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Ceremonies to mark President's eight years in office

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga will today mark eight years in office as Executive President of Sri Lanka. A series of ceremonies have been organised by the President's House to mark the event.

A special religious ceremony will be held this morning at the President's House with the participation of the maha sangha and other religious leaders. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and ministers together with foreign diplomats are invitees for today's function.

Local celebrations are scheduled for tomorrow.

Don't fear, no cyclone threat, says Met Dept

An intensified low pressure trough has developed over the Bay of Bengal but Meteorological Department officials yesterday ruled out cyclonic threat in the country.

"We might experience rains and cloudy skies throughout the day, today and tomorrow and heavy rains can be expected in the North Western province, as a result of this development," the officials said. They said: "We are in the intermonsoonal period now where cyclonic developments can be expected in the latitudes close to Sri Lanka in the Bengal Bay. But the latest development is not threatening to us."

By yesterday, the depression was about 350 kilometres north of Jaffna and was travelling towards the southern coast of India (Tamil Nadu and Andrapradesh). A cyclonic alert has been sounded in Andrapradesh and Tamil Nadu states where Met officials predict cyclonic winds might cross the coast between the two states.

The Tamil Nadu Government declared a school holiday yesterday and fishermen were cautioned not to venture out to sea. MF

Hakeem writes to PM

The Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Minister Rauff Hakeem has called for urgent and intense discussions with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on the LTTE's alleged move to set up police stations and expand their judicial administration to the Eastern province.

In a letter to the Premier, the Minister has expressed deep concern over handling law and order in the East and protecting judicial rights of Muslims there, given the present scenario in the province. Minister Hakeem will also write to LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in this regard.

SMS main cause of divorce in mobile-crazy India

NEW DELHI, Monday (AFP) A human rights group on Sunday launched a campaign here against Short Message Services, arguing SMS has become a root of divorces in India where mobile telephones are the latest craze.

Activists with the National Human Rights Council staged a demonstration and burned a cellular telephone in a unique protest against the pithy messages which are now crowding the Indian ether.

Please help her

Wathsala Basnayake, a 39 year old mother of two from Udugampola is suffering from a hole in the heart and Specialist Dr. K. Shivakumaran of the Apollo Hospital says that the operation will cost Rs. 350,000. Her husband who was in the police force is disabled.

Any contributions can be kindly made to Account Number: 00262071431961 C/o People's Bank, Gampaha branch or to Wathsala Basnayake, No. 5/A Wathumulla, Udugampola.

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