Sri Lanka Has Granted Visa For Channel 4 Director Callum Macrae

Sri Lankan Government has granted visas to director of  Channal 4 Television Station in United Kingdom Callum Macrae who has made the  controversial "No Fire Zone" film against Sri Lanka and his T.V Crew to enter the country in view of covering  Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting(CHOGM) .

However the Controversial Channel-4 Director has earlier refused  to grant visa to India sources said.despite the Indian Government's  decision, Sri Lankan government has decided  to grant visas for him the media ministry has announced.Callum Macrae was responsible for making "No Fire Zone" a documentary film made against Sri Lanka by citing human right violations have occurred during final phase of war between Sri Lankan Army and LTTE in the year 2009.

Marvan Atapattu And Mark Davies Became Hot Contenders For Sri Lankan Cricket Coach Post

Sri Lankan Cricket Authorities have today(06)shortlisted former Sri Lankan Skipper Marvan Atapattu and South African Mark Davies for the final interview to  select head coach of the Sri Lankan National Cricket Team .although Sri Lankan Cricket has earlier announced that former Australian Skipper Greg Chappal is tipped to become next Sri Lankan Head Coach he has not even attended the interview.

Along with Marvan Atapattu and Mark Davies,former Sri Lankan Cricketers Romesh Kaluwitharana and Ruwan Kalpage were reported as attended the preliminary interviews  held this evening at Sri Lankan Cricket Board.

Drug Company Reps.Affects Patient Care In Government Hospitals

Due to the presence of Drug Company Representatives in Government Hospital Clinics and Wards during working hours, patient care has been paralyzed  as those representatives trying to promote their products to consultant Doctors while they are  being  engage in treating patients hospital sources said.as there is no law to restrict these drug reps by entering  government hospitals during working hours those reps are easily enter hospital premises at any time and doing their promotion work.

If the health authorities are banning  the  drug reps by entering government hospitals during working  hours it can prevent the said situation Hospital Directors said.

A Foreign Diplomatic Passport Holder Was Arrested With Large Haul Of Heroin

A Foreign Diplomatic Passport Holder was arrested at Katunayake Bandaranaike International Air Port this morning when trying to smuggle  30 Killo Grammes of Heroin in to the country according to Customs.the estimated value of the  haul of heroin taken in to custody is believe to be Rs.300 million custom sources revealed.

Investigations are already underway to ascertain the exact value and the weight of the heroin sources added.

Five Million Five Hundred Rupee Notes For CHOGM

A  Five million   Five hundred Rupee notes denomination with Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (CHOGM)2013 logo are scheduled to be issued for circulation on 15th of November the  Central Bank has announced today(05).

Six Bus Passengers Were Killed Due To A Bus Accident In Bandarawela

Six passengers were killed and more than twenty people got injured when a bus traveling on the Bandarawela-Punagala Road has been skidded off the road and fell in to a 300 feet deep precipice at Punagala area this evening.twenty three injured passengers are currently admitted to Bandarawela and Diyathalawa Hospitals for further treatment according to hospital sources.

Around Sixty passengers were there inside the bus when the accident has occurred according to reports.

Government And Private Sector Employees To Hold A Protest Campaign Tomorrow(05)

The Government and Private sector employees attach to 35 Trade Unions are to conduct a massive protest campaign in front of Fort ,Railway Station tomorrow (05) evening by demanding solutions for  18 service demands including  increasing salaries of government employees by Rs.10,000 the Government and Private Sector Trade Union Alliance has revealed.

According to the conveners of the Trade Union Alliance they are also demanding a Rs.5000 monthly  relief allowance for all private sector employees due to the high cost of living prevails in the country at present ."without getting a sufficient salary increase government and private sector employees are not able to meet their basic needs under present circumstances" they have said.

The protest campaign is due to begin at 3 p.m tomorrow evening and trade unions including  postal,health,electricity ,telecom,banks and railways are scheduled to  taking part in the protest.

Consumer Affairs Authority To Take Legal Action Against 67 Beauty Parlors

The Consumer Affairs Authority has decided to take legal action against 67 beauty parlors throughout the island which are found  as using creams and cosmetics which are not suitable for human skin .the Consumer Affairs Authority has raided 107 beauty parlous situated in Colombo,Gampaha,Kandy,Kurunagela,Jaffna,Batticloe,Matara and Puttalam districts during last few days and found most of these parlors  are using low quality and expired  creams and cosmetics for their customers.

These  raids have been carried out according to the large number of complaints received by the authority from consumers island wide stating appearing of  skin allergies due to the using of low quality cosmetics available in some beauty parlors.

Sri Lankan Woman Who Tried To Illegally Smuggle Rs.345,975 Worth Medicinal Drugs Got Arrested

A Sri Lankan Woman who was illegally attempted to smuggle nearly Rs.350,000 worth medicinal drugs including pain killers to Sri Lanka from India has been  arrested by customs officers this morning at Katunayake ,Bandaranaike International Air Port.according to customs sources the stock of pain killers got arrested is  worth Rs.345,975.

