A two-day strike by railway workers gets underway midnight today after talks between the Government and trade unions ended in a stalemate yesterday.�Last-minute efforts to avert a 48-hour railway strike from midnight today failed after the Government turned down the trade unions’ request for a written assurance at three hours of talks yesterday between Transport Ministry Additional Secretary Malkanthi Jayawardena and representatives of unions.

Ms. Jayawardena said the unions were told that Presidential Secre

Who would have thought it was possible for Sri Lanka to beat off the challenge from Canada within the Commonwealth? But they have. So the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting will be held in SL in November after all.  After the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting which was held last Thursday, there is no other meeting of the Commonwealth where there is the possibility of discussing the venue of CHOGM, so it’s now a certainty that this event will be held in Sri Lanka. This is undoubtedly a high point in Professor

The last hurdle in hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) meeting in Sri Lanka in November was cleared in London last week when the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group concluded its meeting. The Summit venue had been decided long ago and although some countries like Canada were anxious to shift elsewhere, partly due to electoral pressure mounted by sections of the Tamil diaspora whose concentration in certain areas permitted disproportionate influence, Sri Lanka assisted by her friends together with the efforts of the Col

Canada, it is reported, has joined the United States in calling for the removal of Richard Falk, a UN human rights rapporteur who opined that American policies were the impetus of the Boston Marathon bombings. Foreign Affairs Minister, John Baird officially called on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to remove Falk from his position, arguing ‘Falk’s consistently mean-spirited comments cast a dark shadow over the United Nations and what it can accomplish. Comments like these do a great disservice to the fundament

That the Mahinda Rajapaksa government’s glory days are fast coming to an end was evident by looking at the events that unfolded last week.

The Rajapaksa government was jubilant last week that Sri Lanka was not included in the agenda of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) meeting in London. Canada, after attempting to raise the issue of Sri Lanka during the discussion on other matters at the CMAG meeting, has announced that a high level delegation would not attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

The Ravana Balaya, a Buddhist organization blamed over some of the recent attacks on Muslim institutions, has lodged a complaint with the Buddhasasana Ministry claiming there is a conspiracy

The Ravana Balaya has given a letter to the Secretary of the Buddhasasana Ministry saying there is a conspiracy against Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

The organization urged the Ministry to take action against those conspiring against Buddhism and Buddhist monks.

The Human Rights Watch said Thursday that a senior Commonwealth advisory group should recommend the organisation shift the venue of its November 2013 Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) from Sri Lanka.

It should be done unless the Sri Lankan government makes prompt, measurable, and meaningful progress on human rights, the Human Rights Watch said Thursday.

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), a grouping of Commonwealth leaders that addresses "serious or persistent violations" of the Commonwealt

General Secretary of the Commonwealth Kamalesh Sharma has confirmed that there will be no change in the decision taken to hold the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka.
The BBC reported that the General Secretary made this statement at a media briefing held in his London office.
Meanwhile, the BBC reported of a protest that was held in front of the Commonwealth General Secretary office in London against the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting being held in Sri Lanka.

Minister of External Affairs Professor G.L.Peiris met with the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Kamalesh Sharma at Marlborough House in London on Friday.

A communique issued by the Ministry of External Affairs notes that the discussion was based on the arrangements that are underway for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be held in Sri Lanka later this year.

The communique adds that Minister G.L.Peiris had briefed the Secretary General of the Commonwealth regarding the government's plans for th

The 23rd Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference (CHOGM) would be held as planned in Sri Lanka, despite opposition from some member states, allied organisations and rights groups, chairman of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), Dr Dipu Moni  announced after a meeting of the CMAG in London on Friday.

BBC quoted Moni saying that the decision to hold the summit in Lanka was taken by the Heads of Government and that CMAG could not overturn it.