SHORTTAKES

Disi Ru Perahera in Kandy

Disi Ru Perahera, an exhibition of Buddhist paintings - past and present is on at Queens Hotel, Kandy. The exhibition will be held until August 17 between 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Admission is free.

First Randoli Perahera today

Asela Kuruluwansha

The first Randoli Perahera in Kandy will parade the streets today after leaving the Dalada Maligawa facing the Eastern direction at the auspicious time of 8.02 p.m. The Perahera will parade Dalada Veediya, D.S. Senanayake Street, Temple Road and will turn from Devala Street to parade along St. Benett Soyza Street and E.L. Senanayake Street to reach Kings Street and return to the Dalada Maligawa.

Large crowds are expected in Kandy with the commencement of the Randoli Perahera.

Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela Bandara has made arrangements to conduct all five Randoli Peraheras with pomp and pageantry. The number of elephants in the Perahera have also been increased.

Central Province DIG Pujith Jayasundara said steps have been taken to strengthen security in Kandy until August 16.

UN seeks Georgia ceasefire

The UN Security Council was set for more talks yesterday on a ceasefire call in Georgia after the United States and Russia traded barbs in a contentious exchange reminiscent of the Cold War.

US ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad accused Russia of seeking "regime change" in Georgia, drawing a sharp dismissal from Russia's ambassador Vitaly Churkin who pointed to US actions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The terse words between the US and Russian envoys came during the Security Council's fourth meeting in three days to review prospects for a truce in the conflict that has spread to Abkhazia, another Moscow-backed rebel enclave of Georgia.

Russia sent its tanks and troops to pro-Moscow South Ossetia on Friday in response to pro-Western Georgia's military offensive to take back the province, which broke away in the early 1990s after a separatist war.