Sri Lanka News | Online edition of Daily News

A sapling of the Jaya Sri Mahabodhi which will be in Buddhagaya in view of the 2600 Sambuddha Jayanthi was brought to the Sri Dalada Maligawa, Kandy on Thursday evening from Matale. Kandy District Secretary Gamini Seneviratne accepted the sapling. Picture by Gamini Ramanayake.

The US Government handed over flood relief to Sri Lanka yesterday. US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Patricia A Butenis handed over the relief to Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa at the Bandaranaike International Airport. Picture by Kumarasiri Prasad

The IMF Review Mission led by Dr Brian Aitken met Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Senior Minister of International Monetary Co-operation at the Treasury to discuss the progress made in the Sri Lanka economy and plans for the future, particularly in the light of recent natural calamities. Picture by S Weerasooriya

Minister Maithripala Sirisena offering an appointment letter to a nurse at a ceremony at the National Youth Centre, Maharagama. Deputy Director General Planning Dr Wimal Jayantha, Deputy Director General Training Dr H R U Indrasiri and Senior Assistant Secretary Somaratne Vidanapathirana also participated.

Villages in Ududumbara Hapugaskumbura say that a white sambur is roaming the Eastern slope of the Knuckles Range. This white sambur was caught on camera yesterday morning. Villagers say that the white sambur was visible in the Knuckles Range even earlier. Environmental organisations say that sighting of a white sambur is a rare occurance. Picture by Hasalaka Group – Pandula Godakumbura.

Bus kills kid

A seven-year-old girl was killed when she was knocked down by a private bus while she was crossing the road at Dahathara Kanda on the Habarana Anuradhapura road Tuesday night, the Habarana Police said.

The victim was identified as Chethana Wickramasinghe, a resident of the Maradankadawala area. The police arrested the bus driver and was produced in Court the following day

Elephants go wild

Wild elephants at Nildandahinna in the Nuwara Eliya district have completely destroyed 28 acres of paddy lands in the Agrarian Services area. Accordingly to the Agrarian Development Assistant Commissioner in Nuwara Eliya, the wild elephants have also destroyed various crops in about 15 acres in the villages.

Fire at Mayura Place

A fire engulfed several houses at Mayura Place, Havelock Town, Colombo last night.

A Fire Brigade spokesman said that several fire engines and firemen were deployed immediately.

They said that it was too early to find the cause of the fire and evaluate the damage.

The firemen were attempting to extinguish the fire when this edition went to press. (SKM and CP)

Islamic lecture

A lecture on The way of the Prophet organized by the Ihthihaad Ahlissunnathi Wal Jamaa-Athi will be delivered in English by Al Haj Moulavi MM Ahmedshah, on February 13 at 10 am at the Ladies Zavia, Kotelawala Avenue (Upatissa Road), Bambalapitiya, Colombo 04.

Dry rations distribution

Two hundred Sri Lankans living in City of Padua, Italy, collected Rs 350,000 worth of dry rations to be distributed among displaced persons in Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura.

The ceremony to distribute the dry rations will be held with the co-ordination of Ven Elle Gunawansa Thera at the Dharmayathanaya on February 14 at 9 am.

Ven Elle Gunawansa Thera, Prof Sunanda Mahendra, Edwin Ariyadasa, Army Commander Jagath Jayasuriya and SLBC announcer, Dhammika P Rathnayake will participate.

College of Chemical Sciences Convocation

Royal Society of Chemistry, UK (RSC) Science, Industry and Education Manager Dr Neville Reed will be the Chief Guest at the seventh convocation of the College of Chemical Sciences on February 24 at 8.45 am at Galadari Hotel. This is the educational arm of the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon.

Seventy five graduate chemists and 45 laboratory technologists produced by the College will receive awards and certificates at the convocation. Dr Reed will deliver the convocation address on 'How we promote chemistry to a public audience'.

Ananda- Nalanda get-together

Kalutara District Old Anandians and Old Nalandians annual get-together will be held today at Wadduwa Holiday Resort. The annual cricket match, elders and children's events and musical show will also be held. A lunch has been arranged by the organizing committee.

Theppan distribution

The distribution of several locally manufactured Theppam among fishermen in the Puttalam district will be held at the Sokkupam Vadiya Community hall, Kandakuliya fishermen's society hall, Kandakuliya Stephen Fishermen's Society hall and the Ichchankaduwa Fishery village on February 12.

Provincial Fisheries Minister Sanath Nishantha Perera will be the chief guest. The newly built Kurinnampitiya Fisheries jetty will also be opened the same day by the Provincial Minister at 3 pm.

Re-union of 1970 batch

The 40th Anniversary re-union of the 1970 batch of the Faculty of Medical, Dental and Veterinary Sciences of the Peradeniya University will be held on February 16 and 17 at the Faculty of Medicine, Peradeniya.

Get-together

The 20th anniversary get-together and a 'Peduru Party' organised by the Old Anandians Centenary group will be held at Lions Club Headquarters, Vidya Mawatha, Colombo 7 today at 7.30 pm.

AGM

The annual general meeting and get-together of Panadura Mithrodaya Society will be held at Panadura Kingro hotel tomorrow at 5.30 pm under the patronage of President Upali Jayawardene.

Suspects remanded

Four suspects taken into custody by the Police Special squad in connection with printing forged Rs 1,000 notes and produced before Colombo Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Rusmi Singappuli were remanded until February 25.

Memorial lecture

The 21st J E Jayasuriya Memorial Lecture will be held on February 14 at 5 pm at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute Auditorium, 100, Independence Square, Colombo 7. Presidential Commission on Reconciliation and Lessons Learnt Member H M G S Palihakkara who is also UN Secretary General's Advisory Board on Disarmament and Security member, former Foreign Secretary and former Sri Lanka's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to United Nations in New York and in Geneva will deliver a Lecture on 'Post-Conflict Foreign Policy Challenges for Sri Lanka'.

Prof J E Jayasuriya is the founder Principal of the first Central School, Matugama, founder Principal of Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya, first Ceylonese Professor of Education, University of Ceylon, Chairman of the First National Education Commission, Regional Adviser, UNESCO Regional Office for Education in Asia, Bangkok and 'Father' of Population Education in the Asian Region.

Praise and worship service

A service of 'Praise and Worship' will be held tomorrow, at 10.30 am at the Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour (adjoining the BMICH) Colombo 7 under the banner of the ministry of "Peace For All".

Special arrangements have been made for personal prayer to be offered for the individual needs of the congregation. The Speaker and Minister at this service, which is open to all, is Dr Vijaya Corea who will speak on "Understanding why things happen the way they do in one's home, family and life. It is not what meets the eye."

Islamic lecture

The monthly Islamic lecture series 'In the shade of the Holy Qur'an' organized by the Conference of Sri Lankan Malays (COSLAM) will be held on February 17 at 10 am at the YMMA main auditorium, Dematagoda.

Guest speaker Moulavi Muhammad Azhar will speak on 'exemplary family life of Nabi'.