News in brief

Japan condemns terrorist attacks on civilian buses

COLOMBO: Japan condemns in its strongest terms the series of bomb attacks on civilian buses which took place in the evening of January 5 in Nitambuwa and in the afternoon of January 6 in Godagama, which took the lives of 21 people in total and injured many others, a Japanese embassy press release states.

While expressing sympathy for those who lost lives and those who got injured in the attacks, Japan states that these attacks which deliberately target innocent common people must be condemned as cowardly acts of terrorism, and such incidents must not be repeated in future.

Crow Island Coastal Park work ends this year

COLOMBO: Construction work on the Crow Island Coastal Park planned under the coastal parks project of the Coast Conservation Department will be completed this year, the Department's Director Dr. R.A.D.B. Samaranayake said.

He said Rs. 6 million from the Budget allocations received this year have been allocated for the Crow Island Project.

A coastal park has already been built at Totamune in Matara and work on the proposed coastal park at Tangalle is nearing completion.

SLBC Programme Consultant Dr. Ajantha Ranasinghe

COLOMBO: Dr. Ajantha Ranasinghe has been appointed as the Consultant on Programmes at the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC).

SLBC Chairman Sunil Sarath Perera has made this appointment on the directives of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and with the approval of Information and Mass Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa.

Dr. Ranasinghe who had 35-year service record at the Dinamina Editorial is the winner of Presidential Award, OCIC Award and Sarasavi Award as the best lyric writer. He has also won the State Award for the Best Collection of Songs composed by him.

Baby Safiya needs help

KANDY: Baby Murshid Safiya, daughter of W. Mohamed Murshid of 116, Ududeniya, Marassana, Kandy, is only two years and six months old and suffering from severe impairment of Hearing and Speech.

Consultant ENT Surgeon Dr. Devanand Jha attached to the Apollo Hospital, revealed that an urgent surgery should be performed at an estimated cost of around Rs. 2.8 million to cure her.

Her parents are unable to bear this surgery cost and appeal to donors for financial assistance.

Remittance should be made to K. G. W. M. Murshid, Hatton National Bank, Kandy (A/C No. 0180086544/SA).