AS UN SECURITY COUNCIL HEARS OF SRI LANKA REPORT, RUSSIA OBJECTS

UNITED NATIONS, April 19 -- Sri Lanka and the UN Panel of Experts’ report were listed in advance as topics of the Security Council briefing on the afternoon of April 18 by UN Department of Political Affairs chief Lynn Pascoe.

The issues had been so listed even before the leak, presumptively by the government of Mahinda Rajapaksa, of a summary of the report to a local newspaper, reports Matthew Russell Lee for the Inner City Press.

But after the leak, that was the main topic inside the Council, multiple sources told Inner City Press afterwards. It was said, inside the Council, that the government was the likely leaker. But a range of Council members said it made no sense to have a discussion of a partial leak rather than the whole report.

Just as Russia opposed any Council discussion of Sri Lanka during the final, bloody stages of the conflict in 2009, on April 18, 2011 in the Council Russia raised a number of “procedural” objections, sources told Inner City Press afterward.

It should be noted that in the cases of Ivory Coast, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon took action, even military action, over Russian objections. Now, Ban is on his way to Russia, seemingly to try to smooth that over and seek to protect his chances at a second term as Secretary General, which Russia could veto.

Will meaningful action on the UN Panel of Experts report on Sri Lanka be sacrificed to Ban’s drive for a second term? Questions the Inner City Press.

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STUDENTS SURROUND ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING AT J’PURA

A tense situation has broken out at the Jayawardenapura University after a group of students surrounded an administrative building. The students have reportedly surrounded Vice Chancellor N.L.A. Karunaratna ’ s office building following an announcement that he will not be issuing Mahapola scholarships.

PayPal wants report from Sri Lanka: Sampath, three other banks to introduce service

Though the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) was first to introduce PayPal to Sri Lanka through the Sampath Bank, it is revealed that three other banks too have been now earmarked by the CBSL. A senior official from the CBSL told AdaderanaBiz, “We were to first introduce PayPal through the Sampath Bank. However, we now plan to introduce this service to the country through four banks. We also plan to gradually involve the rest of the banks in the country.” While the CBSL is discussing with the PayPal branch in India to introduce the service to Sri Lanka, PayPal’s Indian arm has reportedly requested a report on Sri Lanka’s exports. The senior CBSL official told AdaderanaBiz that they would be submitting such a report and hence the introduction of PayPal to Sri Lanka would face a slight delay. Though cash cannot be remitted to Sri Lanka through the world renowned PayPal money transfer service sending money from Sri Lanka is possible even now.

Sexy reality star arrested for ‘filming sex tape with businessman and blackmailing him

A REALITY star is accused of making a sex tape with a wealthy businessman and trying to blackmail him with it. Serbian TV personality Anabela Scekic, 39, has been held for blackmail after allegedly filming a sex session with a 34-year-old named only as N.N. Scekic, also nicknamed Tigrica (tigress), was arrested along with 23-year-old Tijana S. and 41-year-old Radovan L. The two women were accused of demanding €20,000 (£17,770) from the Belgrade businessman as Radovan L. allegedly masterminded the operation. A police source said they threatened to post the videos online if he didn’t hand over the money. They added: “N.N. accepted their request but said he would give them the money in four instalments.

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