Quick Look

Receives PhD

Dhanushka Bollegala received his PhD in Information Science from the University of Tokyo, Japan last week.

Dr. Bollegala’s area of research includes Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Processing and Web Data Mining. He has published his work in major conferences in those fields such as the International World Wide Web conference (WWW), annual meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics (ACL) and European Conference on Artificial intelligence (ECAI). He is a research fellow of the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). His PhD was the first ever early graduation by a full time student at the graduate school of Information Sciences and Technology, at the University of Tokyo.

Dr. Bollegala is a former student of Nalanda College, Colombo and was awarded the Japanese Government (MONBUSHO) scholarship after being placed third in Sri Lanka at GCE Advanced Level Examination (1988) Physical Science stream.

Delegation to Geneva

A high powered official delegation led by Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Keheliya Rambukwella will leave for Geneva today to educate the international community on Sri Lanka’s policy towards Sri Lanka’s migrant workers. The Minister is due to present an initial report on Sri Lankan migrant workers to the ILO sessions on October 12.

The Minister has also been slotted for a two hour lecture on the subject at the sessions on October 12. On October 13 the Minister will field questions raised by foreign delegates and the media on the subject, the Ministry release said.

Bus collision: 16 injured

Elahera group corr.

Sixteen persons including five students were injured and admitted to Polonnaruwa Bakamuna and Aththanakadawala hospitals when a CTB bus from Vijayapura and a private bus from Bakamuna to Kaduruwela collided at Tract 4, Aththanakadawala around 8 a.m. yesterday, Bakamuna Police said.

Commemorative Pinkama

A commemorative Pinkama to mark the first death anniversary of Udahewaheta and Walapane Chief Sanghanayaka and incumbent of Madanwala Raja Maha Vihara of Hanguranketha Ven. Ambaliyadde Sri Sumanasara Somanandabhidhana Nayaka Thera will be held on October 13 at the Madanwala Raja Maha Vihara, Hanguranketha.

Dhamma preachings and Atavisi Buddha Pooja will be held from October 13 to 16 and a Sanghika dana to 350 bhikkhus will be held on October 17.

Deepawali festival at Maskeliya

Maskeliya group corr.

The Central Provincial Education, Ministry Hindu Culture and Small Industrial Development Minister and Ambegamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha will celebrate a Deepawali Day Festival on October 24 at the Maskeliya Public Playground.

Central Provincial Education Minister V. Radhakrishnan attended a Meeting of Residents, Traders, Teachers and Principals, held at P.M.D. Hall at Maskeliya to discuss programs for the Festival.

It was decided to have a day full of programs from morning to night. It includes Cycle Race, Marathon Race, Grease Tree Climbing, Pillow Fight and small items for school and area children.

Three remanded

NCP Correspondent

Three of the five suspects remanded in connection with the alleged attempted murder of a co-ordinating officer attached to the Petroleum Resources Minister Duminda Dissanayake and causing damage to an SLPA vehicle were released on Rs. 50,000 cash and Rs. 100,000 personal bail each and the other two redemanded till October 22 by Tambuttegama Magistrate Prasanna Alwis on a High Court bail order.

The suspects released on bail were B.A.S. Jayatillake, Anuruddha Ratnayake and P. Chaminda Ruwan.

Kuruwita town to be developed

Disna Mudalige

Kuruwita town in the Ratnapura District will be developed as a city with adequate provisions for Sri Pada devotees and tourists by using funds of Rs. 150 million from the Urban Development Ministry, said Power and Energy Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne.

Sri Pada devotees have been facing difficulties due to the lack of basic facilities in the Kuruwita city which they pass on their pilgrimage.

The new shopping complex constructed by the Urban Development Ministry under the project spending Rs. 40 million was opened recently.

Seminar

The National Institute Education Commerce Department will hold a seminar on Electronic Documents for teachers and inservice advisers at the NIE auditorium on October 14 and 15 from 8.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.

Certificates for Diploma holders

A ceremony to award certificates to Diploma holders who followed the photography course in 2008 conducted by the Kelaniya University will be held today at 4 pm at the Public Library auditorium, Colombo.

Kelaniya University Vice Chancellor Prof. Sarath Amunugama will be the chief guest.

An exhibition of photographs will also be held at the same venue until Monday.

Workshop

A workshop on Indigenous Management Practices; A challenge for Western Management Philosophy, organised by Faculty of Management Studies, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka for its MBA students will be held tomorrow at the Kaludiya Pokuna site, Mihintale. Former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva will be the chief guest.

Prof. Sudatta Ranasinghe, Prof. Sumanapala Galmangoda, Prof. W. M. Jayarathne and T. B. Andarawewa will take part in the workshop.

The 961st People’s Bank branch was opened at Hungama, Ambalantota recently by Export Development and International Trade Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris and Inland Revenue Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya. Here Prof. Peiris handing over a cheque to a farmer. Water Supply and Drainage Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, People’s Bank Chairman W. Karunajeewa and Hungama Branch Manager Gunadasa Samaraweera were also present.

Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa MP opened a building complex constructed at a cost of Rs. 11 million contributed by the People’s Leasing Company for Telijjawala Mahajana Pola Akuressa in Matara recently. Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma, Former Southern Province Chief Minister H. G. Sirisena, People’s Bank and People’s Leasing Company Chairman W. Karunajeewa, Chief Executive Officer D. P. Kumarage and Sanasa Bank Chairman P. A. Kiriwandeniya participated.

The fishermen in Silavathura, for the first time after 19 years, yesterday launched their fishing boats into the sea to engage in fishing activities in a free environment. Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa MP participated at this function to launch the fishing boats of these fishermen in Silavathura giving them a new lease of life in a terror-free environment. Picture by Ranjith Jayaweera