in implementing the UNHRC resolution.

Although the war ended in 2009, the petitioners have been prevented from returning to their land due to the military presence in the area.

A Sri Lankan Court has issued notice to the authorities asking why it should not grant relief to 2,000 Tamils in Jaffna over takeover of their land by the Army.

The Chairman of Sri Lanka Society for Medical Laboratory Science (SLSMLS) Ravi Kumudesh has stated that 600 paramedical officers are unemployed, who completed graduate programme introduced to state universities in made by the Ministry of Health in order to reach international standards of paramedical service.

He said that there is an attempt to recruit Graduate doctors into government service under the same salary scale of medical diploma holders as there is no proper procedure or interest regarding th

At the invitation extended by the Delegation for Relations with the Countries of South Asia (DSAS) of the European Parliament, a cross party delegation from Sri Lanka led by Chandima Weerakkody, MP, Deputy Speaker and comprising Muttu Sivalingam, Deputy Minister of Economic Development representing the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), Sudath Neranjan Wickremasinghe, MP, of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Eran Wickramaratne, MP, of the United National Party (UNP) and Sunil Handunneththi, MP, of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) visite

A Police Sergeant, attached to the Kebithigollewa Police Station, has been arrested by Bribery Commission officers on charges of soliciting a bribe of Rs 20,000.

The police officer in question had reportedly received the bribe in order to arrange bail for a suspect currently in remand custody.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption is conducting further investigations regarding the incident.

Four undergraduates of the Sabaragamuwa University who were engaged in a hunger strike have been admitted to the Balangoda Hospital this morning due to their deteriorating health condition, hospital sources said.

They started the fast three days ago to urge university authorities to withdraw their decision to cancel the studentship of five undergraduates.