Colombo- The ruling party was poised to win elections in two of Sri Lanka's nine provinces Saturday in what was widely seen as a prelude to snap parliamentary polls this year.

The voting to select members of provincial councils was being held in the Central and North-Western provinces, where more than 3.4 million voters were registered to vote.

The ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has campaigned heavily on the government's military achievements in its ongoing offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam.

Colombo, Feb 14, : Sri Lankan Government has appointed the founder of IT major Infosys, Narayana Murthy, as the international advisor to President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona described this step as a bid to increase investments into the Information Technology sector in Sri Lanka.

"N. R. Narayana Murthy was appointed as the international adviser to the Sri Lankan President and he has accepted it," he said.

Colombo  - The ruling party was poised to win elections being held Saturday in two of Sri Lanka's nine provinces in what was widely seen as a prelude to snap parliamentary polls this year.

The voting to select members of provincial councils was being held in the Central and North-Western provinces, where more than 3.4 million voters were registered to vote.

Colombo- Hundreds of civilians fleeing the fighting between Tamil separatist rebels and the government attempted to enter government-controlled areas in northern Sri Lanka but were driven by guerillas back into rebel-held territory, military officials said Wednesday.

Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said civilians who were heading toward the military's forward defence lines were beaten by the rebels and sent deeper into rebel-held areas.

Colombo, Feb. 11 : Sri Lanka's cricket captain Mahela Jayawardene resigned from the post on Wednesday.

The Sri Lanka Cricket Board sources said Jayawardene decided to quit the captaincy from both forms of cricket after the Test series against Pakistan.

Sri Lanka was handed a 4-1 drubbing by India in the recently concluded One-day series during which Jayawardene's lacklusture performance was criticised by top cricket officials, The Colombo Times reports.

Colombo- At least 17 people were killed and 69 wounded Tuesday when Tamil rebels fired at a group of civilians fleeing the shrinking area still under rebel control in northern Sri Lanka, the military said.

The civilians were trying to cross the battle lines in the area of Pudukudirippu, 385 kilometres north-east of Colombo, when they were fired upon, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.

He said they were among a group of 970 civilians who were entering the government-controlled area.