In brief

Petrol prices reduced in Jaffna

The prices of petrol, diesel and kerosene was reduced with immediate effect in Jaffna, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation said yesterday.

Accordingly, LP 90 Octane petrol previously sold at Rs.140.50 per litre will be sold at Rs.134.00 and auto diesel previously sold at Rs.91.60 a litre will now be sold at Rs.76.50 while the price pf a litre of kerosene oil was reduced to Rs.59.60 to Rs.54.00, the Corporation press release said.

Clean up for Kandy Esala perahera

A program to protect the environment titled 'Environment is sacred' will be conducted in Kandy with the participation of the public, concurrent to the Kandy Esala Perahera held from July 27 to August 6.

The program conducted by the Provincial Agriculture, Agrarian Services and Environment Ministry will clean all public office complexes and compounds by the respective staff on a shramadana basis.

Employees will devote at least three hours per day on two days including on July 24 for the shramadana campaign.

Such campaigns would also be conducted on a regional level centered round places of religious worship and other places where the public gather.

Beddagana crematorium malfunctioning

Lakshmi DE SILVA

The Beddagana crematorium under the control of the Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte Municipal Council (SJKMC) was not functioning regularly for the last five years and the rate payers had to undergo severe difficulties when deaths occurred, ratepayers complained to the Daily News.

They said for nearly five years the crematorium was malfunctioning and the residents had to carry the corpses either to Nawala, Udahamulla or Kohuwala crematoriums by passing the one at Beddagana after paying rates and taxes.

When asked to comment an official from the Kotte MC said the crematorium at Beddagana was not functioning and Municipal Council had called for tenders to build a new system.

Fire destroys Knuckles eastern slope

Asela KURULUWANSA and Hasalaka group corr.

A forest fire has destroyed a large section of the eastern slopes of the Knuckles range.

The fire which erupted on Monday has not been fully brought under control and forest officials were battling to douse it up to yesterday afternoon.

Range officer B. K. B. Wattegama said that two teams have been deployed to bring the fire under control and the damage caused to valuable flora has not been estimated yet.

7,000 more recruits to Youth Corps

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

The Youth Affairs Ministry had taken steps to recruit 7,000 youths into the second batch for this year's Youth Corps, Ministry officials said. They have started to recruit youths from July 15 to 23 at 36 centres islandwide.

The main objectives of this program are to provide English language skills, computer education and also a good knowledge on social science, national heritage, guidance for employment, arts, entrepreneurship training, leadership skills.

Youth Corps will be equipped to seek job opportunities after the training. Nearly 2,000 students, those who completed their training under 2009 first batch obtained employment in the private sector, ministry officials said.

New Zealand moves closer to Australia

A massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake last week has moved the south of New Zealand closer to Australia, scientists said Wednesday. With the countries separated by the 2,250-kilometre-wide (1,400-mile-wide) Tasman Sea, the 30 centimetre (12 inch) closing of the gap in New Zealand’s southwest won’t make much difference.

GNS Science said the shift illustrated the huge force of the tremor, the biggest in the world so far this year. “Basically, New Zealand just got a little bit bigger is another way to think about it,” he told AFP. While the southwest of the South Island moved about 30 centimetres closer to Australia, the east coast of the island moved only one centimetre westwards, he said. AFP

A handout picture released from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) on July 22, shows a total solar eclipse, obseved at Iwojima island, southern Tokyo. The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century cast a shadow over much of Asia, plunging hundreds of millions into darkness across the giant land masses of India and China. AFP