News in brief
Foreign Ministry mobile service
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to extend its services to
the provinces by conducting a series of mobile service programs. At
present people in the provinces travel to Colombo to obtain these
services. The first in the series will be held on October 18 from 9.00
a.m. - 2.00 p.m. at Dhawala Mandira, Polonnaruwa chaired by Minister
Rohitha Bogollagama.
Arbour meets Jaffna civilians
Army spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara denied media reports
that the Army blocked the visiting UN Human Rights Commissioner Louise
Arbour from meeting people of Jaffna. He said that the Army accompanied
her to the meetings scheduled by the UN office in Sri Lanka. The Army
said that she met many individuals at the Jaffna Bishop's House and
other persons were not allowed to meet her for security reasons.
Fags up in price
The Ceylon Tobacco Company has increased the prices of five brands of
cigarettes by Rs. 1.50. The five brands are Dunhill, Benson and Hedges,
Vice Roy, Pall Mall and Gold Leaf. This is the biggest ever price hike
on cigarettes as the Government implements the 'Mathata Thitha' under
the 'Mahinda Chinthana'.
Sporadic clashes continue
Despite heavy monsoon rains, sporadic clashes continue along the
security forces' Forward Defence Line (FDL) in the Wanni causing heavy
casualties to LTTE terrorists, Defence sources said. Troops yesterday
engaged LTTE terrorists at three different locations, killing at least
11 of them.
Private sector to import rice
The Government has permitted the Essential Commodities Importers'
Association to import 75,000 metric tons of two varieties of rice with
immediate effect to bring down the escalating price of the major staple
food. Minister of Trade, Marketing Development, Cooperatives and
Consumer Affairs Bandula Gunawardena said that the two imported rice
varieties would be sold at Rs. 40 and Rs. 45.
D. S. Senanayake Commemoration day
The 123rd birth anniversary of the father of the nation, late D. S.
Senanayake organised by the D. S. Senanayake Memorial Society will be
held at the Independence Square, Colombo 7 on Saturday Oct. 20 at 8.45
a.m. The Speaker W. J. M. Loku Bandara will lay wreaths at the statue
while the Mayor of Colombo, Mohamed Imitiasz will garland the statue.
UN Day on Oct. 20 at BMICH
National Observance of the sixty second United Nations Day organised
by the United Nations Association with the support of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs will be held at the BMICH, Colombo on Saturday October
20 at 3.00 p.m. |
