Sri Lanka News | Online edition of Daily News

The ‘Nidahasa Suba Sanskruthika Pera Dekma’ exhibition, organized in connection with the beginning of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s second term in office, was opened by Prime Minister D M Jayaratne at Independence Square yesterday. Here the Premier and Mass Media and Communications Minister Keheliya Rambukwella enjoying an indigenous drink at one of the exhibition stalls. Picture by Dushmanth Mayadunna

An all night Pirith Ceremony was held yesterday night at the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL) premises and an alms giving to the Maha Sangha would be held today to invoke blessings on President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the occasion of his birthday and the inauguration of the President’s second term in office. Here ANCL Chairman Bandula Padmakumara, MPs Malini Fonseka and Thilanga Sumathipala participating at the Pirith Ceremony. ANCL Director Editorial Seelarathna Senarath, Director Legal Rasanga Harischandra, General Manager Abhaya Amaradasa, along with ANCL staff and other invitees too participated. Picture by Thushara Fernando

People’s Bank walk

A Walk organized by the Gampaha People’s Bank Regional Office to promote the new Ashcharya Ithurum Patha which was introduced to mark the swearing- in for the second term by President Mahinda Rajapaksa will be held at Yakkala Chandrajothi Vidyalaya grounds on Saturday at 8.30 a.m.

Gampaha People’s Bank Regional Manager T D de Z Gunawardana and all People’s Bank Branch Officers will participate.

Fireworks factory gutted

A fireworks factory at Dombawela Matale was completely gutted by fire yesterday morning. An employee attached to the factory, died of burns. He was identified as H P Ariyaratne. The Mahawela police are investigating.

E-law released

Electronic publication on Laws and Law Reports, the advance and updated version of the E-Law was released at a ceremony held at the Chief Justice chambers recently. Chief Justice Asoka de Silva was the Chief Guest, Justice Kulathilaka, Colombo High Court Judge Deeplai Wijesundera, Justice and Reforms Ministry Secretary Suhada Gamlath also participated. E-Law was funded by Equal Access to Justice project under UNDP.

Receives award

Research fellow at the Institute for Research and Development Dr Chesmal Siriwardhana has received the prestigious Professor Robin Murray MSc Award from the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, UK. Dr Chesmal Siriwardhana is the first recipient of this Award for best MSc dissertation.

The title of his thesis was ‘Associations between exposure to conflict, tsunami and mental disorders and school absenteeism among Sri Lankan children’.

Amila Abeynayaka receives award

Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) researcher, Amila Abeynayaka was awarded for “Asian Young Professional on Water Research” at the Eighth International Symposium on Southeast Asian Water Environment held on October 24-26 at Phuket in Thailand.

Live demonstrations of this project have been organized at various places with water from the Chao Praya River and other sources being tested with satisfactory conclusions. Results have shown that the hand operated system satisfies the chemical, physical and most of the biological water quality parameters of drinking water.

These results also formed part of a research paper jointly presented by Amila Abeynayaka, Thury Nguyen, Prof. Chettiyappan Visvanathan and Prapan Ariyamethee at the same conference at Phuket. The need for such a system is most felt in disaster situations.

Pinkama to bless President

A series of pinkam to invoke blessings on President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the occasion of his second term assumption of office will be held at the Seeduwa Raddoluwa Abhinavarama Viharaya on November 18 at 6 pm. Under the patronage of Viharadhipathi Ven Raddoluwe Amarawansa Nayake Thera and Seeduwe Sumanawansa Thera.

The pinkam have been organised by Parliamentarian Dr Sudarshani Fernandopulle, Vihara Dayaka Sabha, Daham Pasala, YMBA and Katana Pradeshiya Sabha Member Kamal Rohitha Perera.

A highlight will be a Jaya Pirith chanting by 100 bhikkhus to invoke blessings on the President.

NCP budget passed

The North Central Provincial Councils annual budget for 2011 was passed with a majority of 11 votes at the council meeting.

Two members including the SLMC member voted in favour while nine members voted against it.

Special Bodhi Puja

Labour Relations and Productivity Promotion Minister Gamini Lokuge has organized a special Bodhi Puja today at 5pm at the

This ceremony will be held under the patronage of Bellanwila Rajamaha Viharaya Chief Incumbent Prof Ven Bellanwila Wimalarathana Thera.

Suspended RI for driver

An accused lorry driver in a Moratuwa fatal accident case was sentenced to two year rigorous imprisonment suspended for ten years by Panadura Provincial High Court Judge Malanee Gunaratne. The Judge also fined the accused Rs 10,000 and ordered Rs 500,000 to be paid to the bereaved families. The lorry driver pleaded guilty to three indictments.

The attorney general had indicted the lorry driver with negligently and recklessly driving a lorry along the Panadura-Moratuwa Galle Road and for causing the death of Duwabalage Gunadasa, Pathiranalage Janaka Sampath and Geetha Kanthi Galappaththi.

COSLAM lecture

The Conference of Sri Lankan Malays (COSLAM) will hold its monthly Islamic lecture series 'In The Shade of the Holy Qur'an' at the YMMA Conference auditorium, Sri Vajiragnana Road, Dematagoda, Colombo 9 at 10.00 am today.

Concert

The 20th Annual Concert of Kingston College International (Mutwal Branch) Primary Section will be held on Friday, November 19 at Maradana, Elphinstone Hall, presided by College Chairman Dr J Kumaraverl.

Exhibition

An exhibition to promote the conservation of the western purple-faced langur will be held at the Sri Susuriwardhanarama Temple, Kahahena, Waga on November 20 from 9.30 am to 6.00 pm. It will include artwork, essays, cartoons and poems produced by children of nearby schools to express their concerns about a highly endangered monkey.

Winners of the children's competitions held during the past several months will be awarded prizes during the day's proceedings.