News in brief
Suspicious dinghy seized
Naval troops seized a suspicious dinghy type boat along with two LTTE
cadres and found 100 litres of petrol, 176 batteries and a few other
suspect items from the boat at Pallemunai in Mannar on Friday. Naval
sources said one of the two terrorists had swallowed a cyanide capsule
while the troops were searching the boat and he was rushed to the Mannar
hospital.
9.5% growth in gem, jewellery exports
The Gem and Jewellery Export Board has recorded a growth of 9.5% in
gem and jewellery exports during the first six months of the year
compared to the previous year. Official sources said that the value of
exported gems and jewellery was Rs. 22.9 billion.
He hoped the exports would reach well over Rs. 50 billion this year.
Of the total income, Rs. 15.48 billion was earned through re-exportation
of diamonds. The value of gems exported amounted to Rs. 5.68 billion.
Ban on tinted glasses
The Court of Appeal has ordered the Minister of Transport, Inspector
General of Police Victor Perera and some other respondents to appear in
court on August 20 in a case filed by a driver against banning tinted
glasses in motor vehicles.
Operation to prevent arms smuggling
India and Sri Lanka are now engaged in "a hand-in-glove operation" to
prevent arms smuggling by the LTTE, the Hindu reported quoting Foreign
Minister Rohitha Bogollagama in Manila.
This was now the state of play, despite the "technical" time-lag for
the formalisation of any accord on coordinated patrolling along the Palk
Strait, he said.
Number of tamed elephants drops
The number of tamed elephants in Sri Lanka has dropped gradually. The
Sri Lanka Tamed Elephant Owners' Association said that only 137 tamed
elephants are now in the country. About 110 of them are over 50 years of
age.
There are only 18 tuskers among them and seven belong to the Sacred
Temple of Tooth in Kandy. The number of tamed elephants did not increase
after the licences to capture wild elephants were nullified in 1975.
Journalism Awards for Excellence 2006
The Journalism award for excellence 2006 will be held at the BMICH
Main Hall, on August 7 at 7.00 p.m. It is jointly organised by the
Editors Guild of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Press Institute.
Matale bus stands lack facilities
Sigiriya group cor.
The Matale has three main bus stands but none of them has any
facilities. Schoolchildren, old men and women, and the sick have to take
shelter under trees and vendors sheds. The Ambagahamula bus-stand was
built with a two-storeyed building but it was rented out for trade
stalls. Nugagahamula bus stand lacks proper sanitary facilities. Japan
donates fire fighting engines
Good governance for Parliamentarians
The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs will hold an International
Leadership Conference on Good Governance for Parliamentarians on Monday,
6th and Tuesday, 7th of August, 2007 at the Committee Room I, Sri Lanka
Parliament, a press release from the Ministry of Parliamentary Affair
said.
This event is being organised in collaboration with the Universal
Peace Federation. There will be three sessions and topics featured will
be Principles of Good Governance, Human Development in Good Governance
and Role of Parliamentarians in Good Governance.
Super Flora exhibition
"Super Flora", a flower and garden decoration exhibition will be held
at the Vihara Maha Devi Park, Colombo 7 from August 10-12 daily from 9
a.m.- 8 p.m.
New aglonima plants, anthuriums, bougainvillaeas, palm flower plants,
water plants, ornamental fish, birds, fertiliser and clay pots will be
on display.August 10: Water falls and Ponds-making, August 11: Flower
Nursery and Plants and August 12: Garden decoration. The expo is
presented by the Horticultural Society of the Western Province.
|
