Quick Look

Trinidad and Tobago PM here

Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Kamla Persad Bissessar will arrive at the Bandaranaike International Airport in transit today.

He will be received by Senior Minister of Good Governance and Infrastructure Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka on arrival at the VVIP lounge at BIA.

Attendant nabbed in raid on abortion centre

W P Dharmasena -Matara Group

The Matara anti-corruption officials have taken five persons into custody on suspicion of maintaining a brothel and an abortion centre where the head was a female attendant at the Matara hospital.

This brothel had been maintained at a hotel at Malimbada and on information Police Inspector H K Kamal and a Police team conducted the raid. A young woman of 26 years and two other women engaged in duties at the abortion centre were taken into custody.

Cigarette prices increase

The government has increased the price of cigarettes with effect from midnight Wednesday (19). The Finance and Planning Ministry said the new price per cigarette ranges between Rs 22 and Rs 24.

The price of Gold Leaf, Benson & Hedges and Pall Mall has been increased by Rs. 2 per cigarette and the price of Dunhill has been increased by Rs.3.

Seed planting programme

The Sri Sathya Sai Baba organisation in Point Pedro and Jaffna have jointly undertaken the planting of palmyra seeds along both sides of Vallai bridge starting from Atchuvely junction to Vallai junction.

They have planted 5,500 palmyra seeds so far. They have further planned to plant thousands of palmyra seeds from Vallai junction along Point Pedro road till Vallai Uppu road junction.

The Vadamaradchy Lions Club has also decided to open a palmyra garden at Vallai as an attraction to tourists.

Exposition of Sacred Relics

A number of religious programmes including the exposition of Sacred Relics brought from Thailand will take place at Bopitiya Indrasabha Pirivena in Mathugama until October 23 under the patronage of Chief Incumbent of Indrasabha Pirivena Viharaya Ven. Bopitiye Gnanawasa Thera and Bopitiye Rathanawimala Thera.

These sacred relics would be deposited in the chetiya on October 23. A high level Buddhist delegation from Thailand will also participate in this ceremony.

Sri Lanka Ahmadiyya Muslim Annual Convention

The Sri Lanka Ahmadiyya Muslim Community will hold its annual convention (Jalsa Salana) on October 22 at Ahmadiyya Jubilee Hall, Jumma Masjid Road, Periyamulla, Negombo under its National President A H Nasir Ahmad. The programme starts with Thahajjud Prayer (pre-dawn supererogatory prayer) and the main event will start at 9 am. Ahmadi Muslims throughout the country are expected to attend this one day convention.

Apart from the Ahmadi Muslims, special invitees from other Muslim sects are also attending this event.

Rs. 12.5m to renovate tank

A. Keerthisinghe- Alawwa Special Correspondent

The North Western Provincial Agriculture Department has allocated Rs 12.5 million to renovate Tundola Amuna (tank) in the Dambadeniya electorate. Meanwhile, the government has allocated Rs 35 million for uncompleted water and electricity schemes in the Dambadeniya electorate.

Treasure hunters arrested

Ariyapala WANSATHILAKE- Kurunegala Central Special Corr.

Four suspects who were hunting for treasure in an archaeologically important place at Arankale meditation center were arrested by Wellawa Police.

Police seized iron bars, mammoties, cables, iron chains, white clothes and an anduna. The suspects are residents of Galgamuwa, Giribawa and Anamaduwa. Wellawa Police are investigating.

Fined for possession of ganja plants

Matale group corr

Dambulla police arrested a person with 11 plants of ganja which had been cultivated in his land in the Walgamwewa area. He was fined Rs 10,000 after being produced before Dambulla Magistrate.

Pinnacle laying ceremony

The Pinnacle laying ceremony of Sambuddhathva Jayanthi Chaithya at Sri Athuladassanaramaya Bibulewela will be held on October 27 at 7.12 am.

A three day religious programme will be held from October 27 to 29 under the patronage of Viharadhipathi Ven Weerapane Seelarathana Thera.

The pinnacle unveiling ceremony will be held on October 29 at 3.00 pm.

Skills evaluation

The Kalutara District regional programme of the All Island Daham Pasal students' skills evaluation 2011 jointly organised by the Buddhasasana Ministry, Buddhist Affairs Department and the All Island Shasanarakshaka Mandalaya which was postponed due to unavailable circumstances will be held on October 23 from 8.30 pm, said the Buddhist Affairs Department in a press release.

A batch of 21,801 students belonging to 559 daham pasals in 17 Shasanarakshaka Mandala divisions will attend the programme.

Rs 30,000 fine for transporting tortoises

Puttalam Group Corr

A suspect who was carrying two tortoises on a push cycle to be skinned for meat, was apprehended by the Puttalam Police recently.

He was produced before the Puttalam District Judge and Magistrate Heshantha de Mel, who imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 and ordered Police to hand over the tortoises to the Wildlife officials.