In brief

The Most Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter visited the Menik farm IDP welfare village in Vavuniya on an inspection tour. He also distributed food items and drugs among the inmates there during the tour. Here the Prelate is seen handing over a gift pack to a child in the presence of Northern Province Governor Dixon Dale Bandara and NCP Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake. Picture by Nimal Wijesinghe, Anuradhapura Additional District Group Corr.

The Sri Lanka Association in Sweden donated Rs. 297,000 for the purchase of essential items to be distributed to Internally Displaced Persons temporarally accommodated in welfare centres in the North. This donation was channelled through the Prime Minister’s Office. It was used to buy garments for both male and female IDPs. On Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka’s directions the donated items will be taken to Vavuniya by Western Provincial Member Vidura Wickramanayaka to be distributed to IDPs in the Kadirgamar camp. Here the Prime Minister handing over the donation to Vidura Wickramanayaka.

Another two cases of Novel Influenza

Shirley WIJESINGHE

Health authorities said they had detected another two cases of Novel Influenza (Swine Flue) yesterday afternoon.

The latest victims are a male and a female, both Sri Lankans, reportedly arrived on a flight from Australia.

Health Ministry Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Peiris said the two victims had been referred to the Angoda Fever Hospital after identifying the symptoms of (A)H1N1.

According to sources, the health authorities have detected nine Novel Influenza cases in the country upto date, and all were travellers from foreign countries.

Fallow land to be cultivated

The Agricultural Development and Agrarian Services Ministry will bring under cultivation all fallow and uncultivated lands in the country. An awareness program to educate the people on the need to cultivate these lands is being held at Agrarian Services Centres.

Those failing to cultivate these lands will be charged through the Agrarian Services Centres in the area, Agrarian Services Department Commissioner General Ravindra Hewawitharana said.

Sri Lanka to strengthen bilateral ties with Slovenia

The importance of bilateral interests as opposed to multilateral compulsions in shaping relations between two countries was underscored by Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama during his discussion yesterday with Miklavz Borstnik, Charge d' Affaires of Slovenia, who is on a two day visit to Sri Lanka coinciding with the National Day of Slovenia.

The Minister observed that strong bonds of friendship within the international community would be sustainable when derived from bilateral ties, a Ministry release said.

In this context he pointed out that Sri Lanka looked forward to further strengthening links between the two countries.

Minister Bogollagama said the Slovenian Charge d'Affaires was visiting Sri Lanka for the first time, when the country is at an important stage in its contemporary history having defeated terrorism, and in pursuit of reconstruction, rehabilitation and reconciliation.

Chinese language teaching centre

A chinese langauge teaching centre will be set up at the Lumbini Vidyalaya Colombo shortly.

The centre is organised by the Listners Association of China Radio International in Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Confusions Foreign Language Study Centre of China and China Radio International.

The centre will provide opportunities to study Chinese language and culture. Facilities will also be provided to study new computer technology, said a spokesman for the association.

Learning aid including a software solution to study Chinese land confusions langauge will be among other facilities offered.

Those interested should write to principal, Lumbini Vidyalaya CRI Confucius School, Lumbini Vidyalaya Colombo 5 or contact Nandasena Madawanarachchi on 0714907978 J.P. Amarajeewa on 2795791, Tilak Udumullage on 0776403686 or Madhushan Kularatne on 0714925151.

Water cut

Kelaniya, Peliyagoda, Hendala, Wattala, Mahara and Kiribathgoda will experience a 24-hour water cut on June 27 (Saturday) from 8.00 a.m.

Acting Minister

Enterprise Development Minister Mano Wijeyaratne has been appointed Acting Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Minister during the absence of Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa who is on an official visit in Singapore and Thailand.

FM condoles envoy’s death

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has praised the services of Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Riyadh, Abdul Ageed Mohamed Marleen, PC who passed away in Sana’a, while he was on an official visit to the Republic of Yemen to attend the IOR-ARC Ministerial Meeting.

In his condolence message, the Minister recalled the yeoman service the Ambassador had rendered to Sri Lanka, and to the Muslim community, in particular.

Kelaniya University weekend courses resume

All lectures of the weekend diploma courses and post-graduate degree courses at the Kelaniya University will resume from today (June 26).

Undergraduates should bring their identity cards issued by the University when attending lectures, a press release said.