Quick Look

SLIIT to hold exhibition

Shirley Wijesinghe

Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology(SLIIT) will hold an exhibition to celebrate a decade of excellence, themed 'Achievers 2009' from September 18 to 20 at Malabe Campus, Malabe.

The exhibition will have over 25 selected research demonstrations from students offering technological solutions to different aspects of problems of the IT industry and related disciplines.

A talent show and a musical program is also scheduled for each of the three days running from 10.00 a.m. till 9.00 p.m.

SLIIT is the largest degree awarding institute in the IT field and comes under the direct purview of the Science and Technology Ministry.

The Institute operates two campuses in Malabe and Kollupitiya and two centres in Kandy and Matara.

Assistance for Lankans in Italy to get visas

Dharma Sri Abeyratne and Jayasiri Munasinghe

Initiatives have been taken by the Italian Government to offer visas for 40,000 Sri Lankans who are presently in Italy without a valid visa.

Sri Lankans will receive this opportunity as a result of the recent visit of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to Italy. Prior to this Sri Lankans received visas in 2002.

SLFP members in Italy revealed that nearly 40,000 Sri Lankans living there since 2002 without visas will be given assistance to obtain visas.

This was revealed when SLFP party members from Milano and Rome called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees yesterday. President Mahinda Rajapaksa was appreciated and felicitated by the party representatives for eradicating LTTE terrorism which greatly affected the country for three decades.

At the discussion, the Treasurer of the SLFP branch in Milano, Lloyd Gunasekara told the President that the SLFP branch would take every possible step to facilitate and obtain visas for the Sri Lankans who are staying without visas.

The President praised the SLFP delegation for the major contributions made by Sri Lankans in Italy for the 'Api Wenuwen Api' Fund.

Second Plenary Session Catholic Bishops Conference

The Second Plenary Session for this year of the Catholic Bishops' Conference will take place at Lankarama, the Bishops' National Secretariat, which is at Balcombe Place, Borella from September 1-3.

The Bishops' Conference intends to review the present situation of the country and also to reflect in depth on what the Church can do to assist the work of national reconciliation, establishment of peace and plans for future development and progress.

While Most Rev. Dr. Vianney Fernando, the Bishop of Kandy is the President of the Conference, Most Rev. Bishop Norbert Andradi OMI, the Bishop of Anuradhapura, is the Secretary General.

Third term test through school committees

The Education Ministry has instructed officials to the hold third term test with a combination of few schools in a particular zone to be conducted by the Education Director.

Accordingly, these cluster of schools will have to organise and prepare test papers.

The Zonal Director of Education will be in charge of the setting up of these cluster of schools in the respective zone during August, a press release from Education Ministry stated.

Policeman, youth killed in accidents

Kapila Somaratne Panadura group correspondent

Two fatal accidents occurred in Panadura Police Division on Saturday Night killing a police constable of Horana Police and a 24 year youth.

Police constable Gamage Dimuthu Prasanna was killed on the Henagama-Bandaragama Road when his motor cycle crashed with a lorry. Bandaragama and Horana police are conducting investigations.

The lorry driver has been arrested. The youth P. Pathum Ranga was killed when the motor cycle in which he was riding skidded off the Horana Road in Eluwila Panadura and knocked against a concrete gate at a House at 11 p.m. on Saturday. Panadura police is conducting investigations.

J'pura University Arts Faculty lectures on September 7

The Registrar of Sri Jayawardenapura University has informed that lectures for second, third and fourth year students of the Arts Faculty 2008/2009 will commence on September 7 and not on August 31 (today).

Think twice before bathing from waterfalls

Navaratne Bandara - Mahaweli Systems Corr.

Bathing in waterfalls and streams originating from Sri Pada would be dangerous these days, warned Geological Survey authorities.

Heavy rain experienced in the region may trigger speedy currents in them which might take bathers unawares, the sources said. They urged those planning to have a bath in Alupola-ella, Bopath-ella, Dumpussella, Gerandi-ella, Laxapana and others have origins in the Sri Paada mountain to be careful.

Wrong call

A.A.L. Dias - Matale district group corr.

A girl who was convicted for allowing her mobile telephone to ring in the Court premises disturbing Court proceedings was fined Rs. 500 by Dambulla Magistrate Nimal Ranaweera. Dambulla Police prosecuted.