The woman who has tried to smuggle drugs arrived from UL-142 Flight from Mumbai,India around 5.45 a.m this morning sources revealed.the  stock of medicine which was found concealed in her luggage have been confiscated while investigations is being carried out by the Air Port customs.

Around 14,800 Vehicles Using Colombo-Katunayake Express Highway Daily- Road Development Authority

Around 14,800 vehicles are being using  the newly built Colombo-Katunayake Express Highway daily and an average revenue earned from vehicles per day is around Rs.4.7 million according to the Road Development Authority(RDA)since the inauguration of the express highway on last Sunday(27) around 90,000 vehicles have used the highway the authority has stated.

The Last Surviving Sinhalese Cinema Personality Of Late Rukmani Devi Era Has Expired

The Veteran Sinhalese Cinema Actress and Singer Letcia Pieris who was the last surviving member of famous Minerva Drama Group which created the first Sinhalese  Film 'Kadawuna Pronduwa(Broken Promise) in 1947 ,has died last Thursday(31) according to cinema sources.Mrs.Pieris (80) has died after  prolonged illness sources said.

Mrs.Leticia Pieris was also  related to    veteran Sinhalese Actor Eddie Jayamanne, veteran Director/Actor late B.A.W Jayamanne who was the founder of famous Minerva Dance Group and the first actress of Sinhalese Cinema Late Rukmani Devi. "Kadawunu Poronduwa" stage drama made her an actress and later  she has made her debut in the Sinhalese Cinema from the   film "Hadisi Vinischaya ' screened in 1950 with a comic role . afterwards she has  acted more than 30 Sinhalese Films including the famous ones  directed by late B.A.W Jayamanne like "Sangawunu Pilithura",Peralena Iranama",Weradunu Kurumanama",Umathu Wishwasaya"and "Siriyalatha".Late Rukmani Devi was the heroine of all these films.later she has acted in films like"Duleeka" and "Bicycle  Hora"

Mrs.Pieris has also a versatile singer who sang songs like "sanasanu ma" with late susil premaratne,"na na dan " and "parane wage ale" songs with Eddie Jayamanne(film-"Sangawunu Pilitura"). she has  also acted in few Tele Drama's like 'Asalwesiyo" and "Hingana Kolla"until   lost her memory  partially few years back.her funeral is scheduled to be held  this evening at Wettewa Cemetery .

Her songs can be heard through the given link-http://www.siyapatharana.com/view.php?id=618#.UnToRxk7lGk.email
.

Patients Have Faced Severe Difficulties Due To The Strike Of PSM/ Paramedics And Nurses

A large number of patients throughout the island has faced severe difficulties to undergo path lab tests like blood/urine/stool tests,C T Scan/MRI/EEG/ECG tests,Physiotherapy treatment and getting  drugs from government hospitals  today (01)due to the island wide one day token strike launched by Professions Supplementary To Medicine(PSM's),Para Medical Officers and Nurses attach to all government Hospitals.a large number of patients who  went  government hospitals today expecting to undergo   path lab tests,and getting drugs were  went home empty handed  due to the strike hospital sources have said.

While the main hospitals in the country have sent their urgent patients who need to undergo blood/radiography tests  and getting drugs to  private hospitals, small hospitals  prescribed their patients to get drugs and undergo tests from the private sector with their own expenses according to the hospital authorities.

However as the  main nurses union Public Services Nurses Union has not participated the strike a majority of nurses have seen reported to work in hospitals.

Health Workers belongs to Sixteen categories  have participated  this strike launched by demanding solutions for six of their service demands according to Joint Council On PSM'S,Para medics and Nurses .the strike is due to be concluded at 7.am tomorrow(02).

Joint Council Of Nursing,PSM'S And Nursing Officers To Launch An Island Wide Token Strike Tomorrow(01)

The  Professions Supplementary to Medicine(PSM's),Para Medical Officers and Nursing Officers numbering 45,000 attach to government hospitals are due to launch an island wide token strike tomorrow(01) by demanding solutions for six of their service demands the Joint Council of Nurses-Professions Supplementary To Medicine(PSM's)- and Para Medical -Services has said.

However the  health professionals in  the Lady Ridgway Childrens,De Soyza Maternity,Castle Street Maternity,Maharagama Cancer,Mahamodara Teaching and Peradeniya Children's Hospitals are not participating the strike due to humanitarian reasons the Joint Council has stressed.

The strike will begin 7 a.m tomorrow(01) and concludes 7 a.m on Saturday(02) and emergency services of hospitals will be maintained during the strike period the striking health professional have said.

National Transport Commission To Deploy Private Buses On Colombo -Katunayake Express Highway

The National Transport Commission(NTC) has decided to grant permission to run private buses on the newly built Colombo-Katunayake Express Highway .according to the Commission ,Minister Of Private Transport Services C.B Ratnayake has instructed authorities to deploy 18 private buses including 9 luxury and 9 semi luxury buses on the express highway.

Tenders are due to be called on deploying private buses on the highway soon NTC has said.the fares for private  bus service on express highway are Rs.125 for Luxury and Rs.180 for semi luxury buses.